Pyramid of Power [Progressive LitRPG]

Chapter 54: New Accommodations

Ryker

Down the platform plummeted for a full minute as I stood silently next to Tetra's stoic persona. Abruptly, the platform slowed then came to a stop, and I found myself standing in a massive hangar surrounded by sleek-looking ships the size of an aircraft carrier. Tetra took the lead and briskly walked towards the nearest ship. Upon arrival, we stopped six feet from the hull, and a silver orb detached itself from the side and came to rest in front of us. A red light illuminated the front of the softball-sized device, and it quickly ran the light across Tetra's face, then returned to the ship. After a brief wait, I felt a familiar feeling snake around me and pull me into the air.

I leaned over and asked Tetra, "I remember being jerked around by these things before. What is it?"

She looked at me for a moment, deep in thought, and said, "I take it you're referring to the force lifting you now?"

I nodded anxiously and said, "Well yeah, it feels like I have an octopus's tentacle wrapped around me."

Tetra raised one eyebrow then said, "I am not familiar with what an octopus is, but the feeling you are describing is not lost on me. It is a technology developed by a seafaring species on the opposite side of the galaxy from your people. They developed an energy-based beam that mimics their anatomy to manipulate gravity around the target."

I gave Tetra a firm nod and leaned back to enjoy the ride. We were lifted above the ship and deposited directly into a chamber near what I perceived as the front of the vessel. The room was empty outside of its black screen that wrapped around the entire circular space. Tetra walked to the center and began to sit down, the moment she did a chair rose out of the floor and gently caught her weight. She began typing away at a screen integrated into the arm of the chair, and I decided to give it a shot myself. I leaned back and imagined I was sitting down in my favorite lazy boy. Unfortunately, I was greeted by the cold metallic floor instead. I tried my damndest to not draw any attention to my embarrassing display, but when I glanced over to Tetra, she was staring straight at me with a befuddled expression on her face and asked, "Ryker, what are you doing?"

I stood back up and made an attempt to nervously dust off the nonexistent dirt from the legs of my suit when I noticed Red, Ruby, and Silvar all three rolling on the floor behind Tetra, holding their stomachs and rolling around on the ground laughing silently. My beet-red face betrayed my embarrassment, and I turned towards the blank screen and said, "Nothing, I just needed to stretch out a little. Do these screens work?"

Tetra must have decided to take pity on me and allowed my thinly veiled attempt to change the subject work. She glanced down at her controls and tapped a rapid set of keys, and the entire room lit up. I was able to see 360 degrees around the ship, taking note of the size of the hangar. I was so engrossed by the sight I didn't even notice when Tetra walked up behind me and pulled me down into a floating seat, where my suit adhered to the material of the chair to securely hold me in place. I accidentally let out a startled "EEP" and quickly covered my face in shame.

I could hear Tetra giggling shamelessly behind me as she made her way back to her own seat. A moment later the ship began to vibrate then smoothly lift and floated through a thin-looking membrane of sorts. Immediately, I found myself consumed by a childlike sense of wonder as I excitedly gazed around the room at the sights displayed before me. I expected to see a starry sky or some planets close enough to make out features, but instead, all I could see was a steady stream of lights flashing by so fast that it looked like I was in a tunnel of lights that was ever-changing but more beautiful than almost anything I had ever seen before. Still gazing around, I thought, "Ruby, this is incredible. What is this? I thought we were flying to a new ship."