15 Chapter IV The Artifact - Part 1

Locus was caught up in the intense moment that he and the rest of everyone else was in. He examined the area, desperately scanning to find a way out, but it seemed hopeless. Locus had two options, be crushed under tons of boulders, or keep searching for another way out. "Wait!" Kate exclaimed. "Quickly climb on the moving platinum wall going up!"

The others were quick to disagree with that plan, but what else could they do. Lee shouted loudly, reminding them, "I'm injured here ya know!"

Locus quickly responded to Kate's plan, "Everyone, head towards the moving wall immediately!"

Kate, John, and Juniper went immediately and held on to whatever edge they could find. They rapidly went upwards. Locus was still caught behind, he grabbed Lee and rested him on his back, "You owe me after this," He told him.

"Don't sweat it," Locus replied back to him as he slowly carried him towards the moving wall. As Locus was carrying him across the way, rocks were being tossed from the ceiling and onto the ground, almost hitting them.

Out of surprise, a medium sized rock landed and hit Locus right on the head, knocking both him and Lee flat on the ground. With his head dizzy, Locus tried to pick up Lee again and kept going to the moving structure with blurry vision. What seemed to be a close moving platinum wall was now beginning to look like a long dark infinite hallway with red carpet and dark purple walls set to convey unease. White trim ran up from the bottom wall and into what seemed like an infinite hallway and into another. He heard an audible voice speak into him, a peaceful calm voice calling out his name softly, gentle with tone. The voice seemed familiar somehow, but he couldn't recognize it. Soon after, reality came back to him and the wall was in sight again. He grabbed on an edge piece quickly and they both went rapidly up to join the rest of the crew members.

Minutes later after the intense flow of air blowing on both Locus and Lee (Who was hanging on to Locus's shoulders tightly secured) They arrived out of the huge drilled hole, the long wall was not just a wall, it was a massive cone shaped structure, with the material being silver with a reflective chrome like appearance. Both Locus and Lee hung on for life or death as they were in the tall sky, with below them the massive drilled hole. Locus was barely able to hold on to the platinum edge that he hand was on. Lee needed to lift himself off of Locus's back quickly, otherwise, they both will fall and possibly die. He progressed away from Locus's back and unto another edge line. That gave Locus more relief and increased strength. They see Kate, John, and Juniper above them about eighty feet. "Delta team, do you read?" Lee asked using a private voice chat channel.

"We read you," Juniper answered back looking down at him.

Locus entered as well into the channel, "We need a ride off of this thing."

John asked, "What do you suppose we do, jump off? We'll fall back into the hole and our jetpacks aren't going to be able carry us for very long, plus we could be spotted and get shot down."

A ton of small enemy Scar spaceships flew by, Locus stared at them and suddenly gave him an idea, "Listen up, I have an idea," Locus told them, he cleared his throat and told them the plan he constructed, "We jump on the flying Scar fighter ships that are passing us from below. We need to time it just right so we don't fall into the hole below us."

Kate spoke up and reminded him, "That is an insane idea Locus! Why don't we just call the Falcon? It will save us the trouble instead of jumping."

John answered her suggestion, "Kate, do you not see the enemy ships around us and below? The enemy will just blow it up before it even arrives at our position."

Lee asked his team members, "Is anyone not in agreement with Locus's plan?" He expected some resistance from Kate, but she couldn't open her mouth to reply with something better, "Good, Locus on your mark, we'll jump."

Locus focused intently at the black and red colored ships flying past them, he saw from the corner of his eye a bigger ship. It had an H shaped body, perfect enough for them all to grab a hold of. Locus calculated in his head to 'jump at the right time' so to speak. He spoke up, "A ship is moving below us conveniently enough, Juniper, Kate, and John, get ready to jump first. I'll tell you to jump on three. Get ready!" He told them looking up at them, "3... 2.... 1... Jump!" Locus saw them release their grip on the edge of the structure, he gazed at Lee, he gave him a nod to confirm jumping alongside the others. Lee understood Locus and readied himself. He jumped with Locus as the others were falling closer to them, one by one they all grouped together in a circle as they fell. The ship was arriving closer and closer, lining up perfectly with their fall. Locus commanded them quickly, "Activate stabilizers!"

They confirmed what Locus told them and hastily pressed them, they tumbled on the roof of the ship with a slight smooth landing, Locus landed on a bad spot and almost fell off the ship, buthe gripped on the ledge of the ship and hoisted himself upwards. Everyone else (besides Locus,) landed safely on the ship.

As they held on, several smaller black and red colored ships flew past them towards a Scar Dreadnought. They felt the harsh wind impact them unexpectedly, it swifted past them while they held on with their lives. "This wind is super strong," Kate shouted as they approached swiftly closer to the Dreadnought (Which was where the ship they were on was headed). Locus saw the ship from the distance was drawing closer and closer. Locus felt the anxiety was drawing closer as they approached the massive Dreadnought. A shadow was coating them as they were close enough with the ship. Locus began to think about their next strategy in order to survive what was to come next.