Eloquent Tales & Blues presents, Revelations

A shot whizzed over Fenton’s head, driving him to the ground. Earth beside him detonated, showering him as alarms shrieked from the ramp. His lips curled into a snarl as his eyes whipped up. “Why are you firing at friendlies?”

“Careful, Fenton. It’s been volatile since your departure.”

Fenton climbed to his feet and brushed the dirt off his clothes. He waved his squad on and resumed his jog. “How hectic was it since we left?”

“Nothing you’d call stable.” Jarvis’s gaze swept the compound as Fenton’s team marched through the makeshift checkpoint. His jaw tightened before he spun about and strode up the ramp. “But we need to talk, and everyone else needs to join the effort to build the wall around this boat. Use any materials you can find.”

Rubbing his temples with ragged fingers, Fenton followed his commander into the vessel. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“There’s too much to discuss.” At the top of the ramp, Jarvis hurried into a side chamber, claimed the closest seat, and grabbed the tablet off the table. “I believe you mentioned filling a storage assembly.”

With a nod, Fenton withdrew the device and traded it for the pad. “Tarian’s warnings should provide answers with enough study, but for the time being hint at our welcome.”

“We had to repel coordinated raids.” Jarvis sighed as he connected the assembly to a screen. Once the logs filled the display, he skimmed through them. When he finished, his eyebrows crept up. “It looks like creatures similar to those that attacked us devastated the original colony.”

“Have you found any reports on trees?”

Jarvis’s head turned away from the text as his lips pursed. “What?”

Fenton jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “On our return to the ship, a pair of them charged my team.”

“You mean the forest tried to assault you?”

With a grim shake, Fenton wrung his fingers and patted his rifle. “I meant what I said. They walked, spoke, and attempted to kill us. Though neither were expecting our weaponry.”

“Are you serious?”

Fenton nodded and slipped his weapon off his shoulder. “The creature’s bark, or rather skin, ignited upon impact. When the attacking creatures couldn’t douse the flames, they dashed through the trees, still trying to extinguish themselves. Then the forest answered with a tremor beneath our boots.”

“You said multiple ones attacked you?”

“Once the initial pair disappeared, another group emerged and chased my team, and if not for leapfrogging, they would have run us down.” Fenton rested his head against the bulkhead and slammed his fist against the metal. With a huff, he turned and lifted the tablet. “But enough about our experience. Based upon our greeting, should I assume you encountered something just as bizarre?”

Jarvis snatched the pad and tapped it against the table. His gaze dropped to the device as he released his breath. “Do two waves of green-skinned creatures count?”

One of Fenton’s eyes widened as he claimed a seat. “Green men tried to overrun the ship?”

“They ranged from tiny to gigantic.” Jarvis stared at the bulkhead with a vacant expression. “And I’m afraid I underestimated them.”