Heavily redacted transcript of the being''s subdual follows:


    [Soldier 1] The hostages are the priority, if we can extract them we can just bomb the thing.


    [Soldier 2] Do we really only have this much intel on the thing?


    [Soldier 3] Apparently. You never have good intel, but this seems almost hyperbolic.


    [Soldier 1] [4], any hint of it on the cameras?


    [Soldier 4] None. Pretty sure all the cameras are destroyed.


    [Soldier 2] No hidden cameras? What are the odds of that?


    [Soldier 4] None on the local net at any rate.


    [Soldier 3] This place has to have tons of sensors other than cameras, at least in the labs, what about those?


    [Soldier 4] Our equipment isn''t designed for anything other than cameras. Fixing that would take time we don''t have.


    [Extraneous dialogue removed]Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 1] It''s venomous! Assume a single hit past your armor will kill you!


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 4] How can it possibly fit through the vents?


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 2] It''s got [4]!


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 3] Bodies aren''t supposed to do that.


    [Soldier 2] The noise. I''m never getting that noise out of my head.


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 1] It''s getting bigger. What sick mind made this thing?!


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 3] This thing seems like some intentionally horrifying cosmic joke, and we''re the punchline. The way it killed [2]...


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 3] By Xackal, they''re still alive.


    [Soldier 1] Not sure I''d call that alive.


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 3] If we get out of here without any further casualties then that''ll just be three paralyzed, five in comas, thirteen casualties, and everyone else traumatized. Oh, wait no, there''s another three in a vegetative state.


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 1] It''s intentionally cruel. To eat part of someone''s head and then just leave them there, drooling...


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 3] Could it be, is it finally dead?


    [Soldier 1] No, we still have ammunition.


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 1] It can divide itself into multiple fully-functioning blobs of muscle and hate. Of course, it can. And because just why not, it''s intelligent enough to use one of itself as a decoy, get us to spend all our ammo.


    [Redacted]


    [Soldier 1] Well, if anyone finds this recording, [3] is dead. It... it shoved part of itself down their throat, all the way out the other end, and then inflated itself. At least he died quickly, quicker than the others at least. I think it was going suffocate them until I made it mad and [3] exploded like an overfilled balloon. Just with more viscera. The thing''s been toying with us this entire time. I didn''t sign up for this. I didn''t sign up for this. I didn''t sign up for this.