Lightning Seeker

Twelve AI

"Dash is going to hate me for all eternity," Vale said as they climbed onto the skymaran that Sky had made back on Resistere Futilis.

Then you won't be the only one.

Vale wore all black, hoping it would help her blend in when they reached the ship. She adjusted the dark jacket that she had borrowed from Geo and walked over to the control panel. "He doesn't hate you. He's hurting. It's not the same."

She had told Geo of her plan and after begging for a ten-minute head start, Geo promised to relay hers and Sky's plan to Dash. She knew Dash would have never let her off the ship if she had told him in person.

Sky had changed out all of his tools for daggers, strapping them to his toolbelt. He also wore all black, his long blond hair pulled back into a chord at the nape of his neck.

"Ready?"

He nodded and Vale took the skymaran into the air and over the side of The Ignis before they could change their minds. She kept the skymaran close to the sea, speeding as fast as the mechanical beast would allow, hoping that their ridiculously dangerous plan would work.

Sky came and stood next to her. "I can't believe we are going back." Vale laughed bitterly. "After what we went through to get off that blasted thing."

Sky shrugged. Life can be cruel.

They reached the Resistere Futilis quickly, and Vale shot the skymaran into the air and landed it in the same spot on the deck as where it previously lived, tucking it close to the railing. The deck seemed empty and Vale hoped that luck would live out for the rest of their plan.

Sky pulled out his AI scanner and motioned for her to take a look. Hundreds of blue dots filled the ship. They had made more. A lot more. Vale and Sky looked at each other. Sky motioned to the bridge. We get there and take out their navigation system. Then we move to the engines. Once those are down, the entire ship will submerge. How much electricity do you have stocked up in that arm of yours?

She hadn't used it since sending a small spark into Sky's chest to start his heart. She knew she had more. A lot more. But she was planning on taking down a few AI's just to make sure. "I'll have enough to finish things."

Hopping off the skymaran, Sky and Vale stayed low to the ground, thankful for the nearly dark sky as they moved to a ladder off to the left. Climbing the exterior of the ship, they reached the side of the bridge. Peaking through the glass wall, Vale spotted twelve large AI's inside. She looked down at Sky. Twelve large AI's, she signed.

Sky hugged the ladder, wringing his arm through it as he signed back. Last chance to turn back.

Not a chance, Vale signed. Then turning, she took her metal arm and punched the glass, watching it shatter under her inhuman strength.

Vale jumped into the room, running for the first AI and slicing it across the chest before it registered what was happening. Pulling several wires out of its open chest, she watched it buckle and fall. Spinning, Vale jumped and landed on a second. Ramming a large two-headed axe into the base of its neck, the head ripped from its body and hit the ground.

Vale tilted forward, forcing the AI to fall off balance and sent it hurling into a third, their bodies colliding and hitting the ground. Vale scrambled onto the third and rammed her sword into its head, consuming the sparks that overtook it.

She heard Sky behind her. Turning she saw him on an AI's back, yanking on a large set of wires, pulling two AI's together, their limbs taught as they hit the ground. Sky who still had a wrench on the back of his toolbelt pulled it out and quickly set about yanking off panels. Taking out his knife, he slashed at the vulnerable wires and the AI's went limp.

Five down, seven to go. They made eye contact and Vale motioned to the control panel. Sky nodded and ran for it. Vale turned back to the AI's. Running, she slid under the legs of one and sliced it across the knees. She dodged a pair of large arms and rolled out of the way. The AI tripped over the AI with large cracks along the back of its legs. Vale turned her arm into a hammer, slamming it into both of their heads, surprised when the metal gave easily under her.

Sparks flared and she pulled them into her arm. Seven down, five to go. She only had a moment to roll into a small ball and summon a shield before a large ball of fire consumed her from across the room. Transforming her arm into a spear, she ran for the AI with the flame thrower and shoved it right into the flamethrower, causing it to explode, ripping the AI apart as Vale jumped back and summoned her shield again.

The blast sent her flying across the room and out the broken window. Turning her arm into a large hook, she caught the side of the window. Two large metal hands yanked her inside, throwing her to the ground. The wind flew out of her lungs and she was left gasping, struggling for breath. The AI brought out a sword and whirled it towards Vale's head. She rolled, the sword slicing through the ground where she was a moment before.

Jumping to her feet, she kicked the sword away and felt something in her injured leg protest. Ignoring the pain, she took a step forward and took advantage of the vulnerable AI, sword flung to the side. Transforming her arm into a pulse blaster, she shot electricity at the AI, causing it to short circuit. The electricity bounced wildly around the room, dropping the other AI's to the ground.

Vale shoved her metal hand against the ground and did her best to soak up as much of the electricity as she could. She saw Sky at the controls pulling information off of the screens while doing his best to stay away from the lightning as it bounced wildly around the room. Sky jumped back as the screens sparked.

Grabbing his hand, Vale yanked him away from the screens. Sky ripped his hand free, pulled a small item out of the side of one of the keyboards before they bolted back through the window.

They climbed down two floors before Vale felt it safe to stop. "Did you do it?"

Sky nodded. I got all of their information, wiped the drives, and reset their destination.

"Where?"

A junkyard three thousand miles away just in case we can't submerge the ship.

Vale laughed, "Well, we better finish before we end up going with them."

Sky nodded and they climbed down the ladder towards the engine room.