Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 691

Chapter 691

Chapter 691: Death of a Spider

“Commander, what have you found?” Kang Hui said .

“We haven’t seen any aliens yet,” Lan Jue replied . “But we’ve steered clear of your exfiltration route . We’ll be proceeding with the reconnaissance from a different path . Admiral, we ask that you share the data from Arachnid and Heron when they get clear of combat . ”

Under normal conditions Kang Hui would never even consider sharing combat information with a foreign national . All of it was confidential and classified as a state secret . Everything that was learned was paid for by the blood of Northern soldiers . However, after everything that had transpired Kang Hui didn’t refuse their appeal . He told Lan Jue the data was already available .

The data transfer was quick . On Zeus-1’s screens appeared the Bastion that had once tried to destroy Lan Jue . Star Division’s commander – along with the Wine Master and Clockmaker – absorbed everything they saw .

Arachnid’s mechanical arms were a stunning revelation to them, and they watched in awe as the Bastion cut through the alien forces as though it were invincible . Tortoise-aliens were slashed down like they were made of bean curd .

A ship worthy of the North’s reputation! Only humanity’s most technologically advanced Alliance could create such an awesome monstrosity .

But their admiration quickly turned to dread .

They watched Arachnid charge the planet and crash into its surface with baited breath . Arachnid’s deadly arms and mass had to make that alien world reel . But it didn’t, instead they watched in stunned silence as the mighty ship was ignored like a gnat . Their faces fell .

Kang Hui didn’t edit anything from the video, all that had transpired was given to them . Even Arachnid’s internal systems data was provided like the size and attack power of the mechanical arms .

Each one of Arachnid’s arms was equivalent in power to Heron’s main cannons . They were considered inferior only because the ship needed to get in close to use them . Still, it succeeded where all other cannon fire had failed and actually struck the alien! The result? No more than ripples on a pond . Arachnid’s great slashing arms left no damage, much to everyone’s disbelief . From the outside no shields were evident around the planet, but Arachnid’s failed attack raised the question; how strong was this planet’s defense?

Could a cannon blast from Tyrannosaurus even break its shields?

Lan Jue’s mind raced as he watched the recording . Arachnid’s attempt reminded him of something . “The planet never risked taking a shot from the main guns . It either evaded them or used deception to protect itself . But even if it did how much damage would it do?”

The Wine Master spoke, his voice low . “If Arachnid’s inability to crack its shield is any indication, even a cannon blast seems like it would have little effect . The planet it encountered looks smaller than the one we fought as well . We can assume their close-combat abilities – their natural abilities – are very formidable . ”

Lan Jue nodded . “Father said he sensed a power even stronger than his coming from a planet . What does that say when he’s the strongest human alive? The limit of human capabilities, in fact . He’s also told me that it’s impossible to grow power beyond the Infinite because universal law prohibits it . But if that’s true for us, it should also be true for the aliens… it must have found some way to hide itself from the universe’s restrictions . The Violet Prince referred to the King and Queen, the strongest of the aliens . We know the planets are alive, so it’s safe to assume the planets are what he was talking about? The Prince himself is equivalent to a Paragon who’s reached the Infinite . He was holding back in our fight so the universe wouldn’t recognize his power . ”

“So you’re saying these planets are somehow tricking the universe into ignoring them?” The Wine Master asked .

“Or something like that, at least that’s my guess,” Lan Jue replied . “It’s the only explanation that makes sense and it answers many questions . These planets are large as Bastions but change readily when needed . If they were simply weapons they couldn’t react so fast . But if they were akin to a physical body then you could say it’s like instinct . ”

“If this is a possibility we should try to confirm it during this mission,” the Wine Master offered .

“Look . ” The Clockmaker cut them off and pointed to the screen .

Arachnid was struggling against the tentacles that had emerged from the planet’s surface . Thick as mountains they wrapped tight around the ship and rendered its weapons useless . There was no escape, and every tentacle it cut down was replaced by several more .

The fighter ships were trying to flee once it was clear Arachnid was doomed, but the planet’s central vortex denied them the chance . None of the smaller ships had enough power to resist the vacuum, and they were all swallowed up . Twinkling purple lights followed, those being the vital crystals left behind by slain aliens .

Lan Jue narrowed his eyes . Apparently these crystals were just as cherished by the planets as they were to humans .

The screen briefly went white as a mammoth explosion burst from Arachnid’s location . The screen went dark, then all that was left was white noise .

Self-destruction! Once it was clear escape was impossible, Holmen made the valiant choice and chose to detonate the ship against the planet’s surface .

There was no data to confirm it, but a Bastion’s self-destruction had to be apocalyptic in its devastation . It had to have done some damage to that planet . What’s more, it denied the life force of the hundred-thousand plus soldiers aboard the ship .

First Fleet’s Ying Tianlong led his troops to a fiery death . Arachnid’s Holmen chose self-destruction over a pointless death . Together they were a potent demonstration of the North’s strength of character . They’d died defending the honor of their homeland, the first victims in the war against alien invasion .

Lan Jue took a deep, shuddering breath . His eyes were red . Arachnid had once tried to kill him, but none of that mattered in the face of their sacrifice .

The screens flickered and the snowy picture was replaced by summary data . It was everything learned by Tyrannosaurus from the recording . It included a preliminary analysis of the planet’s defenses, but since Arachnid couldn’t overcome them it was simply a projection . Things were not optimistic . Even Arachnid’s main cannon wouldn’t have done much of anything, they posited, though without more data it was hard to be sure .

This was the strength of their enemy… even those tentacles were well protected .

Lan Jue guessed the planet already knew Arachnid was more than a match for its alien forces . It waited for the Bastion to get close enough to deal with the ship itself . But perhaps it didn’t anticipate self-destruction – part of their mission would have to be uncovering the aftermath .

Next was the recording of Heron’s tribulations . More surprises were forthcoming, like the planet’s ability to launch itself forward like the much smaller shuttle aliens . It was so fast even the North’s swiftest Bastion couldn’t escape! A terrifying revelation!

All of this told them one thing: The alien planets had no weakness . Close-combat, long-ranged attacks, defense, intelligence, speed… each one stronger than the last . Humanity had more than ten Bastions, but from what they saw even if they gathered them all together it may not get them the advantage . None of them were as agile, nor could they teleport like the planets could . Putting all of humanity’s proverbial eggs in one basket was reckless . Moreover, the limit of these aliens’ powers was still a mystery – whether or not human could even fight back with any effectiveness . Not to mention there were planets to protect and gathering their Bastions left those planets exposed .

They still needed to know more .

The atmosphere aboard Zeus-1 was melancholy, its crew was dispirited by the result of their expedition . For all their efforts humanity seemed doomed to extinction!

“It’s evident to everyone these creatures are especially well defended against human technology . ” It was the Pharmacist, who’d rarely opened her mouth, who made the observation .

Lan Jue turned his head to look at her . “What you mean to say is non-biological attacks can’t break its defenses?”