X32: Into the Cargo Hold of the Beast

'Kaz, heat signatures are up ahead. Stay ready…' reported Eliza.

As it rolled into the room, it cracked with a bang. Smoke and dust sprouted upwards. As he pushed in, bolts and plasma flew towards them as Riharia and Quinn followed on. Returning fire, Kazuki fired down the large gap between rows of containers as they emerged from the smoke. Eliza's probe highlighted a barricade of Loyalists up ahead at an intersection, taking cover behind small boxes.

Bullets were traded as Loyalists fell. Kazuki didn't want to expend energy on them, instead choosing to throw a thermobaric grenade.

A shockwave of heat rinsed the Loyalists and their barricades. In the wake of the explosion, barely anything remained. Quinn snickered at the sight, desensitised to violence, as Riharia followed Kazuki forward. 'Eliza, go up ahead and highlight any signatures on the uplink. Keep scouting.' 

'I'm on it.' Eliza replied.

With that, the probe flew ahead. They continued to move up as signatures started to light up on their uplinks as Eliza projected a wide-scan. Dozens of signatures were all around, moving directly towards them, converging. But just as they passed the intersection, the first signatures rounded the intersections in front of them and behind. Containers in front and around burst open as gunfire rattled.

Half a dozen drones ignited outwards, catching the trio off guard. The drones' hover boosters activate, shooting upwards. Firing down at the trio, they were aided by Loyalists that poured forward. Riharia took cover beside one of the busted-open doors opposing Kazuki. Quinn slammed himself behind cover as the barrage of projectiles bounced off his shin-guard, sending him into cover near Riharia and Kazuki.

'Can this probe not pick up drones?!' Eliza started to panic.

'Now we know.' Kazuki said, 'Stay focused. Keep scouting for as many signatures as possible.'

Quinn took a bolt to the leg. It skidded right past his armoured plating. He let off a groan of pain and annoyance as he fired his shotgun frantically up into the air, disabling as many drones as possible. But the real problem was the heat signatures closing in. Even more of them were coming. Far too many, they'll get bogged down.

Riharia returned fire, glancing at Kazuki, "Got a plan, Arbiter?"

A stray bullet smacked directly into the cover he was hiding behind as he stayed motionless, thinking. The corrosion sprays from Svenn's shotgun still stung ever-so-slightly, even after a week of recovery. 

"I got one, you two go ahead. I'll keep them all distracted!" suggested Quinn, shooting back at the drones and Loyalists behind them. 

It was a suicidal plan. Riharia glanced back at Kazuki and shook her head in disapproval. He could see combat stress underneath the visor, first losing Petra and now losing Quinn… It was hard being the survivor. But sacrifices must be made. Kazuki nodded at Quinn, greenlighting his idea.

"Alright. Good luck, Epsilon. Hold them back for as long as possible. Retreat if necessary." ordered Kazuki, peeking before running out of cover towards the Loyalists in front.

"Keep an eye on Riharia for me!" Quinn barked back towards them.

"Dammit…" Riharia popped her head out, covering Kazuki as he soared forward. "Well, so much for Petra's promise…" she trailed off.

"See you guys later." said Quinn, chuckling.

Kazuki re-ignited his deflector shield with one hand, firing his carbine with the other. As he ran out of bullets in the chamber, he slapped the rifle back onto his leg as it retracted. Pulling out his pistol, he lunged forward. He took out three Loyalists as two more peeked their heads, unleashing plasma at him.

His shield took a beating as he lowered his profile. Bullets slit his muscles open. He felt the stimulants tightening up his mind as he crouched down, grabbing hold of a broken metal plate. He pushed it outwards in front of him, using it to block bullets whilst his shield recharged.

He reached the Loyalists, throwing the plate at one of them. It slammed into them with a force unseen as they were sent flying backwards. They collided with the wall, the steel beheading them. 

"Fuck!" The final Loyalist tried to retreat, but was gunned down by Riharia as she pushed up to join Kazuki.

"Gambit. On me." said Kazuki, breaking into a sprint. He reloaded on the run as Riharia followed, taking one last look back at Quinn… She's now in his care, Kazuki thought. Best be quick about it. 

He was still holding them off, taking cover whilst retreating slowly. He bought the two as much time as possible - showing desperation in every action. He did his best to blast away, ward off, the Loyalists. Turning forwards, the duo now ran through the intersecting paths. Gunfire raged all around and up above as they smacked through blockades of Loyalists. They did everything from hiding behind crates, ambushes and even using grenades: nothing stopped their advance.

They were skilled. But in this industry, even a minor difference in experience meant everything. Kazuki made short work of them all, expending his energy with every shot. The braver Loyalists were shown exactly why bravery is a double-edged quality. Each was thrown down, shot, sliced open and dealt with in every manner of fashion imaginable by him. But he was being slowed down, his armour was riddled with bolts, and so was Riharia's. The feeling on his skin was akin to having needles stabbed into him. He's been hit a few times, but nothing he can't handle.

The two continued forward, cutting a path through the connecting paths of the vessel. Loyalists fired from the overhanging catwalks, as they crossed the corners. Riharia was hit, ducking into cover as she tended to her own wounds. Yet the moment they tried to get a clear view on Riharia, Kazuki splattered them. Bolts hurled up and down as they pushed forward.

"Sorry, Arbiter," said Riharia.

"We all get hit," commented Kazuki, "Nothing special about that. Keep moving. We should be close."

Continuing onwards, they cleared through a small team of Loyalists within an opening. By now, the two were both bleeding. Injectors were swapped around; Kazuki was used to the feeling, but Riharia took a moment to inject herself with a healing-stim. Their armour had blotches of scorch marks all over them.

"Still scared of needles?" asked Kazuki.

"Y…yeah." Riharia laughed it off, scratching the back of her helm-mask.

Eliza kept scanning as she picked up an unusual signature. 'Arbiter! Gambit! The container to your left!'

Her callout came right in time as Riharia pulled herself backwards, narrowly avoiding a blast of ash that pushed the door of the container off its hydraulic hinges.