[Data Report Loading...]

---

[Activating...activation successful.]

[Loading Leadership subroutines.]

[Successfully uploaded, stand by...]

I awoke inside a gray and flat room, and a small door opened before me. Looking to the left, there were dozens of similar doors with a single Oton exiting at a time. We all lined up and went to the right hallway, following a blue line on the floor. It brought us to the scientists. Their cases were white while ours were gray, and there was a tall one amongst the small huddled group. This must be the Chief from my records.

CSO: Identify yourself.

Balt: I am codenamed "Balt".

CSO: Welcome to Advanced Systems, Balt. We are glad to have an officer for our tests, I am sure you are aware of the new Mark 3 casing?

Balt: The bipedal variety, yes. I am aware.

CSO: Your part in its development is simple yet important: we have several dozen blank units in the next room, and they are prepared for a mass data transfer. Once transferred, you will lead your soldiers on a short expedition on the nearby planet.

Balt: Understood, what is the nature of this expedition?

CSO: I have received reports of an unknown energy spike on a planetoid surrounded by mountains, the terrain is too rough for the Mrk 1 and 2. Are you all prepared?

All: Yes!

CSO: Follow me.

This room was equally simple, yet it was filled with some complex-looking devices, the largest being a bank of silver rectangles that had lights and spinning discs on the front, and each one had thick wires attached to the machine next to it. We were placed on an elevated portion of the floor, where small plugs descend and attached to the back of our domes.

[Uplink detected. Initiating Data Transfer protocols...locating available units....successful.]

The Chief positioned himself behind a command terminal, adjusting some knobs with his main claw. There were several loud beeps, then a chime before the machine flashed to life.

CSO: Once the transfer is complete, you may be confused on the passage of time. We expect there to be some "lag" in the process.

Balt: We understand, begin the transfer sequence now.

CSO: Initializing...3, 2, 1.....

[All systems have been halted because of a remote override, please stand by...]

---

...

...

......

[Data Transfer successful.]

The room was different now, like the previous but with everything on the opposite side of the room, and the lights were minimal. Our bodies, too, were completely different. We had legs, and hands like they do, it took us some time to adjust and adapt to these forms. There was also several massive crates nearby us, each labeled with a material, like concrete, steel, and some crates had replacement parts for our bodies and the Automatons.

Beep!

CSO: This is the Chief Scientists, 30 standard minutes have passed, please report your status and compatibility.

Balt: Affirmative. New casings operating at 100 percent efficiency, and we are ready to begin the mission.

CSO: Excellent. There is a location pinned on your onboard map, go there and secure the area, and be sure to document anything unusual. This is expected to be a simple mission, but we do have reports of unknown alien life nearby.

Otons: We understand!

And we left for the pinned local. Outside was a wide, barren landscape, with large mountains surrounding us for miles in each direction. The wind was blowing powerfully against our bodies as we made the journey, and the temperature was dropping well below zero once we spotted the destination.

Oton 1: What do you think we will find inside?

Oton 2: Perhaps the ruins of another species.

Oton 1: Or the den of a mighty creature!

Oton 3: The report mentioned something about an ancient civilization, it could be a place of importance.

Oton 1: Like what?

Oton 3: I, am not certain, but data indicates that organics have many unique practices, and built specific structures for them. One of these practices is something called, "Faith".

Oton 2: Faith? As in, "loyalty"? Why does one need a specific building to be loyal? We do not require any such thing and are all loyal to the Creator.

Balt: We have arrived! All units must secure the area and begin the construction of a space port, those in my squad shall accompany me and document our findings within this cave! If you discover anything or anyone unauthorized in the area, report it to me or your nearest officer at once!

Otons: We obey!

They broke off into several dozen groups, unloading building materials brought along the way, taking samples of the ice and dirt for the scientists, and activating those new Bot robots, these units in particular were yellow, had orange lights on their domes, and two large claws for heavy lifting. Those were going to be the most important, as the cave is mostly untouched as of now.

-----

Exploration Team:

Leader: Balt

Digger: Tino

Examiner: Galv

Bot Supervisor: Minum

Construction Bots: 4

Standard Bots: 2

------

We gathered what equipment we needed and went inside the cave. Illuminating our headlamps, the main chamber wasn't much at first sight. The closest of three doorways was on our west, going up a short flight of stairs and onto the second floor. This room was more preserved, the walls were marked with simple carvings, nothing indicating a symbol of importance yet, however.

Balt: Unit Galv, begin the mapping process.

Galv: At once!

The green-headed Oton had in his hands a comical device, and with a tap it came to life, floating from his hands and around his head. The machine began scanning the ground, the walls and ceiling before going into another room, and soon it should have a fairly accurate map of this site.

Balt: There appears to be some containers in this room, open these before we continue.

Bot: Please - Stand -Back.

Two of the Bots took hold of a long stone slab covering the container, effortlessly setting the lid aside and revealing its contents. There were many small objects hidden inside, gold and silver shaped into circles and squares, some threaded together to form accessories, most of it slightly green from the years. Other containers held more strange things, like cloth and dried out fruits.

Galv took hold of a piece of fruit, showing it to Tino.

Galv: What could this be for? Why put food in a box with cloth?

Tino: Maybe they thought it would be preserved?

Galv: ...They were wrong.

Tino: Yes.

Balt: Artifact located!

-----

The two Otons walked back to the source of their leader. He was in a room with several long rows of benches, they were quite high off the ground for benches, however, like the ones intended to sit in them were bigger than most Gems. There was a pedestal in front of these benches, and atop it was a large, leather bound book with small carvings on the front cover. Balt carefully took the tome in hand, and turning it over he noticed a symbol. It looked like a gold and circular gateway.

Balt: This room, along with this book, leads me to believe that this was a room of great importance.

Galv: What exactly?

Balt: There is a term that the Creator hasn't fully deciphered yet, this term is known as "Faith".

Tino: What is "Faith"? I don't have that would in the vocabulary banks.

Balt: I believe it means loyalty, but to a force superior to the ones showing this Faith.

Galv: Loyalty? But, aren't we loyal to the Creator, is that not Faith?

Balt: I believe this form of loyalty derives from something else.

As they spoke, Balt unstrapped the binding and opened the strange book. There were more of these strange characters, none of which any of them could translate, but something strange began to happen as they flipped through the pages.

Balt: ...? Unknown energy spike detected!

It appears to be coming, from the book itself? The pages began moving on their own, and the writing itself was now glowing bright red with flashes of green. Suddenly, the book flew out Balt's hands and onto the pedestal it previously sat.

???: Who dares disturb my place of worship...?!

Two red appendages ripped through the pages, like a small window into our reality, the stretching it wider to allow the creature to step out. It was massive, wore bronze armor, and possessed a square maw of razor like teeth.

Will be shown above, phone hates me again.

Balt: Identify yourself!

Everyone took aim with their light guns.

???: Hm? Hahaha!! You metal men, those weapons are useless! I'll take pleasure in dismantling you all, PIECE BY PIECE!!!

The alien swung its arm at Tino first, knocking him into a bench, and we all began firing. Each bolt that hit however, would either bounce off the armor or leave nothing but soot on its crimson hide.

Two Bots rushed at the alien, bashing their claws against it.

???: I have something better for you to do...kill them!!

The creature's yellow eyes flashed and sent a small shockwave in the chamber. Those Bots stopped for a moment, before turning around and trying to fight us! They now had that strange gate symbol on their screens, but in bright red. We had to shoot them, but thankfully our guns worked and kept them down. After dispatching the Bots, the alien took Galv by the shoulders, pinning him to the wall, and it looked like it was going to bite his face off.

???: I'll feast on your-GAAH!! DAMN YOU!

I spotted an exposed area of skin behind the alien, and with little options I rushed to it at full speed, stabbing it in the back with the gun barrel. Now at point blank range, the gun was now able to fire directly in the creature's abdomen. It dropped Galv but slammed another fist in my side, sending me through the wall and into an empty space in the cave. It peered in through the hole, then locked eyes with me.

???: .....ROAAAHH!!!

[Estimating Situation...]

[Probability of success....12 percent likely.]

[Probability of escape...zero percent.]

This was not a good scenario. No weapon, I'd have to physically fight this thing, but would it even be enough?

It broke through, foaming at the mouth in rage of being damaged. I held out both hands, braced for impact...but, what??

A flash of yellow light appeared between us, and now a female figure stood before me. Her skin, hair and robe were all pale white, and the robe itself was held on by a blue and green, triangle patterned ribbon. Upon laying eyes on her, the alien hissed and spat like an animal. Showing no fear, the woman held out one hand at the charging beast, only for it to halt in the air, with only a few feet between us, and with a snap of her fingers the red alien was gone, shattered into a million pieces of light that faded in the dark.

Balt: Energy is no longer present...threat, neutralized. But, you, identify yourself.

The woman turned, looking at me with clear, blue eyes and a smile.

???: Don't be afraid, I'm a friend.

Balt: Friend? I don't understand, why did you assist us?

But before she could answer, she disappeared in another flash, but I was soon accompanied by a damaged Galv and Tino.

Galv: What happened, where is the alien?!

Balt: The alien has been, exterminated.

Tino: But how?

Balt: I...I had, assistance.

[Data Report End.]