Ris activated his newly upgraded power sword and attacked the swarm of insects. He stomped on what he could as he used the sword. The bugs disintegrated upon contact with it.

Mic jumped up as soon as the light shined on the swarm and began to smash them, “Mic hate damn bugs!”

“Well then, you had better cover your eyes. They seem to be drawn to my sword.

“It’s the power source I bet, or the light. Do you still have the old one?” Reyes asked.

“Yes, I do. It’s over by the washbowl.”

“That’s a terrible place to put it, near a water source! Never mind, I’ll go get it.”

Reyes returned a moment later and set the power source to overload. He tossed it out in the middle of the creatures and then moved away. As the source grew bright toward overload, it attracted a majority of the bugs. The explosion was big enough to level many of the bugs in their tracks. Fighting the bugs, they were eventually forced into the cavern and down the flight of stairs, the closest escape. They descended the stairs and turned their lights to shine down the corridors.

“This is not a good idea. What are we doing coming down here with insects chasing us?” Cornelius asked.

“We have no choice there were too many of them. At least down here, we can run them into the spider. She probably eats them when they get caught in her web.” Cornelius said.

They reached the chamber with the giant spider and the others did indeed stop chasing them, but the giant spider didn’t care about that, she attacked them.

The new blasters were quite a bit more powerful than the old ones. They confronted the spider and started blasting parts of it away. After a few moments, according to their wristbands, they had it down to a few hit points and then Mic bashed it in the head for the final blow. The Spider boss was worth enough experience to get them all to fourth level. Ironically, it dropped a customized weapon to each of the party members according to their profession. Most got blasters, but Ris got a green-colored power sword. Now they could travel on through the caverns and on to the second boss. The insects retreated back the way they came in.

“There, now I have two more points in piloting skill,” Damien said. “If we have to get off this planet by ship, I can do it, now.”

“Good,” Ris said. “What are you specializing in Reyes?”

Reyes was still allocating points, “Hyperdrive systems, starship engineering, and weapons systems. I figure we will need someone who can keep us running once we get into space. I put one point in pilot too just in case.”

“I assume you are all medical, Amelia?”

“Naturally.” She lifted the wrist brace from her arm and peered under it, “Does this look like a rash to anybody else? I think I will rub some antifungal cream in there just in case. I’m probably getting some wild hybrid viral infection”

Ris stopped and held his hand up so the others would stop too, “The second boss is directly ahead.”

“And?” Cornelius asked.

“Another spider and she’s surrounded by hundreds of smaller spiders,” Ris said. He smiled and took out his newly earned power sword, But I don’t think it will be a problem.” He cut a swath into the arachnids with ease.

The second boss loomed deadly in its lair. The poison it would spew on the floor would be deadly and Ris was unsure of his abilities. The cavern had grown luminescent as the night progressed and it was almost easier to see inside than outside.

Mic attacked the creature and Ris was right there with his sword. Blasters went off and the thing began to scream as it was pierced by the energy weapons. Then it moved off and slid though an impression beneath a giant boulder.

“Mic not go there. Screw that!”

Ris looked down in the hole and then shined his light, “It goes on and on and I can’t see very far down there with this light.” He turned back to the group and froze. The spider creature was gone but the ghost of the cavern was standing right behind them.

“She is gone for the night.” The ghost said in a surprisingly friendly voice.

The others spun around at the sound of the unfamiliar voice and0 confronted the ghost, who was not a ghost at all. To humans, the Alteri ancient would fit the definition of a ghost. He was long and tall and white, almost translucent. His facial features were exaggerated but his smile was genuine. “I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t continue to harm her.”

“You are ancient Alteri?” Damien asked.

“How did you come to know this?” The Alteri said.

Damien shined the light up over the chamber door and a crude cave painting depicted several Alteri meeting with the local population.

“Good observation.” The Alteri said.

“We were under the impression you were some kind of evil spirit we were supposed to fight,” Ris said.

“Normally, I would have run you off as I have done so many others, but I have consulted the bones and you have a different destiny and a different fate. I am here to help you.” The Alteri waved off their questions, “Please, we don’t have much time. In my chamber are a few amenities from home, one of those luxuries is called a replicator. I can offer you the gear you so badly need. We might have to tinker with the settings and program some items in for you, but you will be leaving here with better clothing and armor. Second, I have a map to the space port that I need you to follow. I am moving up the timeline and getting you off this planet sooner than expected. My people have strayed and I see it in the bones that you who will help my people to regain the dignity they once possessed and leave the employee of the Davosi crime family. It won’t be easy. The shuttlecraft are being loaded onto a ship in orbit. I have made arrangements for you to be on that ship. Once the shuttlecraft is loaded you will have to steal one to continue your journey. Shall we begin?”