Page 71 of Alien Warlord's Fury
A violent tremor cut her off, stronger than any previous. The entire structure groaned around us, ancient stone protesting against unnatural energies. A section of ceiling collapsed at thefar end of the control room, crushing equipment and narrowly missing one of the technicians.
"What was that?" one shouted, panic evident in his voice.
"Power surge in sector seven!" the other responded, fingers flying over controls. "The containment fields are failing!"
They rushed from the room, leaving their stations unmanned.
"Now," I said, already removing the grate.
We dropped into the control room, immediately moving to the abandoned consoles. Claire placed her hands on the main interface, her markings responding to the energy flowing through the system.
"This is connected directly to where they're holding the younglings," she said, her voice tight with concentration. "I can feel them... their pain..."
I placed my hand on her shoulder, anchoring her. "Stay focused. What can you do?"
"I can disrupt the power flow. Create a feedback loop that will force them to disconnect the younglings temporarily." Her eyes met mine, determination burning in them.
"It might trigger more structural instabilities."
"Do it. I'll handle whatever comes."
Claire nodded, turning back to the console. Her markings flared brighter beneath the masking paste as she connected with the system, her consciousness extending through the Nexus pathways Hammond had created.
I kept watch, alert for any sign of returning technicians or security. Through our bond, I could feel Claire's concentration, her careful manipulation of energies she barely understood but could sense instinctively.
Another tremor shook the room, this one accompanied by a high-pitched whine from the equipment. Warning lights flashed across the consoles.
"Almost..." Claire muttered, sweat beading on her forehead.
The bond between us vibrated with strain as she pushed deeper into the system. I strengthened our connection, offering my stability to counter her volatile energy.
"There!" she gasped.
The console erupted in sparks, and alarms blared throughout the facility. The lights flickered, then dimmed to emergency levels. Claire stumbled back from the console, her legs buckling.
I caught her before she fell.
"Did it work?" I asked, supporting her weight.
She nodded weakly. "They've lost control of the power distribution. They'll have to disconnect the younglings to stabilize the system."
"Then we need to move. Now. Security will be coming."
I helped Claire to her feet, concerned by the drain on her energy but knowing we couldn't stop. The bond between us pulsed with shared determination, pushing aside exhaustion and fear.
We left the control room through a different access point, a maintenance hatch that led deeper into the facility. According to Ravik's intel, the younglings would be held in a central chamber, where the Nexus energies converged naturally.
The corridors grew more unstable as we proceeded, cracks spreading across walls and ceilings. Claire guided us through, sensing which paths remained safe despite the deteriorating conditions.
"The younglings are close," she whispered. "I can feel them more clearly now."
A section of ceiling collapsed ahead of us, blocking our path with rubble. I moved forward to clear it, but Claire caught my arm.
"Wait. There's another way." She pointed to a narrow opening in the wall, revealed by the shifting structure. "That leads to a parallel corridor."
"It's safer."
I nodded, trusting her judgment. The opening was barely large enough for me to squeeze through, the edges rough against my shoulders. Claire followed more easily, her smaller frame slipping through the gap without difficulty.
