Screamers: The Hunting

Okay. It looks clear.

Are you sure that's the place?

Yeah, the old communication bunker

is on that far ridge.

- The transmitter's there?

- Well, yeah, it should be.

It'll only take us a couple of minutes

to get there.

And it's secure once we're inside.

- No, no. I don't like it.

- You're too paranoid.

Let's go.

Screamers!

Get to higher ground. I'll cover you!

Jessie!

- Keep going!

- Okay!

Transmitter enabled.

Distress signal launched.

Mommy, Mommy, what's wrong?

Reanimation is now complete.

Please proceed to the med lab.

You know, I'm not feeling so hot.

I think this might be your last chance.

You must stay very calm

while I check your signs.

Think of your wife.

Olof, you look really pale. Are you okay?

Yeah. I'm great. I'm great.

I love space travel.

As did my Viking ancestors.

They did it all the time.

- Vikings hibernated for two months.

- No, we traveled for two months.

And then without sleep,

we would fight a campaign

and move on to pillage other lands.

We were ruthless.

We were relentless. Like myself.

We lived better. We died better.

Did you know that...

- That Viking chieftains...

...Viking chieftains...

...were burned in their boats?

Yes, we know, Olof.

Well, it's a tradition.

And if we don't have tradition,

then we're nothing but savages.

You know, I could be a savage.

I can give you something for that.

- How did you sleep, Lieutenant?

- Cryo sleeps always give me bad dreams.

That's too bad. I sleep like a baby.

Take a little nap for two months.

Ready to start the mission.

Excuse me, Commander.

I have to get back to the med lab.

Bronte, there you are.

Just in time for your examination.

Romulo, how's the weapon system coming?

- It's looking good, Lieutenant.

- Great.

- Hey, morning, Sarge.

- Danielli.

Initiating data module.

Eighty-five years ago,

berynium was discovered on Sirius 6B.

It was thought that this was the answer

to Earth's energy shortage,

and a thriving industry quickly developed.

But in time, the mining company and their

worker-scientists became bitter enemies,

and there was a violent civil war.

The scientists finally got the upper hand

when they developed the screamer,

a robotic killing machine,

to search out and terminate all human life,

all except those who wore a TAB,

an armband device which neutralizes

the sensors of the screamers.

But in time,

the screamers became so numerous

that all human life

was extinguished on Sirius 6B.

It is believed that all screamers

then became inert.

The sole known survivor from Sirius 6B

was Colonel Joseph Hendrickson,

who committed suicide

by blowing up his ship

on re-entry to Earth's atmosphere.

This was 13 years ago,

and since then,

there's been no communication

between Sirius 6B and Earth.

But then, two months ago,

an emergency SOS

was received from the planet.

Your objective is to locate

and rescue any human survivors.

Data module complete.

All right, as you know, Alliance Central

has sent us as a rescue team

to try to locate whoever sent that SOS

and bring them back home to Earth.

Unfortunately, the timeline of our mission

has been shortened considerably.

Danielli.

In six days, the planet Sirius 6B will be hit

with the mother of all solar meteor strikes,

a class 10 Magellanic storm.

Within 24 hours of the strike,

all life forms will be killed.

And within 48 hours,

Sirius 6B will be nothing

but a galactic slag heap.

- So if we don't leave in a week...

- Then we're never leaving.

Why wasn't this mentioned

in any of the briefings?

- The data wasn't available two months ago.

- Come on. You must have had an idea.

I knew there might be

a narrow window of opportunity.

Narrow window?

Sounds like a suicide mission.

Not if we act quickly.

The data indicates the transmission

did originate in this sector.

Why can't we land directly

on the signal site?

Now, I wish we could, but there's

so much atmospheric interference here,

we can't pinpoint it.

One of these days, you're gonna have

to be honest with me, Bronte.

Excuse me?

About why this mission

is so important to you.

- It's just another job.

- Really?

You have turned down the opportunity

to be commander of your own ship

to volunteer for this assignment. Why?

I have my reasons.

Besides, I still have a lot

to learn from you, Commander.

You might be

a very good soldier, Lieutenant,

but you're a terrible liar.

Beginning air quality analysis.

Radiation levels on the surface

are within human survivability.

Until recently, this planet was a war zone.

We don't know who or what

is gunning for us,

but the best defense is a good offense.

Well said, Lieutenant. Romulo.

One crucial piece of survival gear,

this is your TAB.

It'll broadcast a signal to the screamers

telling them that you're dead.

If your TAB turns red

and the screamer isn't disabled,

you need to modulate the signal.

It'll save your ass, people.

Screamers?

I thought they were all decommissioned.

That was the assumption,

but we don't know for sure.

Now, screamers have been programmed

to kill any living thing,

- and they will do just that unless...

- They think you're dead.

No, the screamers are manufactured

with a built-in 24-month power supply.

Once that's done, they're scrap metal.

I don't see how it's possible.

Speculation is that

the later models may have evolved.

Evolved? How does a machine evolve?

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