The temperature plummeted instantly, the cold gnawing at my exposed skin, good thing I did that surgical augmentation that disabled my pain receptors.
The darkness of space stretched out before me, a merciless vacuum that promised death for anyone foolish enough to be exposed to it. But I wasn't going to die. Not yet.
"Link up,"
I muttered to myself more out of reflex than anything else through gritted teeth, securing the safety lines to myself and then dragging my unconscious battlebrothers with me to the line.
Darius, Paul, Robert, Airid, and Julian, they were out cold their combat swords still clutched In their gloved hands, their bodies limp and lifeless as I secured them to the line.
"Come on, damn it… stay with me…"
I hissed, my fingers numb as I secured the final lock. I clipped myself to the line and pushed off the airlock, grabbing the tether as I pulled myself into the void.
The cold bit into my skin through my wounds, my blood freezing almost immediately as I clung to the line, pulling us slowly toward Invicta, its hull a dark silhouette against the vast expanse of stars.
Every movement felt like a monumental effort, my muscles screaming for rest, but I forced myself to keep going. I couldn't afford to black out now.
My vision swam, black spots dancing in front of my eyes as I pulled the line, dragging us closer and closer to the ship.
The hull loomed larger, Invicta a cold and silent beacon of hope. We were almost there. Just a few more meters.
"Don't… black… out…"
I muttered, gritting my teeth as the weight of my battle brothers tugged at me, their bodies dead weight as I hauled them through the void.
My breath came in ragged gasps, fogging up the inside of my helmet. I could feel the edges of my consciousness slipping, but I fought it with everything I had left.
Finally, my gloved hand reached Invictas' outer hull. I slammed the emergency override on the airlock and saw the doors open with a hiss.
I dragged myself and my battlebrothers inside, collapsing in the airlock as the doors sealed shut behind us.
I lay there for a moment, gasping for breath, the cold finally starting to fade slightly as the ship's systems kicked in. But I couldn't stop. Not yet.
"Invicta… medbay… now,"
I croaked to myself, my voice barely audible.
The ship's automated systems kicked in, guiding me as I dragged my battle brothers still secured to me to the medbay.
Every step felt like I was walking through thick mud, my legs shaking from the effort, but I refused to stop.
Once we were all inside the medbay, I staggered to the emergency supply locker and grabbed the artificial animation serums.
These were dangerous, designed to put the body into a state of pseudo-cryo sleep, slowing down our biological functions enough to prevent further damage and keep us alive until medical aid could be administered.
It was a last-ditch effort, but it was our only shot.
I injected Darius first, the serum hissing as it entered his bloodstream. His bodies temperature started decreasing rapidly, his breathing slowing almost to a stop as the serum took effect.
I repeated the process for Paul, Robert, and Julian, each of them slipping into the same death-like stillness as the serum worked.
Finally, once I removed their and mine helmets it was my turn. My hands trembled as I loaded the syringe, the weight of exhaustion nearly overwhelming me.
"Invicta… set course… for Uyiescapus Prime spaceport,"
I ordered, my voice shaky.
The ship's voice responded, calm and clinical.
"Course set. Engaging autopilot."
"Lower the ship's internal temperature… as low as possible… as much us our bodies can take It"
I added, knowing that the cold would help slow our bodily functions even more, increasing our chances of survival.
"Temperature adjustment in progress,"
The ship confirmed.
I injected myself with the serum, feeling the cold liquid burn through my veins. My heart slowed, my breathing becoming shallow as the serum took hold.
The medbay lights flickered above me as I stumbled to the nearest seat, collapsing into it as darkness finally claimed me.
The last thing I felt was the ship rumbling beneath me as Invicta slipped into the void, carrying us toward the only hope we had left.
"Bone… appetite,"
I muttered with a weak grin, clutching the violet laser-edged sword in my hand as everything went black.
...
30 Days Later
The dull thrum of the docking clamps reverberated through the hull as the UNOE garrison patrol frigate UNOES Pumpkin finished its approach.
Three UNOE corvettes hovered nearby, vigilant, their radar systems scanning the emptiness of space for any hidden threats.
The emergency beacon from Invicta had been active for a month, but the silence from the ship had set everyone on edge.
Seargent Carris stood at the airlock, adjusting his full body combat armor painted In navy blue camo, eyes scanning the barely-lit corridor that extended into the corvette ahead.
The patrol had received nothing but automated medical distress signals from the ship's computers, now, it was time to find out what had happened.
"Squad, on me,"
Carris ordered, his voice firm through the comms.
"This ship's been silent too long. Expect the worst."
The UNOE marines behind him snapped into formation, their smart rifles at the ready as they moved through the airlock.
The interior of Invicta was dimly lit, emergency lights casting a flickering, eerie glow across the walls.
The air was cold, far colder than normal, a result of the ship's life-support systems having been set to near-cryo levels.
"Life signs are faint, but they're there,"
The lead medic reported from behind, scanning the corridors as the team moved deeper into the ship.
"They're close."
Carris nodded, pushing forward. The silence felt oppressive, the weight of the unknown pressing down on him as they approached the medbay.
The door slid open with a hiss, revealing a scene that made the entire squad freeze.
There, sprawled across the floor, were six armored figures, still in their combat gear, motionless, their deactivated weapons clutched in gloved hands.
The frost that coated their burned armor hinted at how long they had been exposed to the cold.
Their stiff faces, told no stories, but their bodies, limp and lifeless, were like ghosts on the metal floor.
"Holy s*it…"
Private Jenkins muttered, his eyes wide as he took in the sight.
"Are they...?"
"Alive,"
Lieutenant Sian, the lead medic, interrupted quickly.
"Barely. But they're alive."
The medics moved in immediately, scanning each body.
"We need to get them to the medbay on the station, now. Their core temperatures are dangerously low, and they're suffering from severe hypoxia and burns."
Carris crouched next to the closest body, he noted the frostbite forming around the exposed areas of the man's charred flesh and the dents and melted holes across the surface of his gear.
These men had been through a brutal fight. Despite everything, they had survived, just barely.
"Get the stretchers!"
Carris barked, turning to the rest of the squad.
"Move them carefully. No sudden movements."
One by one, the battle-worn figures were lifted onto stretchers, their bodies stiff from the cold, armor still clinging to their frozen skin.
The marines and medics moved quickly, hauling the unconscious soldiers through the ship and back toward the station's medbay.
Once aboard the station, they were rushed into emergency care, the medics stripping off their armor with pieces of their flesh and weapons in the sterile environment.
Each piece was carefully examined before being sealed away in secure lockers.
The mercenaries, now stripped of their gear, lay motionless on gurneys as medics assessed their condition.
Dracula's skin was beyond pale, frostbitten in places, but his augmented body had somehow endured the cold, buying him time. His pulse was weak but steady.