Act IV: It Ain't Over Til It's Over

USCSS Montero
Very Early Morning, December 17 2183

After things settled down, Roberts waited to leave the airlock. "OK, Captain, now let's do a deck-by-deck search of this ship with flamers and M41A's. Burn anything that does not look right and any traces of blood left behind.

The Captain didn’t answer but MUTHUR spoke.

“WARNING: Explosive decompression on the bridge. Closing viewport blast shields.”

"Reason for decompression, MUTHER?" asked Roberts.

…A viewport has been critically damaged….
…Viewport shields are holding. Pressurizing bridge.”

Roberts took off and ran from the airlock towards the bridge. "Movement on the bridge?" he asked, moving as fast as he could.

~tzzt~ Marshal… ~tzzt~ We got ~tzzt~ problem! ~tzzt~ came the Captain over the intercom.

"You think!? On my way! Roku, what is your status? We might need you."

Roku’s words came in hurried breaths, ~tzzt~ I heard it, I’m on my way from B Deck suiting up! I'll grab the flamer! ~tzzt~ She slowed her breathing. ~tzzt~ Glad to have you back, Glenn. ~tzzt~

"Thanks, Roku." Roberts paused, he was breathing a bit hard at this point. "Captain! You still with us?"

The Captain did not respond.

Paddy headed up to the companionway to bridge after Roberts and Roku met up with them soon after.

“MUTHUR. How many bio-signatures do you detect on the bridge?” Roku asked.

...Scanning bio-signatures: 1 Human and 1 Unknown. …updating… only 1... Unknown...

"MUTHUR, isolate the bridge. Close all airways and ducts.” Roberts closed the emergency door in the corridor as they passed it. "MUTHUR, can you decompress the bridge one more time if I order it?" Roberts asked as they approached the door to the bridge.

…Affirmative…
…Would you like me to reopen the blast shields, Marshal?...

"I am going to the other door. I will let you know when I am ready. Be ready for my orders." replied Roberts. He checked the door to ensure it was unlocked. "OK, guys. Wait until I say to open the door. I will move in from the right, Paddy, left side. Roku, stay in the doorway with the flamer if anything tries to get by us, burn it. We know something is in there, so let's kill it. It may be the Captain..." he took a deep breath in. "Or what WAS the Captain. Any questions?"

Paddy gave a thumbs up.

Roku nodded her head and replied, "Clear."

Roberts moved around to the door outside the bridge leading to the galley. He was not playing around. He sensed this was going to be life or death.

"OK, 1, 2, 3, GO! " he hesitated just a second and let the other door start to open first. He thought whatever was in there would look in their direction, giving him the chance to get the drop on it.

He opened the door and hurried in. Once his flashlight illuminated the room and found the target, Roberts fired a frag 12 round from the shotgun attachment on his M41A. It exploded through the compression suit of a hulking Abomination. A massive chunk of flesh blew away.

This must have been the same one Vera had seen on the hull of the Cronus. Somehow it had boarded the bridge through a bridge viewport.

Paddy winced at the flash then took aim, firing full auto at the thing. Although the creature was being bombarded by weapon fire it advanced quickly on the closest person it could.

The Abomination grabbed Paddy by his arms and kicked him in the abdomen, wrenching his arms from his shoulders and lifting them in a sort of grotesque victory.

As Paddy collapsed to his knees in pain and horror, Roku stepped forward and emptied the Incinerator at the Abomination. The flaming creature flailed around for a few seconds before finally crumpling over, lifeless, onto one of the consoles.

Roberts, his rifle still raised, tactically scanned the bridge for any more hostile targets. All was clear. The lifeless body of Captain McCormick lay on the floor nearby, his pistol Wynona in one hand and a coffee cup in the other. His face had been smashed in.