"We have been here for ten years." The light extended a hand towards the blue craft lying in the water. "We were so alone we almost forgot our purpose." The ship seemed to shimmer in the light of the apparition, a hypnotising dance of lights that chased the cold and fear away. At times the light took on human form, but would then dissolve into a cloud of bright points. I tried walking around it but it flowed dreamily towards me and blocked my path. "You said you were human. I don't understand, I've never seen a ship like that before." My instinct was to grab my pistol and back away, but logic forced my hand to remain still. "I remember sadness, I remember sorrow, I remember pain." The light faded a little and rose towards the ceiling of the hangar. "I remember being human. We are something else now." "You've been here alone?" The light flitted around the ceiling for a few moments. "Not always, my old enemies come and visit." It danced around for a few more seconds and then paused. "They're here, I think you've attracted them." I pulled the artefact from my pocket and peered over the lines and ghostly shadows of the mine workings. I could see little markers following the mercenaries down the main access shaft, but there were new markers close by and these were circling around the entrances to the hangar. The light darted closer and spread tendrils of electrical charge to the far corners of the void. The light appeared to look at my hands. "The mistress owned this. They stole it, just as they stole my old life." The flickering discharges of light showed shambling figures pushing at the debris and rubble blocking doorways and air vents. "I tried to destroy them, but the dust changed them and they live again." The light shrugged sadly. "We should have foreseen this." The pistol appeared in my hand, but it wavered from a mixture of fear and uncertainty. There were too many targets. "Were did they come from?" The filaments of light withdrew towards the centre of the room and faded. "They have always been here," said the light, "soldiers, technicians and scientists." I backed away towards the pool of water where the stricken spacecraft lay. "Can't you kill them?" There was no answer and I suddenly felt very cold. The light had gone and the monsters were moving closer. -- Mona Asuridanavan V3 figure in Shadow Dancer outfit. Level 19 scene prop by Stonemason. Rendered in Cinema 4D R12. Thanks for looking, comments appreciated.