Chapter 419 - When The Cat Is Away

Seeker and Lynd raced through the entire ship and began to convert more and more. Lynd would quickly gather the data as fast as they could and send it. The pair worked within a specific time frame. They did not waste a single second.

Even if Lynd managed to gather the information that was vastly incomplete, they would immediately leave whenever the link to call the Tyrant Empress occurred.

The Tyrant Empress would instruct the group to continue sending more details as fast as they could. And all the Commanders followed.

Back in the ship of Shakstress, the team of Unlocks was maximizing the time they had to gather more and more information.

The key was Madison and his team. With their ability to glance and gather massive amounts of information, the groups were able to find the workarounds and hindrances in moving around and manipulating data to change the status and access of the rest.

The three had managed miracles in the trial of fire that they encountered when they were sent to China. After that, they learned how to act as spies and pass along information in critical moments or be killed. It was through this that a weak version of their Path's awakened. 

With the three of them moving around the ship, they were able to share the sights of each other and infiltrate the higher-ups. So there, the data that was being moved around the ship were changed as they acquired overrides.

The first was changing Chris and Grace's access.

The pair was able to kill certain doctors on the ship and assume their identity.

Madison's team provided them access and knowledge, and since Chris and Grace are trained spies, their ability to merge and adapt within the group was complete.

With them there, they could confirm the access levels of people they healed and could confirm the deaths of certain individuals.

With the chaos happening inside the ship and the threat of the werewolves, it was easy for the two to hide the deaths of the people they treated.

And so, a list of new individuals that the Unlocked could assume with higher access was already formed.

The information was passed on to Arthur, and Arthur gave out the command.

Without Shakstress fighting and making calculations at every step of the way, Arthur could create miraculous calculations that were without hindrances.

Gardo was finally brought to the hospital wing. He had an identity of a high-ranking Supreme Exoskeleton pilot who was allegedly attacked but killed the enemy at the direction of Shakstress.

"Sir! We're here! Your saved!" The 'saviors' of Gardo informed him. 

"Thank... you..." Gardo answered weakly.

"Doctor! Are there any doctors available?" One of the Planteds called out.

"Shut up! Everyone is dying here! Of course, there are no doctors available!" Another doctor roared back.

"You idiot, that is Commander Krissk. Presider informed me that he will be coming!" A doctor appeared and chastised the low-ranking doctor.

"Do-Doctor Grezzim!" 

"Commander Krissk! I will do everything to save you! Go! The Prime Healing Pod is prepared. Shakstress has already ordered its reservation!" The doctor ordered.

And true enough, one of the most advanced and expensive Healing Pods that can do miraculous healing was already reserved. Even in the chaos, these Healing Pods were not used and could only be activated at the approval of a Pioneer Commander. And one was already approved!

Gardo was quickly placed inside, and two doctors moved inside.

"Priority healing. Anyone with a Medical Access to Techs less than Prime, do not enter!" The first doctor who chastised the low-ranking doctor shouted.

Soon, the two began to work inside. The healing pod had a thick transparent glass, and everyone could see what they were doing, and the talks were being broadcast outside.

But with such loud chaos and screams around, it was difficult to keep track of what they were saying.

The two doctors began to discuss how to heal him. Even without any indication from the tech, the pair expertly identified what was wrong with the Commander.

As the diagnosis and proper treatments were being ordered, the trio was also talking at a different frequency.

Through Madison, Oark, and Cheryl's espionage, they managed to promote several people by manipulating the data through the growing knowledge they had. As a result, Chris and Grace now had a very high position within the Hospital wing of the ship after they killed and assumed the identities of these two doctors.

Chris and Grace Carlean tended to the wounded Gardo, who made reckless attacks that shattered many parts of his bones. They could tell through their unlocking even the heartbeat of Gardo and be even ahead in identifying the vital stats of Gardo from heartbeat, the number of bones that were breaking, and even the amount of blood Gardo lost.

The doctors outside marveled at the pair working.

"Have they... always been this good?" One of the nurses asked them to watch the pair of doctors work.

"No. It must be that Healing Pod. The data are probably being sent to their brain." The low-ranked doctor watched in envy. He shook his head and returned to his duties.

Inside the Healing pod, the trio was already talking in another frequency that no one else could hear despite the broadcast.

"And my son just vanished after the attack?" Chris Carlean asked a wounded Gardo, who was now pretending to be one of the Pioneers wounded.

"I haven't seen him. I wished he told us he would come here!" Chris grumbled.

"He couldn't have. It was still our actions that made it possible for him to be here. If the two other Presiders didn't attack, he wouldn't have the opportunity. From what I understand, Seeker and the group took advantage and rode WGP weapons of mass destruction to get here."

"Oh! So that's what happened! What a nice ride. I want to ride a nuclear bomb."

"Dear... Please focus! We are doing a critical mission here!"

"S-Sorry, honey. You're right."

"Still... That kid should have called us. He hasn't even received his license to drive yet, and now he's piloting Weapons of Mass destruction across the world?" Grace frowned.

"He... is a Weapon of Mass Destruction all by himself. I'm sure he can handle that." Gardo tried to pacify Grace.

"So, where did he vanish off to?"

"The Presider can shrink everything, right? I'm sure you noticed. They are probably fighting in a realm that is so small. Richie should be coming here and needing help recovering, but apparently, he had something important to do first. He could explain what that battle is. What I know is that Seeker and Lynd began to fight with that Presider. They disappeared when the lights went out."

"I hope he can fight. That sounds... too otherworldy!"

"It is. You should have seen that Presider. She was a monster! She could think as fast as Arhuhr!"

Grace and Chirs were starting to wear worried expressions.

"But don't worry. Her suit was damaged when we were finished, and she was forced to make big moves. I'm sure Seeker and Lynd, who will be fighting together, can handle her. Those two are also quite otherworldly." Gardo laughed as he recalled the battle underwater.

"We saw that strange event. Even the lights from this room disappeared. It was like something was stopping the energy of the ship. But now, the energy is back."

"Meryl caused that event. No wonder Arthur wanted that suit for his girlfriend! You should have seen how this ship maintains energy. A single place within the ship isn't creating it, but the entire spaceship itself, down to the smallest metal, can create energy. Meryl used her powers and somehow drew out that massive amount of energy and created the blackouts."

"That was Meryl? And we succeeded in giving her a Sun Devourer suit? Amazing! Where is Meryl now?" Grace asked.

"We don't know. Arthur might know, but he sent me here and didn't have time to ask. So we used that blackout quickly to make our immediate escape and hid among the group. But ever since then, our sound links have stopped. Arthur said Sammy and Chase would be focusing on gathering more information. And Arthur told Richie to rest and use his powers for a mission related to Octarion. Madison should be resolving that. What about you guys?"

"As you can see, we have already understood how these devices work. They run from that Universe Energy thing. It is a source that is born, not from this one. But from what we can understand, this energy is the source of creation itself. It's the energy that birthed the Universe."

As the three talked, a certain pair was being outfitted in an armory section.

The soldiers and engineers were moving with great haste to create a weapon. From the designs that were provided, the engineers were creating a Supreme Exoskeleton with the armor that the Dawn Suit of Australia inspired.

The voice of Shakstress shouting and giving constant orders echoed throughout the chamber. In addition, many other voices could be heard talking to Shakstress.

Richie was seated in a broken Exoskeleton. It wasn't even a Supreme, but a regular. But as he was being restored, he was watching Octarion being outfitted by the hulking, thick Supreme Exoskeleton. 

He was imitating Shakstress, and with the data Madison provided, he was also able to copy the voice of Commanders who had jurisdiction and command over the engineers in this wing.

"I can't believe I'm doing this. Is Arthur really going to make this? That armor will make Octarion so much stronger." Richie wondered. Despite his complaints, he wasn't worried but was secretly excited.

He watched the armor that Octarion was wearing and couldn't help but anticipate the future battle between them and the Tyrant Empress.

Richie suddenly felt a light passing breeze.

"Took you long enough." Richie laughed.

"The battle outside is quite annoying. The Presider that is helping us isn't willing to shell out any of her big guns. Any luck with new techs?"

"Yes. With Seeker keeping that Presider busy, we're gaining a lot of things from technology and information about the Aragarians. It's quite different to see things from a Prisder's perspective. But we do have a lot of time in our hands. As they say, when the cat is away, the mouse can play." Richie chuckled.

"What's the next plan?"

"Well... Try to survive. Arthur will be doing a lot of playing now that the cat is gone. He will be taking command of this ship and seriously trying to kill that Presider you are with. And you have to fight alongside her to gain her trust."

"Oh? Are you going to fight?"

"Me? Nah. Octarion will fight you, though. You should see him now. He's a monster! Best of luck." Richie laughed.

"I'm... quite excited.. It's quite boring here."