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(BUS)Chapter 30: Big bug
🕑 Added 2024-10-25 14:57:18 +0000 UTCIf anything though I was looking forward to opening that vault now that I had roughly gauged Athenas trait pool. I'm not sure if the vault monsters sealed in the vaults were originally from the planets they were sealed away on but if that was the case I was curious what sort of monster could have been born on this planet. Obviously it would be some sort of mutant but most mutations were hardly noticeable in a member of a species without careful observation. Yet despite this a creature had managed to get classified as a threat by even a race like the Eridians so clearly whatever made this thing like this was no small thing.-
'Now to figure out how to open the vault without sending alarms off to every person within the six galaxies like a dumbass?' I pondered with a frown.
Finding the vault was easy since it was public knowledge where it was located. No the issue was that it was under heavy automated security protocols to keep people from actually messing with it. Those same security measures had LONG been hacked by the various interested parties that wished to study the vault.-
This meant if I just walked into that place brazenly I'd tip off a whole hell of a lot of people that I not only went to the vault but was also responsible for opening it. Now I don't mind a bit of adversity but not even I'm confident in surviving the onslaught of every jackass with a gun in the six galaxies gunning for my fine self without stop. Just the rumors of a vault to be opened on Pandora is enough for people to throw away their lives by the droves. Not to even get started talking on the repercussions that ACTUALLY opening a vault would cause.-
For starters I'd immediately get a massive fucking bounty placed on my head regardless of the Jakobs interference. There was no way to avoid it when the contents of a vault could be valuable enough to send any of the major corporation skyrocketing ahead of the competition. In the face of such juicy potential profits few would stop at anything to get their hands on them. Sure they'd all try to buy to vault key and the vaults contents off me first. But when that inevitably failed since I definitely wouldn't hand over my prize so easily it was bounty o'clock.-
Anyways the next big issue with opening the vault that came was related the previous but not exactly at the same time. I am of course referring to the absolute shitstorm that the Jakobs will get hit with since there was no hiding my ties to them. This was going to turn into one of those "guilty by association" type deals for them as everyone will start pressuring the Jakobs to hand over whatever I got from the vault. -
Thankfully that particular old tree had a thorny bark and believed in shotgun diplomacy. Any pressure put on Jakobs would only result in the old man in charge returning it in kind.
'Ugh, how annoying.' I thought as I sat leaned against a tree at the bottom of the mountain planning my next move.
I don't like complicated plans, never have. Too many details hinged on the previous step following through leaves far to much room for something unexpected to happen that fucks the whole thing up from that point forward. I like generalized plans with plenty of room for improvisation.
'You know now that I think about it couldn't I just shoot out the power to cut the signals?' I thought sitting up as the idea hit me.
I wasted no time at all opening my house up and heading to the teleporter room. Once there I grabbed the amber orb that controlled the whole thing and set it to take me back to the monastery. While the vault wasn't there it WAS nearby that area. Specifically it was in a cave system a couple miles to the side of the place. Apparently the Eridians like putting vaults in places like caves since this was the third one I knew of in that sort of place.-
The one I had no connection to was the one that Atlas opened a ways back. Once I arrived at the monastery I put away my house and didn't head for the entrance to the caves but rather the tower above it with a bunch of wires and radio dishes on it. "BANG!" four shots rang out as I shot all four of the center points of the signal tower that was corroded and clearly ill maintained. This made the whole structure groan as the strain of it's own weight pressed down on it.-
'Now for the finishing touch, a little blastamite for flare.' I thought with a grin as I took out some sticks of the dangerous stuff and lit the fuses before calmly tossing them at each of the four legs of the tower.
I jogged away a good distance before watching the show. "KABOOM! CRASH!" the explosion roared out violently and the tower immediately fell as the force blew out it's already weakened foundation.
'That'll fuck up any signals going out from me busting up the power on the security forces, now for the actually dangerous part.' I thought with a serious expression as I headed for the entrance to the caves that held the vault.-
I sprinted away from this area and towards the cave entrance as there was no doubt people on the way here to investigate what the shit just happened. It only took me about ten minutes to see the entrance covered in vines and metal gates that looked barely functional. To the side of the rock area was a generator that had a obvious cable running from it to the gates. "BANG!" I fired a shot right into the generator that let off a burst of electrical energy but broke down moments later. -
The rocks crunched under my feet as I dashed into the gapping maw of the cave after the now unpowered gates fell open. It was dark but I expected as much given the fact I had just taken out the power that would have been lighting the place up. Toggling my thermal sense on I could vaguely make out my surroundings in the dark based on the shape and colors I saw. "BANG x3!" thanks to this I fired off three shots to take out the still hot and active robotic sentries.-
I carefully made my way deeper in the cave relying on my thermal sense to keep me from running into a wall. Any robots or sentries turrets I came across got deep sixed and eventually I got past the guarded part and to the actual Eridian ruins that thankfully glowed so I could see again. In standard Eridian fashion there was many exposed stone structures and weird humanoid shadows that had glowing blue purple energy flowing through them with no discernable source. I saw signs of fights long past here as I walked that showed me why I hadn't found any Seraphs, they were all killed.-
I shook my head in regret seeing this "What a waste, could've at least used them as free guards." I muttered as I walked through this deathly silent place.
I thought it rather funny how there was signs pointing the way straight to the vault. Like c'mon if you don't want anyone to come down here why make signs for it? Deciding to chalk it up to the weirdness that I've come to recognize as common in this reality I moved on. About two hours of walking at a downward angle later and the cave widened out into a huge cavernous chamber with massive statues holding spears and a familiar looking broken stone arch in the distance that had a stone pedestal in front of it.-
"Grab your popcorn ladies and gentlemen, it's showtime!" I said with a eager grin as I dashed over to the pedestal.
Removing the pole-like key from my inventory I slotted it into the hole on the top of the pedestal and made some distance as the thing sank below the ground. The pieces of the broken archway began to rise and slot themselves into place through some mysterious force until a complete archway was formed.-
"VWOOSH!" the familiar black-purple portal manifested into existence and a large red carapaced limb extended out of it. Behind that leg came another and another then a clicking insectoid head and body.
{TITHONUS, Hungry, thinks you smell like bacon!}
"Now there's an introduction I can get behind! Bring it bitch!" I yelled with a wide grin as I drew my gun.
Tithonus was a six legged bug with the body of a beetle, tail of a scorpion and the size of a semitruck. The whole body was deep red in color and had eight beady black eyes staring at me from it's head.
"SKKKKRREEEEEE!" the thing made this ungodfully noise before spitting a stream of dark green liquid at me that sizzled the moment it hit the ground after I dodged to the size.
'Acid huh? That can be a slight pain in the ass if it leaves enough pools behind.' I thought seeing this.
I raised my gun and squeezed the trigger three times as fast as I could while aiming for those eyes. "TINK! TINK! TINK!" I frowned a little when I saw the big bug block my shots with it's tail without slowing down at all on it's charge towards me.
'Not as stupid as that big ape it seems, good. It's no fun if it's one sided.' I thought excitedly as I sprinted away with the bug hot on my trail.
I dipped behind a statue and the ground shook as the bug charged right into the stone thing full speed.
"SKKKRRREEEEEEE!" the bug sounded pissed.
I took advantage of it's disorientation from the impact to circle around the blast the bug in between the joints of it's tail to cripple it.-
I failed to totally cripple that tail but I certainly caused serious damage as the bug leapt backwards like a reverse grasshopper. It hissed in pain as well as dripped green blood from it's wounds. The tail also lay limply against it's back to be protected from further damage as the bug eyed me with an intense desire to kill.
I reloaded my gun with a casual shake and grinned madly "I know that's not the best you got so come on bitch, show me what put you in this vault!" I taunted and the bug was more than happy to oblige me.
_______________________________________________
Alexander Drake
Lifeforce: 503,578
Integrated Traits: [Gun expertise-Uncommon grade], [Clever mind-Uncommon grade]X3,[Enhanced senses-Rare grade], [Omega body-Rare grade]x4,[Superior bones-Rare grade],[Armored hide-Rare grade], [Fire resistance-Uncommon grade], [Bone regeneration-Uncommon grade], [Corrosion resistance-Uncommon grade], [Energy projection-Epic grade]x2, [Superior vitality-Epic grade],[Flame breath-Uncommon grade],[Minor regeneration-Rare grade][Iron stomach-Uncommon grade], [Disease resistance-Epic grade],[Amphibious lungs-Uncommon grade], [Thermal sensing-Uncommon grade], [Water resistance-Common grade],[Active camouflage-Epic grade]
Stored traits: [Amphibious lungs], [Water resistance],[Quick thinking], [Energy reservoir], [Efficient lungs-Rare grade]x4
Comments
Christian Jeffress
Thanks for another great and entertaining chapter
