19 Ruins (1/2)

A massive wolf, with a streak of silver fur on its back, its ivory tusks spanning over 2m, walks out of the tree line, sniffing the air. It stood upright, over 4m tall, and shook its self, displaying its impressive silver blue mane. Walking over to a spot of trampled and torn grass, it lowers its snot and sniffs the ground, before looking up at a trail leading towards the other side of the field.

The next few days at the base, the higher-ups ran several unexpected drills, some in the day, others in the middle of the night or just before dawn. A typical day at Blake's World lasts 27 earth hours, and the crew kept the days, weeks, months and time similar to Earth. The drills differ from an attack to the base, to biological outbreaks.

”They are starting to shape up properly,” SSGT Pike says, as he stood before the tactical screen in the bridge watching the hive of activity at the base with the ship's cameras. He glances at his wristwatch timer, 9 mins 11 seconds. ”Better than before, Sirs. Before, they took over 19mins to get into action.” SSGT Pike says to Blake and Ford watching the action next to him.

”Good work Staff.” Blakes watches in approval. ”Making sure the men know what to do in an event of an attack.” He watches the crew in the base drawing weapons and getting to their assigned positions. Simulated explosions popped here and there within the base compound. ”Alright. End theexercise, and let the men stand down.” He looks at the clock displaying the local time, 4:46 am.

”Thank you, Sir!” SSGT Pike did a parade ground salute and turn before exiting the bridge.

As the day started, work was divided into construction, foraging, security, production, and surveying. Constructions teams worked on building the infrastructure of the base, like the perimeter wall, or digging the newly approved 8km long trench to lay a water pipe to the deliver fresh water to the base. Other teams foraged for food like carr-atos, patrol the perimeter, creating cement, farming and exploring their surroundings.

Communication officer Clara sniffs a yawn as she sat at her console monitoring all communications in the base with the different teams work out in the fields. So far, all the communications traffic mostly involves mundane reports. She looks at the time, another 2 hours more to shift change. She sighs and leans back in her seat, wishing time could pass by faster.

Her console suddenly flashes an incoming transmission. ”Base over.” She taps the connect icon.

”Dog 4 to Base over, we ah, found something here.” Clara leans over her console and waves to the XO, getting his attention.

”Dog 4, please report your current location and status.” Clara continues, she pulls up the operation chart of the day, finding out who is Dog 4 and his team. ”Sir, it's Cpl James's team. They are supposed to be surveying the North sector, grid H4.” Clara said as XO Ford stood beside her.

”Base, Dog 4, eh we are at grid H4-B-3, over.”

”Dog 4, Base, what is the situation, over.”

”Base, Dog 4. We found some ruins of some kind over. Requesting orders over.”

”Dog 4, this is Base, standby over.” Clara looks up at XO Ford, waiting for his reply.

”Tell them to hold, we will dispatch more support his way,” Ford said after deciding a moment.

”Dog 4, Base. Hold your position, back up and support on your way. Over.”

”Roger Base, Dog 4 over and out.”