Rast’s eyes remain glued to the vital signs, willing them to move. Suddenly, three of the four lines spiked and new alarms added to the clamor.Thank sweet baby jesus.

His hand flicked the com switch; “Stand down! I repeat: stand down. Vitals spiked on Gygax, Acklin, and Burkhart; we remain Condition Omega. Colonel Seifert is flatlined, hold positions.”

Rast began to stand when a white-hot pain began expanding behind his eyes. He dropped into his chair, eyes tightly shut and mouth agape, his hands clamped over his ears to protect them from the resonance coming into his mind.

Greetings, it roared quietly.

Moments later, the message complete, the pain subsided.

“Wait,” he said standing, blood flowing from his ears, “just wait. They’re talking to me – images, sounds – directly into my mind. Painful, but clear.”

“We can comu,” he began. A crackling sound, like violent popcorn, split the air – a thin, jagged line of light appeared six inches in front of Rast and flashed, engulfing him. He was gone.