NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 12: Meeting the Unknown.
September 2184. Bunker 00. Underground.
The dim, flickering lights barely illuminated the corridors as Jason followed V deeper into the heart of the bunker. Every step echoed against the cold steel floors, a constant reminder that this place was more a tomb than a refuge. Jason glanced at the cracked walls and rusting metal pipes that ran along the ceiling, the air thick with decay. The bunker felt old, worn, barely clinging to life—much like the drones that silently watched them from behind corners and doorways, their glowing eyes tracking every movement.
"This place is falling apart," Jason muttered under his breath. "Can barely see anything."
"The best we could do with what we had," V replied, her voice carrying a weight of both resignation and defiance. "We once had humans here with us, but when food and water ran out… they didn't last long. Unlike us."
Jason's jaw clenched at the cold reality of her words. "What the SES did was wrong," he said quietly, almost as if speaking to himself. "I've called down orbital strikes before, but this… this was different. To leave everyone behind like that—" he shook his head in frustration and disappointment.
"Did you ever try to contact the ships?"
V stopped suddenly, turning to face Jason. Her expression—though mechanical—held a haunting sadness.
"We did. For a time, the communications worked. They begged for rescue. Cried for it. But no one came."
Jason was silent. The weight of her words settled over him like a shroud. The mission had always been to save lives. But here? They had condemned an entire world to die, slowly, suffocated by isolation. The drones were living relics of that decision, left to scrape by in the ruins of a forgotten war.
"I guess trust is something we don't deserve from you anymore," Jason said finally, his voice heavy with guilt. "And I wouldn't blame you."
V's gaze lingered on him for a moment before she turned back to the path ahead. "In a way, I still trust. If you'd seen what we've endured, you'd understand."
They reached Martin's door, and V opened it with a mechanical hiss. Inside, the room was dimly lit, Martin sitting at his desk. His yellow optics locked onto Jason the moment he stepped in.
"You may leave us, V," Martin ordered, his voice cold and commanding.
"But, sir—"
"Go."
V hesitated only for a second, but then she gave a curt nod and exited the room, shutting the door behind her.
Martin leaned forward slightly, his glowing optics piercing through the shadows. "So, the humans have finally returned, after abandoning us to rot in this frozen hell."
Jason could feel the hostility in Martin's tone, the undercurrent of betrayal. This wasn't going to be an easy conversation.
"I'm just following orders," Jason began, his voice measured. "My mission is changing by the moment, but if you want my opinion? None of this should've happened. We should have never left this planet in the state it's in. I've seen critical missions before, but we didn't nuke the whole world into a nuclear winter."
Martin's optics narrowed. "Orders? The men on those SES ships were just 'following orders,' too. Look where that got us. If not for the fact that we need human help, I would've destroyed that beacon and left you to wander this wasteland, like we've had to."
He gestured toward the tracking beacon on his desk, his voice filled with restrained bitterness.
Jason's eyes stayed on Martin. "And what do you need help with?"
Martin leaned back in his chair, considering how much to reveal. Trust was thin here, and he wasn't about to lay all his cards on the table. Not yet.
"Our power supply is failing," Martin finally said. "As you can see, most of this place is barely operational. We're running on the barest systems needed for survival. The wiring is damaged, fuse boxes are shot. If you want to prove your intentions, start with that."
Jason nodded. "That's a simple enough task. I can have some of my engineers work on it. No need to go through my superiors for that. But I have questions of my own."
"They can wait." Martin's voice was final. "I have others who need me. If you fix our power issues, we'll talk. For now, that's all that matters."
The conversation had ended before it even began. Jason knew pushing further would be pointless, so he nodded and stood.
"Then I'll take my leave and see what can be done."
He turned and exited the room. V was waiting for him just outside the door, her expression unreadable.
"Are we heading back?" she asked.
"For now, yeah. I need to get in contact with my ship and start helping with the power situation. I have a lot of questions, but they'll have to wait."
As they began walking down the dimly lit corridors again, Jason couldn't shake the weight of the situation. "How many of you are here, anyway? This bunker could house a significant population."
"By our last count, we have roughly 30,000 left," V said, her voice betraying no emotion. "Why are you here, after all this time?"
Jason hesitated, his mind racing through the events that led them here. "We're at war. On two fronts, actually. It's been… a nightmare. One of the enemies we're fighting—machines."
"Like us?" V asked, glancing at him sideways.
"No. Nothing like you."
As they walked, the echo of footsteps from behind caught Jason's attention. He turned, squinting into the shadows. A drone with glowing red eyes stood at the far end of the hall, her gaze locked on him.
"Who's that?"
V stopped as well, looking back. "That would be Doll. She's… strange."
Jason watched as the drone disappeared back into the darkness, her footsteps fading. "Yeah. Tell me about it."
They finally reached the blast door at the entrance to the bunker. It slid open with a mechanical groan, revealing the frozen wasteland beyond. Jason made his way toward the APC, the cold wind biting at his skin. Climbing inside, he poked his head through the hatch. The SEAF soldiers inside looked at him expectantly.
"Everyone out. I need the cabin for a moment."
They filed out, casting wary glances at the drones watching them from the bunker's entrance.
"Keep calm," Jason said quietly. "They won't do anything unless we give them a reason."
Once the soldiers were outside, Jason sealed the hatch and moved to the console. Activating the screen, he connected with the Super Destroyer.
"Sir?" came the voice of the communications officer.
"I'm going to need an engineering team down here. We've got work to do. Also, send another SEAF team to assist them."
"Understood, sir. Shall I inform Super Earth?"
Jason paused, his hand hovering over the console. His orders were to report on making contact, but something inside him urged caution. They still had too many unanswered questions.
"Not yet," he said finally. "Keep us off the radar for now until we get more answers."
"Yes, sir."
The screen flickered off, and Jason leaned back, a heavy weight settling in his chest. He hated the feeling gnawing at him—the sense that they were walking into something far more dangerous than they were prepared for. But until they knew more, silence was their best weapon.
Edited thanks to ELE73CH.