Camping 16

 

Mallory's face contorted and her features were replaced by... something else. Just for a moment, then she was Mallory again. But he saw the sharp teeth even as she went for his throat. Amazingly fast. And strong too. She had Joon on the ground and was biting for his throat, Maia was screaming, and he could see Mallory... then something else... then other people. Her features were changing so fast. 

Shapechangers, Mallory (on the comm) had said. But at the moment he needed to stay alive. Maia was pulling Mallory by the hair, trying to get her off, but Mallory backhanded her and sent her reeling. Joon took that opportunity to clock her, and he didn't hold back. A solid blow, and she fell back, stunned. 

There were other people in the hall, soldiers and techs. One of the soldiers, a young looking guy, half raised his weapon, but clearly didn't know what to do, seeing two Command officers fighting. Maia kicked Mallory viciously as she tried to rise, which didn't help. 

"Carry on," Joon commanded. The soldier hesitated, then hurried away, glancing back. Joon then remembered that some of the soldiers had come through the portal also. Were some of them intruders as well? 

It appeared so, because one soldier was looking right at him and raising his weapon. Something about him didn't seem right. Joon desperately hauled Mallory to her feet and held her in front of him. 

"Don't shoot. She's one of you," he admonished the guard. 

"So?" the guard replied, and fired. Joon felt a spray of hot blood as Mallory took the shot. Her body slumped, Maia shrieked, and the soldier prepared to take another shot. 

"Drop it," someone yelled, and Joon could see now that other soldiers had their weapons trained on the intruder. 

Standoff. 

The rogue soldier did not drop his weapon, but instead pointed it at first one soldier, then another. A powderkeg moment. 

Joon took Maia's hand and advanced. 

"He's an intruder. Take him into custody and report this to Stella. Shoot him if he resists." He took the weapon from the intruders hand, but the intruder was having none of it. He fought back and there was a pop- three pops- and the intruder fell. One of the other soldiers swore and no one moved. 

"Did we just... shoot one of our guys?" asked one of the soldiers. 

"Apparently not," Joon answered. The intruder was clearly not one of them. In death, its features reverted back to its natural form- greyish black skin, amber eyes. Looking back he could see Mallory looked the same way. 

"What on earth is happening?" Mallory on the comm. 

"The intruders. I'm sorry to report, Mallory, that you've been shot." 

"You took that bitch out?"

 "Affirmative."

"Well, happy day. Can you please get here now?"

"On the way. Where exactly is secure Command 36?

"I'll walk you through it." 

"You know, Mallory, anyone could be... anyone."

"I know. We know. I'm not even sure they're going to let you in. Did she touch you?"

"No. Wait, yeah. She hugged me."

"Fuck."

They were walking now, leaving the soldiers behind. 

"They might be okay, the technicians are arguing over what the invaders are. They thought they might assimilate you through touch, but now they're not so sure. They seem to have appeared as people they haven't met yet." 

"Yeah, Stella was telling me to go with her. Fake Stella, I mean."

"Yes, you can imagine the chaos. We have two Stella's barking orders." 

"They seem to have one thing in common, though", Maia interjected. " They both seem to want the Gate secured."