Chapter 63 - What Waits in the Woods

The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.

— Jacques Cousteau

The Peregrine chewed up kilometers of alien landscape, putting the lagoon’s memories far behind them. The long drive was a welcome lull, a chance to settle back into the familiar chore of survey work.

Luca was behind the wheel, his hands steady as he guided the heavy vehicle over roots and rather large rocks. Beside him, Chris sat in the passenger seat, recovered and clearly glad to be out of the pod.

“I gotta say,” Chris began, flexing his fingers as if testing the freshly healed arm. “It feels damn good to be out of that pod. I was starting to forget what real air felt like.”

Luca glanced over, keeping one hand on the wheel. “It’s good to have you back,” he said. “How’s the arm for real? No lingering issues?”

Chris took a second before he grinned. “It’s all good, Rossi. I’m ready for action. Besides, somebody’s gotta keep you sharp. I can’t let you get too comfortable.”

The thick, towering trees that had surrounded them for kilometers started to thin out, giving way to shorter, younger growth. The ride smoothed out as the ground leveled.

The rest of the crew was scattered in the back. Danny was stretched out on one of the benches, arms behind his head, probably still floating on cloud nine after his moment with Zoe at the waterfall. He was deep in a heated debate with Joey and Ryan about movies.

“I’m telling you, they don’t make action flicks like they used to,” Danny said, sounding exasperated. “Everything’s so... digital now. I miss practical effects.”

“Preach,” Joey said, nodding emphatically.

“Yeah, well, good luck watching any of that on this trip,” Ryan added. “I’d kill for a big screen right now.”

That night, the fire crackled, sparks snapping upward into the canopy. The scent of charred meat mingled with the crisp bite of pine and damp earth. One of New Dawn’s moons hung overhead, pale silver against the darkness, while the planet’s rings shimmered in a vast, luminous band across the sky. It wasn’t as bright as Earth’s moon, but it was eerie and beautiful.

The lean, fast creature Ryan had killed had actually tasted decent roasted over the open flames. Now, full and warm, the crew sprawled out in the fire’s glow, the tension from the day’s drive bleeding away into the night.

Emily was curled into Luca’s side, her head resting on his shoulder, her fingers absently tracing the seam of his bodysuit. She must have noticed him staring at the sky, because she shifted, tucking her chin against his shoulder to follow his line of sight.

“Still not used to it, huh?” she murmured.

He exhaled. “Nope.”

The warmth of the fire seeped into Luca’s bones, and for a moment, his mind drifted. Nights like this reminded him of home, back at Sandworth Falls, New Hampshire, hiking with his dad. He could almost hear his father’s voice guiding him, see his mom, Maddie, laughing as she tried to keep up while his two younger brothers ran ahead.

That was before the System, before everything changed. Even back then, he’d spent countless hours hiking with Ryan and Danny on Mt. Percival and Mt. Morgan. Here, there were no names yet, no paths or stories. They were the first footprints in the dirt.

Luca sighed, shifting to pull Emily closer. “Someone should have grabbed more blankets from the Triumph,” he muttered.

She hummed, nuzzling against his neck. “Mmm. You should’ve grabbed some blankets.”

He smirked. “We were in a rush.”

Chris shifted, his relaxed posture stiffening, and his eyes went to the dark trees ringing their camp.

The easy chatter around the bonfire died as he asked, “Anyone else noticing the wildlife getting louder?”

They all paused, listening. Something out there growled, and something Luca didn’t recognize let out a distant, shrill cry. He frowned at the darkness beyond the fire’s glow.

“How fast do you think the local wildlife is leveling up?” he asked, his voice low.

Ryan scratched his jaw. “Fast.”

Hours into the next day’s drive, the Peregrine’s sensor console chimed. Luca’s eyes flicked down to the map on his screen, where a new icon blinked a few kilometers ahead.

His hands tightened on the wheel. “A portal? Right on our path to the signal?” he muttered.

“Great,” Chris said, leaning forward, his eyes bright. Chris would take any excuse to get back in the fight. “Things were just starting to get boring. Do you think we should check it out, Rossi?”

The chatter in the back went quiet. Luca could feel their eyes on him, waiting. They’d driven past every portal since the lagoon because none of them sat on the road north, and this one was right on it. Stopping would delay their main objective, but portals meant gear, credits, and Power Cells, and they desperately needed all three. Right now, they were outclassed.

“It could be worth it,” Zoe said. “It’s not like we’ve got a deadline on this signal.”

“Right,” Danny said, perking up and probably hoping for something to impress Zoe with. “And who knows? We might find something that helps us when we get to the signal. Better armor, maybe another plasma weapon.”

Emily glanced over at Luca, her expression thoughtful. “I know we’re focused on the signal, but it might not hurt to take a quick look. We’re well-equipped, and if this portal has anything new, it could be worth the detour.”

Ryan chimed in, as practical as he ever got. “We should be careful, though. We’re not exactly in a rush, but we don’t want to waste a whole day here. If we go in, we need to make it quick. Hit it, grab what we can, and get out.” If only it were that easy, it’s never that easy.

Joey nodded, still thinking it over. “I’m with Ryan. If it’s an easy clear, we should go for it. But let’s not get sidetracked. We’ve already put a lot of miles behind us today.”

“Don’t let your version of fun get us all killed,” Emily said, going through her gear. “We’re not here to break records, Zoe. Let’s get in and get out.”

Zoe rolled her eyes, but her grin didn’t waver. “Relax, Emily. We’ve got this. You’ll see.”

Chris laughed, leaning against his seat like he hadn’t spent days being useless in the med pod. “Seriously, Emily. We’ve done this a hundred times. This one’s no different.”

“Except it is,” Emily shot back, her tone firm. “The more runs we’ve done, the cockier you get. And that’s how mistakes happen.”

The lighthearted banter died down, replaced by the sharp clicks of energy cells seating and the hum of personal shields activating.

Luca felt it too, that edge-of-your-seat thrill that came with diving into something new. He was trying to play it cool, but he was grinning anyway.

As they crested a small hill, the forest opened up. In the center of a rocky clearing, a shimmering oval of energy pulsed with light.

Luca slowed the Peregrine, bringing it to a stop a safe distance away.

“Well, there it is,” Chris said, already unbuckling.

“Gear up,” Luca said. He settled the Peregrine into ‘Outpost Mode,’ its stabilizing legs hissing as they dug into the earth. The low hum of the energy shield activated, its shimmer catching the light from the portal ahead.

“Alright, you all know the drill. We move in, clear it out, and we don’t take unnecessary risks. Let’s see what’s waiting for us this time,” Luca said, stretching his leg a little; his scout suit was already riding up. Ugh.

The crew filed out, the air crisp and charged with the portal’s energy. They formed a loose circle and ran through armor and weapons checks. Luca stepped forward, his eyes scanning each member of his team. He caught Chris’s eye, and Chris gave him a firm nod.

As he approached the shimmering gateway, he lifted his palm against it, and the System message materialized in his vision.

[System Message: Operation Site]

Description: Intelligence reports indicate that a long-abandoned military base has reactivated its defenses, posing a potential threat. Your mission is to infiltrate the ruins, bypass or disable the defensive systems, and hold the command center for 10 minutes to establish remote control.

Gateway: Stable

Recommended Level: 64

Maximum Level: 76

Difficulty: Hard

Mission Objective: Secure the command center for 10 minutes.

Environmental Hazards: Chemical Warfare

Time Limit: N/A

[End of Message]

Luca stared at the display. It was rated Hard, with chemical warfare as the environmental hazard. His scout suit, which had felt fine two seconds ago, now felt like a t-shirt.

Hard difficulty meant a loot table they couldn’t afford to walk past. Every delver knew that. The worse the modifier, the better what was waiting on the other side.

Yet, his scout suit felt thin, inadequate. He’d gone into environmental hazards before, but those were all below level 60. He couldn’t stop wondering if the suit’s seals, designed for stealth and mobility, would hold up. He pushed the doubt down. He’d figure it out. He always did.

Ryan dragged a hand down his face. “Chemical warfare? Seriously? Why can’t these portals ever be full of kittens or something?”

“You want to face a swarm of toxic kittens?” Joey asked, raising an eyebrow. “And a military base reactivating its defenses? That’s new too. Usually it’s monsters... System constructs with some random planet designation.”

“It’ll probably be System monsters again, or toxic bugs,” Ryan added helpfully.

Emily’s frown deepened as she studied the display. “Level 64 chemical warfare…” Her voice was tight, and her fingers flexed at her sides. “We don’t have full TL9 armor sets. If our seals don’t hold, if this stuff is corrosive, or worse, neurological, we won’t last a minute in there.”

She was right, of course. On paper, this was a bad idea. Their gear was borderline, the stakes were unknown, and retreating was the smart play. But retreating wouldn’t get them the gear they needed to survive the next fight, and it damn sure wouldn’t pay the bills.

Luca looked at the portal, then back at the display. They had time, and Hard difficulty portals didn’t just appear on your route every day. If they walked past this one, they’d reach whatever was at that signal in the same underequipped state they were already unhappy about. One good drop could fix that.

“Ryan.” Luca turned. “When are we going to see another Hard portal on this route?”

Ryan checked his scanner. “Honestly? No way to know. Could be never.”

That settled it.

Before he could say anything, Zoe’s voice cut through the complaints. “Oh, quit whining, you bunch of babies.” She slung her plasma rifle over her shoulder, her eyes gleaming as she studied the swirling portal. “This is what we signed up for. The risks are big, and the rewards are bigger. You think chemical warfare scares me? Please.”

Luca grinned. “Glad someone’s got the right attitude,” he said. “Ready to dance, Zoe?”

Her grin widened. “Always. What’s life without a little danger?”

Ryan rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath about adrenaline junkies, but Luca barely heard him.

“Alright,” Luca said. “We don’t know what’s on the other side, so we’re going in prepared for anything. Check your armor, make sure your seals are tight. Ryan, bring the repair kit and every roll of seal tape we’ve got. If anybody’s suit springs a leak in there, we patch it before we take another step. Double-check your weapons and make sure you’re carrying charged cells. Once we’re through, we assess and we make a plan. Stick together, keep your eyes open, and try not to breathe anything nasty.”

Still, the doubt came back as he ran a diagnostic on his own suit. Was it enough? The scout suit had saved his ass more times than he could count, but it wasn’t designed for this. He wasn’t going to be the one whose gear failed while everyone else’s held.

“Easy for you to say,” Ryan muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear as he clamped a piece of his bulky combat armor into place. “You and Zoe get the fancy scout suits. We’re stuck in these tanks.” He gestured to his own medium armor, then to Emily’s.

“These ‘tanks’ offer more protection,” Emily pointed out, her voice crisp and pragmatic as she sealed her gauntlets. “And your engineering skills are more important than your fashion sense, Ryan.”

“Speak for yourself,” Zoe said, adjusting the fit of her own scout suit with a theatrical smirk. “Some of us can manage both.”

Luca shook his head, smiling for real now. “Alright, enough chatter. Let’s move out.”