The EXO stood before the hangar entrance, as still as a statue, observing its proud work which it carried out on the transport ship. The once powerful weapons able to rip it apart are no longer a threat. Nothing is a threat, at least nothing within the confines of the hangar.

Nilni was crouched behind the boxes she was using as cover, next to her Lijung and Trynell, further away her other fellow Marines. All staring either at the pilot’s cockpit, hoping for a sign of life, others at their impending doom. Once again she tried to hail the pilot, again no response. Not that it would be of much use, the guns were melted into the ship now. They would have to rely on their rifles.

“Ma’am, what do we do? What in the name of the Goddess do we do?” Lijung asked Nilni, slightly shaking, but she held her weapon with an iron grip, ready to fire. Trynell was crouching behind her.

Nilni looked at the EXO. “They are waiting for us, they have every advantage, we are trapped, outnumbered and outgunned. Still, best to try and hit one spot, penetrate the armor, kill the pilot, and try to capture it ourselves.”

Trynell responded before Lijung could. “Ma’am, with all due respect, are you sure you aren’t still insane? Because that won’t work.” Lijung nodded her head.

“Do you have a better idea then?” Nilni asked, hopeful for a yes.

Trynell looked around. “I am an engineer, now we had a basic EXO fixing course in the Academy, nothing special-”

A hailstorm of lasers went over their heads. “Surrender and we will let you convert to the truth, your other choice is to die. You have to count of five to make your decision.” The EXO pilot said, lowering the gun down.

“Okay, we need to get some of us around the back of that thing, it looks amature, the joints are probably even weaker than on our EXO’s. Apply enough pressure and the legs will give way. Then we just swarm it and have someone disable the weapons.” Trynell quickly said.

“Four.” The EXO pilot said, flicking her hand.

“What about the others? The ones covering its back?” Lijung asked.

“Three.” She raised it slightly.

“Have someone else fire at them. Cover us.” Trynell answered, frantically looking at the EXO.

“Two.” She raised her laser and started to wind it up.

“Okay, I will distract the EXO. You two get behind it, tell the others to cover us.” Nilni ordered and prepared to fire.

“One.” The pilot laughed and began to fire, hitting the ship behind the Marines.

Nilni started to sprint away from her cover, the EXO started to shift so it could hit her with the laser. “Run, run. You can’t dodge every single one!” The pilot produced a laugh, one rather berserk.

Lijung and Trynell waited for the right time, coordinating with the others they started to move closer to the EXO, trying to get behind it and shoot out the joints. The other Marines opened fire at the cultists behind the EXO. Providing covering fire for Lijung and Trynell.

Nilni kept up her pace, the EXO seemed to be toying with her, it could have definitely killed her by now. “Hurry up, will you?” She shouted at Lijung and Trynell.

“Stay still then.” The EXO pilot said, getting closer to hitting Nilni.

Lijung and Trynell were close to the EXO now. “Aim for those lines along the leg, the elastic joints are underneath those.” Trynell pointed to the right leg of the EXO. “Get in close and-”

The EXO moved one of its arms, the one with the saw blade swung towards the pair. “Brave fools. Come on then.” The saw was brought down towards Trynell, but Lijung pushed him out of the way. The saw cut clean thru her arm, sending her hand flying towards Trynell. She let out a pain ridden scream and backed away from the saw slowly.

“I suppose that is something, next time I will try to split you down the middle.” The EXO pulled away the saw blade. “We can still fix that, just surrender.”

Trynell opened fire on the right leg joint, but his rifle did nothing. He kept at it, fueled by rage more than reason.

The EXO pilot laughed again. “That is doing nothing you stupid ba-”

“Breach detected, please evacuate the hangar. Breach detected, please-” The automated station system started to say, before the lights went along it.

There was no noise, no screams were produced, everyone was pulled towards the opening, everyone not wearing magnetic boots at least. The cultists closed the doors and left a few to die. Nilni’s life support kicked in, preventing her death, unlike the few remaining cultists in the room, who were pulled towards the opening.

A figure appeared in the opening, large and imposing. Then it jumped down into the hangar, if there was air, it would make a terrible sound as it crashed into the floor. Now it was impossible to see it, to hear it, Nilni only felt the tremors that spread throughout the floor beneath her as the hulking mechanical thing walked up to her.

“Nilni, great to see you!” Fera said, over the comms, as she moved the EXO past Nilni towards the other one. “You think that EXO has a night vision mode?” She walked up to it. “Doesn’t seem like it.” Fera took a running sprint at it and hit it with her fist. Sending the enemy EXO stumbling backwards. Before it brought the saw down upon Fera, but Fera was quicker and she saw in the dark so doging the blind woman’s attack was fairly simple, if not outright easy.

Fera toyed around with the enemy EXO for a few moments before she managed to grab onto the laser arm. “A part of me wishes for a proper fight, but another knows it is foolish.” She raises her hand and with it bends the laser, breaking it in twain.

Nilni turned on her night vision and observed the unfolding carnage before her, then she turned to Lijung, sitting on the floor, Trynell next to her, clutching her severed hand. The cold of the open space had already frozen over the wound.

Then the lights came back on, Nilni was blinded for a second, before her night vision turned off.

Fera looked at the enemy EXO and punched at the cockpit, before it could bring the saw around to hit her. The EXO stumbled back but quickly lunged at Fera. Fera pulled back to dodge. “Damnit, guess I got my fair fight after all.”

Nilni ran up to Lijung and Trynell. “Listen up, get her into the ship, see if the pilot is alive or if the survival systems are operational, get that hand covered in medical gaze. Others shoot at the enemy EXO.”

The doors to the hangar opened, this time the cultists were equipped with space suits, ready to fight. “Scratch that, hostels!” Nilni opened fire, retreating with the others back toward the ship.

Fera glanced at Nilni and other Marines. “You focus on the cultists, leave the EXO to me.” She picked up what once was the barrel of the transport’s weapon. “Come on then. Let's see what you can do.”

***

Kar, Rixva, Gelln and Henera were sneaking out of the guard barracks, after managing to acquire some spare clothes. The outfits were either way too tight or way too big. Gelln’s almost reached his knees, while the one Henera was wearing left her belly exposed. “I think we should switch.” Henera protested.

“Males wear one type, females another, we have to blend in.” Kar responded, peeking down the hallway.

“I don’t think anyone will buy our disguises, we don’t know anything about them.” Henera said, trying to pull the shirt down. “This won’t protect me from open space.”

“Then we should avoid it by any means.” Rixva said, keeping close to Gelln. “You okay there Gelln?” She looked down at him from the above.

“Yes, just feeling wobbly, my head hurts.” Gelln responded, holding his forehead.

“Yes, mine too, must be the rather sudden exit from the vats.” Rixva responded. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it sticks for a while.”

Kar stopped when he reached a corner. “We need to focus, weapons, proper armor, one capable of being is open space, and then we need to find a way out of here.”

“We need to find a ship, I can pilot it. Might need a moment or two to remember all the controls. Been a while.” Henera said, walking up behind Kar and sticking close to him. “If we contact Melora, she will get us out of here.”

“If she isn’t already here, looking for us.” Gelln interjected.

“Sounds like her, I would think there would be more alarms blaring if that was the case, it is… too quiet.” Rixva looked around, there was nobody nearby, no shouting, no gunfire, nothing.

Kar tried to smell the air. “Yes, the attack is being carried out as we speak, but the lack of alarms is worrying.”

“Very worrying, extremely even.” Henera added. “We best keep moving, before-”

Footsteps, a large number of them, were heard moving down a nearby hallway. “Everyone be quiet.” Kar leaned back onto the wall, trying to stay out of the sight. Others did the same.

A group of seven cultists, armed and wearing armor ran past them, Kar held his breath, hoping not to be spotted. After the main group another cultist was trying to keep up, she was armed, but didn’t have her helmet. She stopped in the hallway, after noticing Kar and the others. “You four, what are you doing here?”

Kar looked at the others. “We are-”

Henera interrupted. “Making our way to the nearby armory, we require weapons and our armor.”

“Yes, then we shall make our way to the hangars. As ordered.” Rixva added.

“Who gave you that order? We have enemies near the vats a few halls down from here, setting up explosives, the hangar situation is under control.” The cultist responded, forgetting about following her group.

“Keresa did, before she stormed off to do something more important.” Gelln answered.

The cultist looked them up and down. “Which Keresa?”

Henera raised her brown. “What do you mean ‘Which Keresa?’, there is only one Keresa.”

The cultist looked at Henera. “What was her designation?”

Kar looked at the others, nobody produced an answer. The cultist backed away slightly. “Which Keresa told you to go to the hangar?”

“That one.” Gelln pointed behind the cultist. She turned around, ready to salute, but Kar lunged at her and tackled her to the ground.

“Someone take her sidearm!” He shouted trying to hold down the stronger woman.

“Heretics!” She shouted moving on the floor, trying to push Kar off of her. “Get off me!” She tried to punch Kar, but missed.

Rixva walked up to her and picked up the side arm. “Do I shoot her?”

Henera walked up to the cultist and held her down, taking some pressure off Kar. She then looked up at Rixva. “Knock her out.”

Rixva looked around for anything to use as a melee weapon, quickly, meanwhile Gelln tore off a bit of his clothes and stuck it in her mouth. “We can’t leave her here, we should hide her.”

“I agree.” Kar was still holding the cultist down, with the help from Henera.

Rixva returned with an electrical cable. “I got this… do we tie her up?”

“Hold her down and hand it over to me.” Henera extended one of her hands. Rixva handed over the cable and held down the cultist. Henera tied her up. “There, now Rixva you pick her up with me and we will take her into the side room. Gell get that door.” She pointed to a door and then picked up the cultist.

“Won’t she be dead anyway?” Rixva asked Henera when they entered the room, leaving Gelln and Kar outside.

“She will, they all will. I don’t want Kar to see her die.” Henera responded.

“I don’t think Kar really cares that much.” Rixva helped Henera put the cultist into a corner.

“Right now? No, but he will later, once we are out of here.” Henera responded, extending her hand over towards Rixva. “Give me the gun, I am the better shot.”

Rixva grabbed the sidearm and handed it over to Rixva. “We have medicine for any stress.”

Henera checked if the gun was loaded and ready to fire. “They don’t work perfectly and better to spare him as much as we can.” The gun was ready for use. “Take Kar and Gelln, find an armory and get them ready. I will take care of her.”

Rixva looked at her, nodded and left the room. “Henera is making sure she can’t escape, us three need to get to the armory as fast as possible.” She pulled Kar and Gelln with her.

“What about Henera?” Kara asked.

“She will come after us in a minute, she is tying the cultist to a pipe.” Rixva answered and pulled the duo with her.

Henera waited for a minute, then she looked at the cultist. “If you wish to pray, do it now. Last chance.” She raised the gun, making sure it was ready. “I don’t know how you ended up here, but we all have to pay for our decisions, eventually.”

The cultist struggled against the cable,she knew her end was nigh. She tried to say something, but the gag made it impossible.

Henera felt a chill in the air. If she shot her, it would be a a murder of a defensless person. Possibly someone who was brainwashed into serving this god, she felt her hands tremble. She couldn’t do it, she wasn’t... able to. Something stopped her.

Rixva stood guard as Gelln and Kar were putting on the armor. She saw Henera walk up to her, holding the gun in one hand. Rixva walked up to her, to be further from Kar and Gelln. “Did you do it?”

Henera shook her head and walked into the armory. “Get ready, we must push towards the vat ward, we should meet up with our crew there.” She grabbed a rifle from the wall. “I hope you know how to shoot Kar.”

***

Elinsys was hiding in a room once more, she looked at herself in the mirror. She barely recognized herself anymore, sure she looked the same, it was her face after all, but underneath she wasn’t Elinsys before she joined the Marines, not even the one who arrived on Shil so long ago, was it long ago?

Her dreaming was interrupted by the pain in her back, a minor bruise, the armor took the brunt of it, but if Keresa got another hit on her back, she would burn Elinsys. The black spot was easily visible even in the dim light in which she found herself. Hiding in the storage room opposite the armory, Keresa stood between her and any weapons.

A knock on the door. “Elinsys, come on out. I know you are in there.” Elinsys could barely hear her, the music was loud, and the ringing in her ears didn’t help. Elinsys looked around, boxes and shelves all around her, surely something here could be used to defend herself. She started to rummage around, safe behind the locked door.

“The pain has to be terrible, you know this isn’t a normal laser, it is more acidic.” Keresa laughed. “Slowly melting away the metal.”

“I doubt such a thing exists.” Elinsys responded, opening a box, filled with cutlery. Among them she found a knife, useful for cutting meat, but not much more than that. She would need something bigger, like a steel pipe that was hidden behind a few boxes. Spare part for the old pipeline.

“Well, no matter, that armor isn’t stopping another hit, surrender.” Keresa responded.

Elinsys was quiet, she had one advantage. Keresa had to enter the room to kill her and Elinsys had a steel pipe and a knife. All she needed was one good hit, knock Keresa to the ground, and hit her again and again.

“Listen, I have all the time in the world. Your friends won’t win this siege.” Keresa said. “We have more bodies and can make more, not that it matters. Soon my love will simply destroy them all.”

“We have bigger weapons on our ships and if we don’t come back, they will send more, hell, there might be more on the way already.” Elinsys responded.

“True, but then, will it matter when we have a god?” Keresa laughs.

“We have a god? You think you will control a god? That you will be more powerful than it?” Elinsys asked.

Keresa shot at the door. “Silence, do not twist my words into ones of treason!” She composed herself. “I will not be baited by you, I have every advantage. I have the numbers, I have the weapon, I have the blessing of a god.”

“Leferia is a goddess too.” Elinsys responds. “And she is much more powerful than your brother.”

“She lies! She always has and always will lie! She is a trickster who has a yearning for ambition which is far beyond her reach!” Keresa fired again.

Elinsys smiled. “And your god isn’t? Your god wishes to rule a galaxy and it can’t even stop this siege.”

“He will! He will deliver us to greatness, he will make us all whole, an era of peace!” She shoots at the door again. “Of safety!” And again. “Of prosperity and order!” Keresa held down the trigger and emptied her rifle into the door.

Elinsys opened the door and jumped at her, hitting her with the steel pipe. Sending her down to the floor. “You really need to learn some patience, but I suppose you will have all the time in the afterlife.” Elinsys swung her pipe down at Keresa.

Keresa grabbed the pipe with her hand and knelt in front of Elinsys, hitting Elinsys in her belly with her other fist. Making a dent in the armor. “No, no. You will join us and become beautiful, either by flesh change or by metal.” She raised her hand to Elinsys, showing her the metal underneath. “I will make you perfect.” Keresa smiled and grabbed Elinsys’ throat with her cybernetic hand.

Elinsys struggled to breathe. “You have no vision.”

Keresa looked at her. “Oh, but I do. I see a perfect future for the Shil’vati race and for anybody else who wishes to join the Choir.” She pressed harder.

Elinsys was losing air fast. “Not what I meant.” She barely said.

Keresa leaned in. “Then what do-” She started to gulp up blood which was now filling her throat and lungs. The once blue now black liquid flowing out of her mouth like a fountain. Her eyes went wide as life left her, the cybernetic hand let go of Elinsys, who fell to the floor, trying to breathe deep. “Waaa,” She gurgled through the blood, and raised her hand to her neck, feeling the knife embedded inside of it.

“If there is hell, it will welcome you with open arms. And if there is any paradise for me, it will be a front row seat to your punishment.” Elinsys said, lying on the floor.

Keresa looked at Elinsys, then she collapsed, falling to the side. A black pool of blood forming under her.

The music stopped and the voice spoke again. “Defeat because of her pride, as if she tried to emulate Leferia. No matter now, come on. Let us meet eye to eye, discuss our future. Follow the light.” The music returned and the lights leading left turned off, the ones on the right remained.

Elinsys stood up and walked over to Keresa’s corpse. She picked up the rifle and recharged it. Firing into Keresa a few more times, making sure to hit the head twice. “That should do it.”

She also pulled out the knife and stashed it for later. Then she proceeded down the hallway, following the light.