Project - Prometheus Ch. 06

"According to Jaesa, both projectors and cameras are down. We'll have to replace them at some point in the near future. Let's get to work, ladies. Bridge out," Alex concluded before the transmission ended. Once the line was cut, both women breathed a sigh of relief, secure in the fact that they haven't been discovered.

Though Kasumi had dressed a little haphazardly, she relaxed and straightened out her clothes a little. She idly dusted off any grass or clods of dirt that stuck to her uniform. Natalya then scooped up her clothes and got dressed. Once clothed, she grabbed a couple more poms before heading out with Kasumi to grab some mandarins, as the captain had requested.

As they left the dry section of hydroponics and meandered towards the tropical area of the massive onboard garden. Both women were quiet for the first bit, before Kas broke the silence with a question.

"So, what exactly happened and what are we?"

"As much as I'd like to discuss particulars and revisit what we just did," Natalya purred as she continued on, "We really need to get back to the shipwright sector and finish that dropship." They had just arrived at a similar wall to the tropical zone, before Kas placed her palm on it, the wall opening as the one sealing off the dry zone had.

Kasumi looked a little crestfallen at Natalya's answer, breathing a sigh of disappointment. Nats raised her head with a finger on her chin, looking into the taller woman's eyes.

"We will discuss it, in every detail, but I want to get my family back first. Trust me, it will be worth the wait," Natalya promised, winking before pecking Kas on the cheek. Smiling a small smile, Kasumi followed along in Nats' wake, before she stopped at the mandarin orange trees and grabbed about half a dozen off the branches.

Kasumi grabbed a few for herself as these little beauties were also a favorite snack of hers. Once she had stowed them in one of her webbing packs, she led the Chief Engineer out of Hydroponics and towards the monorail station.

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Taal'ani stood next to Alex, viewing the hologram and the sensor data he had collected from his sweep. It wasn't much, since there were only a few functioning sensors that were fully calibrated, but it would have to be enough. She was busy working her magic with images that were collected, as Alex was going over a list of insertion points.

"OK, I've done the best I can. The model is rudimentary, but it should work given the time constraints we face," Talon iterated to the large Croatian. She was still a bit fussed, as she could have done more and provided a more accurate rendition, if she had more time.

The problem was, they were running short on that luxury. According to both the armor cam and the beacons that were built into the women's suits, they were merely a few minutes from engaging the enemy, or already had.

"It will have to do. You've already provided enough for me to select a scenario where we can walk away from this alive," Alex stated as he looked over the simulated terrain in front of him. "How are you at flying?"

"I'm nowhere near Inari's skill set, but I can pilot a ship well enough," Taal'ani said, confusion in her voice. "Why?"

"Because you are the one who's flying us down and providing us with the air support we need. I know that this is both high stakes and high risk, but both your captain and your friends need you to be at your best. Can I count on you?" Alex asked her, while setting her with an intense but resolute look.

Taal'ani had never been in any military, nor had she ever been in a full scale battle, but she could hold her own in a fight. Despite all of this, her friend's lives were at stake and she vowed to get them back home, whatever the cost. Fixing the captain with a look of her own, she straightened, drawing herself to her full height and snapped him a crisp salute.

"Always, sir!"

Alex stood at attention, returning the salute just as sharply. The set of his face was just as serious as hers and the look in his eyes was, for lack of a better term; iron resolve.

"Let's go over the plan then. From what I understand about this, I would guess that Korsa would want to find a place to put that massive blade of her to good use. My best guess is that would be here, at the northernmost point of the settlement. Lots of open space, with a soft incline leading up to edge point of the area. Seeing how she fought against the Sentries, these sorry SoB's will fall like wheat before a scythe," the big man started, as he gestured to holographic model.

"Korsa will probably lead the attack," Talon stated with finality.

"Why is that? Why not Lt. Commander Sunara?"

"Before she was part of our crew, Korsa, like all Khontarans, served in the Khontaran military. Apparently, she was quite a decorated soldier, if any of her stories are to be believed," Taal'ani explained. "If you don't believe what she tells you, her fervor and fury on the battlefield should be all you need to convince you of her merits. You don't get that good wielding four blades simultaneously as a grunt."

"I suppose that makes sense, considering the fact that Inari is a fighter pilot," Alex agreed, nodding to himself. "Since that is a safe assumption, what would the others do?"

"Well, Pree got pretty badly torched on her way down from what we know, so she won't be in direct combat. They set her up in a support position or something, where she won't engage the enemy directly," Talon continued.

"Very good. I would hazard a guess that Starwitch would lead a second front, somewhere along this point here," Alex gestured to the area westward of Korsa's assumed position.

"Quite likely and the fact they have guns, as well as some of the natives they are helping, that would be a huge advantage," the cat girl agreed.

"Indeed, but it's not ironclad, nor foolproof. We have to assume that that this chief has brought more warriors from his clan than he said he'd be bringing. Probably going to have them lie low until the negotiations begin," the captain deduced as he looked over the map.

"Korsa will likely be drawing a lot of attention and doubtless she'll need some additional support. Likely the natives will be there, backing her up, but it's here, where we'll be dropping in."

"We, sir?"

"Yes, we. I'm dropping in as well, to lend what aid I can to this fight. I know that both Chief Vostrikov and Commander McKenzie are seasoned and well-trained soldiers. In this battle, every body counts," the broad-chested man stated with a sense of finality.

"Who will pilot the Perseus?" Talon asked worriedly.

"That duty will fall to me, Specialist Taal'ani. Since you freed me from the constraints of the virus, I have been able to resume my duties aboard the Perseus. One of these duties includes piloting the ship should any extenuating circumstances arise. The current situation merits as such," Jaesa said as she materialized out of one of the holographic panels on the bridge. Before Talon could say another word, another hologram flared to life. This one displayed the image of Natalya, who seemed like she was eager to say something.

"Sir, the Hermes class dropship is ready. Tests are all green and the repeater cannons are fully functional. We will be ready to leave in ten minutes, as the ship is being transferred to the main hangar bay," Nats reported to the two of them.

"Very good Chief. You and Commander McKenzie report to the Armory on deck one-one-seven. Jaesa has informed me it is one of the few that is still functioning. Specialist Taal'ani and I will be there in several minutes," Alex responded, smiling warmly at his lover.

"Will do, sir! On our way now," Natalya answered. She returned the captain's smile before closing the channel. Talon looked at the terrain map one more time, before following the centuries old captain out, as he was already in motion to the elevator.

"Jaesa, you have the ship. Keep an eye on the prisoner in our absence and notify us if anything changes with her," Alex ordered as he and Taal'ani stepped into the elevator.

"Understood sir."

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Shazza languished in her cell, drying off from her recent shower. These humans continued to bring her food of outstanding quality and for that, she was grateful. They could have just given her slops for all she knew, or refused to feed her at all. At least they were far more civilized than she initially thought. Such manners, giving her food, clothing and a bed to sleep in, was a surprise, as her people were nowhere near as polite to their prisoners.

She shuddered at the thoughts that surfaced in her mind's eye, as Shazza remembered some more brutal ways she had seen such captives treated. As she finished toweling off, she had seen that the humans had also returned her underwear, but not her armored vacc suit. It was a longshot to hope for it back, but at least she could cover herself as she needed to.

Her thoughts strayed back to the lack of what she had and how her mission to end this ship had failed. Though she had to admit, it was a marvel of engineering. All the amenities that was required for a sentient being to survive were compacted into the small area. On top of which, the clothing they had supplied her was also of high quality. Maybe these humans weren't the savage primitives she had been led to believe.

That last thought played havoc on her mind. It was ingrained into her since childhood, that every other race other than the Xuul'khan, were primitive barbarians. The only right thing to do, was to cleanse the galaxy of such inferior beings, so that her people could take their rightful place as its rulers. That was the whole basis of their teachings and it was all they needed to know about understanding their enemies.

Though she did admit, to herself at least, that maybe some beings were worth sparing. Like that massive male specimen, who she guessed, was the one who commanded this ship. Or that sultry and fiery redheaded woman, who had a most pleasing body to look at. Her thoughts raced with many raunchy ideas of what she'd do to the both of them, should she ever have either of them at her mercy.

She shook her head as her Prince's voice came back to the forefront of her thoughts. Shazza wasn't sure if she was going crazy or something, but she was losing control of herself! That was something that had been trained out of her! She was supposed to be a cold, merciless and efficient killer, devoid of any feeling or sympathy!

The black-skinned woman agonized over these feelings and thoughts, going back and forth. One thought dominated her mind constantly over the day or two, the one thought that had initially sparked this war within her. Were the beliefs that she held so dear to herself, that she had been taught as the only way, the true way for her to live?

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Minutes after they left the main elevator, both Alex Tomisic and Taal'ani had jumped onto the monorail. They were currently flying down the rails to the main hangar bay, stopping at deck one-two-five. They hurried along and jumped on another elevator, quickly reaching their destination.

As both of them arrived at the doors, the sound of another door opening was heard by the two of them. Talon backpedaled a moment, craning her neck to see who it was. She spotted both Chief Vostrikov and Commander McKenzie hurrying over to them. Taal'ani also noticed something odd about them.

They both seemed to be in a rather bright mood, considering the earlier tension she picked up on. They were looking at each other as though they were friends and she also caught a whiff of some particular smell. It was far too faint for the cat girl to pick up on, so she filed away the thoughts for her to mull over later.

As they all filed into the room, both Nats and Talon couldn't help but gawk at the armor equipping frame that sat centralized in the room. Alex stood right by a holographic podium, entering various commands. A smile graced his face as he cycled through the various options that were displayed in front of him.

"Ladies, we're in luck. Not only is this armory functional, but we have full access to every piece of armor and weapon that resides on the Perseus," the captain enthused as finished entering several commands. Once it was complete, the hologram faded into the floor, which then lit up the area surrounding the frame.

As the bulky man strode away from the frame podium, Nats walked up to him and handed him the fruit she had grabbed from him earlier. Smiling, he took them from her hands and set them aside, while still holding one. Taal'ani looked at the oranges inquisitively, catching Alex's eye. He smirked, picked one up and lobbed it to her. The cat girl caught it and sniffed at it appreciatively.

"Commander, if you will demonstrate its use," the large man commanded, gesturing to the small podium, as he tore into one of the mandarins. Taal'ani was already into hers as she groaned in appreciation at the sweet and tart fruit. Kasumi had divested herself of her webbing, beret and outer layers of clothing, clad in only her skivvies and bra. She then stepped onto the central podium and waited.

The others looked at her in confusion, until they saw what seemed to be thousands of skittering insects, forming at her feet. They soon traveled upwards along her body, covering her in some sort of a black film. It was only then, that both Natalya and Taal'ani realized that the insects were nanonites, and they were creating Kas' vacc suit. In seconds, her entire form was covered in a mildly reflective black material, that fit her as snugly as though it had been painted on.

"Select your battle suit and weapons loadout Commander," Jaesa said, her voice startling everyone, even Alex.

"Myrmidon chassis Jaesa, with my usual loadout," Kas spoke as she stood there, with her arms out. The moment she finished speaking, mechanical arms popped out of the floor and ceiling, each one holding an armor piece. Rapidly, each piece was fitted to Kasumi's body frame, locking into place in synchronicity. The process took all of a minute to complete, but the effect was no less dramatic.

Kasumi McKenzie was enshrouded in an armor frame that made her look like the fierce warrior she was. The glistening silver grey armor plating glinted in the arming frames illuminating lights. Several areas of the suit were devoid of the solid plating and instead, additional nanonites went to work in the final seconds, crafting what looked like armor scales in the blank areas. Only when they were finished did Natalya understand why those areas were done last, as they were the connecting joints of the human body, which would need the greatest set of mobility, to be effective in battle.

Once the last of the nanonites were finished their work, did a rack of weapons rise out of the floor, loaded with four weapons. First off was a what looked like a hand cannon of some sort, but a modern day version of it. It was all silver and gold, with an updated cylinder, designed to hold more than the standard six bullets. That went into a holster at her hip, then she picked up what looked like a shotgun, with a drum magazine.

The moment she picked it up, Kas flicked a switch on it and it collapsed in on itself, compacting down to a smaller size. Once it had shrunk, she then placed it at the base of her spine. Kasumi then collected what was obviously an auto rifle, checked the weapon, before tucking it over her shoulder, where it magnetized to her armor. Kas let go of the weapon and stepped away from the arming frame, gesturing for one of the other women to step into it.

Natalya, bristling with excitement, nearly jumped into the frame, after having also stripped down like Kasumi had. She waited for the mechanical insectoids to finish their work before cycling through the armor frame selections.

"Are you looking for something in particular Chief?" Jaesa asked.

"Actually, yes. I need an armor frame that can take a hit, but at the same time, offer a good deal of mobility. Even though I have training as a soldier, I prefer not to be in an extended firefight," Nats answered.

"For that, I would recommend the Hoplite chassis. It's light than Commander McKenzie's frame, but allows for a greater range of motion and comes equipped with a jump pack, allowing you to make rocket propelled jumps from place to place," the AI explained.

"Absolutely! Hoplite chassis it is! Also, set me up with a sidearm and a scout rifle with full automatic capability," Natalya commanded. The surrounding machinery whirred in compliance, arming the Trini-Rus woman as effectively as it did Kasumi. In less than a minute, Nats was armed and armored, as she took the proffered weapons from the podium that appeared. Natalya then stepped off and allowed Talon to step into the frame.

"Well, since I'm piloting the dropship, I'll need whatever sort of rig that a pilot would wear and I will require a sidearm, so that I can at least defend myself, should things go south," the cat-girl stated. The nanonites completed their work on Taal'ani within thirty seconds, as all she needed was some basic vambraces, a chest plate and an open-faced helmet, along with the vacc suit like material.

Stepping away from the mechanized armorer, she scooped up the pistol that was waiting for her. The only one left unarmed was the captain. He had already divested himself of his uniform, which was folded neatly on a nearby table. Talon couldn't help but get herself an eyeful of the mostly naked captain. Nats hadn't been exaggerating when she said he was solidly built. The man was a walking Adonis, chiseled masculine perfection.

He stepped into the frame, waiting for his suit form. Once it had, he called out, "Phalanx chassis Jaesa. This is going to be one hell of a fight and I intend to give as good as I get."

"Very good, sir. Ranged weapon loadout?"

"Stormbreaker and the Wolf's Fangs will do," Alex said as he stood with his arms out, waiting for the mechanical arms to complete their job. His armor suit took twice as long as Kasumi's but that was due to its size and complexity. His entire upper torso was encased in a solid breastplate, with guards up near his head, fully covering his neck. His arms and legs were placed into an additional framework, comprising a multitude of mechanical moving parts, which only moved when he did. Armor plates went over these areas, furthering his transformation into a titanic juggernaut.

Once it was finished, his six foot six frame now towered at well over seven feet in height, appearing like he'd be capable of tearing his enemies to pieces. There was little doubt that Alex could likely do that if he was so inclined. He then stepped away from the arming frame, the suit's heavy footfalls clomping loudly.

On the podium next to him, lay three weapons. One, was a massive heavy machine gun customized due to its red and gold frame. It looked both sexy and dangerous and the caliber of bullets were large, at least fifteen millimeters each. No way anything would be able to walk away from those bastards.

The other two weapons were matching machine pistols, of a similar color scheme to the machine gun. The biggest difference was the fact that muzzles were in the shape of snarling wolf's heads. The captain scooped up each weapon before stowing them within his armor, though the machine gun wound up strapped to his back.

"One final thing, before you all leave," Jaesa said, catching their attention. Right by the main podium, another rack rose out of a panel in the floor. It stopped abruptly, the weapons on it clinking quietly. Laid out neatly on the rack, was an array of hand to hand weapons, from simple knives to spears well over six feet in height. At the end of the rack, stood two weapons in particular, that seemed to have been set aside. Kasumi started at the sight of one of the weapons, which she was surprised to see there.