Percy Jackson, The Moon Goddess's Man (Pertemis)

Chapter 15: Rescue Op

"Alright Artemis. The equipment are ready. Let's go. We need to suit up." Percy pushed himself off the bulkhead followed by Artemis and Gemma. They had been practicing with maneuvering thruster packs for an hour. Gemma and Artemis had just gotten the hang of it, but weren't very proficient. To compensate, Percy ordered that the hallway to his hanger be cleared and disabled of gravity. Percy easily dodged stray equipment left being by the crew of Jewel Of The Sea. Artemis wasn't so lucky. A random lipstick smacked into her face. Gemma giggled and Artemis glared at her. Artemis and Gemma arrived at Percy's personal hanger. "Alright. Put these suits on and the helmet. Each of the suits have their own oxygen canisters which will only activate when the outer mask is down. There's a heads up display on the inner mask." Percy said, holding up a helmet. "It displays the amount of ammunition you have left. We will be going light and with as little stuff as possible to avoid detection." Percy explained.

Skye stepped up. "The briefing about the mission will be onboard. Weapons will be standardized, just in case we need to share ammunition." She handed out long barreled rifles with scopes. "EBR-700, pull the scope down to change from sniper to assaults rifle mode, and pull the scope back up to go to sniper. In assault rifle mode you fire small amounts of energy. Each magazine contains enough for 40 shots on the assault rifle. Switching to the sniper it will fire a beam of devastating energy which costs 5 energy. The rifles have built in fusion mags that generate the energy lost when you're not fighting. As a secondary weapon you'll be taking with you is Electro-Magnet Compact, or EMC for short. Fourteen rounds, all energy, reliable stopping power. Fusion mags like the EBR-700." She said handing out the weapons. "You shouldn't have too much of a trouble. Just aim and shoot." Skye said and boarded the waiting Raven. "Right let's go." Artemis said, putting on the helmet. Percy loaded one more box onto the Raven. Artemis raised an eyebrow. "What are those for?" She asked. "Space suits and EMCs for the hunters." Percy said. "You surely expect at least a fight to reclaim your hunters do you?" Percy smirked with an eyebrow raised. "N-no..." Artemis said blushing. Gemma laughed and boarded the Raven, brushing against Percy by accident. Once inside Artemis saw the ramp close. Percy patted the metal wall. "Let's go!"

"This is Blue Rescue ready for take-off, awaiting permission from Jewel Of The Seas." A female voice said. "This is Jewel Of The Seas, Blue Rescue you are clear to launch in 3... 2... 1..." Artemis felt a force hit her chest as the g-force push against her. In a moment she felt weightlessness as gravity released its hold on her. A blue screen came down. "Listen up." Skye said. A circular building appeared. "This is the moon base. We suspect the hunters are held underground, where most of the sleeping quarters are located to protect the crew from meteors. Percy will infiltrate the base's sensor centre and take it down. We will land immediately after that and get the hunters. Simple enough?" They nodded their heads. "Good. Percy you're up in a minute." They buckled their belts tightly. Percy knelt down in the middle of the Raven, facing the rear end like a sprinter ready to run. The Raven slowed and spun. The back ramp dropped and decompression of the entire plane shot Percy like bullet out the Raven. "Close the ramp, then bring up the map projection." Skye ordered. The ramp slowly closed and a projection of the moon appeared. One part zoomed in and showed the moon base. A blinking dot showed the Raven's position. A (obviously) blue arrow showed Percy's position, heading for the base.

Percy flew through the darkness of space. Down below he could see the deformed ground of the moon, pockmarked by meteors and asteroids. He looked up and spotted the base. It was the typical moon base established to look around to see if the place is suitable for terraforming into a more stable land for "Luna Cities". Percy was slightly impressed. The mortals in a short five years had increased their influence, reaching to space. All thanks to Nebular for faking several "alien" spaceships that had "crash landed" on earth a "long" time ago, jumpstarting Humanity's path towards space. (1)

Undeterred by the lack of atmosphere(though Nebular's calculations said that in 5 years, assisted by mortals, the moon would be turning fast enough to generate its own gravity field to contain its own atmosphere), Percy flew towards the large window fitted for the atrium. He never understood the large glass window placed right there but whatever, he had easy access in so he wasn't complaining much. Most of the scientists which were monsters hidden by the Mist were eating in there, as it was technically lunchtime (United States time). Percy slammed straight through the glass, the vacuum sucking every monster out to space before the bulkheads closed. "Skye, I'm in, where's the nearest air lock?" "Unknown, from visual inspection I'd say it's five hundred meters south of you. But I can't be sure." The static sounding voice issued from his earpiece. "Alright. Going radio quiet."

Skye sighed. She always worried for Percy. She pushed herself off the controls and floated to her own gear and begun arming up. "Alright Skye. Got the hanger bay opening. Land inside. I'll be inside. Get the explosives ready." Percy radioed. Steering the Raven into the hanger bay, Skye shut off the power in the machine and stepped out, Artemis and Gemma following her. Percy stepped out into the light. "Good you're here. Artemis, Gemma, the hunters are held in the lowest possible part of the base; the entrance to the mines. Skye, go do your mission." Skye nodded and zoomed off. Once outside the hanger Percy attached a small rock to the doors to the hanger. They faded away. "Useful to hide places, as well as serving as a distraction when we need to escape." Percy informed them. "Skye. You know what to do. Artemis. Gemma. With me. The hunters are down this way. The plan's a bust. Sensors have detected me. Luckily the Scientists were not in at that time." Percy said. "Move quickly. Skye will be safe. The hunters however, I doubt so. We will not be unnoticed for Long. Move." Percy said as he started to jog. His jogging became a full out sprint.

Three giggling Empousa rounded the corner just as Percy, Artemis and Gemma hit the intersection. Percy slammed through one like butter, causing it to burst into golden dust. Artemis and Gemma easily shot the two other shocked Empousa with their EMCs. Percy glared at them. "Do you mind? Don't use the guns unless we're too far. Now they may have heard that. Move. Quickly." Artemis glared. "You decided to tag along. Now either you listen to me or we may have the consequences Of your hunters dying." Percy said firmly. Artemis just stared in shock. Percy stared over her head in surprise. "Shit!" He cursed before pulling a throwing knife from his sleeves and throwing it down the corridor at an Empousa that turned the corner. Shrieks from around the corner told them that that Empousa was not alone. "Fuck!" Percy cursed. "Move!" He shoved Artemis and Gemma and lobbed a grenade at the intersection.

Unfortunately in his haste he picked up a sonic stun grenade which did not exploded but just sent out a sonic pulse with stunned everyone without suit tailored to negate that pulse. As a result, the monsters burst into dust but the pulse also shattered multiple windows.

Artemis and Gemma managed to get into the next compartment just just as the doors sealed.

For Percy, the wind stopped howling around him from the pulse.

Then he begun sliding backwards.