Galactic Calendar 259872/ 2000 [ Sol Year 4387/ Day 155 of 365. Sol standard year]
Days after of Crash landing/ 5
Uninhabited Island /Tunnels near Yard Ship
Galactic Standard Time / 1400
As she looked over her shoulder, Jess tried to keep calm and think. She knew Jinn needed help, but the new plan was something she still didnât know. If they couldnât handle the Spider-Worm and the Quad-Walker, then they needed to find a way to get out of there. If they just had the shell to use as a shield, then they would make do with that. Their lives were too precious a resource to spend too freely.
She looked around seeing the others standing there waiting for her. Karakpace was standing, flexing his claws as he stood there, watching her.
Before she could speak, Karakpace rumbled. âSo does Jinn have a plan to deal with that new robot?â
Jess could only blink as she looked at him, dumbfounded as she stared. After a second, her eyes widened, and look behind her. She found what she was looking for, one of the two bugs that Karakpace had brought with him. She had wondered why those two, but now she knew. The answer was something that she had never expected, but it was the only thing that made sense here. And that scared her more than she thought possible. The sheer number of things that she would have to brief the rest of the security division on alone! âYou can see through your bugs?! Is it just them?!â
âOnly what I can control. And thatâs all they are, weapons. Iâve heard stories of skills that make them more, but thatâs all I know. And I can see the battle. There are more robots, fighting the big one and the monster. So what do we do?â Karakpace asked with a rumble.
Jess looked at him and then shook her head. âLater. Okay, Jinn wanted Paige to go back to that room she used to escape the apes with Skâp. We need you to be ready to open and close the doors if Jinn needs to lead the Spider-Worm that way.â
âGot it! But Iâll need someone to come and help me,â Paige said with a hard look in her eyes.
âIâll need to stay here,â Sara said softly.
Jess looked at her and almost took a step back, staring at her in horror. When she had left, Sara was fine. Now she looked like she had just run a marathon all day.
âSheâs fine. Sheâs just having a problem after forcing herself to learn that Power that saved me. Itâll pass in an hour at worst,â Karakpace said softly, a look of sorrow in his voice.
Jess looked away for a moment, feeling shame that Sara was in this situation. She had been the one to tell Jess what to do, and
âIâll go!â A voice called out from the room. They all looked up to see Skâp standing there leaning against the wall. There was a hard look on his face as he spoke, and he carried a hard air. âIâll go. We donât need to show that horror to anyone else for now.â
âWhat do you mean, horror?!â Jess demanded and Skâp only looked at her before shaking his head.
âKeep your mind on the battle. Weâll need everyoneâs help to clean this up later. But donât forget us, okay?â Skâp said as he pushed off the wall and took a few steps forward, each one stronger than the last one. Finally, he pulled out his rifle and looked at Paige. âReady to move?â
Paige nodded and without a word, they were off.
Jess looked at them and tried to keep calm, but then that was something she was good at. Looking at Karakpace, she nodded. âLooks like youâre with me big guy. Weâll see whatâs going on and make a move depending on whatâs happening.â
âSmart stratagem. And the best that we can do. Stay here until you can walk Ms. Sara. This place might be safer for you,â Karakpace rumbled as he stood up.
Sara made a motion to join them, but then Jess pushed her back down. âHeâs right. He looks like heâs had Powers a lot longer than we have. Stay here and move once you can. One of the medical rules, treat yourself first if you can.â
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Sara looked like she was going to argue, but then she nodded. She seemed to sink down and then looked at her with a look of acceptance. âGot it, Jess. Just stay alive, okay? I canât bring back the dead yet.â
Jess just chuckled and turned away, a smirk forming on her face. âI think I have a âdonât revive with magicâ on my file.â
Sara only laughed and Jess felt a bit better. Walking down the hallway, she tried to think. They didnât have a weapon that would work for Karakpaceâs build, so he was stuck with his strength. And that means that they would have to get close to the monster for that to work. And an attack from behind wouldnât work on that thing, so there was the big robot to try. But the thing it had on its back, bothered her. There was something about that shape and what it did that set her teeth on edge. She didnât like it at all.
âThe little robots are attacking both of our enemies. And even when Jinn destroyed one of them, they left him alone,â Karakpace reported as they made it to the door.
Jess looked out and almost wished she was out there. Jinn kept âdashingâ around, disappearing only to reappear to attack. Depending on where he was, he slashed at the Spider-Worm the big robot.
She looked at the robots attacking the big robot and the Spider-Worm and almost did a double take. She stared in shock before she bit out. âThose are Rail Skimmers! They only made the basic model decades after this ship became obsolete! What and how are they here!?â
Karakpace only looked at the robot and scowled slightly. âIâve heard of those. A wreck was found a decade ago. Those were the cargo. They helped a few of the darker powers build terrible things.â
Jess looked at him, her mouth dropping open. She didnât want to need to know what he meant by that.
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Jinn landed on a balcony and looked down, grinning to himself. The smaller robots had gotten his message, focusing their fire on the Spider-worm. And he had dealt that thing a few wounds, wounds that werenât healing. That was the best thing that could happen, but where did the robots come from? He didnât think they were from the same force as the Quad-Walker, so what sent them?
He shook his head, and then he looked at the Spider-Worm. It had been staying there, with its back against that one position for minutes now. That bothered him more than he wanted to admit. There were little reasons, and that bothered him. To think that this thing could plan? That was opening the devilâs box here.
He shook his head and looked up, but then he looked down and saw Karakpace and Jess by the door to the hallway. He nodded as he saw them looking at him, and then he gestured at the big robot before holding up a hand.
He saw Jess nod and he grinned. She had understood what he meant, and that was enough. All they had to do was wait, and strike when the time was right. He didnât know what the Quad-Walker would do, but that didnât matter. They had to do everything they could to survive and protect the others.
Then he went still and felt his breath catch. Without a thought, he âdashedâ to where he needed to be. He looked right at the Spider-Worm as he put his head against the wall near the others, hoping he was wrong. He felt his heart go still at what he saw. âNOVA!â
He couldnât even believe that he hadnât even considered this. As far as he knew, that thing had gained the ability to throw its black liquid from its back. And the thing had known how to use that ability in combat! How did he even think that this thing wasnât able to even think of using it to get away?
âWhat is it!?â Jess asked as she and Karakpace came up behind him.
âItâs trying to burn through the hull! And Iâm not sure whatâs behind it!â Jinn snarled as he aimed his pistol at the Spider-Worm and called upon his Power. âHit it with everything youâve got!â
âBurn through the hell!? It can do that!?â Jess asked in shock as she aimed her pistol at the Spider-Worm.
âYeah, so fire!â Jinn barked. As the two both started to fire at the Spider-Worm, Jinn took a deep breath. âAether Dart!â
As the energy dart formed, Jinn just fired again and again at the monster. He saw each bolt hit and damage its outer shell, but each shot only seemed to make the Spider-Worm stay in place. But then he saw something that made him almost drop his weapon. The Spider-Worm had actually burnt into the ship! That liquid it spat had burned a hole that it was using to hold itself in place, and that was why it wasnât moving! It was already through the hull plates, and now it was only waiting to get into the circuits!
But as he watched, the monster moved even farther back until it fell away completely. The Quad-Walker dropped as Jinn ran forward, Jess and Karakpace behind him.
âFOOLISH BEAST! GO BACK TO YOUR MASTER IN THE VOID!â The Quad-Walker broadcasted before it dropped its humanoid torso forward.
As soon as Jinn made it to the hole, he looked down and saw water a few hundred feet below them. He swallowed as he realized that the hanger was built out from the ship.
âWhere is it!?â Jess asked as she aimed her weapon down at the water.
âIt got away! We have to find it! If that thing attacks the group on the beach! Theyâllâ¦â¦.â Jinn trailed off as he saw bubbles form on the water. As they watched, the Spider-Worm shot into the air, and behind it, something even worse came up. All they could see was a creature a hundred feet wide with teeth. It swallowed the Spider-Worm whole in one bite. The thing fell backwards into the water, it created a large splash that reached them. âNever mind. I guess they're safe.â
Jinn looked at the water, seeing the ripple that moved around the waterâs surface. That thing was almost as big as a small stellar smuggling ship! How was something that big so close to the island?! He forced his heart to keep beating and turned towards the others.
Jessâs mouth had dropped open in shock, and her eyes were wide. Slowly she turned and looked at Jinnâs eyes. âWhat the Blackhole was that!?â
âI donât know! Weâve only been here for a few days! Youâre the one who was by the sea!â Jinn barked and Jess glared back at him.
âI didnât think that thing was real,â Karakpace breathed in horror.
Jinn turned around and looked at him with Jess. Both of them were staring at him in horror. âYou know what that thing is!?â
âItâs a horror alright, and one we can talk about later. I think we have a more important problem,â Karakpace rumbled as he looked behind them.
Jinn turned and looked at Karakpace. He followed what Karakpace was looking at and then turned. He saw the Rail Skimmers, all of them looking at them.
Jinn swallowed and nodded. âYeah, I get it man. So any ideas?â
âI think I know. The others, they got this place working!â Jess said with a grin.
Jinn looked at the robots and nodded as well. âIf you can hear us Al, weâre heading to the bridge. Weâll meet up there, see you soon. So where are the others?â
Jess followed after him as they walked towards the door to the corridor. âSkâp and Paige are going to the doorway. And thereâs something else boss. They were talking about the horror they found. I donât like it.â
Jinn looked at her and then nodded after a moment. âYeah. I donât like that either. Letâs have a nice long talk with them, and get them to show what they found before. But I have a good idea what it was.â
Jess looked at him But Jinn stayed silent. He really hoped that he was wrong, but he had a feeling that he wasnât. This was probably a pirate ship after all. And that didnât leave many things that wouldnât be horrifying here.