Tactical Synchronization
I followed Nia's guidance and installed the fire control chipset into the Nailer. The weapon had already been heavily modified by the engineer, so integrating the new component proved surprisingly straightforward.
“Chipset recognition and hardware synchronization complete. This unit and the Nailer are now linked. From this point forward, I can directly assist with the Master’s ballistic correction.”
A thin beam of light extended from Nia’s eyes, scanning across the Nailer’s frame.
“Aiming assistance will be calculated in real time. Should you determine that shared control is inappropriate or if you prefer manual aiming, simply press the physical button on the chipset’s side to instantly sever the link.”
The modified Nailer now packed the punch of a decent rifle. The fact that it fired steel bolts instead of conventional bullets offered certain advantages in our current situation.
The reason I’d gone through with this impromptu modification was entirely due to Nia’s suggestion.
“Synchronizing the turret’s fire control chipset with the Nailer is calculated to increase overall combat efficiency by more than three times. With those specifications, selecting a breakthrough route through a small number of drones becomes viable. This would save a minimum of forty minutes compared to a detour.”
We had roughly two hours and thirty minutes remaining. Saving forty minutes was obviously the smarter choice. It would also grant us more time for looting. Even returning with just the Nailer would be useful, but I couldn’t begin to imagine how much better things would get if we secured additional equipment.
With that in mind, we reached the corridor leading to the exploration support room. Two drones were stationed inside. According to Nia, the fire control chipset would let us neutralize them quickly enough.
“Please lock the Nailer’s compression output at its lowest setting. Penetration power will decrease, but reduced gas consumption will enable sustained burst fire of five rounds or more per second.”
“The scout drones possess lightweight alloy plating. Rather than focusing on single-shot power, accumulating physical impacts on their internal processing units by increasing hit frequency is far more efficient.”
“Got it. So three or four bolts per drone?”
“Affirmative. This unit will calculate the distance between Target 1 and Target 2 and assist with firing timing. Prepare yourself. Three, two, one...”
The moment Nia’s countdown ended, I swung around the corner and pulled the Nailer’s trigger.
Psheww-psheww-psheww—
Instead of the previous heavy thump, a series of sharp, air-rifle-like cracks split the air. Steel bolts enhanced by the chipset and Nia’s corrections tore through the corridor. The first drone was riddled with holes before it could even react, collapsing into useless scrap.
“Target 1 has ceased functioning. The next target is switching to firing mode. Take cover immediately!”
I threw myself behind the wall before she’d even finished speaking. A mechanical shriek slammed into my eardrums as a searing red beam punched into the spot where I’d been standing. The acrid stench of melting metal rose with the smoke.
I pressed my back tight against the wall, holding my breath.
“Analyzing Target 2’s firing pattern and recharge cycle. This unit is calculating the optimal counterattack timing.”
Nia’s mechanical voice resonating from my chest somehow provided a strange sense of stability. I adjusted my grip on the Nailer and waited for her signal.
“Analysis complete. Three seconds remain until its recharge cycle. Three, two, one. Now.”
I burst from cover and unleashed another burst. There wasn’t even time to aim properly—I simply fixed my eyes on the drone’s silhouette hovering in the air and held down the trigger.
Psheww-psheww-psheww—
Even that sloppy barrage was enough. The bolts shredded the second drone in seconds.
“Target 2 has ceased functioning.”
I let out a low whistle as I stared at the pile of scrap on the floor.
“So this is what they meant by increased combat efficiency? Damn. That’s no joke.”
The rapid fire had completely emptied the bolts stored in the Nailer. I placed my hand on the drone wreckage and activated Collection. While batteries and other parts looked tempting, maintaining this reliable firepower took priority. I needed ammunition first.
◈ High-velocity projectile ammunition
◈ Compatible with modified Nailer
Two hundred bolts in total—one hundred per drone. Since each magazine held a hundred rounds, I now had enough for two full reloads. I approached the exploration support room door with much lighter steps.
The heavy armored door had the words Planetary Exploration Support displayed prominently in its center. As I drew closer, Nia’s lens—still attached to my chest—emitted a soft whirring sound while scanning the control panel beside the door.
“Security protocol confirmed. Unlocking the exploration support room.”
The moment Nia finished her report, the massive door parted with a heavy, grinding rumble.
Hsssss—
The stale, musty air typical of long-sealed spaces brushed across my cheeks. I instinctively tightened my grip on the Nailer and swept my gaze through the gap. No hostiles in sight. No yellow dots appeared on the map either. Only silence filled the wide chamber. Holographic displays floated throughout, showing maps and data about what appeared to be the ship’s intended destination planet.
“Internal scan complete. No hostile mobile units detected. This is a safe zone.”
Only after Nia’s confirmation did I release the breath I’d been holding and step inside.
“So that’s where this ship was headed?”
My eyes settled on a blue planet wrapped in pale clouds, positioned at the center of countless data simulations.
“Correct. When humanity’s homeworld, Terra, faced an irrecoverable environmental crisis, this vessel—the Icarus—was dispatched as an advance team to Eden, the highest-priority settlement candidate.”
There was an unmistakable trace of bitterness beneath Nia’s dry tone.
The system had said there were no survivors aboard this ship. Nia herself had been left nearly destroyed, simply waiting for shutdown. I had no way of knowing what happened to Terra, but it was clear that the dreams of everyone who had boarded this vessel had ended here.
Well… that was their story. I still had to survive.
“You mentioned there was exploration equipment in here, right?”
I quickly scanned the room. The first things that caught my eye were the large metal cabinets lined up along the walls. Without hesitation, I yanked open the nearest one. Inside sat equipment gleaming with a heavy metallic sheen.
“Oh, this is nice.”
The cabinet contained a tactical harness designed for exploration personnel—an advanced version of the engineer harness I currently wore. It featured densely packed panels and sockets covering the entire frame, capable of mounting far more modules than mine. It could even accommodate a battery. When powered, a compact exoskeleton frame would activate, assisting the wearer’s muscle strength and enhancing overall physical capability.
I immediately stripped off my engineer harness and put on the tactical one. The moment I connected the battery, I felt a faint vibration as the frame aligned itself to my muscle movements.
Next was a backpack. Like the harness, it was a tactical modular pack that connected to the rear panel once the battery was linked. The moment it synced, the weight on my shoulders decreased dramatically.
“Whoa. This thing is seriously light.”
The battery-powered harness was directly supporting the pack’s load. If not for the sensation of it clinging to my body, I might have thought I wasn’t carrying anything at all. The backpack also had sockets and panels, allowing me to attach additional equipment.
It already contained several supplies and tools. Since they all looked useful, I left everything inside and took the whole pack.
“Master, please examine the terminal and visor over there. These are the items this unit has been most anticipating.”
Nia’s voice carried clear excitement. She was pointing at a smartphone-sized compact terminal and a sleek tactical visor. I slipped the visor over my head. Translucent holograms immediately flickered into view.
“Link successful. From now on, in addition to voice briefings, I will project enemy weak points, predicted trajectories, and surrounding terrain scan data onto the visor’s HUD in real time. Communication will also be possible without sound while in stealth mode.”
It apparently included thermal imaging and night vision functions as well. When I opened the next cabinet, an identical set waited inside. Since the equipment was meant for multiple exploration personnel, it made sense that there were spares. Because the harness made the added weight nearly unnoticeable, I took a second backpack too. It did make my movements slightly more cumbersome since the bulk hadn’t actually disappeared.
“If it gets too uncomfortable, I can always ditch it later.”
While excessive greed during looting could lead to danger, these pieces of equipment were simply too good to pass up.
“Looks like I’ll need to do a lot of battery farming from now on…”
Almost every piece of looted gear ran on battery packs. Even Nia consumed them. Securing batteries and generators had become an absolute necessity.
I grabbed every spare battery pack and consumable tool that caught my eye. Part of me wanted to scour the entire support room floor, but I suppressed the urge.
“Master, we must move now. Although the active stealth field is currently forcing the room’s sensors into a disabled state, remaining in one sector for too long increases the likelihood that Argos’s security AI will detect the abnormal sensor void and order the area sealed or dispatch a detailed search team.”
“Understood. This should be enough. Staying any longer would probably give me indigestion anyway.”
The remaining time was ticking down rapidly. We still needed to reach the residential quarters and the maintenance bay, so we were running short. Fortunately, the tactical harness’s exoskeleton allowed me to move somewhat faster, which helped shave off precious minutes.
“Let’s go, Nia. Next destination.”
“Affirmative. Shortest route updated. Estimated time to residential sector entry: twelve minutes.”
With a much more confident mindset, I set off toward the next area.