The humans were moving, bolting for exits in a surprisingly calm if slightly rushed manner. Nidi was going to follow one group of soldiers as they jogged to the exit Nidi had entered from when she felt something grab her arm. Looking down, Nidi locked eyes with one of the soldiers who had escorted her in before.
“Follow me.” He yelled over the sound of alarms and increasingly strong explosions. For a second Nidi refused to move, simply watching as the General and his scientists were escorted out by an entire squad of troops.
“Aren’t we going with them?” she asked, nodding towards the disappearing staff. The soldier shook his head.
“You’re needed off base ma’am. Can’t have the bots getting their grabbers on you.”
Nidi felt a slight chill, not only at the confirmation that was indeed the machine, but also at the memory of her first abduction. For a moment she remained frozen in place, staring at nothing.
Her reverie was cut short as she was almost yanked off her feet by the soldier as he made to pull her towards the doorway.
“I am coming.” She protested, her voice barely carrying over the commotion. The soldier did seem to get the gist though as he loosened his grip, though he did continue to pull Nidi along. As the two began to increase their pace the soldier let go entirely, focussing instead on a scrap of paper that he glanced at each time they reached an intersection.
“Where are we going?” Nidi shouted after the fourth turn. The soldier did not reply, instead ripping open a door and ducking inside, Nidi followed close behind.
Jogging down into the dim staircase, Nidi began to feel the familiar worm of anxiety beginning to curl in her stomach. Inhaling slowly, Nidi let her mind wander back to her home, remembering something that her mother had taught her. When she had been very young, her mother had led her to down to the forest floor, a place where only the bravest or most stupid went. they had made their way to a cave, nestled underneath the ancient roots of the tree that made the centre of their village was a cave, a deep pit descending down into the earth below.
“Mother, what is this?” she had asked, her heart had been hammering just walking on the earth, the thought of going beneath it had been a thing of nightmares.
“You’re ancestors all came to this cave, I came to this cave. It is the right that all of our bloodline must fulfill it if we are to attain what is ours.” Her words were emphasised as the air around her head sparked and shimmered, a reminder of the power she held.
“Now it is you’re turn.” She continued, motioning towards the cave with a slow sweeping gesture. Nidi had shook her head, wanting nothing more then to disappear back into the trees
Her mother however didn’t falter, instead kneeling down to Nidi’s level and staring dead into her eyes. “We are warriors, it is our duty to protect our people.” She finally smiled. “and no cave is going to scare us.” With that Nidi’s mother turned and stepped into the darkness, dropping into the cave. For a moment Nidi remained still, before hesitantly stepping to the hole and staring into the void, the air whistling past. After a moment she stepped forward and dropped into the darkness.
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Shaking herself from her revery, Nidi continued to follow the soldier through another doorway and into a new hallway. As she scanned the area, she caught sight a familiar face.
“Garrett?” She whispered. The figure standing up from where had been crouching in an alcove. As he stepped into the light she noted the odd mishmash of clothes he was wearing, one of those soldier vests over an orange jumpsuit. In his hands he was gripping a rifle, perhaps a little too tightly, his eyes carrying a weight that Nidi didn’t need her psionics to detect. Jogging forward, Nidi placed her hand on the man’s arm. Her face one of stony concentration.
“hello Nidi. Max” The man replied, giving a quick nod to the previously unnamed soldier. “So the gangs all here.” His voice cracking slightly as he spoke.
“I suppose.” She grunted. “You are not well, what happened?”
Garrett’s grimace deepened. “Laura has disappeared, the vehicle apparently carrying her was shot down, the guys who shot it down are currently bombing this base and I have spent the last few hours in a cell for interfering in an operation.” He probably would have continued but another explosion rocked the building, this time the lights died, plunging the group into complete darkness. A moment later the soldiers ignited the lights on their rifles, the thin beams a poor replacement for the already poor lighting.
“We should leave before this place collapses” Nidi hissed as more dirt rained down from above. Garrett and Max didn’t bother replying, instead turning and beginning to jog down the hallway, as they made their way through the hallway more explosions rang out, shaking the entire building with each detonation. Finally reaching another doorway, Garrett ripped said door open to reveal a ladder. Without a word Garrett led the way, slinging his rifle over his back and beginning to scramble up the ladder, Nidi following close behind with ‘Max’ following close behind. For several minutes, Nidi was immersed in darkness until it wasn’t.
With a grunt Garrett shoved a hatch open, flooding the tunnel with light. As Garrett slithered over the side and out of sight, Nidi caught sight of the sky outside, one filled with flashes and smoke. Lifting herself out of the hole, Nidi found herself in the middle of a battlefield
with jets and drones streaking back and forth across the smoke-choked sky. For a moment Nidi was left completely spellbound at the dance of destruction above her, in the process failing to notice the far more present threat. A bolt struck her, the beam sparking against her psionically enhanced carapace, releasing a massive flash of light. Now knocked on her back, Nidi gasped for air as her body convulsed and struggled to draw in oxygen. Max appeared after a few seconds. Grabbing her under the arms and pulling her backwards. Nidi forced herself up, shrugging off Max’s assisting arm. Glaring back in the direction of the offending party, she caught sight of the ground battle. Ahead of her was dozens upon dozens of red eyed robots, their weapons blasting away on any soldiers that attempted to halt their advance. Raising her hands, Nidi let loose a shriek. Focussing a massive bolt of energy into a single, wide plane, and pushing forward. The effect was immediate with the entire wave of robots being ripped in half with the distinctive shriek of machine and metal dying. For a moment the little corner of the battlefield was left completely silent. A few soldiers even standing up to look her way. For several seconds no one made a single sound. Until Garrett broke it.
“Get fucking moving you bastards!” Garrett yelled. Waving his hand towards the hangars. The effect was immediate with the soldiers jumping up and running for safety. Garrett meanwhile began to run in the opposite direction, Max and finally a confused Nidi following close behind.
“Why are we going this way?” Nidi shouted.
“I need to find Laura.” He shouted back.
“But didn’t you say she was shot down?”
“Yeah, but a few days ago she was hit by an asteroid and she’s never been a bigger pain my ass.” He let out a laugh, a small bought of levity opposed to before. “So lets go find a girl.” He laughed again.
