Retrieval Saga
Prison Break
Chapter 4: Security Breach
It was the next morning after Fiendglass's appearance. Matt had not had any sleep as a result and as such, was in danger of falling asleep in his breakfast, which today was some kind of green spaghetti-like food that pulsated. "You alright, man?" said Kevin, prodding him with one of his Vulpimancer fingers. "I've just had some trouble falling asleep last night," yawned Matt. Matt yawned and poked his spaghetti, which squealed and leapt on his face like the facehugger from Aliens.
That woke Matt up properly and he tried to yank the stuff of his face. This was only accomplished with V-Ace's assistance. "I thought this stuff had been cooked," said Matt. V-Ace looked at it. "It was..." he said. Matt and Kevin exchanged look and pushed their plates away, where shortly after the contents bounced away in a valiant bid for freedom. "By the way, do know where Splicer's sitting?" said Matt, "He's not at his usual table."
--
Splicer in question was sneaking along a corridor and into the corridor across from the prison section's weapon system room. As he watched, the door hissed open and two officers walked out. He had only a few seconds. He briefly assumed a more amorphous form and slithered past them. He resumed his more solid state after a couple of yards.
Splicer soon spied the master control terminal. "Just stick a little something here," he said as placed a small device there. The device flickered and a timer started. "And presto, completely defenceless in 5 minutes." The door hissed open behind him and his restraint collar buzzed violently. "What the hell do you think you're doing here, convict?" yelled a guard.
"Oh just setting this place up for the Imperial invasion," said Splicer as he goo-glued the guards to the walls. "Can you watch this thing for me? I want to make sure it blows up at the right time." At that the alarm began to ring. "NOW HEAR THIS. AN IMPERIAL FLEET HAS BEEN DETECTED. LOCKDOWN IN EFFECT!" Splicer slipped away after shoving the goo'ed guard in a weapon locker.
--
Silvia looked at the readout showing the three other dreadnoughts apart from her own, approaching the prison colony. "I don't like this, this is too easy," she said to NegaMorph. "Who cares?" said NegaMorph, "All that matters is getting me in there. That's the entire point of this whole invasion." Silvia ignored his comment, NegaMorph was always edgier than usual when clone-assimilation was involved.
But then something occurred that got their attention. The core of Kryos seemed to glow, up until a beam of pure energy lanced out, hitting a dreadnought at point blank range. When the flash stopped, the dreadnought and half of the one next to it were gone.
"Apparently Splicer isn't completely finished yet," said Silvia. "I knew we should have sent a better agent in there," growled NegaMorph, "That bumbling cyber-slime could spoil everything." "This is Kryos Flight Control. If you want to join your buddies, continue your approach. Otherwise, get lost," said a voice over the radio. "We need to pull back a little," said Silvia, "Give Splicer some more time." NegaMorph's eye flashed red with frustration, "He had better be busy."
--
Splicer was busy. The clones did NOT want to go in lockdown and the troopers were trying to restore order. In the weapon room, the officer in charge looked at the ships. "They're not going. Hit em again," he said, just as the charge went off, overloading the consoles and electrocuting the weapon crew.
"That should take care of the weapons," said Splicer, "but I better take care of the guards to make sure NegaMorph can go about without any interruptions." The explosion knocked out the lighting not that it mattered. The guards panicked when the power fell and began shooting wildly at anyone. "Why can't I have had a peaceful incarceration?" said Matt, dodging blasts.
"The clones are running amuck!" "We can't let any ships land here!" "Who blew up the console?" The guards' confused cries didn't spare them from Splicer blasting and splatting. Splicer finished breaking a guard's neck and turned to see Matt running round the corner. "YOU!" they both shouted. "Are you nuts? Wait, don't answer that, I know the answer," said Matt, picking up a dead guard's rifle and regretting it when the gun's security shocked him.
"You're too late, buddy boy," cackled Splicer, "The security system's disabled and NegaMorph will be here any minute to suck up the clones. There's nothing you can do." "I could just give you a dose of static like on Viper...oh crap," said Matt, putting his hand over his mouth when he realised his slip-up. He could almost hear the Doom Weapons laughing to death.
"Viper? What are you talking about? I don't know any place called Viper. Wait a minute..." The symbiote's helmeted brow furrowed, "It's coming back... Kinda blurry... I was part of a colony on that station, we were attacked by humans, they blew up the station, and one of them him me with a..." Suddenly Splicer's visor flashed with rage. "YOU! You're the one that did it! You destroyed my home and family! You ruined my body and mind! I'll kill you! I'LL KILL YOU!!!" Matt could only scream as the symbiote lunged at him, his mouth opening to rip his head off.
Matt had just mentally consigned himself to the morgue when a flaming fist smashed into Splicer's mouth with a 'hssss' noise. Matt turned to see Kevin and V-Ace. "HE'S MINE! GET YOUR OWN VICTIM!" roared Splicer, barely coherent. Kevin fired several fireballs at Splicer and said, "No one here's hurting him. That includes you." Splicer roared in defiance and would have minced Kevin if it weren't for the unbearable heat coming from his left arm.
A secondary explosion was heard in the direction of the prison's launch bay. "Alert. NegaMorph detected in zone. Response crew to launch bay," said a voice over the intercom.
--
Negamorph was quickly learning that fighting NSC Colonial Defence Corps and mercenaries was one thing, but fighting the NSC's military cream was quite another. The prison response teams were hand picked from Nullspace teams that regularly faced things that made NegaMorph look like a kitten by comparison. However, most kittens aren't capable of shapeshifting or firing fangs that cause mutations upon penetration. However, NegaMorph wasn't too concerned. As soon as he got a power boost from some clones, he'll able to take these guys on with no problem.
Until then, he was dodging various rounds as his droids tried to punch through. A lightning shot scattered the defence when it hit a refuelling station, sealing the alcoves the troops were in off. Silvia lowered her fist and smirked. "Can't you do anything yourself?" she teased as two demo droids blew the prisons blast doors down. "I am capable of plenty things by myself!" snapped NegaMorph, "I don't require the charity of others to assist me all the time. These guards were just unexpected, that's all."
Silvia rolled her eyes and looked at the corridor to the prison block. "Bon appetite," she said.
--
Matt looked as Splicer continued to glare before turning to leave. "This isn't over, Lynch," growled Splicer, "You owe me big time for what you did and I intend to collect." Matt shrugged. "I'll be waiting," he said as Splicer ran off. He turned to the others. "We have to go. If NegaMorph's here, then we're all in trouble."
"You've got that right," said Kevin, "I'm making a break for it while everyone's too distracted." As Kevin was turning to leave, Matt said, "By the way, why'd you save me?" "Because that's what pals do," said the mutant and he used his Kineceleran power to run off. Matt turned to V-Ace. "I have weird friends," he said before turning to head back to the block. "Even though they'll probably try to eat me now the prison guards are all goo'ed, I can't leave em to be lunch, nobody deserves that," he said.
V-Ace nodded and said, "It's our duty to help those in need." Matt was about to comment when a tremor shook the room. Suddenly a crack appeared in the floor and Matt fell down into it before either could respond. Matt hit his head against something and everything went black.
Well things certainly aren't looking good. The Imperial fleet has arrived and NegaMorph's getting ready to absorb all of the prison's captive viral clones. And to top it off, both Splicer and Kevin 11 have escaped. The former swearing vengeance, the latter promising friendship. Will Matt be able to stop NegaMorph? Find out in the next and final update of this story. When that will happen is somewhat sketchy as my primary writing computer is unable to connect to the Internet at the moment. Until then, please review.