Chapter 125: Chaos on the ship, part 2/3

Chapter 125: Chaos on the ship, part 2/3

In the spaceship's marble corridor, Tia stood alert, breathing shallowly. The walls, lined with silver and gold engravings in the black marble, faintly reflected the purple light from the ten visors of the imperial commando opposite her. The standoff was silent but charged, with a clear tension hanging in the air.

The ten commando's particle cannons, huge and deadly, hummed quietly while their barrels trained on her pulsed rhythmically with a purplish light. Feeling her heart pounding, Tia watched the overhead neon light flicker, casting erratic shadows over the scene as the vibrations intensified.

'I have no time for this.'

With a calculated movement, Tia lifted her hand, clad in a dark, enchanted glove that faintly shimmered.

"Miss, we have fought together down on the planet. We are not traitors. We are still loyal to our lady." The sudden break in silence startled Tia slightly. The soldier's voice, muffled by his helmet, carried a note of earnestness as one of the crouching soldiers aiming at her shifted his gun away.

She couldn't see his face, but something in his tone nudged at her memory. Her posture relaxed just a fraction, a subtle but significant shift.

'They are the elite that fought without any fear of death the last time.' This thought flickered through Tia's mind, mingling with caution. She knew how fanatical the elite imperial commandos were.

'But uniforms can change their owners.'

"Speak, where were you then?" Her voice was steady, probing for truth amidst a sea of uncertainty.

"Miss, I was in the server room," came the reply.

At those words, a spark of recognition lit up Tia's eyes. Slowly, she lowered her gauntlet, the motion deliberate yet fluid. It was a gesture of cautious trust, but meaningless as she could use her powers in a split moment anyway.

The soldiers, in response, subtly adjusted their weapons. The barrels, once aimed directly at her, now pointed away, an unspoken agreement in the standoff. The tension in the air began to dissipate, replaced by a cautious understanding, each side measuring the other, aware that the balance could shift at any moment.

Tia didn't fully trust them, but she kept her guard up, her body coiled and ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

Objective --> Secure the ship from imminent danger and protect the crucial crew members (Officers, Flight crew, and Engineers.).

Rewards --> 3 x esper point; +10% to the progress of a random ability; +3 to WILL; +2 to ENE;

Deductions -> For each important crew member that dies, your rewards will be reduced.

<<<<<<>>>>>>

Tia jumped up, already ready to move, only to curse internally, 'Very funny...'

Then a ding reverberated, making her gaze sharpen.

Ding!

//

A new quest: Imposter hunt!

Something is happening! There are imposters on the ship. Find them and eliminate them.

Rewards: 1 x witch point for every two eliminated imposters; +1 to MAG for every 5 eliminated imposters; +1 to INT for every ten eliminated imposters; +4 to ENE for eliminating the leader of the imposters.

//

'...'

At last, a ding resounded the second time, and a green light lit up on the lock.