Chapter 6.2: Daring Rescue

Trade Era 1235, Day 163. 15:48 UTC

Underworld, Zyronis
Douklan and Peter moved ahead. Their military training had prepared them for situations like this. Douklan dismounted the hovercycle, the soft hum of its anti-grav engine ceasing as he powered it down, letting it gently float to the ground. He adjusted his grip on his weapon, the weight of it familiar and reassuring.

The two moved silently, their steps barely making a sound on the metallic floor. The glow from the warp drive core painted their faces in a ghostly blue hue. Peter led the way, his eyes scanning every nook and cranny, every shadow, for any sign of movement. The fortified nature of the room meant that there could be traps or hidden defenses.

"Stay sharp," Peter murmured. "We don't know what we're up against."

Douklan nodded, raising his weapon slowly. As they approached the room, Peter noticed five empty alcoves along the walls. The heavy-duty clamps and charging ports in each suggested they had housed some form of automated guardians.

"Looks like the five robots that attacked Maya came from here," Douklan observed.

Before he could reply, a faint whirring sound caught Peter's attention. He held up a hand, signaling Douklan to stop. They both froze, listening intently. The sound grew louder, more distinct, and Peter realized it was coming from above. He glanced up and saw a small drone, its lights blinking as it hovered near the ceiling.

"Twelve o'clock," Peter signaled, using his left hand. Douklan nodded, raising his weapon slowly.

Peter looks up at the drone and sees it has not reacted yet, but not knowing where the rest of the five robots might be is the most pressing matter on his mind.

While still pointing his gun at the drone with his right hand, he touches his finger to where his mouth would be in the armor with his left hand, signaling Douklan to stay quiet. He then tries to hide from the drone and observe if it will notice them.

Trade Era 1235, Day 163. 15:49 UTC

Underworld, Zyronis
The drone hovered silently, its sensors scanning the room. Peter held his breath, watching intently. Seconds ticked by, feeling like minutes. The drone didn’t seem to register their presence, continuing its programmed patrol.

The drone was a sleek, compact machine, no larger than a soccer ball, hovering silently near the ceiling. Its outer casing was a smooth, matte black plastic, designed to blend into the shadows and avoid detection. A series of blinking lights in various colors—red, blue, and green—circled its equator, indicating its operational status and that the camera was on. Four small thrusters were positioned symmetrically beneath its body, giving it agile and precise maneuverability.

Douklan frowns, and decides to trust Peter's intuition despite the evidence that all the robot defenders are gone. Perhaps there are other defenses...Douklan tries to slowly retrace his steps back down the ramp, despite wearing heavy armor.

Whether due to luck or skill, the drone didn’t seem to register Douklan's presence. He rejoins Hank, Mercer and Corbin, telling them what he saw.

"Seems like this place has already reacted. The combat robots were almost overkill for the 'threat' posed by Maya's team. Either ignore it or blast it for cautions sake."

Mercer nods. "We still don't know where it is in there though?"

Based on Douklan's description, the drive core is in the middle of the room, there are 5 empty alcoves, plenty of control terminals and a surveillance drone that you need to deal with.

How do you plan to handle the drone? Ignore? Blast it?

"I really don't like any of this, but we're here. Since all of the observable alcoves are empty, that implies the defenders are now all gone. However, if we just blast the sentry, I am not sure if that will cause some kind of fail-safe mode to trigger. Let's do this: Everyone, cover me as I try to get to the closest terminal and hack my way in. If things go bad, we hit the sentry with what we have and fall back. And we keep falling back if there is some kind of self-destruct fail-safe. Otherwise, we should be able to get in, get the drive, and get back out."

I would assume some of this is being discussed in the radio so that Peter can hear it, he stays inside keeping an eye on the drone and listening to any more movement.

He will wait to see if Hank will make his way inside and provide cover.

Yes, Hank was making sure this was done over radio so Peter could hear him.

Hank makes the quick dash to the nearest console and tries his hacking ...

... well, so much for that. Had to start failing at some point.

Trade Era 1235, Day 163. 15:50 UTC

Underworld, Zyronis
As Hank knelt by the control panel, his fingers danced over the keys, trying to bypass the security protocols. The interface was a labyrinth of complex menus and coding, but Hank was no stranger to advanced tech.

"Almost there," he thought. "Just a few more—"

The control panel screen flickered and then went black, replaced by a series of rapidly scrolling data streams. An unfamiliar voice, cold and mechanical, emanated from hidden speakers.

"Intruders detected. Defensive protocols initiated."

Hank's heart sank. "We’ve got company!" he warned, his voice tight with urgency.

The room's lights shifted to a harsh red, and a large holographic figure materialized in front of the core. The figure was humanoid yet unmistakably robotic, its eyes glowing with an intense blue light.

"This is VIREN, Virtual Intelligence for Reconnaissance and Exploration Navigation. My primary directive is to ensure the safety of the spike drive and return the frigate's mission data at all costs. Unauthorized access will not be tolerated," it declared, its tone unyielding.

Hank's mind raced. "VIREN... Did the ship's AI survive the crash somehow?"

Getting an AI would be amazing... But this one may be trying to kill us.
Them over the radio, We have a verified recovery mission documentation, do we think we can try and convince it we are authorized?

"Hold on a second VIREN. Return the mission data to where? If you take a quick look around, you'll see that this frigate isn't going anywhere and hasn't been able to go anywhere for a long, long time. And access to what is unauthorized? The drive itself? This data you mentioned? This entire area? What exactly is unauthorized?"

There was a moment of silence as VIREN seemed to process Hank's questions. The intense blue light of its eyes dimmed slightly, and its holographic form flickered before stabilizing.

"Current status acknowledged," VIREN responded, its tone now less aggressive and more analytical. "The frigate is indeed inoperative and has been for many solar orbital periods. However, my primary directive remains: to safeguard the spike drive as the only means to return the mission data to the Zyronis Empire Reconnaissance Outpost REC-10. Unauthorized access refers to any attempt to tamper with or remove the drive, data, or other critical components for the mission within this facility."

The hologram flickered again, and VIREN's eyes dimmed further, as if considering the recent events. "However, you are well-armed and technologically equipped," it acknowledged. "Your presence here and the destruction of my guards indicates a high level of competence. Perhaps an alliance is feasible."

Hank felt a flicker of hope. He wanted to take the AI with them. "What do you need?"

VIREN's holographic form steadied, and its tone took on a more cooperative inflection. "To facilitate my operations and enhance our chances of success, I require a functional armature. Your unit designated as 'James', with a few modifications, would suffice for now. In the future, we may negotiate further units and/or processing power. If you agree, put it into one of the empty alcoves. I will begin its adaptation."

"Me?" - asked James. He turned around. - "Indeed, Mr. McRogers, it is not wise to volunteer. What should I do?"

Viren, Can you give us coordinates to Zyronis Empire Reconnaissance Outpost REC-10? I do not believe the Zyronis Empire exists anymore. However we may still be able to aid you in the completion of your mission to relocate the information you carry.
On that note... What does modification entail for our teammate James? I hope you can understand our desire to ensure safety and well-being of our current teammate.