Chapter 6.2: Daring Rescue

Douklan nods at Mercer and runs off after the others.

Trade Era 1235, Day 163. 12:29:54 UTC

Abandoned dome, Underworld, Zyronis
ETA for Mercer and Hank: 20 rounds


Peter, Douklan, James, and Corbin hurried through the twisting corridors of Zyronis's lower levels, following the salvage crew's maps and updated positioning. Eventually, they emerged into a vast underground dome, a relic of a once-thriving shopping and recreation area from ages past. It served as a natural chokepoint, with a large expanse inside but only four doors as entry or exit.

The dome sprawled out before them, its towering curvature reaching towards the obscured ceiling, hidden by shadows and time's relentless passage. Dilapidated buildings and storefronts lined the perimeter, their shattered windows and decaying displays silent witnesses to the passage of decades.

Abandoned gravcars lay scattered about, their once sleek metallic frames now reduced to rusted hulks. Above, artificial lights flickered sporadically from the dome, casting eerie shadows that danced across the desolate landscape. As they ventured further, they crossed what had once been a parking lot, now reclaimed by weeds and strewn with stones and debris.

Petrified and leafless trees stood sentinel amidst the ruins, their gnarled branches reaching towards the fractured sky like skeletal fingers. Behind one of those trees, Corbin saw movement. With renewed urgency, they quickened their pace, following the sound until they finally reached a central plaza bathed in soft, golden light.

In there, five combat robots, with humanoid torsos mounted above treads, churned through the debris-strewn ground with ease, leaving deep tracks in their wake as they closed in on their targets: the salvage team.

Armed with heavy weapons, lasers and combat rifles the robots' unleashed a barrage of firepower towards the salvage crew, their relentless assault driving the humans into cover behind a crumbling building.

The Celestial Voyager crew soon caught sight of Vasquez's lifeless form lying motionless on the ground, a cruel victim of the relentless onslaught of the robots. The once vibrant navigator and communications specialist now lay still, his eyes closed in eternal rest. It was too late to save him.

Beside Vasquez and inside a crumbling building, Chen fought bravely despite her injuries, her face contorted in pain as she struggled to tend to her own wounds while returning fire with her laser pistol. Blood stained her uniform.

The most heart-wrenching sight of all was that of Jax, the crew's chief engineer and resident tinkerer, lying dead and abandoned on the ground, his body battered and broken from the ferocity of the robots' initial assault.

Yet amidst the devastation and despair, Captain Elena Ramirez stood tall and resolute, her laser pistol blazing as she fought back against the robots with unwavering determination. Her face was a mask of grim determination, her eyes with a fierce resolve in a desperate battle for survival.

Corbin moves ahead quickly and opens fire on the nearest robot.

Peter will move up to BH59 and open fire at R4 with his laser rifle in burst mode.

As the party sprinted into the much more open space of the dome, Douklan unlimbered the plasma projector. As they caught sight of the robots and the surviving salvage crew members pinned down in the ruin, the pilot sprinted to (BI,57) as the plasma projector whined, charging up to fire. He took his first shot at the closest robot, R3.

Trade Era 1235, Day 163. 12:30:00 UTC

Abandoned dome, Underworld, Zyronis
Corbin surged forward with determination, his heart pounding in his chest as he darted towards the opposite side of the battlefield. With practiced precision, he raised his laser rifle, taking aim at the nearest robot. With a sharp intake of breath, he squeezed the trigger, unleashing a volley of laser fire towards his metallic adversary. The shots rang out through the air, tearing through the debris-strewn ground as they found their mark.Meanwhile, Peter maneuvered swiftly through the maze of ruins, his senses keen as he sought out the perfect vantage point from which to unleash his own assault. With a swift motion, he approached a nearby tree, his laser rifle held firmly in his grasp. With a determined glint in his eye, Peter took aim at another of the robots, his finger tightening on the trigger as he unleashed a burst of laser fire.

Not far behind, Douklan sprinted into the fray, his plasma projector humming with lethal energy as he took in the scene before him. But despite Douklan's attempt, the beam veered off course.

As the battle intensified, one of the robots (R5) unleashed a barrage of heavy machine gun fire towards Captain Elena Ramirez, who had taken cover behind a crumbling building. The staccato of gunfire filled the air, sending shards of debris flying as bullets peppered the structure. Elena gritted her teeth, feeling the vibrations of the impacts reverberating through the dilapidated walls around her. But even as the building trembled around her, Captain Ramirez refused to yield. With gritted teeth and steely determination, she maintained her position, her laser pistol blazing as she returned fire with unyielding resolve. Unfortunately, she misses.

Suddenly, a searing pain shot through her leg as another robot (R2), armed with a combat rifle, found its mark. Elena cried out in agony as the bullet struck home, tearing through flesh and bone. Blood began to pool around her, staining the ground beneath her feet as she struggled to maintain her composure amidst the onslaught.Meanwhile, another robot (R4) set its sights on Peter, unleashing a torrent of laser fire towards the crew member. But Peter, clad in his sturdy assault suit, remained unscathed as the bullets ricocheted harmlessly off his armor. With a grim determination, he returned fire, his laser rifle blazing as he sought to eliminate the threat. The concentrated energy lanced out towards his target, striking true. But Corbin, caught in the open, was not so fortunate. He became a prime target for the robots' deadly accuracy. Two robots (R1 and R3) trained on him using laser rifles, and though one shot missed its mark, the other found its target.As the chaos of battle raged on, James saw an opportunity to make a difference. With determination, he dashed forward, his metallic limbs propelling him swiftly across the debris-strewn ground towards the beleaguered salvage crew. Despite being unarmed, James knew that he could still lend a hand in this desperate situation. As he closed the distance between himself and the crew, he focused on his current goal: to protect and assist those in need.

Corbin continues to move across the open area, hoping to continue to draw fire away from the survivors.

Douklan launches another plasma sphere at the R3. "Corbin, are you OK? Can you get into cover?"