Dimension

Chapter 8

Chapter 8? That's pretty insane.

Also, 150 reads. That's also pretty freakin insane.

I'm really sorry about the super late update guys. I don't know how fast I'm going to be getting these out as school ramps up. I'll try to publish one chapter every week, but even that might be iffy. If one chapter ends up taking longer, I'll publish a small little thingamajig with the estimated day of release- also, just to remind you guys that I'm still here.

But yeah.

Here goes nothing!!!!!  

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31 Years Ago

Alru was a water world, entirely engulfed by a planet-spanning ocean with incredible platforms of titanium and steel supporting the organic population. Those who lived on the world toiled in deep water mineshafts, extracting valuable minerals from within the mantle in extreme heat and pressures normally inhospitable to human life, supported only via outdated life support and subtle genetic modifications. 

It was no wonder, then, that after decades of brutal working conditions, the citizens of Alru finally snapped.

In orbit was a Republic flotilla, the centerpiece of which was the Aurora Flare. Her 400-kilometer diameter meant that she dwarfed the seven cruisers which surrounded her in a loose formation, barely visible against the hull of the moon-sized vessel. 

Seven hundred thousand kilometers away, Watchtower 24 watched in total silence. A planetbuster was attached to the satellite's leftmost maglock. Five minuscule, almost unnoticeable lights arrayed around the distinct hourglass warhead glowed a dull red.

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Present Day 

A pair of gravity tractors worked in tandem to tug the smoking frame of the shuttle into one of Axion's hangar bays. The atmospheric shielding of the tiny vessel flickered off and on, just barely able to retain a pressure seal with what remained of the hull. 

Lyise stood impatiently on the operation deck of the hangar, with Filion a dozen feet behind her. She held a PDA in her hands, while Filion's wrist-embedded variant was continuously scanning the shuttle per Lyise's request.

Three of the four maglocks found hull paneling to attach to, with the fourth shifting around in a circular pattern, futilely attempting to connect with air. A trail of paint flakes and metal scraps drifted behind the shuttle, littering the floor with residue as soon as the craft passed into the Axion's internal gravity well.

Lyise was tapping her foot on the floor as if it would speed up the tediously slow docking procedure. She had a series of discs hooked onto her belt- if required, they can pump a patient's bloodstream with a toxic dose of highly effective regenerative medications. 

"Calm down." Filion said softly. "There's still two life signs on board."

The short yet incredibly loud burst of a klaxon which signified the completion of the docking process cut off Lyise's reply. 

Filion raised a pulse rifle and slowly moved towards the shuttle, but Lyise waved him off. "There's no way that will help," she said, lugging a large hovertable of medical supplies behind her. Filion shrugged and lowered his rifle, but nonetheless flinched as a nanosteel suit grew across his body and sealed down his spinal cord.