NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 16: The Grim News.
September 2184. Bunker Entrance.
Jason didn't slow down after his call with the Ministry of Defense. His mind was a whirlwind, his body fueled by adrenaline as he bolted across the bunker floor. His objective was clear: get to the ship, reach orbit, and inform the fleet. His pace didn't go unnoticed.
"Hey, uh... Jason, wasn't it?" called N.
Jason didn't respond, didn't even look back. He couldn't afford the luxury of small talk—not now. His steps quickened as he burst through the blast doors. N's eyes followed him, his brow furrowed with concern.
"What's got him moving like that?" N asked.
The other combat drone beside him watched Jason sprint toward the Pelicans, his mechanical eyes tracking the human's every move. "I've seen that kind of running before. That's someone running for his life."
Outside, Jason skidded to a halt near one of the landed Pelicans, his breath coming in sharp gasps. The crew was unloading supplies, oblivious to the urgency.
"I need you to get me into orbit, now!" Jason barked at the pilot, his voice tight with command. "There's no time to explain. I need to get back to my ship."
"Sir, we're still unloading—" the pilot began.
"That can wait! Either you get me up there, or I'll fly this damn thing myself."
The pilot exchanged glances with the rest of the crew. "Leave the rest. We'll unload when we get back." His tone left no room for argument. Jason was already storming up the ramp, slamming the switch to close it as the pilot climbed into the cockpit.
Engines roared to life, and the Pelican lifted into the air, breaking free from the ground with a force that rattled the entire frame. Jason clutched the overhead strap, his mind racing faster than the ship. They were alone, trapped in this system, with no escape. His chest tightened as the gravity of their situation settled over him like a vice.
"Approaching the SES Aegis of Integrity, sir. Docking in a few seconds," the pilot called.
Jason barely registered the words. His thoughts were consumed with how to relay the disaster to the rest of the fleet. As the Pelican slowed, easing into the hangar, Jason moved like a man possessed. The ramp lowered, and he stormed out, heading straight for the bridge. The crew on the flight deck tried to catch his attention.
"Helldiver, sir... Is it true? The Ministry is ordering our deaths?"
Jason's eyes flicked toward them briefly. "No… I'll explain soon." He forced his legs to keep moving, ignoring the gnawing anxiety that threatened to consume him.
He stepped onto the elevator, pressing the button to the bridge. As it ascended slowly, Jason paced. The weight of the mission—no, of survival itself—pressed down on his shoulders. By the time the doors slid open, his face was a mask of grim determination.
The Democracy Officer was waiting for him near the main terminal. "Helldiver, I assume things are worse than we imagined."
Jason's lips tightened into a thin line. "Far worse." He strode past the officer. "I need a full fleet-wide comms channel, immediately. Everyone needs to know—we aren't going home anytime soon."
The officer gave a curt nod, quickly setting up the link to the nineteen other SES vessels. As the last connection snapped into place, Jason stepped toward the holographic display of Copper 9. The silence in the room was deafening, the tension thick enough to choke on. Jason took a deep breath and spoke, his voice steady, despite the chaos churning inside him.
"Attention, all personnel. This is Helldiver Jason. I have received new mission parameters that will be difficult for many of you to accept. The Ministry of Defense has issued a total blackout. No communication beyond our direct link with High Command. We are trapped within this system, and any attempt to leave or contact the outside world will result in immediate retaliation. If we disobey, they will send a fleet here to destroy us—and glass the planet."
The bluntness of his words hung in the air like a death sentence.
"I wish I had more answers," Jason continued, his tone heavier now, almost cracking. "This mission was supposed to be a simple scavenging op, searching for lost tech. But there's more—there's something on this planet that they're willing to kill to keep hidden. Until we know more, we follow orders. Helldiver Jason out."
He stepped back from the terminal, his heart pounding in his chest. The officer turned to him. "What now?"
"We need inventory by tomorrow. No resupply is coming. We survive with what we have." Jason's voice was clipped, weary. "I need to talk to one of the drones in charge. This is a matter of survival—for all of us."
The Pelican was waiting for him again, the ramp already down. Jason stepped on, the hatch closing behind him with a finality that matched the grim mood. As they lifted off, his thoughts turned to Martin. They needed to be prepared, or none of them would make it out alive.
Bunker 00. Entrance.
N watched as Jason's Pelican disappeared into the clouds, the sky swallowing the craft as it soared toward orbit. The scene left a mix of tension and confusion hanging in the air. Both the drones and humans had taken notice, a collective unease settling over the group.
"What was that all about? Where's that human, Jason?" came a voice from behind. It was V, her eyes sharp, having spotted Jason earlier as he sprinted through the bunker.
"I don't know," N replied, glancing at the distant clouds where the Pelican had vanished. "He just came barreling through here like something was chasing him. Didn't say a word, just went right up into one of those ships and blasted off."
The drones exchanged glances, their mechanical gazes betraying a hint of curiosity and concern. Jason's actions were odd, even for a Helldiver. But soon enough, the same Pelican descended from the clouds, the roar of its engines cutting through the stillness as it settled in the exact spot it had taken off from. The ramp hissed open, and Jason stepped out. He moved with a singular focus, ignoring the surrounding crew who resumed unloading the supplies.
A soft, muffled sob drifted from the cockpit. One of the crew members paused mid-task, unstrapping his gear as he moved toward the front.
"Hey man, what's going on?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
The pilot, still in his seat, didn't look up. "The Helldiver can tell you… Just get this unloaded."
Jason marched through the area, his steps purposeful, brushing past N and V without so much as a glance. His face was set, grim, as though the weight of the entire operation hung on his shoulders.
"Jason, what's the matter?" N called out, trying to stop him, but Jason was a man on a mission. He ignored the question, his strides never slowing as he disappeared into the bunker.
V exchanged a look with N, her concern mirroring his. "Come on, we need to find out what's going on."
Without hesitation, V set off after Jason, with N following close behind. Jason was already far ahead, moving swiftly through the dim corridors of the bunker, heading directly for Martin's office. Reaching the door, he didn't knock. Instead, he shoved it open, the metal door slamming shut behind him with a resounding clang.
Martin, seated at his desk, looked up from the faint light illuminating his workspace. His optics blinked in surprise at the sudden intrusion.
"Why are you back here?" Martin asked, his tone flat. He had expected Jason to stay topside until the power was fully restored.
Jason's face was set in a grim mask. "We've got a serious problem, Martin. For both humans and drones alike. It's not just the nukes that wrecked this planet. There's something else here… something that's spooked Super Earth in a way I've never seen before."
Martin's posture stiffened. The cold flicker of light from his optics betrayed a rare emotion—unease.
"And the Ministry of Defense has made it very clear," Jason continued, his voice tightening. "We're under a total communication blackout. No one leaves this system. If we try to call for help or escape, we'll be executed. And they'll glass this planet again. Harder than last time."
Martin's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Out of everything he had prepared for, this wasn't even on the list.
"Why?" Martin demanded, his voice tone glitching in its confusion.
"They didn't tell me anything. Just gave the order. But I know this much—if we try anything, we're dead. This place will burn."
Jason's words hung in the air like a death sentence. Martin's servos hummed softly as he processed the implications. There was no out. They were trapped here, in a world that had already been purged once in nuclear fire.
Jason stepped closer, his tone hardening. "Like it or not, we need to get this bunker operational. Livable. For all of us. We don't have a choice."
"That's not going to be easy," Martin muttered. "The power's still unstable."
"We're working on it. But now it's more than just making life easier for the drones. This is survival."
Before either could speak further, a sharp knock echoed through the metal door, followed by a voice.
"Everything alright in there?"
Martin glanced at the door and spoke, his voice tense. "V... come in."
The door slid open with a hiss, revealing both V and N. Martin eyed N briefly before giving him a subtle wave to enter. His tone dropped as he issued the next command.
"Shut the door."
Without hesitation, N stepped in and sealed the room. The sound of the door locking reverberated, an ominous reminder of their isolation.
"Sir," N began cautiously, sensing the tension in the room. "What the hell is going on?"
Martin shifted his gaze to Jason and gestured toward him. "It seems," he said grimly, "things have changed—according to his superiors." His voice tightened. "We're going to have to make some adjustments around here."
V's eyes flicked between Martin and Jason, clearly unsettled. "Adjustments? How serious are we talking?"
Jason's aura darkened, his voice now cold and calculated. "I just got new orders. Effective immediately, I'm assigned to work with you all. But there's more." He paused, letting the tension build. "We're cut off. No communication, no leaving. Anyone outside this star system isn't to be contacted—under any circumstances."
V and N exchanged alarmed looks, their expressions quickly shifting from confusion to dread.
"What do you mean 'cut off'? Why would they do that?" V asked, the edge of panic creeping into her voice.
Jason ran a hand over the front of his helmet, his composure cracking for a moment. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice strained. "I'm just as in the dark as you are. But I do know this... If we break protocol, if anyone makes contact—" His eyes narrowed. "There won't be a Copper 9 left to save. They'll wipe this entire system clean."
The gravity of the situation hung in the air, a suffocating weight that none of them could ignore. V and N's eyes widened, the threat of annihilation sinking in.
N's voice was barely above a whisper. "They'd nuke us... without hesitation?"
Jason nodded solemnly. "Without hesitation."
Martin straightened, his demeanor hardened. "We don't have a choice anymore. We need to assess the state of the bunker, get the systems running, and lock this place down. From now on, this bunker is our home. We survive here, or we don't survive at all."
No one had ever imagined it would come to this. Once again, humans and drones would coexist. But now, it wasn't just about cooperation. It was about survival.
Edited thanks to ELE73CH.