Chapter 3: The enigmatic saviour
CHAPTER 3
Jada's heart thundered in her chest as the exchange of fire erupted in the dimly lit server room. Plasma bolts sizzled through the air, scorching the towering data stacks and filling the space with an acrid haze of ozone. She gripped her multi-tool tightly, her knuckles turning white as she took shelter behind one of the massive server racks.
Through the chaos, Jada could make out the gruff voices of the Zephyr security forces as they fanned out, their heavy boots pounding against the metal grating. "Fan out and find her! The asset is not to be harmed, but use lethal force if necessary."
Jada felt a chill run down her spine. They were after her, and they wouldn't hesitate to open fire. She knew she had to act fast, or risk being overwhelmed by their sheer numbers.
Peering around the edge of the rack, Jada caught a glimpse of two heavily armored troopers advancing in her direction, their plasma rifles at the ready. She took a deep, steadying breath, then launched herself into action.
With a flick of her wrist, Jada unleashed a volley of concussive blasts from her multi-tool, the crackling energy pulses slamming into the troopers and sending them crashing to the ground in a tangle of limbs and sparking armor. Their weapons clattered across the grated floor, skittering away into the shadows.
Before the other guards could react, Jada was already sprinting towards the far end of the server room, her lithe form weaving between the towering data stacks. Alarms began to blare, the cacophony of sound nearly deafening as she raced towards her only chance at escape – a narrow service hatch set into the far wall.
Plasma bolts scorched the air around her, the security forces now fully focused on their fleeing target. Jada could feel the searing heat as one of the energy blasts clipped her shoulder, searing through her suit and leaving a trail of cauterized flesh in its wake. She grit her teeth against the pain, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she flung herself towards the hatch.
With a desperate burst of strength, Jada wrenched the hatch open and hurled herself through the narrow opening, the confined space closing in around her as she crawled forward. Behind her, she could hear the thunderous footfalls of the Zephyr guards in pursuit, their voices barking orders and curses.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jada emerged into a dimly lit maintenance tunnel, the scent of recycled air and machine grease assaulting her senses. She paused for a brief moment, her chest heaving as she fought to catch her breath.
But there was no time to rest. The muffled sounds of pursuit echoed through the tunnel, growing ever closer. Gritting her teeth, Jada pressed on, her footsteps silent as she navigated the maze of pipes and ventilation ducts. As she rounded a corner, a sudden blur of motion caught her eye, and Jada instinctively threw herself to the ground. A searing plasma bolt streaked past her, slamming into the wall and showering her with molten shrapnel.
Heart pounding, Jada peered out from her prone position to see a squad of heavily armed Zephyr troopers advancing down the tunnel, their weapons trained on her.
"End of the line, little girl," the lead trooper growled, leveling his fearsome plasma cannon at her. "Surrender now, and maybe we'll go easy on you."
Jada felt a surge of defiance course through her. She had come too far, risked too much to simply give up now. With a flick of her wrist, she activated the holographic camouflage on her suit, her form shimmering and fading from view.
The troopers hesitated, their weapons wavering as they lost sight of their target. Jada seized the opportunity, springing into action and launching a barrage of concussive blasts directly into their midst.
The confined space amplified the thunderous detonations, sending the Zephyr forces tumbling in a hail of sparks and shrapnel. Jada didn't pause to witness the full extent of the carnage, instead breaking into a full sprint and racing towards the faint glow of an exit hatch at the end of the tunnel. As she neared the hatch, Jada could make out the bustling sounds of the exterior loading bay beyond. If she could just make it outside, she might have a chance at escaping this corporate hellscape.
With a desperate burst of speed, Jada flung herself at the hatch, her shoulder slamming against the unyielding metal as she forced it open. She tumbled out into the cavernous loading bay, the sight that greeted her causing her heart to skip a beat.
Looming before her, a hulking figure clad in heavy battle armor stood guard, a fearsome plasma cannon mounted on his shoulder. The trooper whirled at the sound of her entrance, his visor glowing with a menacing crimson light.
"End of the line, little girl," he growled, his voice distorted by the armored helm. "You should have surrendered when you had the chance."
Jada felt a surge of panic, her gaze darting around the loading bay for any avenue of escape. But the trooper was relentless, his finger tightening on the trigger of his plasma cannon as it whined to life.
Just as the devastating energy beam lanced forth, a blur of motion erupted from the shadows. A dark-clad figure slammed into the trooper with bone-shattering force, sending the plasma blast careening harmlessly into the far wall.
Jada watched in stunned amazement as the mysterious savior – a woman with raven hair and the lithe, lethal grace of a panther – traded savage blows with the armored behemoth. Her strikes were surgical, each one finding the weak points in the trooper's heavy armor and exploiting them with brutal efficiency.
With a final, devastating kick, the woman sent the trooper crashing to the ground, his armored form lying motionless and sparking. She turned to face Jada, her dark eyes burning with an intensity that sent a shiver down Jada's spine. "You need to get out of here. Now." The woman's voice was low and commanding, brooking no argument.
Jada hesitated, her mind still reeling from the harrowing ordeal. "But...who are you? How did you--"
"No time," the woman interrupted, her tone urgent. "The reinforcements won't be far behind. Take the data and run. I'll hold them off."
Before Jada could respond, the woman had already melted back into the shadows, her movements fluid and predatory. Jada's gaze fell upon the precious data drive clutched in her hand – the evidence she had risked everything to obtain.
With a renewed sense of determination, Jada cast one last glance at the fallen trooper, then broke into a desperate sprint towards the towering hangar doors. Beyond their threshold, she could see the sleek lines of a transport craft, its engines already humming to life.
Throwing caution to the wind, Jada leapt aboard the craft, her fingers dancing across the controls as she initiated the launch sequence. The engines roared to life, and the transport lifted off, hurtling skyward and leaving the chaos of the Zephyr server farm far behind.
As the craft soared into the neon-soaked skies of New Horizon, Jada collapsed into the pilot's seat, her body trembling with a mixture of adrenaline and utter relief. She had made it out alive, the precious data clutched in her hands like a talisman – a key to unlocking the truth behind Zephyr's depravity.
But even as the rush of her escape faded, Jada couldn't shake the image of the mysterious woman from her mind. Who was she, this lethal yet enigmatic savior? And what role did she play in the unfolding saga surrounding Zephyr and the doomed Kepler-22b colony?
Jada knew that the answers would have to wait. For now, she had to focus on getting the data to safety, and finding a way to expose Zephyr's crimes to the wider galaxy. The path ahead was fraught with peril, but she was more determined than ever to see this through to the bitter end – no matter the cost.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone