-=+ +=- [COMPLETED] The Second Universe -=+ +=-

Part 10: Operation Payday and Universal War One

He scanned the most kitted out rifles he could find, which sported far more attachments than the others, hoping to also obtain blueprints to the attachments for potential New World Union use. He immediately deduced that they were rifles utilized -- and possibly used for bragging and flexing -- by the security chief of the airport, who had almost certainly been the man giving a speech. A metallic and shiny liquid-ish substance covered the grip, which he deduced to likely be mercury, perhaps to prevent unauthorized people from holding the weapon, as he also detected vast amounts of thaumaturgic energy in the mercury. Allen opted to clean it off with an absorbent cloth, being successful with this endeavor and preserving the cloth for possible further analysis by New World Union R&D.

(https://www.artstation.com/artwork/XraYn)

"Perseus to Spectre 1-1 and Luna 1-1, located security armory and unknown SAs (small arms) including two diff rifles, some got mercury on them. Advise." Allen transmitted, then receiving an almost immediate response from Phantom, who really seemed to be taking charge of the operation for himself. "Spectre 1-1 here, you can keep one and have it upgraded, and turn in the other for R&D." "Copy that, Specter 1-1." Allen responded, holding one of the rifles. He acknowledged its bizarre ergonomics, and sensed a massive thaumaturgic presence emitting from the rifle. From the barrel's diameter, he understood the rifle was chambered in some sort of .450 rifle round.

He inspected the magazine after first ejecting it via a switch, seeing some bizarre luminous purple-blue glowing bullets loaded inside. A scan of the rounds indicated a size of 11.23 x 148 mm, smaller than the New World Union's standard cartridge, though likely packing some sort of gimmick thaumaturgical power. This was confirmed also when the scan had confirmed the presence of a highly thaumaturgic gunpowder load, and it also determined the projectile had a weight of 189gr.  Taking all of the ammo for the weapon from glowing ammo crates placed around the armory -- which were also frequently concentrated in the room's corners --, he threw the munitions into his pocket dimension. Inspecting and scanning the rifle a final time, he put it in his own pocket dimension, and tossed the other rifle into a pocket dimension linking to R&D.

"Alright, Spectre 1-1 to all, RV at prev[ious] point." Phantom transmits, and the others link up with him, heading further down the airport and through several hallways with CROS attendees either attempting to fire back or crawling away, full of wounds and high-degree burns, who were likely collaterals that were hit but still survived when the XM338 fire had begun earlier. Some attempt to heal themselves with thaumaturgy, and are almost always interrupted by the quiet roar (no way division 2 machine gun reference!1!!!1!!11) of XM338 machine guns among other New World Union weapons. The group proceeded until they arrived at an indoor food court now filled with dead located close to the airfield, and it seemed Allen had noticed something.

"Spectre 1-1, got a massive thaumaturgic presence below us. I think that's the artifact." "Roger that Perseus, breach and clear. Can't have them knowing the shit we can pull." Phantom acknowledged, motioning for the others to follow him down utility stairs and into the outside. There was a dark staircase leading down into a basement, where numerous pipes formed most of the interior walls and floor, and panels of what seemed like sheet metal covered the floor. Phantom wordlessly let himself take point, silently firing his M194 into the knob, then firing an M108 grenade through the door from the grenade launcher under his secondary NGARM-27 rifle. A loud blue explosion caused by the grenade blasted the door off its hinges, and the group rushed in.