The Russians Are Coming! (Keith's scenario)

Written/GMed by Keith Craig

Intro: October 18, 1961 Fairbanks, Alaska. Jane paused when it came time to sign the non-disclosure: should she use her given name of Alpha Centauri Westman? She changed her name in college to make it harder for aliens to track her.

The town mayor sat beside Colonel Jack London who gave the briefing, “Now that you have signed your non-disclosure agreements… 4 days ago, while we had a no-fly order in effect (Operation Sky Shield II), we saw strange radar returns coming from an area 250 nm from here. Our maps show the area without civilization. Surveillance overflight found nothing, but it could be a crashed Soviet plane buried under the snow. Finding such would help us get our man back (aka, Gary Powers recently shot down in his U2). Any questions?”

2nd LT Billy Oakley; 24yo (Bill): 6-months out of Officer-Training-School. A freckled baby-faced son from a military family. Patriot hell-bent on stopping the Communist threat, “Do good on this assignment and my career is set!”

MSgt Juan Cortez; 43 yo (Geoff): 4’6” hot-blooded South American career NCO. “I’ve served my time in the frozen hell of the worst winter of WWII Europe and then Korea, now Alaska?! I’m submitting my retirement papers after this assignment!”

Jane Smith; 23yo (Jen): Conspiracy Theorist living off-grid in Alaska, providing the dog-sled teams. Mom & dad swore they were abducted by aliens; born 9 months later proves she’s an alien offspring. “Now’s my chance to prove aliens are amongst us.”

Atka Geela; 23yo (Matt): resident Inuit Scientist called in to analyze any plant or fauna found at the scene. An environmentalist with a chance to document what is happening to the native wildlife due to man’s contaminating touch.

Ronald Jacobs; 41yo (Duane): Outdoorsman with a degree in History. Socially awkward loner recovering from a nasty divorce per his unfaithfulness. Thus, his retreat into the wilds. Only took the job as a guide as he needed the money for cabin repairs.

Dr. Stephen Tylok; 38yo (NPC): He’s treated his fair share of wilderness injuries. As proof: walks with a limp per his own frostbitten toes suffered while treating a patient out in the Alaska wilds. His medicinal bottle of whiskey will come in handy.

Ronald handed a list of needed supplies to the LT (who passed it along to the MSgt), “250nm is about 5-days on sled; so, 2-weeks’ worth of supplies.” Atka was more interested in a rifle to protect herself from polar bears (scare them off). Juan handed out walkie-talkies, “In case we get separated in a blizzard. I’ve also requisitioned extra ammo (per his Korea experience).” Jane brought her own supply of dog food for her teams, “Don’t be feeding them your scraps!”

Oct 19^th: The dogs mushed through the light blanketed of snow; supplies distributed equally amongst the sleds. Ronald drove the first sled with the doctor as his passenger. Jane was next with Juan and his 60 lb portable radar set. Atka brought up the rear with the LT bundled tight in his parka and mukluk boots. With 2 sleds ahead of them, the LT gave up trying to keep his snow-goggles clear. They stopped early to make sled skid repairs per impact of hidden boulders. Atka regretted being saddled with the LT who barfed on her sled. Ronald was camp cook offering fat & grease to replenish their energy sucked by the cold/whipping Alaskan air. Juan set up the radar and the LT (Analyze 00) was already seeing Soviet planes! Until the MSgt wiped off the clump of snow on the scope.

Oct 20^th: After dusting snow off of the gear, Jane wrapped the dogs’ feet in little booties to protect their pads from frostbite. Barely an hour into their trek, the LT had to hang on tight as the sled suddenly lurched upward from impact with another hidden boulder. Atka could only smile at the missed possibilities of leaving the LT behind.

It was early evening, under a show of cascading northern lights, when they came upon the secluded cabin. Ronald knew it well as a waystation run by Chris Anveck and his Inuit wife Amona. The LT complained about their early stop (a half-day behind schedule), but soon relented at the realization they’d sleep in a warm cabin. Feeling Atka’s frustrations, Ronald told the LT, “You need to pay them for the rental time and meals.”

After dinner, everyone perked up at the animated conversation between Atka and Amona talking in their native tongue. Amona switched to English, “Your destination to the northeast is known to my people as the Land of the Angels. Per my great-great-grandfather it is where the angels came down from heaven. They had round-shaped eyes.” Jane grew excited at the reference to aliens. Amona continued, “The men worshiped them. In return, the angels touched the men making them hardened against their enemy. They were invincible. Generations later a man asked the angels to bless him. Instead, he felt great pain [blast of electricity as the creature wanted to capture him]. The man fled but was chased. The angel stopped pursuing him when he jumped into the water.” Per his historian background, Ronald knew many local legends and equated this one as one of the creation legends. Nothing more.

But what Chris said next caught the LT’s attention. “You’re not the first to stop here. Just days ago, 3 men appeared. Said they were prospectors following up on the old gold-rush stories of the 1800s. Amona spoke up, “They are headed northeast like yourself but with intent to defile the land.” Ronald assured her his intentions were good. The LT was more fixated, “Did they have a strange accent? Russian maybe?! Could be an advanced Soviet scout team. Or downed airmen.”

Oct 21^st: Breakfast of eggs & black-bear meat and a hardy goodbye before they drove north across the tundra. A smoother ride but less snow meant more exposed brush that caught a skid, forcing another stop for repairs.

Juan used the opportunity to deploy the radar…”Beep”. All eyes were drawn to the steady pulse 8nm north. Juan added, “It’s at ground level.” The LT already surmised, “It could be Soviet troops riding on a snow-cat transport. Be ready!” The MSgt could only shake his head wondering, “How did they get a snow-cat over here? Transport plane landing on the ice?” But he only verbalized, “It’s not moving; we need to conserve battery power. I can power it up intermittently. Besides, it’s not in the Angel area.” The LT insisted on setting up lookouts for the night. Jane took first watch per her concern for bears or wolves.

It was 4am when Juan came on watch. “Beep.” The signal only 6nm away, still due north. Which sent the LT in another frenzy, “Everyone up! The Russians are coming! We need a perimeter defense!” Roanld just rolled over, “Wake me when they get to one mile.” While everyone else slept soundly, the LT kept the MSgt awake, “Where are they now?!” Juan reminisced about the WWII stories of lieutenants being fragged by his men.

Oct 22^nd: Jane crawled out of her tent but was met by Juan with his fingers pursed to his lips as the LT snored in the background. She scanned the horizon with her binoculars: an arctic fox limped into view. Atka and Ronald walked toward it only to find a very emaciated and starving fox that didn’t seem afraid of humans. [Sanity check] While Atka tilted her head in wonder, Ronald gasped at the sight of the animal’s rear right metallic leg. He was ready to shoot it till Atka got in the way offering it rations. At least he took a picture.

The LT woke and stood near the campfire to warm up, “What’s going on?” Still watching thru her binoculars, Jane offered, “Looks like an animal dragging a metal trap.” They learned better when Atka and Ronald returned emptyhanded to the LT’s displeasure, “Did you at least see if the trap had Russian writing?!” Atka explained, “It had a metal leg that looked naturally attached versus sewn on.” Jane pondered, “I’ve heard of the military using animals as listening devices. Rigging porpoises with sonar to detect subs.” Was she just teasing the LT to egg him on?

Per the LT’s decision, they headed northward where the fox came from, expecting to find Soviet troops. Instead, Ronald’s dogs broke free and chased down the fox, ripping it to pieces despite Jane’s attempt to call them off. At least they got the chance to look at the metal leg up close. Dr Tylok marveled how the metal perfectly blended into the flesh, “Even the metal seems to have a fur etching.” Jane concluded, “Alien technology!”

[You knew when Jane went into her conspiracy mode as Jen herself donned her aluminum hat.] :>)

And once again with the radar turned on, MSgt Cortez reported, “Another ping 5nm out but almost due west on a 280 bearing.” Which sent the LT into a panic, “The Russians are surrounding us!” Ronald suggested, “To prove your theory, let’s head toward our original destination and see if they follow.”

[Failed drive sled rolls] Another day cut short due to loosen sled issues. [failure 92, push 95] Atka scavenged for food and returned with reported edible plants. [CONsave] Most of the team puked or shitted the night away. Not the hardy LT who scooped seconds. But he soon was pissed when he learned from the MSgt, “What do you mean the radar battery is dead?”

Once again, the watch order was set. Juan happened to be on guard duty when he heard loud footsteps, “Halt, who goes there?!” The seasoned soldier quickly raised his carbine and fired almost point-blank as the moose closed. [Extreme- 23 damage] The moose bellowed in pain as it charged into camp. Juan got off another shoot [7 damage] that dropped it in its tracks as it slid into the campfire. Everyone gathered round: [Sanity check] Like the fox, part of the moose’s chest was turned to metal. Sparks sizzled from dangling wires that stuck out of its body and head. [Zoology-fail] Atka had never seen anything like it. Ronald was anxious to dissect it per the doctor’s guidance. As he traced the wire with a scalpel, all soon realized the wires were implanted. [Electric Repair- hard] Juan concluded, “As if the wires were meant to transfer electricity from one area to another.”

And that’s when the LT got an idea, “See if you can use the wires to recharge the radar battery.” With the radar setup next to the dead moose, a faint ping momentarily appeared in the direction they were headed. Ronald pointed out, “There’s enough meat here to smoke up some jerky.” Jane suggested, “Can you remove the wired brain so we can bring it back as evidence of alien technology? And if you didn’t notice, its tracks show it came from the 280 bearing you established earlier!” It was a restless night for all, amped up by the adrenaline rush of the moose encounter.

Oct 23^rd: It was noon when they came upon the rock formation and its petroglyph rock carvings. [Occult] Jane interpreted the first image, “Those comet looking things are alien ships descending to earth drawn to the area by fire.” Atka remembered, “We had a campfire going when the fox approached. And the moose charged into our camp lit by the fire.” Leave it to the conspiracy theorist to start drawing followers to her cause. But what about the other image? Juan mused, “Then how do you explain the ships departing when the snow melted to water?” Atka reminded all about Amona’s lore, “The man dove into the waters and the angels left.” LT Oakley barked, “We’re already behind schedule and you want to go on an alien hunt when we have Russians invading! Stick to the real purpose of this mission. Get back on your sleds.”

Hours later Ronald reigned in his dogs at the sight of a distant hill covered in flowers. In the middle of nowhere! Sunlight seemed to reflect off the base of the snow-covered hill. Jane raised her binoculars, “A lot of snow but I think I see patches of a metal surface.” She fiddled with the focus, “Holy shit! The metal looks like a human statue toppled to the ground.” The LT only heard of a Soviet soldier in armor prone in the snow, “We need to stealth up there and surprise him.”

With his finger on his carbine trigger, the LT crept forward with Jane just behind. The figure indeed was a statue: a metal man with a backpack and hiking boots with his right arm raised as if blocking sunlight from his eyes. [Anthropology- 01 with Luck] the LT gasped, “Caucasian with modern clothing. As if a Midas touch turned to metal!” Ronald came forward and spotted more tracks, “One track matches your statue. Another goes east while the 3^rd climbed over the hill going west. I think these are the 3 prospectors the waystation attendant Chris told us about.”

Juan followed the tracks up and over the hill and reported over the walkie-talkie about plant life turned metallic. Which only caused the LT to reason, “The Russians have a weapon that turns things into metal. They must have shot at the fox and moose and only clipped them.”

Atka, Ronald, and the doctor followed the tracks east and soon came upon another prospector partially turned to metal. A faint call for help foretold him still alive. With partial lips and tongue still flesh, the man struggled to speak clearing. Atka and Ronald could only guess, playing word games. “What happened? Who did this? Where are they?” Ronald gave him paper and pen: a crude circular drawing considering his arm and fingers partially metalized. “Sphere… took him…sky.”

CLIMAX

A humming noise drew the LT and Jane toward an opening in the hill preceded by slush and melted snow puddles. As they entered, they were assaulted by the heat that neared 110 degrees. Silhouettes of machinery filled the interior. Jane quickly reasoned, “Alien technology!” Distracted by the machinery, the LT kicked something when he entered: a 3ft diameter metal ball rolled further inside. The ball came to a stop beside a chair where another Caucasian male sat, wired to the machinery. Another spherical ball hovered overhead. The metallic ball slowly rotated towards them, and suddenly projected a pseudopod towards them.

Sanity check: [Jane-Fail/Bout-Of-Madness: fucking government got me into this mess. Damn LT!] Jane was elated with proof aliens exist. But if she was fathered by aliens, why wasn’t she partially metal? [Pass] The LT jumped behind machinery just as a pseudopod shot from the sphere in his direction. Mesmerized, Jane failed to react: she was hit in the abdomen which quickly turned metallic. And that’s when Juan came in, drawn by the noise. He watched the pseudopods attack. “What the fuck is that?!” [Juan-Fail/Bout-Of-Madness: 2 weeks from retirement. Damn LT!] 

Jane blindsided Lt Oakley, knocking him to the ground, throwing punches as she grappled. “MSgt Cortez, get her off me!” Juan came forward and added his own punches, “Fuck you lieutenant. I should have fragged your ass when I had the chance.”

Atka heard the commotion and then gunfire. She took off running for her dog sled!

Ronald heard the commotion and radioed, “What’s going on?!” Static filled his receiver. He ran toward the noise and entered with his rifle ready. [Sanity-pass] He watched as the hovering metal ball began to spark (like a tesla coil) before a bolt hissed toward him. While he dodged, the arc was enough for his hair to stand on end. Exit, stage left, “This shits fucked up!” He bolted from the room and rantoward his sled. Soon he was radioing Atka, “We’re about to be the only survivors.”

The LT punched Jane in the shoulder which allowed him to break free. And once again he dodged another pseudopod. Jane ignored the pseudopod and swung at the LT who fought back.

And that’s when Juan saw the sphere aiming at himself. He drew his carbine and fired 3 shots. [failed Luck] One bullet ricocheted off the metal sphere and impaled Juan in his eye. He slumped to the ground dead.

LT Oakley raised his own carbine and emptied the clip in 3 volleys of 6 rounds each. Six of the bullets hit… and ricocheted. The LT died from a bullet to his juggler vein. Jane passed out from the bullet that hit her leg.

EPILOGUE

Jane’s eyes slowly fluttered open. Her head felt lighter. She noticed wires dangling before her eyes and felt her head to realize the top half of her skull had been removed to allow the wiring that was hooked up to the machinery. She watched as the machinery began to come alive with flickering lights. She felt the sudden surge of power and the gravitational pull that anchored her in her chair.

Atka and Ronald looked over the shoulders to see a huge ball of light shoot into the sky. They knew it was the alien ship departing Earth. Neither could know that the electrical energy of Jane was powering the ship.

Ronald returned to his secluded life in the Alaska wilderness. He wiped his hands and his memory of the events. He could live without the paycheck.

Atka returned to Fairbanks to report to the Colonel. She only reported what she saw from outside the hill, to include the partially metallicized animals. Strange that Atka was never seen leaving the base.

Dr Tylok drained the last of his whiskey as he sat beside the partial metal man. He quipped, “At least your metal parts won’t become frostbitten.”

BEHIND THE CURTAIN

The 3ft diameter ball the LT kicked upon entering the opening was a dead alien. Killed by the cold considering they came from a molten planet outside our solar system. They only intended to explore a short period and were drawn to heat sources. That is why they had been seen ages ago coming and going. Until this one crashed. While the aliens eventually repaired the ship, they had drained its electrical power over the ages. And thus, the need to replenish. The fox was too wily and while partially hit by the pseudopod, it escaped. While the moose gave potential, it was too strong and broke free of the wired harness.

Two of the prospectors proved too elusive and were rendered useless by their metallic transformation. The third became the first source of low power. They needed another.