Chapter 7: Ch. 7 Intrepid Reaction
Joran's commanding voice resonated once more, breaking through the renewed activity within the ruin. "Pathfinder, take point and start scouting the staircase. Stay vigilant." He nodded to Niroth, a silent indication to follow through with the plan. Niroth sent a mental command to his sentry, guiding it to follow Pathfinder down the revealed dark staircase.
Meanwhile, Elara's excitement grew as she surveyed the now-functional consoles. The sudden influx of power had awakened the ancient technology, and she marveled at the primitive yet intricate design. Her visor's scanning application was hard at work, capturing data from the consoles and sending it to the Alphermeric Codex for translation and analysis. Primitive displays started to light up connected to walls, showing symbols and iconography that were unknown to her as she watched in amazement.
Pathfinder took the lead, pressing on her wrist interface. Her form disappeared from view as she activated her suit's light-bending effect. Niroth's Sentry followed her down the steep staircase into the depths below. The darkness engulfed her, but her modified EVA suit allowed her to see even in the absence of external light. The glow of her two blood-red gem visors remained visible, a reassuring sign of her presence in the darkness. As she navigated, her every movement was transmitted to the rest of the squad through her feed.
The staircase stretched down into the earth, its spiral descent seemingly endless, Pathfinders' steps somehow silent in the confined space. The air grew cooler as they ventured deeper underground. The soft hum of technology combined with the faint sound of electricity running through the walls, creating an eerie symphony that reverberated through the staircase.
Elara's attention was torn between the illuminated consoles and the live feed from Niroth's sentry. The visuals transmitted by the sentry displayed the steadily descending staircase, each step taking them deeper into the enigma that the ruin held.
Joran's voice went over the communication channel. "Pathfinder, report."
Pathfinder's message came through quickly: "The signal's getting stronger the deeper we go."
As they neared the bottom staircase, they found themselves facing a corridor with two doors on either side. The corridor extended ahead to a T-junction, offering multiple paths to explore. In the dim light, the sentry and Pathfinder noticed a slumped figure against the left wall, right in front of one of the doors.
Pathfinder's calm and focused voice came through. "We're at the bottom of the stairs. There's a corridor with two doors on each side and a T-junction up ahead. I see a body against the wall, in front of one of the doors."
Niroth chimed in, his tone hard: "S.W.I.F.T. is picking up something wrong with that corpse."
Alerts flew up in Niroth's mind, all shouting about unknown contaminants. Niroth quickly referenced it against the mold's signature and received a positive I.D.
"Positive I.D. for the mold on that corpse be advised!" Niroth sent it out to the group. A few small gasps escaped from the historians, followed by Joran saying over the communications "Keep your distance for now." Joran entered deep thought for a moment. "Alright, we have to limit avenues of attack; Niroth, put your stasis emmiter at the ruins entrance so we don't have to watch our backs; we're going to be clearing the rooms down there."
Joran's voice continued over the communication channel, his instructions clear and decisive. "Kessa, Niroth, you two stay here with the historians. Guard them and keep an eye out for any potential threats. Demo, Pathfinder, and I will start clearing the rooms down below using Niroth's sentry as overhead support."
Niroth nodded in response to Joran's orders, moving to the entrance of the ruin. He carefully removed a large, plate-shaped device from his back and positioned it at the doorway. A hidden mechanism activated as Niroth pressed a button, causing the middle of the plate to open up. A powerful golden beam of light projected straight upward, enveloping the entrance in a radiant glow. Using his S.W.I.F.T. AI, Niroth extended and expanded the beam, transforming it into a solid golden barrier that sealed off the doorway, creating a protective wall.
As Niroth focused on his task, Demo and Joran began to descend the staircase swiftly, their steps echoing in the underground corridor. The feed from Pathfinder's visor and Niroth's sentry still depicted the dark hallway ahead, their combined perspectives forming a comprehensive view of the area.
Meanwhile, in the upper chamber, Albana turned her attention to Kessa. With curiosity evident in her voice, she addressed the medic, "Excuse me, Medic Kessa. That sentry on your belt—am I right in believing that it's a Medical Sentry?"
Kessa nodded, a small smile touching her lips. "You're correct, though I've added a few personal modifications to enhance its capabilities. Quite impressive that you recognized it so quickly."
Albana chuckled softly. "Well, being knowledgeable is my forte, even if this particular situation is rather outside of my expertise." She gestured toward the nearby corpse. "Speaking of which, I'm not quite familiar with what we're dealing with here. Could you utilize your medical sentry to perform a deep scan of the body?"
Kessa considered the request for a moment. "I don't see any harm in it. Let's see if we can gather more information." With a quick activation, the small disc-shaped sentry floated from Kessa's belt toward the slumped figure. Its sensors whirred to life, emitting soft, pulsating lights as it performed a thorough scan of the preserved corpse.
As the medical sentry floated over the corpse, Kessa activated it and began to scan the body. The information gathered by the sentry quickly flowed into the feed, catching the attention of the historians. Each of them focused on different aspects of the data, and the information was shared among them in real time.
Seraphan's voice chimed in as he analyzed the more detailed data. "Their vascular system is somewhat similar to ours, with congealed blood suggesting an iron-based composition rather than our manganese-based system. That's intriguing."
Albana added to the discussion, her curiosity evident. "So, their blood is red, not brown like ours. A unique physiological difference."
While the others were engrossed in the bodily details, Elara's attention was drawn to the intricate structure of the brain. Her visor projected holographic overlays of the brain's composition and pathways. She observed how the brain's size in relation to the body indicated a progression towards higher intelligence—a natural adaptation to survival.
Her thoughts raced as she delved deeper into the brain's architecture, analyzing its unique features. What caught her off guard, however, was the unexpected discovery of burnt brain tissue. Among the complex neural networks, she found areas where the tissue was charred, as if subjected to intense heat. This level of damage wasn't consistent across the entire brain—only certain regions were affected.
Elara's mind buzzed with questions as she processed the implications. She knew she needed more expert opinions on this revelation. With a few swift gestures, she shared the feed, relaying the information she had uncovered to the group still stationed above ground. The data on her visor was transmitted to their screens, awaiting their analysis and insight.
Upon seeing the data about the brain's burnt regions, Albana's voice cut into the conversation. "It seems like the only part of the brain that escaped the burning is the motor control section. Everything else is ruined." The gravity of the discovery hung heavily in her words.
Seraphan's voice joined the discussion, a mix of astonishment and confusion. "But how could this happen without any visible burns or damage to the head or surrounding areas?"
Kessa quickly added, "Perhaps it was some form of directed energy wave, specifically targeting the brain tissue?" Her medical expertise led her to consider the possibilities from a pragmatic angle.
Albana nodded in agreement. "That's a plausible theory. Kessa, could you scan the other bodies? Let's see if this is a unique occurrence or a pattern."
Kessa wasted no time. Her medical sentry floated over to the other preserved bodies, scanning their brain tissues as thoroughly as it had with the first. The data streamed into her visor, and after a few moments, she shared the results with the group.
Her voice held a hint of amazement. "It's not just this one. The other bodies also show the same pattern of burnt brain tissue, leaving only the motor control regions unaffected."
The room grew heavy with contemplation as the historians absorbed this new layer of mystery. The shared pattern across multiple bodies suggested a deliberate action, but the how and why remained elusive. The implications were profound and led to a cascade of questions.
Niroth remained focused on his sentry's feed, his attention unwavering as he observed the dark corridor and the slumped figure. As Joran and Demo descended the stairs, their flashlight beams breaking the darkness, the stark contrast between light and shadows created a vivid scene that Niroth closely followed.
With the team fully assembled in the lower corridor, Joran's commanding presence took charge. "Line up, everyone. Pathfinder, drop the light bending and get in position." The instructions were promptly obeyed. Joran led the way, his helmet light piercing the darkness, followed by Demo and then Pathfinder.
Joran's voice held authority as he outlined the plan. "Our top priority is to clear these rooms before we move on. But we can't let that creature rise while we're busy. Demo, place a cracker charge near that corpse and give Niroth remote control."
Demo, skilled with explosives, took a small, spherical device from his belt. With a firm press of a button, he knelt and rolled the device toward the slumped figure. It came to a gentle stop after grazing the creature's leg.
Niroth's focus sharpened, his connection extending to the explosive device. He monitored it through his visor, prepared to activate it remotely if any movement or threat emerged from the creature. The room's tension intensified as the team maintained their positions, weapons poised, a united defense against the darkness before them.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone