Mars, July 15, 2027. 1000 Hours.
The Sumerer vault glowed, crystal spires humming like a choir of ghosts. John Mitchell’s grip tightened on his scanner, haunted by past failures—lives he couldn’t save. Not today. “Zheng, what’s the core’s status?”
Xiaotong Zheng’s tablet flickered, runes reflecting in her eyes. “It’s alive, Mitchell. A neural network—Sumerer AI.” Her voice was sharp, urgent.
Yuri Leonov guarded the exit, plasma torch ready. “Great, a brainy rock. Does it bite?”
“Focus, Leonov,” Rachel Voigt snapped, flare gun scanning the shadows. “Spikes are off the charts.”
Elias Moretti traced a spire, awestruck. “This is their mind. Thousands of years, stored here.”
Anika Sharma’s comms crackled. “Runes warn of ‘judgment.’ We’re not welcome.”
Mitchell’s jaw clenched. “Sato, any way to talk to it?”
Kenji Sato adjusted his headset. “It’s listening, sir. But it’s… angry.”
The hologram flared, Sumerer figure glaring. “Defilers, you steal what you cannot wield.”
Yuri smirked. “Steal? We’re borrowing, ghostie.”
“Enough!” Mitchell barked. “Zheng, can we extract it?”
Xiaotong nodded, fingers flying. “I can isolate a shard. But it’ll fight back.”
Li Wei’s voice hissed through comms. “Dragon systems are crashing topside. It’s retaliating!”
Sarah Carter checked her med-scanner. “Crew’s vitals are spiking, John. We’re running out of time.”
Mikael Heikkinen’s voice cut in. “Ship’s ready if you need to bolt, Commander.”
The chamber shook, spires pulsing faster. Elias stumbled. “It’s waking more drones!”
Rachel fired a flare, illuminating a swarm. “We’ve got company!”
Xiaotong’s tablet beeped, shard secured. “Got it! But the grid’s going haywire!”
Mitchell’s eyes locked on the hologram. “You want us gone? Let us leave.”
The Sumerer figure’s voice boomed. “Take the shard, and bear its curse.”
Yuri scoffed, blasting a drone. “Cursed? I’ll take my chances.”
The vault quaked, doors grinding. Mitchell roared, “Move, now!”