Space Odyssey: Spectre
Chapter 614: Heavy Package
He moved to a console that was near the reactor. Listening to the hum of the device it sounded so... inefficient. He knew it was all they had developed at the time. But it still hurts to see. Which was not the reason why they were taking it.
They were taking it because it was not something the locals could understand for at least another hundred years. He could not destroy the power source either. It was not something that he even had an idea to do. He could release it, but the damage that would cause to this system would be astronomical.
He pulled a few switches and turned a few knobs on the analog console. Once he finished he looked at the power source as the hum slowly started to disappear. The light from the reactors disappeared as well. The connected piping made a wisp noise as it fell away from the power source.
Eventually the room was quiet and the facility was running on emergency power. Jace moved forward and pressed his boot against something on the ground. There was a crisp pop as the power source container popped up slightly. Jace pulled it to the side through the rails and it slid away before stopping once nothing was acting on it. The weight of the power source was enough to bring it down to the ground.
Jace moved back over to the console and pulled a lever. When he did, the lights in the facility switched to red. Or at least the few that were left lit up. Leaving most of the facility in the dark as he moved back over to the power source and began pushing it on the rails. Going toward the hallway before slowly going to the right. Toward the nearest airlock.
"Jace we are seeing movement from the mining colony and one of the watcher fleets." West announced over the communication channel as he began to get closer to the next turn in the rails.
"What are their destinations?" Jace asked through a grunt as the gravity in the facility switched off. The local facilities’ dormant systems were working through what they could cut off to save on power for necessary systems. His boots’ magnetic locking activated and he latched onto the floor. But it did make the power source easier to move.
"It looks like the cluster of ships is coming towards the far side of the facility from us. But the watcher fleet is moving on an intercept path for our route out of the system." West announced after getting an analysis done.
Jace thought about it for a moment as he turned another corner on the path and spotted the airlock in the distance. "Leave the mining colony ships alone. They are probably coming to get the facility. If I am right, Oni gave them a heads up. As for the watcher fleet, keep an eye on them but we do not attack unless they attack first. If they block our path we will disable them or go through them depending on what we decide later." Jace told them as he pushed the power source towards the airlock.
Once he was at the airlock the door opened and the power source slid off the rails and into the airlock. Jace followed it in and slammed the door panel once he was inside as the power source containment unit floated next to him. When he did the airlock vented the atmosphere, pressurizing the room before the outer doors opened.
Jace demagnetized his boots and kicked off the ground, pushing the containment unit forward into the void of space. Which occupied the space between the facility and the Lance of Thanatos. "I am out of the facility."
"We see you." Cain announced, "adjust your flight course up three degrees."
Jace released a bust of air through his boots through the enhancements and he moved up slightly. He could already hear Cain crunching the numbers for the next adjustment he would want Jace to make. "The other watcher fleets are moving into the same intercept path as the first one." West announced.
The watcher fleets were the various groups and ships that were sent to watch them. They were not close enough for them to be aggressive, but they were close enough for them to watch Jace and his people. But now that they were leaving, they were probably acting on standing orders of some kind. Not that it would matter to Jace, the Lance of Thanatos could tear through anything in this galaxy like it was paper.
"Leave them." Jace answered with a grunt as he floated toward the cruiser. "But spin up our weapons, with that many minds and heads clashing together, there is bound to be someone that will fire on us without reason or because they panicked."
Jace was already picking up on a signal coming from the mining colony. "We have a communique from the mining colony. Do you want me to put them on directly through to your armor’s communication channel?" Valkyrie asked, she was on communication duties at the moment since she could not be anywhere near combat.
"No, just use the public access channel. It is less encrypted but I have a feeling this is a conversation we want the watcher fleet to overhear." Jace answered as he connected to the channel. He had the time because he would be floating through the space for at least another minute or two. But on his visor appeared the course adjustments that he needed to make that were from Cain.
He adjusted his course as he listened to the public channel. "Umm... this is the new Governor and current Militia leader of Kuiper-038 Mining Colony, reaching out to Gladiator of the unknown facility. We have been alerted that you are vacating the facility, may we have permission to occupy it?"
"Permission granted, I assume you want it to boost the amount of space you have." Jace answered. "You are welcome to use the empty facility. My people are departing to find a way back to our galaxy. I wish you all the best of luck." Jace told them before dropping the communication but still listening to the channel.
"You heard our neighbor! They left us their house, it would only be appropriate if we took possession of it." The man announced and Jace pulled off the channel as the watcher fleet started moving. They were no longer blocking the Lance of Thanatos’ course but would likely follow them instead. Not that they would be able to follow them for very long.
Jace arrived at the airlock to find it open and slid right in. When he did he moved the containment unit to the ground and magnetically locked his boots down before he triggered the airlock sequence. The door to space closed and then the mechanism in the center turned and locked.
Once it did the lights in the airlock switched from red to the normal whitish yellow as air began to fill the room from the vents. He could feel and hear the moment the gravity reactivated. The containment unit slammed against the ground as he felt gravity affect him. When he felt it he realized the gravity was the increased amount they had discussed using. It would not affect them and would actually slowly build up their strength over time.
Then the inner doors opened to reveal the cart and Gaz waiting for him. The cart was a basic reinforced one with wheels and a harness not just for Gaz but for Jace as well. Jace reached down as he demagnetized his boots and hauled the containment unit for the power source into his arms.
He groaned as he slowly walked forward steadily out of the airlock. His arms were straining as he held it. He realized almost immediately that he would probably drop it in a few seconds if he did not set it down. He hobbled over to the cart and set it down. When he did there was a loud creak of metal as the bottom of the cart bowed slightly from the weight.
"Garggh!" Gaz called out as Jace took a moment to breathe.
"I know." Jace answered as he moved back and stumbled. He then closed the airlock and moved over to the other harness. "I was just taking a moment to rest. Picking up that thing is difficult for me and I could probably lift a mountain." Jace explained.
They then began dragging the cart and could hear the squeal of the wheels. "Cain I am aboard." Jace spoke over the cruiser’s open channel. "Gaz and I are taking the power source to the reactor room."
"Understood. The watcher fleet is moving to follow us. When do you think you will get up here to provide the new set of coordinates?" Cain asked.
Jace gritted his teeth as they turned a corner. He picked the closest airlock. But it would still be a bit of distance. "Give us ten minutes to get this to the reactor room. This thing is not light."
"How is it not light? Isn’t it just combusting gasses?" Shilla chimed in from what was probably the VR room.
"I am essentially carrying a condensed sun inside a containment unit that can contain it." Jace pointed out through gritted teeth. "You try carrying it."