Slime pt. 6

“What the hell was that?” Lana froze, listening. The noise was gone, but she could have sworn it sounded like a scream.

“I didn’t hear anything.” Rochelle was busy at one of the computer terminals that lined the walls of the compound’s central command station. “You okay?”

“Fine.” Lana sighed. “Guess the quiet of this place is just starting to get to me. Never had cabin fever before, but I guess there’s a first time for everything.”

The central command was a medium sized room made smaller by the sheer amount of equipment stuffed into it. It didn’t help that it was tucked in the lower level, not far from the mining crew bunkers, and that meant there were no windows. The place felt like a metal closet.

“So,” Rochelle glanced back at the computer screen, “the damage to the planet is pretty extensive. Not complete, mind you. It looks like almost a third of the planet structure has been hollowed out, but that amount is growing. The planet should be at half mass by tomorrow afternoon if the decay rate stays steady.”

“Half mass?” Lana shook her head. “What the hell is causing it? And where the hell is it all going? That much planet does not suddenly just vanish without a trace.”

“Well, I can account for at least half of what is already missing. Our mining operations have done significant damage to the planet’s structure, and the operations have removed a large amount of materials from the planet’s core. As for the rest of it… I have no clue.” Rochelle continued to tap away at her keyboard.

“As for the structural integrity of the compound?” She leaned forward. “How bad is it?”

Rochelle sighed. “Not great. The entire structure isn’t over the… breakdown? I don’t really know how to describe it. Anyways, the entire structure isn’t at risk, but a portion of it is. Namely the village area. The stores and recreational portions of the compound are at high risk of collapse.”

Lana nodded and stood up, walking towards one of the in station communicators. She tapped a few keys, and the screen blinked to fuzzy life.

“Heather?” She spoke into the intercom, and waited for a response. “Heather, can you hear me? God I hope you have your communicator on you.”

“I hear you.” Heather’s voice crackled back. “Not well, but I can hear you. I have one of the skeleton crew here, Marco. Captain, something happened. The bar… well, it’s gone.”

Lana responded, “I’m not really surprised. Listen, you need to clear out of the village. It isn’t safe. You and Marco should make your way towards the bunker and the central command. I’ll explain more when you get here.”

“Got it,” Heather answered.

“See you in a few. If you run into any problems just contact me through the command number. Rochelle and I will be here.” Lana disconnected from the communicator.

She glanced around the room, at all the outdated technology that surrounded her. TV and movies had lied to people for years. There were no glass touch pads or holographic screens. While they did exist, no company, and no government for that matter, was going to spend money on them. Not unless the compound or ship could prove to be profitable. No, places like Tetra-18 were gifted with the outdated crap that no one else wanted, but everyone knew how to use. It meant less time training people, and lower overhead.

“This is odd.” Rochelle’s voice brought Lana back into the present.

“What?” She walked over to the computer terminal.

“That unaccounted mass? Well, I think I found it. It didn’t so much vanish as it condensed and relocated.” Rochelle pointed to the terminal. “It’s… well, it’s moving directly under us. It looks it’s building up.”

As if in response the room suddenly gave a sudden jerk. Both Lana and Rochelle had to brace themselves from the shock wave, but they did manage to stay on their feet.

“Rochelle, I need you to contact the pickup shuttle. I don’t know how they can manage it, but they need to get here faster.”

“On it.”

Lana headed back to her desk and opened a connection to Rochelle’s computer. Something in the data she had pulled up, and in the images she had managed to get together bothered her. It was the way the mass was moving. It seemed deliberate. It seemed…

Alive.