Chapter 15: Stay Sharp

The morning sun cast golden light over Eden-V, illuminating the rolling meadows and glistening river. The air was crisp, carrying a gentle breeze that rustled the violet-leaved trees. It was hard to believe that a world so serene could hide dangers that could end them all.

Scar stood outside the Vanguard, his armor slightly battered but his stance firm. He observed his crew as they worked, each member carrying out their duties with an efficiency that spoke of countless missions and narrow escapes. Jefro was knee-deep in engine repairs, cursing softly as he struggled to make the ship flight-worthy again.

Nova walked the perimeter, her blaster resting in her hands as she kept a watchful eye on the landscape. Cyko, in contrast, was stationed near the automated turrets he had set up, tuning their targeting sensors with an uncharacteristic seriousness.

Arlen, the youngest among them and their unexpected guide to Eden-V, was crouched near the creature they had encountered the day before. It had stayed close to the Vanguard, watching them with its large, expressive eyes. The boy had named it Pip, and Pip seemed content to chitter and offer Arlen small fruits from the nearby bushes.

Scar couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry watching Arlen interact with the alien creature. He had seen too many situations where the unexpected turned deadly. “Arlen,” he called, his voice firm but not unkind. “Stay close to the ship. We still don’t know what’s out here.”

Arlen looked up, his wide eyes meeting Scar’s. He nodded, but his gaze returned to Pip, who was nudging his hand with another fruit. “I will,” he promised, though Scar could hear the longing for freedom in the boy’s voice.

Scar sighed and turned back to Jefro. “How’s it looking?” he asked.

Jefro wiped grease from his forehead, looking frustrated. “Honestly? It’s a miracle this ship hasn’t fallen apart yet. I’ve patched the shields, but the engines need at least another day’s work, maybe more.”

Scar’s jaw clenched. They were sitting ducks until the repairs were complete. “Do what you can,” he said. “We need this ship operational as soon as possible.”

The day wore on, the beauty of Eden-V slowly giving way to a sense of foreboding. The lush landscape felt almost too quiet, as if the planet itself were holding its breath. Nova finished her patrol and walked over to Scar, her expression grave.

“Something doesn’t feel right,” she said, scanning the treeline. “I haven’t seen any signs of large predators, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t out there.”

Scar nodded, his instincts echoing her unease. “Stay sharp,” he replied. “If we’ve learned anything, it’s that danger doesn’t always announce itself.”

Cyko, having finished his adjustments, joined them, his rifle slung over his shoulder. “You two worry too much,” he said, though his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Maybe we really did luck out. Maybe this is just a perfect world, and we’re the ones messing it up.”

Nova snorted. “Yeah, right. Perfect worlds don’t exist. There’s always a catch.”

Scar was about to respond when an unnatural stillness fell over the valley. The breeze stopped, the river’s gentle murmur faded, and even the leaves seemed to freeze in place. It was as if the planet itself had paused, waiting.

A chill ran down Scar’s spine. He had felt this before, the calm before a storm, the moment before all hell broke loose. “Weapons ready,” he ordered, his voice low but commanding.

Cyko’s humor vanished, and he gripped his rifle. Nova scanned the treeline again, her body tense. The quiet stretched on, suffocating them.

Then, with a deafening roar, the trees at the edge of the clearing exploded outward. A massive creature, easily three times the size of a man, burst through the foliage. It had dark, glistening scales and six thick, muscular limbs that propelled it forward with terrifying speed. Its eyes were a searing orange, full of intelligence and malice.

“Contact!” Nova shouted, firing her blaster.

Scar’s instincts kicked in, and he aimed at the beast, his pulse steady despite the chaos. “Cyko, keep it off Jefro and Arlen!” he commanded.

Cyko sprinted into action, firing controlled bursts at the creature. The bullets struck its scales, but the armor-like hide absorbed most of the impact. The beast snarled, its mouth full of jagged teeth, and charged toward the Vanguard.

Jefro abandoned his repairs and grabbed a small energy pistol, his hands shaking. Arlen screamed as the ground trembled beneath the creature’s charge, and Pip the alien creature chirped in alarm, retreating behind Arlen.

Scar moved with military precision, his blaster firing in rhythm with Nova’s. “Aim for the eyes!” he shouted. “Blind it if you can!”

Nova adjusted her aim, and her shot struck one of the creature’s glowing eyes. It let out a bone-rattling roar, momentarily disoriented, but that only seemed to enrage it further. It swung one of its massive limbs, striking an automated turret and sending it flying.

Cyko cursed. “These turrets won’t hold up if that thing keeps smashing them!” He switched to an incendiary round and fired at the creature’s side. The shot ignited on impact, and the beast screeched, finally showing signs of pain.

Scar took the opportunity to charge forward, his blaster set to maximum output. He fired into the exposed, charred area where Cyko’s incendiary round had hit, the blasts scorching the beast’s flesh. It recoiled, momentarily stunned.

“Keep up the pressure!” Scar barked.

Jefro, his fear overridden by a surge of adrenaline, aimed his small pistol at the beast’s head and fired repeatedly. Arlen, still crouched near the Vanguard’s ramp, clutched Pip tightly, his eyes wide with terror.

Pip, sensing Arlen’s fear, let out a shrill, echoing cry. The sound was piercing, a high-pitched wail that reverberated across the clearing. To everyone’s astonishment, the beast paused, its orange eyes flickering with confusion. It shook its massive head, as if trying to clear the sound from its mind.

Scar didn’t waste the opening. “Nova, Cyko, now!”

The three of them fired in unison, their combined firepower driving the creature back. The beast stumbled, blood seeping from between its scales. With a final, agonized roar, it turned and lumbered back into the forest, crashing through the underbrush until it disappeared from view.

The valley fell silent once more, the echoes of the battle fading into the distance. Scar lowered his weapon, his heart still racing. He scanned the perimeter, waiting to see if the creature would return, but there was only stillness.

Jefro collapsed to the ground, his hands trembling. “That… was way too close,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Cyko let out a shaky laugh, though his face was pale. “You think? I nearly had a heart attack.”

Nova holstered her blaster, her eyes hard. “It’s not over. That thing will be back, and it’ll be angrier.”

Scar turned to Arlen, who was clinging to Pip. The small alien creature seemed equally shaken but remained by the boy’s side. Scar knelt down, his expression softening. “You okay, Arlen?”

Arlen nodded, though tears streamed down his face. “I-I think so,” he stammered. “Pip… saved us, didn’t he?”

Scar looked at Pip, who chirped weakly, still trembling from the encounter. “Maybe,” Scar said, his mind racing. “Whatever that sound was, it affected the creature. We need to figure out why.”

Cyko leaned against the Vanguard, breathing heavily. “Great. So now we’ve got a guardian monster to worry about. Just what we needed.”

Scar straightened, his resolve hardening. “We survived this attack, but Nova’s right. That thing will come back. We need to be ready.” He turned to Jefro. “Get those repairs done, no matter what. We can’t afford to stay here any longer than necessary.”

Jefro nodded, determination returning to his features. “I’m on it.”