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.

1.14 Endgame Part 6

Our four aerial vehicles come to a halt over site of the sunken Sektain warship.

“Okay,” I say to my team as we wait in the cargo bay of the Dusty Corsair, “Let’s drop.”

Of course we have to wait for the ramp to lower, but once that is done, we all leap out of the spaceship.

I take the opportunity to look around. The other teams are doing the same though some of us are falling faster than others such as Britannia and Sam, who have both used their flight to reach the ocean even faster than the others.

Me? I’m willing to just use gravity.

I plunge into the ocean, but Narszara’s magic charm is working perfectly. While I know I’m surrounded by water, I’m more than capable of acting if I wasn’t to the point I can even use my rocket pack and lasers down here.

Excellent. Just another advantage we have over the Machine and the other creations of the Machinist.

“There,” I tell the others over the comms, pointing at the wrecked ship below.

As the other teams go their own routes, I take my own team down to the hole I spotted in the side. As expected the ship is flooded with several remains of the crew floating about as I do my best to try and ignore them.

“There is an intact airlock ahead,” says Darrac as he takes the lead.

“Can you open it up?” I ask him.

“Easily,” replies Darrac, “I grew up around technology like this. I believe the correct expression is that this is a slice of cake.”

Within a couple of seconds, we enter the air lock and the water drains around us.

“Do want to break the airlock so the ship is flooded?” inquires Sky as the water finishes draining around us.

“No,” I reply, “If we flood the whole thing, we could easily kill the Machinist and wreck salvageable technology within. And Sektain technology, even if it is a few decades out of data, is very valuable on Earth. Plus we can communicate verbally if we need to such as if our communicators get jammed.”

I step into the next room and freeze at what awaits us. The Machine. And not just one, but three of the big guy.

We all leap into action. Mia draws her pistols and begins to unleash rapid fire on the one on the right as Darrac flies at it. Sky and I both move around the sides to attack the one on the left while Narszara charges the one in the middle.

I’ll use my telekinesis to pop any missiles they unleash, says James.

I send a mental agreement at him as I activate the rocket pack as the Machine I targeted fire off its missiles at me. It also its lasers, both those are aimed at Sky, not me. I fly through the explosion results from the exploding missiles as they are telekinetically taken out and grab the disc ball head.

I grunt as I yank it out and the Machine drops to its knee. Aiming at the gap in which the head was connected to, I fire a missile of my own at it. I’m caught in the explosion, but the Sentinel armour weathers it with ease. The Machine on the other hand has taken a beating as most of its upper chest is destroyed and the left arm is blown off.

Unfortunately its right arm is still working fine, a fact I find out as the Machine grabs me and slams me into floor. I roll out of the way of a energy blade and fire my lasers at the now exposed shoulder joint of the remaining arm.

I hit and the arm twitches before falling limp at the side. But the Machine is still active and I have to finish it even if it is incapable of fighting anymore. Never turn your back on an enemy after all.

Sky is already on that one so I turn to see how the other members of our team are doing, ready to provide assistance if necessary. But it doesn’t look like the others need it as Narszara has crushed her own foe and is helping Darrac and Mia finish off the Machine on the right.

I hear metal tearing behind me and I look over my shoulder to see the remains of the Machine being ripped apart. It has to be the work of James.

“Three Machines?” inquires Sky.

“I didn’t expect it either,” I reply, “Did it feel a little too easy? The others ones were much tougher and harder to defeat.”

“I believe that experience and use of teamwork allowed us to overcome them Verigar,” says Narszara, “The previous times we were not prepared and were caught off guard. This time the battle was fought on our terms, not theirs.”

“Makes senses,” I agree, “Let’s press onto the next room.”

1.12 The Machine 3.0 Part 5

The dragon is about fourteen to sixteen feet long and three metres high. Its scales are the same green as Narszara’s sword and cover creature’s entire body. Its wings are massive and leathery like a bat.

The dragon drops the beast and rips its other arm off with its claws before pinning it to the ground.

Sensing defeat its defeat, either the Machine or whoever is controlling it activate its self-destruct. The Machine’s internal circuitry explodes and pops until only the outer casing remains.

I was hoping for something useful from its wreckage, but I can still study the armour the Machine uses and look for weak points in its design.

But first, I have to deal with the dragon.

As I walk towards the beast, it swiftly shapeshifts into Narszara. The Norgardian is wearing her new armour, the first time she has worn it in the field.

I can’t say I’m surprised as Narszara has a dragon motif to her and given her level of power, the idea of her being able to turn into a dragon isn’t that farfetched.

Most of those watching us however seemed to be deeply impressed by the mysterious Narszara. While Narszara is a known member of the League and has been seen in public, she’s not an active crimefighter like the rest of us. The primary time she has been out of base is when Narszara is escorting the Rileys when they go out in public.

Her power level and set aren’t known to the public so there has been lots of speculating about what Narszara can do, especially since she took out Vengeance.

I bet now people are going to believe she’s a powerful shapeshifter.

Now what to do with the remains of the Machine? My first thought is to take them back to base to study them in the lab, but safety always comes first.

While I may want to study, I am not about to bring the enemy in the heart of my base of operations, even if it is ‘dead’. Especially when who knows what could be inside? The Machine could easily be a Trojan Horse and I wouldn’t know until it was already inside the base.

So taking back to the lab isn’t an option, but I still want to study the Machine and I need somewhere with the equipment to do which I don’t need to worry about compromising security.

The perfect solution hits me in a moment of Eureka and I call my Aunt Mary’s Warden phone number, using my own Sentinel number.

“Hello Sentinel,” answers Aunt Mary, “I’m assuming this to do with news at the moment.”

“If you’re referring to Machine, then yes,” I reply, “I would like to study the Machine, but taking it to the base is not an option.”

“Agreed,” agrees Aunt Mary, “I’m going to assume you want to use my lab in Defender Tower.”

“Yup,” I reply, “If you don’t mind that is.”

“I don’t,” says Aunt Mary, “When can I expect you to arrive?”

“I’ll grab one of the arm and Narszara will carry the rest,” I reply, “While I can make the journey in about fifty minutes, Narszara is slower than me so it’ll take about twenty to half an hour longer. And we’ll need to make police reports first. We’ll already got a bunch of officers on the ground.”

“Understood,” says Aunt Mary, “I’ll be waiting and inform the folks here that you’re coming.”

And with that, Aunt Mary hangs up.

“Narszara?” I say as I approach her.

She is standing by the Machine’s wreckage where no one has dared approach her yet.

“Yes milord,” replies Narszara.

“We got to make police reports than we’re taking the wreckage to Defender Tower in London,” I tell her.

“Aye,” is Narszara’s reply.

I turn to face some of the police officers as they tried to form a barrier around the wreckage of the Machine. A pair of reporters, including the one I saw earlier, are trying to get through.

I sigh internally. I hate dealing the media. They always try to twist your words and the situation to make things more interesting for their viewers. And if you complain to them about that, they do their best to portray you in a bad light.

The last thing I want to do after a hard fight like that is have to explain what happened to the press. Especially since they’ll want to know more able Narszara.

My spirits pick up as I spot Inspector Oakley exit a newly arrived police car. As the guy in charge of crimes relating to powered or gifted people and the liaison to the League of Heroes, we see a lot of each other and get on well.

It doesn’t hurt that he knows my secret identity and has kept it secret. I also believe that he has been able to piece together some of the others’ secret identities, but if he has, Oakley hasn’t given me or anyone else any hint of it.

“Hello Inspector,” I say as walk towards him, Narszara following me in tow.

1.12 The Machine 3.0 Part 4

I grin viciously as the scorpion drones’ weapons flicker and exploded, taking out both their ‘tails’ and their ‘claws’.

I don’t get to enjoy my small victory very long as the now crippled drones still have one weapon left to him.

I’m able to shoot down two of the drones as they rush me dead one, but a third slams into my back and explodes.

Ramming and self-detonation. Is it called suicide bombing or a kamikaze attack? I don’t know right now and don’t care either as I have bigger problems. Such as actually dealing with it instead of trying to figure how what the proper term is.

My rocket pack took some damage, but still working while the right shoulder rocket launcher got taken out. It doesn’t really matter as it was already empty.

I fly straight up to give a height advantage against these suicidal drones.

I blast two with my lasers as they rise to follow me. A third gets through, but I smack it aside before taking out with a laser. Another also reaches me, but I’m able to kick away and avoid most of the explosion.

Only six left, I think as I take down another scorpion drone with my lasers.

Another drone almost reaches me, but I cut my rocket packet and drop, dodging the explosion as it take out one of its fellow drones. Four remaining now.

I activate my rocket pack again and zoom downward at the Machine as it fires its lasers at. I’m easily able to dodge the Machine’s remaining lasers while the crippled drones pursuing me are less so.

Two drones are destroyed by their own ally as I turn suddenly. I look over my shoulder and pick off one of the last two drones. Then, just I am about to crash into the field below, I pull up. The final drone, intent on catching me, is unable to follow my manoeuvre and actually crashes.

I’m glad that field is also badly trashed already so I don’t have to worry about that extra bit of damaged.

Speaking of damaged, I better check nobody was hurt by the falling debris from the scorpion drones. I fly up against and take a look at the road, I’m surprised by what I see.

Nobody seems to be hurt and a few more police cars have shown up. The police are keeping order and the few armed ones have their weapons aimed the Machine. Most people are watching the fight and many have their phones or cameras out.

I even spot a reporter and cameraman filming the battle.

I receive another call as I continue to dodge the Machine’s laser. I might have taken out the scorpion drones, but I still have to deal their leader.

I’m surprised as I realised who the caller is. My Mum.

What could she want?

“Hello Mum?” I ask, “Can you wait and call back in a bit. Because I’m kind of busy.”

While I can talk openly to my Mum about my secret identity, the rest of my family doesn’t know and I don’t know who could be listening.

“Just me at the moment Daniel,” replies Mum, “I was wondering if you’re okay? I’ve just seen you on the news.”

“I’m fine Mum,” I reassure her, “I was having a bit of pickle, but I got under control now. Just need to keep the Machine busy until Narszara shows up. She or Lantern can easily take it and Sam is only a few minutes behind Narszara if she somehow doesn’t win by then.”

“Okay then,” says Mum, “I’ll let you get back to your work now. Stay safe darling.”

"Don’t worry Mum, I will,” I say before hanging up.

I fly in circles around the Machine, picking off its remaining lasers. Narszara should only be a couple minutes away when the last of Machine’s lasers falls silent. Sort of.

Unfortunately, it isn’t going to let me win that easily as it drops out of the sky. It slams into the motorway below to the shrieks from the public gathered below.

They never truly expected to be in danger and now the big killer robot as landed amongst them, they’re terrified.

I better go and save them.

I zoom at the Machine and swing my fist at it.

I barely survive with my life.

My combat reflexes took over as I saw the glowing giant blade swipe at me. I bend back and it goes over me before I use my feet to push myself off of the Machine. I land with a roll and look up at the Machine.

From above where its fists would be it if were human, the Machine has a pair of glowing pink energy blades. I have no doubt that one of those could tear through the Sentinel armour ease.

I pick a fighting stance and prepare to hold off the Machine until backup can arrive. The Machine rushes me, both of its blades prepared to strike. It is only a couple of feet away when the shadow descends.

The Machine doesn’t get a chance to react as the massive scaled reptile picks it up in its jaws. The Machine goes crunch as the beast bites down on it and its right arm is bitten off.

I step back as I look at the dragon eating one of my most dangerous opponents.  

1.12 The Machine 3.0 Part 3

I barely register it is the Machine before it unleashes a barrage of those multi-warhead micro missiles.

I hate those things.

I activate my jetpack and zoom through the mud, still on my back. The missiles slam into the ground just below my feet, the explosions chasing after me. I pull up into the sky just before I hit the fence on the farside of the field, but it gets destroyed anyway by the missiles.

Poor farmer.

I focus on the machine. It appears to more heavily armoured this time around and has twice as many missiles launchers.

I am so out of my depth.

“Class 5 threat!” I yell over my communicator, “I repeat Class 5 threat!”

I dodge through the air as more of the micro missiles come at me in a massive swarm. I try to fly away from the motorway in attempt to bait the Machine away from the civilians, but it seems content to hover of the motorway and fire missiles at me.

I wish still had some of my own. But the Machine can’t have infinite missiles and must run out at some point. In the meantime, I try and pick off some of the lasers mounted on the Machine with my own.

Unfortunately for me, it seems to have twice as many lasers as it does missiles and I only knock a few out before it starts returning fire with its missiles.

I’m barely dodging both missiles and lasers though I’m making more of an enough to avoid the missiles as I can take hits from the lasers unlike hits from the missiles. I so didn’t need another two dozen scorpion drones to show up.

Like I didn’t to avoid their humongous amount of firepower as well. Personally it feels like the mysterious foe behind these robots is now making an open and blatant attempt to kill me.

In fact I am actually feeling a bit honoured that the foe feels this amount of firepower and resources is actually necessary to kill me. Given how well I’m faring, it might not even be overkill.

I actually fly towards the closest groups of scorpion drones, dodging their fire as it cuts into the swarm of missiles behind me. The thing about being caught in a crossfire like this is that the two different arcs of fire end up taking each other out if you can avoid.

I smile as the energy blasts from the drone take out the Machine’s missiles.

Hah! I think as the exploding missiles take out even more in a domino effect.

I fire my lasers at the drones, taking out a mere two before I pass through the group. That could have been better. I spin around and yank the tail of one of the drones as it zooms by me.

I toss the tail aside and use the laser on my other arm to finish the drone off.

I hope someone like Lantern or Narszara can get here soon. I go back to dodging again, taking potshots at the scorpions drones when I can. I’m certain I’ve taken four out with a possible two also down or damaged at the very least.

“How close is help?” I ask Janelle.

“Still a few minutes until Narszara can get to you,” answers Janelle, “Lantern will be about ten minutes. He has just entered the base. On the bright side, it appears the Machine has run out of missiles.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” I say before cutting the connection.

A few minutes until one of our heavy hitters can arrive. I can handle a few more minutes of this. 

I aim and fire my lasers at another drone. I allow myself a small grim smile as it explodes. Only the fourteen more and the Machine to go.

“I know this isn’t the most opportune time,” says Janelle suddenly, “But Darrac has just made contact with me. He has an offer I’m sure you’ll find quite interesting.”

“Tell him I’m busy with the killer robot we fought on Spartan’s carrier,” I reply, “Ask he if he’s willing to wait until I’m free.”

“Will do,” answers Janelle before hanging up again.

I rip one of the ‘claws’ of passing scorpion drone off and toss it at another drone. Despite how cool it would have been if I had taken the drone out with it, the claw is blown out the sky by another drone midair.

I fly up and backwards towards the sun in an attempt to gain what us flyers call the “Aerial Sun Advantage”.

It is to no avail as while the glare of the sun might have affected organic opponents, these mechanic foes are unaffected by the light.

“Sorry to interrupt you again,” says Janelle to my somewhat annoyance.

Couldn’t she pick a better time to try and talk with me? A life-and-death battle against killer alien robots is definitely not the best time to try and hold a conversation, no matter what the movies would have you believe.

“I just told Darrac your situation,” continues Janelle, “And he has a potential solution. He recognises the type of weaponry used by the scorpion drones. It is outdated Sektain technology that has a particular frequency that causes the energy within the weapons to become unstable.”

That could work or at least I hope it would. I know the drones are using alien tech, Sektain to be precise, and Neriarr like Darrac are masters of Sektain technology. Darrac has given me no reason to distrust him. In fact, Darrac has saved my life at least once.

With a solution that is all gain and no lost, I set my sonics to the frequency Janelle has just sent to me and open fire.

1.12 The Machine 3.0 Part 2

It isn’t long before I spot a chase below as I fly over the motorway. A red Ferrari swerving in and out of the lanes with a police car struggling to keep up.

I don’t hesitate to step in. Given how fast and reckless that Ferrari is driving, it is only a matter of time before an accident occurs. Possible a fatal one.

I zoom down and fly along the side driver of the car. The look on the driver’s face is glorious as he stares at me. Time to give him the warning to stop.

“Please pull over and stop before anyone gets hurt,” I say to him.

The driver’s face hardens and he pulls over. Right into me.

Moron.

Doesn’t the fool understand how tough my armour is and slam into me will cause the vehicle to break before it even begins to damage the Sentinel armour.

The car’s frame and door bent inwards and the glass window shatters. The driver screams in panic and pain as the fragments of glass slice into him.

With another car in front of us and with us moving at this speed, I have little time to act.

I grab the car’s bend roof with one hand and the underneath with the other. With the Ferrari in my grip, I zoom upward, taking the car with me. I then take us over to the other side of the road and dump the wreck as the police car pulls up by us.

I look at the driver. He is mostly okay. Other than some shallow cuts from the glass, the driver has what is probably a broken arm from where he connected with the Sentinel armour at high speed.

Despite the fact it had the potential to be much worse, it is still bad enough so that I have my armour call an ambulance.

“Hello Sentinel,” says the police officer as he steps out of his car, “Thanks for the help before anyone else got hurt.”

“You’re welcome Constable Harvey,” I reply, recognising the man from previous interactions over the summer, “But I’m afraid the driver here has most likely suffered a broken arm from when he rammed me at high speed. Other than that, he has mostly suffered just come glass cuts and shock.”

“Got it Sentinel,” says Constable Harvey as he walks up to the Ferrari, “Want to know that started the chase in the first place?”

“I’m judging that multiple bags of cannabis in the car is the answer,” I reply, my armour detecting the smell of the drug from a few spots in the car.

“How do you know that?” ask Harvey.

“My armour has detected it and I called an ambulance by the way,” I answer as another police car pulls up and two more officers spill out, “I can detect cannabis there, there and there. Do note there might be more I haven’t detected yet.”

“Got it Sentinel,” says Harvey with a grim smile as he starts to search the first of the three places I pointed out.

“Incoming!” suddenly says Janelle over the League communicator, “Up and to the east.”

“Excuse me,” I say to the three officers before activating the rocket pack.

“Give me more details,” I say to Janelle once I’m in the air.

“Several scorpion drones have just appeared and are en route to you,” says Janelle, “I’m picking up more similar signatures. Alerting the League of Heroes and Albion Defenders.”

Looking to the east, I can see the incoming drones. A dozen of them if what my armour is saying is correct and I have no doubt it is. Time to inform the police.

“Inspector Oakley,” I say as the unofficial Hampshire police liaison to the League of Heroes answers, 

“I have a dozen killer alien robots at my position. Most likely more are coming.”

I hang up before he can reply. Better alert the police below me as well.

I drop back down.

“Hostile killer robots inbound,” I say before flying back up.

I vaguely hear Harvey cursing.

Back in the air again, the drones are much closer now. Close enough for me to lock on with my shoulder missiles.

A dozen missiles for a dozen robots, I think as I fire all twelve of my missiles, six on each shoulder.

Ten of out twelve hit, the final two dodging the missiles. But I’m ready for that and I already have my lasers at the ready. Within moments, both remaining drones are cut in two by lasers mounted on my wrists.

“You said there was probably more?” I asks Janelle.

“I am picking multiple clusters of hostiles, but can’t you exact numbers or locations,” answers Janelle, “They appear to be partially jamming. If it weren’t for the advanced technology available to me, I would be able to detect them at all.”

“Darn it,” I curse.

I hear a noise and yelling below. I look down only to see the cars coming to a halt and people pointing upward.

Either pointing at me, the drones or something else. I turn around looking for the next attacker as I hear something behind me.

A mechanical fist slams into my chest and I go flying into a field at the far side of the motorway.

Laying on my back, I look up to see an new and improved version of the Machine looking down at me from high in the sky.

Not the nice and quiet patrol I was hoping for.

1.7 Bounty Hunters Part 4

Sam twists the Machine’s arm and I can hear the metal tearing and twisting. He grabs the Machine’s arm with his other hand and uses them both to yank off the Machine’s arm.

As Sam tosses it aside, the Machine punches Sam into the air with his other fist. I would have tried to help, but at this point, I have pretty much had it.

Not that the Machine gets a break either.

Darrac flies over the Machine again, this time with a trail of over twenty micro-missiles following him. Most of them slam into the Machine before it can react with only three going over the Machine’s head.

The Machine staggers backwards following the explosion, the armour and lasers on its chest a useless mess.

Then Sam zooms back down and grabs the Machine’s remaining arm with both hands. He gives it a good pull, yanking out and tossing it aside like he did with the other. Sam reaches down and rips away the remaining chest armour from the Machine.

Sensing it isn’t going to beat to Sam, the Machine uses its flight abilities to zoom along the deck and off the carrier.

Sam appears to be about to pursue, but takes one look at me and lands next to me. He puts a hand out for me and I grasp it with my left as my right arm is disabled.

“You’re in bad shape,” notes Sam.

“He had me on the ropes several times,” I say, “Without Spartan or Darrac, I would have been killed before you got here.”

“What were you doing here before the Machine came?” asks Sam with a glance at Spartan, who has landed not too far away.

I give Spartan a look and we lock eyes before I reply, “Nothing important.”

Darrac lands on the ground next to us. He’ is also pretty banged up.

“We should leave,” says Darrac matter of factly.

“I agree,” I reply, “Lantern, you need to carry me. The Machine took out my rocket pack early on.”

“Okay,” says Sam as he hooks his arms underneath my armpits.

***

I let Vance fly while I make some repairs to the armour in the Star Guardian. The ship doesn’t have the full resources of the lab back at base, but I can get the right arm of the Sentinel armour working again.

Mia got off at Sydney in Australia, her home city. We left her in the hands of the local heroes and authorities. Darrac took the Dust Corsair back to space while we headed home.

“What do you think will be waiting for us back home?” Sam asks me as we near the British Isles.

“Mary wanted to borrow Narszara for a mission and it’s pretty late so our parents might be worried.”

“Not mine,” says Sam, “Mum never married.”

“My mum knows, but my dad and sis don’t,” I say, “I’m going to be spending tomorrow getting the 

Sentinel armour back in working order.”

“I’m sure somebody will have an explanation for us to fall back on,” says Sam confidently, “Did you use your money to buy the stuff from Mia?”

I shake my head, “No. I used the Sentinel’s account. Using Daniel Griffin’s account would have been too traceable and just plain stupid.”

By the time we land, I have gotten both of the armour’s lasers working again in addition to the left arm’s sonics. The sonics of the right arm have been almost utterly destroyed and need to be rebuilt from scratch.

This means it’s going to be a while before Narszara’s suit is built.

I wonder what Narszara is doing now?

“Narszara,” I call her my comm.

“Yes milord?” comes the swift reply.

“How did your day go?” I ask her, “Because the Sentinel armour needs some serious repairs. We’re going to have to delay starting on your new armour.”

“I have aided the Defenders in repulsing an attempt by the Baglio Syndicate to gain a foothold in this nation,” replies Narszara, “What is the damage to the Sentinel armour?”

“Right sonic and rocket pack completely destroyed,” I answer, “The lasers and left sonic will need more serious repairs to be bought back to fully functioning. The helmet and HUD need fixing and entire outer armour needs replacing. The right arm also needs more extensive repairs as well.”

“Sounds like our upcoming days will be busy,” replies Narszara, “What happened?”

“The trip went well,” I reply, trying to make it sound like nothing major happened, “Then we got involved in fight between two groups of Sektain separatists. Next we made friends with some space pirates and I bought a good haul of Sektain equipment. I’m quite please with that. We went home with our new space pirate friends and investigated a couple of signals. An oil platform and Spartan’s aero-carrier.Spartan and his bounty hunters tried to capture me and my space pirate ally. It went poorly for them. Then the Machine showed up and beat up a few times. Darrac saved me a few times. Than Lantern showed up and save me and totally defeated the Machine again. We headed back home for proper after that.”

I pause for a moment.

“How was your mission?”