The Ariake forces, having lost the trail of the beasts, took a long detour before redirecting toward Vulcanus. It wasn't until Aicom confirmed that the probability of being followed was less than one percent that they returned to the main route. The units now advanced in a tight formation, flanked by the skeletons of old buildings that stood like cadaverous vestiges of what was once human civilization. Charred towers, covered in soot and snow, leaned like dying giants in a silent, gray landscape.
Everywhere Lariat looked, there were remnants of the "old age," as they called the time before the hundred-year war. They advanced on the bones of a city that once teemed with life: shops reduced to rubble, rusted metal structures that were once vehicles, and plazas covered in the ash of burnt trees. All of it was shrouded in a darkness so dense it seemed to have its own weight. A veil of shadow where only the echo of memories—or predators—moved.
"Captain, two kilometers to the gate entry point," Aicom reported, her feminine voice still tinged with that metallic hum of artificial origin.
"Send the alert to the control post."
"Affirmative. Transmitting."
Lariat checked the monitors. On the central screen, the radar was clear; on the side viewer, the thermal sensor maintained a stable reading: minus forty degrees Celsius. The spectrometer showed the air was laden with toxic microparticles. The Geiger counter, while not alarming, registered a radiation level just above the acceptable threshold. Just. If anything was still acceptable in this world.
"All units, stay alert. Prepare for entry. Stay vigilant until the gate is fully closed," he said over the general channel.
They emerged from the remains of a residential area into what was once a large plaza. Two metal poles stood out in the storm, emitting intermittent red light pulses that barely managed to pierce the blackness. Lariat positioned himself at the rear, covering the rest of the platoon as they cautiously advanced toward the gate.
"Alpha to Nest, do you copy?"
Silence.
Lariat pressed the button again.
"Nest, this is Ariake forces. Awaiting access. I repeat: awaiting."
He only received white noise.
"Damn it... what the hell are they doing in the base?"
He typed in a direct code. Nothing. Just static.
He turned his Aimex, covering a wider angle at the rear. The silence was becoming more and more unsettling.
"Hold your position. Weapons ready," he ordered, then addressed Aicom. "What's going on with the control post?"
"Requests sent. Current number: two hundred. Do you authorize escalation to the next level?"
"Do it. We're getting critical with the coolant and power," he grumbled. On the monitor, the cooling indicator was blinking at 35%. The xenon batteries were at 30%. They couldn't last much longer in that cold without restarting their systems.
Then, without warning, a series of lights turned on in a circle around the poles. On all the units' monitors, the nervous face of a young guard appeared: pale skin, fogged glasses, a poorly fitted beret. She awkwardly adjusted herself and spoke in a trembling voice.
"Apologies for the delay, Ariake forces. Please approach the gate and wait for the light signal."
The seven Aimex units moved inside the circle. The ground beneath their feet vibrated. An artificial, powerful gust of wind swept away the snow and soot. The lights changed from white to green.
The platform—previously hidden—began to descend slowly. As the surface disappeared, a gate closed over them, sealing off access to the outside. On the screens, the young woman gave them an awkward wave.
"Welcome back to Vs-100 Vulcanus. Keep your Aimex on standby until arrival at the hangar. Thank you for your service."
The image disappeared with a flash.
Lariat leaned back slightly in his seat, released the controls, and adjusted his gloves. They were back. Finally. He would have taken off his helmet... but his rank didn't allow it.
"Aicom, transfer the combat report to the engineers. Save an encrypted copy for my personal stats."
"As you command, Captain. Report in transit. Would you like to evaluate the Aicom system's performance before arrival?"
"You did well this time. I have no complaints. Although... you could work on that voice. Something more... human. Do you think you could sound sexier?"
An electronic beep was her only response for a few seconds.
"Thank you for your evaluation, Captain. Data is lacking to refine the vocal model. I suggest collecting audio samples from female members of the squad to facilitate improvements. The attribute 'sexy' is not included in assistance protocols. Do you wish to use your level one authorization to modify directives?"
Lariat let out a dry laugh. Maybe he was going crazy, or maybe it was just the habit of talking to an AI when there was no one else who spoke his language. He sighed.
"Not for now, Aicom. Send the battle log to my private inbox."
"Sent. Arrival at deployment zone in three... two... one."
The platform stopped with a deep hum. In front of them, a cavernous hangar stretched out, illuminated by industrial panels and guide lights on the floor. There, amidst shadows of steel and concrete, the underground heart of Vulcanus waited.