0-SA (The Last Ship Series)

Chapter Twenty-One: Luck

Jacques listened, seeming to really be interested in what William was saying. "It hasn't been scouted in a few years now. It's out of the cleared zone, and yours." He pointed out that it wasn't in the circle on William's map.

William nodded, "You're right, it's not, but why would the Irinaut stay right in where he could be seen? Some of those ships are huge. It wouldn't be hard for it to hold up there with all that wreckage."

"He's right." Sage spoke up, "I think we should check it out."

Jacques suddenly turned around and hooked his belt, "Send that to the trucks GPS system. We'll go there and see what we find. We don't really have any other leads at this point." The male rubbed his hand over his mask, "Buckle up."

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"See? I told you. There it is." Raven pointed at the wall. Behind it stacks of wreckage could be seen, "If you need fuel, I'm telling you you'll find it here. I'm surprised you never seen it before." Raven adjusted her backpack, "I haven't been here since we came through to go to the Sphere, but I could never forget how crazy these things looked."

The Irinaut ships were rhombus shaped, but all were a solid black crystal with black metal. Most were rhombus shaped, "I've never seen one in the sky. They took them out before my time, but I've heard they can't get in them."

Osa hummed, simply looking forward and even picking up his step, "Mhmm, we use materials from our homeworld. Encrypted with our DNA." He held up his hand before closing his fist, "It will keep out anything that isn't given access."

Raven nodded, "Yeah, I heard stories about them being blown out of the sky but as soon as they hit the ground that crystal stuff just takes them over. Any reason for that?"

"It was more of a safety procedure in hopes of avoiding infection from Yok. Any change of pressure in the ship will trigger the fluid to expand and close off the opening and solidify. It worked a little better than expected it seems. Makes them impossible to operate with damage like that." Osa looked at the large gate as they approached it.

Raven nodded. The crystals seemed to nearly eat the ships that were destroyed. The areas of black shards were a clear indication of the explosions that took place, "There shouldn't be any guards here. We're out of the technical safe zone and this is off limits." Though, Raven wasn't sure if there were cameras around. Even in the destruction, it was hard to tell when you were being watched.

Osa hummed as he look at the locked gate. He tilted his head to the side before glancing around. The sun was out enough to where the infected really weren't an issue, "Raven back up." The male took a few steps back himself, giving her a soft push back himself before holding out his hand.

That sudden sonic boom followed by that bright glow went off in an instant. The double door gate blew off. Osa made a clicking noise as he curiously peeked around the opening, "It's clear." He walked inside, his head turning from side to side as he calmly observed the ships.

"We should be able to find you some fuel here, right?" Raven looked at the ships. She had never been in one of these. In fact, she wondered if she was the only human to have stepped foot inside one.

"Hopefully. It took a lot to get here, and more to keep us alive." Osa approached one of the better looking ships. He walked underneath it before placing his hand on it. The ship suddenly pulsed a vibrant purple color before a panel opened leading into the ship. His eyes glowed brightly before he pointed inside, "If we can get three that's plenty to get me home. Four would be a more comfortable amount but that's wishful thinking."  The Irinaut began to walk into the ship, "Come on, I don't want to waste time."

"You're telling me you couldn't get four things of that stuff from all this?" Raven seemed surprised, "We have all day to look."

As they went inside, the machine barely lit up, flickering as it struggled to close back the door. "Mmm, yes, but the substance we use it difficult to obtain already. We were very limited to it. It helps our travels become much faster and more efficient."

Osa crouched down next to the control panel before hitting a button. It began to glow and slowly raised the viles. One was near empty, a pool barely filling the bottoms, but the other, pristine and completely untouched. Osa hummed, a crackle came from him as he saw this. The male looked back at Raven with obvious relief as he unhooked it from its spot and held it for a moment, seeming in awe by the find.

Raven clapped her hands together, "See? Good start yeah?" The woman watched him pull out a container out of his backpack and open it.

He set the vial down, and took out the nearly empty one and put it inside as well, "I believe that was luck, yes?" He chirped before hitting a button and pointing out the door, "Let's check out the others."

Raven clapped her hands together, "One down, like a hundred to go."