by Eden Blue
The player stepped close and hugged his younger cousin. Lydia pressed the side of her face to his chest, her own hands wrapping around his ribs. The two held each other while Pris picked up a metal sheet and began making alterations, the smell of burning metal filling the bay.
***
The last rays of light disappeared over the alien horizon. In the Exo-Suit Bay, Evan and Lydia took over, preparing Bruiser for deployment. Pris and her cloned android went about reprogramming twelve sentries with directives and commands. They could not be connected to the ship for direction so the AI set up military and defense directives to allow a certain amount of autonomy once they deployed. Doctor Vickers was in the bay, silver liquid moving across his hands, combining parts and changing molecules.
Evan looked at the time before turning to Pris, “The sun’s down. We should pull the cloaking modules.”
The android nodded. Both Engineer and android moved through the ship to Engineering. Pris took off a panel and Evan stuck his hands in cables and electronic guts. They worked fast, pulling the modules in less than a few minutes. Evan struggled to lift one of the pieces of equipment until Pris reached over and picked it up with ease. The android effortlessly carried an oversized module in each hand as Evan led the way back to the bay.
Time floated on as the crew worked to prepare Bruiser. The shell casing was attached and ready. Pris and Evan connected a module to one of Bruiser’s metal thighs while Lydia sat in the suit cockpit with the back open, checking systems and getting used to the controls.
Evan had become laser focused as he began attaching the second module, Pris holding it up for him. This was often the best time for the player. Building and connecting machine parts brought a sense of accomplishment he had never really known in his life. Even the mundane tasks of setting up miner drones or installing shield buffers caused his mind to race with possibilities. He dreamed of setting up bio spheres or terra-forming equipment on distant worlds, knowing he would help build something that would last for generations.
The engineer’s thoughts shifted as he attached the last cables. Something that wasn’t addressed was the titans. Evan knew they had to be careful. A freed titan would end everything on this planet. A monster on the loose would destroy Rekkus Spire and the fleet in space, if the titan had the ability to direct its energy. Titans came in all shapes and sizes but they also came with weird and fantastical abilities. No two titans were the same and that made them unpredictable and hard to contain. As far as the mission goes, they had to be sure not to do anything that would chance waking one of those monsters up.
Once the module was connected, Bruiser shifted on his legs, adjusting to the added weight.
Lydia lifted her head from Bruiser’s back, “He’s calibrated to the added weight. My interface with him shows that my added power will enable him to function normally.”
Evan nodded, “Good. I need to work on my E-pack before we head out.”
Pris finished at the terminal and turned to Evan, “The sentries are programmed and ready for deployment.”
Evan smiled at the android before activating his com implant, “Captain, we are almost done here.”
“Good, make your final preparations. We have had two fly-bys in just the last twenty minutes. Pris has indicated that only a few more and we will be discovered. This needs to be a quick mission. Should we be discovered, there are two locations set up for extraction. Depending on time, go to the nearest one and wait, we will be there.”
“Affirmative,” Evan said.
Doctor Vickers moved to Evan, “I have three EMP grenades. Should be enough to disrupt systems long enough to make our escape.”
“I’m getting a good feeling about this,” Evan smiled.
“Not me,” Vickers gave his sarcastic grin.
Evan couldn’t help but laugh at the giant doctor. He wasn’t sure if he was giddy because of the dangerous mission or that they may actually pull it off. Either way, he knew deep down they had a fighting chance.
The player moved to the wall where his E-pack was hanging on a hook. Taking it down, he began making adjustments and filled every slot with repair modules, extra shield emitters and two auto-plasma cannon rods. Pris stepped over with several M-73 plasma cartridges. Evan looked up with a questioning gaze until he spotted the butt of a plasma rifle over her shoulder.
“Extra ammunition,” the android said simply.
Evan took the cartridges and placed them in his E-pack, “I hope we can get through this without firing a shot.”
“You don’t have to worry, I will be doing the shooting,” Pris made what appeared to be a smile.
“Can you keep it nonlethal?”
Pris kept her strange smile, “I will protect everyone as best as my programming will allow.”
Evan stared and blinked, “You didn’t answer the….” The engineer’s words trailed off as Pris turned and walked away.
The player shook his head and finished making the necessary adjustments. The inner bay doors opened and Nyn stepped in. Evan was to his feet and shouldering his pack when the Lyress stepped to him. The Engineer looked to her, her skin glowing with swirls of deep reds and heavy blues. Her face was an unreadable mask until she stepped within inches of him. Evan looked to her with innocent eyes and Nyn’s skin turned a bright red. In a blink of a moment, the Lyress leaned in and pressed her lips to his.
Evan stood with wide eyes as her tongue snaked into his mouth and her eyes closed. Lydia looked up from Bruiser, a smile blooming. Pris stared with indifference. Vickers looked away and whistled sharply before placing his EMP grenades in a pack and slinging it over his shoulder.
Warmth and color spiraled on as Nyn’s body became a glowing night show. Evan’s eyes eventually closed, taking in the moment and enjoying her scent and taste. After a few long seconds, Nyn pulled back, colors still swirling, but eyes locked on the blushing engineer.
“For luck,” Nyn said simply.
“Are we all getting luck kisses,” Vickers coughed.
Nyn ignored the doctor, “I’m no stranger to affection. Come back in one piece.”
“We will,” Evan said with a red face.
The Engineer turned to the mission crew, “We all ready?”
Heads nodded in agreement.
“Then let’s get this party started,” Evan said with a grin.
Lydia sank into Bruiser’s back, the metal structure folding over her and locking into place. Bruiser’s glowing blue eyes blinked on and he stood to his full height. Oversized hands opened and he held them out, palms up. Vickers moved to one hand, his large body nearly taking up the whole palm. Pris and Evan moved to the other, stepping on. Pris put her arms around the Engineer so they could fit comfortably being so close. Evan instinctually sank into her embrace, a comfort touching his nerves.
Bruiser held them close to his barrel shaped chest and turned to the bay doors. The doors opened and a wide ramp slid out.
“We are deploying,” Evan said through his com.
“We will give you a few minutes before we deploy the sentries. Good luck out there,” Venna said over comms.
Bruiser began his march down the ramp as night covered the side of the planet. Stepping off the ramp, Lydia interfaced with him, adding her CPU and power to Bruiser’s. Back thrusters flared to life and the exo-suit rose up a few feet off the ground. Nyn watched as the power suit hovered for a few seconds and blasted forward, streaking into the night, the shine of millions of stars lighting the way.
Ten
Night air whipped at Evan as he narrowed his eyes to the East. A chill bit into his flesh, but he ignored it as best he could. They sped along at a steady pace. In the distance, a small thin tower with a blinking light atop led the way. Behind it, a medium sized mountain stood, contrasted against the celestial sky. The Engineer wished he could enjoy it, but his mind was focused as he kept his com open among the group.
Lydia watched the internal sensors as Bruiser took over flight operations. Pris was hooke
d in, her own sensors adding to the exo-suit’s array. The Cyborg could see in the corner of her vision that her booster ability was counting down a percentage point at a time. At her level, she could keep this going for a while, the only drawback was it needed to regenerate once she deactivated it. With the current speed and the possible plan, she hoped it would be enough to last through the mission. Checking the external cameras, she watched as Evan and Vickers huddled in Bruiser’s hands, trying to stave off the night chill.
“I have a ping. Sensor burst coming toward us,” Pris said.
Lydia turned to the scanners, not seeing anything until a moment later when a virtual bubble came racing toward them. The cyborg killed the suit’s thrusters. Bruiser landed with a slight thud and hunkered down. The cloak activated, suit and team disappearing from sight.
The group waited in silence. Lydia watched the monitors as the signal burst stretched outwards. Evan shut his eyes, waiting. The burst passed over them, causing their cloak to shimmer for a second before blending in with the background.
“We have one minute and twenty seconds before the next burst,” Pris said, her arms holding Evan close.
The cloak dropped and Bruiser was upright. Thrusters flaring, the exo-suit was two feet off the ground and powering on. Lydia watched as a timer glowed on screen, counting down to the next burst. The cyborg pushed the acceleration to cover as much ground as they could.
“How many times will we have to hunker down and cloak?” Evan asked Pris.
“Two more times. We may have to do it a third time if we cannot get past the security fences.”
Evan nodded as the giant power suit made a beeline for the installation. The engineer watched as the military base came into view. A building like structure was built out against a mountain side. A black fence made of pointed rods encircled the base. The engineer guessed they were thirty feet tall. The space between them was so narrow Evan guessed a hand wouldn’t even fit through. Floodlights worked, moving around and painting the dark land with bright light.
“Pris?” Evan said.
“I’m scanning and calculating,” the android said with unblinking eyes.
After a few seconds, Pris opened her mouth, but remained silent as a signal burst came toward them. Bruiser cut the engines, landed and hunkered down. The cloak went up and they blended into the background. The signal passed over them once again and travelled on. Bruiser dropped the cloak, activated thrusters and was speeding toward the black fence.
Pris continued, “The fence is touch activated with sensor arrays along the shafts. The spikes at the top can detect movement. We will not be able to jump it without being detected.”
Evan looked up to her, “What about cutting through?”
“The sensors are connected to one another. If anything cuts through, an alarm will sound.”
“I can fool the sensors, but we have to get close. I can send nano-drones to form an outside link. You will have to cut within the bubble. The drones will be able to keep the connection but only for a few minutes,” Vickers said.
Evan’s mind worked, “Can we cut through and have your drones repair the damage?”
Vickers nodded, “They can.”
“I’m sending a procedure to Bruiser. He will be optimized to land out of the floodlight beams and give us some time to cut through, enter and repair the fence. Bruiser will then retreat to a safe location and wait,” Pris said as she looked on to the approaching fence.
The group was silent as they hunkered down for a third time. The cloak went up and the signal burst passed over them a second later. A flood light came within half an inch of Bruiser’s metal foot before turning away. Evan watched with wide eyes, holding his breath as the exo-suit stood up and hovered to the fence.
Bruiser’s hands opened and touched the ground. Evan, Vickers, and Pris stepped off and darted the short distance to the fence. The exo-suit’s back bloomed open and Lydia stepped out, pulling her plasma rifle from her back and holding it as she stepped off. The Cyborg circled the power suit and kneeled down by the small squad. Evan pulled a plasma torch form his E-pack and waited. Vickers was silent as he stared at the black rods. Bruiser stood up and stepped back just as a floodlight came within inches of him. The exo-suit slowly pulled back, turned and then stepped away.
Evan watched Vickers until the Doctor gave a nod. The Engineer’s visual display lit up and he could see points of tiny light as drones swarmed the fence, interfaced and redirected the signals. Plasma torch flaring, the engineer started cutting, his heart beating in his chest, hoping this would work. The torch cut through the fence like a knife through thick paper. Arching it around, he made a hole big enough for the team to step through. When he reached the end of the circle, Pris took hold and pulled several bars free.
The team waited for a breadth of a second. No alarms sounded. Evan was first to step through, then Vickers, Lydia, and finally Pris. The android placed the bars back into their places as a small light reconnected them.
“The drones are using their bodies to repair and reconnect the bars and circuits,” Vickers whispered.
“How many did you use?” Evan asked.
“About 8% of my drones. I will regenerate more, but it will take time.”
Lydia was down on one knee, rifle pointed and eyes surveying the area. Her gaze locking on a barred window, she was up and racing to it. Evan and Vickers followed, Pris taking the rear. They all reached the window and put their backs to the wall. The murmur of guards could be heard around the side of the building as floodlights continued their endless search.
Pris eyed the bars, “They are of the same design as the fence.”
“Same as before,” Evan said as he looked to the doctor.
Vickers nodded and looked to the bars. A mist flowed upwards from his body. Evan watched in his visual display as drones once again took hold and redirected signals. The engineer stood up and began cutting through the bars just as before.
Moments later, the bars were down and the team climbed in one at a time, Pris taking up the rear and replacing the bars. Nano-drones fused their bodies to the bars and repaired cut circuits before using up their internal power and going dark. The room was dark and the four companions moved about cautiously. Chairs lined a wall while an empty desk stood across from them. Two shut doors stood opposite from the team.
“This looks like a conference room,” Evan said as he looked around, “I can’t help but feel that we were lucky. Let’s search the room for an access point for Pris.”
The team split up, searching the room for an access terminal. Lydia checked along the wall while Vickers moved to a door. Evan and Pris moved to the desk, opening drawers and checking for any interface options, but no access ports were found. Then, Pris knelt down and could see a cable access port in the floor.
“Found one,” the android said as she stood up and sat at the desk.
Evan watched as thin cable extended from her hand and snaked down to the floor. The tip connected with the port and circuits linked, locking into place. Pris’s eyes remained neutral as she sat, staring at nothing.
“I’m gaining access,” Pris said in a low hollow tone. “I have achieved access.”
“How does it look?” Evan asked.
“The network AI detects an anomaly. It is searching for me. In seven minutes, they will discover the breach and set the base on high alert.”
“That distraction better kick in soon,” Vickers whispered as nano-drones crawled into the corridor, scanning for bodies.
***
Black skeleton like robots moved through the brush. Plasma rifles sideways against their chests, the lead sentry moved ahead as the military installation came into view. Sensors took in the base, marking location points of guards, towers, and the fence. The lead sentry aimed his rifle while the rest of its team flanked its sides to form a crescent moon shape. Their bodies were hidden and out of range from the flood lights. Directives scrolled along, instructing them to take nonlethal action.
Each sentry took aim at a target to cause maximum damage, but with no player casualties. A signal activated and metal fingers pulled on metal triggers. Plasma rifles blazed to life, flashing across the field and striking the pointed fence, towers and floodlights. Alarms blared to life as soldiers shouted to one another.
The sentries held their position, firing bolt after bolt for maximum damage. Terrans turned their rifles and turrets in the sentry’s direction and opened fire. The exchange of light and hot plasma filled the night.
***
Evan looked up as lights flashed and alarms sounded off. Pris stayed seated while Vickers and Lydia stood by a door. The sound of boots filled the area. Vickers watched in his visual display as soldiers moved with rifles at the ready.
“Distraction initiated,” Pris stated plainly.
Evan connected his com to Pris, “Direct us as we go in.”
The Engineer moved to Lydia’s side and the three of them waited. Information blinked in Evan’s visual display. The player opened the door and peeked his head out. Guards and soldiers had already moved to the front of the building. A holo map appeared, showing bodies on the move and a line directing them where to go.
Evan was moving, leaving the room with Vickers behind him and Lydia taking the rear. The Cyborg swung her arm upwards and connected her rifle to her back. The three moved as if they belonged there, making their way through the installation. They turned a corner and moved to a stairwell. Slipping in, the door closed just as soldiers turned the corner and stepped double time to the main entrance.
Evan took lead, moving down the stairs in a swift manner. Vickers and Lydia followed as they climbed down several levels. When they reached the eighth level, the stairs ended. The Engineer reached for the door when the Doctor made a sudden hiss.
The player turned to see the Doctor stepping to his side. Kneeling down, a small mist bellowed from his hand and slid under the door. The doctor waited as microscopic drones moved down the large corridor.