~ Chapel Perilous ~

[Malaclypse 666]

The time Reggie had spent buying drinks on Sunderland Research station paid off. As he four ships approached the Nomad Relic, a single BAF patrol hailed them as it flew leisurely past. "Heya, Reggie! Four ships this time, Guv'nor? Hope they're loaded with the good stuff!" Reggie chuckled to himself.. Oh, yes.. the stuff was good alright.

Two Bounty Hunter patrols were not so amused, but the ships made short of them as they moved inexorably towards the massive complex.. They swung "south" in their approach, to put some distance between themselves and the Grimsby.. they'd soon be awakening a hornet's nest, and wanted the extra time to make their escape.

They hove to within 2 klicks of the nearest shield generator facility. Reggie nervously licked his lips, and reached for the detonator provided by the Mollies. With any luck, a single button would take out all the generators. He said a silent prayer to Eris, and keyed the trigger.

Even in the vacuum, the impact from the near generator could be felt through the hull of the Oro.de. The forward viewports darkened in response to the brilliant white blast of the nuke, and external cameras reduced their gain to compensate. Seconds later, the results could be seen.. shards of the nearest generator facility were slowy floating outwards from the explosion site, and the eerie violet of the Relic's containment shield began to flicker and weaken.

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The other ships reported in similar blasts from the circumference of the artifact. The shields were going down as planned. It was time to begin moving the Oro.de towards the central structure.. The timing would be critical.. Reggie's Pineal could already sense a malevolant force stirring inside the structure. The Ancient One knew that It had been released. The hunger Reggie felt from Yog Sothot was almost a solid, tangible thing. Reggie hoped with all his soul that half a gigaton of nuclear explosion would be sufficient to silence this threat to humanity forever,

"Reggie... you better, hurry, sah!" Billy sat rigid in the pilot's chair of the Botany Bay. He was deathly pale, and shivered violently. "I can feel that ugly mutha.. and It can feel us!"

Reggie gritted his own teeth, and focused on piloting the Oro.de as fast as possible to the exact center of that maelstrom of evil. As the ship closed the last kilometer, a crackling blue presence began to form above the central structure.. it began to solidfy into a huge, hideous, multi-tentacled, multi-clawed beast with glowing red eyes! Was this where the eye which adorned the Illuminati's famed pyramid had originated? Well, by Thud and by Eris, they would just have to find another Icon! Reggie quickly made a slight course correction, and saw one huge tentacle of the creature Yog Sothot reach out towards the small freighter. Reggie mashed down a final button on the remote piloting console, and he and Billy staggered as the Botany Bay bucked from the force of the blast.



Through a daze, Reggie heard inbound traffic.. "We've got inbound, fellas! Grimsby is launching multiple wings! Can we get the Hell outta here now?" That would be Michael, scanning for bogies on their port flank.

Reggie shook his head to clear it.. and stared out the viewport. There was not even a shard of the Oro.de.Veranda left to see. More importantly, the solidifying form of the Ancient One had disappeared. Reggie closed his eyes and focused inward, just to be certain. Nothing. The malevolence was gone.

"Yes, lads.. we can go. Blast for the cloud.. I recommend Inverness. You can be home in no time if you sneak through Cortez and Cali to the Canadian systems.. piece of bloody pie!"

"Oh, and drop me off at Curacao, would you? I think I've earned myself a life as an Inn owner and gentleman Luxury Liner Captain!"

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