Colossus By Design: Season 2 - Log 61

[February 28, 2166]
[Archives of Atlantis]
[Atlantis Ruins, Seafloor, Chinese Ocean]

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After an unknown incident a few days ago that resulted in the disappearance of the research team stationed at the Global Union of Divisions' deep sea research facility, all further research operations have been suspended.

Now, a military occupation has been set up. The former research facility is being used as a staging ground for a small-scale assault on the Atlantis's archives to determine the cause of the science team's sudden disappearance. A team is moving through currently; they're composed of a force of four Civil Defense Force members and are led by a single elite soldier.

The group goes through the main doors to the lower levels of the archives; two BECPR-suited officers hold the large doors open while the other members of the squad move through. As the squad approaches the entrance to the hallway, the team leader holds her fist up, signalling the other soldiers to halt.


(Sgt. S. Sarge): Hold up, everyone. We're about to enter the target area.

(Pvt. J. Lenkins): Sarge, what exactly are we in for?

(Sgt. S. Sarge): Unknown, Lenkins. All we know is that we have possible Atlantean resistance to watch for. On my mark, Smiley and Sharkface will bust down the doors, and Lenkins, you rush in.

(Pvt. J. Lenkins): Wait, what?! What am I supposed to--

(Sgt. S. Sarge): Just rush in swinging, ready to shoot anything hostile on sight. It's the Warcraft Break Off maneuver. Simple.

(Pvt. J. Lenkins): I-I'm not so sure I should just rush in without discussing tactics with the rest of y--

(Sgt. S. Sarge): RUSH IT!


On the Sarge's signal, Smiley and Sharkface kick the doors with all their might, opening it completely, whilst the Sarge gives Pvt. Lenkins a big slap on the back, sending him forward. The private, having been forced into the role sacrificial lamb for the group, rushes forward, stumbles a bit, and starts firing wildly.


(Sgt. Sarge): Sevchinko, snap him out of it.

(Cpl. Sevchinko): On it, ma'am.


As Pvt. Lenkins fires wildly, Corporal Sevchinko calmly walks up behind him and gives him a good smack to the back of his head, snapping him out of his crazed random shooting.


(Pvt. Lenkins): Sorry, guys, I panicked.

(Sgt. Sarge): Alright, everyone, move in.


The squad moves in, slowly walking down the hallway. As they pass by the tubes lining each side of the hall, they all take notice of one very concerning fact: all of the tubes are completely empty.


(Sgt. Sarge): Odd..... like as though these were carrying something.

(Pvt. Lenkins): Uh, Sarge? I have a bad feeling about this.

(Cpl. Sevchinko): Lenkins, you always have a bad feeling, and--

(Sgt. Sarge): Hold up, everyone. Keep quiet.


The squad stops in their tracks and hunkers down. All of them are silent, except for Pvt. Lenkins's nervous wheezing. As the Sarge listens closely, everyone perks up at a very faint scuttling sound; it's coming from the ceiling. The whole squad looks up, but there's nothing that seems out of the ordinary.

All of a sudden, a vent on the floor bursts open. Pvt. Lenkins is dragged down into it; he desperately holds onto a crack so as to not be pulled down by whatever has a hold of him.


(Pvt. Lenkins): DEAR GOD HELP ME! IT'S GOT ME!

(Sgt. Sarge): Smiley, pull him out! Sharkface, light up whatever's got him!


As Cpl. "Smiley" struggles to keep Pvt. Lenkins from being dragged down, Pvt. "Sharkface" sticks his gun down behind Lenkins and fires at full charge; high energy plasma illuminates the hole, but the flashes make it too bright to make out anything specific. This appears to have done the trick, as Lenkins is no longer being dragged down. Smiley pulls the rookie out of the vent; Sharkface and Sevchinko turn on their gun lights to illuminate the open vent.


(Sgt. Sarge): Well? Any idea what that thing was?

(Cpl. Sevchinko): No signs of anything. Just some glowing particles left behind.

(Sgt. Sarge): Alright, we need to watch any and all vents from now on, and then--


Before the Sarge can continue, another vent just up ahead bursts open, prompting the whole squad to train their guns on it; a small stream of glowing particles floats out, forming a human-sized cloud. Afterwards, small pieces of metal fly out of the vent and stir up the cloud of particles.

The mass of metal and energy twists and contorts, until it begins forming a humanoid shape. A Mimetic stands; it's just as tall as the C.D.F. soldiers and looks like a set of knight armor. Rather than a body inside, glowing yellow hard light fills the inside of the plating to create a bipedal automaton. The plating on its "face" opens up, revealing a blank yellow void of energy; a blood-curdling shriek follows, rattling the entirety of the being's metallic body.