Extraction Protocol: A LitRPG Space Marine Adventure (Omicron Sector Book 1), page 1
Extraction Protocol
Omicron Sector 1
By A.M. Reynolds
Published by Fallen Destiny Productions, Lewisburg, TN.
First Edition
Books by Fallen Destiny Productions Authors:
Anita Reynolds
The Beckoning Man
Thief’s Fate:
Touch of Magic
Michael Reynolds
Faemoch Cycle:
Flames of Awakening
A.M. Reynolds
-In LitRPG-
Omicron Sector:
Extraction Protocol
Null Protocol: Coming Soon…
Copyright © 2017 A.M. Reynolds
This book is a work of fiction. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Table of Contents
Books by Fallen Destiny Productions Authors
01
02
04
05
Thank You!
Author’s Note
About the Author
01
"Weapons check," Norax ordered the group into action, although he wasn’t the team lead. The black tiger stripes against his bright red skin only added to the already immense intimidation in his voice.
I stared absently at my EV-7 rifle. The smooth, hard plasteel on the barrel of my weapon felt almost alive to my touch. I turned it around in my hand. The other members of my fire team removed parts and components, checked their plasma packs, and reviewed their sights. I called up the weapon’s statistics page.
EV-7 Plasma Rifle
Damage: 138 - 153 (Dex +6, Targeting Augmentation +27.) Automatic. Ammo: 100%/100%
Everything checked out. I knew it broke the immersion a bit, but I preferred to review everything in terms of the stats pages.
“O’Sullivan, check,” an anxious looking, lithe soldier responded.
“Schmidt, check,” another, younger, marine said.
“Pascale, check,” a woman said from the corner. Her bright red hair covered one eye while she replaced her plasma pack.
A palpable silence filled the hangar of the CY768 transport ship.
"Captain, ain't you going to check your gun?" Private First Class James Schmidt asked.
It was a good thing I was a good-natured person. Cocking an eyebrow at what I deemed to be insubordination, or at least borderline, I said, "Son, this weapon is part of me. This weapon is who I am. This weapon is what I believe, what I breathe, and what sustains me. I know this weapon better than I know my own family."
My little reprimand drew a hoo-rah and some laughter from the rest of my fireteam. They all knew I was just giving the new recruit a hard time. It was part of my job as fireteam leader, at least that's how we played it.
"Weapons check out. Better check your status screen, squad," Norax cautioned. “No telling what we’ll encounter down there.”
That was an order I agreed with. Norax could be a bit of a boss sometimes, but he knew what he was doing. He was actually in the military back in the physical world. Here in Omicron Sector, he was our heavy weapons expert. He put the “fire” in fireteam.
I focused my mental energy inward, activating my status screen. Suddenly, in my field of vision, a translucent window appeared with green lettering.
Name: Aaron Taylor
Rank: Captain
Species / Gender: Human male
Position: Fireteam Leader (Rank 4)
Strength: 7
Dexterity: 5
Stamina: 8
Intelligence: 5
Charisma: 6
Luck: 10
HP: 540.
Armor: 70%
Specialization: Tactics
Secondary specialization: Hand to Hand
Sub Skills: Computers 1. Cooking 2. Crafting 1. Melee 6. Ranged 4. Scan 7.
Status: Locked and Loaded
I always thought it was funny that Luck was my highest stat. I had figured that Intelligence or Charisma should be, but the game assigned the stats that we scanned for. I wasn’t really sure why the game decided I should be a tactics officer, either. I would guess it was my natural charisma. That was a joke, by the way, since out in the physical world I have suffered from nearly crippling social anxiety my whole life. Something about being in a game world relieved that though.
Anyway, everything checked out; readings were fine, status looked fine, I was ready to go. I just hoped the rest of my team was. I activated my Scan ability. That one was a Tactics specialization skill. Visible only to me, blue green threads of light reached out and connected to the other members of the fireteam. A small nameplate popped into view above them. Scan didn’t give me as much information as my status screen, but it was good as a quick check.
GySgt Norax. Rank 3. Rohviann Male. HP 675 / 675. Armor 45%. Spec: Heavy.
LCpl Colin O’Sullivan. Rank 2. Human Male. HP 388 / 388. Armor 25%. Spec: Scout.
Cpl J.T. Pascale. Rank 2. Human Female. HP 412 / 412. Armor 57%. Spec: Comms.
PFC James Schmidt. Rank 1. Telisk Male. HP 295 / 295. Armor 50%. Spec: Support.
“Captain, we're entering the Drop Zone,” the pilot said. “You have your mission objectives?”
“Of course we know our mission,” Norax snapped. “What kind of idiot new recruit would forget their mission on the way to the mission?” He eyed Private Schmidt.
“Now, now, Norax. Cut him some slack. You know they're required to confirm the mission at the Drop Zone," I said.
“Yes, sir," Norax scowled at me. He never really did like me much, but he had to deal with it. I was pretty sure he was jealous that he wasn’t assigned to the leadership role due to his military background. But he was assigned to my unit, and he knew the chain of command. He might have been a bit of a hard-ass, but I didn't care. He was really good at his job. He was the best heavy in the whole game so far.
I pulled up the mission stats to make sure they were approved.
Mission: The science team on planet R6329 has not reported to Central Command in 21 days. This is outside of acceptable operation. Take your fireteam and retrieve the scientists from the outpost there.
Mission Objectives:
Gain entrance to the lab
Locate the scientist crew (4) and the guards (4)
Eliminate any threats encountered
Extract science team
Optional Objectives:
Recover data files
Rewards:
Personal XP: 2500
Rank XP: 25
2000 Credit Units (cu)
The side door of our dropship opened, revealing the chocolate brown rock of the planet below. There wasn’t a sign of vegetation in sight. These dead planets always got to me. You never knew what to expect. There's always some crazy creature hiding in the shadows. I was sure this planet would be no different. The scientists stationed here hadn't reported up the chain in three weeks. Three weeks is a long time with no contact. I wasn't hopeful about finding the scientists alive, but Central Command sent us where we needed to be.
"Alright, team. Do or die time. Everybody out in 3... 2... 1….”
02
The heavy steel doors were locked shut just as I had expected. Nothing's ever so easy as a welcome mat at the front door, especially for my unit.
“Pascale,” I said. “Do your stuff.”
Corporal JT Pascale stepped up to the data pad beside the door. She pulled an interface card from her vest pocket, slid it into the data receptacle, and started tapping out some sequence of code on her arm. I recognized it as a standard entry script. It was definitely above my grade, but that's why we had the corporal. She was tough as nails and as mean as an alley cat. I wouldn’t trade her for the world.
The rest of my fireteam looked nervous, as it was taking her longer than normal.
"Come on,” O’Sullivan said. "What's taking so long? I don't like being out here. I feel exposed."
Colin O’Sullivan was our Sniper and Scout. He preferred the shadows as every sniper would, but Colin was particularly antsy about this mission. He had been since we left Command Outpost. I wasn’t sure if it was the location or the mission details that spooked him. I tended to trust his instincts.
"Corporal O'Sullivan," I said, perhaps being a bit too formal. "Give her a second. You know these things can take time."
"I know, sir," Colin said. "Something about this planet just gives me an uneasy feeling. It's like..."
JT blew her red hair out of her face side and said with a distinctly French accent, "There. Got it. Quit your whining, Skulk.”
A small status screen popped up in my field of vision.
Mission objective 1: Gain entrance to the lab - Success.
Mission objective 2: Locate the scientists and guards.
“Everybody in, Standard Y formation,” I ordered.
We filed into the lab using our practiced formation. Colin was in the lead, followed closely by JT then Norax. Finally, James and I filled out the “Y” together.
The power was off in the building. That must have been why JT had trouble getting the door open. No bother. One of the enhancements that we Marines had was toggleable vision.
I focused on my status menu, and it came right up. I accessed the tab at the top that said Enhancements. Scrolling down the list until I got to Infrared Vision, I mentally selected it, and the whole room burst into a red/green infra-spectrum.
JT was already holding her palm upwards. Obviously, she was scanning the surroundings or something to that effect. Communications officers were in charge of intelligence and technology.
"Captain, I think you should see this," she said.
"Send it to my heads up.”
Almost immediately the layout map of the R6329 laboratories filled my vision. I couldn’t see the whole map, but what I could see was covered with small red dots.
"What am I looking at here?“
"Sir, those dots aren't big enough to be human. I'm not really sure what they are," she said. “Maybe if I restored main power, I could find something out.”
She moved to a panel on the wall and jacked in with her suit’s connections. A few seconds later, the lights came up, and I toggled off my infravision.
Colin piped up, "I don't see anybody here. I mean there's no sign of any activity at all. There's not even a coffee or a half-eaten sandwich.”
The red dots on the map began moving. I swiped it to the corner of my vision and raised my gun. The dots started working their way towards our position.
“Might not be any scientists here, but I have a feeling we’re about to have contact,” I said.
Instinctively, my entire unit rounded up, ready for combat. Most of us had been together running missions for some time. With the exception of Schmidt, we knew our place. O’Sullivan knelt on the floor in front of me. I was flanked on my sides by JT and Norax. Schmidt awkwardly filed in behind me.
“That’s right, rookie,” Norax said. “You watch our back and let the grown ups handle this one.”
Schmidt growled, obviously frustrated, but he did as he was told and slid into position behind me.
“Power up, team. Be ready for anything,” I ordered.
The familiar hum of energy weapons filled the air around us.
“Two doors. O’Sullivan, JT, you take the right door. Norax, you’re with me on the left. Schmidt clean up.”
As if on command, both doors gave way to the mounting pressure from the other side. Blue-skinned, four-legged creatures spilled over each other to get into the room. They piled in more as a single mass than individuals. Each one’s green, glowing eyes reflected on the smooth skin of the ones around it, visually multiplying their number.
O’Sullivan and Norax didn’t have to wait for an order to start shooting. I leveled my weapon at the flood of aliens coming through the door to the right and started firing, each shot killing one of the creatures. Little red numbers floated up from the creatures as they died. PHAZT!
-130 hp +5 xp
It was good to know these little things didn’t really have any armor to speak of. The casualties filled the room. Gold balls of energy littered the ground. The visual representation of the experience slowly worked its way to the group, absorbing into the appropriate marine. We were mowing them down faster than they could come in. Even Schmidt killed a few.
“Getting bored back there?” Norax asked.
“Nah. Just wanted to do my part,” Schmidt answered. Schmidt rifled off another short round of plasma fire. A golden halo of light erupted around him, catching my attention for a second.
Everyone on the team chimed in at about the same time, “Congrats!”
Schmidt was the lowest level among us, so it was only logical he would level up a bit faster. I didn’t think it would happen in the entry to the laboratory, but it was what it was.
The hoard of enemies dwindled.
“Alright, let’s fan out and find our scientists. Norax and Schmidt with me. JT and O’Sullivan, do your thing. We’ll give Schmidt a moment to distribute his stat points, then we’ll file out, too.”
We fanned out from our starting position. I knew it wasn’t always the best idea to split up the party, but we needed to cover more ground.
03
The hall to the right was littered with papers and debris. These beasts had been here for a few days. I wondered where the scientists were holed up, if they were even still alive. Doubtful, but possible. Norax took point, and Schmidt pulled up the rear. I kept a visual on the map until JT got too far out of range. Our helmets came equipped with short range comms, that a Hacker like JT could use to transmit data at a glance. Short range was the operative word, however.
“So, you give any thought to your job, Schmidt?” Norax asked.
“I don’t know. I just put my points into what looked good. Three into Energy Shield and one into Ranged Accuracy and one into Melee Damage.”
“Shield I get, but splitting up between melee and ranged isn’t very efficient.”
“Cut the chatter,” I said. “We need to keep the comms open for Colin and JT.”
“Right, boss,” Norax scoffed. “The sniper scout and the stealth hacker are going to contact us on comms.”
“Shut it, Norax. Geez.”
There weren’t many little red dots left on the map when JT finally moved out of range.
“One on your right, two to the left,” I said.
Norax instinctively spun left and started firing his heavy plasma repeater into a side office. I could hear his gleeful chuckles as he blasted the things in short order.
What an xp whore, I thought. I shifted right and looked for the source of the red dot. Nothing was there in the office that I could see. I took a step in and glanced around. There it was. In the corner, a small blue skinned alien squatted over some meal. It couldn’t have been much bigger than a pomeranian. No wonder it didn’t come with its friends. It already had something to eat. I leveled my rifle at it and paused. I wanted it to see me. I wanted to blast it head on, not in the back. I clucked my tongue to get its attention.
It turned its head from its meal. Red gore dripped from the creature’s maw. For the first time, I saw a trace of the scientists, and I didn’t like what I saw. The damn alien was gnawing on a human hand.
“Damn it!” I said and fired off a round, hitting it right between its eyes as it jumped at me. PHAZT!
Headshot! -143 hp +10 xp +25 precision xp
The rat-thing fell to the ground, a smoking hole where its head had been just a moment before.
“Schmidt, come take a look at this,” I called back.
The recruit rounded the door and immediately recoiled.
“Is that what I think it is?” he asked.
“Yep. One of the scientists. Or at least what’s left of him.”
“Just a hand? What the crap? Did they eat bones and everything?”
“I don’t think so. Not here at least. There isn’t really that much blood. I bet this one pulled the hand here to eat in peace. So much for that.”
“If you two are done oohing and ahhing over a hand, we’ve got more of these things to clear out,” Norax said from the doorway.
“Yeah. Right. Let’s move before more of these crawlies show up,” Schmidt said nervously.
“Crawlies?” I said. “Is that what we’re calling them?”
“I like it,” Norax agreed.
“Crawlies, it is.”
We filed down the hall a bit further. It took a sharp right at the end, but there were a couple more offices to clear before we would get there. Norax continued checking the offices on the left while Schmidt and I alternated the offices on the right.
