OGENUS EARTH 🌎 🌊 {Dystopian Sci-Fi Adventure}

Knocking on Heaven's Door

"Welcome to the bridge." Matthias greeted Meg with a wide smile and approving eyes.

"We were dealing with an incident," Justin explained their tardiness without an apology. "A Legionnaire snuck onboard looking for Meg. We've detained him for questioning."

Big Joe pounded up the small set of stairs to the sunken control panels of the ship and wrapped Meg up in a hug. She patted his back lovingly and threw a smile at MAX and Arturo as they followed.

"The Legionnaire Persephone put on the Argo I'm assuming," Matthias guessed. "Send him back to Admiral Stevens, I don't need him complicating this mission."

Justin turned to a couple of the other Seafarers, raising a hand to notify them to carry out the orders.

"Alright, let's go over duties. Meg, as soon as we're within range of Arc City Two, you will be loaded into a capsule. We will begin our attack to draw out their drones and ships."

As Matthias spoke, a simulated scenario spun on the tablet she was holding. The moving sketch was mesmerizing as it evolved with her words.

Matthias continued. "While Coeuss' seismic cannons are down, you will torpedo into Arc City Two."

Meg didn't like the sound of her transport vehicle as a weapon, but she got the gist.

"We will converge on the Arc's hull, close enough that they'll be forced to keep those shields down while we battle."

"Battle?" Meg's voice shook as the realization hit.

The seafarers were going to launch an aggressive attack to keep the shields down long enough for her to carry out her mission.

"Don't worry, I'm a better sea pilot than Harrison any day of the week," Justin assured Meg to quash her fears.

"No, you're not." Big Joe told him flatly.

Justin didn't want to argue with the mountain of a man, so he nodded politely to acknowledge that he'd heard the slight.

"Has Justin showed you your suit's features?"

"Not yet." Justin grinned happily. He turned to Meg with his eyes alight. "At your sleeves and neck there are zippers sewn into the fabric, those are your gloves and mask. Try them out."

The group waited while Meg carefully located and unzipped the pockets to pull out a spongy material. She fit the gloves over her hands, then, laboriously worked to tuck her dense hair into the cowl to pull the mask over her face.

It was easier to see through the darkened eye patches than she'd thought and Meg stretched to feel the range.

"You look like a guppy!" Justin chuckled as Meg's diminutive frame moved like an overactive amoeba. "That's what we call new recruits at the academy by the way."

He hoped his comment hadn't offended her, but he couldn't tell as her face was completely obscured.

Meg giggled and straightened up to turn her attention back to Matthias, who was waiting patiently.

"There's a small switch at the base of your right wrist." She told Meg. "When turned on it wakes up the reflective particles, essentially cloaking you from any bots."

"How?" She asked with fascination and staring down at the plain black and blue wetsuit. It had seemed like such an innocuous piece of equipment, but this added a new dimension.

"The particles emit waves that confuse digital sensors and scramble the bots ability to pinpoint your location. Try it out."

Meg obliged the request, finding the slight inclusion in her suit and pressing the button firmly.