The outer wall of the Star Fortress airlock was temporarily sealed off. Technicians deployed and directed heavy engineering equipment and small welding drones to close the steel outer wall destroyed by autocannon fire, tank shells, and shaped charges. Twisted, deformed steel was cut away, tunnel sections blasted through were sealed with steel, and after the power lines and ventilation systems were repaired, control systems from the City of Immortals were installed. Only then did the oxygen level in the passage gradually return to normal. Though it was only a short stretch of corridor, it was enough for the Gene-modded Warriors to rest briefly and receive supplies from the rear.
Sensing that the air pressure was gradually returning to balance, Aparajita removed his helmet, which bore several small dents from electromagnetic rifle fire. In an extremely human gesture, he tugged at the corner of his mouth and bared a smile that sent chills down the spine. Though the low temperature might also have been partly to blame, Deputy Nelson was certain that Aparajita now somewhat regretted violating safety protocols by removing his helmet before the oxygen level, temperature, air pressure, and other readings had fully met standards, as if he had never experienced how cold a Martian night could be. "This is not the real battlefield. Slaughtering these Mutants cannot satisfy me, even if their only purpose is to die." Aparajita spoke softly, his cold face stiff. "I can smell it... our true target is in there. The remnants of those terrible sorceries. These Mutants are merely using their lives to buy time."
"I only smell propellant gases, assuming vacuum decompression or the respiratory filtration system hasn't cleared them away." Deputy Nelson still wore his helmet securely, even adjusting the flexible nano-polymer metal sealing ring inside his gorget to prevent leaks.