Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 519: Unlucky Thirteen II

"The hatch closed!" Gene called out in shock.

"Then we look for another." Cain told them. "Or another way in. I would suggest going down to the repair docks themselves to see if we can find another way in. If Colonel Jace gave up on hacking the hatch there is no point in us attempting to do the same."

Valkyrie looked in a direction then glanced at the mechs fighting above. "This way." She began gliding over the side of the ship toward the repair facility. "My small drones were outfitted with a complete set of sensors. Including cameras. Turns out the repair facility is blocking most of the damage."

"Meaning there are a number of holes from previous damage that are being hidden. This is sounding more and more like they set up a trap." Shinobi pointed out.

As they moved to the side of the ship they began sliding down. Cain jumped off the side and propelled himself outward as the rest of them were still shooting or destroying the diamond shaped drones and he decided he would only be getting in the way.

Once he was down on the ground he looked around until he found a console and began running toward it. The area seemed to mostly be running by using the diamond shaped drones for maintenance. Some larger ones that were near the ship almost seemed to be slowly materializing the ship’s hull and other structures.

That was some technology that might be useful for later. But for now he needed to prioritize opening a section of the ship up. So he moved to a station that seemed to be a relay station and connected. Almost immediately being digitally attacked as the defenses triggered.

But he blocked them as he attacked several different information centers. Forcing them to split their focus while he secretly accessed the Mortella’s hangar doors and began opening them. "Mechs. A hangar has been opened up. Keep in mind we will not be able to communicate with each other while inside the ship. They have a ship-wide jamming signal that is blocking long distance communication." Cain explained quickly as he began detaching himself from the relay since the Mortella seemed to be making a surprising amount of progress in hacking his systems.

"Thank you Cain. What happened to the others?" Colvert asked.

"They made it into the ship and we lost contact. It would be best that you hold and secure that hangar until further notice. Try to access as much information about the ship and its occupants from that hangar as possible." Cain told them. "But you would know better about its space capabilities than us. So make a record of it."

"Understood and may the gods be with you." Colvert answered.

Cain moved toward the side of the ship as the rest of his team began moving to the ship as well. He needed to not worry about the others and prioritize his own team at the moment. Along with the emergency plan that was in place in the event of the other’s death. The plan that none of the others knew about.

Because regardless, they were going to give their galaxy the time they would need to be ready.

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The hallway was a path of destruction and debris as they moved down it. Victor was slicing through drones with his axes. Shilla was smashing them with a mace, sending some flying towards other ones. Jamal was shooting the more distant ones with his rifle as they moved. Ignius was taking control of the ones that got close enough and were using them to fight back.

Jace was seemingly not doing much of anything while they moved. But he was actually looking through the Mortella ship schematics that he acquired when touched the ship. Cain should have the same set of schematics soon enough. But for now they would be making their way to what appeared to be the ship’s power center.

But as they rounded a corner at an intersection he froze in a moment of shock as a large power armor flew right past the others and tackled him. Before he could react he was flying down the hall under the explosive force of the power armor’s jetpack.

When he finally did react he pulled the modified Pyre out of its holster and fired several shots into its jetpack. The power armor and him crashed into the ground before Jace kicked it off and slowed himself down before looking back down the hall to see the ambush that was going on.

The constant stream of diamond shaped drones had been to lull them into a false sense of security while these winged angels set up their ambush. As for the power armor that was behind him and the other one that was coming from the hall he just flew down. They were clearly here to act as a distraction for him. But he doubts they thought they could take him down.

But just as he went to draw his weapon. There was a sudden hum and walls of yellow light appeared on either side of him and beneath him. Jace frowned as he realized he was trapped. He then further frowned as he noticed that the shielding that was trapping him was magnetic in nature, instead of being electric. So he was not able to disable it with a touch. This was specifically prepared for him.

{The Spectre specimen has been captured.} One of the Power Armored Mortella announced. {The greatest threat has been neutralized. What now?} They were talking over their own private network through the ship.

Jace had managed to access it so he could listen in. But it might not help as much as he hoped since he had already been captured and needed to find a way out of this cage.

{Bring them to the sealing chamber. The damage to the external parts of the ship is affecting our command center. So we have set up here for now.} Jace recognized that voice. That was General Ariel. The person or being who was in charge of this fleet and ship.

Suddenly there was a louder humming as the yellow magnetic shielding shrunk slightly and then the Mortella Power Armors placed handles on either side of it to carry him. Jace hummed as he watched them and felt them carry him.

The Power Armor’s they were using, like the mech they encountered outside were all based on the Holy Empire’s designs. It seems they were having to resort to scavenging because their resources had been so badly depleted. It was not like they had run into any more weapons, but Jace had essentially turned their command ship into swiss cheese before they had to run with their tail between their legs which only further damaged the ship and probably caused additional losses.

He was soon carried over to his companions who were disarmed and shackles were being locked over their arms and wrists. The only one who seemed unbothered was Shilla as she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I am surprised you have not broken out yet." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

The Power Armor’s both flinched and looked at Jace panic. But Jace shook his head with a frown. "Can’t. This is magnetically powered. It is not using a hint of electricity. It is basically a bubble of rubber. I think they specifically designed or created this for me. What do you think?"

"I think it makes you look stupid." Shilla countered with a chuckle but a sharp look entered her eyes that were hidden behind the humor. Understanding the hidden meaning behind Jace’s words.

She yelped in surprise as she was pulled to her fight while another of the two winged angels took their weapons. The only one that was still armed was Jace. But that was because they could not get to him to disarm him without releasing him from the cage they cleverly trapped him inside of.

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Bartholomew frowned as he kicked the destroyed mech away and looked at the other two who just finished bombarding the ship. The fleet was only a shell of what it could have been. That was clear enough.

"Cain said he opened a door. Right?" He asked over the channel as the others finished with the base defenses.

"Yeah... Is it me? Or was that a lot easier than we initially thought?" Colvert asked in shock.

"You are right." Sol answered in an annoyed tone. "It appears most of their ships and defenses were running on fumes. I hate to admit it, but if they were fully stocked and ready, this might be a different conversation entirely."

"Meaning Colonel Jace’s counter attack did more damage than he or anyone else expected? Then what was the meaning of this...?" Colvert seemed genuinely confused as he did not know what to call this resistance that was barely upheld.

Bartholomew frowned as he slowly moved around the ship and began to pick up a massive amount of energy building up inside the ship. "What the hell is that?"