3 3
The team suits up preparing for landing.
Ranger volunteers to leave the moving ship holding the paint gun to spray paint the shuttles exterior while it's still moving so when they land the lights will be on but won't attract the aliens. They will rely on the monitors inside the ship to see what's happening outside.
"Are you ready buddy?" Angel asks sweetly patting her on the back proud of her for her bravery.
Ranger raises a thumbs up suited in the space suit provided in the ship.
Angel's suits were not made to last more than 3 hours supplying someone with air, so everyone is required to keep them on them as a backup suit. If, anything ever goes wrong the suits are designed so that the individual can hold out long enough to get help or rescue.
~
On earth the press is gathered outside the large stadium counting down 10 seconds until the tests official start time.
The head of the program, Captain R.R Volks – the white male always glued to the monitors - makes an appearance and the reporter smiles asking him a question.
"Mr Volks, what do you think will be today's outcome? Judging from the number of applicants who came."
"We are still keeping our heads high, currently we have three teams already completing the final stage of the first phase of the trial. Things are looking up for us."
"Three teams already?" The reporter asked confused, everyone is gathered outside counting down to the start time.
"Yes, teams that came early were given a head start. We are currently still within range to make contact with the third team, Team Jones, we will be going in live soon to check on the team, The Android inside will provide us with a visual."
~
Wind Rider checks the time, "It's been three hours and we're still 5 hours away from the other ship, where the hell are we going?" He complains.
Xavier turns around, "That's what I've been asking myself this whole time, I'm all suited up and everything." He bounces on the balls of his feet punching the air getting used to the suit, it's not as comfortable as Angel's, but it's not as bad as he thought it would be.
The Android turns on startling both Xavier and Rider making them angry.
"Team Jones? Can you hear us?"
Ryan walks in confused when Rider and Xavier are purposely ignoring the comms, "Yeah, we can you." He answers glaring at Rider and Xavier, turning his head confused when he hears people cheering and clapping.
The Android has now fully downloaded itself into the ship's computer and now functions as an assistant AI on board. She has full control over the ship and has turned on the hidden speakers so everyone can hear the broadcast and give everyone full view of what the people on board are doing from every room in the ship.
~
"We're about to get a video feed in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1." Volks states standing in front of the large screen behind him.
All the news camera's instantly turning to face the giant screen outside the stadium at the speed of light in complete synchronicity as if they practiced it before. The screen showing Xavier and Rider falling asleep in their chairs.
Angel walks into the team desk room, which is what they call the room where there is a round table for the AI to function and assist the team and a few steps ahead is where the team members sit behind the pilot in comfortable seats that automatically strap them in.
Angel is listening to Ghost share what he knows about the small planet they are going to, "Team meeting, Ghost here knows a little something to help us out with the rescue. The others found the armoury they'll be here in a moment."
Ghost takes a seat in the centre while the others gather around him.
Xavier, Rider, and Ryan decide to keep quiet about the audio and pay attention to Ghost, they do not know that it is not just broadcasting what they are saying, but also what they are doing.
Ghost begins to speak, "What we're dealing with are Arachnids, they are not attracted to light but electricity, Angel's idea to crash land and cut the power before we enter is the only way to survive, because the minute we enter the sphere and the power is still on we're done for.
"If that's true all the other teams will suffer the same fate as team Joey, or worse a whole team is wiped out. As long as there is no electricity we're safe."
"That's not true." Angel and Xavier say at the time glaring at each other but Xavier sits up giving Angel the go ahead to continue talking gesture, by giving her the floor with a wave of his hand.
"The human body has an electric pulse and if it's electricity they are after, we are it. I think the best strategy is to only send out a small rescue team, while those brave enough will walk a distance and set off flash grenades and fireworks, we found those too.
"The individuals who will handle the grenades and fireworks need to be fast and have good survival instincts because they are the bait, don't forget that to actually take off we'll need to turn this baby on and I'm thinking we can use the other ships signal to mask our escape.
"Captain and Ranger are the ones handling rescue, once we've got the Team Joey survivors on board Captain will stay behind and leave a second broadcast that the team was rescued, also alerting all the other ships to crash land and spray paint their Jet to keep it dark.
"The paint and guns are provided and there's plenty. Tell them to grab a rock and stay inside their ships for the three-hour time period it's not like the guys at HQ can tell if we did or didn't explore the place, either wise people will just die out here." Angel shows the others how her disk works so they know what to do when stranded and the provided space suits somehow get damaged.
"Bring back a dead alien as a souvenir if You can Ranger that's your job, you too Captain." Xavier states.
Ranger and Ryan nod accepting their assignment.
The teammates stare at each other wondering who will be the bait, Ranger and Ryan are on rescue. They have decided as a team to bring the survivors they find on board their own ship rather than sacrifice an air tank, so there has to be a small group to keep the Arachnids off Ryan and Ranger.
"Obviously Dee has to go since this is her idea." Xavier breaks the silence with an evil smirk on his face.
Angel glares at him but keeps quiet.
"I've trained my eyes to see very well in the dark I'll join her." Six states raising a hand to volunteer.
Angel lowkey sighing in relief anyone but Xavier is fine with her.
Everyone looks around again for any more volunteers, doesn't seem like there will be anymore.
"We can pull it off as a two-man job, it's no big deal. We can discuss the plan much clearly when we're close to landing." Angel states and everyone agrees to the plan.
The team scatters and the 4 going outside start gearing up double checking their weapons.
"Some of these things have no Ammo, check thoroughly." Ranger warns the others.
"Oh, by the way, you guys should know we're on tv." Xavier comments and everyone ignores him.
"Infirmary is set up, how many survivors do you think we'll find?" Lily asks with a jolt of excitement in her eyes. Everyone raises a single finger in response except for Ryan who is beyond disappointed with his team.
"We can only take just one this thing isn't called a jet for the fun of it, we'll use the others as get away bait." Angel casually states and Xavier laughs.
"You guys are joking right?" Ryan specifically glares at Angel.
Angel cocks a brow, "Is there something wrong with the plan?"
Ryan's mouth drops, "Yes! There's everything wrong with the plan, as Captain my first rule is no one gets left behind on this team."
Angel shrugs her shoulders cocking her gun, "Fine, no one gets left behind." The whole ship goes quiet with the team split apart.
The people watching the broadcast at the edge of their seats.
Rider is helping Lily add some final touches to the infirmary while the others lounge around in waiting.
The broadcast goes static when the team reaches their destination, but the people watching the broadcast from home did at least see a glimpse of the planet.
Angel smirks after crash landing the ship and the team gather around her to go over the plan again, "Alright, we are pretty close to the ship. Six and I will head out first. Don't leave until you see the first flash grenade. It's a 45-minute walk from us to the next ship, you two have to get the people out first, once you've done that you'll have to send the signal.
"Six and I will come directly to the ship to get you guys out and once we turn the ship's power back on we'll trap them in the hatch. On our way out we'll grab a dead one and take it back with us. We advance to the next round, what do you say?"
"Yeah, let's do this."
Angel and Six take off in opposite directions sprinting as fast as they can when they land on the surface of the planet.
When Angel is tired she stands behind a rock and throws the first Stun grenade in the air.
Rider is watching the monitors since they cannot see outside, The Planet only has moons for light, "We've got lights, go." He says when the monitor picks up a disturbance, the planet is also really cold, it's easy to pick up on feint heat signatires, "She was right, the electricity in our bodies is enough to draw spider birds to us, this planet is so different from our own, wow."
Ryan and Ranger leave the ship and Ranger shoves the first rock she finds in her pocket following Ryan's lead.
~
Six stays down as the flying spiders speed past him towards the light of the fireworks he found in the armoury.
Everything to complete the mission is on board the Jet but communication and information are what South Africa is severely lacking. The US new about the spider birds, but they did not say anything, the thrill of the mystery is what they do not want to spoil for others. This is new territory, and they call this the easy level of space travelling.
South Africa as a whole has never actually travelled to space before and most people aren't really that into Space Travelling except for a select few individuals.
It isn't just the participants who are in the dark about what is out there, but the entire country. Including the team at HQ crossing their fingers Team Jones can bring back the Team Joey members back alive and in one piece.
Six stands up throwing a stun grenade in another direction staying well hidden. He counts 5 aliens flying past him and waits for the sixth before running again in the direction towards the stranded ship.
The survivors are gathered in the cock pit, all with anxious and worried looks on their faces.
Ryan and Ranger board the ship tired but they immediately start looking around for any survivors.
"Team Joey? It's rescue."
Ryan glares at Ranger for shouting.
"What? Ghost said the weird spider things are deaf." She calls out again and the survivors respond, "In here!"
Ranger sprints in their direction and sighs in relief when there is more than one survivor, "You'll have to head back to our ship without us, we still need to turn your ship back on and tell the others to crash land and turn their power off when entering this planets sphere.
"They also have to know you were rescued. Two of our teammates will be close by to keep those things off you, all you need to do is hurry and stay hidden."
Angel and Six join the others on board the ship surprising Ryan and Ranger.
"What are you two doing here?" Ranger asks getting ignored by the heavily breathing, panting, and heaving bait.
"We're out of grenades, are yours still in the armoury?" Angel asks the survivors and the team nods, "Good, we'll rest up for an hour. Our ship won't budge anyway so we need water and some rest. I just ran around like a headless chicken and we'll need to do it again."
Ryan looks around, "I'm thinking of changing the plan and you two leave with them while we stay, your distractions and the ships signal will help them get the injured away safely, we have to remember that we won't make it to the other side as quickly as we did coming this side. We need a new strategy, can you fix this ship in the short time we have?"
Angel nods and starts in the engine room. When the one-hour mark has passed Angel returns to the cockpit, "I'm not done yet, give me 30 more minutes." She grabs a bottle of water leaving.
"In the meantime we'll start heading out, I can handle distractions Solo, they are pretty dumb creatures." Six states ready to go out. The one-hour rest was much needed and is highly appreciated.
~
When the light flashes in the sky the team back at the ship look hopeful.
Xavier stares at the distance narrowing his eyes, "Hey nerd, does the planet have any other creatures here?"
Rider shakes his head, "No, just the Arachne-birds."
Xavier nods, that at least eases his mind.
Joey rushes her teammates to the rescue ship as quickly as she can, 2 are injured, 3 are dead, and now another team has to rescue them. She fights back the tears focussing on carrying back the unconscious team members. This isn't how this was supposed to play out.
"Stop!" Six says to the others and orders for them to lay low, "We don't move until your ship is online, the minute it roars to life you go for the ship up ahead while I go back to rescue my friends."
"How much further? My teammates might not make it."
"Don't worry, we have a trained medic on our team. We have a solid plan based on solid intel. We've got this." Six shoves a rock into the unconscious Troy's pocket, "You'll make it, I have to make sure the bait makes it too."
