Operation Darkness: Sounds
By Brad Corletti


I heard it, then, a simple sound - the sound of a blaster being loaded. I 
heard it at the edges of my Force-enhanced hearing, the sound reassuringly 
technological. Carefully I stalked towards it, creeping along with mere 
two-foot paces.

A voice startled me, sounding like a gunshot in the eerie quiet. I spun 
rapidly and saw a blue energy form reaching out to me.

Three blaster bolts flashed through it before recognition dawned.

Sci seemed a little annoyed. "That's an experience I'd rather not soon repeat."

I smiled. "Sorry, Sci. I thought you were some sort of soul-sucking energy 
fiend. I should have realised it was just my CO."

"If I weren't dead, I'd--Oh, about that..."

"No time for that. Just be quiet. I've got to find somebody live who can 
handle the gunnery controls on my B."

"About the Vong..."

"I said, be quiet. I don't know if they can hear you or not."

"Sigh..."

As we worked our way through the erratically-lit tunnels I heard another 
noise. This was the sound of an object forcing its way through the air, 
creating a miniature vortex behind it as it travels. It came from above me.

I glanced up and saw it, a Vong invader floating down from a tunnel above 
me, and something smaller preceding it at a much greater pace.

The power filled me and I flung my arm in its path. The red-carapaced 
insectoid reached a range of a foot, and I fired. The blaster bolt struck 
it and robbed it of its momentum. The thing screeched and died, falling 
gently to the floor.

Before the bug had hit the floor the invader was upon me. Four blaster 
bolts heated its armour visibly, and then it knocked the weapon from my 
hand. I heard footfalls and knew I was in trouble.

The Vong's spear came down in a two-handed, overhead blow. I pushed off the 
tunnel wall and avoided the blow, then clenched my hand around the 
invader's throat. I let a little of my power bleed out from my fingers, 
arcs of glowing green energy heating the armour, cracking open the 
vulnerable neck joints. The Vong dropped its staff and attempted to rake me 
with its forearm blades. I clenched my fist and the creature lived no more.

His compatriot now entered the battle. I grabbed the fallen warrior's spear 
weapon and parried the first blow. He swung again, and again I parried. But 
I wasn't prepared for what came next. The second warrior's spear head, 
above where our staves crossed, began to writhe and lunged at me. I 
narrowly avoided being bitten by the suddenly live weapon, and swung my 
staff in an arc, slicing through the spearhead's suddenly supple flesh.

I smashed the helmet off the creature with the return blow, and was stunned 
by what I saw.

It looked almost human. It was covered in black tattoos, brands, and scars. 
It was deformed and ugly. It was also trying to kill me. However, my 
reflexes were supernaturally quickened by the Force, and it was impossible 
for its swings to reach me. Every attack I blocked, until finally the Vong, 
enraged by its inability to strike me, left itself open.

I disembowelled it with the first stroke and beheaded it with the second.

I wiped the sweat from my brow and faced Sci's blue ghost. "They didn't see 
you."

Sci smiled. "No. I'm attached to you at the moment; no one can see me 
except you, and I can't stretch myself more than a few meters in front of 
you. That notwithstanding, the Vong don't believe in the Force. You can't 
touch their minds, in fact to the Force they don't exist."

"You mean they're some sort of alien Sci? Doesn't bother me. My powers 
don't work that way."

"All the same, it's dangerous. I might be able to be an early-warning 
system, but nothing more than a second or two."

"That would be enough. Lead the way then, oh fearless leader."

"Of course I'm fearless," Sci replied. "I'm dead."

"I see the novelty hasn't quite worn off yet."