Chapter 18: The Prisoner part 3

As the men had taken faith and listened to the TTF soldier. They all let him adjust their signals.

The soldier sighed and put his hand on Nubasiks shoulder.

“I will state, right here, right now. This has no guarantee to work and if it doesn’t. I am sorry but right now. It's our best chance. This signal will render us visibly, these creatures were meant to hunt by sight. For a lot of reasons, though they have night vision and thermal vision. This signal will send waves to their brains, making us technically non existent to them, but trust me. As I have seen it, you do or make a sound that causes alert. Consider yourself dead. They will pound and attack right at the area of sound, but it needs to be sudden or very loud. I guarantee at least one of us won't make it for this reason. Now, any questions?” he finished off.

Revin raised his hand, “Won’t steps alert them?” he asked.

“Not really, steps are common but they're smart. Light or heavy, they won't risk jumping at steps. Who knows what is causing them!” replied the TTF Soldier.

“What if we encounter other creatures? Will they attack them?” asked one of the sergeants.

“That depends, if it's an Obix. they won't even bother with sounds and run. Which means we should run too. Now, we are wasting time! Let's go!” exclaimed the TTF Soldier.

All the soldiers shrugged and took formation as they moved.

“What is an Obix?” asked one of the soldiers.

“Personally, I never encountered one but the stories were of a large and hastily beast. That could rip vehicles apart in seconds. They like small meals, basically due to their mouth size, but our experiments feared them. Ignoring any orders given to them. One thing I do know, the sound they make.” stated the soldier as they moved.

“Why didn’t they use creatures from this planet on the war fronts?” asked Nubrasik.

“Just attempting to capture most of them would result in high casualties!” the TTF soldier stated.

Suddenly 1 of the soldiers had stepped on unstable ground and as it broke loose. He fell, one of the recon soldiers tried to grab him but fell down. Bushes could be heard moving and rustling. Some of the soldiers were about to jump down to assist until the TTF soldier had stopped them in time.

“WAIT!!” he shouted and stared. Not even seconds later, the whole group was terrified. The men had been slashed deeply, all they did was blink and they heard screaming from the 2 while being dragged off.

“WHAT THE FUCK!!” yelled one of the Sergeants.

“Shhh, keep it down before they pounce!” the TTF soldier told him.

Just then, the TTF soldier stood frozen still as a loud roar could be heard in the distance.

It echoed with a shaky and ferousis sound. The others could tell from his face, to run.

As they all were about to begin bolting. He stopped them.

“Are the little ones running? *he is looking around* we run only if they do. So far, they aren’t and that means that it isn’t an issue… for now.” he said calmly.

“The Nav system shows we aren’t too far from the piece. Though we may need to hurry this up. There is a small tunnel nearby that we could use. Should we be safer than walking in the open, either way. We need to move it!” exclaimed one of the sergeants.

“If it’s not full of those little fuckers.” stated the TTF Soldier

As the group started towards the tunnel, Nubrasik had a bad feeling.

“We will blow the entrance to the tunnel, but we need to make sure we have a detonator. We don’t want to accidentally blow ourselves in.” he ordered.

“Well, that's not a bad idea but do we have any explosives?” asked one of the Star Corps soldiers.

“Jack has 3 charges. That's all we need, but we need to be careful. We don't know what's in here.” stated Nubrasik as they approached the tunnel.

The tunnel was man made but by an older race. The G.T.M.I. had added onto it. The sides of the tunnel, there were 2 statues of 2 entities holding spheres. It reminded him of a fond memory.

Of when Nubrasik had gone through his trials back home. For his house, the House of Archon. The entrance to the trials had 2 statues built similarly to these ones, but with Brasnik instead.

As they entered the tunnel, Nubrasik kept having flashes of that day. His older brother, younger brother, and younger sister had to do the trail together. He entered the tunnel with the other soldiers and its layout was very similar to the trial. They had to wear their archon armor and complete the trial in it.

As they walked through the tunnel, Nubrasik remembered how their eldest brother bolted in at the start and kept ahead of them. His youngest sister picked up their youngest brother and jumped into action. The first part of the trials was platform jumping. He chuckled at the memory of their younger brother, he wasn’t a brasnik. He is a human, adopted, clinging to their sister till they reach the other side. Their sister is always caring and knew their younger brother would have a hard time. He chuckled more at the thought. As they entered the area of the tunnel, full of storage supplies. It reminded him of the section of the trial, to steal their set item and get out of the room before traps went off. Their youngest brother was probably the quickest there, something he was better at. Stealing shit and escaping.

One of the soldiers noticed Nubrasiks chuckling, but didnt say anything.

The memory of that part was always funny. Their older brother had reached the challenge first but couldn't get his designated item out of its case. Their youngest sister couldn't even find hers and Nubrasik was the last to find him and their youngest brother used him as a booster to escape. He was in fact, an ape. Nubrasik laughed at that thought. Remembering how this 4 limbed and small ape used him just jump higher and grab his rope and get out, the little prick even set off some traps to stall us. This felt Nubrasik with joy, remembering a funny memory.

One of the soldiers stopped and looked at him. “What's so funny 4 arms?”

“This tunnel brings back memories, good ones if you believe it.” he replied.

The man shrugged and continued.

As they came to the end of the tunnel with a bright light in sight, Jack blew the explosives that were planted. The tunnel rumbled as they exited the tunnel. The last part of the memory flashed to him before they did anything else.

“Oh shit, there's our destination!” yelled one of the men.

They begin to run, the last flash came to him. They entered the final challenge of their trail. They had to get their designated item to a stand. First place would pass the trail, but they had to fight each other. Nubrasik chuckled again, remembering how their youngest brother kicked all of their asses. Using his augmentations to beat the shit out of their older brother,then he went easy on our sister (2 hit knockout), and finally he beat Nubrasik by head butting him.

“That fearsome little shit!” he said under his breath. “It was that sheer will power that made me know that you are one of us…. I hope you’re safe…. Little brother.” he let the memory

The team had reached the segment and had gotten to the section that had been broken off from the orbital battle.

“What the hell happened up there? We shouldn't have met such space farrying resistance! Not even from the bandits!” exclaimed Revan.

“We were attacked by devils, so they probably threw a fleet at ours, to just break through.” replied Nubrasik.

Revan was looking at his nav system. He was looking at potential routes but due to the ships loss of power and broken components. Almost no data could be collected, just an original map.

“Well, depending on what's still together, not broken, and intact. We just need to go through a hatch nearby and take a small emergency stairway. Then we can access the main communication section. finally, If I’m right, this was one of the battery and flight control sections. Which means, there should definitely be a communications array, just that I can’t guarantee thats even in 1 piece!” explained Revan.

“Pieces….” replied one of the Sergeants.

“Shut the hell up dude!” replied one of the other Sergeants. Revan had directed the group to the hatch that he spoke of. As they opened it, they heard light screeching sounds and small barks.

The TTF soldier started to push everyone in and closed the hatch.

“The experiments are here and called for help! Get in now!” the TTF soldier yelled.

At that very moment, Admiral Val was fighting the Devil Brasnik. The squad had pushed inside and were following Revan to the communication room. As they followed him for a good 10 minutes. They could hear the things climbing outside and trying to get in.

“I guess there are almost no entrances to the inside. Otherwise, we would have been swarmed by now.” the TTF stated.

“Yeah, we got lucky. We would be even luckier if that com station is still online.” stated Revin.

“Well, lucky the devils did not send any more drones, they are usually relentless!” shouted Nubrasik.

“Yeah, any idea why they were here?” asked Revin.

“I can only think of 4 reasons. A VIP amongst the fleet, a diversion attack for supplies hijacking, they wanted to fight, or me. Thought, a diversion or fight. I have no idea why they would choose a Coalition fleet.” replied Nubrasik.

“Wait. a VIP or you? What made you say that?” asked one of the Sergeants.

Nubrasik stopped and everyone else stopped shortly after. He stood there, as they stared.

“I am a prince of the Archon house.and my younger brother, who is also a prince. Is also in the 3rd fleet. They might have caught wind of us.” he told them.

Revin and everyone else was shocked.

“PRINCE?!” everyone exclaimed.

Nubrasik nodded, “Yep, prince. I am telling you all this, in case I do not make it off this rock. Now, how many of you will keep this secret?” Nubrasik spoke.

They all looked at each other and nodded. They continued on their way and made it to the com room. As Revin began to set up a connection to the fleet. The TTF was curious.

“So Nabasik?” he started.

“Nubrasik.” he corrected him.

“Nubrasik, right. So why didn't you tell anyone before? That you were a prince?” he asked with a brow raised.

“Protection. Being an Archon already puts a target on my back, but if I told everyone I am a prince. Treatment would be different and I wouldn't be left alone. I'd be hunted every day.” Nubrasik explained.

“Then your brother, is it the same story?” the TTF asked.

“No, believe it or not. Other than being a human. No one but the Archons head members. Family and armed forces know of his identity. Plus we took him in when he was a teen. I think… 14? I can't remember. He just returned to his… uh…. Flock?” he explained.

Revin laughed, “He had reasons to leave. You just can’t or won’t say. You know or don’t know, I feel I may know who it is. Either way, shut up. I got a connection. I just nee---” Revin was interrupted by a bullet hitting the window.

“DEVIL SMITES!” shouted one of the soldiers. Suddenly a rain of bullets filled the room.

Nubrasik hopped onto the microphone, shoving a body off of it.

“This is Lance Corporal Nubrasik Aerdon, we are held up in the… (he sees the screen, showing information on the ship) support ship! We are holding off a swarm and a small force of Devil Smites! Requesting support and evac! We have an important prisoner! We need immediate evac!” he shouted into the microphone.

he backed away and looked at the body, the one he shoved off. It was one of the recon sergeants. All they could do was hide, hoping the experiments and smites would kill each other.

Minutes passed, hearing the 2 go at it and shoot at them. A roar filled the sky and many loud BRRRRT’s.

A gunship had been sent to retrieve them and it had been filled with heavy weapons. The group had climbed out the broken windows and onto the top. As the remaining men and the TTF climbed aboard the gunship.

“Buckle up shit heads, we got another squad to assist in evac! Buckle up buckaroos!” shouted the pilot. Nubrasik was shooting at smites and experiments as it took off. Relieved to be sorta out of the hot spot…. For now.