Earth Year 2840. Capital of the Galactic Federation.
Ark City stood as a testament to humanity’s conquest of the universe.
It was a metropolis of neon lit skyways and towering buildings that pierced the artificial atmosphere of the Intergalactic Human Super Colony.
This massive Galactic Federation hub was founded by Orion following the Third Omni War.
Meanwhile Platform 9 of the military docks buzzed with countless Galactic Federation dreadnoughts and planetary cruisers.
"You make sure you eat this before the nutrient paste rations ruin your stomach,"
Zeon’s mother said coughing.
She pressed a small insulated lunchbox into his hands with her trembling fingers.
"Mom, you really didn’t have to get up to cook for me,"
Zeon said gently.
"You need to rest and let the med droids do their job,"
"I am resting, but my nineteen year old boy is finally going to the stars,"
she smiled through her tear filled eyes.
"Come back to me Zeon, promise me you’ll come back,"
"I promise, Mom."
Zeon whispered as he pulled her into an embrace and hugged her before going up the ramp.
"It’s just a delivery run, so I’ll be back before you even notice I’m gone,"
Zeon offered a brave smile with a final wave to his mother as he march up the boarding ramp of the colossal U.N.S. Aegis war cruiser.
"Look who finally decided to show up."
Ruby Rose teased the moment the airlock hissed shut.
She was leaning against the sterile bulkhead with her signature scarlet hair.
"I couldn’t leave without my favorite babysitter,"
Zeon shot back with a grin.
"Keep talking recruit and I’ll make you scrub the dreadnought’s plasma vents,"
Captain Eva Diane commanded sharply.
Zeon and Ruby instantly snapped crisp military salutes to the seasoned predator eyed veteran.
"At ease and ready your gear Zeon."
Eva ordered while tapping her datapad.
"We launch in five minutes,"
she announced.
Soon the anti gravity thrusters came to life as the Aegis detached from Ark City and shot into the stars.
An hour later Zeon sat in the bustling two thousand man cafeteria.
"I’m telling you guys, this mission makes no sense,"
Chang Shi Hong complained across the metal table.
"Why send an entire battlecruiser of 2,300 men just to deliver one package to Sector 86?"
Chang asked.
"Rumor says it’s a new localized black hole bomb."
Daniel muttered nervously.
"You’re an idiot Dan,"
Omar laughed while kicking Daniel’s chair.
"If it was a bomb they’d send a drone, so it has to be a biological weapon to wipe out the rebel colonies,"
Omar bet.
Then Zeon came in and unsealed his mother’s lunchbox as it let out the scent of home cooked spices drawing in envious groans from the squad.
"Whatever it is, it’s way above our pay grade,"
Zeon said through a bite of real food.
"We just drop the package at the Forward Operating Base, refuel and go...,"
"WARNING, HULL BREACH IN SECTORS 4, 5, AND 7, UNKNOWN ENTITIES DETECTED,"
The emotionless AI announced over the ear splitting sound of tearing metal.
Then the far wall of the cafeteria dissolved and blasted the room with a suffocating necrotic pressure.
"What the hell is that?!"
Chang screamed as tentacles lined with mismatched weeping eyes whipped through the breach.
Then a marine came in with a plasma rifle as the Horrors flooded in.
"Take this ugly freak!"
The marine fired a burst of superheated blue plasma but it was instantly swallowed by the creature’s dark aura.
"It’s absorbing the plasma!"
The marine yelled before a thorny appendage pierced his chest and lifted him into the air.
"Fuck it got me, Arrghhh!!!"
The marine scream as his body twisted and cracked as he is in a loop of endless impossible agony.
"Form up and hold the line!"
Captain Eva roared as she fired her sidearm and dragged Daniel behind a reinforced table.
Then the eldritch horrors tore through the highly trained Galactic Federation soldiers like wet paper and painted the chrome walls with blood.
"Zeon, move your ass!"
Ruby screamed while grabbing his arm as the ship tumbled out of warp.
"Omar, watch out!"
Chang yelled as a tentacle swept Omar’s legs out and dragged him into the dark.
"Omar Noo!!!"
Zeon froze in terror watching Omar get taken.
Then came a eldritch mass of jagged teeth unhinging its jaw to swallow them both.
CLANG!
Suddenly, a heavy metallic boot slammed into the creature’s face with a deafening clang.
An armored man wearing battered gear and wielding a crude blade stepped out of the flashing red smoke.
With a single brutal swing, the helmeted man sliced the eldritch horror in two and sprayed black blood everywhere.
"Who are you?!"
Ruby gasped as the man grabbed Zeon by the tactical harness with terrifying mechanical strength.
"Move out!"
A distorted voice barked from beneath his ancient helmet.
"Get to the lifepods, now!"
The Armored Man commanded as he shoved Ruby and Eva down the emergency corridor followed by Zeon , Chang and Daniel .
Then the armored soldier placed his own body between the squad and the endless tide of horrors.