Chapter 1035: Not a Vacation (1)


    ?


    Amber leaned in, studying the map. "I''m honestly more concerned about the thaids in the area," she said.


    During the past week, the attacks had not been many. Some times, there were powerful but lone thaids trying to grab a bite on the ship, which were stopped by the Chimaeric Demons. Erik decided the best thing to do was to lean on them for defence, rather than on the ship''s defensive systems.


    At other times,rge groups of smaller, weaker thaids showed up. These thaids weren''t strong enough to damage the ship, and the Chimaeric Demons'' new ability to blind them kept the thaids away from the ship. Even so, dealing with these attacks wasn''t easy for the crew.


    Erik assumed they were in a quadrant where the effects of whatever the ckguards were doing on Mur weren''t affecting the thaids.


    The opposite was most likely the reason that powerful thaid got to the ship during their first day of travel. Frant must have been on a sort of migratory path.


    "Are we likely to encounter more like the one that attacked us?" Amber asked.


    June shook his head. "Based on the information we have, the sea thaid we encountered was an anomaly. Most of the thaids in this area are smaller and less dangerous. They might pose a threat to regr ships without a fleet, but with the Chimaeric Demons, they shouldn''t be a problem."


    Erik nodded.


    "That''s great. Now, let''s talk strategy. Our primary goal is to reach the ind, make any necessary repairs we couldn''tplete at sea, and gather intelligence about Hin''s operations in the area. We need to find out if they learned about the stolen ship and if they know it was us, and not some random hobo."


    "Do you think they didn''t attack because they know it''s you who stole it and want to make a trap?"


    "It could be, Mira. Those guys are shrewd, and they likely know, thanks to my dossier, that I do not have sea faring experience. I can kill the ckguards easily, but there is no way I''m going to underestimate them."


    "We should send a small team ahead to scout the ind then," Mira said. "They could study the defences and possibly even rece some of the guards before we make our approach."


    "Excellent suggestion, Mira. We''ll put together a scouting team as we get closer to the ind. June, I want you to choose the Chimaeric Demons and brief them on what to expect based on our maps and intelligence."


    "Yes, Master," June nodded.


    "Amber," Erik said, turning to the red-haired woman, "I want you to work on a n for taking the outpost. Assume we''ll have the element of surprise, but n for the worst-case scenario as well."


    "Please don''t ask me to pull the same stunt as thest time."


    "I won''t."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Amber gave a resolute nod." Then I''m on it. I''ll have a few different strategies ready for your review in the next days, but I''ll start working on them as soon as I can."


    "Good. Emily, I need you to inventory our supplies. Food, water, medical supplies, weapons —everything. We need to know exactly what we have and what we might need to replenish on the ind."


    Emily nodded, but there was some doubt on her face. "Shouldn''t Amber do that? She did this for the past week."


    "I need everyone to be aware of everything on the ship." Emily was a sniper. She yed at apetitive level, and she was very good at nning. In hindsight, one should have given Emily this role.


    However, Amber wasn''t stupid either. The Chimaeric Demons might be able toe up with something good, even better than what the three women would.


    That was sure, but Erik would not know how the situation in Hin and Mur was going to be, so he needed to make sure the three women were prepared for anything that might happen. For the past week, Amber was tasked with taking care of the inventory, but now Erik decided to give the task to Emily, so that both of them knew how to do that.


    "Onest thing," Erik said. "We''ve faced challenges before, but what we are doing is something new for you. It''s okay to be nervous," Erik said, turning to Amber, "but trust in your abilities and in each other, and remember the Chimaeric Demons will help you as soon as you say the word."


    Mira, Emily, and Amber exchanged nces.


    "Alright," Erik said, straightening up. "Let''s get to work. We have three days toplete our ns and preparations. June set a course for the ind. Everyone else, you know your tasks. If you need any help or have any concerns,e to me."


    As the others filed out of the captain''s quarters, Erik remained behind, studying the map. His finger traced the path from their current position to the ind and then beyond, towards Hin.


    Erik waited for a long time before he could start hitting the ckguards when and where they were the most vulnerable.


    As the time to start his move got closer, the anticipation built up inside him. He couldn''t wait. He didn''t want to.


    Finally, it was time for him to get his long-awaited revenge. For what they did to the world, for the suffering they put him through, for the unimaginable pain they caused to his father, it was time to settle the score.


    Erik remembered the terrible things the ckguards had done. They had hurt many innocent people in their quest for power.


    They had taken people from their homes and families, using them for cruel experiments. The ckguards didn''t care about human life; they only wanted more knowledge and control.


    Erik felt sick thinking about it. These dark memories made him even more determined to stop the ckguards and make them pay for their crimes.


    Erik''s feelings about the ckguards had changedpletely. Just three years ago, he would have been eager to join them.


    Back then, he thought the ckguards were good guys. He even wanted them to take over Frant and hurt the people who had made his life hard.


    And yet, over time, he learned everything was a lie. The truths he uncovered shattered the foundations of his beliefs. The ckguards weren''t the heroes; they were the viins.


    He learned Becker wasn''t the bad guy he once thought; in fact, he and his father had been fighting against the ckguards for a long time.


    The ckguards were the root cause of every misfortune that had fallen on him. The biological supeputer, the crystal cross gang, the situation in Etrium, the attack on New


    Alexandria.


    They were behind every assassination attempt that threatened his life.