It wasn’t rare for ships to get lost in the cold emptiness of the cosmos, sometimes the crew managing to save themselves and other times becoming the news souls that the void swallowed. For Megaterra, cradle and home world of humanity, it was all too common to come across the scattered remnants of derelict ships and wrecks. Causes and reasons were plenty: some wrong calculus, someone messing up the supplies and falling short of what was to be necessary, deadly space debris, even deadlier catastrophic breakdowns of equipment and ships… and, more commonly, boarding actions conducted by pirates, criminals and overall undesirable people. And too many disappearances on a concentrated area usually drew attention to it, whether it was for the good or the bad. Or that had been the reason they had given when they had decided to send a squad to take a look on a strange signal that had been picked up on the nearest sensors and radars.
The time spent on the spaceship had been mostly quiet, the humming of the systems and the sounds of the engines taking the spotlight for most of the voyage. The continuous and deep humming sounds could get in one’s nerves, something common in those that ventured into the cosmos for the first time, but to those with more times and the older veterans, it almost made them feel home, the sounds and the noises keeping a strange company that gave away that everything was running as it should be. An ambience that was too quiet usually meant that something had broken down and needed to be fixed as soon as possible if not immediately, lest the crew wanted to become the newest lost souls of the void.
- Alright, listen up! I’ll be telling this one last time, and don’t you dare make me repeat myself. Clear?
- Yes sir! – Answered the rest of the squad as one.
- These past days, the nearest sensor station has picked up a signal, an unrecognized signal at that. Our task is simple: get in, take a look and evaluate the situation, get out and report back. Understood?
- Yes sir! -Answered a chorus of voices.
- We are still new in the space theatre, so anyone pulls anything funny and I’ll fling him out of the airlock myself. Is that crystal clear?
- Yes sir! -They answered again.
- Good, do NOT engage unless attacked first. BUT and let me make this clear, should things go sideways do not hesitate. -Said the sergeant trying to reassure the seven people that he shared shuttle with. – Understood?
- Yes sir! -Answered the chorus again.
- I don’t hear you!
- Sir, yes sir! – Said the other seven voices, now much loudly.
- Good. Close your helmets and prepare for boarding action. – Said the man. – Pilot, do you have visual on the target?
- Aye. -Came a voice through the comm. – Derelict ship, no signs of life at first glance, pretty badly battered. Don’t recognize to whom it belongs though, but definitely not one of ours.
- Approaching entry point. -Said another voice through the comms. – Careful in there, and we’ll provide close air support when needed.
- Appreciate that. -Said the sergeant.
- Stand by… ready in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
The shuttle shuddered as it positioned itself to allow the squad to board their objective, manoeuvring carefully while it did so. One strong final shake and the shuttle’s porthole opened, allowing the men to disembark and take possession of the derelict wreckage. And the sergeant wasted no time in barking orders.
- Two, three and four, right porthole with me. Five, six, seven and eight, left porthole. Go, go!
The squad leapt into action as four soldiers made their way out of each port hole, finding solid ground beneath their feet. They quickly formed up, pointing their guns and the empty ship that greeted them. For all their swift actions and training, there was no one or nothing to impress, their footsteps echoing down the empty corridor of the ship.
- Alright, we are moving out. Squad, on me.
As the sergeant took the lead, the other seven members followed behind, Six briefly looking behind as the shuttle returned to the void and followed them with a searchlight while navigating parallel to them.
- One, this is Big Bird, we’ll scout around to try and map the wreckage. We’ll let you know if we spot anything. Should you need, we will provide support.
- Understood Big Bird. Good flying.
As the shuttle flew off in its way to achieve their own objective, the squad made its way down the corridor. The wreckage was quite considerable in size, even in its current decayed state, and would easily rival the size of a megaterran destroyer. Yes, they weren’t as big as cruisers, but they could easily span more than half a kilometre from bow to stern, the biggest reaching the kilometre. It had definitely seen better days, but even now its design was oddly elegant and sleek. Their footsteps felt some sort of alloy under their boots, and the places that had suffered most damage gave away that it was so, the hull being a mixture of alloy, some sort of ceramic and other metals and materials that they did not recognize. Its dark colour was unsettling, as it made it almost invisible in the void. Had it not been for the light of the nearest star that came in through the holes and the breaches in it they had to rely on the lights of their helmets to look around as much as they relied on their magnetic boots to walk. If not for that star and the light it provided, a distracted pilot could have easily missed the silhouette of the ship and crashed into it.
The sergeant led the group, as they advanced through the barren corridors slowly but steadily. It was a paint to move around in magnetic boots, but the alternative of floating off into the cold dark void was more than enough to convince them, although the alternative wasn’t much comforting either. Their oxygen was limited, and moving slowly in zero gravity they couldn’t help but feel that they weren’t alone, and the more time they spent, the more unnerved they became, at least as far as Six was concerned. The ship was just… empty. Empty hallways that had led them to an empty cargo hold. They had not come across any sort of crew quarters, mess hall or even consoles now that he thought about it.
- Alright, listen up. We’ll split in two groups. Same deal as before. Two, three and four, with me. Five, six, seven and eight, you will follow Five’s lead. Clear?
- Yes sir. – Answered the chorus of voices again.
- We have an hour and half of oxygen reserve, make it count. Big Bird, how’s the mapping going?
- We are doing what we can, but we haven’t been able get it all. -Answered the shuttle from the comm. - You are in the upper decks, there are two more above you and at leas other two under you. We haven’t been able to peek in the lower one, but it looks like a cargo hold, a big one. Whatever they moved in there was big.
- Understood. We are going to split up. Be at the extraction zone when I tell you to do so.
- Roger. Moving to the upper decks now.
- Get moving! – Barked the sergeant.
The squad split in two fireteams, each consisting of four members, each of them going its way. For Six and his fireteam that meant moving up through the empty hallways and ascending into the empty upper deck. The silence was absolute the only sounds that accompanied Six being his own breathing, his heartbeat that was starting to resemble a drum and the muffled footsteps of his boots. He wasn’t exactly fond of the void and its complete absence of sound, and the fact that the rifle in his arms did not make a sound when moved creeped him out. It just added to the already ominous aura the wreckage had. The light in the upper deck was even dimmer, the only source of it being either the lights of their helmets or the one that came from a small breach in the hull and the end of the corridor. He stopped for a moment to peek through the breach, gazing into the void. It was dark, with the exception of a nearby star, its light bathing him while he took a moment to look at the rest of the stars. They were different out in the cosmos, cold and eternal looking, devoid of the gentle aura they had when looked at from the planet’s surface.
- Son of a…
He almost jumped out of his pressurized suit when a massive silhouette eclipsed the star aiming its gun at it before realizing what it was. Before him, floating outside of the ship was the shuttle they had arrived in, as he was bathed by the lights of the scanner in the shadow of it.
- Six, keep calm and carry on. It’s just Big Bird.
- Roger that Five…
- Sorry for the scare. - Came the voice of Big Bird through the comm. - You people alright?
- We are fine. -Said Five. – What about…
- Pull yourself together Six! -Came the sergeants voice from the comm.
- Yes sir… - he mumbled back.
Not wanting to get chewed out, Six immediately re-joined his fireteam, making his way up to them under their gaze. He kept it for himself, but they were way too relaxed around the ship. A wreck, a non-identified wreck, suspiciously vacant of life… he didn’t want to jinx it, but it did not look good. It wasn’t just an alien design; it didn’t even look anything that would hold a humanoid crew. No mess hall and no quarters, just long and empty hallways and two decks bellow them that, according to Big Bird, were nothing but cargo bays. That ruled out, one by one, every single species they had come across, and only made the thing even more unsettling. This was in what could be considered the “back yard” of way too many people, but none had noticed until they had shown up?
- The bridge seems to be just ahead. Keep moving forward, and no straying behind this time Six.
- Roger that Five.
They kept walking, slowly, towards the light at the end of the tunnel, the end approaching with each step they took. As much as he wanted to focus on the task at hand, he couldn’t help but keep mulling that last thought. No one seemed to have noticed until they had stumbled upon it. That the space they controlled could have a back door, was terrifying to say the least. The whole time this thing was there, their home had another door, and they hadn’t the foggiest clue it was there to begin with. What that could entail was too much, so he gave thanks in his mind that they finally had reached the bridge of the ship.
It was… pretty much like the rest of the derelict ship, spartan and simple in its design, and yet, strangely elegant while also being unsettling. It didn’t look like anything they could have ever imagined. There was a platform in the middle of the room with a smaller one before it, this last one being at a lower level. It was also small, the four of them being crammed in such a small space. A small, circular two-level room with nothing but two platforms on it. It barely had any vision, this being courtesy of a breach that went down and through the hull, letting the light in.
- It must have relied on sensors to navigate… -Murmured Seven.
- Most likely. – Agreed Five. – One, this is five. Nothing to report on the bridge, it’s as dead as the rest of the hull.
-…ac…o…end…oin…
- One, there seems to be some sort of static in the comms. – Said Five. – It could be due to the near star, but we didn’t hear that. Could yo-
- Get back to the extraction point! NOW!
The voice of the sergeant barked again through the comms, this time filled with tension and anguish. Something had gone wrong down there, very wrong.
- You heard the man, start-
The hull shook as an explosion rocked the ship making them tumble. Whatever was going on, they had to get out as fast as humanly possible, which they started doing as the painfully slow march towards the evacuation point started. Having to use constantly their magnetic boots limited their movement, which only caused tension to rise. The silhouette of the shuttle manoeuvring gave no comfort as they made their way back into the corridor.
- Big Bird, fireteam one is engaged. Provide support at once! -Barked Five into the comms.
- Affirmative. No promises though. – Came the answer.
The shuttle left them behind, the quartet entering the corridor that looked less like a ship’s interior and more like the intestines of a corpse that threatened to come back to life. The thumping of the magnetic boots was heavy enough that it could almost match Six’s heartbeat, which was sounding like a drum, pounding in his head and ears. The darkness inside was now much more menacing, the barren corridors having taken another appearance. They hadn’t changed at all since they had walked in the opposite direction, but now they noticed that those empty hallways offered no cover whatsoever. If something, anything, came through, they would be face to face with nothing to protect themselves.
“Shit, shit! So much for a derelict wreckage!”
His mind told him to run, but his body was limited by the gear, making it a painfully slow way back. A small flickering warning came on the visor that covered his face. Less than an hour of oxygen remaining.
- Air is running out, steady to the evac point people! -Said Five.
Just what they needed, more tension. It was not enough with the terrifying ship, whatever was down in the lower decks and the ever-present danger of the void, now they were running low on air too. A new explosion somewhere in the lower decks shook the hull, no doubt due to the missiles Big Bird carried. Whatever was in there was serious enough to require heavy firepower. They hurried their pace, moving slightly faster at the expense of the oxygen, but it did bring some comfort. Comfort that went away when one of the doors inside the ship opened and the sergeant came out firing his rifle.
In the receiving end of the barrage were two massive mechanical beings. They were bipedal, with long legs and equally long arms that ended in four tentacle-like fingers. Clad in an ochre armour plate of sorts, some of their insides could be seen here and there, thick and robust metal tubes, circuits and servos, while the single visible distinction was the bright red light in what was assumed to be their heads. Two long and almost funny looking heads, if not because they seemed to be charging something if the lights that were becoming progressively brighter were anything to go by.
- Sarge! Shit, cover his retreat! -Said Five.
Four new cannons came to life, delivering their deadly payload into the mechanical attackers, but they simply walked forward completely unfazed by it. Projectiles bounced off the armour and started ricocheting all over the place inside the hull, proving far more dangerous for those that fired them than their would-be targets.
- Hold your fire! -Barked Five.
The second fireteam kept pulling back, trying to lend any sort of help to their sergeant, who kept firing his weapon seemingly without any sort of control or restraint. The fireteam had repositioned itself in the corridor that would take them back to the evac point, their weapons pointed towards the pair of targets, ready to try again. However, it was for nothing, as before they even pressed the trigger, one of the mechanical things morphed its right hand into a weapon and fired at the sergeant. The shot was precise, leaving behind a headless corpse that started floating as the blood spilled went everywhere.
- Shit. Fireteam, keep pulling back! Short bursts and make sure it does not come back at us!
Following Five’s command, the four weapons came alive again, delivering their payload trying to damage the unrelenting attackers. However, no matter how much and how hard they tried, they didn’t make a dent on their armour, not even scratching them. And they were starting to run out of hull to retreat to.
- Fireteam two, be advised, you’ve got company. They are crawling all over the hull.
- Big Bird, we need support!
- Roger that Five. -Came the voice from the comms. – Warning, air support is danger close.
The shuttle flew into view again, positioning itself and taking point while its two autocannons started spinning as they readied their attack. At the same time, smaller mechanical beings started coming in from the outside. They were much smaller, quadrupedal robots that didn’t look that different from spiders or other more utilitarian models back home.
- Ready to attack.
- Let ‘em have it!
At Five’s order the pair of autocannons came to life, delivering their deadly payload into the pair of mechanical beings. The fury of the shuttle did make damage, as it tore apart the armour of both being starting to maki serious damage, as one’s leg was torn in two under the hail of projectiles.
- Fireteam, make it to the evac ASAP. We have to go, NOW!
- Roger that!
- Hold on, they are still alive!
Big Bird’s warning came too late, as four shots hit the fireteam, wiping them out on the spot. Having been hit in the abdomen, Six tumbled backwards, losing grip of his weapon as two corpses came into view. Seven and Eight had met the same end as the sergeant, and Five had most likely too. He weakly tried to cover the wound with his hand while he tried to make something out of what the shuttle said on the comm.
-…uck!... Energ…ture… Evade! Evade!
He didn’t know if he was hallucinating or not, but suddenly the shuttle blew up, briefly being consumed into a bright ball of fire before leaving behind a new space wreck. As his boots lost grip on the ground and he floated freely, by chance he turned around to see both massive machines being repaired by the smaller quadruped ones, standing whole again shortly after. The small machines went over the bodies of the fire team, seemingly examining them before moving to another, and eventually one of them clung on to him, holding him against the hull as the red light took a good look at him, almost as if it was examining him. One final insult before drifting into the void.
However, something changed. Far from finishing him off it seemed to detect something. One of the big machines retrieved them both, dragging them back to the ship and into the depths of the thing once again. Too weak to put up any resistance, he was carried limply in the arms of the machine. Funnily enough, it almost seemed that they were taking a deliberate care with him, delicately carrying in those long arms deeper and deeper of the metal behemoth. In a confused haze due to the wound, he saw the corridors they had walked before, now moving much faster in the arms of the machine as he was carried into the belly of the beast. They passed by the corpses of the rest of the team, the whole squad having been wiped out while the machines had taken minimal damage, walking down corridors he had not seen before as the machines took him to the lower decks, to the cargo bay where it all had started.
Once there, they quickly stripped him off the armour and jumpsuit tossing them aside with little care. Even in this state he noticed that, at least, they had pressurized the place so that he wouldn’t die by accident. He was put with surprising care in what he perceived as some sort of pod, one filled with tubes and more machinery. Unable to put up any resistance, in his current state he was only barely able to see the pod close, the little light that was in the room dimming as he was left inside. Once the mechanical hatch closed, he was left in complete darkness, unable to move due to his injury. Was this the end? Sealed in a pod and left to suffocate and to rot? If it was so, it was not that different than dying off in the void. At least out there one could admire some of the gorgeous vistas the cosmos put together while going out. Consciousness faded and came back, trying to keep himself awake as his mind tried to put together some coherent thoughts in a last-ditch effort to keep him alive. He thought to have heard something, something that sounded like a liquid dripping, but the fatigued mind couldn’t tell if it was real or not. He also felt warm, which was a nice change of pace from before, the warmth starting at the feet as it slowly made its way up. It enveloped the torso and the chest, it gradually crawled up the legs and around the crotch, from the torso and the shoulders extended through the arms and the hands, eventually the warmth claiming the head also. It felt comforting. Perhaps some respite was in order…
The mind relaxed too, surely the warmth couldn’t be an ill omen. The relaxation could give time to gather some much-needed rest and heal. This pause could allow for healing, rebuilding and repairing, which was sorely needed if the mission was to continue. There was still much to do, much to fix and coordinates to return to. The warmth had gotten more intense, and a restricting feeling lingered, as if something was squeezed against the body. It had to be remembered, the purpose and the task at hand, the objective to accomplish. It was all muddy, and it needed some organizing and restructuring. A mishmash of names, designations, coordinates, instructions, missions… it felt as if two currents battled against each other, one going in a direction, clean and swift, while the other muddy and confused tried to fight against it. And there was a single word that kept repeating itself among the data. Lara. It was a designation, something that the information banks classified as a “name” … but what for? The warmth had turned into heat, and it was starting to become a noticeable annoyance, although the pressure on the body had disappeared. Lara, Lara, Lara… that designation kept repeating itself time and again, but there were no matching answers among the data available. Perhaps it was time to gather more data, and see if the answer matched with it. And there were more pressing tasks at hand.
The hatch opened immediately, allowing easy access out. Despite the tubes and the machinery, it was easier to do so than it looked, with the exception that first she had to detach herself from the power grid. It was easy, but it had to be done, to which the rest of the machine answered with a loud hum as it powered down. No sense wasting its own energy while its core was out managing the tasks. She stretched her legs as she gracefully jumped out of the pod and landed in the cold metallic floor. The two robots that had brought her in immediately stood at attention, awaiting orders, and the smaller quadruped ones huddled around waiting orders too. Without her they were much more inefficient.
- The power core needs repairs, make sure it’s at fully capacity to navigate and warp. – She said while looking at the bipeds.
- The hull needs immediate repairs, start the process -she said looking at the small ones- priorities will be arranged shortly, when the necessary additional information is available.
The were no answers, but actions spoke loudly and clearly, as the machines went on to accomplish the tasks she had given them. The lumbering bipeds made their way to the stern of the ship, where the power reactor was, while the smaller machines made their way out through different breaches in the hull. There was work to do, and none better than her to administrate. She started making her way to the bridge, her feet adhering to the metallic surface without difficulty when doing so, allowing her to move easily even once she left behind the pressurized room. While walking she came across a floating corpse, next to which she stopped. It never had any chance, and the clean shot that had made the corpse proved that. Her face showed no emotion, even as she took it on her arms and flung it into the void. It was not necessary to keep around, and if the data was correct, there were more of the to dispose of. The orders were relayed, and some of the small quadrupeds went on to dispose of the corpses while she headed to the bridge. She moved in complete silence, walking down the clean and empty hallways towards her goal.
Once reached, the bridge was under repairs as two bots sealed the breach that allowed the light of a near start to get in. This didn’t last, as the two of them were joined by more of them and the repairs sped up, closing the breach and leaving her in the bridge by herself. She stepped on the command post, standing on the metallic disk as a ring of holograms with varied displays of information surrounded her, making her silver body glow a light blue in the dimly lit bridge. The ship was in a less than optimal state, but the critical components were mostly undamaged. With a motion of her hand, she ordered a swift scan of the whole ship, results popping in a new small holographic screen shortly after before her.
- Hull integrity 72%
- Navigation systems: ONLINE
- Power reactor: ONLINE (REPARATIONS 70%)
- Shield reactor: OFFLINE
- Shields: OFFLINE
- Point defence batteries: ONLINE
- Main battery: OFFLINE
Swift and efficient, as it should be. Additionally, leaving the current position was the optimal route to take. As she scanned the information around her, she processed what was in her previously acquired information. The corpses she had disposed of were no mere scrappers or smugglers, but an actual military unit. They didn’t have a chance, but their disappearance meant that more of them were bound to come looking for them. They would hardly pose a threat, but if this trickling kept going, it could turn into a situation where she would have to face an actual armada. And if her information was correct, the faction that unit had belonged to was an extreme threat, able to easily make sure the ship would not be able to repair itself if they came in force. Relocation to a safe area was the most logical choice. More so, it would be better if a low profile was kept, which she immediately instructed to do so, the ship powering down to the minimum as the repairing machines that crawled around the hull concealed their movements ad their activities. It would take longer, but it was better not to draw unwanted attention.
This went on for some time. She knew it had been 48 hours since she had stepped out and assumed control, but she wasn’t able to discern how long it had been between the arrival of the shuttle. This was quite the nuisance and the unknown, since she had to deal with a variable that she could not predict. Another shuttle was bound, but how long did she have? Additionally, the repeating word had not gone away, and it was constantly sounding in a loop. Lara, Lara, Lara… she needed to know so that she could focus on the more pressing matters. However, her attention was focused on the warning that had popped before her. A shuttle was about to emerge from the warp jump, and she was certain of who was coming to visit. A twisted smile spread across her silvery lips, why not test these new arrivals? Perhaps she could find in them something she was looking for. It wasn’t critical, but it would be beneficial if she did find it. She ordered to cease all repairs immediately, adopt ambush positions and conceal themselves; she wanted to put her abilities to the test. And right on cue a shuttle emerged from the warp jump, one that had a familiar design. Her smile only widened when she watched the shuttle manoeuvre around to find a place where it could drop its cargo, six figures coming out of it, before taking off again and adopting a defensive stance as it floated near them. One of them in particular drew her attention, resonating with the word that was stuck on a loop.
- Scan them.
The nearest machine to the position of the new arrivals acknowledged the order, scanning the figures. From the results that came in and were displayed in a new hologram, none proved any worth to her, until the last one was scanned.
- You will do. – She said grinning widely.
&&
- Alright people, no fancy moves or heroics. In, take a peek and out. Clear?
- Clear! -Answered a chorus of four voices.
- That goes double for you, attaché.
- Roger that. – She said in a quiet voice.
They were wary of her, and they had every reason to. A military shuttle that had departed to never come back, now they were looking at the floating wreckage of it, and, to top it off, a spec ops member had joined them just for this one mission. They were supposed to keep a low profile, and her different armour certainly made her stand out among them. They were supposed to gather information and look for survivors, but the wreckage of the previous shuttle allowed them to have a pretty clear picture of what had happened. Whatever had attacked the shuttle to leave it in such a sorry state, it could very well be still lurking around, watching them from the distance.
- Let’s go.
Following the command, the team moved down the hallway while the shuttle they had come in floated parallel to them, ready to unleash its firepower if necessary. They moved slowly and methodically, using their magnetic boots to go forward. They were walking a long and empty hallway, one that offered little cover if one was to be generous when defining “cover”. Realistically, the place was most likely leading to a choking point where the crew of the sip could set up a better defensive position. And speaking of which, there were two things that had certainly caught her attention, one being that there were no bodies nor corpses around, and the other being that, for a wreck, the ship was in surprisingly good condition. Maybe in a too good of a condition…
- Platoon leader, this is Big Bird.
- Come in Big Bird.
- We are losing visual on you, the hull has far fewer breaches from this point on, and we might not be able to bring a precise close fire support.
- Understood Big Bird.
- If asked, duck for cover. Big Bird out.
- Roger that. Over and out.
“Well, sh-”
Her mental complains about not having reliable fire support went quiet when a door slide open, allowing them to proceed and cross, closing behind them as swiftly and silently as it had opened. They had reached a diverging point, being able to go either up or down. Such a big vessel, but completely empty, no corpses of a crew to speak of, and looking suspiciously well-kept together for what had been called as a “wreck”.
- Alright -spoke the sergeant there is way or way do-
He never finished his sentence, as a shot landed clean on his head, snuffing his life out like light going off in a broken lamp. In the blink of an eye, the enemies were swarming them, shooting at them from every conceivable direction. Their guns opened fire, sending their payload into the mechanical swarm on quadruped robots as the three soldiers and Lara tried to stay alive enough time to think of something. Robot carcasses floated around, disabled or torn apart by the bullets while they shot in silence. They could however her their panting through the comms, no doubt due to the sudden change and the nerves. One target, the next, a third one, move to the fourth… they took some down, but they just kept coming. Two more of the team went down, taken down by equally precise shots, only for the team to notice that the door had slid open once more allowing two bipedal machines to get the jump on them. The two bipedal robots were much bigger and resistant, if the ricocheting bullets were anything to go by.
- Team, be advised. The ship is active and- shit, evasive manoeuvres! Evade, evad-
The comm went dead. So much for the support and the extraction. A new barrage from the lumbering bipeds took the last two members of the team she accompanied leaving her to fend off the attack on her own. Rushing forward, she went deeper in the ship, all while laying a seemingly never-ending spray of bullets on to the swarm. She was doing damage, but it was enough, and she spotted some of the previously destroyed robots being repaired and coming back to active service. She was on her own, had limited ammunition and air, no way out and, just to rub salt on the wound, the machines could repair each other. She could try to survive until a new party came but it would be difficult to say the least.
However, all these thoughts vanished when she spotted another figure, a very different figure from the mechanical being she was fending off seconds ago. Now that she noticed, they had ceased their attack and had seemingly vanished or, most likely, retreated. But her attention was on the figure before her, a definitely female figure with noticeable curves and an athletic build. She seemed to glow like metal in the dim light, and from where she was her feet looked like… high heels? But the most striking aspects were her hair, if it could be called that, her eyes and her… smile? The “woman” had a short and messy hair, one that looked familiar to the one that she was looking for. Her eyes glowed an electric purple colour, one that matched the lines that went from her chest down to her legs all the way to her knees. And her face had a sinister smile on her, not being able to take the eyes off her. Luckily the visor of her armour broke that contact as a warning popped up in red, letting her now that she was in a pressurized area before disappearing.
- I see you are still standing. -Spoke the being with a feminine voice that had a metallic tone.
– Good, now that we are free of liabilities, let’s start the test.
- Wha- hey!
The metallic woman bolted and ran off, Lara chasing after her. She was swift and nimble, moving around the corridors rapidly and gracefully, all while throwing different obstacles at the pursuing woman. Lara for her part took the chance to simply run forward, smashing through anything that was thrown her way using her armour. Small empty metallic containers and the occasional metallic panel were thrown her way, but she ignored them and kept barrelling forward. It was becoming hard to keep a visual on her, but she managed to catch a glimpse of her and follow the sound of her high-heeled footsteps. She chased after her, going deeper and deeper into the belly of the beast, but she was set on capturing the woman and asking a couple of questions before taking her out and deciding whether she tried to hold on or went out taking as many as she could with her. But these thoughts came to a swift end as she faced a cargo bay the woman had run into.
It was mostly empty, but the few contents it had were certainly eye-catching. Besides four containers and two catwalks above them, there were two massive mechs, standing one in front of the other. They were two bipedal machines, each having two humanoid arms, one with a five-finger hand while the left arm became a massive blade that could probably cleave through almost anything on the ship. Both mechs were covered in an ochre armour, the same that the bipedal lumbering robots that had attacked had, and their main body was… odd. It was surprisingly round, not that different from a round belly, but while one of them had the upper part open, revealing some tubes and servos that were inside, the other had not. Instead it had closed, protecting the most delicate parts, and mimicking the figureheads of ships of old, was the silver woman. Her body was mostly exposed, but down from her waist and her arms were inside the main frame of the mech, while she looked at her with a twisted smile.
- Now the test proper can begin.
Without giving time for her to react, the mech lunged at her wielding the blade on its left arm. It was far quicker and agile than its size gave away at first glance, and Lara soon found herself running around the cargo bay while avoiding the attacks of the blade the mech wielded with ease. The few containers that were around could act as cover but if the most recent swing of the blade was anything to go by, it could cut through them with ease. Case and point as part of one of them fell to the floor with a loud noise as the blade pierced and sliced through with ease. But looking up, she could give them another use.
The mech swung the blade once more, tearing in two the container behind which she was taking cover, making her move again. She ran to the next one, using the capabilities of the armour she wore to jump above it, a second later jumping again ad landing in the catwalk. Such actions took noticeable strain in her legs, but it was worth it, as she now opened fire at the mech down below. Bullets ricocheted off the armour while it used the arm to caver the visible body of the woman, making her relocate as she ran down the catwalk trying to get a clean shot on her. There was no such luck, and the different tries were starting to take their toll. She took a moment to reload the weapon, the Hud letting her know that she had one last spare magazine available before running dry. Should that happen, she would have to get creative. The mech had lowered the arm while the metallic woman looked at her, her smile gone and another expression taking its place, a mixture of disgust and disappointment.
- You have to do better than that if you are to meet my expectations. -Said the woman. – Otherwise you will prove to be an utter disappointment and the data must be corrected.
She paid no mind to the taunts of the enemy, sending a new barrage her way. Sixty bullets were plenty to try and make some damage, but in this situation, it proved futile, as the mech rose its hand, palm pointed at her, and deployed a shield that caught any and all bullets she sent her way.
“So much for that.”
She had thought that to herself, and now thought about switch tactics took over, she had to take a different approach. So far, the armour had been impervious to any and all damage, and the shield would make it impossible for her to land a hit up front. She had to get close to it. The servos on the leg seemed to be exposed. Perhaps if she brought it down…
Thoughts came to a halt as the metallic woman seemed to had enough. With a motion of the mech’s hand, the energy shield concentrated, turning the scattered bullets in a concentrated and much more dangerous compact group. Group that was sent her way, and despite she jumped down for cover, several hits landed on her. The bullets she had shot were sent back at her, piercing through her left arm, grazing her chest and left leg, but she was behind one of the two remaining containers in cover. She could her the mech’s feet stomping, approaching. The attack wasn’t directed to kill her, but it had damaged the oxygen supply and protective plates she had on her. If she wanted her dead, she would be a lifeless corpse long ago. The stomping stopped, as the mech swung the blade again, and as it came down, she dashed towards it. The blade crashed next to her, the metallic woman having the maniacal grin on her face again as she watched the woman run towards her. Reeling back, she threw a punch with the mech, which impacted and sent her flying across the place, crashing against the walls. It didn’t seem to matter, as the armoured woman came back on the offensive charging straight at her. The mech swung the sword, the woman avoiding it, and trying to get a hold of her with the hand, failing again. By now, the woman was before the mech, jumping at it and managing to get a hold of the metallic woman.
- Not yet! – Shouted the metallic woman.
The mech shook, trying to get her off, but the woman held on to her managing to climb over the mech and standing face to face with the metallic woman. She pressed the muzzle of the rifle against the metallic body, the target never losing the maniacal smile, not even when she unloaded the full magazine on it. She let the recoil go somewhat wild, using it to allow the stream of bullets make its way up, ripping through the torso, bust and, eventually, head of the metallic woman. Her purple eyes lost the light and the mech stumbled, falling forward and crashing in the last remaining container, the inert machine leaning on it now that its power core was out.
The woman fell over it too. She coughed and grunted, writhing in pain as she tried to stand up. The mech’s punch had allowed her to switch magazines and bring a fully loaded one to her final assault, choosing not to attack the mech’s leg, but she had taken quite the hit. She probably had several ribs broken and she would be lucky if she didn’t have a punctured lung, as breathing hurt too. She took the helmet off, the visor broken and the breathing system damaged beyond repair letting her long blonde hair free. To drive the point home, several parts of the armour fell off, revealing a wounded left arm and a grazed left side of her torso and left leg. Standing up took too much effort, the woman left both helmet and rifle fall to the ground, doing so with a metallic sound, while she stood in pain trying to clear her mind. She was alone, in a very hostile ship that was definitely not a wreck, with nothing more than her handgun and three magazines, which was like saying she was unarmed. She was badly wounded and enemies were most likely bound for her position. Not a good look.
- Shit… it’s over, Adam. -She said in a low voice.
- The test is most certainly over.
The voice had come from behind her, and the metallic clang in the voice made her hair stand up. She spun around as quickly as she could, but the moment she did so, the taste of blood filled her mouth. The metallic woman had come back to life, now standing on her own two feet and out of the mech’s frame, and she had elongated her index and middle finger, turning them into sharp javelins to stab her. One was on her stomach, while the other had hit her in the heart, the metallic woman looking at her with a smile that seemed… different? She seemed satisfied? Or was a hallucination due to the wounds and the blood loss?
- The test is over, and the results are excellent. You are a perfect fit.
- Y… you… kille…
- The rest of the apes were not worthy. You on the other hand…
-…Adam…
The metallic woman paused for a second, her smile vanishing as a new word entered the loop. Lara, Adam, Lara, Adam… it was bad enough with one, two would only cause more disruption. But, strangely, these two anomalies seemed to react and almost blend together.
- Answer: does “Lara” mean anything to you?
- I… am…
The woman fell to her knees, deathly pale as the life in her eyes started vanishing. The disruptions and strange information on her data banks were making sense now, and this woman had been the critical piece for it. She retracted her blades, turning them back into fingers and holding the dying woman before her. Perhaps a last vestige of this “Adam” lingered, but she had made a decision, one she couldn’t explain otherwise. Not only had this woman passed the test, she had surpassed her expectations for an organic and had even managed to temporarily disable her, shutting down the frame she powered in the process. Such results deserved something called “reward”. She took the woman in her arms and walked to the other mech frame in silence, the only sound being the loud noises her high-heeled metallic feet made. She stripped her off armour and anything else she had on her, as she would not be needing it anymore, and then she put her inside. As the frame closed with the blonde woman inside it, she watched in silence.
- Report to the bridge when ready.
The frame closed a second after she said those words, the metallic woman standing before it in silence. The anomalies had been purged and assimilated into the data she possessed, left to lose itself in the stream of information. However, as she walked back to her mech and slid in again, powering it up, a new anomaly had appeared, although this one made her curious. The mech stomped to its original position, standing before its twin and powering down as she came out once again, freeing her arms and legs as she gracefully landed on the ground. She took one last look at the other mech, where she had put the woman, and she walked out of the room. She made her way back to where the massacre had taken place, finding the machines had already taken care of the bodies and had diligently gone back to repairing the ship, resuming the last order she had given them until the task was fulfilled. The way to the bridge was short after that, as she made her way swiftly and smoothly. Once in the bridge, she stepped back on the command platform, the information displaying around her as the holograms formed a ring around her. She worked, administered and ordered the machines with the same efficiency and diligence they completed their tasks and moved on to the new one, but she found herself with the anomaly again. She couldn’t put it in words or rationalize it completely, but she was looking forward to seeing the result of the woman, former enemy and, if she was as valuable as she thought, future ally. A new hologram with information popped before her, the newest and updated report on the repairing process.
- Hull integrity 82%
- Navigation systems: ONLINE
- Power reactor: ONLINE
- Shield reactor: ONLINE
- Shields: ONLINE
- Point defence batteries: ONLINE
- Main battery: ONLINE
The reparations advanced quickly and efficiently, as ordered. She did not wish to remain for long on the current position, as the reparation process had already been interrupted once. She would not have it interrupted twice, as this new arrival would most likely, not be a mere scouting party. And even if the ship had all its weapon systems online, it was a secure and logical choice to simply relocate, avoiding unnecessary conflict and contact. Work progressed, the hull of the ship being repaired back to its full capacity and all systems ready to abandon the position. She had not kept track of time, as it was mostly meaningless, but it could be useful to know and try to figure an interval between the arrival of each interruption. Or that was until she heard the footsteps on the hallway behind her. She had proved worthy and now she did as she had ordered her. The footsteps stopped behind her, waiting for her attention, which she conceded once she finished administering the different displays of information around her, the holograms closing once they were done with.
Turning around she was met with a familiar image, but one that had its own differences. The metallic woman before her was about the same height and build as her, her metallic curvy body gleaming in the dim lights that illuminated the place. However, her bust was bigger, two bountiful orbs adorning the metallic figure as she watched the same symbols and lines, she had going from the bust down all the way to the knees, shimmering the same colour as her. Her metallic face was blank and emotionless, complemented by a long metallic and lustrous hair. It was all a single piece, but a detailed and elaborated one that, after running her hand through it, felt like liquid in its flexibility. Her eyes were lit with the same purple as hers, but they were blank and looking forward, awaiting orders.
- Welcome Unit 02 -said the short haired metallic woman- as your commanding unit, you will refer to me as Unit 01.
- Acknowledged Unit 01. – Said the new arrival in a monotone voice. – Unit 02 is awaiting new orders.
- Understood. -Said 01 with a sly smile. - Prepare for reception of data package and unit upgrade.
02 kept standing motionless, eyes focused forward as she awaited the data, but 01 had other plans. She seductively clung to the other gynoid’s metallic body, rubbing her own against her while throwing both arms around the neck and over her shoulder to lock them behind her. Never losing her smile, she gave 02 a passionate kiss, one she used to transfer the data to her. She would need a pilot, and 02 would fit that role perfectly, sending her the data needed for such tasks. Of course, this was not the only data she sent, as the personality data installed on the second gynoid and she started to act much like her superior. Her stiff pose melted away, as she surrounded 01 with her arms and ran her hands all over her metallic form. The kiss became something between the two as 02 reciprocated, the metallic tongues of them both dancing back and forth, going into one’s mouth only to switch and run into the other’s shortly. 01 wanted a pilot, but she didn’t want just another unit; had she wanted that she would have ordered one of the machines to take over the piloting. Perhaps these were the last lingering traces of anomalies, but she wanted something more than an obedient navigator, and this had been the correct and desired outcome.
They eventually broke the kiss, lips parting but still holding each other in their arms while looking into their eyes. 02’s glowing eyes did so with the same purple haze as hers, and nothing of the previous passivity remained, now looking at 01 with the same haughty personality programming she had, a smile forming in her face.
- That was quite the data transfer, 01. Nonetheless, data was received successfully.
- Then take your post 02.
- Acknowledged. However… -before 01 could react, 02 gave her another passionate kiss, one 01 was glad to receive and even more so to return, as they entangled themselves in another long and drawn-out kiss. She would have kept going, but other priorities demanded to be taken care of, both gynoids breaking the kiss. However, 02 was not letting go, keeping the other metallic woman in her embrace as she pressed her bigger bust against 01’s smaller chest, not losing her smile.
- We really could use more time to… analyse this anomaly. It is… enjoyable.
- Take your post 02. -Said 01 in a commanding tone.
- Acknowledged.
The busty gynoid let of her, walking to the metallic disk platform that was before the one 01 had previously occupied and now was over again. It was slightly lower than the commanding one, but she cared none for this. The moment the long haired gynoid stepped on it and stood on the centre of it, holograms surrounded her, the gynoid expertly managing them even though it was the first time she did so. This was probably the best possible outcome for the interruption the repairing process had suffered. 02 managed some of the holograms, and the ship came alive, the motors and propellers activating as it prepared to abandon the current position.
- All systems ready. Coordinates locked.
- Let us abandon this position before a third interruption comes.
- Acknowledged.
- The current situation leaves us vulnerable, once in the new position, power down all non-vital systems to avoid detection.
- It would be a considerable effort to destroy this ship. Shouldn’t we scout for more apt individuals?
- Not yet. We are still vulnerable, and more units will be necessary for the full return on the empire.
- Acknowledged.
-Once repositioned, 01 will need the assistance of unit 02 for further analysis and examination of this lingering anomaly. -She said as she looked at 02 from her place. The other gynoid looked at her over her shoulder while managing the warp jump.
- Understood, 01.
Having all systems ready, the repaired ship warped out of the area, leaving before anyone else could arrive and find that the supposed husk of a hull wasn’t exactly a derelict wreckage. 01 and 02 were to be the bringers of a new era, a new reborn ancient and forgotten empire to claim its place among the stars. But, before that, they needed to reorganize and trace a plan to follow. And they would also keep exploring this last anomaly in them, a last vestige of a previous lives that they enjoyed keeping in them.