The Tales Of Zaleth 2

Chapter 12: The Power Of The Necklace

~April 1st, 3:14 am, 2089, The Starmind, outside Gile's atmosphere~

The artifact hunters were still on the Starmind. McClain knew it was on the Starmind, but not where. It's harder to find than all the other ones for some reason. "Hive Brute incoming!" Jerald shouted and pointed as a Hive Brute charged at the group. McClain fired a plasma missile at it and it exploded. "Don't worry, Jerald." McClain said as adjusted his speed to that of the group's. Tony flew on ahead and made sure any tentacles or Hive forms were dead. The group found a cave of some sort. "You think this thing is hollow?" Sam asked. "We can't scan this thing because of the artifact present, but I'd say it has some sort of Hive city inside it." Pamela explained. "What she means is that it might be the artifact. We're not sure why we can't scan this thing." Abigail corrected. "Stu's the tech guy, this is his fault." Wade said. Garrett nods in agreement. "Shut up, Wade." Stu said angered. "Guys, let's just go in." Jerald said trying to stop the fighting. "Go in?! Do you want to die?!" Peter asked rhetorically. "No one said we would die." Jerald argued. "There could be nothing in there. I'm with Jerald." Dakota said. "Let's stay out of this." Jasmine said to John and Jacob as the three backed off. 

~Outside Gile's atmosphere, space~

"Did the Wul ships go back to Wul?" Jessica asked trying to get a feel for the amount of ships they had. "Sadly, yes." Robert answered. "That sucks, but I'll make do. I want half of our ships to open fire on the Planetmind, specifically ship group A. All other ships aim at the Hive fleet surrounding it, make a sizable path to the Planetmind." Jessica ordered. Robert relayed the orders. Ship group A started firing Planetary Bombardment Cannons at the Planetmind. It was getting damaged pretty badly. The other half were able to destroy the Hive ships making a good path to the Planetmind. "Now, ship group B, send all starfighters and bombers to blow that thing up!" Jessica yelled and ordered. The starfighters and bombers were equipped with the best weaponry the Alliance could offer. A Planetary Bomb is a bomb that can destroy a planet, and the starfighters had Class-AA weaponry. "All ships, cover the starfighters." Jessica ordered as the starfighters and bombers entered the blast range of the Hive ships. The remaining Hive fleet sent out their starfighters, roughly the same number as the Planetary Alliance who had five thousand. The Hive ships and starfighters focused fire on the bombers, by the Planetmind's orders.

~The Starmind, Hive City~

The group ended up going inside the city. McClain and Tony guarded the entrance. The Hive city was complete Hive biomass. Incubation chambers, fliers, grunts, brutes, etc. were down there. A Smasher Stronghold walked right past the group without noticing them. There was a bridge that went down to a platform that had a bunch of incubation chambers. There were red glows everywhere, and those belonged to Hive Abominations. "This isn't good." Sam said recognizing the Abominations. "What?" Mr. George asked. The group stopped to listen to her. "Those red glows are the cores of a Hive Abomination. It mentally tormented Jessica and I when we got there." Sam explained. "Then we need to kill them!" Tony shouted getting the attention of all nearby Hive forms, including the Smasher Stronghold. "God dammit Tony!" Stu yelled angrily. "This is normal." Jasmine said. Jacob, John, Skyler, and Ben nodded in agreement. "Everyone, please stand back." Sam said. "Why?" Pamela asked. "This necklace is an artifact. No time to explain." Sam said as she put the necklace on. A green aura came from the green gem and surrounded her. The Smasher Stronghold swung his fist down, but Sam caught it and ripped it off while still holding it with two fingers. She threw at the Hive forms that were charging up the bridge. It destroyed the bridge and killed all Hive forms. The Smasher Stronghold attempted to kill Sam again. She flew up and dodged it. Then full speed rammed into the Smasher Stronghold's head. The Smasher Stronghold's head exploded into small pieces of Hive mass and the Smasher Stronghold fell to the ground dead.

~Outside Gile's atmosphere, space~

The Alliance's ships just entered the range of the Hive ships. Both fleets focused on the other fleet's starfighters and ships. The battle was absolute chaos. Alliance ships were being infected, but Hive ships were being shot out of the sky. The bombers were almost at the Planetmind. "Fire all PBCs at the Hive fleet, now!" Jessica ordered. All ships fired their PBCs, destroying almost the entire Hive fleet. "Why don't you just fire at the Planetmind?" Robert asked. "If I did that then the Hive fleet would be around and just come together to make a Hivemind. This way there's no fleet or Planetmind." Jessica explained. Robert understood as a bomber dropped its bombs. "Yes!" Every commanding officer and Alliance leader said as the bomb caused the Planetmind to die. The Planetmind's pieces entered the atmosphere and fell straight for Gile's capital. "Oh shit!" Jessica said.

~The Starmind, Hive City~

"Since when did you get that?!" Dakota asked in shock. "I got it when the Hive wiped your minds of me. I'll be right back." Sam explained as she sensed the impending destruction of Gile. She flew out of the Starmind's 10 mile thick surface, startling Tony and McClain. She flew to the Planetmind's pieces and grabbed the smallest piece easily. She threw it into deep space. She grabbed the second piece and threw it at the Starmind. Finally, she grabbed the final piece and full speed rammed it into the Starmind. The impacts made a hole in the Starmind, large enough for actual light to shine in the Hive city. Sam flew back to the Hive City and watched as all the Hive Abominations were dispatched to deal with her friends. The Hive Abominations took a different form this time. They used their webs to make a set of limbs. They used their mental powers to subdue the group. Sam flew down and dispersed the aura into a shock wave of green energy that killed almost all of them. She spared one. "Tell the Starmind, that its goddess has arrived." Sam commanded while stepping on it and while the green aura reappeared. The Abomination ran away, presumably towards the core of the Starmind.

Sam took off The Necklace and continued to carry it. The green aura disappeared. "What was that?!" The entire group asked in unison. McClain and Tony flew in through the gaping hole in the Starmind's surface. "I'm going to need that artifact, now." McClain said through the Stream-Head's speaker system.