>>6070598“Wow, so many hits and the scanner is still having trouble getting a decent reading.” Your Ops officer calls, “About a 50% improvement in signal.”
<span class="mu-g">Enemy shields assessed as Strength 12 - omnidirectional.</span>
“The bastard seems to be feeling something though.” Your Nav officer growls to herself.
Sure enough as one of Cleo’s beams connects with the Void Wyrm’s shins and then both of Coen’s hit its feet, the creature jerks. While Guard seems to have been content to leave the Wyrm’s lower half alone, the previously limp legs begin to tense and the long tail thrashes side to side in reaction to your LASER fire. You look up and to your surprise the draconic face appears to be… laughing?
“Uhhh, I think we are tickling it after all, boss!” Cleo says after picking her jaw up off the dash. “Should we—”
“It's actually, hehe… the LASERs…. Ahahahah. Wyrms have sensitive toes?! Kekeheheheeehee.”
You can barely hear your Nav officer over your brother’s uncontrollable giggling, and you are forced to mute the comm for a moment while suppressing a snicker of your own. While the sight might be absurd, this was exactly what you were hoping for. The colossal reptilian being is distracted so much by the sensation that Guard’s control — already weakened by the two severed cables — begins to slip and its solid red eyes and frills flicker back to the original white. As the dragon chortles, the hand you previously freed appears to have gained a mind of its own, seizing hold of the cable attached to the back of the creature’s skull.
“Go Peedee… go.” You whisper.
The Wyrm’s head shakes as its arm tugs at the cable, and after a few moments of effort the invasive tendril bursts free in a spray of greyish blood. Its legs and tail stop their frenetic dance and the draconic head jerks forward and hangs lifelessly, resting on its barrel-like chest — eyes closed and frills dark.
“Did it… just kill itself?” Cleo asks, a little disturbed. “I mean, saved us the trouble of beating it black and blue.” She recovers quickly.
“Come on, come on...” You eye the two remaining cables and the still red wing, hoping that you’ve done enough to break the AI’s hold over the simulation.
Suddenly, the hand still clutching the removed cable relinquishes its grip and the Wyrm’s eyes snap open wide. Wider than even before Guard took control; they glow a familiar and comforting orange.
