There were many words that could be used to describe the scene within the main square of B Deck's northern hemisphere. But the most appropriate was "gruesome".

While a constant stream of survivors managed to make their way here from every corner of the vessel, many more had to be carried on stretchers before being placed with the rest of the critically wounded in the central park.

They ran out of beds 5 hours ago, sheets three hours after that. The once comfy green grass was now streaked and caked with blood, seeping from both the living and the dead.

The stench of death was strong. But the cries of children and the yells of groan men calling for order, did their best to drown out the smell. It helped those like Corteza avoid the reality around her, just by a little bit.

Complaining about the noise, took her mind off the fact that she was currently walking over corpses that nobody had the time or energy to move, making sure that she didn't slip over them.

Men, women and children from every stellar faction, human or otherwise - to think that this park was the only place where everyone could be gathered peacefully.

But even that fragile peace would be shattered.

Its end was marked when an ear-splitting crash came from high above. Deck A was now caving in on them. The four 700 meter-tall towers around the square - actually structural pillars - creaked and cried, bending under a mass beyond that which they could handle together.

But Serenity’s construction was both a boon and a curse. While many succumbed to the injuries that resulted from being slammed against something or flung away by the impact, her structural integrity ensured that no external force could immediately puncture its shell and that the towers could not be malformed or damaged past a certain point.

However, this also trapped the three-dozen or so thousand people that were still inside.

[... This is a state of emergency. But please, remain calm. All survivors must make their way to the central squares of B deck. These have been turned into evacuation zones.

Please avoid using elevators that have sustained visible damage and bring whatever supplies you can with you. If you cannot move, stay where you are and use anything to guide rescuers towards you.

Once you arrive, take your critically wounded to the main plaza and make your way to your respective, designated evac building.

These will be marked by either your flag, or your national colors. Do not interact with those from other factions, unless absolutely necessary. This is a state of emergency…]

Screams and cries echoed through Deck B, now dark and without power, as much of it was cut off to avoid electrical fires. While the warping of durasteel and crumbling of concrete served as a constant reminder of death.

No.

There was once a word used to describe a scene like this. And even though largely forgotten, it could never disappear from the collective consciousness.

They were in hell.

And as the sounds of this pitch-black hell gave way to clattering and chittering across the ceiling and tower’s surface - everyone knew that its heralds had arrived.

Men, women and children all screamed in grueling agony. Lost children cried - asking for their parents, only to be silenced with disgusting squelches. Those farther away panicked and ran in every direction, with many bumping into each other, then got trampled when they were too slow to get back up.

Some reached out for others, grabbing and tripping them, causing only more to fall down as they scrambled through whichever path they found themselves in. Not a single one sought shelter in the buildings and those already inside risked two or three storey drops in a desperate bid to escape - crushing those below them.

Then came deafening gun shots from amongst the crowd - lighting their surroundings for but a split second. Some were part of the crew, but most were regular citizens. Though they were aiming at the whatever was chasing them, many more landed on the people behind them. Sky blue, red and yellow, lasers and tracer bullets flew through the air and landed with a squelch, a sizzle or a ping.

Many screamed for them to stop. But they fell on deaf ears, before being silenced themselves. It was only when they ran out of bullets or the chittering got too close that the gunmen fled as well. Yet now it was them who were at the back - forced to shove against those ahead of them that were stuck.

Rubble had fallen across the highway and now they had to either climb over it, or squeeze through the spaces between. Some men even resorted to smashing through windows in their attempts to flee, only to get hurt or succeed and get trampled against the shattered pieces by those behind them.

There were other ways to leave the square, but without any light, they did not know where those were, and those that did, did not tell many others. Much less called for them.

And so, more than three thousand people became sitting ducks.

Those armed emptied every round that they could at whatever was approaching them - only to be the first to fall. But those brief instants of light had exposed their attackers, just as they were devoured.

That’s right, devoured.

Saw it, clear as day. As a young man was torn in half at the waist by one, while another snatched up his top half from above.

So, so many of them. Massive beasts hidden in the darkness were crawling on top of each other, trying to get at them first.

Just like how they were trying to get away.

The stampede regained momentum as a new wave of fear and adrenaline kicked in. Yet it was too late.

Only a hundred or so managed to get past the rubble.

However, this wasn’t unique to their group. Many more ended up the same. But as the last cry echoed from the square, the buildings would not be silenced yet.

Of the 563, 219 passengers and crew that Serenity departed with, only 252, 078 responsive life signals remained after the fuel cell detonation. All medical personnel were called to action and an SOS signal was immediately sent out.

Now there were 606, 145 life signals on board.

Finally the medical alerts turned off and the SOS calls fell silent.

Disaster averted.