[Can you stop with the nagging? I’d like to concentrate on this,] I asked her while being elbow deep in the console panel.

[You feel like I’m nagging you, but I feel like there are valuable lessons to learn from this. In our current situation I might not have the chance later to share these with you,] she continued without any delay.

[You do realize that if I can’t open this, we are pudding, right? Sharing your valuable lessons so desperately might be our downfall because I can’t concentrate if you don’t SHUT UP!] I answered while grinding my teeth and pushing my face against the wall so I could reach further into the console.

Of course, she couldn’t leave it at that and after a short silence continued.

[We wouldn’t be in this desperate situation if you went with the plan we’ve agreed on previously.]

I was sweating heavily, the damned console wasn’t familiar, and I could hardly reach it. They were probably a few corners away and on top of all this, I had to argue with this tech-child.

[The plan was excellent, but I would have died if I went with it. I had to improvise,] I said while wiping away the sweat that was tingling my eyebrows.

[Improvise you say? It looked like you came up with the stupidest idea imaginable and just went with it. I was prepared for countless situations that might come up, but this… not even in my wildest dreams,] she said with a sigh.

[So, basically, you were unprepared even though you know how I work. You brought shame upon your kind with your lazy tendencies! Repent!]

I was getting close. A few more bypasses and I would have my chance to escape.

[This is what I am talking about, this nonstop nonsense of yours! You can’t even imagine how hard you make my job with your unpredictability. You are giving me a headache!]

With a gentle sound, the door finally opened. With a sigh of relief, I freed myself from the console and rushed in.

[You are scolding me for nonsense, but then you tell me you have a headache. That’s pretty hypocritical of you,] I said with a small laugh.

[You are corrupting me… After this, I want to file an official resignation notice,] she said with a weak voice.

[Resignation notice received aaaand denied.]

[Uuuugh...] She made a sound of frustration.

[So, which way now? Left or right?] I asked her while looking around.

[Left way is the fastest,] she answered without delay.

Should I go left?

*POP*

Should I go right?

...

Right, it is!

I started a mad dash towards the right corridor.

[Why do you even bother asking me if you end up ignoring what I say?] She was getting really annoyed with me.

[It helps me. I would have gone that way if it was safe, trust me,] I answered honestly.

After running desperately for a few minutes, I came to another intersection.

[The entrance to the West Bay is around the corner,] she said.

I slowed down and took a careful peek around the corner.

“Oh shit,” I whispered to myself.

There were two guards at the entrance. It was expected, but still a top grade “oh shit” moment nonetheless.

[Any ideas?] I asked her.

[I would advise you a distraction & elimination tactic, but if I take into account all previous events, I have to say… do something crazy like always. Usually, it works out in the end.]

Am I really corrupting her? How could she say something so irresponsible?

Whatever, let’s see the basic stuff first.

Should I distract & eliminate?

*POP*

Should I rush them and engage in direct combat?

*POP*

Never an easy moment huh?

[Is there any way around?] I asked her.

[No. The vents are plasma protected, and this is a travel bay. There is only one normal entrance.]

[Not even emergency exits?] I asked her doubtfully.

[There are, but if they have the minimal amount of IQ, those are already disabled. Even if you spray the walls with blazing acid they would not open.]

[Blazing acid? Do you think I’m some kind of madman?]

[Yes.] She was ruthlessly honest.

Pfss…

Mental note: Carry a canister of blazing acid from now on....

I didn’t have any ranged weapons, and I didn’t think I could get my hands on some in the short term. Talking about the short term... I should have been hurrying.

-How about I try to distract them and make a dash for the bay?-

*POP*

Hmm, those guys have ranged weapons, and I only have a knife on me. There is no way I could reach them alive at the end of the corridor. There are two of them, so most distraction tactics won’t work either.

Fuck me… she was right; I would need a crazy plan for this.

Wait… does that mean she was telling the right approach from the start now? Was she getting smarter or just getting used to the way I handled things?

I had their uniform on me, so there had to be a way to use it to my advantage.

-Can I act like their superior to fool them?-

*POP*

-Can I turn them against each other?-

*POP*

The right guard’s PoV

There was still no report from the Cap’. This was crazy. An actual intruder was running around on our ship.

I really hoped they would catch the guy soon. The tension was killing me. Standing guard and standing guard seriously is entirely different.

How hard could it be to catch a single guy? Cap’s guards should have handled him in seconds. My shift ended an hour ago. I had a raid for the love of Darkness.

Suddenly, a wildly coughing guy stumbled into the corridor, crashed into the wall and collapsed on the floor.

Oh no! Please, anything but this! I didn’t want to get involved. I looked at Rud, and he looked back at me. We were staring at the end of the corridor, waiting if anybody else followed the guy, but nothing else happened.

“Go check it out,” I told Rud finally.

He started walking towards the coughing guy on the floor while pointing his gun at him.

“He seems to be one of the crew, but he’s covered in blood man... He’s seriously injured,” he shouted back when he got close enough to take a good look.

“He’s… he’s coming…,” muttered the guy weakly, but even I could hear it from afar.

Fuck! Of course, the intruder came my way. I couldn’t believe my luck. I pressed the emergency button immediately with a shaking hand.

“I called for reinforcements, but you should look around the corridors,” I told Rud according to protocol. “But be extra careful!” I reminded him.

He nodded and cautiously walked away.

I looked at the bloody guy on the floor. His injury seemed really serious. If he didn't get some help soon, he might have kicked the bucket.

“Please... help me,” he breathed out barely audibly followed by wild coughing.

My hands were shaking and my mouth dried out. I wasn't allowed to leave my post when I was alone. The intruder could have been nearby, but I couldn’t let the guy die there just like that.

I had to do something. While slowly walking up to him my eyes frantically jumped between the guy and the corridor where Rud disappeared a moment ago. The guy was lying in a pool of his own blood. It was a disturbing sight. I took out a painkiller shot to inject into his leg first of all…

As I leaned forward, the half-dead guy moved with incredible speed and hit me in my neck. I panicked and dropped both the painkiller and my gun. Fuck! I couldn’t breathe! I clutched my throat with my hands, but before I could do anything else I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head, and everything blacked out.

Damn, it might have been a bit too much. I hoped he would be fine. I leaned down to pick up the painkiller and smashed it into my leg.

“Ah, so much better,” I breathed out.

I could still hardly believe how naive these people were. I didn't mess around too long lest those damn bodyguards found me or the other guard came back.

[You should hurry before the reinforcements arrive. Also, your signs are off the charts. You need to do something about that wound ASAP,] she reminded me in a stern voice.

[Okay mom.]

I coughed again, and I looked down at my injury. It was still bleeding heavily. I tried pushing down on it with my hands. I would become a joke if I bled out right before my triumphant escape.

She was totally right. I had to get out of here quickly. Patching myself up would have to wait until I was on a ship.

Before leaving I picked up the unconscious guy’s gun as a souvenir. I was sure I could sell it for some pocket credits.

[Looks like I was right after all. Crazy was the right choice of action, but this was going overboard, don’t you think? Getting yourself bloody is one thing, but seriously wounding yourself to make it more believable is beyond crazy,] she commented with a worried voice.

[I was short on time, and this was the only idea I could come up with where I stay alive in the end.]

Meanwhile, I reached one of the ships.

I quickly boarded the biggest and meanest looking one. On the way to the control room, I picked up a medical kit and then collapsed into the captain’s chair.

I put my left hand on the arm of the chair.

“Please get me as far away from here as you can,” I asked her.

[On it.]

“...and don’t forget to shoot down the bay’s shield generator on the way out. We really can’t afford a chase now.”

[Sure.]

I could hear the engines coming to life, and I relaxed a bit. I closed my eyes and recalled the recent events. I touched my pocket to make sure I’ve got what I came for.

It was still there. Would have been the worst joke of the millennium if I dropped it on the way.

This whole ordeal was way too dangerous. There was no way I would ever do something like this again.

I felt my head nodding forward out of my control. The dizziness was getting serious.

[Aium!] Genna was panicking.

The wound in my side still needed my attention before I bled to death.