by Eden Blue
Ryan’s smile slowly shrank until his mouth formed a thin line. Considering the crowd, he could see Evan pushing through in the distance while Lydia was pumping her fist in the air with a big smile. Fingers curled along the edge of the podium as Ryan tilted his head forward, shadows covering his eyes.
“There has been some talk about taking the guild to the next level. Some have chosen to keep it status quo while others have wished to challenge the very nature of what we do. When I joined the guild, it was so we could build something great. I started as a Soldier and soon became an officer to the guild leaders. I have seen the internal workings of our magnificent group and I was ready to give my life repeatedly to see it reach greatness.”
Ryan’s fingers tightened along the edge as the excitement of the crowd began to simmer, “But, there are things out there we all must acknowledge. Dark, alien things that we will never truly understand.”
The edges of Ryan’s lips turned downward, a massive mental weight pulling down on his shoulders. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled, pushing that weight into his voice.
“The guild leaders are dead for now, murdered, some by my own hand,” Ryan said through clenched teeth.
The words filtered through the loudspeakers, filling the giant hall with an ominous gloom. Smiles faded as eyes widened, staring at the officer at the podium. Some made uncomfortable laughter taking it as a joke. Ryan stood, shadows covering his face except for his lips and chin. Evan pushed through the crowd as panic reared its ugly head. When he knocked his way through a group of standing bodies, his eyes caught sight of Lydia.
The cyborg stood, fingers to her lips and her eyes the size of saucers as she stared at the raised platform. Venna stood behind her, sadness filling her eyes, but her face as hard as stone.
“Lydia!” Evan shouted, his voice echoing off the metal walls.
Ryan cleared his throat, the guild frozen in shock, “Today, the guild is disbanded.”
Along the right and left sides of the great hall, thick banners pulled aside as black armored sentries stepped into view, plasma rifles in hand. Panic charged the crowd as they looked around to see dozens of sentries’ step from behind the banners, raising their rifles and aiming.
Evan grabbed Lydia by the arm as she looked to the right, the robot sentries pressing metal fingers to triggers. The Engineer turned while still holding Lydia’s arm to see Ryan stepping back and the light above him going dark.
“Thank you for your service,” Ryan’s voice carried over the loudspeaker.
The hall went silent for a breath of a second before chaos bloomed with flashes of plasma fire.
Two
Black Sentries hoisted up plasma rifles and opened fire into the crowds. Bolts of light flashed as plasma cut down players left and right. Screams and panic ensued, the crowd turning into a storm of bodies. Bedlam took root as some players pulled out pistols only to be cut down while others dove for the floor, trying to avoid the carnage. The sentries were lifeless and unfeeling as they moved forward, drilling plasma bolts into anything that moved.
Evan watched as the carnage continued. Guild mates were blasted to pieces before their bodies fell and faded from sight. The outside of the crowd dwindled as bolts burned through bodies at an alarming rate. Lydia took hold of Evan’s arm just as he held her, wide eyed panic causing him to freeze up. The Engineer fought through the mental shock, but his limbs were slow to react for a few seconds. The crowd started to shrink within seconds before Evan could feel his own mind screaming to act.
The Engineer reached for the side of his E-pack and pressed a button. A thick rod ejected into his open hand while he continued to hold Lydia’s arm with his other hand. The rod shifted and lengthened as the player brought it around and stabbed it to the metal floor. A tripod flipped out and clamped to the floor with a small shockwave lost to the rain of plasma bolts. The top part of the rod turned into a T shape and extended. A barrel slid out as the Portable Auto Plasma Cannon charged to life.
“Pris! Auto Plasma Cannon is engaged, target the sentries and cover our escape!” Evan yelled the command.
“Auto Cannon is online. Targeting Sentries,” said Pris as the cannon turned slightly.
The crowd parted as more bodies fell and faded from sight. The plasma cannon registered a line of fire and engaged. Evan stepped back with Lydia as the cannon whirled to life and fired. Repeated plasma bolts erupted in rapid succession. Guild mates scattered in all directions, but the cannon stopped firing if they moved into the line of fire. The moment they were out of the way, bolts would blast past them by mere inches. A sentry’s arm was blown off first before several bolts punched holes in its chest. The robotic body sparked as it fell to its knees like a rag doll. Several more were cut down as the sentries turned their attention and weapons to the auto cannon.
Evan was stumbling back as his guild mates crashed into him. Plasma bolts fired, their light converging on the auto cannon. Evan lost his grip on Lydia among the fleeing crowd. Crying out, he pushed his way through, focusing on her red hair. A scaly hand grabbed him by the shoulder while plasma bolts fired back at the sentries. Evan looked up to see that Venna had him in one hand and a plasma pistol in her other. Her brow formed a sharp V as she returned fire, blasting a hole in a sentry and then another.
“Lydia!” Evan shouted through the chaos.
Shock bled away as Lydia looked to Evan’s wide eyes. Bending at the knees, her cybernetic muscles powered up. The cyborg shot into the air, her senses on full alert and time slowing down. Lydia watched as the auto cannon took a glancing blow as it returned fire. Sentries stopped their advance as players returned fire. Evan was looking up at her while Venna was firing bolt after bolt. Turning her head, the cyborg could see sentries marching in from the northern doors flanking the platform and podium. Time sped up and the cyborg landed by Evan, plasma shooting past her.
“More sentries are coming!” Lydia shouted.
“Bruiser has been deployed. Please make your way back to the ship,” Pris said in a calm cold voice.
“Fall back!” Venna shouted as her lower body coiled and she continued to return fire.
Evan watched in his heads up eye display as the auto cannon took damage while continuing to return fire. Because of its thin size, it was harder to hit, but it had been struck four times. The hardware took damage and the auto cannon began to fail. Plasma bolts fired out, then the cannon clicked empty for a few seconds before firing again. Sentries concentrated their fire, blasting through players. Evan watched as the cannon’s operational percentage lowered further. Venna pulled the Engineer back with Lydia close by. The hall was nearly empty as sentries marched forward with raised plasma rifles.
***
Black armored sentries marched into the hanger deck from side doors as a few players spilled in from the main entrance. Plasma rifles up, some fired into the incoming stragglers while others turned their weapons on the ships. Several smaller ships were hammered with plasma fire as explosions rocked the hanger deck.
The back doors to the Needle Express opened and a small ramp extended. Sentries turned to the noise of the ramp and marched forward, firing in that direction. Something big stepped out, silver armor gleaming in the hanger light. The Needle Express’s engines hummed to life as quad barrel cannons rotated under the wings. Sentries fired, their metal fingers pressed firmly on triggers.
Bruiser stepped out, shields activating. The hulking form of the power suit stepped down the ramp and onto the hanger deck floor. Large oversized hands flexed as its shield glimmered from plasma strikes. Bruiser stood fifteen feet tall, T shaped with arms long enough that the hands nearly touched the floor. Blue sensors for eyes took in the shapes of sentries as they marched toward the hulking exo-power suit. Back thrusters hummed before bursting to life. The power suit launched straight at the sentries, its hands open. The sentries fired until Bruiser was on them. Large hands clamping over each one, they crushed and dropped them in under a second. Plasma bolts slammed at the su
it’s shields as more sentries realigned to the new threat.
Quad cannons turned and opened fire as sentries were blasted to pieces. The Needle Express’s cannons rotated to each group of sentries and blasted them to dust, but more continued to file in, indifferent to the rapid-fire plasma bolts.
Bruiser turned to the hanger entrance, blasting out his thrusters. Curling his arms up, he crashed through a half dozen sentries and made his way into the corridor, blue eyes on the chaotic crowd coming toward him. The Needle Express continued to fire at the threat, but Pris noticed some sentries coming out with rocket launchers on their shoulders.
***
The corridor crammed with bodies as everyone tried to retreat. Venna let go of Evan and moved to the corridor’s edge, firing at the incoming sentries. Evan watched his display as the auto cannon reached zero and went dark. Reaching to his E-pack, an electronic band popped out into his hand. Clamping it to his forearm, it extended and locked on. Tapping a glowing digital display, he moved to Venna’s side and activated his personal shield.
A blue aura appeared around the Engineer. Tapping at a few more keys, the shield extended as he moved next to Venna. A plasma bolt meant for her chest struck the shield and fizzled against the barrier. Venna glanced to the Engineer as he stood his ground, shield falling to 80%.
“It won’t hold long. We need to retreat to the Needle Express. Bruiser is on his way,” Evan shouted over the sound of plasma fire.
Venna nodded as a plasma bolt singed the corridor edge. The Shri-Ka, Engineer and Cyborg turned and barreled down the corridor away from the marching sentries. Evan’s shield refocused to the rear of their small group. Bolts slammed into it, the shield’s energy falling to 45%. Side doors opened and screams filled the wide corridor as sentries filed out, firing into the retreating crowd.
Evan watched as his guild mates were slaughtered in the close quarters. Blood boiling, he tried to remain focused as he tracked Bruiser and maintained the shield. A sentry stepped through a door and aimed at the Engineer when a metal fist clocked it across the jaw. Lydia’s eyes no longer held the look of shock, but instead burned with determination as her metal hands took hold of a sentry and ripped its head from its shoulders. Not done, she grabbed hold and punched a fist into its chest, fingers uncurling and then curling around the AI’s CPU. With a pull, she wrenched it out and threw it aside. A bolt from another sentry struck her, causing the Cyborg to stumble back. Lydia recovered and pounced on the sentry, hand smashing into its chest and pulling out its CPU.
Evan looked to Venna as she fired directly at the sentries quickly filling the corridor. Players dwindled to nearly nothing as they fought on. Lydia took another blast to the back, but continued to fight on. Evan watched a mini map display before his eyes, with Bruiser on his way. The battle was going badly and Evan wasn’t sure they were going to make it.
An idea bloomed, “Lydia! Boost the shield!” Evan shouted over the sound of fighting.
Lydia moved with calculated precision as she pulled another CPU, threw it at another sentry’s sensor array and launched herself to Evan. Sliding to Evan’s side, her hand reached out and clamped onto his shield emitter. Circuit-like tendrils reached out and interfaced with the shield band. Power surged and Evan watched as his shield went from 15% to 200% in seconds. Evan redistributed the shield into a bubble to keep it as efficient as possible. It expanded big enough to encase himself, Lydia, and Venna.
Their guild mates screamed and fell silent as they were torn apart from all sides. Evan, Venna, and Lydia moved slowly, the Shri-Ka Captain firing her pistol. Sentries cleaned up as they fired into the remaining players, their sensors detecting a shield and turning their weapons to it. Evan knew that the shield was not going to last long as he braced himself. Hope glowed as plasma bolts slammed into the shield, causing it to ripple from each strike. Shield power fell to 90% in seconds as a barrage of plasma fire rained against it. As it dwindled, Evan looked past the black clad sentries to something big bashing its way through.
Bruiser’s big hands swept from side to side as his thrusters propelled him down the wide corridor. The power suit’s glowing blue eyes locked on Evan as large fists smashed sentries to pieces. Shield flaring, bolts rained in from all directions. Bruiser made a path through the robotic sentries until his legs bent forward and feet touched the floor, sparks flying as he slid to Evan’s group. Turning, he used his body as a shield, his back opening to an empty pilot cockpit.
Lydia pulled back her hand, electronic tendrils sinking back under her skin. Evan stepped up to the open cockpit and turned his head to Venna and Lydia.
“Not enough room inside for three, but Bruiser’s shields will extend. Get ready for a ride,” Evan said as he stepped into the cockpit and the back armor closed over him.
Evan felt like he was sliding into a well-designed glove. His hands took hold of controls as booted feet slid into the leg controls. A quick glance showed Bruiser’s shields were at 70%, more than enough to get them out of there.
“I’m taking heavy fire,” Pris said with no emotion.
“On our way,” Evan said as Bruiser switched command to him.
The power suit’s hands flexed as Evan took control. Turning amid the storm of plasma bolts, he extended the shield and lifted Venna and Lydia in each hand. Holding them close to his chest, Lydia flinched as bolts flared against the shield a foot from her body. Bruiser turned back to the incoming army of sentries, and its thrusters powered up. Leaning with his shoulder, its thrusters blazed and the power suit charged.
Sentries walked to their death as they fired at the giant power suit. Robot limbs flew in all directions as they smashed against the shield. Venna and Lydia watched as the shield burned bright from the impacts, the surreal motion similar to a boulder rolling over blades of grass. Evan powered through until they burst into the hanger deck, greeted by flames and smoke.
The hanger looked like a smoking graveyard of ships. The remaining players fought through the flaming rubble, looking for any place to bunker down before hot plasma laid them to waste. Evan punched up Bruiser’s sensors to penetrate the thick plumes of smoke. The Needle Express continued firing, but several quad cannons were destroyed and the shield was down. Rockets flared and slammed into the hull repeatedly. A single quad cannon returned fire amid the destruction.
Not wasting time, Bruiser’s thrusters boomed and he shot toward the damaged ship. Venna and Lydia clutched at the power suit’s chest as they flew through smoke and ash. Bruiser landed just as a rocket slipped past and slammed into another ship. Evan opened Bruiser’s hands and gently placed the Shri-Ka and Cyborg on the deck floor. The rear hatch doors opened and a small ramp slid down. Lydia and Venna bolted into the ship as Bruiser took the rear. The ramp slid up and doors closed once everyone was inside.
Bruiser’s back opened outward and Evan pulled himself from the controls. Jumping down, he raced to the cockpit as the last quad gun fired into the marching sentries. Jumping into the pilot’s chair, displays and holo images glowed as information poured in.
“Buckle in!” Evan shouted as the ship’s thrusters flared.
Venna and Lydia struggled against the shifting ship as it rose into the air, plasma bolts slamming into it. Several sentries aimed shoulder mounted rockets as the Needle Express turned for the entrance. A plasma bolt hit the remaining quad cannon and it went dark.
“Ship Hull is critically damaged,” Pris said over the ship speakers.
“Hold it together just a little longer,” Evan said as the ship pointed at the entrance and punched the acceleration.
Engines roared as thrusters blazed. The Needle Express charged out of the ship dock, rockets and plasma bolts striking it. The ship shuddered and control panels sparked around Evan’s face. An arm went up to block his sight as another hand directed the front of the ship to the desert planet below. Sensors blared as enemy ships filled the area like a cloud of hornets. Evan checked the scans and could see the stations defense drones were launching a
nd targeting his ship.
Venna moved up behind Evan, her eyes drinking in the information from the consoles, “Activate the Tempest drive.”
Evan shook his head, “The ship is too badly damaged, we’ll fall apart in minutes. We need to hide out…” Evan was cut off when the ship shuddered and metal groaned.
Drones swarmed the small craft, firing plasma bolts into the damaged hull.
“Deploy Bruiser to distract them!” Venna commanded.
Evan gritted his teeth, “I’m not sending him out to die. We're all going down together.”
The Needle Express pitched to the side as thrusters burned. Scorch marks appeared and plasma filled the black sky. With a burst, the ship bolted for the planet, drones trailing behind. Evan fought with the controls as the ship’s navigation was damaged. The small amount of atmosphere burned against the blackened hull as it made its way down. Drones followed as they descended.
Venna’s body swung from side to side as she tried to hold on. Dark eyes drank in the displayed information and a small smile crept into her cheeks. As the Needle Express made its way down to the planet, a rift spread open and a large ship appeared. Shields flashed as plasma cannons turned and opened fire.
“It’s the Gorgon, my crew has come for us,” Venna said. “Turn around and dock with the ship.”
Evan kept the front of the ship aimed at the planet as he activated communications to request permission to dock just as thick plasma streams filled the sky. Evan’s eyes went wide as one of those beams from the Gorgon slammed into them, cracking the hull. The ship turned sideways and spun toward the planet. A wing buckled as the systems faded in and out. Evan fought with the controls, trying to keep the ship steady.