"Hunger keeps the senses sharp," Oliver said perfectly. "A hungry animal hunts better than a full animal. We will divide one single protein bar into four equal pieces. We will eat the pieces exactly ten minutes before we engage the enemy. We will use the sudden sugar spike for combat energy. The other two bars are reserved for absolute emergencies."Rax rumbled a deep laugh. "You treat your own people like machines, Commander. You measure their blood like oil.""Machines do not make mistakes. Humans do," Oliver replied coldly. "I will not let a human mistake end the universe."Oliver turned his cold gray eye and his burning red eye to the weapons on the floor."We have two plasma batteries," Oliver noted. "General Vega. Your sniper rifle is our only long-range asset. But energy weapons drain battery rapidly. From this moment on, you are forbidden to miss."Vega stared at him. "Forbidden to miss? Commander, it is dark out there. They move fast.""I am aware of their speed," Oliver said

The cave was completely black. It was absolute, pitch-black darkness. There was no light from the flashlights. There was no glow from the alien coin. Even the purple veins in Commander Oliver’s black metal arm were totally dark.All electrical and magical energy had been drained from the room.Oliver could not see. He could not use his Echo Sense. He was completely blind.Right above his head, a giant mouth opened. He could hear the wet, sticky sound of thick lips parting. He could smell the terrible odor of rotten meat and old blood. He felt a hot, heavy breath blow down onto his face. The Energy-Vampire was ready to bite his head off.A normal man would scream. A normal man would freeze in terror.Oliver did not scream. He did not freeze. He used math.Variable A: I cannot see the enemy. Therefore, I must use my other senses.Variable B: The hot breath hit my face from an angle of exactly forty-five degrees above me.Variable C: The sound of the jaws opening took zero point one se

Oliver stepped forward in the pitch-black tunnel. He moved straight toward the charging giants.He held the silver Anchor disc in his left hand. The disc was connected by copper wires to the glowing blue Volt-Hound spine that Rax was carrying behind him.Oliver did not use a gun. He did not use his knife. He ran the math of kinetic energy. “Force equals mass times acceleration.”The center Goliath swung its massive bone sword blindly in the dark.Oliver slid perfectly under the swinging sword. He moved with robotic grace. He stepped directly in front of the center Goliath."General Vega," Oliver whispered into the radio. "When the light flashes, shoot the copper wire in my left hand.""Shoot the wire?!" Vega gasped in the dark. "Commander, you are holding it! The explosion will kill you!""Shoot the wire," Oliver repeated flatly.He slammed his black metal right fist directly into the Goliath's thick steel chest armor. He didn't punch to hurt it. He punched to grab it. His strong met