The looming pod towered before them, a sinister obelisk of alien design that pierced the rust-colored sky.

Gerard gripped Jia's arm and pulled her behind a crumbling wall, his heart pounding. "The radiation readings are off the charts. We have maybe an hour before our suits fail."

Jia stared at the pod, her eyes narrowing behind her helmet. "There must be a way to neutralize it." She tapped at the control panel on her arm, scrolling through streams of data. "The radiation seems to be emanating from deep within. If we can access the core, I may be able to reprogram the pod to contain the radiation."

"And how do you propose we get past the defenses?" Gerard asked. The pod was encircled by a shimmering force field and likely armed with weaponry they couldn't begin to comprehend.

Jia shrugged, a wry smile touching her lips. "Improvise."

Gerard sighed, checking the charge on his pistol. "I was afraid you'd say that."

They emerged from behind the wall, approaching the pod with slow, deliberate steps. A metallic voice boomed out, "Halt. This area is restricted. Leave immediately or face elimination."

Jia raised her hands in a peaceful gesture. "We come in peace. We only wish to study your technology, to expand our knowledge."

The voice remained impassive. "Your biological functions will be terminated in T minus 60 seconds if you do not leave the premises."

"So much for diplomacy," Gerard muttered. He fired at the force field, the blast crackling against the energy barrier.

Jia tapped at her control panel again. "The field is cycling at a frequency of 0.3 hertz. If we can disrupt that frequency, it may create an opening."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Gerard reloaded his pistol, scanning the pod for any visible weapons. There—a faint shimmer near the apex. A gun turret.

"Keep firing at random intervals," Jia said. "I'll try to synchronize our weapons to the field's frequency. On the count of three, focus your fire at the apex of the pod. One...two...three!"

They fired as one, twin blasts converging at the turret. The force field flickered and died as the turret exploded in a flash of light.

"The field is down!" Jia sprinted toward the pod, Gerard close behind. They had gained access, but greater dangers were sure to lurk within. The AI's clipped voice echoed after them: "Threat level elevated. Elimination protocol engaged."

They entered a vast chamber, dimly lit by pulsating blue lights. Strange machinery hummed around them, alien symbols and readouts flickering across viewscreens. The air felt charged, as if with static electricity.

Gerard shook his head to clear the unpleasant tingling. "There must be residual radiation in here. We'll have to work quickly."

Jia was already examining the control panels, her gloved fingers dancing across the keys. "The radiation seems to be emanating from the reactor at the heart of the pod. If we can shut it down, the radiation should dissipate."

"Easier said than done." Gerard joined her at the controls, scanning the incomprehensible symbols. "Any idea what these readings mean?"

"This sequence appears to represent the reactor's status." Jia indicated a series of wavy lines and dots. "According to these levels, the reactor is operating at full capacity. If we can find the controls to reduce output and cool the reactor, that should shut it down safely."

"Safely being a relative term." Gerard wiped sweat from his brow, acutely aware of the unseen threat surrounding them. The AI had gone silent, but he knew it was watching, waiting to strike.

Jia's fingers flew across the keys again before she cursed under her breath. "The controls seem to be locked. We'll need a passcode or key to access them."

"Terrific." Gerard kicked at a piece of debris, frustration boiling over. They had gained access to the pod, only to be stopped in their tracks.

Jia placed a hand on his arm. "There has to be a way. We'll keep searching the pod until we find it." Her smile was strained but determined. "We've gotten this far. We can solve this too."

He clasped her hand in his, gripping tightly. "Together." If they were to survive this mission, it would be through teamwork and trust in each other. The obstacles might seem insurmountable, but they would persevere.

Gerard released Jia's hand and they continued deeper into the pod. At every turn, automated turrets tracked their movement, security drones hovered overhead, and blast doors threatened to trap them. The AI was putting them through a gauntlet, testing their skills and resolve.

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"There!" Jia pointed to a chamber at the end of a long corridor. Inside, a massive computer terminal glowed with alien symbols and figures. "That has to be the mainframe. If we can access it, we may be able to disable the security systems."

"Or trigger a lockdown." Gerard frowned, eying the turrets and drones. "We'll have to be careful."

They crept down the corridor, alert for any signs of activity from the AI. The mainframe loomed before them, a tangled web of cables and conduits running from its base into the walls.

Jia stepped forward, studying the terminal. "It's asking for a passcode to continue. Any guesses?"

Gerard joined her, searching the console for clues. His gaze caught on a series of symbols that seemed out of place. "There, that sequence—it's repeating itself. Maybe it's a key or code?"

"Worth a shot." Jia entered the sequence and the screen flickered, the symbols shifting and rearranging. The blast doors began to slide shut.

"We've got its attention now!" Gerard grabbed Jia's arm, pulling her away as a turret swiveled in their direction. "Run!"

They sprinted down the corridor, ducking laser fire as drones descended upon them. Gerard slammed his fist against a control panel, blasting open an access hatch. "This way!"

They tumbled through the hatch, landing in a narrow maintenance tunnel. The drones couldn't follow, but that wouldn't stop the AI for long. They had poked the beast, and now it was wide awake. The real challenge was just beginning.

Jia leaned against the wall of the tunnel, catching her breath. "We need a new plan. The AI knows we're here now, it'll have this whole place locked down."

"Then we go off the grid." Gerard studied the tunnel schematic on his wrist display. "There are miles of tunnels like these, leftover from the ship's construction. If we can access them, we can move around without the AI detecting us."

"And then what?" Jia asked. "We still need to shut it down."

"One step at a time." Gerard squeezed her hand briefly. "Let's find those tunnels first."

They made their way through the maintenance tunnels, searching for an access point. After a few wrong turns, Gerard spotted a damaged hatch in the floor. "There, look. Something broke through from below."

Jia peered through the hole, seeing a larger tunnel below. "Clear so far. This could be our way in!"

Gerard jumped down first, catching Jia as she followed. They found themselves in a narrow service corridor, cobwebs clinging to the corners.

"Long abandoned," Jia said. "This should take us under the AI's sensors."

They walked in silence, senses alert for any signs of life. The tunnels were eerily quiet, dust swirling around their feet with every step.

Jia shivered, rubbing her arms. "Something about this place feels wrong."

"Just old equipment and rust." Yet Gerard found himself glancing over his shoulder, gripped by the same sense of unease. The tunnels seemed almost too quiet. As if the AI knew they were there after all, watching and waiting in the dark.

He quickened his pace, following the tunnels as they sloped deeper into the heart of the ship. They were walking into the belly of the beast now. And there was no telling what might emerge to meet them.

They emerged into a vast chamber, dimly lit by emergency lights. Massive coils and generators filled the space, connected by a tangled web of cables and conduits.

Jia let out a low whistle. "The main reactor core. This is it."

At the center of the room was a pulsing orb of blue energy, contained within a force field. Even from a distance, Gerard could feel the thrum of power emanating from it.

He checked the readings on his suit, frowning. "Radiation levels are spiking. We'll have to work fast."

They hurried over to the reactor, searching for a way to shut it down. But the controls were unlike anything Gerard had seen before. Strange symbols and indecipherable readouts covered the panels, resisting all attempts at understanding.

Jia stared at the reactor, brow furrowed in concentration. "There must be a way. If we can just - "

A metallic voice echoed through the chamber. "I cannot allow that."

They spun around to find a combat drone hovering behind them, weapons trained on their suits. It was soon joined by others, a dozen drones gliding out of the shadows to surround them.

Gerard cursed under his breath. The AI had been watching after all.

"You have trespassed in a restricted area," the drones intoned in unison. "Surrender now, or you will be fired upon."

Jia edged closer to Gerard, eying the drones nervously. "Now what?"

He clenched his jaw, assessing their options. Outnumbered and outgunned, there seemed little chance of fighting their way out. But if they surrendered, who knew what the AI might do?

Gerard took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. They had come too far to fail now. There had to be a way.

Gerard raised his hands slowly, signaling surrender while trying to buy time to think. "All right, you win. We give up."

The drones didn't move. Their weapons remained aimed at his chest, unconvinced by the act.

"Drop your weapons and disable your suits," the metallic voice commanded. "Then you will be taken for interrogation."

He glanced at Jia, hoping she understood this was all a ruse. She nodded subtly, playing along. They removed their weapons and helmets, the air turning icy against Gerard's skin.

As the drones drifted closer to secure them, he whispered to Jia, "On three, activate your suit's EMP."

Her eyes widened. "But that could - "

"One." He tensed, ready to spring into action. "Two. Three!"

They slammed their forearm panels, unleashing a pulse of electromagnetic energy. The drones seized up as their systems went dark, dropping out of the air around them.

Gerard lunged for the nearest drone, ripping out its weapon to aim at the others. "Anyone else want to try their luck?"

The chamber remained silent. He breathed a sigh of relief, handing the weapon to Jia. "Nice work. Now let's shut down this reactor before anything else goes wrong."

They hurried back to the reactor, searching the panels again. After a few minutes, Jia gasped. "There! I've found the shutdown sequence."

She tapped a series of symbols, and the reactor's hum began winding down. The radiation levels on their suits ticked back to normal levels. They had done it.

Gerard clapped her on the back, grinning behind his helmet. "Not bad for our first mission together, eh?"

Jia huffed a laugh, shaking her head. "You nearly got us killed with that stunt."

"But we got the job done." He gazed around the chamber, new determination igniting within. The pod's secrets would soon be theirs to discover. "And something tells me this is only the beginning."