Homecoming
Moderator: Moderators
I just changed one word, and then It becomes a 'homage' to Warhammer 40K and not a direct rip off. Enjoy!
Miles and Teresa walked through the hallways of the Muslim's command center. If anyone was curious as why a Tattooed was there, no one butted in as she wore a small name tag that declared her to be 'honored guest'. Not that she knew that, not being able to read Arabic.
├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you let this happen?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, her voice hushed.
├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't let this happen├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles snapped back, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe crazy bastards jumped into the debris field and lasered into the Hermes before our camera's picked them up. They were in and out in a few minutes, long before our fighters got there, and warped before we could fire a shot├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa sighed as they arrived at Miles' office. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo...where did they jump to?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe distortion they left pointed us straight to the CCHS. I'm guessing its either Golgotha or Mars 3, cause both of those are hard targets.├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles opened his door and gestured Teresa in. He stepped in and closed the door.
Teresa and he stood in privacy for the first time sense Teresa arrived in Kellerion. Miles tapped a button on his desk and the security recorder whirred off, no longer making the soft clicking noises that it had been.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose we're alone now├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said, ├óÔé¼┼ôUh...I was thinking of readying a strike force and see if we can-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, shaking her head, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to send a small force, maybe one or two people...want to come?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI already asked Vindict.├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa smiled, walking to the desk and running her finger along Mile's shoulder, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd he thinks it's about time I actually got my feet wet├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYour tattoos├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles muttered.
Teresa reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial of flesh colored liquid. ├óÔé¼┼ôWant to help me get it on?├óÔé¼┬Ø she smiled.
Miles laughed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I have a ship ready to go├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe Kitty Hawk?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNot quite├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut first...├óÔé¼┬Ø
He placed his hands on Teresa's shoulders and pulled her close. She pushed off her toes and her lips collided with his, her arms slipping around his chest and pulling him closer. Her bum bumped against the desk. She stopped herself, not spreading her legs to Miles' hands. She placed her hand on his chest and gently pushed him back.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to warm up the Kliners├óÔé¼┬Ø she breathed.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd...I need to get released from my day job├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it'll be a tough sell...but I have a bad idea about what the commies are going to do with Chess...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMe too├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, her good feelings vanishing quite abruptly.
--------
The first objection was the easiest to shoot down.
├óÔé¼┼ôBut...we can't run our defenses without you!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI have to point out that for the last few months the defenses have mostly been controlled by you and the Sys-Op computers.├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles smiled as he sat in front of the Elders.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat if the Tattooed...woman decides too destroy our head general! You'll be on the same ship as she├óÔé¼┬Ø
Miles actually laughed, ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa and I didn't quite get off on the right foot, but we've gotten a...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRelationship?├óÔé¼┬Ø One of the Elders smiled behind his beard.
├óÔé¼┼ôUh...yeah,├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said, his ears burning, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I know she for one will not stick a knife in my back├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The head Elder sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôAs long as you come back├óÔé¼┬Ø
Miles smiled, sitting up in his chair, ├óÔé¼┼ôThank you, Elders.├óÔé¼┬Ø
They nodded their heads to his and Miles stood, bowing almost to the floor. He backed out of the room, almost skipping.
The door closed. The Elders looked at one another.
├óÔé¼┼ôIs it true about the Sys-Op Computers?├óÔé¼┬Ø The left most Elder said, looking over the table.
├óÔé¼┼ôI hope not. No one wants a repeat of war-games. Have someone pull that computer out of the loop├óÔé¼┬Ø The head Elder said.
There was a pause.
├óÔé¼┼ôI wonder exactly how deep that relationship goes├óÔé¼┬Ø The rightmost Elder muttered.
-----------
A buggy slashed through the cornfield, trampling countless stalks of valuable hypercorn. But the Partisans were a bit more worried with life and death then foodstuffs.
The buggy squealed to a stop, spinning slightly and plowing through even more corn. Its driver, a young redhead woman, shouted, ├óÔé¼┼ôGet on! Get on!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy and her merry band clambered onboard, three of them forced to hold onto the back. Lucy waved to Cyi, who stood and took the heavy machine gun.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhere too, heroes?├óÔé¼┬Ø The redhead asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôHQ├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, checking her assault rifle.
├óÔé¼┼ôNever thought I'd be giving someone wearing that uniform a ride├óÔé¼┬Ø The redhead gunned the engine and drove away, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut you know our orders├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy sighed, not having much to say. She lay her head back, wishing she could take the breather off. She blinked and was asleep. Lucy, however, didn't dream like a normal person. Instead she simply reviewed facts. The facts she settled on today were rather important.
-----------
Amadeus turned to his aide, grinning.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou should write that down. Good line, for posterity├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes sir├óÔé¼┬Ø His aide said, starting to write in his PDA. He murmured as he wrote, ├óÔé¼┼ôborg...are...back├óÔé¼┬Ø
Amadeus sighed, checking his watch.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhen are they going to wake up?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, looking at his aide. His aide looked up and Amadeus saw a instant of sheer terror. Amadeus felt the floor jamming into his face, pushing his nose aside. He grunted, feeling a weight off on his back. Amadeus gasped, feeling both his arms pulled behind his back, then pressed down by a knee.
He felt two hands grab the sides of his head. Amadeus could feel energy in those fingers, strength hidden there.
The aide gaped at the woman that had burst out of the tube and smashed into his boss.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou!├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman snapped at him, repositioning one of her hands to she could still snap Amadeus' neck if necessary, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's the date!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôUh, October-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe fraking year! Give me the year!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOh...01 Revolution year.├óÔé¼┬Ø The aide looked at his PDA.
├óÔé¼┼ôUse the Roman Calender!├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman snapped.
The aide thought quickly. Maybe if he aggravated her enough she would snap his bosses neck, and he'd be scott free.
├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know the roman calender├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
The woman snarled.
├óÔé¼┼ôIts been three hundred years├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus gasped, barely able to squeak with his face jammed into the floor, ├óÔé¼┼ôThree hundred years sense you've been put in storage├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThree hundred years?├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman stood, letting Amadeus up. He stood, feeling his sore neck as he did so.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus said, looking at the tubes behind the woman, ├óÔé¼┼ôLucy, I presume?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo...I'm Lucy├óÔé¼┬Ø Another voice spoke up. The woman who had jammed Amadeus into the floor snapped to attention. Lucy held a assault rifle, aimed directly at Amadeus' head. Amadeus raised his hands, thinking this was a very very bad idea.
Lucy handed the assault rifle to Cyi, whispering, ├óÔé¼┼ôCheck the others and get ready to go├óÔé¼┬Ø
She walked to Amadeus.
├óÔé¼┼ôPut your hands down,├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said. Amadeus, hearing something trustworthy in the voice, lowered his hands. He didn't feel the movement. Instead he was simply against the wall, Lucy's hand around his neck.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow tell me├óÔé¼┬Ø She hissed, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did you wake us up? Wanted to hold a party, bring the freaks out?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Amadeus' aide dropped his PDA, backing out of the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôI-├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus gasped, barely able to breath, let alone talk, ├óÔé¼┼ôI wanted to hire you├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy's hand tightened slightly. Amadeus's eyes bugged, the breath being forced from his lungs.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou wanted...you wanted to hire us? Hire us!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy's eyes narrowed, ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're kind made us. You made us to fight your little war and then you locked us away for three centuries!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôLucy.├óÔé¼┬Ø A male voice spoke up, ├óÔé¼┼ôlet him down├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy looked over her shoulder. Amadeus felt her hand fall away from him and he hit the ground, knees buckling. He gasped, putting out a hand to stop him from hitting the floor again.
├óÔé¼┼ôHow many friends do you have, normal?├óÔé¼┬Ø the man walked to Amadeus, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere's your ship?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI have more friends than you'd think├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus gasped. Anger coursed through him as he saw his aide's PDA on the ground. Coward bastard...
The other borg emerged from their tubes, each naked. Amadeus realized, a bit to his shock, that Lucy and Cyi were nude as well. They carried themselves with such strength and focus that it was hard to notice they were completely naked.
├óÔé¼┼ôStevenson, get us some clothes├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe rest of you get your gear and ready up. We might have some softies to kill├óÔé¼┬Ø
The others nodded, each moving off easily. Cyi was the only one who stayed, cracking her knuckles threateningly.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, ├óÔé¼┼ôFill us in on the situation├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOr?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI blow your frakin brains out├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy brought the assault rifle up, almost pressing the barrel into Amadeus' chin.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm the head of one of the two principle powers of the galaxy, locked in a bitter war with the power that we broke from-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôCut the crap├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy snarled, pressing the gun even harder into his chin. \
├óÔé¼┼ôWell it's the absolute truth├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus sighed. Lucy, being distracted by questioning him, missed hearing what Amadeus did.
Then her eyes narrowed.
├óÔé¼┼ôFrak!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy brought the assault rifle to bear on the still open door. Then the first of the Honor Guard ran in, letting lose.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir, get down!├óÔé¼┬Ø George Peck shouted, aiming his gun at Lucy.
Amadeus stepped between them.
├óÔé¼┼ôStand down!├óÔé¼┬Ø He shouted, ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone stand down├óÔé¼┬Ø
His Honor Guard were trained to obey every order without question, each hand picked by George to be the most trustworthy and loyal of all the Confederate Army. So when he shouted that at them, they all lowered their arms as one.
Lucy was slower, but she jerked her gun down. The rest of the borg, most only half clothed, ran out, brandishing guns of the same make as Lucy.
Amadeus stood between them, teeth gritting.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus said, turning to Lucy, ├óÔé¼┼ôAre we willing to speak a bit more...calmly?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy looked at her men. She thought, if she gave the order, she could massacre the enemy and take minimal casualties. That is...none. But it was becoming increasingly apparent that the lean man who stood before her commanded quite a bit of power, if the official uniforms and twenty well trained guards were anything to go on.
├óÔé¼┼ôCome to my office├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said , jerking her head to the back of the instillation, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd leave the goons├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat should we do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Cyi asked, leaning in and whispering to her.
├óÔé¼┼ôIf these frackheads sneeze...shoot them├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGot it├óÔé¼┬Ø
Amadeus walked down the hallways of the instillation, looking around. Lucy walked in front of him, still holding her assault rifle. The place stretched back further than Amadeus had thought.
├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you find us, three centuries after our interment?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy asked, startling Amadeus.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis planetoid was referenced by multiple legends that remained consistent throughout the Dark Ages...the home and resting place of-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy turned around, arriving at the single door in the hallway, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Gray Knights? The Ordos Demoniac?├óÔé¼┬Ø
She smiled.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe Daemonhunters?
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...yes├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus said, bowing his head slightly. Lucy opened the door. She stepped in and closed the door. Amadeus waited around, wondering what Lucy was doing...
├óÔé¼┼ôCome in├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, opening the door. She wore a uniform now, a gray uniform that bore the insignia of the Daemonhunters, a flaming skull with a sword driven through it.
Amadeus stepped into the office and looked around, mildly curious. Lucy walked to a desk and sat behind it, brushing off flakes of ice that were crusted to the place. It was still deathly cold, and the cold was making itself felt to Amadeus, who shivered now that the adrenalin of the fight was cooling off.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, looking at the wall. A strange pole was laid there, a long blade protruding from the tip. It was not a spear, for it's blade was more like an ancient ax.
├óÔé¼┼ôThats my traditional Halberd├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe symbol of our ordos. Not very practical, but it really does look nice├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus asked, pointing at the wall above the desk, where a single vial of black powder hung.
├óÔé¼┼ôA bit of my first kill├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was a tough bastard, took the form of a woman...kept calling herself Michelle├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSo you really kill daemons?├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus sat down in a chair that was set in front of the desk. He was still nervous, hoping that they were as mercenary as the legends led him to believe.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy smiled, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe name is not for show. We find daemons, neutralized their abilities then either execute them or capture them├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôCapture?├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus asked, ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought it was either all or nothing with daemons├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôA common misconception. A daemon, at it's heart, is a parasite. It has no identity other than what it steals from the species around it. Those that almost destroyed us stole from the humans they met, ripped their minds apart. I've seen men and women who had had their minds torn apart by one of those things├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy closed her eyes, sighing, ├óÔé¼┼ôOnce a daemon has a form, it can blend into society and forms a hodgepodge of a personality. I've seen daemons that swear up and down that they love a human. I've seen humans swear they loved a daemon. Its heartbreaking...but we have to exterminate them, even the benign ones├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about their powers? A...daemon slaughtered the squad I sent after her-├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus started, but he was cut off by Lucy.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt. They are always an 'it',├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, ├óÔé¼┼ôA daemon's powers are easily controlled, once you understand they come from science, not from some magical source. A daemon's mind is a flux of High Energy Particals. These particals aren't...quite understood by us...and we studied them for decades. All we know is their effects. They allow a daemon to cut, slice and destroy humans around them. We simply have devices that...neutralize those partical├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about their strength?├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus prodded, curious.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe're borg for a reason├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, picking a pen off the desk and starting to twirl it in her fingers, ├óÔé¼┼ôOur minds are impossible for a daemon to read, our bodies much harder to kill, our muscles far stronger...and...wait a sec├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDid you say the daemon you sent your men after...as in there is a daemon loose, now!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Amadeus nodded, ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, but thats only half the reason I woke you├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy stood and walked to the door. She opened it and shouted down the hallway, ├óÔé¼┼ôCyi, get the men ready! We have to go daemon hunting in a few hours!├óÔé¼┬Ø
She moved back, looking at Amadeus.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you say about only half?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThere's also a war I'm losing├óÔé¼┬Ø
----------------
Lucy woke.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe're here├óÔé¼┬Ø The redhead said.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy stood, feeling vaguely discontent. She shrugged, remembering her oath. Profit, humanity, protection. Those were the things she held dear.
The Partisan base camp was a sprawling affair, little more than a shanty town. People talked, drank, ate, practice martial arts, fracked each other...Lucy smiled. It was the most naive army she had ever seen.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe HQ is back here├óÔé¼┬Ø the redhead said. The other Daemonhunters got off, Cyi reluctantly abandoning her heavy machine gun, and following Lucy to the HQ building, ├óÔé¼┼ôAir-raids have been hitting us hard recently and our last Ack-ack guns were taken out a few weeks ago├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSo the standard operating procedure is...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDuck and cover├óÔé¼┬Ø The redhead opened the door to the HQ. The partisan commander looked up from her map, looking worried. She brightened, seeing Lucy.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo you're the borg we expected├óÔé¼┬Ø the commander said, her breath mask obscuring her lips as she talked. Even this building wasn't properly insulated.
├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose this isn't necessary anymore├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy sighed, pulling her breather off.
├óÔé¼┼ôI really envy you├óÔé¼┬Ø The commander said, pulling up a chair, ├óÔé¼┼ôSit down├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou shouldn't,├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, sitting down. The other Daemonhunters guarded the door, each of them attracting attention thanks to their USHS uniforms.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd why not, pray tell?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôLet's stick to the matters at hand├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThis 'army' is laughable. Discipline is miserable, your defenses look substandard, and air support is nonexistent..if anything, you're fighting a guerrilla war that has already been lost. If we had the choice, I'd recommend pulling out├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell that made my day├óÔé¼┬Ø The commander sighed.
├óÔé¼┼ôThey have orbital supremacy, air supremacy, and almost complete land and naval supremacy. You are outnumbered, out gunned and completely outclassed...and your boss wants me to give you a frakin miracle├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou are a Daemonhunter, I hear├óÔé¼┬Ø The Commander said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought killing a daemon was a miracle├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy smiled, ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose thats true. And you're lucky...because I got paid to bring you a miracle├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd?├óÔé¼┬Ø
There was a distant thump and a deep roar.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø The commander stood.
Lucy sighed, leaning over the map that the commander had been looking over. The USHS army was a large square about ten klicks from the HQ, a red arrow drawn towards the HQ, a date scribbled on it, putting the enemy arrival to be in three days, tops.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis map is out of date├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's based off the most recent reports from our spies-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy drew a circle around the enemy army, ├óÔé¼┼ôJust wait├óÔé¼┬Ø
There was a tap on the door.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir!├óÔé¼┬Ø A messenger ran into the room, breathing heavily. He had run straight from edge of camp, being one of the first to receive the reports from the enemy army.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø The commander asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôA nuke! The enemy...they've been nuked├óÔé¼┬Ø
The commander looked at Lucy.
├óÔé¼┼ôI am become death. The destroyer of worlds├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy murmured, ├óÔé¼┼ôI think that'll tip the blench your war, commander├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood job, Deamonhunter...did you leave anymore surprises in the enemy base?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThat was the last├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt gets really hard from here on out...but I have some plans for those days├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood...├óÔé¼┬Ø The commander said, walking to the map, ├óÔé¼┼ôNow...tell me one thing before we get down to brass tacks...who the hell says 'frack' anymore? That went out of style in the 27's├óÔé¼┬Ø
Miles and Teresa walked through the hallways of the Muslim's command center. If anyone was curious as why a Tattooed was there, no one butted in as she wore a small name tag that declared her to be 'honored guest'. Not that she knew that, not being able to read Arabic.
├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you let this happen?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, her voice hushed.
├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't let this happen├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles snapped back, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe crazy bastards jumped into the debris field and lasered into the Hermes before our camera's picked them up. They were in and out in a few minutes, long before our fighters got there, and warped before we could fire a shot├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa sighed as they arrived at Miles' office. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo...where did they jump to?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe distortion they left pointed us straight to the CCHS. I'm guessing its either Golgotha or Mars 3, cause both of those are hard targets.├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles opened his door and gestured Teresa in. He stepped in and closed the door.
Teresa and he stood in privacy for the first time sense Teresa arrived in Kellerion. Miles tapped a button on his desk and the security recorder whirred off, no longer making the soft clicking noises that it had been.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose we're alone now├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said, ├óÔé¼┼ôUh...I was thinking of readying a strike force and see if we can-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, shaking her head, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to send a small force, maybe one or two people...want to come?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI already asked Vindict.├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa smiled, walking to the desk and running her finger along Mile's shoulder, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd he thinks it's about time I actually got my feet wet├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYour tattoos├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles muttered.
Teresa reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial of flesh colored liquid. ├óÔé¼┼ôWant to help me get it on?├óÔé¼┬Ø she smiled.
Miles laughed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I have a ship ready to go├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe Kitty Hawk?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNot quite├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut first...├óÔé¼┬Ø
He placed his hands on Teresa's shoulders and pulled her close. She pushed off her toes and her lips collided with his, her arms slipping around his chest and pulling him closer. Her bum bumped against the desk. She stopped herself, not spreading her legs to Miles' hands. She placed her hand on his chest and gently pushed him back.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to warm up the Kliners├óÔé¼┬Ø she breathed.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd...I need to get released from my day job├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it'll be a tough sell...but I have a bad idea about what the commies are going to do with Chess...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMe too├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, her good feelings vanishing quite abruptly.
--------
The first objection was the easiest to shoot down.
├óÔé¼┼ôBut...we can't run our defenses without you!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI have to point out that for the last few months the defenses have mostly been controlled by you and the Sys-Op computers.├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles smiled as he sat in front of the Elders.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat if the Tattooed...woman decides too destroy our head general! You'll be on the same ship as she├óÔé¼┬Ø
Miles actually laughed, ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa and I didn't quite get off on the right foot, but we've gotten a...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRelationship?├óÔé¼┬Ø One of the Elders smiled behind his beard.
├óÔé¼┼ôUh...yeah,├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said, his ears burning, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I know she for one will not stick a knife in my back├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The head Elder sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôAs long as you come back├óÔé¼┬Ø
Miles smiled, sitting up in his chair, ├óÔé¼┼ôThank you, Elders.├óÔé¼┬Ø
They nodded their heads to his and Miles stood, bowing almost to the floor. He backed out of the room, almost skipping.
The door closed. The Elders looked at one another.
├óÔé¼┼ôIs it true about the Sys-Op Computers?├óÔé¼┬Ø The left most Elder said, looking over the table.
├óÔé¼┼ôI hope not. No one wants a repeat of war-games. Have someone pull that computer out of the loop├óÔé¼┬Ø The head Elder said.
There was a pause.
├óÔé¼┼ôI wonder exactly how deep that relationship goes├óÔé¼┬Ø The rightmost Elder muttered.
-----------
A buggy slashed through the cornfield, trampling countless stalks of valuable hypercorn. But the Partisans were a bit more worried with life and death then foodstuffs.
The buggy squealed to a stop, spinning slightly and plowing through even more corn. Its driver, a young redhead woman, shouted, ├óÔé¼┼ôGet on! Get on!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy and her merry band clambered onboard, three of them forced to hold onto the back. Lucy waved to Cyi, who stood and took the heavy machine gun.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhere too, heroes?├óÔé¼┬Ø The redhead asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôHQ├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, checking her assault rifle.
├óÔé¼┼ôNever thought I'd be giving someone wearing that uniform a ride├óÔé¼┬Ø The redhead gunned the engine and drove away, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut you know our orders├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy sighed, not having much to say. She lay her head back, wishing she could take the breather off. She blinked and was asleep. Lucy, however, didn't dream like a normal person. Instead she simply reviewed facts. The facts she settled on today were rather important.
-----------
Amadeus turned to his aide, grinning.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou should write that down. Good line, for posterity├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes sir├óÔé¼┬Ø His aide said, starting to write in his PDA. He murmured as he wrote, ├óÔé¼┼ôborg...are...back├óÔé¼┬Ø
Amadeus sighed, checking his watch.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhen are they going to wake up?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, looking at his aide. His aide looked up and Amadeus saw a instant of sheer terror. Amadeus felt the floor jamming into his face, pushing his nose aside. He grunted, feeling a weight off on his back. Amadeus gasped, feeling both his arms pulled behind his back, then pressed down by a knee.
He felt two hands grab the sides of his head. Amadeus could feel energy in those fingers, strength hidden there.
The aide gaped at the woman that had burst out of the tube and smashed into his boss.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou!├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman snapped at him, repositioning one of her hands to she could still snap Amadeus' neck if necessary, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's the date!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôUh, October-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThe fraking year! Give me the year!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOh...01 Revolution year.├óÔé¼┬Ø The aide looked at his PDA.
├óÔé¼┼ôUse the Roman Calender!├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman snapped.
The aide thought quickly. Maybe if he aggravated her enough she would snap his bosses neck, and he'd be scott free.
├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know the roman calender├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
The woman snarled.
├óÔé¼┼ôIts been three hundred years├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus gasped, barely able to squeak with his face jammed into the floor, ├óÔé¼┼ôThree hundred years sense you've been put in storage├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThree hundred years?├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman stood, letting Amadeus up. He stood, feeling his sore neck as he did so.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus said, looking at the tubes behind the woman, ├óÔé¼┼ôLucy, I presume?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo...I'm Lucy├óÔé¼┬Ø Another voice spoke up. The woman who had jammed Amadeus into the floor snapped to attention. Lucy held a assault rifle, aimed directly at Amadeus' head. Amadeus raised his hands, thinking this was a very very bad idea.
Lucy handed the assault rifle to Cyi, whispering, ├óÔé¼┼ôCheck the others and get ready to go├óÔé¼┬Ø
She walked to Amadeus.
├óÔé¼┼ôPut your hands down,├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said. Amadeus, hearing something trustworthy in the voice, lowered his hands. He didn't feel the movement. Instead he was simply against the wall, Lucy's hand around his neck.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow tell me├óÔé¼┬Ø She hissed, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did you wake us up? Wanted to hold a party, bring the freaks out?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Amadeus' aide dropped his PDA, backing out of the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôI-├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus gasped, barely able to breath, let alone talk, ├óÔé¼┼ôI wanted to hire you├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy's hand tightened slightly. Amadeus's eyes bugged, the breath being forced from his lungs.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou wanted...you wanted to hire us? Hire us!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy's eyes narrowed, ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're kind made us. You made us to fight your little war and then you locked us away for three centuries!├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôLucy.├óÔé¼┬Ø A male voice spoke up, ├óÔé¼┼ôlet him down├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy looked over her shoulder. Amadeus felt her hand fall away from him and he hit the ground, knees buckling. He gasped, putting out a hand to stop him from hitting the floor again.
├óÔé¼┼ôHow many friends do you have, normal?├óÔé¼┬Ø the man walked to Amadeus, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere's your ship?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI have more friends than you'd think├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus gasped. Anger coursed through him as he saw his aide's PDA on the ground. Coward bastard...
The other borg emerged from their tubes, each naked. Amadeus realized, a bit to his shock, that Lucy and Cyi were nude as well. They carried themselves with such strength and focus that it was hard to notice they were completely naked.
├óÔé¼┼ôStevenson, get us some clothes├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe rest of you get your gear and ready up. We might have some softies to kill├óÔé¼┬Ø
The others nodded, each moving off easily. Cyi was the only one who stayed, cracking her knuckles threateningly.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, ├óÔé¼┼ôFill us in on the situation├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOr?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI blow your frakin brains out├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy brought the assault rifle up, almost pressing the barrel into Amadeus' chin.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm the head of one of the two principle powers of the galaxy, locked in a bitter war with the power that we broke from-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôCut the crap├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy snarled, pressing the gun even harder into his chin. \
├óÔé¼┼ôWell it's the absolute truth├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus sighed. Lucy, being distracted by questioning him, missed hearing what Amadeus did.
Then her eyes narrowed.
├óÔé¼┼ôFrak!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy brought the assault rifle to bear on the still open door. Then the first of the Honor Guard ran in, letting lose.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir, get down!├óÔé¼┬Ø George Peck shouted, aiming his gun at Lucy.
Amadeus stepped between them.
├óÔé¼┼ôStand down!├óÔé¼┬Ø He shouted, ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone stand down├óÔé¼┬Ø
His Honor Guard were trained to obey every order without question, each hand picked by George to be the most trustworthy and loyal of all the Confederate Army. So when he shouted that at them, they all lowered their arms as one.
Lucy was slower, but she jerked her gun down. The rest of the borg, most only half clothed, ran out, brandishing guns of the same make as Lucy.
Amadeus stood between them, teeth gritting.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus said, turning to Lucy, ├óÔé¼┼ôAre we willing to speak a bit more...calmly?├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy looked at her men. She thought, if she gave the order, she could massacre the enemy and take minimal casualties. That is...none. But it was becoming increasingly apparent that the lean man who stood before her commanded quite a bit of power, if the official uniforms and twenty well trained guards were anything to go on.
├óÔé¼┼ôCome to my office├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said , jerking her head to the back of the instillation, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd leave the goons├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat should we do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Cyi asked, leaning in and whispering to her.
├óÔé¼┼ôIf these frackheads sneeze...shoot them├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGot it├óÔé¼┬Ø
Amadeus walked down the hallways of the instillation, looking around. Lucy walked in front of him, still holding her assault rifle. The place stretched back further than Amadeus had thought.
├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you find us, three centuries after our interment?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy asked, startling Amadeus.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis planetoid was referenced by multiple legends that remained consistent throughout the Dark Ages...the home and resting place of-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy turned around, arriving at the single door in the hallway, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Gray Knights? The Ordos Demoniac?├óÔé¼┬Ø
She smiled.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe Daemonhunters?
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...yes├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus said, bowing his head slightly. Lucy opened the door. She stepped in and closed the door. Amadeus waited around, wondering what Lucy was doing...
├óÔé¼┼ôCome in├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, opening the door. She wore a uniform now, a gray uniform that bore the insignia of the Daemonhunters, a flaming skull with a sword driven through it.
Amadeus stepped into the office and looked around, mildly curious. Lucy walked to a desk and sat behind it, brushing off flakes of ice that were crusted to the place. It was still deathly cold, and the cold was making itself felt to Amadeus, who shivered now that the adrenalin of the fight was cooling off.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, looking at the wall. A strange pole was laid there, a long blade protruding from the tip. It was not a spear, for it's blade was more like an ancient ax.
├óÔé¼┼ôThats my traditional Halberd├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe symbol of our ordos. Not very practical, but it really does look nice├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus asked, pointing at the wall above the desk, where a single vial of black powder hung.
├óÔé¼┼ôA bit of my first kill├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was a tough bastard, took the form of a woman...kept calling herself Michelle├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSo you really kill daemons?├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus sat down in a chair that was set in front of the desk. He was still nervous, hoping that they were as mercenary as the legends led him to believe.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy smiled, ├óÔé¼┼ôThe name is not for show. We find daemons, neutralized their abilities then either execute them or capture them├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôCapture?├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus asked, ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought it was either all or nothing with daemons├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôA common misconception. A daemon, at it's heart, is a parasite. It has no identity other than what it steals from the species around it. Those that almost destroyed us stole from the humans they met, ripped their minds apart. I've seen men and women who had had their minds torn apart by one of those things├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy closed her eyes, sighing, ├óÔé¼┼ôOnce a daemon has a form, it can blend into society and forms a hodgepodge of a personality. I've seen daemons that swear up and down that they love a human. I've seen humans swear they loved a daemon. Its heartbreaking...but we have to exterminate them, even the benign ones├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about their powers? A...daemon slaughtered the squad I sent after her-├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus started, but he was cut off by Lucy.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt. They are always an 'it',├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, ├óÔé¼┼ôA daemon's powers are easily controlled, once you understand they come from science, not from some magical source. A daemon's mind is a flux of High Energy Particals. These particals aren't...quite understood by us...and we studied them for decades. All we know is their effects. They allow a daemon to cut, slice and destroy humans around them. We simply have devices that...neutralize those partical├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about their strength?├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus prodded, curious.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe're borg for a reason├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, picking a pen off the desk and starting to twirl it in her fingers, ├óÔé¼┼ôOur minds are impossible for a daemon to read, our bodies much harder to kill, our muscles far stronger...and...wait a sec├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDid you say the daemon you sent your men after...as in there is a daemon loose, now!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Amadeus nodded, ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, but thats only half the reason I woke you├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy stood and walked to the door. She opened it and shouted down the hallway, ├óÔé¼┼ôCyi, get the men ready! We have to go daemon hunting in a few hours!├óÔé¼┬Ø
She moved back, looking at Amadeus.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you say about only half?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Amadeus said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThere's also a war I'm losing├óÔé¼┬Ø
----------------
Lucy woke.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe're here├óÔé¼┬Ø The redhead said.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy stood, feeling vaguely discontent. She shrugged, remembering her oath. Profit, humanity, protection. Those were the things she held dear.
The Partisan base camp was a sprawling affair, little more than a shanty town. People talked, drank, ate, practice martial arts, fracked each other...Lucy smiled. It was the most naive army she had ever seen.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe HQ is back here├óÔé¼┬Ø the redhead said. The other Daemonhunters got off, Cyi reluctantly abandoning her heavy machine gun, and following Lucy to the HQ building, ├óÔé¼┼ôAir-raids have been hitting us hard recently and our last Ack-ack guns were taken out a few weeks ago├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSo the standard operating procedure is...├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDuck and cover├óÔé¼┬Ø The redhead opened the door to the HQ. The partisan commander looked up from her map, looking worried. She brightened, seeing Lucy.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo you're the borg we expected├óÔé¼┬Ø the commander said, her breath mask obscuring her lips as she talked. Even this building wasn't properly insulated.
├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose this isn't necessary anymore├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy sighed, pulling her breather off.
├óÔé¼┼ôI really envy you├óÔé¼┬Ø The commander said, pulling up a chair, ├óÔé¼┼ôSit down├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou shouldn't,├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, sitting down. The other Daemonhunters guarded the door, each of them attracting attention thanks to their USHS uniforms.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd why not, pray tell?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôLet's stick to the matters at hand├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said, ├óÔé¼┼ôThis 'army' is laughable. Discipline is miserable, your defenses look substandard, and air support is nonexistent..if anything, you're fighting a guerrilla war that has already been lost. If we had the choice, I'd recommend pulling out├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell that made my day├óÔé¼┬Ø The commander sighed.
├óÔé¼┼ôThey have orbital supremacy, air supremacy, and almost complete land and naval supremacy. You are outnumbered, out gunned and completely outclassed...and your boss wants me to give you a frakin miracle├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou are a Daemonhunter, I hear├óÔé¼┬Ø The Commander said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought killing a daemon was a miracle├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lucy smiled, ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose thats true. And you're lucky...because I got paid to bring you a miracle├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd?├óÔé¼┬Ø
There was a distant thump and a deep roar.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø The commander stood.
Lucy sighed, leaning over the map that the commander had been looking over. The USHS army was a large square about ten klicks from the HQ, a red arrow drawn towards the HQ, a date scribbled on it, putting the enemy arrival to be in three days, tops.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis map is out of date├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy said.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's based off the most recent reports from our spies-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy drew a circle around the enemy army, ├óÔé¼┼ôJust wait├óÔé¼┬Ø
There was a tap on the door.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir!├óÔé¼┬Ø A messenger ran into the room, breathing heavily. He had run straight from edge of camp, being one of the first to receive the reports from the enemy army.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø The commander asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôA nuke! The enemy...they've been nuked├óÔé¼┬Ø
The commander looked at Lucy.
├óÔé¼┼ôI am become death. The destroyer of worlds├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy murmured, ├óÔé¼┼ôI think that'll tip the blench your war, commander├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood job, Deamonhunter...did you leave anymore surprises in the enemy base?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThat was the last├óÔé¼┬Ø Lucy sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt gets really hard from here on out...but I have some plans for those days├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood...├óÔé¼┬Ø The commander said, walking to the map, ├óÔé¼┼ôNow...tell me one thing before we get down to brass tacks...who the hell says 'frack' anymore? That went out of style in the 27's├óÔé¼┬Ø
-
Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
And the Cain novels got it from BSG, which was made in the 70's...a bit before Warhammer ever exsisted, I think. They wanted to be a 'kids show' at the time and made up a swear word that people thought was pretty tame, 'frak'.
Now in the new Battlestar Galactica they still use frack, but its a very not kid's show, with suicide bombers, sex, biological warfare, blood, and lots of other nasties. Its also very good and you should watch it!
I commmand youuuu!
Now in the new Battlestar Galactica they still use frack, but its a very not kid's show, with suicide bombers, sex, biological warfare, blood, and lots of other nasties. Its also very good and you should watch it!
I commmand youuuu!
-
1v0ry_k1ng
- Posts: 4656
- Joined: 10 Mar 2006, 10:24
Ooooooh! A minor mystery becomes a MAJOR one! The mystery of Teresa's parents!
Raise your hands if you forgot that Teresa and Janet Voorhman were both orphans...if you raised your hands, SHAME on you!
Janet slept well for once in five months. She was rolled up in a blanket, her head resting on a pillow, a look of quite contentment on her face.
Carter hated to do this too her.
├óÔé¼┼ôMadam President,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said.
Janet rolled over, a flicker of discontent on her peaceful face.
├óÔé¼┼ôMadam President,├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter said, louder this time.
Janet snapped awake, sitting up with a gasp. She looked around, panicked. She lay back down, her breath slowing. She blinked and looked at Carter, who stood above her bed, a black silhouette thanks to the light fixture behind him.
├óÔé¼┼ôCarter?├óÔé¼┬Ø Janet croaked.
├óÔé¼┼ôSorry to wake you├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we have a problem├óÔé¼┬Ø
Janet cricked her neck, trying to digest the information Carter had just given her.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe've lost over a hundred and fifty square kilometers to the Confederacy over a single night?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm afraid we have, madam├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHow?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôA high yield nuclear device was detonated in the middle of the Third Division. The infantry were vaporized, the tanks melted, and any electronic gear that survived...well they were slagged by the EMP. Our entire Eastern Front has collapsed and strategists say they think that we might have lost the Eastern Continent on Deneb by the end of the week├óÔé¼┬Ø
Janet sighed, slowly.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd to make it worse we just got this video clip├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter said.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt can be worse?├óÔé¼┬Ø Janet asked as Carter walked to the wall projector. He turned it on and started the video clip. The clip was grainy, short and muddled. It showed a gun barrel, placed right above the camera. The barrel spun and leveled on a woman who was standing in the middle of a field of super corn, firing a rifle into a crowd of USHS soldiers. The woman turned a split second before the barrel above the camera started to spit bullets. The screen flashed white, blinding the camera.
When it cleared, Janet expected to see a dead woman.
Instead the woman stood, blood spreading from one, two...seven...Janet counted fifteen wounds peppering her body. She raised her rifle and fired. The camera spun and twisted madly finally landing on the ground. A foot pushed past the camera, gunshots sounding. The clip ended.
Janet's throat felt dry.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe believe they are called the borg├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter said, ├óÔé¼┼ôShort for cyborg├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI thought cybernetics on that level were...well, extinct├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNot quite. Former General Dobson was a cyborg. Where Amadeus got these particular cyborgs is a mystery, but they are highly trained and heavily equipped├óÔé¼┬Ø
Janet sighed, looking at her desk.
├óÔé¼┼ôDo we have some kind of crack commando squad, something we can use to track down and eliminate this 'borg'├óÔé¼┬Ø Janet asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôNot to my knowledge, no├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could assemble one, but it might take a while├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...put out the alert about these and get to our propaganda boys...see if they can put a spin on how these people have abandoned their humanity to fight for communism or something├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes mam├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter nodded, turning to leave the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd Carter├óÔé¼┬Ø Janet said. He stopped, turning back to look at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we still win at Deneb?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOf course, mam├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter bowed out of the room, the door shutting behind him.
-----------
Chess sat in her cell, staring at the door. She felt a hollowness in her stomach, a blankness that she wasn't sure would ever be filled. Her...her powers were gone. She hadn't thought that losing them would be so devastating. Rage suddenly filled her and she grabbed the collar around her throat, her fingernails scrabbling against it. Chess worked one of her fingernails into the crack between skin and metal and tore with all her strength. Something in her fingernail gave. Incredible pain shot through her finger and Chess sobbed, giving it up. Her fingernail was bloody, chipped and broken.
Chess stood, staggering to the door. She slammed against it, feeling something in her body pop out of place. She slammed the door again, then gave up, sliding to her knees and sobbing again.
The door slid open and a man wearing the black armor of those that had captured her looked down at Chess, his lip curled in contempt.
├óÔé¼┼ôGet up├óÔé¼┬Ø He said. Chess did so, not wanting a repeat of yesterday's...incident. She walked down the halls of the space ship, but this time she wasn't lead to the bridge. She ended up in a small room with a computer bank on the left and a chair in the middle. Her guard forced her to the chair and strapped her arms and legs down. Chess sat there, her teeth bared in anger, and tried to wrench the restraints off. It didn't work.
The guard stepped back to the door, standing at casual attention. After a moment a man walked in, wearing a red insignia on his left breast.
├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø he said to Chess, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to be your physician today├óÔé¼┬Ø
He laughed, looking at Chess and the guard. After seeing their expressions, his laugh died.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell I'm here to do the blood work for this specimen├óÔé¼┬Ø He said to the guard, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnything I should know?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The guard nodded, ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's restrained for now, but if you put too much strain on her body she might alter her form that we can't restrain. So make sure she's at least somewhat comfortable├óÔé¼┬Ø
The doctor rolled back one of the sleeves on Chess' arm and slid a long need into the vein that lay exposed. Chess gritted her teeth as blood started to pump out of her body.
The doctor finished, pulling the syringe out and wiping off the wound he left. He slapped a bandage on and bowed to the guard.
├óÔé¼┼ôHave a nice day├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, walking out of the room.
The guard undid the straps on Chess' arms and legs and grabbed the chain that was attached to her collar.
├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, sounding tired. Chess followed.
She sat in her cell, staring at the door. Blood...they had taken her blood. She shuddered, hanging her head as she thought about what that meant in the long run.
--------
Miles hunched, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. Teresa followed, though she looked nothing like the Teresa he knew. She was untattooed, her face smeared with grit and dirt to make her appear more...weathered. The people around them definitely looked weathered, each of them dressed in cheap clothes, huddled against the biting Golgothan wind.
Miles stopped at an alleyway. Teresa walked past him, not glancing in his direction. Miles slipped into the alleyway and a few seconds later Teresa showed up, sneaking in from a different alleyway.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø He hissed in her ear, ├óÔé¼┼ôIs this the place?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI think so├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, walking deeper into the ally. She stopped over a manhole leading into the sewers and tapped it with her toe three times. Miles waited, his hand in his pocket, resting on the hilt of his pistol. After a minute the manhole opened and a hand gestured them in.
Teresa dropped into the sewer, followed by Miles. A pale, incredibly thin...person stared at them. Miles wasn't sure if it was a man or a woman.
├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø The thing croaked, ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa and Miles, I presume├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThats right├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, ├óÔé¼┼ôNow-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou want to know where the woman is, right? She's in orbit├óÔé¼┬Ø The thing said, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut that can wait for a time. My name is Marsiella...you might have known my brother, Marcus├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMarcus...Marcus├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles muttered, trying to recall...
├óÔé¼┼ôHe helped you get off the planet├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles started, ├óÔé¼┼ôMarcus was your brother?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry...I already know he is dead├óÔé¼┬Ø
There was silence as Miles and Marsiella looked at one another, uncomfortable.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...come on├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI have someone you might want to meet├óÔé¼┬Ø
As they came out into day, climbing out of a manhole that Marsiella said was 'safe', Miles saw that Marsiella was a woman, her curves slight but visible in the daytime.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho are we going to see?├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa asked as the three of them stood in the back of an ally, a crowd pushing past only a few feet away, oblivious to the meeting.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll see├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôFollow├óÔé¼┬Ø
She walked down the allys, turning through them until they arrived at the back of a large building. She tapped the door, looking at Miles and Teresa. After a moment the door opened and a young man stood there.
├óÔé¼┼ôMarsiella?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked, looking at the emaciated woman.
├óÔé¼┼ôOne and only├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI have two visitors for Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôShe's actually feeling pretty good today...a nice change, actually├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIs she still feeling...under the weather?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The man sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôI think this is just a bight spot in the storm. It's going to get worse if...before it gets better├óÔé¼┬Ø
He started, remembering that there were others in the group. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome in, come in├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, gesturing to Miles and Teresa, ├óÔé¼┼ôHelena will be ready to see you in a few minuets├óÔé¼┬Ø
Miles and Teresa stood, looking around the insides of the house. It was a musty affair, with a huge collection of pictures that were on every wall. Miles looked at the pictures, feeling too out of place to speak comfortably with Teresa.
A particular picture caught his eye. It was printed on very very old paper, wrinkled and faded. It was a picture of a young woman wearing a beret, leaning against a tank that looked like it had been designed in the B.C's. The picture was signed, in pen, with ├óÔé¼┼ôTo my beloved Tipp├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôLooking at my pictures?├óÔé¼┬Ø A whispery voice floated across the room. Miles jumped, spinning around.
A skeleton was sitting in a wheel chair, staring at him. It's legs were covered with a blanket, it's chest covered by a billowing robe that failed to cover every boxy implant that was jammed into it's body. It had almost no hair, it's wispy thin scalp covered with implants.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø The skeleton breathed, ├óÔé¼┼ôand I invited you here for truly personal reasons. Marsiella is the one who will help you...I just wanted to see her face├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMe?├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa asked, one of her cheeks reddening, the other covered with paint.
Helena turned her chair, engines in the wheels clicking softly.
├óÔé¼┼ôCome closer├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena rasped, ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to see your face├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa knelt next to Helena, peering into the ancient woman's eyes.
Helena's face cracked into a grotesque toothless smile, ├óÔé¼┼ôYou look just like your mother├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa clutched the armrest of the wheelchair, her face frozen with shock. Helena's hand emerged from her robe and slid over Teresa's face. It felt like something dead, wrinkled and gray. Teresa didn't move, staring at Helena.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho? Who was my mother!├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa asked, ├óÔé¼┼ôI have to know├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles muttered, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to go soon├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll learn soon├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena drove her wheelchair away from the two. She stopped beside Marsiella and whispered, ├óÔé¼┼ôHelp them. Help them with everything you have├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes mam├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella bowed slightly. Helena rolled out of the room. Teresa stood slowly, blinking as she did so. Her mother...
├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to move on├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought Helena might have given us a information a bit more relevent├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was worth anything to come here...she knew my mother├óÔé¼┬Ø
She looked back at the pictures, wondering if her mother...or her father was hidden in one of them.
├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to move on├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa tore herself away from the pictures and followed Miles, who followed Marsiella. They moved into the back alleyways again. Marsiella stopped at the manhole they had emerged from a few minuets ago.
She sighed, slumping her shoulders, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry about that. Normally Helena has lots of useful information...I have no idea why-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, ├óÔé¼┼ôLets just get to where we have to go next├óÔé¼┬Ø
After another smelly slog through the sewers, Miles, Teresa and Marsiella arrived at their destination. It was near the outskirts of the city, a collection of short huts.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the home that the CCHS would love to torch. But they don't know where it is...yet. We might need to move it soon, but for now it's...home├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, opening the door into the front hut, a pit of blackness that neither Miles or Teresa could see through.
There was a click of a gun.
├óÔé¼┼ôIdentification, please├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice hissed.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's Marsiella, Grits...open up├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said. The gun lowered and the lights inside the hut came on, showing a man wrapped in a long red trench coat, wearing a huge hat. He looked ridiculous, or would have, if it hadn't been for the huge gun he held.
├óÔé¼┼ôCome in├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd see the last remains of the proud Vampire Clans├óÔé¼┬Ø
Raise your hands if you forgot that Teresa and Janet Voorhman were both orphans...if you raised your hands, SHAME on you!
Janet slept well for once in five months. She was rolled up in a blanket, her head resting on a pillow, a look of quite contentment on her face.
Carter hated to do this too her.
├óÔé¼┼ôMadam President,├óÔé¼┬Ø He said.
Janet rolled over, a flicker of discontent on her peaceful face.
├óÔé¼┼ôMadam President,├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter said, louder this time.
Janet snapped awake, sitting up with a gasp. She looked around, panicked. She lay back down, her breath slowing. She blinked and looked at Carter, who stood above her bed, a black silhouette thanks to the light fixture behind him.
├óÔé¼┼ôCarter?├óÔé¼┬Ø Janet croaked.
├óÔé¼┼ôSorry to wake you├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we have a problem├óÔé¼┬Ø
Janet cricked her neck, trying to digest the information Carter had just given her.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe've lost over a hundred and fifty square kilometers to the Confederacy over a single night?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm afraid we have, madam├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHow?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôA high yield nuclear device was detonated in the middle of the Third Division. The infantry were vaporized, the tanks melted, and any electronic gear that survived...well they were slagged by the EMP. Our entire Eastern Front has collapsed and strategists say they think that we might have lost the Eastern Continent on Deneb by the end of the week├óÔé¼┬Ø
Janet sighed, slowly.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd to make it worse we just got this video clip├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter said.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt can be worse?├óÔé¼┬Ø Janet asked as Carter walked to the wall projector. He turned it on and started the video clip. The clip was grainy, short and muddled. It showed a gun barrel, placed right above the camera. The barrel spun and leveled on a woman who was standing in the middle of a field of super corn, firing a rifle into a crowd of USHS soldiers. The woman turned a split second before the barrel above the camera started to spit bullets. The screen flashed white, blinding the camera.
When it cleared, Janet expected to see a dead woman.
Instead the woman stood, blood spreading from one, two...seven...Janet counted fifteen wounds peppering her body. She raised her rifle and fired. The camera spun and twisted madly finally landing on the ground. A foot pushed past the camera, gunshots sounding. The clip ended.
Janet's throat felt dry.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe believe they are called the borg├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter said, ├óÔé¼┼ôShort for cyborg├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI thought cybernetics on that level were...well, extinct├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNot quite. Former General Dobson was a cyborg. Where Amadeus got these particular cyborgs is a mystery, but they are highly trained and heavily equipped├óÔé¼┬Ø
Janet sighed, looking at her desk.
├óÔé¼┼ôDo we have some kind of crack commando squad, something we can use to track down and eliminate this 'borg'├óÔé¼┬Ø Janet asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôNot to my knowledge, no├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could assemble one, but it might take a while├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...put out the alert about these and get to our propaganda boys...see if they can put a spin on how these people have abandoned their humanity to fight for communism or something├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes mam├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter nodded, turning to leave the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd Carter├óÔé¼┬Ø Janet said. He stopped, turning back to look at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we still win at Deneb?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOf course, mam├óÔé¼┬Ø Carter bowed out of the room, the door shutting behind him.
-----------
Chess sat in her cell, staring at the door. She felt a hollowness in her stomach, a blankness that she wasn't sure would ever be filled. Her...her powers were gone. She hadn't thought that losing them would be so devastating. Rage suddenly filled her and she grabbed the collar around her throat, her fingernails scrabbling against it. Chess worked one of her fingernails into the crack between skin and metal and tore with all her strength. Something in her fingernail gave. Incredible pain shot through her finger and Chess sobbed, giving it up. Her fingernail was bloody, chipped and broken.
Chess stood, staggering to the door. She slammed against it, feeling something in her body pop out of place. She slammed the door again, then gave up, sliding to her knees and sobbing again.
The door slid open and a man wearing the black armor of those that had captured her looked down at Chess, his lip curled in contempt.
├óÔé¼┼ôGet up├óÔé¼┬Ø He said. Chess did so, not wanting a repeat of yesterday's...incident. She walked down the halls of the space ship, but this time she wasn't lead to the bridge. She ended up in a small room with a computer bank on the left and a chair in the middle. Her guard forced her to the chair and strapped her arms and legs down. Chess sat there, her teeth bared in anger, and tried to wrench the restraints off. It didn't work.
The guard stepped back to the door, standing at casual attention. After a moment a man walked in, wearing a red insignia on his left breast.
├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø he said to Chess, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to be your physician today├óÔé¼┬Ø
He laughed, looking at Chess and the guard. After seeing their expressions, his laugh died.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell I'm here to do the blood work for this specimen├óÔé¼┬Ø He said to the guard, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnything I should know?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The guard nodded, ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's restrained for now, but if you put too much strain on her body she might alter her form that we can't restrain. So make sure she's at least somewhat comfortable├óÔé¼┬Ø
The doctor rolled back one of the sleeves on Chess' arm and slid a long need into the vein that lay exposed. Chess gritted her teeth as blood started to pump out of her body.
The doctor finished, pulling the syringe out and wiping off the wound he left. He slapped a bandage on and bowed to the guard.
├óÔé¼┼ôHave a nice day├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, walking out of the room.
The guard undid the straps on Chess' arms and legs and grabbed the chain that was attached to her collar.
├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, sounding tired. Chess followed.
She sat in her cell, staring at the door. Blood...they had taken her blood. She shuddered, hanging her head as she thought about what that meant in the long run.
--------
Miles hunched, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. Teresa followed, though she looked nothing like the Teresa he knew. She was untattooed, her face smeared with grit and dirt to make her appear more...weathered. The people around them definitely looked weathered, each of them dressed in cheap clothes, huddled against the biting Golgothan wind.
Miles stopped at an alleyway. Teresa walked past him, not glancing in his direction. Miles slipped into the alleyway and a few seconds later Teresa showed up, sneaking in from a different alleyway.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø He hissed in her ear, ├óÔé¼┼ôIs this the place?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI think so├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, walking deeper into the ally. She stopped over a manhole leading into the sewers and tapped it with her toe three times. Miles waited, his hand in his pocket, resting on the hilt of his pistol. After a minute the manhole opened and a hand gestured them in.
Teresa dropped into the sewer, followed by Miles. A pale, incredibly thin...person stared at them. Miles wasn't sure if it was a man or a woman.
├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø The thing croaked, ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa and Miles, I presume├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThats right├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, ├óÔé¼┼ôNow-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou want to know where the woman is, right? She's in orbit├óÔé¼┬Ø The thing said, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut that can wait for a time. My name is Marsiella...you might have known my brother, Marcus├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMarcus...Marcus├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles muttered, trying to recall...
├óÔé¼┼ôHe helped you get off the planet├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said.
├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles started, ├óÔé¼┼ôMarcus was your brother?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry...I already know he is dead├óÔé¼┬Ø
There was silence as Miles and Marsiella looked at one another, uncomfortable.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...come on├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI have someone you might want to meet├óÔé¼┬Ø
As they came out into day, climbing out of a manhole that Marsiella said was 'safe', Miles saw that Marsiella was a woman, her curves slight but visible in the daytime.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho are we going to see?├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa asked as the three of them stood in the back of an ally, a crowd pushing past only a few feet away, oblivious to the meeting.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll see├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôFollow├óÔé¼┬Ø
She walked down the allys, turning through them until they arrived at the back of a large building. She tapped the door, looking at Miles and Teresa. After a moment the door opened and a young man stood there.
├óÔé¼┼ôMarsiella?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked, looking at the emaciated woman.
├óÔé¼┼ôOne and only├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI have two visitors for Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôShe's actually feeling pretty good today...a nice change, actually├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIs she still feeling...under the weather?├óÔé¼┬Ø
The man sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôI think this is just a bight spot in the storm. It's going to get worse if...before it gets better├óÔé¼┬Ø
He started, remembering that there were others in the group. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome in, come in├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, gesturing to Miles and Teresa, ├óÔé¼┼ôHelena will be ready to see you in a few minuets├óÔé¼┬Ø
Miles and Teresa stood, looking around the insides of the house. It was a musty affair, with a huge collection of pictures that were on every wall. Miles looked at the pictures, feeling too out of place to speak comfortably with Teresa.
A particular picture caught his eye. It was printed on very very old paper, wrinkled and faded. It was a picture of a young woman wearing a beret, leaning against a tank that looked like it had been designed in the B.C's. The picture was signed, in pen, with ├óÔé¼┼ôTo my beloved Tipp├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôLooking at my pictures?├óÔé¼┬Ø A whispery voice floated across the room. Miles jumped, spinning around.
A skeleton was sitting in a wheel chair, staring at him. It's legs were covered with a blanket, it's chest covered by a billowing robe that failed to cover every boxy implant that was jammed into it's body. It had almost no hair, it's wispy thin scalp covered with implants.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø The skeleton breathed, ├óÔé¼┼ôand I invited you here for truly personal reasons. Marsiella is the one who will help you...I just wanted to see her face├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôMe?├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa asked, one of her cheeks reddening, the other covered with paint.
Helena turned her chair, engines in the wheels clicking softly.
├óÔé¼┼ôCome closer├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena rasped, ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to see your face├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa knelt next to Helena, peering into the ancient woman's eyes.
Helena's face cracked into a grotesque toothless smile, ├óÔé¼┼ôYou look just like your mother├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa clutched the armrest of the wheelchair, her face frozen with shock. Helena's hand emerged from her robe and slid over Teresa's face. It felt like something dead, wrinkled and gray. Teresa didn't move, staring at Helena.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho? Who was my mother!├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa asked, ├óÔé¼┼ôI have to know├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles muttered, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to go soon├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll learn soon├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena drove her wheelchair away from the two. She stopped beside Marsiella and whispered, ├óÔé¼┼ôHelp them. Help them with everything you have├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôYes mam├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella bowed slightly. Helena rolled out of the room. Teresa stood slowly, blinking as she did so. Her mother...
├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to move on├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought Helena might have given us a information a bit more relevent├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was worth anything to come here...she knew my mother├óÔé¼┬Ø
She looked back at the pictures, wondering if her mother...or her father was hidden in one of them.
├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to move on├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa tore herself away from the pictures and followed Miles, who followed Marsiella. They moved into the back alleyways again. Marsiella stopped at the manhole they had emerged from a few minuets ago.
She sighed, slumping her shoulders, ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry about that. Normally Helena has lots of useful information...I have no idea why-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, ├óÔé¼┼ôLets just get to where we have to go next├óÔé¼┬Ø
After another smelly slog through the sewers, Miles, Teresa and Marsiella arrived at their destination. It was near the outskirts of the city, a collection of short huts.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the home that the CCHS would love to torch. But they don't know where it is...yet. We might need to move it soon, but for now it's...home├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, opening the door into the front hut, a pit of blackness that neither Miles or Teresa could see through.
There was a click of a gun.
├óÔé¼┼ôIdentification, please├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice hissed.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's Marsiella, Grits...open up├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said. The gun lowered and the lights inside the hut came on, showing a man wrapped in a long red trench coat, wearing a huge hat. He looked ridiculous, or would have, if it hadn't been for the huge gun he held.
├óÔé¼┼ôCome in├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd see the last remains of the proud Vampire Clans├óÔé¼┬Ø
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Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
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Archangel of Death
- Posts: 854
- Joined: 28 Jan 2005, 18:15
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Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
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Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
Myyysteeerious!
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd this is your rooms├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella sighed, gesturing to the door.
├óÔé¼┼ôRoom├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles corrected her.
├óÔé¼┼ôListen, buddy, we're tight on space and tight on time. Both of you sleep and be ready for hell tomorrow├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat a nice upbeat attitude you have├óÔé¼┬Ø
Marsiella sighed, closing her eyes, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt comes from living here...what do you know about us?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNot much├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said. Teresa walked past him, rolling her eyes. She set her bag down and plopped onto the bed. Miles ignored her, looking at Marsiella, ├óÔé¼┼ôAll we know is that you've been feeding the US information├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell it's that or work with the glorious Primer Amadeus, the man who all but exterminated us after we helped him with his idiotic revolution├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're all thats left of twelve clans of Vampires, with three Dukes left amongst us...now get some sleep.├óÔé¼┬Ø She glanced at Teresa, who was staring at the celling, humming softly, ├óÔé¼┼ôOr at least spend the evening laying down├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said absentmindedly, walking into the room.
Teresa looked at the celling, humming softly. The ancient woman had said she looked like her mother. Teresa wondered if Helena got some kind of sick pleasure from dangling that kind of a carrot in front of her.
Thinking of her mother, whoever she might have been, made Teresa think of the orphanage. Those thoughts, thankfully, were disturbed by the door closing. She blinked, looking at Miles as he stepped into the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's going to be a long day tomm-├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa pushed him into the door, lips pressing against his. Miles backed into the door, a faint thought of asking Teresa if she thought this was a good idea. Her weight bore him down till he was sitting on the floor. Teresa moved back onto her knees and unbuttoned her shirt. Miles decided to keep his mouth shut.
-----------
├óÔé¼┼ôSo...there's been another incident├óÔé¼┬Ø Ms. Shushuki said, her voice crackling over the phone. The Headmaster hadn't remembered falling asleep, though there was a small puddle of drool on his desk.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's Teresa again├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Headmaster rubbed his eyes, groaning. That was exactly what he needed
├óÔé¼┼ôWho was it this time?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôTom├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...show them in├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSir...it's more serious then that├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Headmaster paused, a sinking feeling in his stomach. More serious? With Teresa?
├óÔé¼┼ôHow serious?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHe'll survive...I think├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa sat in front of the Headmaster's desk. She wore the school uniform, her shoulder's hunched and her hair falling over her eyes, shading her face. Her lips were turned in a perpetual frown...a very strange expression for a nine year old.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo...Teresa├óÔé¼┬Ø The Headmaster said, putting a genial smile on, ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me what happened├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa was silent.
The Headmaster waited, looking at Teresa. She stayed silent.
├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa,├óÔé¼┬Ø the Headmaster said, standing and picking up his half empty coffee cup and sipping the cool gunk that was stuck in the bottom, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to find a way to work out the differences between you and Tom├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa was silent.
The Headmaster kneeled next to her, smiling faintly.
├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ├óÔé¼┼ôSometimes it helps to talk about these things├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa looked at him, her eyes faintly visible by a sheen of tears that reflected the lights in the room despite the shadow cast by her bangs. There was something...disturbing in those eyes.
├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want to talk,├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, her voice soft.
------------
Teresa looked at the projection with a mixture of shock and dismay, still trying to shake off the dream she had last night.
├óÔé¼┼ôThats your plan?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, looking at the assorted vampires that were lurking in the shadowed parts of the room, shying away from the dim Golgothan sunlight that filtered through the windows. Miles still didn't look quite awake, leaning against the far wall as he rubbed his eyes.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella snapped, ├óÔé¼┼ôThats the plan├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa closed her mouth, shoulders slumping as she backed against the nearest wall. The projection turned off as the vampire in the gigantic red hat stepped forward.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll only be able to give you limited supplies and assistance├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, ├óÔé¼┼ôAny more and Commander Amadeus will notice and then we all die. So if you don't like it, shove off├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI think we'd only be able to fit one other person in there├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles muttered, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd maybe a weapon for each├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAny volunteers?├óÔé¼┬Ø The vampire in the red hat looked around the room. No one raised their hands. Then Marsiella stepped forward, her red eyes glinting as the sunlight fell over her. She hunched slightly, her robeish clothing shading her slightly.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'll do it,├óÔé¼┬Ø She snapped, as if anyone would object.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø The vampire in the red hat said, ├óÔé¼┼ôLet's get this ready├óÔé¼┬Ø
The vampires started to get to work, flitting about the room with inhuman agility and grace. Soon Teresa, Miles and Marsiella were alone in the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôYou two go first. I have to take the long rout├óÔé¼┬Ø
She turned and walked out of the room, whistling softly. The door closed with a soft clink and she was gone. Miles looked at Teresa, who stared at the projector. She shook her head.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou know, it's not that bad of a plan├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said. Teresa blinked, looking at him.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI said.├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles smiled as he walked to her. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat it's not that bad of a plan├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOh...right...that,├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI was just...thinking of Tom├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWho's Tom?├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles asked, smiling as he pinned Teresa with his two arms, ├óÔé¼┼ôShould I be jealous?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, looking away before he kissed her, ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's dead├óÔé¼┬Ø
----------
Lucy and Cyi was gone, over twenty light years away, so Stevenson was in charge. And it felt good. He put his feet up on Lucy's desk, sighing as he put his hands behind his neck.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir.├óÔé¼┬Ø His desk crackled, John's voice piped through from the cargo hold. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou might want to get down here├óÔé¼┬Ø
Stevenson arrived in the cargo hold, the door closing behind him with a soft swish. He looked around and saw that the new cargo pods had arrived, as per usual, and that the Confederate doctor had left. Other than that he didn't see anything out of the ordinary.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you call me down for?├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson asked, looking at John and the three other Deamonhunters that were there. They each held their assault rifle, each ready to open fire...but on what?
├óÔé¼┼ôWe detected life forms in there├óÔé¼┬Ø John said, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd a conspicuous lack of metallic objects. I don't think our cargo is in there at all├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood call├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said, ├óÔé¼┼ôOpen it, but be ready for-├óÔé¼┬Ø
The cargo pod in question burst open, the bolts keeping it close suddenly exploding open. Smoke boiled into the room. Stevenson ignored it, his eyes adjusting slightly, trying to see through the-
A form smashed into his front. Stevenson was bowled over, but he pushed with his arms and something flew off him. John and the three other Deamonhunters opened fire. The form reared up, snarling as bullets tore through its body. One hit something vital and it dropped.
Stevenson felt his chest, where claws had raked his body, tearing long gouges in the shirt.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked, looking at the corpse. It was four legged and furry, it's face a long muzzle, and two faceted eyes that glinted softly. It also had long, greenish claws that stuck from it's hands.
├óÔé¼┼ôA bug-bear├óÔé¼┬Ø John said, ├óÔé¼┼ôHow the hell did it-├óÔé¼┬Ø
Gun shots rang out. John pitched forward, spinning as bullets tore through his back. He fell and rolled onto his back, gasping in pain. Stevenson turned before his arm detached. Blood gushed and he saw a glimmering monofilament wish through the air before bullets smashed into his chest. A new sounds started up, the deeper sound of a high caliber machine gun. The two Deamonhunters that stayed on their feet fell, blood soaking their clothes.
Stevenson looked up, his body switching into energy conversation mode, trying to keep him alive. There were warnings going off all over the ship, the back up crew would be warned. Stevenson pushed himself up on one arm, teeth gritting in pain. He saw two women, one with a monofilament glove and the other with a large machine gun. A man was behind them, holding a assault rifle that smoked. They ran out of the room, vanishing through the door. Stevenson collapsed back onto the ground and looked at the celling. He blacked out.
Miles ran down the hallway, his heart hammering in his chest. It had been so long sense he had been in the thick of it. Teresa had her monofilament glove ready. It was a good move, as two men around the corner, holding pistols. They wore CCHS uniforms and looked nervous as all hell, so Miles made a leap that they weren't borg. Marsiella stepped in front of him, blocking his line of fire, and cut them down with her machine gun, a savage grin on her face.
They rounded a corner and found a door with a skull and crossbones traced over it.
Miles looked at Marsiella, hoping this was where they needed to go. She nodded. Teresa turned around, pulling her Vindicator pistol out, ready to cover the three hallways that lead to the door. Miles pressed the open button on the door, hoping, praying, that it would work.
It did! The door slid open.
And no one was in there.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles asked, stepping into the room. Then a form landed on his back, bearing him to the ground. A hand clenched around his throat, squeezing the air out of his lungs. Miles gasped, trying to throw the weight off of him.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhoa! Whoa! Chess! It's us!├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, pulling Chess off Miles. She struggled like a woman possessed, her arms straining against Teresa's hold. Chess strained, trying to break out of the hold. Then she relented, looking around.
├óÔé¼┼ôMiles?├óÔé¼┬Ø she croaked, ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to go├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella hissed, looking around. Footsteps were approaching, lots and lots of footsteps.
├óÔé¼┼ôGet this coller off me!├óÔé¼┬Ø Chess gasped. Miles winced, seeing the line of blood where the cruel looking coller cut her throat slightly. He started probing it, trying to find a release catch on the thing.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to go...now!├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella hissed.
Ten men ran around the leftmost corner, heading straight for the cell block. Bullets started to twang off and around the door. Marsiella opened up with her machine gun, shell casings flying from the ejection port. Then a bullet caught her in the shoulder. Vampire or not, no one could ignore the wound that was torn there. Marsiella grimaced, her face a mask of pain.
├óÔé¼┼ôDie, bastards├óÔé¼┬Ø She hissed, stepping completely out of cover and advancing on the enemy. Marsiella's last thought was of her brother. Miles turned away before the bullets tore her apart, sending her quite dead body to the ground.
He ducked back into the cell as Teresa looked around the coller.
├óÔé¼┼ôI have to get this thing off!├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa snapped, looking at Miles, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I don't think it has a release catch├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt doesn't├óÔé¼┬Ø A man shouted. The bullets had stopped landing around the cell.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho are we talking too?├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles asked, glad they had stopped firing at least.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe Deamonhunter that you shot multiple times├óÔé¼┬Ø John said. He was leaning against the wall, blood seeping into his clothes. His body could take it, shoved with so more implants than most people had hair, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd please, step out of the cell. You will not be harmed├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles shouted, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe came to rescue Chess and rescue Chess we-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôChess?├óÔé¼┬Ø John asked, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's a daemon, as in...not human├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôShe's a person!├óÔé¼┬Ø
John looked over his shoulder at the two other Deamonhunters who had gotten through the ambush with limited damage. They were not ship shape, but at least they could walk...and shoot. They each bore a look of resignation mixed with sadness. No one liked these kinds of cases, the ones where a human was actually protecting a daemon.
John stepped forward. One of the CCHS troops looked at him, trying to decide whether to stop him or not. John was glad that he didn't, because blood loss always made him cranky.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe coller can only be realized by the ship computer├óÔé¼┬Ø John said, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd that's never going to happen, not unless you want to kill everyone on the ship...so why don't you just surrender. It was a good plan...just not-├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa sighed, stepping out of the cell for a moment and shooting John in the head. The bullet ricocheted off his armored skull and John fell over, his head ringing. Teresa then hurled a gas grenade that she had clipped to her belt at the enemy. The corridor filled with smoke and she hauled Chess and Miles out. They dashed down the corridor.
A rifle started up, bullets ripping through the smoke that filled the corridor. Miles, Chess and Teresa ducked around the corner, trying to remember their map. The shuttle bay was somewhere around here...
Three soldiers came around the corner, firing. Miles fired back as best he could still running. A bullet hit Chess, who simply ignored it.
A bullet hit Teresa. She fell, suddenly limp, falling into Miles' hands.
├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles hissed, looking at the soldiers who advanced.
├óÔé¼┼ôSurrender!├óÔé¼┬Ø One of them shouted, ├óÔé¼┼ôRaise your hands!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Miles kept his hands on Teresa. She wasn't breathing. Shit!
The Deamonhunter that Teresa had shot came around the corner, a dent in his skull.
├óÔé¼┼ôSurrender├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, feeling his head gingerly, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we can make sure the girl lives├óÔé¼┬Ø
Miles raised his hands, slowly. The man looked like he should be dead, the blood making his white shirt red, the dent making his head look almost comical.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow put him in the cell├óÔé¼┬Ø John said, ├óÔé¼┼ôBefore I black out├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd this is your rooms├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella sighed, gesturing to the door.
├óÔé¼┼ôRoom├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles corrected her.
├óÔé¼┼ôListen, buddy, we're tight on space and tight on time. Both of you sleep and be ready for hell tomorrow├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat a nice upbeat attitude you have├óÔé¼┬Ø
Marsiella sighed, closing her eyes, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt comes from living here...what do you know about us?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNot much├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said. Teresa walked past him, rolling her eyes. She set her bag down and plopped onto the bed. Miles ignored her, looking at Marsiella, ├óÔé¼┼ôAll we know is that you've been feeding the US information├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell it's that or work with the glorious Primer Amadeus, the man who all but exterminated us after we helped him with his idiotic revolution├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're all thats left of twelve clans of Vampires, with three Dukes left amongst us...now get some sleep.├óÔé¼┬Ø She glanced at Teresa, who was staring at the celling, humming softly, ├óÔé¼┼ôOr at least spend the evening laying down├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said absentmindedly, walking into the room.
Teresa looked at the celling, humming softly. The ancient woman had said she looked like her mother. Teresa wondered if Helena got some kind of sick pleasure from dangling that kind of a carrot in front of her.
Thinking of her mother, whoever she might have been, made Teresa think of the orphanage. Those thoughts, thankfully, were disturbed by the door closing. She blinked, looking at Miles as he stepped into the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he sighed, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's going to be a long day tomm-├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa pushed him into the door, lips pressing against his. Miles backed into the door, a faint thought of asking Teresa if she thought this was a good idea. Her weight bore him down till he was sitting on the floor. Teresa moved back onto her knees and unbuttoned her shirt. Miles decided to keep his mouth shut.
-----------
├óÔé¼┼ôSo...there's been another incident├óÔé¼┬Ø Ms. Shushuki said, her voice crackling over the phone. The Headmaster hadn't remembered falling asleep, though there was a small puddle of drool on his desk.
├óÔé¼┼ôIt's Teresa again├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Headmaster rubbed his eyes, groaning. That was exactly what he needed
├óÔé¼┼ôWho was it this time?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôTom├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWell...show them in├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôSir...it's more serious then that├óÔé¼┬Ø
The Headmaster paused, a sinking feeling in his stomach. More serious? With Teresa?
├óÔé¼┼ôHow serious?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôHe'll survive...I think├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa sat in front of the Headmaster's desk. She wore the school uniform, her shoulder's hunched and her hair falling over her eyes, shading her face. Her lips were turned in a perpetual frown...a very strange expression for a nine year old.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo...Teresa├óÔé¼┬Ø The Headmaster said, putting a genial smile on, ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me what happened├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa was silent.
The Headmaster waited, looking at Teresa. She stayed silent.
├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa,├óÔé¼┬Ø the Headmaster said, standing and picking up his half empty coffee cup and sipping the cool gunk that was stuck in the bottom, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to find a way to work out the differences between you and Tom├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa was silent.
The Headmaster kneeled next to her, smiling faintly.
├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, ├óÔé¼┼ôSometimes it helps to talk about these things├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa looked at him, her eyes faintly visible by a sheen of tears that reflected the lights in the room despite the shadow cast by her bangs. There was something...disturbing in those eyes.
├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want to talk,├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, her voice soft.
------------
Teresa looked at the projection with a mixture of shock and dismay, still trying to shake off the dream she had last night.
├óÔé¼┼ôThats your plan?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, looking at the assorted vampires that were lurking in the shadowed parts of the room, shying away from the dim Golgothan sunlight that filtered through the windows. Miles still didn't look quite awake, leaning against the far wall as he rubbed his eyes.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella snapped, ├óÔé¼┼ôThats the plan├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa closed her mouth, shoulders slumping as she backed against the nearest wall. The projection turned off as the vampire in the gigantic red hat stepped forward.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll only be able to give you limited supplies and assistance├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, ├óÔé¼┼ôAny more and Commander Amadeus will notice and then we all die. So if you don't like it, shove off├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI think we'd only be able to fit one other person in there├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles muttered, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd maybe a weapon for each├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôAny volunteers?├óÔé¼┬Ø The vampire in the red hat looked around the room. No one raised their hands. Then Marsiella stepped forward, her red eyes glinting as the sunlight fell over her. She hunched slightly, her robeish clothing shading her slightly.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'll do it,├óÔé¼┬Ø She snapped, as if anyone would object.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø The vampire in the red hat said, ├óÔé¼┼ôLet's get this ready├óÔé¼┬Ø
The vampires started to get to work, flitting about the room with inhuman agility and grace. Soon Teresa, Miles and Marsiella were alone in the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella said, ├óÔé¼┼ôYou two go first. I have to take the long rout├óÔé¼┬Ø
She turned and walked out of the room, whistling softly. The door closed with a soft clink and she was gone. Miles looked at Teresa, who stared at the projector. She shook her head.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou know, it's not that bad of a plan├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said. Teresa blinked, looking at him.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôI said.├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles smiled as he walked to her. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat it's not that bad of a plan├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôOh...right...that,├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, ├óÔé¼┼ôI was just...thinking of Tom├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWho's Tom?├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles asked, smiling as he pinned Teresa with his two arms, ├óÔé¼┼ôShould I be jealous?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, looking away before he kissed her, ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's dead├óÔé¼┬Ø
----------
Lucy and Cyi was gone, over twenty light years away, so Stevenson was in charge. And it felt good. He put his feet up on Lucy's desk, sighing as he put his hands behind his neck.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir.├óÔé¼┬Ø His desk crackled, John's voice piped through from the cargo hold. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou might want to get down here├óÔé¼┬Ø
Stevenson arrived in the cargo hold, the door closing behind him with a soft swish. He looked around and saw that the new cargo pods had arrived, as per usual, and that the Confederate doctor had left. Other than that he didn't see anything out of the ordinary.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you call me down for?├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson asked, looking at John and the three other Deamonhunters that were there. They each held their assault rifle, each ready to open fire...but on what?
├óÔé¼┼ôWe detected life forms in there├óÔé¼┬Ø John said, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd a conspicuous lack of metallic objects. I don't think our cargo is in there at all├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôGood call├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said, ├óÔé¼┼ôOpen it, but be ready for-├óÔé¼┬Ø
The cargo pod in question burst open, the bolts keeping it close suddenly exploding open. Smoke boiled into the room. Stevenson ignored it, his eyes adjusting slightly, trying to see through the-
A form smashed into his front. Stevenson was bowled over, but he pushed with his arms and something flew off him. John and the three other Deamonhunters opened fire. The form reared up, snarling as bullets tore through its body. One hit something vital and it dropped.
Stevenson felt his chest, where claws had raked his body, tearing long gouges in the shirt.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked, looking at the corpse. It was four legged and furry, it's face a long muzzle, and two faceted eyes that glinted softly. It also had long, greenish claws that stuck from it's hands.
├óÔé¼┼ôA bug-bear├óÔé¼┬Ø John said, ├óÔé¼┼ôHow the hell did it-├óÔé¼┬Ø
Gun shots rang out. John pitched forward, spinning as bullets tore through his back. He fell and rolled onto his back, gasping in pain. Stevenson turned before his arm detached. Blood gushed and he saw a glimmering monofilament wish through the air before bullets smashed into his chest. A new sounds started up, the deeper sound of a high caliber machine gun. The two Deamonhunters that stayed on their feet fell, blood soaking their clothes.
Stevenson looked up, his body switching into energy conversation mode, trying to keep him alive. There were warnings going off all over the ship, the back up crew would be warned. Stevenson pushed himself up on one arm, teeth gritting in pain. He saw two women, one with a monofilament glove and the other with a large machine gun. A man was behind them, holding a assault rifle that smoked. They ran out of the room, vanishing through the door. Stevenson collapsed back onto the ground and looked at the celling. He blacked out.
Miles ran down the hallway, his heart hammering in his chest. It had been so long sense he had been in the thick of it. Teresa had her monofilament glove ready. It was a good move, as two men around the corner, holding pistols. They wore CCHS uniforms and looked nervous as all hell, so Miles made a leap that they weren't borg. Marsiella stepped in front of him, blocking his line of fire, and cut them down with her machine gun, a savage grin on her face.
They rounded a corner and found a door with a skull and crossbones traced over it.
Miles looked at Marsiella, hoping this was where they needed to go. She nodded. Teresa turned around, pulling her Vindicator pistol out, ready to cover the three hallways that lead to the door. Miles pressed the open button on the door, hoping, praying, that it would work.
It did! The door slid open.
And no one was in there.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles asked, stepping into the room. Then a form landed on his back, bearing him to the ground. A hand clenched around his throat, squeezing the air out of his lungs. Miles gasped, trying to throw the weight off of him.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhoa! Whoa! Chess! It's us!├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa said, pulling Chess off Miles. She struggled like a woman possessed, her arms straining against Teresa's hold. Chess strained, trying to break out of the hold. Then she relented, looking around.
├óÔé¼┼ôMiles?├óÔé¼┬Ø she croaked, ├óÔé¼┼ôTeresa?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to go├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella hissed, looking around. Footsteps were approaching, lots and lots of footsteps.
├óÔé¼┼ôGet this coller off me!├óÔé¼┬Ø Chess gasped. Miles winced, seeing the line of blood where the cruel looking coller cut her throat slightly. He started probing it, trying to find a release catch on the thing.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to go...now!├óÔé¼┬Ø Marsiella hissed.
Ten men ran around the leftmost corner, heading straight for the cell block. Bullets started to twang off and around the door. Marsiella opened up with her machine gun, shell casings flying from the ejection port. Then a bullet caught her in the shoulder. Vampire or not, no one could ignore the wound that was torn there. Marsiella grimaced, her face a mask of pain.
├óÔé¼┼ôDie, bastards├óÔé¼┬Ø She hissed, stepping completely out of cover and advancing on the enemy. Marsiella's last thought was of her brother. Miles turned away before the bullets tore her apart, sending her quite dead body to the ground.
He ducked back into the cell as Teresa looked around the coller.
├óÔé¼┼ôI have to get this thing off!├óÔé¼┬Ø Teresa snapped, looking at Miles, ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I don't think it has a release catch├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôIt doesn't├óÔé¼┬Ø A man shouted. The bullets had stopped landing around the cell.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho are we talking too?├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles asked, glad they had stopped firing at least.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe Deamonhunter that you shot multiple times├óÔé¼┬Ø John said. He was leaning against the wall, blood seeping into his clothes. His body could take it, shoved with so more implants than most people had hair, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd please, step out of the cell. You will not be harmed├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles shouted, ├óÔé¼┼ôWe came to rescue Chess and rescue Chess we-├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôChess?├óÔé¼┬Ø John asked, ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's a daemon, as in...not human├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôShe's a person!├óÔé¼┬Ø
John looked over his shoulder at the two other Deamonhunters who had gotten through the ambush with limited damage. They were not ship shape, but at least they could walk...and shoot. They each bore a look of resignation mixed with sadness. No one liked these kinds of cases, the ones where a human was actually protecting a daemon.
John stepped forward. One of the CCHS troops looked at him, trying to decide whether to stop him or not. John was glad that he didn't, because blood loss always made him cranky.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe coller can only be realized by the ship computer├óÔé¼┬Ø John said, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd that's never going to happen, not unless you want to kill everyone on the ship...so why don't you just surrender. It was a good plan...just not-├óÔé¼┬Ø
Teresa sighed, stepping out of the cell for a moment and shooting John in the head. The bullet ricocheted off his armored skull and John fell over, his head ringing. Teresa then hurled a gas grenade that she had clipped to her belt at the enemy. The corridor filled with smoke and she hauled Chess and Miles out. They dashed down the corridor.
A rifle started up, bullets ripping through the smoke that filled the corridor. Miles, Chess and Teresa ducked around the corner, trying to remember their map. The shuttle bay was somewhere around here...
Three soldiers came around the corner, firing. Miles fired back as best he could still running. A bullet hit Chess, who simply ignored it.
A bullet hit Teresa. She fell, suddenly limp, falling into Miles' hands.
├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles hissed, looking at the soldiers who advanced.
├óÔé¼┼ôSurrender!├óÔé¼┬Ø One of them shouted, ├óÔé¼┼ôRaise your hands!├óÔé¼┬Ø
Miles kept his hands on Teresa. She wasn't breathing. Shit!
The Deamonhunter that Teresa had shot came around the corner, a dent in his skull.
├óÔé¼┼ôSurrender├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, feeling his head gingerly, ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we can make sure the girl lives├óÔé¼┬Ø
Miles raised his hands, slowly. The man looked like he should be dead, the blood making his white shirt red, the dent making his head look almost comical.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow put him in the cell├óÔé¼┬Ø John said, ├óÔé¼┼ôBefore I black out├óÔé¼┬Ø