The Optimum Project

Chapter 36

I took cover next to a stack of crates and slowed my breathing, we had covered this in combat training...

I took stock of the situation, there were five spacial seals, each with plasma rifles and an array of weapons and tools strapped to their chests. I didn't have anything, I was defenseless... Wait. I looked at the packing slip for the crate a was hiding behind, which read, "mechanite inhibitors" I practically jumped for joy, ( not really because, well, you know.)

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A crash course on mechanite inhibitors
Created and used during the second civil war, mechanite inhibitors were developed to counteract the abilities of combat suits, the design has never truly changed, though the technology has been significantly down sized.

Now about the size of a golf ball, the metal orb is activated by pulling small pin in the top, upon throw the inhibitor locks onto the energy signature of nearby mechanized combat suits, and magnetically attaches to the frame, releasing a non-harmful electrical charge that permanently disables the target suit.

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Ok, where was I? Oh yeah, mechanite inhibitors, I slowly reached my hand up, over, and into the box; grabbing two inhibitors and then resuming my cover. I pulled up my analysis HUD and an exploded view of the inhibitors appeared, detailing everything from basic mineral composition to production price. I prepared to pull the pin and peaked over the crate again.

The five seals were still sweeping through the massive bay, and still had about 100 yards until they reached me. I leaned out on one side of the crate and noted a table a few feet ahead of me and to my left, if I could just get there...

I quickly recalled gym class, where we learned Parkour and free running because it 'allowed for tactical movement advantages,' now I understood what he meant when the gym teacher had said that. I dashed forward and did a combat roll, landing safely by the table. I pulled the pin and with all my strength threw it across the massive room, watching as the nanite injections did their work. The inhibitor flew well past where a full grown linebacker could have thrown and curved sharply, attaching to one of the seals mechanical arms, and immediately disabling the motors and turning the device once designed for increased mobility into a rather heavy cage.

The seal called out and one of the soldiers worked his way over to him, punching the emergency release and freeing the soldier, now just in a basic combat outfit. I looked at the table I was hiding behind, I had to use my environment to my advantage... I grabbed a mysterious looking device and asked Tom to analyze it, and was pleasantly surprised by his answer.

The pleasant surprise?

"This particular device seems to be a field projector of some sort..."
I smiled, "what's the probability of it being a force field projector?"
"None"

My smile melted into a frown, "then what kind of field projector is it?"

I was met by silence for a moment, so I peeked over the table and tossed another mechanite inhibitor towards a seal who was getting a little too close for comfort, making sure I hooked the shot past him when he wasn't looking so that it seemed to come from behind.

"After further analysis it appears to be a localized warp field projector."

"A localized what?!?"

"As I said, a localized warp field projector, allowing for the almost instantaneous transportation through time and nearby space."

My mind went into overdrive as I stared at the cube, my HUD bringing up a much less detailed description of it than the mechanite inhibitors.

"Activate it"