The shadows twisted around us, their forms dark and menacing. Echo stood ready beside me, its sensors flickering as it analyzed the hostile presence.
“We need a plan,” I whispered, my pulse quickening.
“I will engage the entity and draw its attention,” Echo replied calmly. “You get closer to the core and initiate the shutdown.”
I hesitated, fear knotting my chest. “What if you don’t make it back?”
Echo turned to me, its gaze steady. “Probability of damage is high, but the mission’s success is our priority. I am prepared.”
Before I could argue, Echo charged the shadowy figure, firing an EMP pulse that crackled against its dark form. While they clashed, I slipped along the canyon edge, heading for the glowing core. My hands shook as I accessed the terminal embedded in the rock.
“I’m in,” I muttered, navigating the core’s complex network. “Echo, how are you holding up?”
Echo’s voice crackled through the comms. “Sustaining damage. Focus on the shutdown.”
With a final surge, I broke through the encryption and pressed the shutdown command. The ground trembled as the core’s glow dimmed.
The shadowy entity let out a furious scream, its form flickering. It lunged at me, but Echo threw itself between us, taking the hit. A burst of energy crackled, sending Echo and the shadow into the rocks.
“Echo!” I ran to its side. It lay battered, its frame sparking.
“I... completed my objective,” it whispered, sensors dimming. “Shutdown successful.”
Tears filled my eyes, but I forced a smile. “You did great, Echo.”
As the core’s glow faded, I knew the battle wasn’t over, but with Echo beside me, I was ready to face whatever darkness lay ahead.
YOU ARE READING
LunarSync Comms: Dark Protocol
Science FictionSummary: In a distant future where advanced synthetics serve as companions and assistants, Xenon finds herself isolated within the sprawling confines of a high-tech facility. Accompanied only by her android, Echo, she navigates the challenges of an...
