Project - Prometheus Ch. 16

"Done your shopping for the day I assume?" Alex asked.

"You could say that sir," Korsa replied as both her and Shazza were snacking on a pom.

They headed straight for the kitchen and found an empty fridge to deposit the food into. Once they were done, the sat at the table with their crew mates, digging into the platters that lay in front of them. Inari and the rest of them walked in maybe minutes later, each one of them hungry for some food.

"Ah! I see that you and Shazza are back. Did you get everything on the list?" Inari asked Korsa.

"Yes, we did. Just placed it all in the fridge maybe five minutes ago," Shazza replied for the big woman. "Grabbed a few snacks that were too tasty to pass up."

"Can't fault you for that!" Inari laughed as she watched both women annihilate what remained of the pom.

"So, Commodore, what's our next move?" Natalya asked. Though they were boyfriend and girlfriend, she respected him and his position. Since she was his subordinate, showing deference was proper protocol.

"Well, after we finish up here, Inari and Priya will head on down in the Hephaestus and retrieve the Darkstrider. After the ship has been secured aboard the Perseus, salvage ops will resume. The rest of us will head on down to the Ahl'kanin dome and begin our investigation into those caverns. The Sentries have mapped out a fair bit of it thus far, but more of it should be explored," Alex said.

He then brought up a holographic image render of the cave network. It was immense and from what the Sentries had scanned thus far, it was much larger than they thought. The general direction of the caves led southward, to the Dead Snows. The Sentries, per their instructions, had pressed on deeper into the murk. So far, they had discovered nothing, but there was still much to be explored.

"Looks like you were right sir," Kasumi said out loud. "That cave does lead to the Dead Snows! Makes me wonder what we'll find down there."

"I'll admit, I'm a fair bit curious about that as well. Jaesa, how are those hover carts coming?" Alex asked.

"Just finished constructing the fourth one sir. The Sentries are loading them aboard the Hermes as we speak. It should be enough to take a large crew with you. I also added on Sentry docking points, per your instructions," the AI responded.

"Hover carts?" Natalya wondered.

"What? You didn't think we were going walk the whole way in those caves? Sure, it's good exercise, but we have work to do and I won't abide by any lollygagging," the Commodore told his crew.

"No complaints from me!" Korsa replied. Everyone else voiced or murmured in agreement, happy that they wouldn't be walking the whole way. They all quickly finished up with lunch before heading down to the hangar bay. Inari and Priya detoured to the Shipwright sector, to be sure that the Hephaestus testing was on schedule. They would be a bit behind the Hermes crew, but they had their own set of orders.

The Hermes crew took a quick pit stop by the nearby armory, to collect their weapons and arm up. Even though the Sentries and their drones hadn't picked up anything, that didn't mean that something wouldn't be lurking in the dark. Every crew member, Luminia included, was soon sporting a set of body armor and they boarded the Hermes. An additional squad of Sentries joined them as Talon powered up the ship.

The moment everyone was aboard, the Hermes lifted off and they were off, headed planetside. They broke through the atmosphere, heading straight for the settlement. They arrived to much less fanfare than they had before, with only Sohlkris and half a dozen honor guard greeting them.

"Greetings, crew of the Perseus. Are you here to help us with seeing what's down in that cave?" he asked

"We have a fair idea of what's down there already, but we want to be sure that there is no additional threat to the Ahl'kanin. Our weapons and armor may seem like overkill, but better safe than sorry," Alex told the man.

"I agree. What are those?" Sohlkris wondered, pointing to the hover carts.

"A little something we built to help us cover more ground without burning too much daylight. If you'll hop into one of the seats, we'll head on down," Kasumi replied.

Nodding, he and the honor guard climbed onto one of the carts, with Kasumi piloting it. Nats, Talon and Alex piloted the other three, with the rest of the crew spread out among the carts. Each cart held four Sentries, currently in standby mode, which could be deployed in seconds. The ensemble carried on through the village, or what remained of it.

The rest of the Artucian people were busy dismantling their homes, as Valessa had ordered them to do. With the ice below melting, it was only a matter of time before the floor beneath their feet became unstable. Already, nearly a quarter of each domicile there had been broken down into the basic materials that made them.

Anything made of crystal, metal or leather was taken, along with any personal possessions. The ice itself, which made up more than half of each home, was left behind. The Ahl'kanin were certainly an industrious lot, wasting no time and preparing themselves for what was to come.

The crew and their guests headed into the ice cave, which led to the dome below. Because they were on carts, it took them less than three minutes to traverse. They were soon greeted by the sight of the dome running on full power, the heat of it enough to cause some mild sweat on everyone present.

"High Chieftaness Valessa has asked to speak with you, concerning the investigation into the cavern. You should speak with her before you depart," Sohlkris told Alex.

"I will. Taal'ani needs to check on how the reactor core is holding anyway, so we're in no rush," the big man told his escort.

The crew neared the entry point of the dome and dismounted, not needing the carts inside. The walked through the double doors, through both chambers, before walking into the now warm atmosphere of the dome. Artucian children played and frolicked through the newly growing greenery, while older children minded them. Those who were old enough to help the adults with moving, were doing so.

A smile crept onto Alex's face as he surveyed the scene of bliss. It was a major change, for the children to be playing around and enjoying themselves. Just a few weeks before, when he saw them up in the settlement, they were all huddled and keeping to themselves, rarely moving about or playing. Seeing this new change that he and his crew had wrought, was heartwarming to say the least.

"Ah, Commodore! You've arrived! I take it that you received my message?"

"Yes, I did. What was it that you wished to speak to me about?" Alex wondered.

"The chiefs of the Assembly are preparing to return to their own lands, to start working on excavating their own domes. I wished to speak to you about the finding of the Ark and how long it would take. That is one thing that the chiefs wish to see before they leave," Valessa informed him.

"Well, so far, it is looking likely that it may be a couple of days before we can physically locate it," the Commodore told her.

"That soon??" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes, mother. The Sentries set to guard and explore the cavern have not been idle. Much of the cavern has been mapped out and it heads in a southwards direction. Latest reports state that there are fragments of metal the Sentries have spotted while exploring," Luminia told her.

"This is most welcome news! I take it that you are all heading into the cavern to get a look for yourselves?" the high chieftaness asked.

"And bringing a fair amount of firepower with us. After the encounter with the Tashkuun Alpha, we're not interested in taking risks," Alex stated, giving pointed looks at several of the crew. They remembered the incident which had almost seen a couple of them dead and didn't want any repeats.

"A wise decision. Since you are going into the caves, I would ask that several of our warriors accompany you. So they can see for themselves, just what lies beyond the dark," she said.

"Very well. We have four sleds and enough room to accommodate twenty additional warriors. Have the chiefs pick out those they wish to send and muster them outside the dome. We will wait there," Alex told her before saluting the woman.

Valessa bowed in respect to the Commodore, which had him smile before turning about and heading back outside. The crew followed on his heels, each one of them keeping their eyes on him. Though they had the Sentries, the women of the Perseus felt that Alex was in need of a living honor guard. In light of the fact that there were no other crew members to take up the job, they did so happily.

"They really seem set on finding and seeing the Ark for themselves, don't they?" Alex mused.

"Yes. It is a part of our history, one which had been lost and abandoned as the snows closed in. Hopefully, we will not only find answers that we are looking for, but the lost technology and relics that had been left behind," Luminia explained.

"Lost technology? Relics?"

"Another story that was passed down from many among my people. There was rumor of many great technologies and relics that had been aboard the Ark. We had only unloaded some of it, as the snows and storms ravaged our people. It was spoken of that there were things still on it that could save our people. That we still had food and viable plant life aboard," Lumi told them.

"We hoped that we would be able to recover them at some point. But the storms grew too powerful and the snow soon covered everything. After enough time, any who dared venture out to find it, few would ever come back. Some succumbed to the cold, while others filled the bellies of monsters. Eventually, we gave up hope of ever finding it and it soon became legend and myth," Luminia finished.

"Well, that certainly explains much concerning everyone's excitement over the lost Ark. I would only hope that they let us examine what's there first. Just so no one blows themselves up or anything like that," Nats said as she saw the group of Artucian warriors walk through the main doors.

"Something that I'm sure will be allowed, even though some people don't exactly agree with it," Lumi said with a grin. "Sohlkris? What are you doing here?"

"Your mother sent me along on this... expedition. She's curious about what is down there and would like an account of what lies on the way there. She trusts me to be honest and forthright about this," Sohlkris told the young woman.

"My mother couldn't have selected anyone better for such a task," Lumi said warmly, knowing that he soon to be stepfather was a good man.

"Anyone know if Taal'ani is done with her checks yet?" Kasumi wondered.

"Looks like she finished it and has a new friend," Korsa said with a smirk. Talon was jogging up quickly, with a young Artucian man behind her, who was puffing a bit to try to keep up with her.

"Warrant Officer, I trust the checks on the reactor went well?" Alex asked.

"Yes sir! Everything is in the green and holding nicely. No problems or issues to speak of," she replied as she saluted him.

"And who is this?" he asked, gesturing to the young man next to her.

"This, sir, is Tahral, one of the Artucian Keepers. After getting to know each one of the Keepers, I would say that he is easily the best and the brightest of them. I would like him to come along with us, should we manage to reach the Ark today," she requested.

"Request granted. Be sure that you take him through the basics of using a pistol. Need everyone along for this ride, capable of defending themselves," Alex said, allowing her to bring the boy. If Taal'ani vouched for his abilities, then there was little he could say on the matter. Besides, if they were to reach the Ark today, they would need someone familiar with Artucian systems.

With everyone on the carts, they scooted around the dome and headed straight for the cave. The Sentries set to guard it were still in their places, though a fresh batch was walking over to relieve them. Even though it was warm enough for the Sentries to work without needing to warm up, they still needed recharging. The newest group had just come from the temporary recharge dock, that was maybe a couple hundred meters away.

Alex smiled as he guided his cart along the foot path towards the cavern. It loomed just ahead and looked like something that came out of a horror film, in how foreboding it was. He turned on the cart's lights, brightening the pathway and banishing the blackness.

The other carts behind him had also turned on their lights, each one adding to the light pool that drove back the dark. The whole cavern was one massive network, with many branching paths. There was one main tunnel, that was larger than the rest, which weaved back and forth, but kept going in a singular direction.

"Jaesa, are you there?" he called out.

"Yes sir. I am still in communication but in order to maintain contact, relay beacons will need to be set along the network. This ice isn't doing our comms any favors," the AI told him.

"Understood. We have both beacons and heat lamps that will help with that," he replied.

"Very good sir. Also, both Stanley and I have uploaded our consciousness to a pair of Sentries you have loaded from the Perseus," she told him.

"Why so?"

"Mainly to gather whatever data we can, firsthand. Also, even though we are an AI and a VI respectively, we are also an extra set of eyes and hands. We would be able to spot things that a traditional Sentry would not," Jaesa explained. Alex nodded thoughtfully, the logic making sense.

"Very well Jaesa. You and Stanley keep your eyes open and let us know if you spot anything on our way through," Alex stated as he cut through inky blackness. It seemed a little odd for Jaesa and Stanley to commandeer a pair of Sentries for this purpose. He made a mental note to ask about it later. Right now, he busied himself on keeping his eyes open as they ventured deeper into the murk.

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Inari and Priya had their hands full at the Darkstrider crash site. Both women were currently dragging the carcasses of Sahr'coun hounds across the snow, loading them into the Hephaestus. The scavengers had made the inside of the Darkstrider into their new den, until Inari and Pree had waded in, clearing them out.

Though reluctant to give up their new home, a little less than half the pack vacated immediately. The remainder of them though, defended their new home with a dedicated fervor. None of them even got close to either woman or their weapons to make a difference. After they had hauled all the carcasses out of the freighter, they sealed every door, inside and out, in preparation for the flight to the Perseus.

"I swear, these things stink almost as bad as real dogs!" Priya said, wrinkling her nose.

"Tell me about it! I hope they taste better than they smell," Inari stated, dragging the last hound back to the waiting ship.

"You're thinking about eating these things?" Priya asked with a disgusted face.

"Yeah. Gotta keep expanding my palette as we make our way around the galaxy you know. Just because I no longer work as a chef, doesn't mean that I gave up being one. I still like to try new food and flavors," Inari stated as she moved back to the Darkstrider.

"I suppose," Pree told her lover. They took a look around the Darkstrider, making sure that it hadn't settled in too much. The women had followed the furrows, recovering what pieces of the landing gear and ship that had been lost in the crash. After a proper inspection, they deduced that there was nothing more for it and got back aboard the Hephaestus.

Inari was still having a field day with the new ship, as it had a level of flight control that was unparalleled with other ships. Even ships by the Dohlkhat Collective, which were unparalleled in ship maneuverability, would have been hard pressed to pull some of the movements that the Hephaestus was capable of making.

"So, any idea with what Jaesa has planned for our ship?" Priya asked.

"None. Both she and the Commodore have been mum on the topic. Seems like they really want to keep this under wraps. You think its because they want to surprise us with it?" Inari wondered.

"Probably. I mean, we did save everyone aboard that ship, so maybe a surprise is their way of saying 'Thank you'?" Pree guessed.

"Maybe. Hop into the salvage chair. I need you to make sure that we have a solid grip on our home," Inari told her lover.

Nodding curtly, Priya hopped into the main salvage chair, which controlled the grips and clamps of the Hephaestus frigate. There was also a set of four multidirectional arms, which could help grab and secure any salvage, planetside or starside. Inari had already gotten the airborne and was slowly moving ship over the Darkstrider.

Priya had already extended the grips and clamps, making it easy for the salvage frigate to drop down and grab their crashed ship. The moment everything was aligned, Pree dropped the clamps so they cradled the Darkstrider. Once they had surrounded the ship in all key points, Inari lowered the ship, so the magnetic pads on the underside of the Hephaestus contacted the Darkstrider's hull.

"Magnetic pads... activated!" Inari called out.

"Tightening the clamps. Give me a moment," Priya responded as she tapped the controls.

She could feel the grips and clamps biting into the freighter beneath them and winced. But, Since Alex had stated that he would be fixing up their ship, Pree felt it was OK to be a little rough with their home. A few moments later, she heard a locking, clunking sound and the panels on her holographic screen lit up green.

"Locks and clamps secured. You're free to liftoff babe," Priya told her lover.

Smiling, Inari set the thrusters to fifty percent, hoping it would be enough to break the Darkstrider free. There was some give, but not nearly enough to break free of the icy grip that held their home. Inari cranked the thrusters to seventy percent and could feel and hear the high pitched squealing of ice cracking. The Hephaestus stayed still for a few seconds more before both women could feel the slow lift of the ship.

"Damn! It was really jammed in there, wasn't it?" Priya asked.

"Well, crashing at high speed on a high gravity world will do that," Inari chuckled as they cleared the crash site.

She noted how there were a few small pieces of scrap left behind, but she wasn't worried. They had more than enough materials to effect the repairs needed. A beeping blipping sound carried from Inari's console, which surprised her. A call was coming through to them and not wanting to be rude, she answered it.

"Commander Sunara here," she replied to the caller, who happened to be Jaesa.

"Ah, Commander! How is progress coming along on the recovery of the Darkstrider?" the AI wondered.

"We just cleared the crash site and are enroute to the Perseus as we speak," Inari reported, as they picked up speed, looking to clear the atmosphere.

"Excellent! I will send a report to Commodore Tomisic and shall begin reconstruction of your ship immediately! I'll have the Sentries wait for your arrival in Hangar Bay Six," Jaesa told her.

"Thank you Jaesa! It's good to know that our home will be rebuilt," Inari enthused.

"Thank the Commodore, as it was his decision. I would say the he certainly knows the importance of home and family," the AI responded. Inari nodded, before a question popped into her mind.

"Speaking of the Commodore how are he and the rest of the crew progressing in that ice cavern?" she asked.

"They are making substantial progress and are more than halfway to the Dead Snows. The cave twists and turns here and there, but the direction is still south. I expect they should arrive at the outskirts of the Dead Snows within the hour," Jaesa surmised.