They entered the engine room, caution (for the most part) thrown to the wind, knowing that nothing they did would stop whatever the hell was attacking them. The large room housed the reactor, which went from floor to the vaulted ceiling four stories up, gently humming as it produced the energy necessary to run the ship. Since it was a stationary battleship, the engines were offline. Computer consoles were all over the place, covering the walls as well, but most were dark. Towards the back and left was a door that had 'escape pods' over it, advertising their potential escape. They started for it, but then it started.
It was a low-pitched moaning that gradually gained intensity, climbing up to a high-pitched squeal. Everyone was visibly shaken - everyone, that is, except for Angelica. It came from everywhere, from the very walls it seemed. Carmelo, finally losing what fingernail grip on control he had left, broke into a run for the escape pods. Then, ten meters from the door, they appeared. Angelica was smiling as if she was seeing an old friend. There they floated, humans frozen in their tracks, ghosts floating in front of them. They seemed pained, almost as if they had asthma and it was acting up. Gray was laced with the blue mist, and they were drooping just a little.
Lightning bolts flared from on of them, striking Samuel and forcing him across the room, as he slammed into the wall everyone saw that he was burnt to a crisp. Angelica clapped with a chortle of delight. The soldiers were yelling, shooting in a vain hope that it would work. Vain, that is, until the shots connected with the ghosts. It seemed to increase their weird sickness. They shrieked and flew into the air, howling like banshees and circling, trying to get closer to the soldiers. Their fire kept hitting, the ghosts kept on screaming and apparently weakening, and finally they threw all their strength at Anibal, who was struck by a lightning bolt as well. He joined Samuel at the far side of the room, crispy.
Something amazing happened - one of the ghosts let off a scream and flew through the ceiling, as if retreating to some unknown plane. The other quickly followed suit as another shot hit it. Carmelo looked around in shock, as if surprised to be alive. Angelica seemed disappointed that the violence had ended. Santos and Consuela were the only others still alive, and were a bit edgy. Carmelo motioned them to keep moving, there was no way to tell what had happened, but they couldn't help asking themselves: had they truly won, or was it just a ploy?
![[Image: iskariot_4.png]](http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q97/Zax_Gentoo/iskariot_4.png)