Reacher

“Astute, this is Recon 4, come back.”

'''“Astute responding. Go ahead Recon 4.”'''

'''“We’ve got something. Sector 5 by 9. Looks like an old Reacher transport ship from before the war. She came down at the base of one of those fungal growths, I’m guessing that’s why we didn’t spot her from the sky.”“Copy that Recon 4. Please advise as to the condition of the craft.”'''

'''“Astute, Recon 4. Err… She looks pretty intact. I wouldn’t say one piece, exactly, but they sure built these things to last. Jones and Farsi are about to make a sweep of the interior.”'''

'''“Copy Recon 4. Be careful down there, and be sure to check for ghosts .”'''

'''“Astute, say again. Did you say ghosts?”'''

'''“Roger Recon 4. Make sure your guys take every precaution. There’s a chance the core may still be active. Like you say, they built these things to last.”'''

'''“Astute, Recon 4. No kidding. But ghosts, after all these years?”'''

'''“Containment packs at the ready, Recon 4. It’s not unknown. There should also be an interface in every compartment, so have your guys monitor their systems periodically. If there’s anything left alive down there it’ll be highly corrupted and looking to switch to a new power source. Your atmo-suits would look like the Ritz to a fading Reacher remnant right now.”'''

“Astute, err, the guys left those packs in the rover, I’m just gonna run them over to them now.”

“Copy Recon 4.”

“Ast-##############…”

“Recon 4, Astute, come back.”

“Recon 4, Astute, come back.”

“Recon 4?”

---

'''Henderson dialed his faceplate optics tro max and took a sip from is in suit drink tube. “Those damn amateurs of Astute have found the Reacher tube first. Damn them to the pits of the seventh Nether plane !”'''

“Better get your ass back down before they scan you.” Snarled Earl, standing below Henderson, well concealed from the Astute crawler behind a thick fleshy stem of a sickly yellow Sulfur funghi .”I didn’t make the trip all the way out here, because some holier than Mickey Astute institute jock reports us to Science Central .”

'''“”Shut up and get the others!” Barked Henderson but he did jump down.”The Skulls pay us 5 Kilo credits per contained Reacher. I bet with you  that crashed Tube is a five series, carrying at least 200.”'''

'''“FIve series, the last left the Sol system during the first exodus. We are luck we find a shadow or two, almost blinked and starved near an outlet.”'''

'''“Do you want to explain to Mr. S why we came back empty handed while the Astute goons bagged the last Reachers anywhere this side of the Orion arm ?” This was indeed a scary possibility. “No.”'''

---

'''Steve, the lead of the Astute team actually banged his fist against the receiver “Recon 4, come in!” The indicator on his transmitter showed green. The device was working.'''

'''“Ease up on our hardware, Steve. We ain’t got a spare. Recon 4 is inside, perhaps already somewhere in the engineering section. Shielded and all sort of interference.”'''

'''“He is a rookie. How could they forget the containment boxes?” “I am not worried about a few Ghosts. Rick and Stavros can handle those. We did that hundred times before.”'''

“We give them thirty minutes and then we call it in.”

“And split the bonus?”

--

'''The youngster with the fancy call sign Recon 4, was all excited. This was his first mission and they did find a Reacher Tube. A real old one and according to his hand held detector it wasn’t completely dead after all those centuries. '''

'''He already saw his own picture in all the important Newscast, celebrated at Astute head quaters for bringing back active Reachers. Not just Shadow but real ghosts.'''

'''Of course neither Rick nor Stavros had forgotten anything  Those were pros, but this was his chance to be where the action was and not just sitting in the crawler. '''

'''Strange, he should have picked up their helmet communicators. '''

'''That mission command could not reach him was no mystery. He had turned the command channel off. How could he respond to orders to return if he did not hear them?'''

'''“Recon 4 to Rick, do you copy? Where are you guys? “'''

There was only the steady almost inaudible hiss of an open channel.

'''“Come on guys. Did you bag one already?”'''

As he penetrated the bowels of the old Reacher Tube ever deeper, his helmet lamp danced twisted metal, tossed equipment, reflecting much of the brilliant light while other things turned to dancing shadows, just outside the helmet lamp.

'''There was something just outside his field of view, something moved, yet nothing was there as he directed his helmet light towards whatever he saw. No….not nothing., There was a puddle of something dark and wet pooling in a slowly growing spot running over the dusty deck plates… He screamed as the head of a man rolled before his feet….'''