Blast!

The Conclusion of the Caverns of Tantalus

Our heroes are trying to recover some critical research before it falls into Imperial hands. They entered the Caverns of Tantalus and in the last episode reached the laboratories. They are facing a deranged security bot. More from Rugen's video log:

We turned and saw the security bot level its blaster at us.

"Wai . . ." I began to cry out but I was too late. An energy bolt discharged from the blaster!

Tee and I were encased in a sparkling energy field, but we felt no pain or adverse affect.

"An electrostatic defense field," the bot explained. "It will provide additional defensive benefits."

Relieved and thankful, we left and headed immediately to the laboratory's central control room, where we would find the research.

We made it to the room without incident and rushed inside. On the floor lay a burning security bot. Beyond it was a man, he looked like a scientist, and a looming hulk. The figure turned upon hearing our entry. It was an Imperial soldier in a full battle suit. He leveled his weapons at us and began to blast away. Tee ducked for cover and began to return fire. I leaped up and forward, clearing the beams of lethal energy and landing next to the Imperial. Flicking my sword to full power, I thrust its blade into the armor. Sparks showered the room. The soldier swung his arm at me, knocking me aside. He pointed his blaster at me and fired. I rolled to one side, but still felt the heat of the beam scourge my skin. I gritted from the pain, spun, and landed another blow.

The Imperial retracted his blaster and engaged his own stun sword. I stood ready to meet his attack, when I felt something hit my side. I turned for a fraction of a second to see the scientist with a light laser in his hands. He must have shot me, but the security bot's electrostatic defense deflected the beam. Tee took aim and stunned the scientist with one shot.

I turned back to the Imperial soldier. He began hacking at me but I parried his blows. Back and forth we went, until I finally spied an opening. I thrust; it penetrated the armor. I could hear the soldier grunt, then he collapsed.

We woke the scientist. "Where is it?" I demanded.

He laughed at me. "Do you really think you can make me talk?" he scoffed. "Even if you do find it, you are doomed. I alerted my comrades. There is an Imperial cruiser waiting for you."

We tied him up and rapidly searched the room until we found the research files and downloaded them onto a disk. We then destroyed the computers and fled.

Soon, we were racing through the atmosphere and into space. Sure enough, there was an Imperial cruiser waiting for us. Our runabout was faster, however, and we began to outpace them. Unfortunately, they were heavily armed and blaster fire began to light up the sky around us. 

"Make it quick!" I yelled to Tee as he worked on the navigation calculation to take us into hyperwarp. Then I engaged the remote turret and began firing at the cruiser. Perhaps a lucky shot could distract them. As luck would have it, an explosion shot from their hull. One of their gun emplacements had been crippled!

Unfortunately, too many turrets remained. They opened fire. An explosion ripped through our shuttle. Our roundabout began to spin uncontrollably. A hull breach! Tee had to stop his navigation calculations to deal with the breach. More enemy fire and more explosions! Our engines had been hit.

"We need to abandon ship." Tee stated.

"We need to destroy the research first!" I said.

"Wait. give it to me." I gave Tee the disk and he downloaded it into his memory banks

"Do not worry. They will not be able to hack into it."

I nodded and used my sword to melt down the disk. I then donned an escape suit and the two of us jettisoned from the disintegrating ship. In a moment, the cruiser loomed above us. A tractor beam caught us in its grip and pulled us into the enemy ship.

What's next for our heroes? Find out in the next episode of

TALES OF THE TEMPLARS

(and it won't take 5 months either).