Risen: Shatterverse - The God War

Shit Going Sideways as per Frickin' Usual

"Breaching normal space in three, two, one," Lux announced and outside space was black again.

Thankfully the next two implantations went like clockwork despite heavy sentinel activity on both. In and out, two more empty bodies and we were on our way to the second last world we had a resonance for.

"No, you will go next, Tora," Korisahnt quietly insisted. "I will see all of you safely implanted first!"

Tora, the only other entity left, sighed in resignation. Then she was stepping close to give her sister a long embrace.

"You have sacrificed much for us, dearest sister!" Tora quietly declared. "You have my thanks. I will see you in the Great Link!"

"Yes, you will," Korisahnt assured her, giving her one last squeeze before stepping back to look at her fondly.

"Our journey in these bodies gifted to us by Max Niekro has been a fascinating one, filled with insight and experiences. But it will be good to wear my rocky mantle once more, breathing life into my world!"

Tora nodded and stepped in for a final hug before drawing away. That's when they noticed me standing nearby.

"Ah, Two!" Korisahnt exclaimed with a bright smile. Then both entities were embracing me, much to my embarrassment.

"If only your predecessor was here, so I could thank him as well!" Korisahnt murmured against my shoulder. Then, after a final squeeze, both were drawing back.

"Our time in these bodies must be drawing to a close, if you're here to tell us to prepare," Korisahnt noted.

"Yes, my lady," I confirmed. "As you requested, Tora's world will be next. We'll be on the ground in a moment."

Both entities nodded in acknowledgement before allowing me to withdraw.

"It's almost sad in a way," Chaal observed as I joined her by the injector as she prepared it. "Giving up so much mobility and freedom to shoulder that kind of burden."

"A bit," I agreed, looking back at Korisahnt and Tora, now in deep conversation. "But it was what they were made for." I turned back to Chaal.

"They're finally going home!"

Tora's world was another water-dominated planet, with what little land there was situated in a number of archipelagos in both hemispheres. Land that was literally crawling with sentinels.

"Can we do like we did on the last dark matter world?" Naveaia asked as we hovered over a broad patch of ocean. "Just implant from the ramp?"

"If we could find a chunk of land that was close to the surface, yes," Lux replied. "What land there is, appears to be volcanic in origin. Which translates to cones with steep sides rising from the ocean floor. No continental shelf as yet, therefore no rocky ridges close to the surface."

The light-based AI shifted slightly.

"And before you ask, if it's dry, it's guarded by sentinels," it said to finish.

"Can we not just confront the sentinels, General Barca?" the Ascendency lieutenant asked. "Now that we're aware of their capabilities, we should be able to erect a sustainable perimeter."

Hannibal looked at me and I quickly shook my head.

"Negative," he said, looking back at the lieutenant. "Our expert says we don't have the firepower to pull that off."

Not liking the answer, the lieutenant grimaced. But, being a dutiful soldier, he quickly nodded in understanding.

"It's too bad we can't just make a continental shelf," Naveaia growled. "Hit a tectonic plate with a pinhead nuke, or an antimatter package and shift things around."