HALFALIFE.TXT - M/?, Suggestive/NC - March 1, 2000
By SwampRat
(cl) 2000 GFA

Half A Life - Some musings on a Half-Life scenario

When he entered the lab, one of the Shockwave Dogs, or Sd's, came bounding up
to be petted.. and for a treat. An empty soda can was devoured greedily.. The
techs found out Early not to leave anything aluminum out where it could be
reached - Clipboards, sheets, even Pie-tins disappeared. It made a sound like a
robotic quail and bounded in front of him. 

"Late again, I see.."

He sighed. There wasn't an alarm clock made that could wake him. 

"How are the Love-Birds?" He asked, trying to change the subject. A hand waved
at a cage where two electric creatures were holding each other. Staring single
red eye to single red eye, paws clasped, middle 'arms' caressing. Almost
obscenely so - But nobody knew if they were male, female, both, neither? The
two times the team had tried to study them closer, one aide got turned to ash..
And the other was almost bodily dragged into their Love-Nest.

Despite some who wanted to observe what would happen, the Scientist was rescued
before losing more than some clothing and pride. There were Always rumors of
course - Mostly among the Security Staff. The notion of a rookie being caught
with their pants down with an alien was of course absurd - Those that weren't
devoured immediately, would probably be after.. Unless as some suggest, they
have been kidnapped and taken to wherever the creatures call home. But of
course this was all cafeteria talk and nothing more. One of the elder men
ripped his tie off and tossed it on a counter - a clip-on. "I hate these ties!"
He snarled, before stalking out. The Sd's were restless for some reason.. More
than usual. There had been some minor tremors after the 'accident', but there
always tremors when someone dug out most of a mountain to make a 'lab'.

"Hey.. Look at that." One of the scientists pointed to a row of monitors they
used to study the 'kites' that flew around the base. They looked agitated too..
Then one of them vanished in a shower of rainbow colors and body parts. "What
the Hell?" As they watched, helicopters and jump-jets appeared, taking
pot-shots at the flying aliens. "Stupid Military! What are they doing..."
Shocks rocked the Lab as bombs fell from the planes, followed by troops. "Oh
Shi.." A flyer decided it had enough nonsense, and floated Through one of the
craft.. Which set off massive electrical shorts followed by a short scream as
the machine exploded in mid-air.

"Will you look at that?"

"I would never have guessed they.."

"Is someone Recording this?"

Gord couldn't believe it! Record? Take notes? The base was being attacked, and
they wanted to - One of the 'dogs' flashed and he knelt to rub it.. "It's ok.
Come on, Let's get a soda." It leaped around and ran out the door, Dr. Gord
following. A noise made him half-turn back.. "Oh Lord No. They pissed-off
Orion." The being who was named after a Legendary hunter, pointed it's arms
skyward, great blasts of radioactive fire flickering towards the puny creatures
who had shot at it. A foot lifted.. 

Came down hard enough to crack the hardened, reinforced steel of it's
'home'/cage, fire blazing a path to the ones who barely had time to scream -
before being incinerated. The room lurched, as ordinance fought against a
living reactor. Screams came from the lab as the frightened shock-dogs fired
off waves of energy that spread from them like ripples in a pond. More as
specimens of alien life found their cages broken, force-shields and
kevlar-glass broken.. Lashing out at unknown and known alike. More explosions
and everything went black - in more ways than one!

                             * * * *

Waking up was painful. Even more so listening to the crackling, popping, and
creaking.. What a time to not be in his Hazard Suit. From the half-light he got
to his feet, wiping a little blood from his forehead where something had
struck. The lab was a mess, the only 'exit' was blocked.. He could only hope
the 'dog' had made it to the other side of the mess.

A shudder and some ugly noises coming from the room he had exited reminded him
he didn't have a Lot of time to find a way out. Everything was still pretty
unstable, and everything was underground.. He had to find any other survivors,
get to safety before the damn place collapsed - or slid into another dimension.
Coughing at the acrid smoke, he felt along the walls until he found a vent-way.
It was dark and nasty-looking but it was Better than being here.

The fit was tight and he half-crawled down the metal tube stopping every now
and again to listen - and catch his breath. Then move on.. He got to where he
could See out another vent - the cover having been ripped almost off - and
another shudder made him cover his head with his hands. There was a loud
*Crunch* and he found himself wedged in place - his head down and his butt up.
'Just damn Lovel...' A screech made him start. One of those damn tick-crabs was
running around. He jerked around, trying to get free enough to get out as he
heard it again.. Closer. From behind him. 

He kicked out, hoping to nail the damn thing when there was another screech and
a *Riiiip*... and everything got Quiet. It seemed drafty all of a sudden - like
a gust of wind had come up behind him.. Then there was a whirring sound and
long feelers got Very intimate with his anatomy!

"Hey!" He squirmed harder, feeling long appendages caress his scrotum then
slide down his dangling cock. A sound made him stop again.. Coming down the
corridor was one of the 'altered' creatures. 'Volunteers' he was told. Yeah
sure..

A mouth in the middle of it's chest opened and closed sideways, long fingers
trailed down to it's knees as it lurched along.. It stopped and Gord just about
pushed himself back so as not to be seen.. But it wasn't interested in him. It
knelt near a body that was just visable in the gloom and stroked it, opening
the shirt. He wanted to scream as smooth skin rubbed against him, almost toying
with him.. but not daring to. The creature continued stroking the flesh as it
quivered.. Alive then! If he could just get out of here and get to the pistol
that lay on the floor.. Then he stopped in complete shock as the belt was
undone, then the clasp on the pants and finally the zipper.. Surely it wasn't -
The long fingers reached inside and the body stirred. He turned his head as the
body moved lower, obscene slurping sounds coming from the monstrosity.. Another
thought made him shiver and pull back a little - The ugly things were once
human.. It seems they retained some of their desires. Best not to think about
it.. 

"Aaugh!"

He jerked again, sweating as teeth nibbled at his cock-tip. Lowering his hips
Slowly, he gripped the vent edge, ignoring the cuts the jagged metal made in
his hands. Counting to 3 he Jerked himself forward, pulling his hips past the
obstacle and out onto the floor. An angry screech came from the vent as he
scrambled for the pistol.. Gord barely had time to turn and shoot the
reddish/yellow monstrosity as it leapt from the vent - to splatter over the far
wall. The stench hit him and he gagged, rolling over, only now noticing how
much his hands hurt.. And what he was close enough to touch. But the creature
was too busy with it's 'task' to notice - gulping as the man shivered in it's
grasp. That meal wouldn't last long and He didn't intend to stay around and be
dessert! Getting to his feet, and stepping back, he was ready to fill the
creature full of holes should it move..

And knocked another one on it's butt. The scientist noted the re-arrangement of
the body structure, the hissing breath, the strangely shaped mouth. The man in
him wanted to kick it and kick it until it was no more. He turned and stared at
it a moment, laying on the floor, watched it move to rise and pulled his pistol
out.. It clicked on an empty chamber - not that it would have mattered, he was
shivering so bad he could just as well shot himself. Throwing the useless
weapon at it, he half-ran, half-staggered down the corridor, finding locked
doors, and twisted metal. One door was neither locked nor broke and he jumped
inside the room with a half-sob, slamming it shut and locking it. Holding his
shoulder against the metal he breathed hard, eyes closed, shock setting in..
The room glowed a faint green/yellow tinge. A familiar color.. He turned to
stare into the single red-eye of a Teleporter. "Go ahead.. Shock me. Kill me.
Just get it over with.." Gord was too tired to care anymore, the door holding
him up more than anything else.

Then it Did shock him - not with electricity, but with a touch.

"Aghaghaghagh - Urt?" came out gutturally. It was just too much.. In the middle
of all the chaos, a friend in a green 'skin'. The air stirred then crackled as
the being lived up to it's name, grounding on the metal inside the room until
it had enough power to 'jump'. The scientist felt like every nerve was on
fire.. Until blessed darkness took him in it's arms, hushing his cries,
stilling his fears, moving him to sleep.

                             * * * *

He awoke with a start. Oh Shit! What had he been drinking? And who used him as
a soccer ball? He hurt all over.. "Awake?" came to him as he lay, Still trying
to fit the parts back together. A medical bag hit him not so lightly in the
chest, but he took it gratefully. Stimulants and synthi-skin and even a few
Rations.. He looked up to thank is benefactor - to see it staring back with one
red eye. So it wasn't a dream.. Damn!

"Thank you.. " He said anyway, and it bowed, almost making him laugh. Removing
what was left of his clothing Gord found a lab coat and some boots that fit and
rested. Awoke to find himself alone again. At least the lamp on the desk
worked. It showed an office, slightly the worse for wear.. Using the
letter-opener to break the locks on the drawers got him some pencils,
paperclips.. and a .357 magnum. There was one round fired and he decided Not to
look any farther than he had.

A familiar clap of rushing air told him the Teleporter had returned, and he was
ready to shoot in case it wasn't the same one.. To suddenly find himself
holding a bag of shot-up, bleeding flesh. The red eye stared at him as it sank
to the floor.

"I... Die." It half whispered, lifting a hand to him. Then like a lamp when the
switch is hit, the body went dark. Clutched in the fingers was a patch of
cloth. Mili-Fucking-tary.. The government had decided to 'Close' this Base of
Operations as they liked to say. Armed with 5 rounds in a .357, a lab-coat and
lab boots, and a Hatred that burned clear through him, Dr. Gord stepped out of
the room, and prepared to do Battle.

End of Chapter 1