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// Chapter 13: Ignite 
// Story: Mystic Machinery: Industry is Magic 
// by Conglomerate 
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I was out of power, simple as that. Let it be known that I still only had the one solar panel on the planet’s surface, with all other sources of power being purely combustion. I had a decent enough supply of batteries, so back when I had ample fuel for my generators, they all got fully charged. Upon bringing them out here, where there wasn’t nearly enough input, they slowly started to drain.

Until now, when they finally ran out.

At the moment, it wasn’t much of a problem, but it definitely would be in the future. Without the continuous function of the repair bubbles or the constant protection of the shield bubbles, my blocks could get damaged, and then they would stay damaged. That was a downward spiral waiting to happen, if I couldn’t repair, then I would have to replace, and that would cost time and resources, when the alternative was to simply generate more power.

Problem, considering the lack of trees in my area, and the necessity of other fuels elsewhere, combustion was pretty much off the table. That really only left two options, solar, and thanks to Geocorp, geothermal as well. Since I wasn’t in an active volcanic zone however, geothermal would be less ideal unless I could find someplace hot to put it. I knew for a fact that there wasn’t anything like that nearby, which meant solar was the way to go.

Unfortunately, both required Ignite. 

So the time has finally come, I would have to venture into the desert and tussle with the insectoids again. If I had a better option, I would immediately choose it. I didn’t want to stir the hive even more, but with my meeting with Twilight on the horizon, and the uncertainty of the future, I would rather take the risk now and be prepared for a greater one in the future.

I still didn’t have the firepower to take out the whole hive… Yet, but I should have enough to harvest more Ignite crystals without getting destroyed. I had left a few outcroppings last time when things had gotten dicey, especially because they were trapped. I was unsure as to what would actually happen if I triggered them, but given they were made by insectoids underneath the sand, it was probably some sort of sinkhole or pitfall.

All that really meant was that I couldn’t mine the crystals with a drill, but that wouldn’t matter when I could just gun them down in the first place. Sure it might yield less overall, but unless the Ignite wasn’t trapped, I wasn’t going anywhere near the outcroppings. The collection radius of my collectors should be enough to avoid the issue entirely, but that was only part of the problem, once I started, I would be under fire the entire time.

I needed to prepare.

Disconnecting the solar panel from the base, I hooked up a few batteries to it so that they would actually charge. In the meantime, I gathered all of my extra flight parts and began assembling a war plane. I had encountered these things twice, and I knew how they fought, so I would plan around that.

Swarm tactics.

The insectoids would attack with obscene numbers, attempting to overrun any defenses and outlast any offense. When fighting them head on, there were only two ways to counteract this tactic, either bring a swarm of your own, or create a juggernaut so powerful it could survive the entirety of their onslaught.

I didn’t have the resources for either, but I could adapt an already effective method into an even better one. I escaped from the insectoids’ grasp last time because my plane was fast and agile, able to avoid the majority of the swarm while harvesting Ignite. That didn’t last for long, but luckily it was well equipped enough to make an escape when things got bad. 

I couldn’t count on the same outcome with the same plane a second time. I would have to be faster, tougher, and stronger. Those were things I did have the resources for. I started with a larger frame, able to fully encase the cabin with a layer of blocks. The next section included the batteries as well as a couple of fuel tanks, each also protected by blocks. All of my explosives were kept in one place, which would be devastating if hit, but it was better than a chain reaction, I would rather go down with some of my tech still functional rather than none of it.

Next up was a bunch of collectors, able to hold thirty resource chunks total. I doubted I would be able to collect that much, but as long as I got some I would be happy. The end is where the tail wings went, but it was also outfitted with an upgraded radar as well, giving me a wide range of advanced detection. Combining GSO Aerofoils with Venture Rudder Tipped wings allowed an extra wide wingspan with plenty of attachment points, able to hold both wheels and a few repair bubbles. 

I placed a single shield bubble in the center so that it would encompass all my vitals. Depending on how it reacted to the acid-fire, it might actually be worse to block it entirely instead of just repairing the damage it caused. I placed a repair bubble right next to it in case. With that done, the plane was enveloped in a bright green aura, and all that was left was the weapons.

Two things worked well in the past. High rate of fire, and flames. Explosives were simply too heavy and lasers were too slow. Thankfully, I could achieve both with Venture’s fine selection of weapons. Though they required a lot of Fibrewood for their structure, they were fast and still decently tough, and it certainly helped that they were lightweight, perfect for a hit and run.

And so it was done, a warplane with high defense, power, and speed. Plenty of repair bubbles with a long battery life, an array of flamethrowers and SMGs, and an odd selection of propellers. I didn’t really have the resources to make more higher tier propulsion, so I was forced to compensate with a few Pinwheel Propellers, not to mention the rocket boosters I had strapped to the side. It looked like a fusion of my previous glider mixed with a plane, albeit a lot bigger.

It was ready, and so was I.

Taking control of the warplane, I started up all the engines. It lurched forwards, slowly picking up speed as I angled it towards the South. That was until I activated the rocket boosters, sending it soaring into the air in only a second.

Those insectoids won’t know what hit them.





Flying above the desert, it was once again suspiciously empty. Not to say that I was expecting there to be a bunch of insectoids out in the open, but once I passed a certain point, there was nothing but Ignite among the sand. I had theorized before that the reason why none of it was harvested was because of the insectoids, and now the valuable crystals acted as a warning sign to any travelling the area.

If nothing else it was a great indication for when I entered the danger zone. Based on the size of the crystals though, there were still probably some attempts at mining them, though that would probably be reserved for the bravest and best equipped of the land. I was going much further, where the crystals were much larger, and where the danger was the greatest.

It didn’t take long for my upgraded radar to start blinking, and several icons appeared in its radius. Yet there was nothing visible down below. If they were the insectoids, then that meant they really did have a method of camouflaging themselves, and not just against purely visual means. A GSO radar by itself had trouble detecting those things, and I doubted any of the other companies’ I had access to would fare much better. I took a moment to find a similarity between each detected entity, then assigned the group a custom icon, making it so anything else with that similarity would be designated as the same. If they really were what I think they were, I now had a way to differentiate insectoids from non-insectoids.

They had sentries. So that’s how they found me out so fast before, if I haven’t tripped the alarm already, then I would have to be careful to avoid them in the future. I would have to be quick too if I didn’t want them mounting a proper defense.

The edge of the desert came into view, the dull flatness of the wasteland taking over the horizon. This was my stop, and I could already see a multitude of Ignite crystals dotting the sand. There were no signs of a previous battle though, nor were any of the outcroppings obviously harvested, I wasn’t where I first fought the insectoids. 

I didn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing. More resources, but new and unfamiliar terrain, which may or may not be trapped. Spying one of the larger crystals among the dunes, there was a slight green hue to the sand around it.

Trapped.

It was odd though, at that scale, they should have to be maintained regularly once they were set in order to prevent a premature collapse. Yet there was hardly any evidence of activity in the surrounding area, the insectoids were good, but I doubted they were that good. Unless there was other insectoid trickery at work. Unless it wasn’t actually a pitfall. Unless it wasn’t even a trap. I didn’t know, but it wouldn’t help by just watching it from above.

As soon as I landed though, the sentries would immediately spot me. They may have already, I couldn’t actually fly high enough to guarantee not being detected, but at least my radar worked at this height. I would need to be on the move the entire time if I didn’t want to get caught up in the swarm, and every second spent surveying the area would be more time for them to muster their forces. I already knew the area was trapped, and I already knew how they were going to attack me once I started.

I just needed to start.

Diving downwards, I lined the warplane up with the most efficient route I could find. I would be breaking crystals, picking up the chunks, and skirting off the dunes to the next one. I actually did bring a drill this time, but I only knew it would work on the untrapped outcroppings, which the first one was.

The crystal broke, and the usable chunks were quickly caught in my collectors, and I was off to the next one. This one I knew was trapped, but there was an issue, I could only actually see the trap from above, meaning once I was done with these first few, I would either have to gun every single crystal down or go back up to check.

Just shooting everything would allow me to harvest the Ignite faster, although with less overall profit, but going into the air would give me more maneuverability and a more efficient process at the cost of time. I wanted to avoid the swarm as much as possible, so the more time I spent in the air the better. Things were still clear though, and oddly enough the sentries nearby hadn’t moved at all. 

That probably wasn’t a good sign, if I accidentally marked something that wasn’t a threat, and the real threat was still undetected, and could be coming up on me at any moment…

I realized I hadn’t done much besides harvest a single outcropping of Ignite. I was attacked for doing just that before, but things were different now. There were traps, and I have yet to actually trigger one. I kind of wanted to see what would happen.

Shooting the crystal first, I collected the Ignite and promptly fired directly into the sand around it. The ground shifted and collapsed, the sand falling away as bright green liquid bubbled up from below. It sizzled and sputtered for a few seconds before falling back down, revealing a sticky looking hole in the ground, lined with some darker green sludge.

Wow. These were spicy pitfalls.

Immediately there was movement on my radar. The sentries were moving, each one in the same direction. I certainly had their attention now, and the rest of the swarm won’t be far behind. There were too many to silence as well, and due to how spread out they were, if I hunted down one, it would just alert any others that were watching. It was time to get moving.

I continued down the line. The next crystal wasn’t trapped, the fourth was, then the fifth, and so was the sixth. It seemed like the majority were indeed trapped, but not all of them. Taking off into the air, I spotted a small cluster of mostly untrapped outcroppings, and headed over there. That was when a bunch of icons appeared at the edge of my radar. Designation: Insectoids.

They were fast, I’ll give them that, I guess I was really close to the hive. Looking back, the ones that were on my radar were camouflaged to the sand, though their movement gave them away. Further behind though, there was a lot more, most opting to remain visible against the backdrop of the wasteland.

They were angry alright, but I didn’t even have half of my collectors full yet, even after harvesting the last of the crystals in the immediate area. My hope of getting in and out without a fight was quickly dwindling.

The approaching swarm spread out, its two sides stretching forwards to try and close in around me as some raised up into the air. I quickly moved over to the next few crystals, only to come under fire. Checking my radar, the hidden units were doing a similar maneuver, only on a much smaller scale and much faster, I was already almost completely surrounded.

That amount couldn’t stop me, but it could definitely slow me down, and with the rest of the swarm getting closer every second, I couldn’t even let them do that. I sped forward, activating some of my boosters for some extra speed. The forward units moved to intercept, but they weren’t fast enough, and I arrived at the next outcropping.

I didn’t know if it was trapped or not, and I didn’t have time to check, so I just gunned it down and moved on. Gaining altitude this time, I spotted another small cluster, most trapped except for the furthest one. A hail of fire came from around me, with more and more insectoids getting closer to my tech. Not too close however, it seems they learned what happens when I fire back.

The volume of acid-fire in the air was quickly increasing, and it was starting to get annoying. Soon enough, some started to hit, grazing my wings or striking the fuselage, my repair bubbles kicked into action, preventing the damage from getting too bad. As a result, the charge in my batteries began to deplete little by little. Then a stray shot hit the shield bubble, and was immediately vaporized, causing a sudden spike in power usage.

I didn’t have an accurate gauge as to which bubble cost more power, but I did know that the shield was immediate and total protection, while the repair bubble was more gradual. I would have to do more testing later, but for the moment, as long as my shield wasn’t focused down, then my charge should last.

The last crystal in the cluster fell to my drill, completely filling my fourth collector. I now had twenty Ignite chunks, and the swarm still hasn’t completely surrounded me. The camouflaged ones were getting braver though, tailing my plane and firing whenever they could. I began to retaliate, sending bursts of flame at any that dared to get too close while peppering the majority with constant SMG fire.

They backed off slightly, and I headed for the next few crystals. I knew that no matter how much I collected this trip, it wouldn’t last long, so it would be better to get as much as possible before going back. Things would only get harder the longer I lingered, but it would be even worse the next time I came back.

More Ignite was harvested, and more insectoids were popping up around my tech. I had a decent amount trailing now, creating a constant buzzing that droned out almost everything else. More of their acid-fire filled the air, and I started taking even more hits, dropping my total charge to almost half. My fifth collector was almost full, and a few more clusters would finish off my sixth, then I could finally leave.

It was at this point that the edges of the swarm met, surrounding me completely. They then began to close in, the living walls shifting and reacting to my movements, clustering together in the direction I was heading, but spreading back out once I got too close. It was a pretty effective strategy actually, they were slowly boxing me in while preventing me from causing serious damage.

The swarm was still a fair distance away though, and there were still a few outcroppings of Ignite that I could harvest. The acid-fire was almost constant now, my batteries were down to a quarter charge, and no matter how much I fired back the insectoids would not let up.

It was probably time to go, but I was so close to filling my last collector, and the last few chunks of Ignite were right there, ripe for the harvesting. Except they were now guarded by a bunch of insectoids. It looked like some had given up on the offense and were now focusing on the defense.

Too bad there was nowhere near enough to stop me. Flames spewed forth as I landed, scorching the first few insectoids. The attack was immediately followed by a hail of bullets, pummeling the rest while breaking down the crystals. The chunks floated upwards, and snapped into my last collector, filling it to the brim.

That’s all six, I was done here, time to leave.

However, the swarm was really getting close, to the point where it didn’t matter which direction I fired, I was going to hit regardless. The incessant buzzing affected the wind, kicking up a bunch of sand and dust in a small sandstorm. It would be harder to fly out of here, not to mention they still surrounded me on all sides.

Except for up.

Angling upwards, all my rocket boosters fired in unison, sending the warplane rocketing upwards. A few unlucky insectoids were in the way, but they were quickly eliminated from my sheer speed alone. I actually had to be careful not to go too fast, otherwise some of the Ignite might drop out of my collectors.

Thankfully, I ran out of fuel before then, and my plane levelled out as the propellers spun into action. The top of the swarm struggled to keep up, and even with the warplane’s reduced height they couldn’t reach me.

I send a few spurts of bullets down as a parting gift.

A few acid-fire bolts came up to hit my underside in response, but my repair bubbles quickly nullified them. They then flickered out a moment later, and the warplane was peppered with acid-fire. That’s what I get for being cocky I guess, at least I had some physical armor, and though some of my blocks were melted away, nothing vital was too damaged.

Except for my wheels.

It was going to be a rough landing when I got home.

To Be Continued…