Screamers: The Hunting Page #2

One of the by-products of mining here

and the reason the war started.

Acid? I have a neutralizing base.

Lieutenant, we got a vent up here!

- Okay.

- It could lead to the bunker.

Keep moving. Keep moving.

Sergeant, we're coming to you.

Open it.

This is promising.

It looks like it's part of a whole complex.

I'm getting a reading from over here.

This way.

This is where they made them.

- Made what?

- The screamers. This is the factory.

Actually, this is where

they made themselves.

Made themselves?

Screamer production was fully automated

ever since it began.

No humans have been down here

since production started.

Morphology is really striking.

Anybody know who designed these?

The early varieties are credited

to an engineer named Orsow or Barlow,

I can't remember.

The later models were supposed to

have been designed by other screamers.

These were made by other machines?

It's not possible.

These must be the original designer's work.

Unlikely. We think he was killed

by a prototype during the early tests.

They were supposed to be great scavengers.

Didn't just slice and dice,

but came back to pick up all the pieces.

- That's sick. Why would anyone do that?

- Not anyone, Schwartzy.

We're talking machines.

And the reason is simple.

There was a shortage of raw materials.

Pun intended.

Bones for parts?

But these are just machines.

Right, Bronte?

So, what, did their batteries just die out?

They have this failsafe design

that limits their running time.

Guys, let's go.

Quit playing around with that thing.

We have to make it back to the Medusa.

What is this?

Commander?

You might want to take a look at this.

Can you believe this?

This place is massive.

There's so many of them.

I had no idea.

We're not gonna have enough time

to get back to the Medusa before nightfall.

- Okay, we bunk here tonight.

- Great. Home sweet home.

Some of the glove melted in there.

God, what a mess.

You know, if the screamers really butchered

their creators on Sirius 6B,

just imagine what they'd do back on Earth.

But those are just stories.

We don't really know what happened here,

do we?

We have Colonel Hendrickson's

final transmissions.

The delusional ravings

of a shell-shocked soldier.

You know, the cyber-technology alone

would be worth a small fortune.

"A small fortune"?

Try "enough to buy a planet."

It's not gonna happen.

Alliance Central has put a total ban

on importing any screamer technology

to Earth.

The Alliance thinks the screamers

are just a plague waiting to happen.

Charge target.

Connect.

Download all the files.

Everything in the hard drive.

Come on. Come on, come on,

come on, come on, come on.

Are you back?

Danielli?

Guys?

Gentlemen?

Looks like one of the larger

berynium mines.

I'm getting a life-form reading from inside.

Let's go check it out.

- Get down!

- Take cover!

Defensive positions!

- Can you see anything up there?

- No, I can't see anything.

Bronte, I'm blind. I need you to be my eyes.

I need numbers and a location.

They've dug in deep, Commander.

Ten to 15 of them.

I can get them with this.

Just drop something in close.

Give them a taste of the fire power.

Let them know we mean business here.

I think you got their attention.

Hello! Can you hear me up there?

Commander, I see two scouts.

They're both positioned

on the ridge above you.

We're from Earth! Do you understand?

We've come to help you!

"We're from Earth! We've come to help you!"

Kiss my ass!

Madden!

- I'll cover you.

- Okay.

You are not hit!

You see, Schwartz, you do care.

- How is he?

- He's fine.

If they sent the SOS,

they've got a strange way of asking for help.

Okay, this is a kill zone here.

We got to make it downhill.

Bronte, you cover!

- Let's move!

- Go, go, go, go, go!

Move, Danielli!

Go! Go! Go!

Bronte. Give me more cover fire.

- Romulo, take point, take point.

- Pull back. Hurry.

Move it people. Hustle, hustle!

Schwartz! Schwartz.

Bronte, look out!

- Hannah, let's get out of here!

- Screamers!

- Modulate your TABs!

- Everybody check your TABs!

Where's my TAB? I lost my TAB!

Screamers!

- Here. Take mine.

- No, man.

- Take it.

- What are you gonna...

Take it!

All right, people, we're moving out.

- Move! Move!

- I'll take forward point.

- Move! Everybody, move now!

- Move!

Bronte, look out!

Romulo!

No!

Rom?

- Go. Get them out of here.

- No.

Go!

All right, let's go! Move!

Eat this, you bastards!

This is Commander Sexton.

Come in, Medusa. Come in. Soderquist?

Do you hear me, Soderquist?

This is Commander Sexton.

Soderquist! Come in!

I'm not getting any reply.

We're going back to the Medusa now.

Sir, what about the mission?

I am not risking the lives of any more

of my crew members.

- We're leaving this planet now.

- One of those people sent the SOS.

Those people are homicidal savages.

We all knew the risks

before volunteering to do this.

I never signed up for this.

I just gave you a direct order, Lieutenant.

We are going to the Medusa now. So move.

Yes, sir.

Soderquist?

Soderquist?

- What the hell happened?

- Bronte, get us out of here.

Danielli, check the systems.

Make sure the ship is secure.

- Schwartz! Schwartz!

- Just give her a second.

I'm the commander here!

Get Soderquist down.

Commander! You better get in here.

- Our fuel cells have been drained.

- What are you talking about?

Drained. Empty.

We've got enough for basic functions.

- But we're never gonna make it home.

- I think I know why.

- Look at the security log.

- Screamer.

- Oh, my God.

- It's from yesterday.

The screamer is draining the fuel cells.

It looks just like the one at the factory.

I don't have time for your speculation.

We have a situation

that we need to deal with.

We need to find a fuel supply,

a military depot, a power source, something!

We have three days, Commander.

Face it, it's impossible.

Not necessarily. We're gonna get help.

- What are you talking about?

- Those people at the mines.

You're gonna trust those lunatics

to help us?

No, wait. Bronte is right.

They're our only shot.

We have to take the chance.

This is awful.

It's the best we could do.

He wanted to be cremated like his ancestors.

We move out at daybreak.

Lieutenant, make sure everyone has

their armor and the proper weaponry.

Let's go.

She's alone, and definitely the one

who attacked us yesterday.

- Can we outflank her?

- Yes.

- I'll go.

- No. I'll go.

Madden, grab these and cover her. Come on.

Don't move!

Stay where you are! Don't move.

Stay away from the weapon.

Look out!

You're gonna kill me now?

No. I'm here to reason with you.

I'm gonna lower my weapon.

Please do not try anything.

Why'd you come back?

Screamers attacked our ship.

- You really are from Earth.

- Yes.

Unreal.

And I need to speak to your people. Please.

I'll take you.

But then you're on your own.

Follow me.

And who are you?

Commander Sexton.

Alliance Central received an SOS

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