Solar Warden

The machine Part 103

Arriving at the cave there was nothing to see from the machine.

Diaz team had now two rocket launchers with them. They were securing the cave entrance. No one was in the cave. Also one sentry was placed.

Newman and Samuel did now the drone initialization. They were after this activated with a program that was sufficient for the next what will come.

"All drones ready. Should we proceed now?" Newman asked Ryan.

"Yes, proceed," Ryan replied.

Newman flew his lead surface scout drone to the base entrance. Other drones were following it. Samuel did the same with his lead drone. Now there was a communication chain which could not easily interrupted by jamming signals. At least Newman thought to be sure of that.

The machine was not in sight.

Newman flew in and went to the right while Samuel to the left. They saw now the other drones on the ground. Probably shot down. They went to the lift and then all around this level. Also looked down the blown up hole. Still the machine was not to see. Then both went down the hole. Samuel to the left were the lift was and around the corner to the huge door. It was closed.

Samuel went back to the hole, while Newman flew to the right where the assembly line was. He went around a corner. Then the machine was in front of him aiming and shot.

The drone signal was lost. Now he had the command of the drone behind. He flew at once back. The stepping noise of the machine was to hear.

"You better fly up, its coming," Newman informed.

The machine went around the corner. Newman was now further away. He started a target scan while he went back. Then he flew zig zag to make it not too easy for the machine. It fired while moving. The shot missed close. Newman was on the next corner and flew around. Then he went to the hole. "I hope we can lure it up. Watch the left side of the lift. I come up for the right." He assumed that the machine wants to secure the base entrance again. But why did it not appear earlier. They must have seen the drones with the cameras. At least the machine has to come up. The area there was much better to intercept it. Also the cameras could give a very short warning time. That would not be enough to fall back to the lift and move down. It was an option to shot at it while it is in the lift, but that would be not as effective.

The machine went around the corner. Newman moved the drone further up then further back seeing the machine heading for the lift.

Now he observed the lift at the top. It took a bit, then the lift door opened. The machine headed straight to Newman and shot. Losing the next signal Newman had the machine in sight. He now flew zig zag, again.

The machine raised now the other arm. It was now enough away from the lift and there it was good enough to flank.

Samuel did his target scan from the side. The plasma Gatling gun was spinning. They must have repaired it or was it a second machine.

"Sending attack order," Newman informed.

The combat drones accelerated away, flying over the soldiers into the cave. Then the chain of surface drones made space for them to fly a direct route. There were only seconds then the first combat drone went into the entrance followed by the second. Number one went left and the other right. The target information was already sent. Further updates followed. With a shorter route the second combat drone was the first which went around the corner into target sight.

Newman was busy leading the fire a bit away from that location. But the machine seemed to have the information now and turned.

Both targeting laser of the surface drones went additionally on. There the combat drone would fire also some of the shots. It was a more complex targeting algorithm to achieve maximum damage in short time.

The combat drone shot as well as the machine. Both were hit, but the combat drone went down at once.

Now the other combat drone fired all what it had. The machine already had some damage that seemed to do not too much, it stopped moving. Then moved back while turning. Railgun projectiles shredded through the once invincible armor. It could not complete its turn. An explosion occurred. Sparkles and electric fluctuation were to see. The machine was falling backward to the ground. Further shots went in, then Newman send a cease fire command. The combat drone stopped firing. Newman scanned the machine.

Ryan was following the stream and now walking to Newman who was some steps away.

"Is the laser drill still available?" he asked.

"I think so we just have to send a drone close to it. Why?" Newman asked.

"We could cut both arms off and retrieve them. This will first secure the situation and give us something for research," Ryan added.

"Good idea. Samuel you monitor the area. I have to improvise," Newman said and flew his lead drone back to his position.

It was just as simple altering of the programming. Then he started to make contact with the laser drill which was moved after finishing with the entrance further into the cave. There were only 700 meter, so the drone signal relay also worked for that without problem.

The cutting took some time and finally he ordered the laser back from where he got it.

Samuel and Newman did now check the base, again. As the door was still closed, it was secure enough to move in.