Been a while since I updated, sorry about that. Family issues have tapered out and it looks like we have until march next year before we may have no choice but to move to a new location (home owner is actually trying to convince his wife NOT to move back into the house we're at, so I'm hopeful)
The other thing was I could not for the life of me decide if this needed to continue in Lucian's POV or if I would leave you guys hanging and jump to 'Raine.
Lucian won out, especially since it's been so long since I posted a chapter for this story. I will be going back and doing chapter edits soon for this story so that might take a bit as well. I am still working on this story! No fear!
Thank you everyone for your reviews! Love you all!
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Chapter 25: Darwin's Law
Lucian's POV
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PAAR was swift to act and my suit cooled rapidly. A brief twitch of my chin to enable thermal-vision showed that the other's suits were now cold with barely any heat energy showing and even the remnants of heat were diminishing by the second. Another twitch and I was back to night-vision and focused my gaze on the approaching threat.
Moments later I had to clench my teeth to prevent them from chattering. The rapid cooling of the suits was starting to affect me within them. The internal temperature within the suit was now at Sixty, now Fifty-five, now Fifty, now Forty-five degrees. The temperate leveled at Thirty-five Degrees Fahrenheit or One-point-six-six-repeating Celsius. Just above the Freezing-Point of water. I certainly felt like I was freezing. As long as our core temperature's remained above Seventy Degrees Fahrenheit we would survive the artificial cold spell PAAR was putting us through.
The reason for this drastic measure was in front of us, as ugly in life as it's written and movie driven origins. Didn't help that I'd been a fan, primarily of the books, but it had just been, counting the time here in the Mass Effect universe, almost a decade since I'd last read the damn things. Still, I remembered enough.
The books technical name for them were 'Pseudo-Arachnids'.
The movies technical name was just 'Arachnids'.
Both gave them the simple nickname of 'Bugs'.
What was in front of us was one of the 'advanced warriors', a Tiger Bug. Named as such for the tiger-like stripped markings that adorned its' body. I knew we were facing the 'Book' version as the top pincer had a singular point while the bottom pincer had a double point, explaining the wounds on the bodies around us. The 'movie' Tiger Bug's pincer's ended in a single point for both top and bottom.
They were supposed to be much more aggressive then the regular Warrior Bug's and their chitinous armor plates rendered them completely immune from weapons with poor piercing capabilities.
As the Weapons of the Mass Effect universe are micro-scaled mass accelerators which use mass-reducing fields and magnetic force to propel miniature slugs to lethal speeds, we had a greater chance of our weapons piercing the armor plates of the Tiger Bugs. However, the death of one would register to the 'brain' bug or the 'queen' and that would cause the entire fuckin' nest to center on our position to take out whatever had killed one of their warriors.
Not something I wanted to happen.
The bug moved into the room slowly, pincer's clicking together as it hunted. The terminal that Thompson had turned on suddenly hummed and the Tiger Bug focused its' attention on the monitor. Its' pincer's started to click together faster and faster and another brief switch to thermal-mode showed that the clicking was indeed in tandem with the heat the monitor was starting to give off as it powered up in full. Mr. Tiger Bug was perceiving it as a growing threat.
I switched back to normal vision and softly ordered the others to do the same over the headset comm. Barely a moment later the Bug attacked the monitor and a bright flash of light and electricity filled the area. Minor flecks of light blurred my vision but it was better then being blinded. Night and Thermal vision did not like sudden bright 'booms'.
The Bug tore into the immediate area around it, coming dangerously close to Thompson's hiding spot. I saw his hand tighten on his rifle.
"Easy, stay still," I whispered softly over the helmets comm.
"Kinda hard," came the breathy response. "I-in my face. Fuckin' c-cold too."
"I know. Just s-stay still, if it bumps into you d-don't react," I said softly. "You are rock and s-stone, metal and p-plaster. You move only if s-something moves you. You do not move on your own."
"Right boss," I saw his armored hand relax slightly around his gun.
The bug kept knocking things about and, as expected, it nudged into Thompson. Due to my words he let himself be pushed and knocked about as it moved several sections of metal and wood into a kind of defensive pile near the opening of the door, a wall of debris. It nudged Thompson's metal covered body and then tugged him into place against part of the 'wall'.
"Shit, s-shit, shit," he whispered and I knew it was a struggle for him not to move as he was dragged to the pile.
The bug moved him into place with its' side mandibles and then partly covered him with a few more large bits of metal and plastic before it carefully explored the rest of the room. Smythe, Wesson and I all got knocked over in the process and ended up joining Thompson in the pile. What felt like an eternity later, the damned bug finished and made its' way back through the damaged doorway and deeper into the compound.
It was another ten minutes before I felt comfortable enough to move. First thing's first though, before I even tried to move I wanted to know if anything was close by.
"PARR, h-how's the activity l-look now?" I asked after I turned off the mic.
"Picking back up to previous signs of activity from before our initial entry," came the soft response. "I judge it safe now to make a hasty exit. I will warm the suits slowly both to avoid drawing their attention again and because your core temperatures are dangerously low at this time. A rapid warming will do you more harm then good."
"Right," I said as I switched back to the helmet comm and slowly moved to stand. "Alright boyo's up we go. Move quick back the way we came."
"Got it b-boss," Thompson said as he stood.
"C-c-can we warm the s-s-suits now?" Wesson asked as he carefully pushed away a large chunk of metal that had covered him and stood.
"S-seriously," Smythe said. "F-feel like I'm g-going to end up g-going through a s-second puberty, it's so c-cold."
"Sorry boyo's," I said. "It'll be a s-slow thaw. Those things h-hunt by thermal r-readings. We'll need to g-get out before we c-can warm up nicely."
"Well fuck," came the combined response from all three men. I chuckled.
"Suck it up and move," I said as I started back the way we came. "Who knows, maybe you boyo's will d-develop decent s-singing voices when your balls drop this time."
"Aw, f-fuck you Andersong!" Smythe growled out.
"L-low blow b-boss," Thompson said with a grin in his tone. "I've g-got a great s-singing voice! Smythe and W-wesson here though..."
"S-shut up a-and walk you a-a-ass," Wesson hissed out. "W-w-wanna get out and get w-w-w-warm!"
With some good-natured banter going on over our helmet comms, we made our way out of the compound at a good clip. Every so often, when it was both needed and safe, PAAR would drop the suits temperature just a bit to keep us 'hidden' from the Bugs. He used the amount of seismic activity on the sensors in order to judge when we needed a drop. As we stepped outside we all let out a sound of relief and started eagerly for the shuttle.
"You know what those things w-were Andersong?" Wesson asked as we walked.
"Can't say," I was not about to go into detail about fictional creatures from other worlds. "Considering that the t-things are burrowers as evident by the seismic activity and the lack of a-activity on the surface, which is hot naturally, I t-took the chance that they hunted with thermal detection of some sort. Anything hunting that way t-tends to avoid the hotter o-outside area as it messes with their v-vision. It also helps that the thing had no visible eyes."
"H-huh," Thompson said thoughtfully. "You're r-right. Good c-call Andersong."
I snorted softly, glad that my excuse was bought by my companions. I paused the group a little way away from the shuttle, maybe a half a mile, but on solid rock and had PAAR check around the area we were in.
"Things are calm around the immediate area Sir," a note of panic filled Parr's voice. "However there is now something very large burrowing directly for us. It is coming from the direction of the compound. I cannot cool the suits again otherwise your health will be seriously affected. Powering up the shuttle engines. Hurry sir!"
What the heck would be large and able to move that fast from that 'verse? Oh... shit... Tanker... the tanker bug!
"Move!" I ordered. "Something big headed our way. Move! Move! Move!"
We broke out into a full on run. A moment later PAAR assisted by activating the boosters on the suits which caused us to stumble slightly but boosted our running speed significantly with the way he angled them.
"Do apologize for that sir, but you were not moving fast enough," PAAR said worriedly.
"Shit happens!" I shouted back.
We reached the shuttle and jumped through the open doors just as the sound of something large bursting from the ground filled the air. We opened fire as we turned, aiming for the massive ant-like maw of the creature in front of us. As I'd hoped, our weapons did far more damage then anything the humans in their home 'verse had available. The creature let out a bizarre sounding screech and a wash of fluid was shot in our direction. PAAR, with his remote control of the shuttle, jerked us up and forward out of the way of the fluid.
"Analysis shows that fluid is highly flammable and corrosive, Sir. I would suggest that you avoid hitting it if you can when it spits at us."
"No shit Sherlock," I hissed out as I switched out my rifle for the missile launcher. "Get us some altitude!"
I switched back to my helmet comm. "Don't let that shit it spits catch fire boyo's! Computer systems read it as flammable and I don't want to be treated to a Giant Ant's version of a Flamethrower! Wait till you have a shot and then hit its' legs with a missile! We want that thing unable to move!"
For something that big... it moved fast.
"Got it!" Thompson yelled as he too switched his weapons out.
"This mission is fucked up boss!" Wesson yelped.
"Not completely FUBAR just yet!" Smythe shouted.
"Shut your mouths and stop jinxin' us!" I snapped as I launched a missile at one of the front legs.
The missile missed its' target by half a foot and hit the ground underneath the damned bug. It was knocked off its' balance but still managed to let out another wad of fluid that forced us to stay low and swerve roughly in order to avoid the corrosive fluid or else result in having the fluid eat into the hull of the shuttle and compromise the shuttles ability to be space worthy. Thankfully the shuttle came with plenty of 'oh shit!' handles/grips for us to hold onto.
As the dust cleared from underneath the giant Tanker bug I saw the sight of hundred of Tiger bugs swarming around the ground ready to rip us to shreds if the big guy managed to bring us down. I glared at the sight and readied another missile with a curse.
"Fuckin' hell I wish we had the specs to make the Cain already," I muttered to myself.
The second missile launched hit a swarm of Tiger bugs that suddenly reared up on top of each other to protect the leg I was targeting. While the Tanker bug stumbled from the attack, the leg remained undamaged due to the efforts of the other bugs. I growled and shared a look with Wesson as he moved over with a second launcher. Smythe also moved over, third launcher in one hand while he held onto the strap hanging from the ceiling of the shuttle. If my helm wasn't on he'd have seen me raise a brow at him, as it was he probably realized that I had.
"No such thing as overkill right?" he said with a grin in his voice.
I let out a bark of laughter at that and turned to target the leg again.
"I'll launch first, give it a five second count then follow up," I ordered.
"Got it!" they said together.
I launched my missile and, like before, the Tiger bugs swarmed up to protect the Tanker's leg. Seconds later Smythe and Wesson launched their own missiles. Unprepared for the sudden onslaught of not one, but two more missiles, the Tiger bugs were unable to coordinate enough to act as a living shield.
The concussive force of the resultant blast shook the ship slightly but the result was devastating to the leg we had targeted. Now that the thing was wailing in pain and no longer trying to launch its' corrosive spit above us to keep us flying low, we were able to swiftly gain the altitude we needed. We ducked back inside the shuttle in full and allowed the hatch to close as PAAR put us in orbit. I moved over to the pilot seat and sat down heavily as I nudged the comm switch with my chin.
"Were we able to get any information from the computers?" I asked PAAR, my tone dark.
"No sir, I am afraid not," came the subdued response. "We have no new data regarding the experiment at Munin Base. I am sorry sir. I know you were hopeful regarding the treatment of the Reaper Indoctrination process and that the last report mentioned a potential treatment method... but I cannot recommend a return trip to the base. Chances of survival in facing the numbers I have calculated to be beneath the base... are less then nine percent. The chance that anyone survived up to this point are less then point oh four percent. It would be suicide to try to return."
"Yeah," I said glumly. "I figured..."
Someone jarred my shoulder and I turned my head to see Smythe's helmet. I could almost see the concern hidden behind his helmet.
"Yo, Andersong..." he started to say something and then shook his head. "What are we going to do about those things down there?"
"Yeah... we're not going back down there right?" Wesson asked.
There was a nervousness in his tone that I'd never really heard out of him before. Thompson though, was silent behind us as he stared out the view port to the planet now below us. I shook my head as I stood back up and nudged the mic switch with my chin.
"We're not going back down boyo's," I said grimly. "Ran the numbers and confirmed that a return attempt would be suicide. Munin is lost."
"And if someone did survive?" Thompson asked softly as he turned from the view port.
"Then I hope they can forgive us for what we must do," I responded just as softly. "I do not dare risk capturing one of those... bugs... and I wonder if that they might well be heavily mutated creatures courtesy of Orthrus and the previous Illusive Man. Some attempt to control a massive, mindless force that went wrong perhaps? In any case, I am requesting Orbital bombardment and we will remain long enough to confirm that all signs of those bugs are removed from the planet. The boss will then make sure that there is an issued quarantine on the planet itself. We want to make sure nothing... hatches... to surprise us later. If that's even how they breed."
"And the information?" Thompson asked.
"...Lost," I said with a sigh.
The others fell silent at that and took their seats slowly. I HAD wondered before what Harper would do if he got a hold of creatures like the Rachnai again, but had long ago took steps to watch out for such a thing. In fact, the Rachnai had a small protective force neighboring the galaxy they had chosen for themselves in order to keep them safe. I also hoped to prevent... future incidents... if at all possible. Misdirection was ket when dealing with people sometimes. Never saying what I knew for certain yet never quite lying outright. It was an art that many diplomats never mastered.
I let out another sigh and turned to issue the order for the bombardment. Before I could finish sending off the order, Thompson's voice echoed out over the helm's comm.
"Permission to perform a HALO jump," he said in a dead voice.
"The fuck you say?" Wesson yipped out. Smythe just started to shake his head as he took a seat himself.
I turned to look at Thompson with a small frown. The man had no family nor friends amongst the Munin base employee's. Point in fact he was an only child, his parents long dead, former Alliance soldiers that died during a classified, read black op, mission that I hadn't dug too deep into. To put it simply, they had been investigating Harper and had been found out. Last I knew he also had a budding relationship with an Asari back on the Citadel. The hell was he thinking asking for permission to perform a suicide drop?
I stood up and moved over to his side. I tapped the side of my helm to him as a signal and switched to a private channel. A second later his voice came through.
"Sir?" he asked.
"The hell you thinking, boyo? I just told you that it's suicide to try to go back down there," I growled at him. "You've no friends nor family down there to try to find, so why?"
"Sir..." he turned his head back to the view port. "Reaper Indoctrination... Hearing about the Munin base was not the first time I have heard of the process itself. My parents were Alliance, as you know, but they did not die in a simple black op gone wrong. They were hunting Harper and died in the process of trying to catch him. I joined Cerberus with the intent to kill the previous Illusive Man. To stop him. I'm pretty sure I was only recruited in order for him to keep a better eye on me."
"Let me guess, they sent you an encrypted data package detailing their findings as a legacy plan and that sent you on the war path?" I asked as I ignored the last part of what he had said. Honestly it was a good move to keep suspected enemies in sight and sometimes even on the payroll and again, I'd known that about his history already as still kept him on MY payroll.
"Yes," he turned his head toward me. "You know that the previous Illusive Man was also researching the Indoctrination process, yes? With the intent of putting those affected under his personal control?"
I nodded my head. I'd personally taken out a number of the cells within Cerberus that had been focused on various was to do such a thing. Some had needed to remain intact in order for Orthrus to remain a viable Trojan horse, but most were so outside the realm of possibility and sanity that purging the sites was an absolute necessity.
"But the current Illusive Man is trying to completely reverse the process," he turned to look back out the view port again. "I know that perhaps I should not have, but I have been watching this project as closely as possible out of all the sites we watch over."
I sent out basic reports to my, thoroughly vetted, enforcers so that they understood just what it was they were or would be protecting and always left strict instructions for them not to put more energy in one over another job. I needed them competent, loyal and most of all, impartial to be able to actually protect the various bases or neutralize potential disasters at a base. Even then I wasn't surprised if one or more of them tended to take an interest in a particular base. I tended to rotate the one's who got too focused to a different base if I felt it would be a problem. Didn't happen too often and Thompson hadn't shown any major signs to flag that a change needed to happen in the roster.
"Wanting to make sure that the current TIM is doing what he said he'd do?" I asked as I nodded.
"Exactly," Thompson said. "Last report we had from here said that they were hopeful regarding a possible treatment process. Success or failure, we NEED that information so that we don't repeat their steps."
"I don't disagree with that Boyo, but it's suicide to go back down," I said grimly. "You're asking to go on a data retrieval mission that WILL end with your death."
He was silent for several long moments before he continued.
"I could have left, continued to chase after the previous Illusive Man. Harper," he shook his head. "I didn't. Cerberus has really turned around because of the new Illusive Man. The steps being taken have been harsh but the organization actually stands for something good now underneath the mask."
He turned his head slight toward me.
"Things have changed and I decided to stay on because of it," he said softly. "This data is important, I can keep my suit cooled, get in and get the data sent to you over omnitool when I find it."
"The moment the computer we found started to power on the Bug's focused on it," I said sternly. "They need just enough heat to have a target and the nest has been upset. They may well be swarming over everything right now."
"Then give it an hour for them to calm down and then I'll drop," Thompson said with a shrug.
"We need that information to better combat the Indoctrination process. You know I am right."
I leaned against the wall carefully, my armored shoulder 'clancking' against the metal. He wasn't wrong about that. The information within the base was crucial for the process of either reversing or even preventing the Indoctrination process. What we had found out so far was that the Reaper's used, In Part, a infrasonic and ultra sonic frequencies to enforce their Indoctrination methods, but only in part. Even the deep 'thrum' of Sovereign was a kind of audial message that said 'FEAR ME' to multiple species brains, yet it could not Indoctrinate others by sound alone.
Preliminary work into a counter method showed that blocking out the signal merely slowed the Indoctrination, it did not stop it entirely. For example, it took a full three Earth weeks of full and uninterrupted exposure to a 'dead' Reaper artifact for the Indoctrination to take full effect, faster if it was a living Reaper of course. Blocking the infrasonic or ultrasonic signals had been proven to only delay the process by another three or four days. Full body suits or armor with isolated air supply units didn't delay the process at all. If it was something in the air then the such measures would have protected against it. If it was something visual then changing the way one 'saw' the object should have helped but again, the process was only delayed when one used, for example, night vision or infered vision. While blocking visual and audial helped, it did not STOP the process. There was something else, something unique but also something we did not yet know how to defend against or counter.
If the scientists of Munin base had come up with a potential idea to try, then I needed to know WHAT they had started to attempt and IF it showed any signs of working in part or in full, if it worked at all.
I let out a sigh as I looked out at the planet that turned slowly beneath us as we orbited it.
"We do need that data," I admitted softly. "But this is a suicide mission that you are requesting to partake in. I wont order you down there."
"Again sir," he said seriously. "I am volunteering to go back down."
"Could have sworn I had you take the ID 10-T test..." I said, deadpanned.
"You did sir," Thompson responded jovially. "You can blame it on an addiction to compressed and dehydrated H2O if you'd like."
I snorted at that. "That better be a joke, ya arse."
We shared a small laugh at that and then I tapped the comm to switch back to the rest of the group.
"So, change of plans," I said slowly. "Boyo here is serious. We're waiting an hour and he'll do a HALO jump to the surface. Keeping the suit cold he's going to go into the base and see if he can grab the info we needed. From there he will have an hour to get in and get out. Otherwise..."
"Otherwise I get blown up with the lot and that's if I don't get eaten first," Thompson said in a strained attempt at humor.
"Thompson that ain't..." Wesson started, only for Thompson to cut him off.
"I'm not planning on dying down there you idiot, but one person alone has a better chance of finding the information we need in that mess," he said firmly. "I'll be risking frostbite as it is with how cold the suit is going to need to be. Besides, if my life helps prevent others from being affected by the Reapers Indoctrination process then I'll count it as a win."
The other two were silent for a few moments before Smythe let out a heavy sigh and he moved to clap his hand on Thompson's armored shoulder.
"You're a noble hearted idiot, you know that?" he said softly. "If things go south... its' been an honor."
"Jackass," Wesson said as he shook his head. "Ain't sayin' goodbye."
"That's okay," Thompson said.
We buckled down at that point and double, even triple-checked, Thompson's gear, including the parachute he would need. The . I made sure he was loaded up with the strongest but lightest armaments and grenades we had. I even loaded him up with a launcher and he tagged my arm with his fist.
"Seriously boss? Why the launcher?"
"You can always rig it as a trap to buy you time Boyo," I said seriously. "If you need to bring a section of the building down on their heads, then you can just set a launch timer and bolt. Same with the grenades. I'm arming you up to survive ya arse."
"Ah, got it," Thompson nodded.
We checked the time. It had been about forty-five minutes. I switched the comm off.
"PAAR, how's the activity down there?" I asked.
"It is quieting down somewhat, sir. I would suggest waiting another half hour to be safe though," he responded.
"Thanks," I switched the comm back on and turned to Thompson. "Activity is dropping but we've probably got another half hour to kill before things quiet enough for you to make an ideal drop into that damned nest."
"Got it," came the soft response.
The next thirty-FIVE minutes were nerve wracking for me and the group while we waited for an 'all clear' signal. Finally it was time. I sent the signal out to another shuttle to be ready with what amounted to a tactical nuke in one hour. We dropped lower in orbit for proper HALO altitude and opened the hatch. I clapped Thompson on the shoulder.
"Remember, keep low and move carefully," I said. "When you drop you'll be just over the base. When you get to around three thousand feet have your suit start cooling as you pull your shute. Try to land on the roof of the base and make your way down from there. At this point the best bet is to actually make your way to the secondary test room and see what you can find there; Data pads, testing supplies and the like. If you see a SAFE chance to enable one of the consoles then do it but a data pad from the test room may be our best option. Keep your comm and camera on so I can see what you see. Don't take chances! In and out, got it?"
"HUA sir," Thompson responded. He flashed us a quick salute and jumped.
I closed the hatch and rushed over to the ships main console, Smythe and Wesson on my heels. I called up the vid feed of Thompson's helmet and we watched silently as he fell through the air. At three thousand feet his suit started cooling and the thrusters of his suit powered on in small bursts to push and slow his fall. At two thousand eight hundred feet he pulled his chute. Less then three minutes later his feet landed on the roof of the base and he detached the chute. Pulling his rifle out he made his way to the roof vent and, opening the vent easily, made his way inside.
"I'm in boss," he said over the comm.
"Read you loud and clear, Boyo," I answered. "Visuals are clear. Doing good so far Thompson, keep your head down."
"Got it," he said as he moved through the vents to the lower levels.
Several times through his trek down through the vents he had to pause and reevaluate his route as he came across several worker bugs. It took twenty minutes of careful maneuvering just for him to get to the same floor as the test room and another ten to find a clear-ish path to the room.
"Dude! Your left! Don't move!" Wesson hissed at one point as he caught movement the rest of us missed.
Thompson went still just in time as a Tiger Bug made its' way past his position against the hallway wall. We waited with baited breath, or in Thompson's case, teeth-chattering cold breath, for the bug to pass him by. A relieved, shivering sigh came from Thompson as he moved down the long hall toward the goal of the secondary test room. The secondary hall that led toward the main test room, and the dead Reaper artifact was only accessible by going through this chamber first. I wanted to avoid having him go to that portion of the base if he could help it. He came across a few data pads as he neared the room and carefully turned them on long enough to download the data off their drives. He would then turn them off and set them to the side carefully along side a grenade or two set to a suit switch. Finally he came across the half open and obviously damaged doors of the secondary testing room and pushed his way inside.
I wanted to hit myself when I saw what was on the screen. It was so damned simple. Something I hadn't even thought about as we had started countering the Visual and Audial aspects of the Indoctrination process.
"Is that seriously...?" Wesson started slowly.
"This... is a little old fashioned boss..." Thompson said as he slowly made his way over to the bodies near a somehow still mostly intact shape.
"But it makes sense," I responded slowly as I thought rapidly. "The one thing TIM hadn't really looked into yet."
Thompson was looking at an old fashioned Faraday Cage.
Project Munin had started testing on blocking electromagnetic fields.
It was clever, it was simple. How could I have missed this? The right electromagnetic frequency could affect a human, hell anyone's, brain in negative ways. All the Reapers needed to have was a frequency set to hit the brains of the sentient life at the time of their latest 'culing' and they would be able to 'reprogram' people. The Audial and Visual aspects of their Indoctrination process were most likely designed to weaken the mind to the frequency used in their attacks. A mind locked in a confused state was more easily affected then a mind in a normal state. They could even easily have multiple frequencies going off all at the same time, thus easily affecting multiple species all at once. It also took TIME for a electromagnetic field to affect a persons brain, hence the time it took for a full 'rewrite' of someone's mind.
As Thompson was picking up a few of the still intact data pads laying around the room a computer terminal nearby turned itself on. Thompson let out a curse, tucking away the data pads he had in hand and rushed over to the console to try to turn off the console before it could warm up. Before he could reach it the rest of the undamaged consoles turned themselves on and a computer voice filled the air.
"Commencing with Faraday test alpha. Please clear the railway as the test subject is moved to the primary testing room."
"Shit," I said. "It sounds like they had an automated test in the works."
I knew better. The room had almost no power save for the back up generator. This was DH's work.
"Thompson, move!" I ordered. "Get out of there now and make your way to a clear area!"
"Shit boss..." Thompson said as he backed away from the doorway he'd come through. We could hear the approaching scuttling sounds. "I'm going to have a better chance taking out the hallway leading the other way."
"Go!" I snapped as I took the shuttle out of orbit and started for his position.
He darted swiftly down the now open doors leading to the Primary testing room. I heard the beep of a switch and the sounds of explosions behind him as he set of the grenades he'd already set up. He skidded to a halt near the middle of the long hall and swung the launcher off his back. As I'd suggested earlier he rigged up the launcher, and the ammo he had on hand, up to blow on a trigger. He darted further down the hall only to pause as a Tiger bug forced its' way through the doors ahead of him that led into the room with the Reaper Artifact. At least a half dozen could be seen behind the creature.
Thompson cursed and hit the switch.
The explosion rocked the hall and knocked Thompson off his feet. The camera feed trembled and was filled with static as he slowly pushed himself up with a groan.
"Sir!" PAAR's voice came over my comm. "His suit's cooling unit is going through a critical failure! If we do not get to him soon his suit will overheat and he will be easily targeted by those bugs!"
"Thompson!" I said firmly, just the other side of shouting. "Get up! On your feet and get out the opening you just made! Your suit is going to start heating up and painting you as a target! MOVE! Wesson! Smythe! Ready at the hatch!"
"Aye aye!" came the double echo.
Thompson pushed himself painfully to his feet and started to stumble/run for the opening in the hallway caused by the explosion. He swore as he stumbled his way over the rubble.
"Shit, shit shit..." he hissed out as he started to run. "Starting to get hot here."
"Sir!" PAAR again. "Multiple system failures across the board! The suit may well explode. The oxygen in the atmosphere is stable enough for him to exit his suit for a limit of five minutes!"
"Start emergency protocols," I snapped out to Thompson. "Get your ass out of that suit!"
"Shit!" Thompson shouted as he tabbed the override code into his Omni'tool.
The helmet came off first, leaving a static ed view of him struggling out of the suit as the opening in the hall burned behind him. He had to stop, set one of his guns to overload and chuck it back the way he came as a wounded Tiger bug started out of the opening. The resultant explosion was less then the previous ones but still enough to cause the creature to scream in agony. A scream that echoed over the comm and through the shuttles now open hatch.
"We're almost there! Hold on T!" Smythe shouted. Moments later gunfire echoed through the air as another bug was forced back.
Thompson ran forward toward the shuttle, tugging and forcing bits of the armor that was jammed open as he moved. Wesson grabbed his now bare arms and started to tug him up as Thompson struggled to get out of the bottom half of the armor. A Tiger bug managed to get past the gun fire and latched onto the leg of the armor. Thompson yelped, but didn't scream as he struggled harder to get out of the suit. A moment later and he was out, the rest of the armored suit falling against the bug. It started to shake it like a dog with a bone as Wesson pulled Thompson the rest of the way into the ship and I twisted the shuttle to get distance between us and FAST.
"Damn thing almost caught my leg!" Thompson hissed out as Smythe closed the hatch door.
I let out a curse as the damned Tanker bug from earlier burst up from underground near where we just were and started to aim at us.
"Brace yourselves!" I shouted as PAAR's sensors indicated that the suit was about to blow.
The explosion filled the air and rocked the shuttle as the suit blew. It was made all the stronger as it set off the grenades and other weapons still attached to the suit. The explosion wounded the Tanker bug further and gave us all the time we needed to make it to orbit.
Smythe and Wesson helped Thompson over to the co-pilot seat just as a second shuttle zipped past us and dropped its' payload. Moments later we were treated to the orbital site of a massive explosion that sent the clouds in the upper atmosphere scattering.
"PAAR?" I asked minutes later. "Any activity?"
"None sir. Munin base and her attackers have been neutralized."
"...Drop another one to be sure," I ordered. The urge to make a 'kill it with fire' or 'I don't care if it's overkill' comment was almost too strong to ignore. Almost.
We watched as a second explosion rocked the planet and Thompson shook his head as he ran fingers through his short-cropped hair as Smythe checked his injuries over.
"Boss?" he said as the light from the second explosion faded.
"Aye lad?" I said as I turned to him.
"We need a raise," he said as he looked at me.
"Aye... can't argue that," I said with a pained chuckle.
-=-=*/*/*=-=-
And here is the latest chapter. sorry about the delays and thank you all for reading! please review!