28 Chapter 28

The team in the sky was hard at work to ensure this merger was plentiful. As Delta team escorted the important assets Alpha team began acquisitions. Drones scoured the inside of the barrier for any breachers they could examine.

With no breachers found in half an hour, they were given clearance to enter a rift. Alpha team consisted of mostly security detail along with three special operatives. These operatives were members of the Zeta ruling class who have undergone vigorous forms of combat training. Each operative was equipped with an arsenal to seize multiple lifeforms.

Leading Alpha team was a man named Hirin. After pushing through the rift one could see a barren desert with violet sand, and obsidian-like hills in the distance. Under the starry sky, several moons could be seen. Hisan examined a vibrant jungle at a distance with cerulean, and silver vegetation.

"Get our eyes in the air," Hirin ordered while glancing at his wrist.

'We're off by three clicks.'

When the drones, and interceptors deployed they spun around in the air. Once they took off Alpha team gave chase. The drones' bio scanners were detecting frequent game trails and forming algorithms for hunting patterns.

This information was being fed to the screen on their wrist allowing them to track the closest subjects. A lone beeb was heard, and Hirin examined the number on his wrist. As the rate of the beeping gradually picked up Hirin raised his hand.

"Neutralize intelligent lifeforms, but all other hostiles are open to termination," Hirin raised his blaster.

Flying out from the jungle were large birds with scarlet feathers down its head and body. The areas without feathers had black scales matching the four wings flapping behind them. Its serrated beak clacked together before it nosedived towards them.

They raised their blasters as purple beams swept across the sky. Ashes were raining down upon them as the next shots were lined up. When the barrage ensued the serpent-like tails on the aviary creature sprang open like a parachute. The creatures drifted out of harm's way before the tail reverted, and they dove back to the jungle.

With the nuisance out of their way, they pushed forward. Right at the entrance was a mound of black crystals wrapped around a fruit tree. Alpha team almost passed it by, but one of the operatives halted the squad. She witnessed an unusual glow within and double-checked with her scanner.

"Good job recruit. Now set up the perimeter for the extraction, but send me your best men." Hirin glanced at the clock ticking.

'At least we found something.' Hirin observed an unknown moving erratically.

"We've found a new isotope, but I need a personal touch for the other task." Hirin relayed.

Enki took control of the drones and moved them to the coordinates Hirin uploaded. The movement they picked up was rapidly shifting from the ground to the canopy at an impressive rate. They sped forward to observe, but a hulking figure with purple fur knocked them down.

Before the drone fizzled out they capture an image of a large ape with four arms beating its chest atop a hill. The creature turned around revealing three eyes, and silver tusks from its mouth. While the drone was attempting to repair itself the third leg gripped a large rock. It tossed the rock into the air, and one of the arms seized it before disabling the drones.

"Set a search grid around these coordinates." Enki relayed.

"You heard the man." Hirin tossed several discs before dashing forward.

Alpha team gave chase as Delta team was addressing a security concern. There was movement detected near the final rift. By the time it was picked up on the scanners it was within viewing distance. Enkara finished setting up a permitter around essential personnel.

"Make sure to use stun." The researcher stated.

"Just focus on your gadgets." Enkara examined the rift through his visor.

"If you wanna lose out to Alpha team that's your choice."

While the researcher approached the distortion a barrage of plasma went straight through two officers. Before the killing spree could continue Enkara deployed an opaque shield. Its shape and position of the ground made it resemble a popup trench. He took cover with his men as cover fired ensued.

"We have a hostile breacher in sector six. I need an immediate extraction of the remaining researchers." Enkara relayed.

"I'm on it. Have you identified the planet yet?" Aria asked Enki.

"The readings match a planet we encountered one time, but the merger ended before we could breach it," Enki replied.

"Their tech isn't bad, but they seem to be firing wildly at the moment." Enkara reached for a grenade.

Enkara ran his finger across the side before hurling it. As soon as the grenade left his palm it warped to its target. After it manifested a sonic pulse echoed through the mountains, and the barrage halted.

Everyone believed the intended target to be taken down. Being on the other side of the breach they were unable to form a link. Given the weakened status of the shield, Enkara was moving his men forward.

Rapidly slithering through the rift was reptoid with teal scales covering his body. Trailing from the top of his head to the base of his tail was a spiked fin. His amber eyes locked on Enkara as the massive blaster in his hand began illuminating.

The end of the Gatlin gun had three prongs in a triangle formation. An arc formed between them as they rotated violently, and a fire ensued once more. They all darted in different directions to lay fire on all sides.

Given the long serpent-like body it was an easy target, but as their weapons raised its tail whipped. Watching two comrades go flying they dove for cover. Enkara was forced to reconsider his tactics.

'We could barely handle the damage at a distance so the barrier won't last. At least it's only one of them.'

The breacher was laying cover as his tail hit a button on his vest. Along his body was numerous pouches of rations, ammo for comrades, and most important the goal of his mission. The button released several metal stumps dangling from his side.

Once they struck the ground the breacher shuffled them with his tail while continuing to fire. They reached the rifts as the stumps opened up into crude towers. The distortion narrow enough for one person to pass through was blown wide open. Rapidly charging through the portal was a Cerullian command force.