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The light was failing. Although the colony was designed and constructed along the terminator of Sygnus, the planet's inclination was such that it 'wobbled' slightly in it's orbit. The terminator moved at times giving the landscape of both the colony and the Marine base a dusky twighlight rather than true darkness. The temperature would plummet and life outside of the subterrainian colony complex would be downright unbearable if not fatal.
The inanimate shapes of heavy machinery dotted the darkened landscape ahead. Immense excavators, lorrys, cranes and lifters rested where they had been abandoned, too massive to enter the protection of the colony's motor pool, yet to important to scrap altogether. Three immense burrowing excavators sat facing the wind like a trio of giant carnivorous worms, their drilling snouts quiescent, their operator compartments dark and deserted. Smaller machines and vehicles clustered in groups like so many starving parasites, as if waiting for one of the larger machines to grind to life so they might eagerly gather crumbs from its flanks.
The delicate electronics had been removed from each of the vehicles for fear of damage from the solar disturbances which effected the planet on occassion. No one knew for what effect the solar flares may have on the equipment, but then again, no one was real interested either. The removal procedure was followed regardless and the machines sat quietly slumbering waiting for the moment when they would be called to duty once again.
The marine rover trundled easily over the surface clutter of Sygnus. The vehicle sized loading lock doors closed resoundingly behind the rover after it had driven down the dusty entrance ramp to the marine base's underground garage. A few minutes afterwards, the marines were out and securing their weapons. Johnson remained silent in his seat in the back. Quaid approached him.
[Quaid]
"Johnson. I'm sorry for your brother. We will get to the bottom of this matter quickly. Right now, I need you to keep a cool head and not jump to conclusions." He was not sure what else to say, but his words were sincere and appearantly they sunk in.
[Johnson]
"Right sarge." He climbed out and secured his weapon.
All of the marines stood in a ready-line awaiting dismissal.
[Quaid]
"Corporal Kingsley, you have W.O. duty. Everyone report to the armory and then assembly hall one for debriefing. Go!" He shouted. The marines all trotted off in line on their way to fill the orders. Lieutenant Cooper had appeared at a man-door across the bay. The troops filed past his on their way to the armory.
[Cooper]
"Quaid, I have seen Skullet. What is your assessment?"
[Quaid]
"Anderson has the flight recorder from the EEV. We found Skullet's body near the EEV, but we don't know where it had come from. The interior was torched; maybe an electrical fire. There were no bodies inside."
"We found Johnson's brother in their habitat. The whole place was trashed. Most of the equipment had been shot up and the place was a wreck. We bagged and tagged Johnson. Duff should have brought him in with Skullet."
[Cooper]
"Any idea what happened to Johnson?"
[Quaid]
"It looks like a severe chest wound maybe caused by a shotgun, but I didn't see an entrance wound. Then again, we were a little occupied with looking for Skullet at the time."
[Cooper]
"Good work seargent. I'll meet you in the assembly hall." Cooper stood for a few moments in the expansive and dimly lit motor pool garage. After a few moments of contemplation he turned and followed the other marines through the man-door. If he would have stood a little longer, he may have noticed the steadily growing pool of slimy liquid which had formed just below the second rover.
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