SHANNON HOWELL

The communication unit that Smith was setting up would help the colonies in this system communicate so much more efficiently without the static that the old device was creating in the transmissions.

Titan IV was a new planet recently discovered and humanity had beginning to colonize which getting this communication unit online was a high priority. As Sergeant Smith plugged in the last cable connection, he heard the canisters clang as they hit against the rocks behind him.

There is no reason the canisters would fall over, this planet doesn't have any tectonic plate movement of significant concern, at least not enough that would cause the oil canisters to fall over. “Anything else back there would take something of significant size to...”, thought Sergeant Smith.

“Oh no, please tell me it isn't”, said Smith under a low breath. He quickly grabbed his rifle and slowly walked toward the cargo area where different canisters had been offloaded from the last cargo ship. As he walked around the rocky edge, he saw the toppled oil canisters and raised his rifle ready to defend himself from anything that might be waiting for him.

As he cleared the rocks and walked next to the WTG-2202 canisters he heard an all too familiar sound that filled the quiet sky of Titan IV. It was the battle cry of four Zerglings that charged at him from behind a rock face.

He quickly fired from his shoulder cannon and killed one Zergling instantly which fell to the ground and slid a few feet crashing into a canister that toppled over and crushed his friend that was charging toward Smith.

Two more were coming from his left which he quickly took down with just a few shots. As the sound of battle started to die down, he quickly looked around to make sure there wasn't any more that was going to show up to the party.

None showed up and silence once again flowed over the area. “A scouting party more than likely”, thought Smith. “And when these guys don't show back up, more are going to come looking for them. Time to get the communication unit online and call in back up.”, thought Smith as he slowly backed up keeping an eye on the rocks in front of him. He quickly turned and headed toward the communication until to bring it online as it roared to life and started transmitting a call for help on Titan IV....