Chapter 12: Soul sneakers
“The ship’s hull is under attack. I know this wasn’t the plan but it’s doesn’t appear to be intelligent life forms. Just some crazy beasts from this planet. Maybe you can deal with them if you want a ship to come back to that is.”, Bones says bleakly.
I hit Accept, mentally. Then hesitate for a second before we head back towards the ship to see what the hell is attacking the ship. Another message pops up, not now!
NEW QUEST
Save the Crew!
Your spaceship is under attack from hostile entities.
Maybe you can at least save the Crew!
Accept: Yes/No
Accept, Yes. Ok they are beasts. That makes more sense. I breathe out a sigh of relief. I wondered how the hell anyone could have gotten to us so quickly, even if we had been spotted.
As we get nearer I have to put my hands over my ears. Quite frankly it’s deafening. A large amount of creatures big and small are squashed up against the ship, jostling for position. You might wonder how I can see them in the dark. Well it’s quite simple actually, it’s like a mini 4th of July. Sparks are flying everywhere as they quite literally rip into the ship.
This multi-verse is something I will clearly need to acclimatise to more. I think I need that ability at at least level 100. Metal eating monsters was not in any of my plans A-Z. Bones informs me they are not metal eating but are simply heading straight for the engine room attracted by the energy cells.
They are Ore beasts, apparently. Beasts that have evolved to survive on such mineral rich planets as this, by consuming ore deposits.
We manage to drive off the smallest ones with consistent blasts from our energy weapons. However they have little or no effect on the larger ones. And using explosives in such close proximity to the ship, would do more damage than the little buggers, if that’s possible.
“Any ideas, Bones”, I say plaintively.
“Choices are few. If they get to the engine room. That’s the end of the ship. You are our priority Adam. Our prime directive, as the last remaining crew member is to protect you. If we take the ship into orbit, you will be safe from the blast radius. “, Bones says earnestly.
“Can we not just get rid of the energy? No energy, no explosion?” I say plaintively.
“We could try getting rid of engine cores manually or by burning up energy. Burning up engine core energy to fast, has its own complications. It could lead to the ship blowing up anyway. We’ll try getting you and as many engine cores off the ship as we can. That could stop the ship going boom. Or at least, less of a boom.” Bones says hurriedly.
“Couldn’t flying make them fall off or die, in space?” I speculate, desperately racking my brains.
“Well we could get the ship airborne. But the hull is already too damage, for us to get into space. We will take it as high and far as we can, after ejecting you, in a pod.” says Bones
“Of course trying to save the ship is a prime directive too. Ok. But that will most probably mean bye, bye Bones and you just get to see a load of fireworks before we all die. The blast wave and fall out should kill even you. When they do get to the cores.” Bones says flatly.
“We go for plan A then, lose as many cores as possible to reduce the blast and get the ship as far away as possible, so we don’t get vaporised. I’m coming in with the Sarbs.” I say as I frantically signalling, the Sarbs, to join me.
I rush to the nearest teleport. “How much time do we have, Bones?” I ask as I step into the teleport.
“Just a second”, He says.
I freeze at the words. As I’m teleported to near the engine room, along with all the Sarbs.
“He doesn’t mean that, Adam. You have at least 15 minutes.” says Libby. WTF. I think momentarily but then my thoughts are interrupted.
“I would say approximately 17 minutes. 5 minutes to get the cores out. 8 minutes to get off the ship. 5 minutes for the ship to get the hell away from you. No problem. Once you have 50 cores each head out. Ok”, Bones says.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
“Bones. Were at the engine room, give me some direction here.” I say in a strained voice. Don’t go off on a tangent here Bones.
After, Bones has instructed me on removal of the first core. It’s easy as pie to start removing the cores. Once I have fifty from all of us in my bag, I move out of the room but I notice something maybe I should have known before. There is a whole corridor of identical rooms, here.
“Bones, what’s going on? There is no way we can remove all the cores”, I say deeply worried now.
“Don’t stop. God what are you doing! Just keep moving! Take your fifty out of there. I’ve got droids removing cores in the other rooms. The rest of the core energy can be expended. But we need those off the ship, otherwise they might as well be in the engine room. Adam!” Bones says in panic.
Bones using my name snaps me out of it. “Ok. Time, Bones”, I say.
Then get my sorry ass out of there. I hit the teleport button and get in. I wonder if these dam things are highly radioactive. Engine energy cores of a space ship. Just maybe. As I have a terrific headache.
I make it to the ejector pod or whatever they’re calling this thing. Safety. And within seconds I’m hurtling back towards the planet.
I still have coms with the ship, so I ask “Dropping me over water I presume.”
“Not exactly. With those cores on you you’re still a target for the Ore beasts. So I’ve sent you towards a mining area. You just need to get inside the perimeter of the mine. They have a field that confuses the beasts.” Bones announces.
“Ok. Does this thing have a parachute or anything? And is this bye, bye, Bones. I’m sure going to miss you. You’ve been the best AI I’ve ever met, all be it the only one.” I say belatedly.
The blast wave hits. A parachute would not have worked. My pod is fired at high speed, like an egg at a fridge door, riding on the initial shock wave. I smash into something and lights out.
I awaken dazed a few seconds later. To see the irrefutable message before my eyes:
QUEST FAILED
Save the Ship!
Your spaceship is under attack from hostile entities.
Do something otherwise everything will go Boom!
You failed to save the Ship.
At least I get a consolation message:
QUEST COMPLETED
Combat the Stench Your space ship is becoming a disgrace.
Sort that smell out now!
Congratulations? You certainly used a very unconventional method to remove the smell. Next time maybe just try air freshener.
QUEST COMPLETED
Save the Crew!
Your spaceship is under attack from hostile entities.
Maybe you can at least save the Crew!
Ability Upgraded.
I go to my Abilities tab:
Absorb, Level 2 – Your body can absorb things from around you, such as water in the atmosphere to decrease dehydration.
Looking around there is no discernible damage, to myself or the pod. Ok, I guess this was what it was created for but I’m still impressed by Galtan tech. I foolishly decide to get out.
Suddenly I am way up high. Too high. I look around wildly at my new surroundings. I am up on some kind of metal gantry, maybe. The pods behind me, half buried, impacted into the steel beneath it. Lucky I was able to open the door. I close it, wishing I had one of those “Beep. Beep” car keys. I guess it should be safe enough. Safer than me at any rate.
I must be at least a half a kilometre up. Down below I can see rocky terrain, scarred by relentless mining. That’s how my body should be but as I look down I look fine. Naked but fine. I am only a little surprised, Bones came through again. What a guy. I will surely miss you bud.
I stare blankly then remember where I am and look around again at my surroundings.
There are great turrets at intervals along the structure, dumping out fumes, by the bucket load. I turn and have to raise my hands to block the bright sun streaming through great clouds of smoke. In the distance I can make out towers, with what look like platforms on them.
NEW QUEST
Survive the Blast wave!
Your spaceship has exploded, causing a massive blast wave!.
You might want to get out of the way.
Accept: Yes/No
Something pops up but I am temporarily blinded. There is a flash of light so intense, it’s like sticking my head in a furnace and I have to crouch down to stop myself being blown off. Next I’m hit by a car or maybe a preverbal freight train, that is on fire evidently. As I feel my skin crisping, like I’ve been sunbathing in the Kalahari Desert.
I temporarily lose consciousness but find out that I’m still up top, pushed up against one of the turrets. Makes a change I suppose to not be in a chest.
The wind roars. And I can see debris scattering in the turbulent wind all about me and realise my ears are wet, bleeding. That explains it. No actually it explains nothing. What kind of hell has Bones got me into now?
QUEST COMPLETED
Survive the Blast wave!
Your spaceship has exploded, causing a massive blast wave!.
You might want to get out of the way.
Congratulations! Somehow you managed to survive the blast!
New Ability Unlocked.
“I don’t believe it can be quite considered hell. And I don’t mean to rub it in or anything but I just saved your life. Well our lives actually. As you can see yours truly is here. Actually I really did this time. As despite your ability to not die, I don’t think even you, Adam. Could survive a 50 mega ton blast. So yes I did.” he says adamantly.
“Bones!” I think, laughing with unadulterated joy. I then take a peek at my new ability:
Heat Resistance (passive), Level 1 – Your skin has a greater resistance to pyro energies. 1% resistance gained.