POV: The Old Man
A crackling sound abruptly interrupted the surveillance images, then the main screen went black before lighting up again with a distorted view of the outside walkway.
I approached the console, hoping that the interruption was simply due to a damaged relay, but the indicators displayed on the side quickly made me realize that the problem was more serious.
I looked up at the sky
– That's really not possible
A technician rushed to the lower panel and consulted the electrical distribution data.
– The relay at the third junction is no longer responding, sir. We have lost the image from two cameras and the barrier in the sector has just switched to its backup power supply.
– How can one get to this point for so little?
– We are trying to restore the self-defense system, but the commands are no longer being sent.
I gave him a look that would have been enough to silence a reasonable man, before turning my attention back to the screen.
We have to manage everything and show them everything at the same time; who knows what use they have the grey matter in their brains.
It wasn't just the attackers' power that was the problem. Our defense system had been designed to operate in independent sectors, precisely so that a local failure couldn't compromise the entire station. Yet, the link losses were multiplying at an abnormal rate, and the technicians could no longer even determine which relays were still operational.
It annoys me.
I turned to the officer and took control of the console.
– Send me the complete plan of the connections between the stations. I want the main links, the secondary relays, and the backup systems.
– told these novices to return to their room.
He hesitated.
– BBOUGER
He jumped like a disjointed doll and rushed around in all directions except straight ahead.
At the time, engineers still had the brains to find backup solutions capable of working without depending on the central network, because we did not yet have the means to trust a fully automated infrastructure.
Some of these devices had been abandoned when the new systems were installed, but I doubted that all of them had been destroyed.
If the current connections were unusable, we might still be able to restore local access to the protections.
BOUMMMMMMMMM
A shock more violent than the previous ones resonated throughout the station.
The technicians simultaneously turned onto their stomachs.
– YOU BUNCH OF IDIOTS, GET UP AND DO YOUR WORK.
The outer barrier had tilted under a new impact, and a crack had just appeared in one of its protective panels.
I could make out dark filaments unfurling through
"They're adapting," I murmured.
I admit it's fascinating.
I wanted to observe them closely; they must be captured alive.
POP !
– Another lost camera
I slowly straightened up while striking the ground with my cane.
How do we deal with these idiots?
I would have preferred to deal with dangerous but capable soldiers rather than men who waited for a green light to understand that they were in danger.
A man in a grey uniform then arrived from the side corridor, carrying a data file.
– Sir, we received a report from a team that was near the underpass before the communications were lost.
I reached out to retrieve the document.
The opening lines described a massive influx of the Pit's inhabitants, accompanied by several transformations into Transemotional Beings. Nothing particularly new so far.
However, the report also mentioned a detail that previous reports had not highlighted.
–..
– Why did they stop?