Book Review 139 // Exterminators by Matt Forbeck - No Good Deed by Ray Garton

I'm still on these Alien shorts. This time the story is by Matt Forbeck and is titled, Exterminators. The story is a dual cast of Dietrich and Frost, and it helps to explain why they love a flamethrower.

Set on Sullivan 9, Dietrich and Frost slip away for some private R & R. Escaping the watch of their squad, they find a remote dive bar that is definitely illegal and slip in to have a drink. Inside they find a rough crowd, but are ultimately served a drink and left alone. Soon they start to hear tales of insects that are terrorizing the locals, and after some chat, discover one patron is actually inflicted by a bug. Looking at the victim, they discover a bug attached to the man's chest, that is making him sick. When asked why they haven't requested assistance, they are told due to the illegal nature of the bar/area they can't rely on company help.

As the marines are about to head off to get a doctor, it is noted that the insects are forming once more outside. We then have full-blown bug/body horror happening, which ultimately ends with a blown-up bar and a lot of dead locals. Dietrich and Frost survive (though hospitalized), and the story basically ends with Dietrich declaring next bug nest they find, she'll be bringing a flamethrower.

Overall, a bit of a silly story, but a fun quick read, so no issues there.

With that being such a straightforward tale, I am going to dive into the next story. Double feature Thursday!

No Good Deed by Rob Garton is set very early on in the Alien infestation of Hadley's Hope. We join a Bounty Hunter and synthetic, as they track down two escaped Convicts, who had hoped to hide out in Hadley's Hope.

I wasn't really a fan of this one. There was a couple of reasons. 1 - Though the base was suffering from an attack, the locals seemed very indifferent about using the bounty hunter's ship to escape. They instead lock the new arrivals outside. Very noble, and unrealistic in my opinion. 2 - One of the convicts had been genetically tested on and basically rages out into a red hulk. Never heard of this before in the stories, seems to marvel and out there for me. 3) Having seen what is happening the bounty hunter basically goes meh and flies away. Cold, real cold.

Overall unimpressed. The first bad story in the book for me.

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