Guardsman Olat was finishing up his bawdy tale when the alarm sounded.

“So I pushed her off and told her I was done!” he laughed as he and his comrades picked up their plasma rifles.

A loud speaker boomed across the quadrangle as they left the guardhouse, “The intruder has been spotted in the animal pens, and is now likely to be in the animal laboratory. He is armed and extremely dangerous.”

Olat knew that someone who could survive the An-lab would indeed be formidable, so he knew to be cautious. But he was tired of catching bears for Doctor Nippal and was looking forward to taking out his frustrations on a human. Particularly someone idiotic enough enough to attack an island base full of bored and frustrated armed guards.

Commander Del signaled his men to a halt and Olat obeyed. Del motioned for Feldor and Bennis to breach the An-lab and the two men rushed inside shouting to each other in the dim light inside.

Gunfire, followed by the sounds of breaking and rending flesh, unnerved him a little and Olat determined he wouldn’t be taken by surprise by the intruder.

Commander Del motioned for Olat to join the three remaining men as he tossed in a phosphor stick to see by. The lab lit up as bright as day as they made their way inside. Feldor and Bennis were out cold.

Olat saw him first. The strong jaw, the towering figure, the cold eyes. Without waiting for an order Olat fired, emptying a clip at the place the figure had been moments before. He blinked and began to reload.