First Contact

"Are they still approaching?"

"Yes captain."

"All frequencies online?"

"Everything we can hit, yea."

"Hit the overcom." Riley hit the overcom switch and the captain began to speak. "All on duty marines report to the Hatch immediately." He nodded at Riley and he hit the switch again.

"Captain?"

"Unlock the hatch Riley."

"No problem." The captain walked off the bridge and down the length of the ship. The gray metal walls immediately identified it was Government Issue. He rounded a corner and before him were eight marines in full combat gear. The first one addressed him.

"Captain Fraggs." He saluted.

"At ease. Listen marines we have some unidentified vessel coming right to this port I want you four to be stationed in the reactor room. You others stay here with Me." they all replied with pleasant 'yes sirs' and half of them took off.

"Riley?"

"Yes captain?" the voice came from the wall right beside the captain.

"Tell the other eight marines to gear up. Send four to the drive room, two to the bridge and two others to engineering."

"No problem captain." the com ended with a *click* and then the captain waited at the lock. The four marines beside him had their rifles against their shoulders.

After several minutes the com came again. "Captain Fraggs."

"Yes Riley?"

"The vessel is about to dock."

"Thank you Riley. If you notice anything out of the ordinary..."

"Sir, everything will be out of the ordinary." the captain sighed. The captain had read as much as he had time for from his First Contact Manuel. He was truly nervous. Another alien race and I am to initiate first contact. He heard the bump of the other vessel coming in contact with his own. He ran his hand down the right side of his uniform until he found his side arm. The Stroker P2-18 pistol. This made him feel more comfortable.

"Captain."

"Riley."

"The ship has made an effective seal."

"Took you long enough."

"It wasn't us. The other ship seems to be a bit antiquated."

"Is it possible that these people have not invented slip space yet?"

"Not that antiquated. But maybe just at their colony era, just one accamator perhaps."

"Okay are the non invasive scans done yet?"

"Yes sir."

"Good open the lock." from the lock came hissing and clanking. The captain looked out of the porthole in that corridor and saw the planet. There were very small signs of civilization. This must be a colony to have a small population and space navigation.

The door opened and several aliens were in a single file line all the way to their ship. They were blue with round heads. They looked rather like ants on their four hind legs. But they had fingers on their arms each hand had four fingers all at right angles. Each one wore some sort of metal attachment to their mouths. The first one moved his fingers lighting fast, in full view of the captain and the four marines.

The captain stepped forward and put out his hand and spoke with a formal voice. "Hello my name is captain Fraggs of the federation navy. I welcome you to my ship the Spirited."

The alien looked at the captain's and walked forward several paces and grabbed it with its own hand. The grip was rather odd and the creature’s skin was stiff and cold. It was then that the captain noticed the spikes that lined the side of each of its forearms. The creature noticed the captains gaze and reacted quickly. The alien pulled on the captain as hard as it could the captain stumbled forward. The creature put its other arm with spikes as well so that the captain would fall on them.

The other aliens brought to bear primitive gun power weapons and fired. The marines fired their rifles. The captain could not avoid the spikes he felt them part the skin and muscle. One marine let his rifle attach to his back and pulled the captain from the alien. The alien slashed the marine's glass visor. This made the marine drop the captain on his back. The marine pulled his Stroker side arm and fired. The marines were retreating back toward the bridge. One marine grabbed the captain by the front of his uniform and dragged him out of the fire fight.