Cyne looked to his teammates and observed their behaviors and their replies.

As he spoke to Silas previously, it was hard not to notice Gaz's dismay of their current situation. However, it was for far different and insane reasons. While closing the blast doors bought them time to plan their next move, the decision was however evidently unpopular for the Fungai; having been not only denied but also delayed in participating in the eventual carnage that was about to ensue. Besides that, Gaz boasted his capabilities that Cyne couldn't deny and having their walking tank at the front would've certainly increased their chances with the Hive in a direct and aggressive manner. 

Gerad on the other hand didn't think like Gaz and rightly pointed out that their job didn't include dealing with the Hive. They were already pushing their luck by cruising through a system in-conflict; dealing with Hive on top of that had made their odds unfavorable despite the advantages they held. Gerad ultimately vouched to destroy the vessel and destroy both the Hive and the invading mercenaries. In addition, the plan ensured that whatever secretive data that remained in the lab would not fall into the wrong hands.

In the end however, it was Silas' choice to make. And he chose to blow the vessel.

[color=00a99d]"Acknowledged,"[/color] Cyne replied in agreement.

Their new plan now was to rendezvous with Silas and Macklyn at the ship's armory, located nearby the munitions deck where all ship-based ammunition was stored and delivered to many of the [i]Balrog[/i]'s main guns and secondary weaponry. Stealing the assets within the armor and rigging munitions would be a simple process. Getting there however meant having to force their way through a deck that was now swarming with Hive and mercs. The area would quite literally be a warzone but with both parties violently disputing territory, they could very well get by without drawing too much attention to themselves. Cyne could already imagine Gaz taking his moping and groaning even further with the prospect of avoiding a direct fight with the fight; hopefully the Fungai would find some appeasement with reading the armory.

After Silas gave his orders, Cyne complied, [color=00a99d]"We'll meet you there, boss,"[/color] Suddenly, the last blast shield buckled with many hideous growls and screams resonating from the other side, [color=00a99d]"right after we deal these uninvited guests."[/color]

Cyne found some irony in the statement; technically, they and the invading mercenaries were the uninvited ones here. The Hive were simply running their twisted version of pest control, [color=00a99d]"you heard the boss; once we're through with this bunch, we're regrouping at the armory to light this place up. Get ready!"[/color]

As if on cue, the armor-plated surface of the blast door shifted in color and quality. From the center spreading out, the chromic finish contorted into a mushy green before the epicenter gave way, clearing a hole through the shield. From the other side, a glut of tendrils spewed out before congregating into a pair of massive limbs and forcing the weakened slab open. With a mighty roar, the creature on the other end peeled the door away and stumbled forwarding, revealing its immense and meaty form. 

A Brute. It was the Hive’s very own siege engine and battering ram and one of its number had forced its way in with a horde of murderous creatures rushing behind it. Cyne reacted quickly and fired of a magnetically accelerated .50 caliber round. Brutes were notorious for leading assaults on fortified positions and if they got through, its brood would pour and quickly overwhelm any defenders the Brute effortlessly pushed past. With only three people out in the open, Cyne simply could not allow an advantage to over take them. 

The round did its job and slammed into the Brute’s shoulder causing the beast to recoil and fall backwards, roaring in pain as it collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud. Cyne knew that one shot wasn’t going to be enough to stop it dead but at least it prevented the behemoth from joining the charge along with the enraged swarm. He pulled the trigger several more times, killing a leading Slasher with a shot that tore the creature’s upper skull off while three more rounds striking several Sploders.

The filthy Sloders the Hive used had to be mad creatures, even crazier than its other brethren. Even the typical Swarmer held some fathomable sense of self-preservation whereas these the tumor-covered psychos rushed into the fray on their stubby legs wanting nothing more than to erupt into a surge of acid, capable of melting nearly anything it was exposed to. It was likely that the same creatures were responsible in compromising the blast doors earlier on. Durable alloys and organic tissue alike were dissolvable to the substance residing within their bulbous sacs. Coincidentally however, the other Hive creatures were just as vulnerable as their prey.

The Spoders Cyne shot spasmed violently before, as their names suggested, exploded into a mass of acid catching several Swarmers that were too close. As one would expect, the Swarmers stumbled and squirmed all over the floor, crying out in horrid agony as the acidic substance ate them alive. But even as Cyne had eliminated a large part of the swarm attacking them, he couldn’t stop the rest from storming the bridge.

[@CaptainSully]
Two Slashers, big creatures known to devastate entire squads of well-equip infantry with their large razor-sharp scythe limbs and biologically-engineered acid shooters, came barreling through the bridge entrance and vectored in on Gaz. The large and armored monsters blazed away at the Fungai with splinters of acidic material while five Swarmers moved in with them. As it came into range, the lead Slasher raised its bladed claws in preparation to cleave Gaz’s face in two.

[@Athol]
Another Slasher charged forward with its focus gleaming towards Gerad. With a loud wail, an additional number of five Swarmers rushed past it and made a murderous dash in the Garundin's direction. Showcasing the Slasher's known tactical thinking, the creature brought it's shooting limb to bear and opened up with a volley of acid, intent of suppressing Gerad beneath it's hail.