The Asorian Patrol

Brief unedited exerpt from 1998.

Nabore Forest, Trilieon III, Asorian Republic
14 5p 3185 UD

The alien birds chirped in the distance observing from the tops of the giant Trebuko tree’s, perched high they observed the scene below. Several light khaki figures cautiously stepped through the sparse undergrowth of the forest floor. The Trebuko trees standing at an average height of 70m. Kept the forest floor dark, with only rare beams of light punching their way through the giant tree canopy.
Carefully the leader of the small Asorian force raised his arm; behind him his small force went to their knees their weapons ready covering their various arcs.
Section Sergeant Gref Oersan listened for any artificial sounds, his large Asorian ears probing the surrounding environment. A mild snap caught his attention; he turned his head towards the sound, his compact yet heavy Bramwath 52 Battle Rifle was aimed into the direction of the sound.
To his rear, his second in command, Section Adjutant Krelio Manon silently stepped towards him. The Adjutant opened his small mouth realising a faint scent, which was interrupted by the Sergeants large ears, which also served as his nose.
The scent was a question.
“ What is it?” asked the adjutant through a particular scent.
“ I don’t know, I thought I heard something.” Replied the sergeant, also using the complex form of smell, to communicate.
The light khaki uniforms of the Asorian Republic Infantry pressed against their forms as though a second skin, their bipedal frame’s crouched as they observed their surroundings.
As Sergeant Oersan stood to lead his force on, a buzzing screech erupted and the sergeant fell, his body writhing as several charges of concentrated electronic energy sent him into spasms. His squad returned fire; each one of the surviving seven soldiers watched as several figures appeared through the undergrowth of the dark forest floor. Several loud screeches echoed through the hollow forest.
A large spider like animal hurried from behind a tree, Adjutant Manon pressed against the trigger button on his Bramwath 52 rifle. Several pulses of electrical energy zapped into the large animal. Its beady black and brown eyes exploded as it fell to the forest floor, only a few metres from where Manon was standing.
The rest of the section encountered such giant spider creatures, a few of them where armed with similar weapons to their own.

One such spider beast crawled at speed towards a isolated Asorian, the Asorian was leaning against the trunk of one of the giant trees frantically firing his rifle at figures and shadows hitting nothing but trees. The Spider animal crawled slowly now, watching the smaller bipedal panic and fire at nothing. With one of its smaller arms it clutched onto one of the small animals weapons, aiming the small device at the biped’s body. From behind the Asorian came a long pulse of electrical energy, scorching his flesh and boiling his insides, the Asorian died painfully charred and burning on the dry surface of the Forrest floor.
The large spider screeched out a command as its fellow brethren listened. Now the Asorian section down to four formed themselves into a defensive arch awaiting the final assault. The adjutant pressed several keys into his communications pad, but nothing happened, they were without communication, completely cut off by these animals.

Adjutant Mannon watched as the darkness writhed with activity, one of his soldiers pressed their rifle's button releasing pulses of electricity into the shadows.
Mannon released an angry scent telling the soldier to fire only on his command.
Silence and darkness was all that filled the surrounding metres of the Asorian’s, fear kept them on a vigil as the observed the last signs of daylight and relied solely on their hearing and sense of smell.
The large Asorian grasping the large Bramwath 90 Support weapon listened and smelled for anything, laying in a prone position he rested his head against the rear support of the weapon. As icy minutes passed by his body began to tire, fatigue and relaxation set in. Moments latter he passed into sleep, as his body completely relaxed; a large claw like hand grasped his right leg yanking it almost completely of.
Now completely awake, hormones flooded his system alerting him and preparing him for a fight, as he turned to face his abductor, a large hard limb pressed against his abdomen. Desperately he tried to bring his weapon onto the giant beast’s body a sharp and unbearable pain seared through his body. Now several other limbs began tearing into his flesh, his strong nostrils detected the fowl stench of his own bowls and flesh being savagely devoured, instance latter he fell limp.
Adjutant Mannon smelt and heard the struggle, detecting the location of the struggle he pressed the button of his rifle firing pulses into the location of a giant spider creature. Its giant body erupted in agonising throes as it danced struggling to maintain its balance, finally falling to the dry dusty dirt of the forest floor.
Mannon down to the last pulses of his rifles energy cells rushed to the large carcass of the dead spider creature. Leaning into its long leg like limbs he fired at another creature, this time hitting it towards its rear, unfortunately the rear of the creature was non conductive, the electrical pulse only splashed harmlessly into the beast as it turned. Mannon smelt the screams and the fowl stench another of his soldiers, he released a strong scent for the surviving Asorian.
“ Try to escape, and get help...” was all that he managed to send through his scent.
A large spider creature managed to conceal it self around the bottom of the tree, it trapped Mannon against the trees trunk forcefully making him drop his rifle.
Desperately Mannon reached for his Bram 91 Military side arm, but the spider creature bit into his skull crunching sharply down onto his head killing him instantly.
Now Mannons brain and tissue slid from the giant spider creatures teeth covered opening, glistening in the darkness.
The spider creature covered in Mannon’s brain matter rocked its relatively small head back and screamed into the darkness with a horrific echo following it.
The lone and surviving Asorian ran, miraculously he survived the massacre. Occasionally he tripped over roots or small debris, but his recovery was astounding, fear fuelled him as he finally made the outskirts of the forest. His bodies natural cooling liquid, an off yellow slime, pooled above his brow. The nighttime wind chilled his now exhausted and heavily breathing body deliriously stumbled towards an open area of ground. He fell exhausted dropping his rifle. As he rested he tried to regain his composure, sitting now, suddenly from behind him lurched three of the large spider like creatures galloping as they threw their multiple leg like limps at speed in a chaotic yet Coordinated pattern.
The Asorian reached for his rifle, as he aimed to fire a limb tore through his body, and three hideous teeth covered mouths devoured his flesh, eating through his skin like uniform. He desperately tried resisting but their large sizes and sheer mass tossed him around helplessly. He passed out through sheer shock, never to regain consciousness.
The three large spider like creatures continued to devour the small lifeless body until a loud screech ordered them back.
With the night went the spider beasts, the following day saw hundreds of other smaller beasts rummage through the once life field remains of the lost Asorian patrol.