With much of their surroundings cleared due to the explosion earlier, Zaine and his squadmates no longer had to crawl on the floor with their four limbs. Enough space had been cleared to the point where they could walk upright. Still, just to be safe they lowered their upper-bodies to evade the possible flying projectiles.
Having your eyes blown off due to carelessness would be a sad way to die.
Nervously observing his surroundings Zaine continued to walk in a steady, unhurried manner. Passing through the pile of flaming debris, the group quickly made it to the segnt where a large heavy-ch was hunkering down and blocking their path of advancent.
"This is the one. If we get past this, it will be smooth sailing from here." Hawk pointed out, behind Zaine.
Looking at this large heavy-ch sparking with dangerous bolts of electricity, Zaine frowned: 'With its weight, it's impossible to push it out of the way. Getting into the cockpit will be dangerous too.'
{WARNING: SHIELD INTEGRITY IS AT 20%. BREACH IN T-MINUS 2 MINUTES!}
Hearing that announcent, the faces of all the squadmates turned pale.
"Ah, shit! We gotta get to the control room sooner!" Hartman grumbled.
Hartman then approached the ch and cautiously observed it. With the bolts of electricity jumping around, touching it was impossible to directly touch it.
"Anyone got any bright ideas?" he asked.
"Why not blow it up?" 'Four-Eyes' quipped.
"Soone sure is impatient to et the maker." Hartman's face darkened as he continued: " Use your brain, dumbass! That's a Heavy Artillery ch. It contains enough power to punch a hole through a mountain!"
"If that thing blows up, we are all dead! Blow it up, he says. What an idiot." Hartman muttered.
"Maybe, I can try, sir." It was then, that Felix intervened.
"You? What are you going to do?" Hartman questioned.
Felix did not imdiately reply. Closing his eyes, he willed the soul power inside his body to move and gather near his hands.
"[Lightning Fist]!" he suddenly yelled and opened his eyes. With his eyes shining with blue-light, streams of soul power covered both of his arms.
Zhisst! Zhisst!
The air surrounding his fist buzzed with electricity as the soul power covering his arms condensed and turned bluish-white in color. It then sparked with current, resembling the jumping currents of Tesla coils!
"Wow" Zaine absent-mindedly muttered, seeing this cool scene.
"Whoo.." Felix heavily breathed out and approached the heavy-ch.
Nearing its body, Felix felt a prickling sensation on his skin, which then turned into a hot, burning sensation.
'Shit, the electrical density here is too high. My soul power is being sapped at a very high rate!' he quickened his pace. Having approached the body, he gritted his teeth and placed both his hands on the ch.
The mont his fingers ca in contact with the current-sparking ch, Felix's [Lightning Hands] started to furiously absorb the fleeing currents. His color on his hands increased in brightness.
"AHH!!!" Halfway in, Felix suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream. His body could not handle the sheer amount of current flowing inside his body. He started to furiously convulse and slowly disintegrate.
"FELIX!!" Zaine scread and tried to run towards his partner. However, Hartman was even quicker. Having seemingly expected sothing like this to happen, he used a rod, picked up from sowhere, and swung it at Felix.
The rod struck Felix on his abdon and swung him outward. His hands lost contact with the ch's body and the remaining electricity on its surface dispersed.
"Felix!" Zaine rushed towards his fallen friend and checked his condition.
Felix's originally white skin had been charred at various places. Much of his military uniform was burnt and his hair had almost completely singed. Other than his breathing being a little weak, no other external injury was seen.
"Cough, cough!" Felix's eyes flew open and he suddenly started coughing. His body randomly convulsed, making him jerk within Zaine's arms.
"Are you okay?!" Zaine worriedly asked.
"Of course he's not, dimwit. Be careful with him." Hartman scolded. He then looked at Felix and praised: "You did well, son."
Hearing that complint, Felix weakly nodded his head.
Hartman then turned towards Zaine and instructed: "Carry him with you. Be careful and DON'T drop him!" he emphasized the 'don't'.
Zaine nodded his head and gently picked Felix up.
"Let's get this thing out of the way," Hartman announced and personally walked up to the ch. Grabbing onto a foothold, he raised himself up and entered the cockpit.
"Wonderful! Just enough juice to move this fatass!" remarked, turning on its power. The ch slowly woke from its slumber.
Controlling its arms, Hartman had its upper body move out of the way, creating a small passage inside which they could walk. Having done that, he alighted the ch and announced.
"What'rya waiting for? An invitation? Get moving!!" he yelled and led the way again.
The rest of the journey was uneventful and safe, similar to what Hawk has said. The group quickly made it to the control room, only to find its door locked.
"Step back," Hartman warned and initiated his own soul power. The dormant energy and seethed into his muscles. Clenching his fists, Hartman yelled and punched out.
"Haa!"
BANG!
The tal door caved into itself, breaking its lock in the process. Hartman employed his muscles once more and tore the tal door out of its hinges, clearing the path.
"Get in," he ordered and walked inside.
The control room looked quite simple. A large console occupied much of the room, with two chairs behind it. A small coffee-maker machine sat on the side, with a dustbin right under it.
Towards the front of the room, a large screen showed the scene both inside and outside the hanger area.
"Tch! They've almost depleted the shields. They could get inside any mont now." Hartman observed the screen and remarked.
He then walked towards the console and operated it, until the option to forcibly open the Hangar Doors popped up. Turning his head around, he instructed Four-Eyes: "Get working on that door behind us. You've got 30 seconds to open it."
Four-Eyes nodded his head and quickly approached the door inside the control room. Breaking open the control panel next to the door, he then started to tinker with it.
Due to the damage sustained by the vessel, the entire battleship had gone into 'Lockdown Mode' effectively sealing up all the doors. Right now, not even the ID's of Officer Level soldiers will open the doors. This was a safety asure that was inputted in the case of pirate boarding or hijacks.
That being said, there was no such thing as an 'infallible defense'.
"UhDone!" the mont Four-Eyes' words landed the sealed door opened with a 'whoosh'.
"Everyone get inside!" Hartman instructed. The squad mbers hurriedly complied.
Zaine who was carrying the immobile Felix was the last person to get in. He turned around and stared at their Captain.
Wearing a blank expression on his face, Hartman hovered his hands over the taphorical red button. He did not imdiately press it.
{WARNING: SHIELD INTEGRITY IS AT 10%. BREACH IN T-MINUS 1 MINUTE!}
{WARNING: SHIELD INTEGRITY IS AT 5%. BREACH IN T-MINUS 30 SECONDS!}
{WARNING: SHIELD INTEGRITY IS AT 4%. BREACH IN T-MINUS 24 SECONDS!}
{WARNING: SHIELD INTEGRITY IS AT 3%. BREACH IN T-MINUS 18 SECONDS!}
{WARNING: SHIELD INTEGRITY IS AT 2%. BREACH IN T-MINUS 12 SECONDS!}
"This is for my dead daughter. Die fu*kers!" Hartman's eyes turned bloodshot as he pressed the button. Without bothering to look at the result, he turned around and ran into the door where Zaine and the rest were waiting.
The mont he entered, Four-Eye who had his eyes on the console closed the door.
Hartman had his head lowered and his back turned. He was silent.
Zaine, who stood the closest to him, noticed a trail of tears exit his eyes.
'Captain' Zaine's heart was filled with despondence and pride.
Hartman quietly wiped his tears and turned around. He looked at Zaine staring at him and imdiately yelled.
"What'chya looking at, maggot?! My face got sothing?"
A faint smile ford on Zaine's face as he replied with vigor: "Sir, no, sir!"
"Then turn yer ugly face sowhere else. Just having it stare at , makes feel like a virgin!" Hartman snapped.
He then turned to look at the other squad mbers looking at him. Black lines ford on his forehead, as he prepared to yell once again. However, seeing them giggle he bottled his anger and inwardly thought: 'Once we make it outta here alive. I'm ma make all yer lives a living hell!'
"Start moving, maggots! We gotta check who's still alive on this damned ship and kick so alien ass!"
"SIR, YES, SIR!" the others collectively replied.
-------------
{WARNING: SHIELD INTEGRITY COMPROMISED!}
{NOTICE: OPENING HANGAR DOORS. PLEASE CLEAR MAIN BAY TO AVOID CASUALTIES}
The voices of two AI's overlapped at the sa ti. And following that
Whoosh!
was a nasty surprise for the invaders.
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