Caliban's War

Four-year-old Mei is surprised when her teacher says Mei’s mother has come to collect her from preschool because Mei’s mother left Ganymede for Ceres Station some time ago. Another woman and Mei’s doctor, Dr. Strickland, say they are taking Mei to her mother. As they travel the tunnels that line Ganymede, the woman asks if there are any more. When Dr. Strickland says Mei is the last, the woman gives instructions to release “it” (5). The woman shows Mei a glass box with a thing inside that doesn’t quite resemble a man. Mei screams.

Gunnery Sergeant Bobbie Draper is with her squad of Martian Marines, guarding a dome on Ganymede that grows food while watching the United Nations squad guarding their own dome some distance away. Ganymede is an important site of food production for the Jovian system; Mars and Earth have been in a tense stand-off for the past 18 months. Bobbi pauses to fix a leak in her suit, which is custom made to fit her larger frame. The UN soldiers start running toward their dome, as Bobbie sees an enormous, malformed humanoid chasing them. The monster rips through both Marine squads and no weapons can stop it.