The Agathon: Book One by Colin Weldon

touched his feet and began liquefying his flesh. He closed his eyes one final time and screamed.
    Quarters of Carrie Barrington
    17:45 Martian Standard
    Carrie woke suddenly and sat up, her soaked pillow falling away from her back. She felt like her heart was about to explode.
    She heard a scream in her mind. The sadness and the terror of the voice chased by a dark monster lingered in her thoughts. Something terrible had just happened. She reached over to her comms panel beside her bunk.
    “Carrie Barrington to John Barrington,” she said with upset in her voice. No answer.
    “Carrie Barrington to John Barrington,” she repeated with more force in her voice. There was a beep from the panel.
    “Go ahead. What’s up, Carrie?” The comfort of her father’s voice helped lower her heartrate.
    “Father, something’s wrong. Something terrible has happened.”
    “Slow down, Dice, take a breath. I’m on my way.”
    “No,” she interrupted, “I’m coming to you. Where are you?”
    “I am at the Aquaria command centre. What did you see?” he said softly.
    “I think somebody has died. Has anyone gone to the Black Cave this morning?” There was a pause from her father.
    “Meet me here as soon as you can. Barrington out.” The urgency in his voice told her all she needed to know. She jumped out of bed and slid straight into a jumpsuit.
    Aquaria Base
    18:01 Martian Standard
    “Barrington to Fraine,” the commander shouted into the comm panel. The uncomfortable déjà vu was all too obvious. He had lost another one on his watch. He knew that he should not have allowed the pair access at a time when most of the personnel were emotionally compromised. Bad call, John . No answer from the comms.
    “Shit!” he said. The support staff manning the command centre looked at him.
    “Prepare a rescue team,” he announced. “Now!” There was a bleep from the panel.
    “Commander?” said a panicked English voice.
    “Yes. Bobby? This is Barrington. Report!”
    “He’s dead. He’s fucking dead. I had to run. I left him there. I heard him screaming. The fucking stuff is alive.” Barrington froze.
    “Where are you, Bobby?” he asked.
    “Inbound in the RV,” he sobbed. “I left him. Jesus, I just left him.” The door to the control room hissed open and Carrie appeared. Barrington locked eyes on her as she approached.
    “Tell me, Carrie,” he whispered to her.
    “It killed again, Father. It knew. It followed him and attacked.” Some of the staff stared over at the pair. Barrington ignored them and put a hand on Carrie.
    “Bobby, keep coming. I’ll meet you at the RV bay. Stay calm, you’re okay.”
    “I’m nearly there,” came the reply. Barrington looked out of the windows, which curved around the command centre. In the distance, he saw the red trail of an RV approaching at speed.
    “Barrington to medical bay,” he said. The comms bleeped.
    “Doctor Brubaker here.”
    “Michelle, we have possible incoming wounded. I want him put into quarantine immediately. Under no circumstances is he to be touched until a full bio scan reveals no indication of infection.”
    “Understood, John. What are we dealing with?” she said.
    “Contact incident with The Black,” he continued.
    “Right. I’ll have him locked down. Don’t worry. Where will he be?”
    “It’s Bobby Shields. He’s coming in the RV bay, ETA... hang on.” Barrington looked over at one of the young men manning one of the stations.
    “Eight minutes, sir,” he answered the commander.
    “Eight minutes, Doc.”
    “Gotcha, I am on my way.” The comms bleeped again.
    “Barrington to RV bay.”
    A young female answered. “RV bay, go ahead.”
    “Clear all personnel, I repeat ALL personnel immediately and seal off all airlocks. You have five minutes. Leave the main bay doors open.”
    “Yes, sir,” came the programmed response.
    “Okay, folks, let’s lock it down,” he called to his staff. Lights in the control room flickered to red. The