Chapter 22 - The Plan

The loud screach of some sort of a beast howled through the area, it could be heard by anyone and it chills the bone.

"Hostile detected! It's Ex Machina!"

The screen then shows us the beast that we're looking for. It is some sort of a mechanical monster. Steel body that mimics the look alike of a dragon and are those turrets lining up on the body?

"There it is our white whale."

"Oi oi oi! Even though we outnumbered it ten to one I don't think that we can win oi!" I complained to the captain.

"Well it's too late to back out now Kain."

It is indeed too late to back out as the captain said. But even so isn't this is crazy?! Looked towards Marion to see what's her reaction to all of this and all I saw is her trying hard to not fall asleep to all of this discussion. What a carefree gal, I strife to be like her.

Yeah, right.

"Ok, but how exactly we're supposed to play into this? This doesn't seem like you need our specialties? You don't need our help if you just want to fire cannons at them."

"Yes. We need you to board Ex-Machina."

"Say that again?"

"We need you to board-"

"I know what you're saying but… isn't that really dangerous?!" I retorted back to the captain.

"Well that's what the combined fleet leader plan's said. Of course you'll not be doing this alone, a group of other boarder will come with you and attack Ex-Machina from the inside."

"Oi oi oi, what will happen if Ex-Machina explodes from the inside after we do some damage to it?!"

"No matter, that's why you'll be using this." The captain then fished out some sort of a ball from his pocket? "This is a teleportation beacon, you'll be using this after you have finished destroying Ex-Machina from the inside. You'll be teleported back into this ship after you use it. There! It's quite easy right?"

"Well… that does sound quite a sound plan… What you say Marion?"

As I asked her she immediately woke up as if a shock has attacked her whole body.

"Uh… Uhmm… I'm listening, sounds good." She said to me half-heartedly

"You're definitely not listening aren't you." I asked to her with in a flat note.

The girl can only gave me a weak laugh as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"About the plan, how exactly are we supposed to go inside Ex-Machina?"

"As you may noticed on the ship, there are two large cannons. We'll be using those cannons to shoot an anchor in which we will blast the creature from point blank while at the same time allowing you to jump inside of the creature."

"Uhh that sounds bad, what if you also hit us?"

"Don't worry about that. Ex Machina's armor will hold up. Besides what we'll be targeting is the gun turrets that's lining up on it's thick armor." Said Robert as he waved his hand waving away my worries.

"I still think it's a bad Idea."

"Oh you and your worries, if this keeps up you'll be getting the title Kain the worrisome. In any case ready yourself to the deck and prepare. The rest of the crew should also been readying themselves. "

I could only shrug and shook my head. I looked towards Marion and the girl just nonchalantly looking outside the window with a blank expression.

"Oi, let's go." I said to the girl as I patted her on her shoulder.

"Hmm…" She looked towards me and nodded.

I gave Robert a nod and then we left the bridge heading to the upper dock as we walked up deck As we walked I could see some of the crew running around also heading to the upper deck in their hands holding some sort of a box. We then arrived at the upper deck.

The upper deck has been equipped with autocannons and at the end of each side there's a huge cannon with some sort of a harpoon attached to it. I assume it's for when we attempt to board Ex-Machina. One of the crew then approached us.

"Are you Ready for to board Ex-Machina?" He asked me with a grin.

"No, but let's get this over with."

"Hoo… What about you little girl?"

"I'm okay about it."

"Man you two have no vigor. In any case when we harpooned the dragon it'll be the moment for you to board it."

"Like what we gonna run on the chains?"

"You can't do that?"

"I can do that." *Answered Marion to the crewman.

"Oi oi oi, I can't do that!" I chirped my inability to the crewman.

"Don't worry. I can carry you into the dragon." Replied Marion with a smug grin on her face and a thumbs up.

"That's reliable, I know that you guys can be counted on."

Don't just ignore what she has just said man, but I guess it can't be helped since this is an emergency situation.

"Other than that I'm sure that the captain and what you have seen informed you that we will be shooting the autocannons into the Ex-Machina while you infiltrate the dragon's inside."

"I still think that it's a bad Idea but yeah he told us that already."

"Don't worry we will put a tracker on you so we can avoid shooting you to pieces."

"Well, that's a bit comforting."

"In any case please prepare yourself." Said the crew member to us. I nodded at what he has jus said to us and he walked away from us.

"Alright I guess it's time to check our equipments." We then walked to a table. On top of the table is a bunch of weapons and armor that has already been prepared for us. I picked up a shotgun and looked at it from various angle. I guess I should take this since we'll probably be slugging our way inside the Ex-Machina. There's also some sort of an armor that looked like a flak jacket. I guess I should be using that.

I then looked to Marion and she shows a complicated expression at the sight of the flak jacket.

"You'll be using that." I said to her.

"Ehh… But it looked uncomfortable…"

"I don't care if you're strong as hell or you can take the hit, you'll be using that and that's final."

"Haa… ok granpa…"

"Gra—This is for your own safety!"

I then continues to banter with Marion as the rest of the ship did their final preparation with their weaponry.