[center]~ [@Stern Algorithm] ~[/center]

An opportunity presented itself! Camille managed to get a good hit in with a swing of her minigun. The pirate champion blocked but it was a weak guard. He was stunned for a moment and you did your move, leaping up to crush him with your massive beam cannon.

The champion recovered enough to narrowly evade your bold attack but Camille used the distraction for one mighty, unavoidable swing of her minigun. But the pirate made no attempt to evade, instead he slashed at Camille's weapon and sliced it into two. Her minigun had been used to block the champion's attacks enough to wear off its integrity until it was no longer able to withstand another. Camille lost her balance and crashed into the ground.

With no one else opposing him, the pirate ace turned to finish you off with one clean swing of his blade. Your weapon was too heavy to fight him in melee combat so you were good as dead. Except that the blade's swing was blocked by another, a sword that glowed with power and belonged to Hospitaller Gordian. You saw his wound just had a couple of bandages on it and he was still back in action, protecting you with his own sword.

The champion hopped back to increase distance and he and the Hospitaller appeared to go for a showdown. But then the former leapt away, one huge jump away from you and Gordian. The Knights had repelled the attackers, the surviving raiders running for the hills and abandoning their wounded fellows to be finished off. The pirate ace probably knew that, realizing he would be surrounded soon and opting to retreat alongside his fellow raiders. The battle was won.

"[color=fff79a]Miss Hyouka, are you alright?[/color]" Gordian asked, clutching his wound in lingering pain and making it weird he was the one asking that question.

You saw Camille gather her broken minigun. She stared at her sliced weapon with a sad sigh.

[hr]
[center]~ [@CelesteEste] ~[/center]

[quote=Vilkas][color=8dc73f]"You better start speaking now while you have the chance."[/color][/quote]

The scientist behind the reinforced glass looked up. "[color=fff79a]Who...?[/color]" He quickly pressed up to the glass in a frenzied panic. "[color=fff79a]Whatever you do! Don't break the glass! This is the only place that's safe! They can't break through the glass![/color]" He yelled at you. "[color=fff79a]I've jammed this cell's controls so they can't open it through the control room. So please, don't break the glass![/color]"

He turned away from you and began pacing around the cell. "[color=fff79a]We fused... we fused Swarm specimens and humans together. Hybrids. We would use the Swarm against itself.[/color]" He muttered to himself but still within earshot. "[color=fff79a]But... we didn't know. We couldn't have known. That they would establish contact with... with... whatever's controlling The Swarm. What have we done? What have we done? What have we done?[/color]"

[quote=Vilkas][color=8dc73f]"Captain Cura? Can you listen? We have a situation! I found holding cells for Swarm aliens, the issue is, they were empty, I fear a breakout is taking place at this very moment. I found one live scientist and I am trying to get more information from him, but the situation in the room... it was..."[/color][/quote]

"[color=dodgerblue]What?! Damn it.[/color]" Cura took a moment to organize her thoughts and form a plan. "[color=dodgerblue]Okay, here's what we'll do. We've taken out the lab's defenses so I'll be doing a sweep through this facility to find and destroy all signs of Swarm presence. Meanwhile, you take that scientist and go to the main entrance. You know, that hangar part of the lab we blew open. I'm calling for extraction to take you and the scientist to the base. We need him safe and sound as soon as poss--[/color]" The comms was suddenly cut off.

"[color=lightsteelblue]Vilkas-san![/color]" The ninja robot opened. "[color=lightsteelblue]I'm at the command center and I'm seeing cameras showing Captain Cura and her forces being attacked by alien creatures. They're Swarm most likely. I'm... they're everywhere. They've killed all the scientists and they're all heading to the hangar.[/color]" Jin regained her composure with a declaration. "[color=lightsteelblue]I'm going to help Captain Cura. Jin out.[/color]"

"[color=fff79a]The specimens are probably trying to take the vehicles in the hangar to escape.[/color]" The scientist said, having heard the conversation. "[color=fff79a]The escape vehicles are probably already taken by them. That's why the rest are going for the hangar.[/color]" He chuckled and sobbed at the same time. "[color=fff79a]Smart buggers, aren't they? They waited for the entire lab to focus all its defenses on repelling you guys before breaking out. We never saw it coming.[/color]"

Captain Cura ordered you to secure the scientist and your tail could easily break open the reinforced glass. However, if you bring him then you will probably be slowed and therefore, miss all the action that was happening. On the other hand, the scientist said the aliens could not break the glass so you could leave him to fetch later. But the scientist also admired the aliens' enhanced intelligence, can they really not break the glass?

[hr]
[center]~ [@Crowvette] ~[/center]

[quote=Visalz]"[b][color=palegreen]If they're not responding, they're definitely in trouble! I'll get the suits, you keep an eye on them. Dia! The ones inside aren't saying anything. We're probably going to need the suits just in case.[/color][/b]"[/quote]

"[color=aqua]Copy that. I'll get the suits ready.[/color]" Dia responded over the comms.

You were right at the VTOL when Dross spoke over the radio. "[color=cyan]Ah! They're opening their vehicle![/color]" You turn around and indeed, the buggy was opening up but what happened next, neither of you could have seen coming. From the vehicle emerged not humans, but [url=https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/thumb/4/4c/GenestealerArt.jpg/280px-GenestealerArt.jpg]strange humanoid creatures with four arms that ended in sharp claws. Standing in two feet, they hissed and snarled and showed off their razor teeth. Their skin was... It was not skin, it was their exoskeleton. White in color and appeared quite hard[/url]. Their general appearance was eerily similar to...

"[color=aqua]SWARM ALIENS![/color]" Dia yelled over the comms. "[color=aqua]Get back in the ship now![/color]"

But Dross was next to the buggy and you saw an alien take advantage of the surprise when it managed to hack off one of Dross' arms with just one swing of its claws. The combat robot did not wince and retaliated, a blade of pure plasma emerged from the palm of her remaining hand and struck down the alien with a diagonal slash. Two more aliens faced her down and it was doubtful that she was going to survive this engagement. She was a robot though, she can take the loss.

"[color=cyan]Go! Leave me![/color]" Dross did her best in fighting two of the aliens with just one arm. A claw managed to rend her torso, exposing inner machinery and circuitry, but she held up. "[color=cyan]Don't let them get the craft![/color]"

You see two more aliens emerge from the buggy, making a beeline towards you and the VTOL. They were quick with their feet but you also saw them jittering. As if they were continuously being stung by pain. "[color=aqua]Visalz! Get in![/color]"