--Point of View: Crim--
Technology was amazing. Regardless of everything I had seen up to this point, I still found myself awestruck around every corner. Sure, we had magic back in my time but nothing this advanced. A whole map of the planet that could be changed on a whim was outside of even our wildest dreams. I simply stared in admiration, forgetting my worries for just a moment. As I watched the buildings grow larger, slide into place, and eventually disappear, I could not help but wonder how it could have aided us back in the day.
“Crim, are you coming?” called Katie from just outside the doorway, her head popping back into view.
“Oh, yes. My apologies. I was just a little enamored with this device. It’s incredible. The number of lives it could have saved when I was still a man.” I trailed off, trying my best to shake the rising memories. Now was not the time to dwell in the past. Nothing could be done.
“You’re not wrong. Even now we do not have something of this scale. We have satellites and long-distance cameras but nothing that reacts this quickly.” She added, walking back over to take one last look.
“When you two are done ogling my table, we need to get you suited up and ready for your departure.” Commented Draya who appeared in the doorway seemly from nowhere. “We don’t exactly have a lot of time or at least not time I want to waste.”
“You’re right. Let’s go Crim. We are going to need all the help we can get.” Katie said as she trailed a finger along the table’s edge once more before departing. Draya turned to follow.
“What should I do in the meantime? I don’t imagine you have anything in my size.” I inquired with a grin. I should have known better.
Draya stopped and turned back to look at me, a devilish grin quickly forming on her face. “Did you really think I wouldn’t have supplies for you? I just so happen to have a suit of armor made specifically for you along with a few other things you may find useful.”
“I must admit, I really should have expected as much. Lead the way.” I replied, moving to rejoin Katie and Tom.
They were both standing around in the hall waiting for Draya and me. She took the lead and led us down a few more corridors until we arrived at a door that stuck out like a sore thumb. Compared to the rest of the doorways this one was heavily fortified. I wondered how long it would take me to pry it open.
“Is this where you keep all your toys?” remarked Tom, looking the door up and down.
“Something like that.” Draya replied as she lifted a hand slowly and placed it on the door.
The door immediately sprung to life as blue lines spread across its surface, glowing a bright blue. This was followed by the sound of a dozen locks and latches clicking open. It was a magic door. A modern one at least. We had a few of these back in my village for protecting precious resources. They were simple in theory but very secure. A spell, usually set by the owner, needed to be used at just the right power to open the door. Given how much variation existed from person to person when it came to enchanting, it made these doors a simple, but effective countermeasure to theft.
Once the spell had completed, the door swung inward to reveal a room lined with storage lockers on one wall and tall steel cabinets on the opposite side. It reminded me of the locker rooms we discovered shortly after entering the underground facility. There was even another doorway leading to a shower area.
“The lockers on the far side should still have a full set of armor and supplies for you two.” Called Draya, pointing a finger at Katie and Tom, both of whom nodded. “As for you Crim, come stand right here.”
She pointed to a different colored spot on the floor. Most of the room was tiled except for a spot in the middle of the room that appeared to be made of steel. I cautiously made my way over, my claws clicking against the hard tile as I walked. The steel was much colder in comparison.
“Alright, now make sure you don’t squirm around too much. Hopefully you haven’t put on too much weight.” Draya chuckled. It was an odd sight given her usual demeanor, but I did not have much time to consider it.
The ceiling and floor beneath me simultaneously slid open, revealing numerous robotic hands and other unknown devices. They immediately began to press plates of armor against me from both sides, sandwiching me in between. The pieces locked together with a hiss of steam before moving on to the next piece. Needless to say, my head was whipping around in an attempt to see what was going on.
“Calm yourself Crim. It’s just an auto suiter. It was designed just for you. It was the most efficient way to get you ready to deploy. Granted, you never did like it.” Draya said reassuringly. It helped some.
“Can I get one of those? I have a hard time getting ready in the morning without my coffee.” Joked Tom as he and Katie were donning their own armor.
A few minutes passed as the assortment of mechanical hands continued to press piece of armor together around my body. First the chest, then midsection, and lastly came each leg. I thought it would be cumbersome, but it was quite light and easy to move around in. I did wonder something though.
“No helmet?” I asked simply.
“It’s quite funny you would mention that. I tried for the longest time to get you to wear one, but you always refused back then. It was always the same excuse. It hurt your ears.” Commented Draya, a small look of annoyance rising to the surface. That sounds about right though. My ears are quite sensitive.
“How are you two coming along?” I called back, turning to checkup on Katie and Tom. They both looked to be finishing up as well.
Their gear looked remarkably like my own. The armor was all pearl white in color with an almost magical sheen. It was also a little flexible I noticed. I was going to question just how effective it was as armor but Katie beat me to the question.
“Well, surprisingly. It does not look like much at first, but it fits well and is lightweight. I have a sneaking suspicion it is also way more durable than it appears.” Katie said as she slung a backpack over her shoulder.
“Correct. These are made to reflect blaster fire like you experienced during your run in with the battle droids. They are hardy and will take quite a bit of abuse before needing to be replaced. Hopefully, you three will not need to make use of them. Having said that though, I do want to give you these.” Draya explained before handing Tom and Katie two small pistols.
The weapons looked similar to the one Katie used to carry around when we first met but were sleeker and more compact. It looked so harmless, but I was willing to bet it packed a punch when needed.
“I suppose you hope we don’t have to use these either?” remarked Tom as he inspected the blaster, turning it over in his hands.
“I would rather you be prepared.” Draya said simply. “They are good for a dozen shots or so before their power core will start to dwindle. They do not require mana like most modern weapons but are still quite lethal. They are essentially identical to your kind’s firearms in terms of operation, so I don’t expect you to have too much trouble using them.
“Seems simple enough.” responded Katie, holding the device at arm’s length as she aimed down the barrel.
"Just be sure not to hit me.” I added, recalling all the damage he had endured because of these pesky weapons. “Those things really hurt.”
Katie almost looked a little insulted as I spoke. I meant nothing against her skill. It was mainly a jest. Thankfully, she seemed to soon realize this as well as she holstered the weapon and reached over to pat me on the side.
“Don’t worry Crim. If everything goes smoothly, we should not even have to use these.” She claimed.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“I do hope that is the case but regardless, we need to continue with your preparation. You will be departing soon.” Interrupted Draya, extending a hand to Katie. She held a note. “These are the coordinates to my gate. You must not lose them. This is very important. I will give you three days tops to return otherwise I will need to relocate. I will not risk being found again.”
“Do you think it’ll take that long?” said Katie, a little bewildered.
“No, of course not. I would expect no more than a day at most, but I can’t be for sure. Regardless, it would be best to work with haste. The less time you spend on that ship, the better your chances will be. Now follow me.” She instructed, now moving with a bit more urgency.
You know, you never mentioned how we were boarding the ship. Will we take the gate? Like last time?” asked Katie as she struggled to keep up with the Old One’s stride.
“No, don’t be foolish. All transportation done via a gate is logged. The moment you entered the ship you would be found out. Much too risky. We will be using a different method.” The Old One responded quickly. “It’s a bit risky but you three should be fine.”
“I’m not sure if I like the sound of that.” I stated, not liking the way she worded that last part. “What is your idea exactly?”
“A gateless warp. It is something I developed after I separated myself from the rest of my people. Without it I would have been captured ages ago.” She answered as she steered us down another hallway. “It is not as precise or safe as using an actual gateway, but it is also undetectable.”
We listened to Draya explain what was going to happen as we walked. Moments later we entered into a mostly barren room besides a few chairs tucked against the wall. She motioned for us to sit down. Well, she motioned for Katie and Tom to sit down anyway. I took up position beside them. We were instructed to close our eyes and control our breathing.
“Deep breaths, hold it. Hold it. Release. Again.” Draya repeated over and over again. “A side effect of warping is severe motion sickness. Tumbling through space at the speed of light will make even the hardiest of soldiers sick. Thankfully, I have had time to iron out some of the bugs. You three should be fine.”
I had to agree that the last thing we needed was for somebody to get sick upon arrival. Shortly afterwards we were ready for the real deal. We remained seated as Draya began to cast her spell. It was beautiful. She drew runes in the air with such finesse it was almost like watching an artist paint. The spell was long and complicated, taking several minutes to complete but once it did, it began to glow a brilliant sky blue.
“I can’t promise I’ll land you anywhere good, but you will arrive on the ship. I only pray that it is somewhere less crowded. Best of luck to you three. I will be waiting for your return.” Draya said as she gave one last flick of her wrist and the spell activated.
Much like last time, I found myself floating in an infinite void. Tom and Katie were both at my side as we were jettisoned towards an unknown location in the distance. We were moving fast. Very fast. Unlike last time, this trip was anything but smooth. We were tossed around like twigs in a raging river. I did everything in my power to remain facing forward but found I had little control over my body in the air. Tom and Katie seemed to be having the same problem.
I opened my mouth to speak but before I could say anything, a brilliant flash of light blinded me before fading away just as fast. When my vision returned, I found myself standing in yet another room. Unlike the other ship though, this one was far more colorful and decorated. Red Banners hung from the ceiling, and it was very lavishly furnished. You would not see a room like this among the common folk, that was for sure. This room reeked of nobility.
“Ugh, I think I will stick to flying next time.” Groaned Tom who had apparently exited the warp upside down and was currently laying in a heap on the ground.
“I’ll have to agree. I nearly fell on my head.” added Katie, having faired a bit better. She rubbed her head for a moment before adding. “At least we ended up somewhere empty.”
“Agreed.” I said, give the room a quick once over before raising my nose to the air.
I inhaled deeply and tried to take everything in. The same disinfectant smell as Draya’s ship was prevalent but there was more than that this time. I caught the scent of at least a dozen other Old Ones but there was the subtle scent of humanity in the air as well. It was faint though. Taking a few steps around the room, inhaling deeply, was all I needed to confirm it.
“They’re here. It is slight but I can pick up the smell of humans somewhere. Unfortunately, there are also quite a few Old Ones here as well, but we already knew that.” I started to explain, setting my eyes on the only door leading into this room.
“That’s good. Are you able to pinpoint a direction?” asked Katie as she lifted herself up off the ground and readjusted her armor.
“Yeah, knowing a general direction is a good start. If the smell gets stronger that just means we are going the right way.” remarked Tom as he brushed himself off and tried to tidy his now ragged hair.
“I won’t be able to tell until we leave this room. Its faint here.” I explained, taking another whiff.
“Yeah, you’re right. I don’t want to stay here any longer than we must. This looks like somebody’s living quarters, and I imagine they will eventually return here. Let’s get moving.” said Katie as she took up a position next to the door. Tom followed suit and stood on the opposite side.
I watched as Katie looked at the door control panel nervously as she started to press a few buttons. A few swears could be heard under her breath as she made a few more attempts when the door refused to open.
“Need a hand over there?” asked Tom before taking a step towards her.
Katie responded by raising a hand, signaling him to stop. “No, I’ve got this. The style is a little different than what we’ve seen before, more modern, I guess. This should do it though.”
And with that, the door slid up easily with barely a sound. Everyone poked their head out in unison, first to the left and then to the right. The halls were empty and unlike the lavish room we were just in, were barren and bland.
Katie and Tom drew their weapons and held them at the ready as we slowly headed down the hall. We did a few paces in one direction before backtracking the opposite way, all while I kept my nose to the ground. They were to the left I thought and soon confirmed as we traveled a little further.
“Most definitely this way.” I whispered as best as a giant wolf can.
They both nodded and continued forward. Katie led the way followed by Tom and me in the rear. We mostly kept heading in one direction, diverting here and there when we came to an intersection. The scent was growing stronger, and I could easily make out a couple dozen people further ahead. The crew was here and very much alive. I found myself walking a bit faster, eager to reach them but was reminded of the situation when Katie grabbed my muzzle and held it tight.
“Stop! Quiet!” she whispered back at us, motioning to the right with her hand.
I didn’t need to look to know what the issue was. I heard footsteps now that I was not so focused on sniffing out their comrades. Foolishness washed over me. I should not have been so focused on one thing. Thank goodness for Katie. The footsteps were growing louder as they started to echo down the halls. They were heavy and moved with a purpose. For a moment, we all held our breaths and prepared to fight but luck was on our side this time. They soon grew quieter and a peek around the corner from Katie confirmed this. They had turned and gone down another corridor. Thank goodness.
“Go!” she whispered and quickly crossed the intersection.
I followed closely behind her followed by Tom, catching a large whiff of the Old One as we did. I did not care for the smell. Draya smelled clean and of mana. Whoever this was smelled sweaty and reeked of something I could not quite place. My nose wrinkled in protest.
“Quick, in here.” Called Katie again as she quietly led us into an empty room at the end of the hall. She closed the door behind us with a quick flurry of button presses.
“That was too close for comfort.” She sighed, slinking down to the floor.
“I think we are doing pretty well personally.” Commented Tom as he wiped some sweat from his brow. “We could have taken one of them, I’m sure.”
“You did not see what I saw. That thing was huge! I thought Draya was tall. He was at least a foot taller and clad head to toe in armor. He would squash us. He’d probably give you a good fight even Crim.” she said, her hands flying all around as she explained what she had seen.
“I’ll take your word for it. How close do you think we are Crim?” asked Tom with a slightly more shaken expression.
“Very close. That guard was probably doing rounds for that very reason.” I said, the air thick with the lingering aroma of humanity.
With that in mind, we continued onward. We snuck through the halls to the best of our ability, pausing from time to time to let a patrol pass by. We were fortunate to only have one other close call. We had to double back and head down a different hall when a guard we hopped would turn away, kept walking in our direction. After all of that though, we found who we were looking for.
“That must be them. I can hear them talking amongst each other.” Said Tom quietly as we peered down the hall towards a large door.
“Agreed. I can hear them as well.” I assured them, my ears twitching enthusiastically.
It was a solid steel door besides a small viewing window and sliding hatch used to deliver essentials. A standard prison door by all accounts. We approached it cautiously and I took the initiative to peer inside the window. I was also the only one tall enough to see. They were here. At least most of them.
“This is it.” I said simply. “What now?”
“Well, isn’t it obvious? We bust them out.” Katie said with a smirk.
She set to work. Tom and she were tackling the control panel while I stood guard at the end of the hallway, listening for the thud of footsteps. It was quiet though besides the muffled bickering of those two. They did not seem to be having much luck.
“I don’t understand why that didn’t work.” Muttered Katie under her breath as she stood over the control panel, her foot tapping furiously.
“I told you it wouldn’t be that simple. Let’s see if this works.” Rebuked Tom as he moved to try himself.
This back and forth went one for nearly ten minutes before they both cried out in unison. “We got it!”
Their enthusiasm was short lived though. As the door rose and everyone inside cried out in a mixture of joy and surprise, a siren began to blare. The halls turned red as the lights started to flash in sync with the now impossibly loud alarm. We all whipped our heads around to stare down the hall as door after door slid down from the ceiling, previously unseen, to prevent our escape. We were trapped.