Dark on the Waters [Dark Data]

[The Vision]

The Vision picked up the Chip and placed it in his synthesized pocket, reaching out with his other arm to help Ms. Ferguson to her feet. She coughed for a brief moment, then stood up by herself.

"Sorry," she managed to hack out.

"Apologies are not necessary, Ms. Ferguson," the Vision nodded, "Query: are you able to continue the mission?"

"I'm not stopping now," the purple mutant grunted, rubbing her arm where the cannon used to be.

The Vision looked up at the portal.

> scan("portal")
Scanning...
Error: cross-dimensional entity (1104)

"Alert, Liberators," the Vision spoke into the device, "Ms. Ferguson and I have discovered a transdimensional aperture of some kind."

Ms. Ferguson prepared to approach the portal. The Vision snatched her arm with superhuman speed.

"Ms. Ferguson, I cannot recommend entering that portal alone."

"Well, you'll be there."

"Negative. If you enter that portal without the support of the other Liberators, you will be alone," the Vision said. His eyes did not shift in any way, but Blink could have sworn they grew a shade colder. "As it stands, I am unable to calculate our chances of survival through that portal. We will need all of the assistance we can muster."

"So, what?" Ms. Ferguson snapped in a hushed voice, "We just wait for someone to find us and shoot us down?"

"Error: logic. We are both capable in combat and can easily hold our own against any potential hostile forces."

ALERT
(16) hostiles detected
#?Converging on current location

"There are many hostiles converging on our current location," the Vision reported, "Please, Ms. Ferguson, do not act brashly."

The mutant's face morphed into four different emotions simultaneously as she considered the android's words. Now the footsteps of the corrupted pirates could be heard from down the stairs. The Vision calculated the best action. There were clearly powerful vehicles here, which would certainly assist their combat. The room quite large and held a dozen small hovercrafts. The walls were lined with large, dirty windows that displayed smaller rooms with multiple dashboards, presumably to control activity in the hangar. The only entrance to the hangar was the lift on their left and the small hatch that led downstairs. This was all, of course, in addition to the stairs that the Vision and Ms. Ferguson used to arrive here. The Vision noted this information then turned to Ms. Ferguson.

"Quickly, if possible."

Ms. Ferguson groaned loudly, then muttered, "Fine. What's your plan?"

The Vision wasted no time in extending wires from his wrist. They latched onto a nearby vehicle, and the Vision closed his eyes. It was about the size of a snowmobile, and formed like one, but more roughly constructed and with fins and round turbines in the back. There was some sort of artillery installed in the back, and a small gun in the front. Spikes lined the thin bumper at the front.

"Cover me," he said, before entering his own mind.

> boot OV_Port1
Foreign OV_Port1 Object Power Levels: 76%
Energy Transfer Not Required
> run "copy_remote_control.exe"
Error: file not found (404)

The Vision scowled, and hundreds of lines of code ran through his mind to find a work-around. The pirates were now at the head of the metal stairs. The first one through fired a pistol, which Ms. Ferguson absorbed with a portal directed back at them. The portal dissipated as she engaged in combat.

"Hurry, Vision!" she shouted, throwing a kick at a pirate, knocking him and his compatriots over down the stairs.

> transfer("Vision.user", OV_Port1)
Error: discrepancy detected:: "OMn1p_hYz1cs.txt"
> override "OMn1p_hYz1cs.txt"
Error: unable to override admin files

The Vision sighed loudly, then mounted the vehicle itself. His mind entered the vehicle itself, and the rusted hovercraft started whirring. The two propellers in the back spun at high speeds, causing various chemical reactions that pushed down. As the Vision tested jets on what felt like a new part of his body, he noted the various wires that were connected to the controls and dials on the dashboard. In a brief moment, the Vision learned how to pilot this "Stingray" vehicle.

"Ms. Ferguson," the Vision said, his voice modulators increasing volume, "Please clear."

Ms. Ferguson turned her head, then noticed the flying hovercraft. She leapt out of harm's way as the Vision pressed all of the red buttons he could see.

A barrage of red bolts of energy blasted out from the front of the Stingray, shredding through the pirates and, when there were none left, starting burning into the walls behind where the pirates had been standing. After a sizable hole was left sizzling in the staircase wall, the Vision released the button and pushed another. The cannon behind him launched a small teal projectile, which soared through the hole. It burst in the other room, prompting a series of screams as the room filled with what the Vision detected as cryogenic fluid.

Ms. Ferguson peeked her head to the side to observe the damage, then turned to the android and nodded approvingly.

"Nice hacking," she said.

"If we are being quite honest, Ms. Ferguson," the Vision replied, "All I really managed to accomplish was turn it on, which I now know is simply accomplished by pulling this lever. Nevertheless, thank you."

Ms. Ferguson started staring at another of the Stingrays.

"Which lever?" she said, a slightly evil smile spreading on her face.

So the vehicle I'm riding is the Stingray from the Borderlands Pre-Sequel: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bord...1022064159

It shoots lasers and a cryo-missile. It's super fragile, though, and can be destroyed fairly quickly. My plan is hold the hangar until the other Liberators come in, and we all go charging in on these things. Sounds good?

Also, 897 words.