1.14 Endgame Part 7

The next room is even worse than the previous one. It appears we stumbled into the factory in which the Machines are created and several of them are already complete and ready for battle.

Narszara leaps into battle as I grab Sky and James and fly for the door on the other side of the room. I don’t even dare waste time looking at what Mia and Darrac are doing.

A Machine drops down in front of us and I fire off all eleven of my remaining missiles at it, exploding the darn thing. I don’t slow down as I fly through the wreckage. My armour can handle it and the cos-mat costume should protect Sky and James.

I smash head first through the door. I let go of Sky and James as I into the floor. From the sounds in the previous room, I think as I get to my feet, it sounds like Narszara is keeping our enemies in there busy. I hope Mia or Darrac don’t get hurt.

“Are you okay Sentinel?” asks James.

                                                                 

“I’m fine, just used up all my missiles, but fine,” I reply with a dismissive wave of my hand, “At least this room is empty.”

“The next room should be the command room where the Machinist is operating out of if memory serves,” says Darrac as he lands behind us, “My captain is providing support for your Norgardian.”

“Okay,” I say, “Let’s take down the Machinist.”

I really wonder how Darrac knows what a Norgardian is, but now is most definitely not the time to bring that up.

I let Darrac open the door again as out of our group, he is the best at operating Sektain technology even if I do feel I’m pretty good at it myself.

“Done,” declares Darrac as the door goes wide open.

We walk into the also empty room. This one is clearly the command room or bridge as we would call it on Earth. There are a multitude of computers and other such devices including a large holo-table in the middle of the room.

“So where is the Machinist?” asks James.

“I don’t know,” admits Darrac as he stops and looks around, “I assumed he would be operating out of the command centre. It is the only logical choice to set up his headquarters, but it would appear otherwise.”

“That’s for sure,” says Sky, “Any ideas on where else he come be?”

“No,” replies Darrac, “We’ll have to scour the entire ship.”

“Let’s call the other teams and see if they found the Machinist?” I suggest and do so, “Sentinel here. Has anyone found the Machinist? My team is currently in the command centre or bridge and nobody has been here.”

But all I get is static. It would seem that our communications are being jammed. Better call in with Janelle and Alex.

And again all I get is static. We are definitely being jammed.

“Hey guys-” I start when several beings flash into existence around us.

Each of these beings is made of a pinkish grey material and consists of sleek armour plates with red energy in the gaps that form a humanoid shape. Where the abdomen would be, these creatures have a glowing orb of red energy.

What are these things? I think as they open fire.

Bolts of pink plasma fly from their sleek guns. James and Sky both go down while Darrac staggers and drops to his knee, panting. I take a couple of hits, one to the back of my right shoulder and the other to my chest.

I grunt in pain as I actually feel the shots through the armour and collapse on the ground. I check my armour status and see that the enemy has actually done some serious damage to the Sentinel armour. In fact, the armour integrity around the shoulder has been damaged.

Without moving my head, I look towards Darrac. The Neriarr topples over as he takes several more bolts of plasma. If a couple of those did major damage to the Sentinel armour, I can only imagine how much pain Darrac is in. Darn it, I’m not even sure if he survived.

How will I explain to Mia if he doesn’t? How will I live with myself if a member of my team dies on my watch?

But first I have to make sure these things do down.

There are nine of these creatures and they head to the rest of us, three for each of us Leaguers now Darrac is down. James is still down while Sky is stirring. One of the creatures takes aim at her with its gun.

Time for action, I decide as I activate my rocket pack, aiming for the enemy taking aim at Sky.

I fly through the air and tackle the creature, sending both of us tumbling with myself being the one landing on top. I punch it in the face twice, but whatever it is made of holds up against even the enhanced strength that Sentinel armour grants me.

Not looking good at all, I think as I spot the other eight creatures aiming at me. Things are made even worse when the one below me punches me in the face. It doesn’t do much against the Sentinel armour however and I grab the creature as I get to my feet.

As the other creatures open fire, I use their compatriot as ‘human’ shield.