ShipCore - Book 3: Chapter 157: Into the Abyss (Finale)

USD: 2 Days Since Comm Failure

Location: Nu Crateris, Outer System, Hades Interior, Near Alpha Site

As SR Hot Pursuit left the Alpha Site warzone behind, everyone had their attention glued to the pings of explosions and weaponry on their sensors. As they ventured further, the sounds of battle became more muffled, absorbed by the D-field surrounding the ship. Tension hung thick in the air, as everyone remained vigilant for potential hostiles as they moved further from Heeler’s fortress factory.

Flash-bag creatures were nowhere to be seen; Heeler’s drones indicated that the nearest ones were much further away. Lavigne ordered Daniel to deploy the recon drones.

“How long do you reckon these will last?” Morrison asked skeptically as he watched them zip away.

Lavigne replied confidently, “Heeler has restocked them with EMF resistant models. They should hold up better.”

Morrison grunted and nodded.

As they dove deeper into Hades’ abyssal tunnels, drone gunships maintained a protective formation around SR Hot Pursuit. The navigation screen displayed their course: fifty kilometers through three turns of labyrinthine corridors. Lavigne noted that gravity would be lower there, allowing for easier maneuvering.

Morrison reported increasing numbers of volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere, a sign of biological activity. Lavigne nodded, acknowledging this information.

“We’re on the right course then,” he commented grimly.

As they continued their descent, Heeler’s growling voice came through the comms. “I will be sending reinforcements soon. The nest produces one gunship every few minutes. I shall dispatch squads to join the assault as squadrons become available.”

SR Hot Pursuit cruised through the darkness; remnants of dead abomination floaters evident from where their scout gunships had cleared them. Ruined sections of twisted metal covered the walls like an unending city of buildings – all lifeless and black.

Morrison reported energy signatures dotting these desolate constructs. “I’m picking up a lot of readings here, Lieutenant.”

Daniel chimed in, explaining the situation. “Those are reactor modules; most are offline but on idle mode, similar to the one at Alpha Site.”

Morrison grumbled, “There’s so many of them. What do you make of it, Lavigne?”

Lavigne acknowledged their numbers and theorized aloud. “This place might have been a battlemoon – an ecumenopolis with more power and facilities than you can imagine, like Luna or Solaria. The aliens the expedition discovered in the ruins could likely have been its inhabitants.”

“Think these abominations devoured them all?” Daniel asked.

Lavigne shrugged. “We can’t know for sure unless we find historical records.”

Morrison jokingly chimed in, “Maybe these abominations were their life support systems and mutated enough to eat all their residents.”

A tense silence followed before Lavigne replied, “It’s not out of the realm of possibility… But let’s focus on our mission for now.”

They continued through the darkness. Halfway to their destination, they detected weapons fire ahead.

Heeler’s voice came through the comms, warning them about the ongoing battle. “The gunships ahead of your position are still fighting towards the hive. Be cautious; evidence indicates that the creatures are planning to flank you as you advance closer.”

Taking heed of Heeler’s warning, Lavigne nodded. The tension was palpable as each crew member remained vigilant while they approached the conflict zone.

As they drew closer to the fray, a cacophony of weapons fire was detected, and their sensors provided a clearer picture of the situation. The scout gunships were blasting away flash-bags with ease – explosions interspersed with high-pitched screeches from the dying aliens.

The screeches were new. Lavigne looked at his console and noted that Heeler had provided some kind of translation program that could read the EMF waves–supposedly. It only sounded like the madness of monsters to him.

As they reached the skirmish, SR Hot Pursuit’s escort ships began to engage in combat. Carefully picking off enemies from afar, the heavy quad railgun cut through alien flesh with ease as they carved a path through the alien forces toward their nest.

Without warning, a new type of abomination ship appeared – fast and small, with sharp blades for wings. It swiftly sliced one of their lead gunships in half before anyone could react.

Lavigne shouted an order as point defense weapons engaged. “Analyze that new type of enemy!”

It was incinerated by a laser before it could close in on them further – its remains scattering across the tunnel like ash caught in a breeze.

As SR Hot Pursuit pressed onward, the resistance they faced increased. Daniel called out the 15-kilometer mark as they rounded the last turn. Ahead, the tunnel’s topography changed dramatically.

Lavigne furrowed his brow, realizing that they were entering unknown territory. He ordered a swift analysis of their surroundings.

Daniel complied and reported his findings. “The tunnel looks like it’s been dug up. There are troughs every few kilometers. Sensors can’t detect what’s hiding beneath each one.”

Morrison cursed under his breath and said what everyone was thinking. “You don’t need sensors to know that. I’ll give you one guess as to what’s hiding there.”

Lavigne’s gaze sharpened as he issued new orders to adjust their formation. “Gunships, take point. Heavy flak gunship, fall back to the rear.”

Lavigne knew that smaller gunships would be able to react faster and escape if necessary. The Hot Pursuit’s PDCs were well positioned to cover them, while the heavy flak gunship could cover their rear and deal with any attack on their flanks.

A beep from the tactical console confirmed that SR Hot Pursuit’s weapon systems were primed for combat. Daniel had optimized the systems for organic signature detection and engagement on automatic mode.

“Good thinking,” Lavigne acknowledged with approval, understanding that human reactions might be too slow in such a chaotic environment.

Suddenly, a wave of blade-wing abominations surged out of the first trough.

“Here they come!” Daniel shouted.

The PDC-Ks on all ships lit up the incoming swarm with tracer bullets, tearing through their ranks as they tried to close in on SR Hot Pursuit and its escort gunships. The PDC-Ls on SR Hot Pursuit lased into the remaining attackers as well, setting some ablaze in spectacular flashes of fiery orange against the dark backdrop.

The squadron pushed through the first wave of blade-wing abominations, making their way deeper into the enemy territory. Lavigne clenched his fists as he watched their progress, grim determination etched across his face. The aftermath of the battle was gruesome – gore and viscera slowly floated to the tunnel floor as pools of vicious alien liquids pooled in various depressions.

Suddenly, from the second trench emerged a new threat. Small creatures with ranged weapons – spikes that soared through space at alarming speeds, targeting the gunships relentlessly. Some found their marks, striking and disabling several gunships in the process. Lavigne’s heart sank as he witnessed the losses but knew there was no time to dwell on them.

Behind them, the flak gunship roared into action, firing upon a new swarm of sword-wing abominations that pursued them. Its powerful cannons tore apart these nightmarish creatures, turning them into clouds of gore and wreckage.

The battle continued to escalate in intensity. He and his crew could only watch as their automated systems took over in their relentless advance toward the hive’s entrance point.

Suddenly, a massive abomination emerged from behind one of the trenches. It was colossal – easily rivaling a warship in size – with heavy lasers firing from its grotesque maw. The beams grazed SR Hot Pursuit’s D-Field, lighting it up with an eerie fire-like glow.

“Target that!” Lavigne ordered. His order wasn’t needed, the GAI controlling the ship correctly identified the threat almost instantly.

The main quad railgun began to erupt, aiming at and firing at the gargantuan enemy without hesitation. Massive chunks of alien flesh were gouged out and blown out its back with every hit; it continued to fire back with lasers, striking down several more escorts but ultimately it exploded in a flare of yellow and orange.

As they neared the entrance point to the hive, Lavigne felt his pulse quicken. Their target was only a few kilometers away. Abominations had continued to fall all around them, as a constant deluge of ammunition and lasers kept them at bay. The crew’s nerves were frayed, their fingers twitching over control panels as they monitored and made corrections to the ship’s automated systems.

In the midst of the chaos, a massive creature pulled itself out of the hive entrance. Nearly a kilometer wide with an array of tentacles that reached out like a living nightmare, it wasted no time in spewing massive spikes the size of the gunships towards the ship. Several deflected on the D-Field, but one punched through, grazing armored hull plates in a spray of sparks before deflecting off towards the tunnel wall.

Lavigne’s heart raced as he ordered desperately, “Switch quad railgun to explosive shells only!”

The creature slapped against the tunnel walls, leaving small turrets behind that began to shoot streams of their own spikes at their already beleaguered escorts.

Things continued to degrade when a comm channel opened. Heeler’s voice came through. “Reinforcement gunship squadron has arrived at your rear.”

A surge of relief washed through Lavigne as more railguns erupted from behind, targeting the abominations attacking their heavy flak gunship. The new gunships’ weight of fire pressed the creatures back, stealing all the ground they had made in closing with the Hot Pursuit.

The battle between SR Hot Pursuit and the gargantuan abomination continued with a ferocious intensity. The ship’s railguns slammed into the beast, tearing through its flesh, and causing it to screech in pain. Alien blood splattered across the walls of the tunnel, painting a gruesome picture of their life-or-death struggle.

With each passing moment, more spikes punched into the Hot Pursuit’s squadron, impaling drones and leaving spines stuck between hull plates. Their reinforcements took aim and began a long-range support – their volley railgun fire raining down on the abomination, chipping away at its monstrous form.

Rapid-fire flak cannons from the heavy gunship pounded relentlessly at its enormous body, creating craters and gouges in its thick hide. In retaliation, tentacles elongated from the creature’s mass to swat drones out of the sky like bothersome insects.

Lavigne gritted his teeth as a massive tentacle wrapped around Hot Pursuit, squeezing and threatening to crush it under its immense strength. Desperation took hold as he barked out an order: “Main drive flare at full power!”

The ship shuddered violently as its main drive flared to life with enough force to shake free from their nightmarish assailant. Outer components were ripped off by the creature’s grip but ultimately, they slid out freely.

Lavigne ordered the ship to turn, aiming their thruster cone towards the monstrous abomination that had nearly destroyed them. Lavigne watched with grim satisfaction as the ship unleashed a torrent of relativistic plasma upon it.

The searing plasma burned through the abomination’s flesh like a hot knife through butter, melting away layers upon layers of writhing tentacles and grotesque growths. The creature thrashed in agony as it was consumed by flames hotter than any star.

No one had time to breathe, as the gunships took out the turrets around the hive entrance. Lavigne couldn’t shake the chilling feeling that it was an organic copy of the same strategy that Heeler had used at the Alpha Site.

As they pressed inside through the narrow entrance, a massive organic structure that seemed to stretch on for kilometers. It pulsed with life as all kinds of alien ships and creatures were being grown in large sacs. The walls were lined with countless tentacles, writhing in unison like a nightmarish symphony.

Lavigne’s gaze remained fixed on the hive as he tried to comprehend its purpose. Heeler had confirmed that this was their command center and breeding ground rolled into one horrifying entity.

The crew members exchanged uneasy glances, each realizing that they had stumbled upon something far more dangerous than they could have ever imagined. Morrison murmured under his breath, “I’ve seen some messed up stuff, but this takes the cake.”

Lavigne steeled himself, knowing they couldn’t afford to let fear overtake them now. “Target the main source of EMF waves,” he ordered. “We’ll dig it out with explosives if we need to.”

Flocks of alien creatures flew through the air in challenge, their twisted forms casting eerie shadows onto the tunnel walls. Larger abominations stirred from their slumber, awakened by the chaos unfolding around them. In the distance, Lavigne spotted another giant abomination, half-grown and encased within a massive sac on the floor of the tunnel. The sight sent a chill down his spine.

The escorts entered first, their PDC-Ks and railguns blasting away at the smaller abominations with deadly precision. The flak gunship fired in every direction, creating a storm of destruction that tore through countless enemies. Lavigne’s eyes darted to the squadron readout as it reported ammunition levels dipping to 30% across almost every unit – a sobering reminder of just how dire their situation was becoming.

As if in response to his growing concern, their reinforcements darted in as a second wave. Their arrival bolstered the weight of fire spat out by Hot Pursuit and its escorts, providing much-needed support against the seemingly endless tide of horrors.

The corvette’s main railguns and weapons began punching at the hive’s central nexus, determined to strike at the heart of this nightmarish place. Each shot hammered into its target with devastating force and sent tremors throughout its structure.

Lavigne couldn’t help but be awestruck by the sheer scale of destruction happening before him. The rest of the crew were silent, perhaps echoing his thoughts.

Lavigne’s gaze fixated on the hive nexus, a pulsating mass of organic matter and alien architecture that formed the heart of this nightmarish stronghold. Intricate web-like structures spanned the walls and ceiling, interconnecting every part of this grotesque hive.

As explosive railgun shells tore into the nexus, it shuddered violently under their relentless assault. Deep gashes opened up on its surface, revealing layers upon layers of writhing tendrils and unidentifiable organs. Rivers of viscera poured out from these wounds, spilling onto the floor below in a sickening cascade.

A mangled shriek erupted on Lavigne’s translator program, an unintelligible scream that sent chills down his spine. He knew they were hurting it – but was it enough?

Their drone escorts began to falter, one after another falling prey to the abomination creatures that swarmed them with ruthless savagery. A flash-bag appeared from out of nowhere and detonated underneath the squadron, scattering their drone escorts like sparks from a dying fire.

Hot Pursuit smashed into the hive roof as chaos ensued within its hull. Thousands of small abominations boarded the ship through newly-formed breaches, scuttling through corridors with frightening speed.

“Daniel! Deploy our drones!” ordered Lavigne, desperation evident in his voice.

The drone bay erupted with activity as thousands of mini combat drones swarmed out from their storage bays like angry hornets, zipping through every nook and cranny within Hot Pursuit to confront the boarders head-on. Their rapid-fire weapons made quick work of many smaller abominations that dared invade their home.

On the bridge, a creature smashed through a ceiling panel, only to be met by Morrison in his power armor. He moved with surprising agility, crushing the intruder in a display of raw strength before it could pose any further threat.

Despite the chaos aboard the ship, the railguns continued their relentless barrage on the hive nexus. Daniel reported, his voice tense but hopeful, “Lavigne, the EMF signal is weakening!”

The hive nexus shuddered and sensors flashed as they were blinded by an extremely powerful EMF wave that rippled through the cavernous chamber. The wave caused the Hot Pursuit’s D-field to flicker and burn with energy, casting eerie glows across its hull. A warning appeared inside the bridge from the ship’s computer.

|Warning: Radiation levels increasing. |

Just as suddenly as the burst had begun, the hive brain went dark. The organic light that had filled the nightmarish depths of the hive was extinguished in an instant, plunging everything into darkness save for what was illuminated by the ship and drone spotlights.

Confusion reigned among the smaller abominations. They staggered about, disoriented and seemingly drunk – some even turning on each other in their mindless state. The larger ones fell to the tunnel floor with heavy thuds and crashes, no longer moving. Those still growing within their cocoons began to dissolve, their forms collapsing into a repulsive slurry.

Daniel’s voice was ecstatic, “The EMF signal has ceased completely!”

Cautiously optimistic, Lavigne took stock of their situation. Hot Pursuit was in shambles – dead or dying organic things littered its corridors and exterior surfaces.

Out of their once-mighty drone escort, only a dozen drones remained out of hundreds; they hovered protectively around the battered ship despite their sorry states. The heavy gunship limped nearby with two spikes protruding ominously from its flanks that trailed black smoke.

“Navigation, plot a path to return to the Alpha Site,” Lavigne ordered firmly.