NOVEL WEB Chapter 29: Question and Answers.
September 2184. Facility 7 Tunnel.
The tunnel stretched ahead, its dim light flickering across jagged walls that barely clung to structural integrity. The group moved cautiously, the echoes of their footsteps swallowed by the oppressive silence. For the first time since entering, there were no signs of the relentless bugs, no gaping holes to signal a breach. Still, no one dared relax too much.
At the front, Uzi swept her flashlight along the ceiling and walls, her eyes scanning for any anomalies. Behind her, Doll and Lizzy walked side by side, their voices subdued but breaking the silence.
"Thad's going to love this story," Lizzy said, her tone light despite the tension lingering in the air. "Think we could bring him along next time? Maybe find a tunnel that isn't falling apart—or, you know, a death trap."
Doll, uncharacteristically quiet for much of the walk, finally responded. "We know a few tunnels, but most are dead ends. The ones that lead to the cities… well, they're barely standing. Everything's crumbling." Her voice was flat, weighed down by memories of near misses. One such venture had ended with a collapse that nearly buried her and Uzi alive. The thought still sent a chill through her.
"What isn't crumbling around here?" Uzi muttered, glancing back at them. Her flashlight briefly illuminated cracks snaking across the tunnel's walls, entire sections sagging dangerously. "This place is barely holding on."
Lizzy shrugged. "Still, it's wild to think this is so close to the bunker. And that Jason—he's fought these things before?"
Doll nodded. "According to the old combat drones, yes. The SEAF fought them here on Copper 9 and other planets. They called them the Bugs. Waves of flesh, endless and brutal. The drones who worked those frontlines were pulled back to Copper 9 before everything fell apart."
Lizzy shuddered. "A hundred years ago. Imagine what they're like now. If Jason's fought them before, maybe he and his team can help us tweak our weapons. If I could cut the reload time on mine, I'd feel a lot better about coming back out here."
Uzi smirked, glancing at the Senator in her hand. "Yeah, that'd help. But there's something about Jason… when I mentioned Creek, his reaction was strange. I wonder what that's about." Her words trailed off as she focused on the weapon, its weight in her hand grounding her in the moment.
Behind the trio, V, N, and J followed in silence, keeping an eye on Jason, who trailed a few steps behind. The trip had been anything but straightforward, yet they were grateful to be heading back earlier than expected. Safety was a fragile promise, but getting the three worker drones back to the bunker was their priority.
"Martin's going to lose it when he hears about all this," N said with a dry chuckle. "Think we should prep some oil for him?"
J snorted. "Better make it a barrel. None of this adds up. But working with a human again… I'll admit, Jason surprised me. His timing with V back there? That was impressive."
V said nothing, her expression unreadable. The encounter with the Stalker still replayed in her mind, as did the strange lab they'd discovered. Something in the debris had belonged to Nori. What was she doing there? And why had no one noticed the lab's connection to the bunker before now?
"I'll need several barrels of oil," V muttered finally. "And a break. Jason's actions were unexpected, given his history with Automatons."
Jason's voice interrupted from behind. "Why would that surprise you? You're part of my team now. Comrades in arms. I don't care if you're combat drones or guard dog drones. I protect my team—that's what being a Helldiver means."
His words struck a chord, silencing the group momentarily. V hesitated before speaking. "I… thank you," she said quietly, genuine gratitude lacing her tone.
Jason fell in step beside them, his presence steadying. After a moment, he asked, "N, who's this Tessa you mentioned? She seems important to all of you."
The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken memories. The three drones exchanged a glance, their optics dimming with sorrow.
"She was the last human we worked with," N began. "We found her after picking up an SOS from a bunker. She kept morale high and taught us things—more than just warfare. But… she got sick. Even antibiotics only slowed it down. By the time we found her help, it was too late."
J added, "She came from a family that had books—real books. Some were ancient, from before Super Earth. She shared everything she knew."
Jason's eyebrows rose beneath his helmet. "That's… rare. Few could even access knowledge like that. She must have been connected."
"She made things better, for a time," V said softly. Her voice carried the weight of loss, something Jason understood all too well.
His radio crackled to life, pulling him from his thoughts. Placing a finger on his helmet, Jason answered. "Helldiver Jason here."
"SEAF Team 1. We've reached the lab. Sweet Liberty, sir… what did this?"
Jason's jaw tightened. "Bag and tag everything. Bring it back to Bunker 00 for analysis. Report any anomalies."
"Yes, sir. No signs of hostiles yet."
"Stay sharp. There's a chance some Bugs are still around."
As the radio fell silent, Jason couldn't shake the unease gnawing at him. The Bugs feared nothing—they attacked indiscriminately. Yet this lab remained untouched. Something was keeping them out, and whatever it was, it unnerved him deeply.
Bunker 00. Tunnel Entrance. One Hour Later.
The journey felt endless, the oppressive silence of the tunnels amplifying every echo of their march. When they finally emerged into the sprawling network of interconnected passages, Lizzy let out a relieved sigh. For the first time in hours, they were back in relative safety.
"Finally! I never thought I'd be so happy to see this place again!" Lizzy exclaimed, quickening her pace toward the exit. The others followed, their weariness visible in every step.
Jason's gaze swept across the massive branching tunnels. "This network could be a game changer," he muttered. "We could use these to move troops and supplies—if we brace the ceilings and clear out any bugs hiding in the depths."
Before he could finish his thought, Doll darted ahead. She slipped past Lizzy, pushing open the heavy door and sprinting toward her home without a word. The sudden movement caught everyone's attention. Lizzy paused in the open doorway, watching as Doll disappeared into the distance.
"Well... that was unexpected," Uzi remarked, her tone tinged with suspicion. She glanced at Jason. "I know she's close to Yeva, but this seems... odd."
"Let her go," Jason said, brushing it off. "I'll talk to her and Yeva later. For now, V, N, and J, we need to debrief with Martin."
Lizzy stepped through the doorway, turning back to Uzi. "I'm heading to find Thad. He's not going to believe half of what we just went through. See you around, Uzi."
Uzi sighed, her shoulders slumping as she waved Lizzy off. Jason chuckled softly at the interaction.
"Interesting friends you've got," he teased.
"Bite me," Uzi shot back, rolling her eyes. As she walked away, she pulled a small object from her pocket—a black choker. Turning it over in her hands, she seemed lost in thought. Jason's smile faded as he watched her.
"This day keeps getting stranger," V muttered, gesturing for the others to follow her. "Let's get this over with. Martin's waiting."
The group navigated the corridors, the hum of the bunker's machinery growing louder as they approached the command office. When they arrived, V pushed the door open, revealing a brighter, more active workspace than they'd left behind. The engineers and worker drones had been busy.
Martin sat at his desk, surrounded by reports, his stern gaze lifting to meet theirs as they entered. His optics glinted with a mix of curiosity and impatience. "Judging by your expressions, something significant happened. Start talking."
The door shut with a dull thud, the group stepped into the center of the room. V glanced at Jason, silently prompting him to begin.
"A lot has happened," Jason began, his tone measured. "We discovered a bug hive, as suspected, but that's just the beginning. The good news? We can harvest the bugs for Element-710, the fuel we desperately need. It powers everything back on Super Earth—even the FTL drives. With us cut off from the larger galaxy, this resource is invaluable."
Martin's optics flickered with intrigue. "Element-710? I didn't realize those creatures could be useful. Continue."
Jason nodded. "We also explored a nearby facility that appeared untouched by time. The front door was operational, the interior pristine—like it had been sealed off since its construction. That's when things got... strange."
"Strange how?" Martin's voice carried an edge of skepticism.
N stepped forward, visibly uneasy. "The facility's systems worked perfectly. No dust, no signs of wear. It felt wrong—like it was waiting for us."
"And then," J interjected, "we discovered something unexpected. A tunnel connecting the facility directly to Bunker 00. Turns out, Uzi and Doll had been sneaking through these tunnels for a while. Lizzy stumbled across them by accident while following their trail."
Martin's optics narrowed, his annoyance palpable. "Uzi's recklessness has crossed a line. This could've gotten them all killed. I'll deal with her—and her father—later."
Jason pressed on, his tone growing somber. "There's more. Deep within the facility, we found a crude lab. Someone was experimenting on the bugs. And in that lab... we found this." He paused, letting V step forward.
V hesitated, then said quietly, "Nori's black choker. It was there, sir."
Martin stiffened, his optics flashing with disbelief. "Nori's choker? Are you certain?"
The three nodded in unison. V elaborated, "We have no idea how it ended up there. Judging by the state of the bug corpses, Nori came long after the experiments were abandoned. But this is the first clue about her in four years."
Martin's expression hardened. "And the bugs? What else did you notice?"
Jason's voice took on a darker edge. "They're avoiding the facility and Bunker 00 entirely. It's unnatural. These things fear nothing—yet they won't set foot inside those areas. Something has them terrified, and we need to find out what."
The room fell silent, the weight of their discoveries settling over them. Martin finally spoke, his tone grim. "Continue the investigation. I want answers—about the facility, the experiments, and Nori. If the bugs are scared, we need to know why. Dismissed."
The group filed out, each of them feeling the same unsettling question lingering in their minds: What was inside that facility—and why had it been waiting for them?
Bunker 00. Yeva's Room.
Within the quiet confines of her room, Yeva was preparing for the evening. Her husband was expected to return soon, and she had been passing the time seated on the far end of the couch, absorbed in an old book she had salvaged from the ruins of Camp 98. The book had been crumbling when she found it, but her abilities had restored it to its former state. She had read its contents dozens of times, meticulously searching for any hidden meaning or detail she might have missed. Tonight, however, her focus was shattered.
The heavy, metallic door burst open with a resounding crash, slamming against the wall as Doll stormed in, her movements frantic. Without hesitation, she turned and shut the door tightly behind her. The sound jolted Yeva from her concentration, and she immediately set the book aside on the nearby table, her optics narrowing in concern.
"Doll, what's the matter?" Yeva's voice was calm but laced with unease as she rose to her feet and approached her daughter.
Doll hesitated, glancing back at the door as though expecting someone—or something—to follow her. When she turned to face Yeva, her expression was a mixture of urgency and disbelief.
"Mother," Doll began, her voice strained, "we found a trace. I convinced Uzi to explore with me—just for old times' sake, to relax—but instead…" She paused, swallowing hard before continuing. "We ended up in the tunnel that connects to this place. We made contact with the human leader there, and… we found a lab. Inside it, lying on the floor, was a choker. It looked just like yours—the same design. Black, with a number on it."
Yeva's optics widened at the revelation. For a moment, she stood frozen, the weight of Doll's words sinking in. Four years. Four long years without a single clue, and now this—a trace of Nori, of all places, in a forgotten lab. But why? How? The questions swirled in her mind, each one more unsettling than the last.
"Are you certain?" Yeva's voice was steady, but the intensity in her tone betrayed her emotions. Without waiting for an answer, she turned and moved swiftly to her bedroom. Opening a small, inconspicuous box at the back of a shelf, she withdrew a white choker, pristine and carefully preserved. The number "048" was etched across its surface. Returning to the main room, she held it out for Doll to see.
"Did it look like this?" Yeva asked, her tone pressing. Though the choker in her hand was white, the design was unmistakable.
Doll nodded solemnly. "It was identical, Mother. There's no mistake—it was hers. But… there was no sign of her in the lab. Just that choker." She hesitated, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "I think… whoever set up that lab, or whatever was behind it… was responsible for what happened to Copper 9."
Yeva's gaze hardened at the implication. The destruction of Copper 9 was a wound that had never healed—a mystery shrouded in death and betrayal, where humans and drones alike had perished in an apocalyptic blaze. If Doll's theory was correct, this was not only a sign that Nori had survived but also proof that whatever had caused the catastrophe was still active.
"When is that human arriving here?" Yeva asked, her mind already racing with contingency plans.
"Soon. He's with Martin and the others right now," Doll replied.
Yeva inhaled deeply, her optics narrowing in determination. Folding the choker back into her hand, she stepped back into her room, carefully placing it in the box before returning to Doll.
"Find him," Yeva instructed firmly. "Delay him for as long as you can. I need to hide everything."
Raising her left hand, she traced a glowing symbol in the air, the glyph shifting and morphing as it activated. The rug in the center of the room slid aside, revealing a hidden compartment beneath. Yeva had built this concealment years ago, a precaution against the ever-present risk of prying eyes. With practiced efficiency, she began stowing away her belongings, ensuring no trace remained of anything that might raise suspicion.
Her hands trembled slightly as she worked, her thoughts pulling her back to the past. To the day she and Nori were brought to Camp 98. To the human who had risked everything, implanting the device into their necks. To the darkness that had swallowed them both afterward.
Was this all part of some grand design by the humans? Or was it something far more sinister, something beyond even their comprehension?
Yeva couldn't know for certain, but one thing was clear—she would not let this human or anyone else uncover the secrets she had fought so hard to protect.
2084. Facility 12 Tunnel. Monorail System 02.
The crimson glow of emergency lights pulsed rhythmically within the tunnel, bathing the monorail tram's interior in a stark, ominous hue. Outside, the ground quaked violently as explosions rumbled from the surface above. Facility 12 was under siege—SES had commenced full-scale nuclear bombardment. Whatever had breached containment within the facility had forced their hand, leaving annihilation as the only option.
Inside the speeding tram, Dr. Mitchell Langston clung to consciousness, his breathing labored. His cracked helmet revealed streaks of blood, and his chest wound soaked his tattered uniform. Yet, he pressed on, his mission more critical than his failing body. Clutched tightly in his grip were the last remnants of Project Dark Star: two experimental drones.
"Just... hold on a little longer," Mitchell muttered, the pain in his voice barely muffled by his helmet's comms.
The moment everything fell apart replayed in his mind—a cascade of chaos too calculated to be an accident. The entity they'd been developing had turned their creations against them. Combat drones became killers, worker drones saboteurs. They had underestimated it, and now Facility 12 was a graveyard.
A crackling, glitchy voice broke his thoughts. "Mitchell... Nori's systems are failing..." Yeva's synthetic voice stammered from behind him. She leaned heavily against the tram's doorway, her optics flickering between warning symbols and error codes. "I'm... not doing much better."
Mitchell glanced back. Her once-pristine frame now bore the scars of battle—burns, dents, and exposed wiring. Nori, crumpled on a bench, was in worse shape. Her optics barely glowed, erratic noises spilling from her failing systems.
"We're almost there," he assured her. "The charges will collapse the tunnel behind us, block anything from following..." His voice wavered as explosions echoed, the tremors growing stronger. Seconds later, the tunnel behind them imploded, sealing their escape route in a storm of rock and fire.
Mitchell adjusted the tram's controls, slowing its momentum before bringing it to a halt at a platform. Grunting in pain, he pushed himself up and staggered toward Yeva. Blood dripped from his wound, leaving a dark trail behind him.
"Can you walk?" he asked, his voice strained. "I'll carry Nori the rest of the way."
Yeva nodded weakly, moving aside to let him pass. Mitchell bent down, lifting Nori's lifeless form onto his shoulder. Her weight pressed against his injured chest, but he bore it without complaint. In his other hand, he gripped a metal suitcase—the culmination of years of research, the key to everything.
The platform sign bore the words: Camp 98. It was an off-site refuge, a contingency for disasters like this. Mitchell trudged forward, each step heavier than the last. The moment he opened the door to the surface, he froze.
"Sweet Liberty…"
The landscape beyond was a vision of hell. Towering mushroom clouds rose into a darkened sky choked with smoke and ash. Fires consumed the horizon, and the air was thick with the acrid stench of burning earth.
Yeva stepped out behind him, her flickering optics taking in the devastation. "Did... that thing cause this?"
"No," Mitchell rasped. "This is Red Star Rising... Total orbital bombardment. SES's failsafe. They'd rather destroy everything than let it escape."
Yeva said nothing, her gaze fixed on the apocalyptic scene. Together, they stumbled toward a wooden structure barely standing amid the chaos. Mitchell dropped the suitcase by the door, using what little strength he had left to open it. Inside was relative safety—a hardened medical bunker designed to withstand EMPs and other catastrophic events.
"There's a medical room at the far end," he said, voice faltering. "It can be sealed. You'll be... safe there."
Dragging himself to the metal door at the back of the bunker, Mitchell keyed in the access code. The door groaned open, revealing a sterile room lined with beds and equipment. He placed Nori carefully on one of the beds before turning to Yeva.
"Now... we ensure you survive," he said, pulling the suitcase onto another bed and flipping it open. Inside were two small, cross-shaped devices—technology born from the darkest corners of their research.
With trembling hands, Mitchell approached Nori first. He turned her over and inserted one of the devices into the port at the base of her neck. Her optics flared briefly, a purple error message flashing across them before fading.
"Yeva... your turn," he said, guiding her to sit. She obeyed silently, too damaged and weary to resist. Mitchell placed the second device into her neck port, the connection humming faintly before her optics dimmed.
"Listen... I don't know how long you'll be here," he murmured, his vision blurring. "Days... weeks... maybe longer. But you have to survive. You two are the only ones left who can... who can stop it."
As his words faltered, Mitchell slumped to the floor, his strength finally abandoning him. Darkness crept over his vision, and the last thing he saw was the faint glow of Yeva's optics before the world went silent.
Bunker 00. Corridor 02
Jason stepped out of Martin's office, the debrief replaying in his mind like a relentless ticker tape. The weight of it bore down on him, but his mission was far from over. Before he could report back to the Ministry of Defense, he had one more critical step: speaking with Yeva.
Beside him, N moved in practiced silence, his presence a steady, if unsettling, reminder of how fractured their unit had become. V and J were tied up with other assignments, leaving Jason to carry this burden alone. Fatigue gnawed at the edges of his focus, but there was no time to indulge it. The days ahead promised to test every limit, and there was no room for weakness.
The task ahead was clear: gather more intel on Nori.
"So, are we keeping these weapons?" N asked, his voice breaking the silence. He adjusted the weight of the GR-8 Recoilless Rifle's backpack he carried for Jason, a holdover from the earlier redistribution of equipment to V and J.
"Yes," Jason replied curtly. "We'll need them for future operations. There's enough in reserve to justify it, so you and the others can hold onto them. But tell me something—why does this part of the bunker feel so empty? I haven't seen a single drone."
As they moved deeper into the dimly lit corridor, the sense of abandonment became palpable. Rooms lined the walls, their doors locked tight, and silence reigned.
"This is the far end of the bunker," N explained. "Yeva and her family moved here recently. Not many drones live this far out. It's practically dead space."
Rounding a corner, Jason caught movement ahead. A figure sprinted toward them, coming to an abrupt halt. Doll stood before them, her neon-red eyes locking onto Jason's helmet with an intensity that made his hand twitch toward his sidearm.
"N," Doll greeted coolly, her gaze never leaving Jason. "Didn't expect to see you here. I was just about to guide him to my mother myself."
N hesitated, his unease was visible in the subtle shift of his posture. "All right," he said finally. "I'll check on Uzi and the others." He offered a brief wave and disappeared down the corridor, leaving Jason and Doll alone.
Her eyes burned into him, sharp and unrelenting. "First, I need to confirm something," she said, her tone sharp as a blade. "The orders for another bombardment. Uzi told me about it, but I want to hear it from you."
Jason's response was measured, but a hint of frustration crept into his voice. "Yes. This time, there won't be anything left. The reasons are unclear to me—or anyone here, for that matter. What I do know is that the Ministry of Defense has stationed several fleets near this star system. We've picked up their faint IFF transponders. They're close enough to act, and it's clear they mean business."
Doll's expression remained unreadable as Jason continued. "As for us, we're trapped. We can't leave the system or contact anyone outside the Ministry. If we try, we'll be branded traitors, and then—" he gestured vaguely but grimly, "—everything burns again."
She listened intently, her demeanor calm but her eyes betraying deep calculation. "That's unsettling," she said finally. "Your Minister knows more than they're telling you. The real question is: why keep you here? They could easily pull back to their fleets and finish the job themselves. Why risk leaving you in the crossfire?"
Jason had no answers, only more questions.
Doll straightened. "Come along. My mother would like to hear what you have to say."
Jason hesitated but ultimately fell in step behind her. Her behavior was puzzling, but he had his orders. He needed answers just as much as the Ministry needed his report. Whatever game was being played, he was in the middle of it now, and there was no turning back.
Edited thanks to ELE73CH.