Orbist

The hatch groaned, its reinforced metal warping with each successive blow from the outside. You braced yourself, plasma cutter ready, your mind racing through every possible outcome. Plavo stood behind you, his breathing shallow but steady, clutching a small tool as if it were his lifeline.

"What do we do?" Plavo whispered, his voice barely audible over the creaking of the pod.

"We hold our ground," you replied, keeping your eyes fixed on the hatch. "Whatever's out there, we don't let it in."

A final, resounding crash sent the hatch flying inward, the metal screeching as it clattered against the pod's walls. Dust and sand poured in, momentarily blinding you as the harsh red light of the planet flooded the cabin.

Then you saw it.

A creature—large and insect-like—loomed in the opening, its segmented body glistening under the alien sun. Its mandibles clicked menacingly as it advanced, its many legs skittering across the pod's floor with unnatural speed. You tightened your grip on the plasma cutter, the blade's glow cutting through the haze.

"Plavo, stay back!" you shouted, stepping between him and the creature. The air crackled as you swung the cutter in a wide arc, forcing the creature to halt momentarily. Its beady eyes glinted with intelligence, and it hissed, a guttural sound that sent shivers down your spine.

Plavo's voice broke through your focus. "There's more outside!"

Your heart sank as you glanced past the creature, spotting several more shadows moving through the swirling sandstorm. The pod's defenses were already compromised, and now you were outnumbered.

"We need to get out of here," you said, your mind racing. "Find higher ground, somewhere we can regroup."

Plavo nodded, his hands trembling as he fumbled with the emergency pack. "I'll grab supplies. Just… keep it busy."

The creature lunged, and you barely sidestepped in time, the edge of its mandibles grazing your arm. You retaliated with the plasma cutter, its searing blade slicing through one of the creature's legs. It let out an ear-piercing screech, retreating momentarily but not giving up.

"Hurry, Plavo!" you called, your voice strained.

He shoved the pack into your hands. "Got it. Let's go!"

With no time to spare, you grabbed his arm and bolted for the open hatch, the creature's hissing growing fainter as you sprinted into the storm. The red sand whipped around you, reducing visibility to mere feet. Every step felt like a struggle as the shifting terrain threatened to pull you down.

"Where do we go?" Plavo shouted, his voice barely carrying over the howling wind.

You scanned the horizon, your eyes landing on a jagged rock formation rising above the dunes. "There! It'll give us some cover."

The two of you pushed forward, the sound of the creatures' pursuit growing fainter but never disappearing entirely. When you finally reached the rocks, you collapsed against the cool stone, your chest heaving as you tried to catch your breath. Plavo sank down beside you, clutching the emergency pack like a lifeline.

"That was too close," he said, his voice trembling.

You nodded, wiping sweat and sand from your face. "We're not safe yet. They'll keep coming."

Plavo looked up at you, his expression a mix of fear and determination. "What now?"

You stared out at the endless expanse of sand, the reality of your situation sinking in. "Now we survive. We find the others, repair what we can, and figure out how to get off this planet."

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting the desert in a deep crimson glow, the two of you huddled against the rock, preparing for whatever the night would bring. The unknown awaited, and you had no choice but to face it.