Read this:
Everyone is going to die. Some of old age, yes, but in the end EVERYONE WILL DIE!
Darkside: Extermination
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Archangel of Death
- Posts: 854
- Joined: 28 Jan 2005, 18:15
i consider them to be clones. A clone is not you. You are not your clone. If i kill you but leave a clone, you are dead, but your clone is not. Transendies have their brain scanned, then the info programmed into their minds. Therefore, they are clones of you with robot brains. So their "Soul" died ages ago.
This is the end of the second 'season' (If this were a T.V show). So expect something so huge, so mind blowing, so completely 'fall out of chair able' that it will cause some of you to leave in disgust, thats how great it is!
It's so good that, yes, you will probably hate me for the rest of your life.
Lets see what happens.
Also, Kixxi, do you think that Lizzy has no soul? That Mike has no soul? How mean. Then again so do a worrying large amount of people in the actuall story. I mean it's not very popular to be a brain core, now adays. Not after they...you know...started WWIV.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is your captain speaking. I believe we are retaking the ship├óÔé¼┬Ø. The sound bounced off the hallways. There was some sporadic gun fire, but the Agamemnon's crew was bushed. They had no leader, no orders so to speak of, and no marines. The marines, the fifty or so that weren't on the failed mission to take the Agamemnon, were each trained and ready for exactly this kind of tooth and nail fighting that was now occurring. They were also royally pissed off over their repeated defeats, huge casualties and their moral skyrocketed as soon as the battle began. They were hitting back, and it was as easy as cutting through butter.
Keller was in his own office, finally, and was looking at a computerized map of both ships. Red areas were where the enemy were. Green blips were where each of the marines located. Several of them were wounded, but none dead. Then an entire area flashed out of existence. Then it came back on, green. Keller smiled. That meant at least ten or so enemy crew members had just given up and a marine had sent a signal to the computer, flagging that room as clear. Keller heard the door open and Sarris walked into the room, battered, a little dirty and with a slight graze on one of her arms, but other wise smiling and happy.
├óÔé¼┼ôHow is it from the front?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOur troops have been putting the hurt into the enemy crew├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut more importantly we've gotten fifty three defectors to our side. They saw that the ship was going down and just went over to our side. We've been broadcasting that their captain has been dead for several hours. I thought that would have made them fight harder, but it actually seems to have broken their spirits├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, sitting down at his desk ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause I've been thinking about that recording├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe black orb├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it was a screamer├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris's eyes snapped to full alertness. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you sure!├óÔé¼┬Ø She demanded, leaning over the desk. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôI asked the ship's computer, now that it's not being controlled by the Agamemnon's computer net, to run a scan and it's detected four of those things implanted through the ship├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Sarris gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy haven't we gone zombie?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI had a technician take on apart. Apparently they operate on a completely different physiology as humans. They are completely useless against us├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris sighed explosively, relaxing as quickly as she had tensed up. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I have no idea what they are for├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôOther then, perhaps, to control the Target that Joseph was so interested in. Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI remember you telling me about her├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut she's human, isn't she?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI really...don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said.
Eve slumped forward, out like a light. As if she were dead as a matter of fact. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered. Then there was a howl and another S-02 beast charged into the room, swinging its arms like cudgels. Mankowski dropped the screamer, reaching for his gun. Mike shoved him out of the way, grabbed the orb and then yanked the first knob to its third position. Eve twitched convulsively and stood up. The S-02 creature ran at her. Then it dissolved in mid air, flying apart at the seams. Then the black grit itself dissipated, flying into nothingness. Eve clutched her head ├óÔé¼┼ôOw├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. It sounded like an understatement. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo time├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôTo the motor pool├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed down the hall. They all set of at a run, though Eve looked more like a stagger.
More S-02 beasts chased them, but they were shying back, not wanting to get to close. Lizzy fired a pot shot at one, but even that didn't gode it into attacking. Then they ran out into the open air and saw something that warranted a quick inspection. A horde of S-02 was swarming, still wavering between charging at the small group and staying away from Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't stop them all├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said softly. Mike backed up slowly, pushing Eve behind himself as if to protect her. The motor pool, a collection of a single jeep and the two remaining tanks, was behind them. But no one wanted to turn away from the massive swarm of S-02.
Eve licked her lips, looking around. Then her back stiffened slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôOn my mark├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôRun to the jeep and drive├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Mike gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôHelena!├óÔé¼┬Ø he hissed ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to go back for her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey only chase one's that can run├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't just leave her here├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, looking at Eve. Eve shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôShe will be more likely to live if we don't go near her├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to draw them away from Helena, then come back├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike opened his mouth to argue. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know how these things...think, if thats how you can describe it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike's face spasmed, running through several different emotions. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, laying a hand on his shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will come back for Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMark!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve shouted. They all ran. Except Eve ran towards the S-02. Mike didn't have time to think, he just ran. He got into the backseat of the Jeep, were a large sixty cal machine gun was placed. Lizzy and Sarge got in the front, Lizzy readying her pistol. Sarge gunned the engine. Then Mike spared a glance to Eve. What he saw, at first, was horrifying. Eve was in the center of the black hoards, struggling at the monstrous shapes around her. Then.
Then Eve jumped, high, impossibly high. She was above the S-02 and for a dizzying moment the sun was behind her, causing her to look like. Like an Angle. Then she snapped her arms out and two blades came out, snapping out on joints hidden on her wrists. Then Eve fell back to earth, hair whipping as she did so. She landed, knee's bent. Then she spun around, blades cutting through the S-02. Black grit sprayed, forms were flayed in half and fell, squirming. Eve was a spinning whirlwind, running, jumping, kicking, slashing. It looked almost choreographed, a single ballet dancer in the middle of a boiling river. Then she landed on her toe's, blades flashing out, sending more limbs scattering.
├óÔé¼┼ôFire├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. Mike looked at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôFIRE!├óÔé¼┬Ø She shouted. Mike hauled the machine gun around and let lose, leaning back on the trigger. Bullets sprayed out of the three barrels and the sound was truly tremendous. Mike let a whoop, seeing S-02 beasts falling as he laid into them with high caliber rounds. Eve danced around his rounds with such grace that Mike wasn't even worried about hitting her. Then she started to strike with her mind. It was only visible because of the rain. Ripping distortions in the rain drops, spheres and planes, snakes and invisible hands, all of them boiling through the air like angry phantoms.
Black grit flew and disintegrated before it hit the ground. Then a sphere of rain shot outwards, creating a solid area where it looked like water was disobeying gravity and inertia and standing perfectly still. Then it sloughed off, falling to the ground in a pattering hail. Then the sphere vanished. And Eve was sitting in the center of the a suddenly clear muddy area. She was kneeling, head down. Blades unextended. Eve slowly stood up as the rain slowly stopped. The clouds were clearing. Eve shook herself, slowly cricking her neck. Then she looked at the jeep.
Mike relaxed his trigger finger. The gun stopped spinning, raindrops sizzling on its barrels. The entire case of ammo was spent. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can get Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked over to the jeep, smiling at them. Everyone was slack jawed, staring at her in disbelief. Eve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was...├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIncredible├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike felt uncomfortable. He had always thought power corrupted. And Eve had power. Then the more pressing concern of Helena came to his mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, jumping off the jeep. He and Eve ran to the building.
Eve had been right. Helena was completely undisturbed, still in what amounted to a coma. Her condition was slowly deteriorating, from what Mike and Sarge could tell. Eve was watching them as they checked Helena over, changing some bandages and trying to trickle what little water they had down her throat. Lizzy was staring at Eve, still awed by what she had seen. Then Eve walked over to the commandeered table and looked down at Helena. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I can help├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Mike normally would have asked her if she had any medication. But after the battle he knew that Eve actually meant that she could help. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou could try├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve reached her hand over Helena's chest, where she had been wounded.
Then she stood there. After a moment Mike felt a little disappointed. Then he noticed that Helena was breathing easily again. After a moment she blinked and sat up. ├óÔé¼┼ôHelena!├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're okay!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena stood up suddenly, saying something incoherent. Then her hands went to her head and she wavered. ├óÔé¼┼ôOw├óÔé¼┬Ø She moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôMy head!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She sat down on the table. Then she looked around frantically, ignoring the pain ├óÔé¼┼ôTipp!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is she! Is she okay├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she saw the expression on everyone's faces.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she breathed. Mike's mouth opened to say something. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, louder this time. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo. No. No. NO!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She cupped her face in her hands, a racking sob causing her entire body to shudder. It was a sound of someone in more pain then they could bear. Mike placed a hand on her shoulder, not sure if he could really say anything to make it better. There was silence in the room, other then Helena's sobs. Even the rain was gone. Sunlight was streaming through the clouds, bright and happy. It was a bit of natures cruelty. The sunlight didn't care about what the people in the room were feeling. Then they all heard a scuffing sound. Mike looked up. The little boy was slipping out from behind a book shelf. He had snuck back there and had been hiding from the S-02.
He walked over to Helena and put his hand on her shoulder as well. Helena sobbed again, as if kindness just made it worse. But the boy kept his hand on her shoulder. He didn't try to say anything, unlike Sarge was was actually trying to say something comforting. He was just offering his touch. Mike turned away, walking out of the room. He stood outside, looking at the sky. He heard footsteps behind him. Mike turned half around and saw Lizzy.
She was standing, looking away from him. But she was behind him. Mike looked away from her, not sure what to say. ├óÔé¼┼ôDeath├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's harder to bear when it's someone else who has to bear the pain of it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike grunted ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've seen loved one's killed before my very eyes. I've had my husband shot dead, in...in his favored chair, reading a trashy romance novel├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike heard Lizzy's feet scuff the dirt as she turned. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat makes this so different?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat makes this fucking death so different, so...so much worse?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôTime├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've dealt with the other deaths, or at least numbed the pain. This is fresh, this is new├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lizzy walked to his side. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen this is over├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm taking Eve and we're going to head as far away as we can. With a good synthesizer and some nutrients, you can live in deep space a-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø he turned and looked at Lizzy. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know what├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've been fucked by the Colonial government. They screwed with my mind, they've killed my friends to test their little science experiment├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy's face twisted with sudden anger ├óÔé¼┼ôThat experiment is my fucking daughter├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's...she's not human├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snapped.
There was silence. Lizzy's face was stricken, as if she wasn't sure to cry, shoot him, or shout something. Then Mike's face fell ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm-├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy kissed him. It wasn't exactly the response he expected. Then she broke the kiss, stepping backwards. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou actually meant it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMeant what?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat you were sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, smiling as if it were obvious. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Then he heard a very very low rumble. The door was shaking in it's frame, the knob rattling. Lizzy looked around for the sound. Them Mike's face split in a huge grin.
A trio of shuttles was roaring towards them, flying low over the city. One of them dipped into the promenade that lead to the parliament. It rolled out it's landing gear and screeched to a halt. It was like something out of a crazy, insanely optimistic day dream. Helena and Sarge walked out, Helena leaning on Sarge, more for psychological support then anything else. Then Eve walked out of the door, looking at the shuttles as if she wasn't surprised at all. The little boy, however, stayed inside. Mike stepped in ├óÔé¼┼ôHey, trooper├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôCome out├óÔé¼┬Ø. The boy shook his head, making inarticulate sounds of fear.
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll be fine. These guys are here to help us├óÔé¼┬Ø. He prayed, hoped, and wished that it was true. The boy yielded and they both walked into the light. Soldiers were walking out of the drop ships, guns at the ready. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you the marines?├óÔé¼┬Ø one of them shouted. Mike stepped forward, but Lizzy grabbed his arm ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôAre those men in your uniforms?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey would be├óÔé¼┬Ø Mikes said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf I had a uniform, witch I think went up with my shuttle├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a yes then├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow let go of my arm├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike suggested.
Lizzy did so and he stepped forward. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThank god├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldier said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd here I was thinking we would have to scour the city for you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldiers said ├óÔé¼┼ôCapitan Keller has shown those Agamemnon bastards what for├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, feeling surprised and relived at the same time. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldier said. Then he paused ├óÔé¼┼ôWho's those with you?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked back ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have Sargent Glickson├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike pointed Sarge out ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø his voice died. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about the other marines?├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldier asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWe had a Stevenson...├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôDead├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôHe and July are both dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about a private Mankowski?├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldier asked, still consulting a data slate he had attached to his helmet reader. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's right there├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike pointed to Mankowski. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about those civys?├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldier asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe kid we don't know his name. His tong has been fucking cut off, for gods sake. We can only guess on what had happened to him before we found him. The girl, eighteen is my guess, is named Eve Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø. The soldier suddenly brought his gun up and Mike heard the sound of it whirring up.
The other soldiers did the same, all aiming at Eve. Eve balled up her hands, readying herself for an attack. Lizzy and Mankowski both pulled for guns. Sarge moved Helena to his missing arm and pulled his gun too. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo! Wait!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWait, god damn it!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The marine looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôFor gods sake├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat woman is quite possibly the most dangerous thing on this planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you dare call my daughter a thing!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôDaughter!├óÔé¼┬Ø The marine shouted. Lizzy brought her gun to bear on him ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn straight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
├óÔé¼┼ôCan we all just calm the FUCK DOWN!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted. He grabbed the marines gun and forced it down. The gun discharged. The marines fired, a clattering cacophony of gunfire. Lizzy, Sarge and Mankowski all opened up with their light weapons. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted. Then the marines stopped firing. Then Mike saw what had caused them to stop firing. Eve was standing in front of her mother, eyes flaring. The bullets had stopped halfway to the smallish group. Eve waved her hand and the bullets dropped to the ground, slipping into the mud.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Mikes said ├óÔé¼┼ôEve is friendly. She's not going to kill anyone, she'll come without a fight. She'll even be bound and gagged for Christs sake, as long as we GET THE FUCK OF THIS PLANET!├óÔé¼┬Ø His voice cracked as he shouted, the strain and were of the past few days taking their toll on him. Eve stepped forward ├óÔé¼┼ôI will├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôBe bound by any and all restrictions you would like to place on me├óÔé¼┬Ø she bowed her head, and knelt in the mud ├óÔé¼┼ôJust please, get my mother and my friends off this planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. The marine gulped at her. Then, slowly and uncertainly, he nodded.
├óÔé¼┼ôCapitan Keller!├óÔé¼┬Ø A aides shouted through the door. Keller zipped his fly up, letting Sarris off the wall. She sighed, frustrated. They had finally gotten some time alone together and now. She buttoned up her over shirt, hoping that the problem would be over quickly. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome in├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. The aide walked into the room. If he wondered why the General was there, with half her uniform off and thrown to the floor, he didn't show it. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're getting a tac-con message├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPut it through├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, sounding irritable.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø The aide said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's for...it's for one of the people we picked up of the planet. A woman who has only given the name 'Lizzy'├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller blinked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is this woman?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey won't tell us much. She became very tight lipped after her...her daughter was put in custody├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDaughter?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've only put that...that Eve person in cus...to...dy├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off, staring at his aid. ├óÔé¼┼ôDaughter!├óÔé¼┬Ø He shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats all she would say. Daughter├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôBring this...Lizzy to me├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Lizzy walked into the room. A hard woman, maybe thirty or thirty five, was standing behind the figure she know knew as Capitan Keller. Keller himself looked like a trustworthy, helpful person. Lizzy also noticed that he was in love with the woman behind him. It was pretty obvious from the rumpled cloth's, the lipstick on his face and the half zipped up fly on his pants. He sat down and smiled at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're fly's not zipped up all the way, and you've got lip stick on you're neck. Either that or it's one hell of a hickey├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Keller gulped and whipped up his neck. Then he did his fly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Capitan Keller, and this is General Sarris├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd a mighty fine day to you, too├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, reaching over the desk and grabbing his hand. He shook, smiling at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy have you called me here?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôTwo reasons. The first is about you're...daughter├óÔé¼┬Ø He smiled. Lizzy's face stiffened, anger flashing across it. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's my step daughter├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI adopted her, and thats all there is too it├óÔé¼┬Ø. She put a definite finality on that sentence, so Keller decided to abandon that line of inquiry.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe second thing├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôIs...we're getting a call for you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA call?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôA Tac-con message, to be specific├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôTachyon!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...but...but...who know's I'm alive...out here├óÔé¼┬Ø she changed the sentence in mid word. ├óÔé¼┼ôSomeone├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôFrom the upper brass, by the sound of it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have a wall viewer?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight here├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller gestured to the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf its private, we can leave├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. It was a farce, because they would just replay the recordings. Lizzy must have known that as she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, but you can watch anyway├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller smiled and thumbed a button on the desk.
The wall monitor flickered to life. All that could be seen was a business suit. In the suit was a man. His face was in darkness, as was his shoulders. A cigarette dangled from one of his fingers. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. The figure was silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy looked at Keller ├óÔé¼┼ôis this-├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then the figure sighed slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Lizzy stared at the screen. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬Ø the man started again ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I thought I had worked out what I was going to say years...decades ago├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy stared at the screen, her face blank. The figure stepped forward and light splayed over his face.
Keller and Sarris gasped. The man's eyes were cold steel, blue and heartless. His hair was dirty blond, more brown then anything else. His nose was perfectly normal. Then, below his nose, was just a blank sheet of skin. It was a normal chin, normal cheek's and completely normal ears. But there was just no mouth. Keller had never seen anything like that, even in the most extreme human alteration. Then he heard Lizzy gasp something, her voice chocked with tears. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, stepping backwards. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo. No. No. No. No. No. No├óÔé¼┬Ø she kept backing up with every 'No'. She hit the far side of the wall and slid down it, her face breaking. She started to sob. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's impossible├óÔé¼┬Ø she moaned.
Impossible.
-----------------
Told you.
It's so good that, yes, you will probably hate me for the rest of your life.
Lets see what happens.
Also, Kixxi, do you think that Lizzy has no soul? That Mike has no soul? How mean. Then again so do a worrying large amount of people in the actuall story. I mean it's not very popular to be a brain core, now adays. Not after they...you know...started WWIV.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is your captain speaking. I believe we are retaking the ship├óÔé¼┬Ø. The sound bounced off the hallways. There was some sporadic gun fire, but the Agamemnon's crew was bushed. They had no leader, no orders so to speak of, and no marines. The marines, the fifty or so that weren't on the failed mission to take the Agamemnon, were each trained and ready for exactly this kind of tooth and nail fighting that was now occurring. They were also royally pissed off over their repeated defeats, huge casualties and their moral skyrocketed as soon as the battle began. They were hitting back, and it was as easy as cutting through butter.
Keller was in his own office, finally, and was looking at a computerized map of both ships. Red areas were where the enemy were. Green blips were where each of the marines located. Several of them were wounded, but none dead. Then an entire area flashed out of existence. Then it came back on, green. Keller smiled. That meant at least ten or so enemy crew members had just given up and a marine had sent a signal to the computer, flagging that room as clear. Keller heard the door open and Sarris walked into the room, battered, a little dirty and with a slight graze on one of her arms, but other wise smiling and happy.
├óÔé¼┼ôHow is it from the front?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOur troops have been putting the hurt into the enemy crew├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut more importantly we've gotten fifty three defectors to our side. They saw that the ship was going down and just went over to our side. We've been broadcasting that their captain has been dead for several hours. I thought that would have made them fight harder, but it actually seems to have broken their spirits├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, sitting down at his desk ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause I've been thinking about that recording├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe black orb├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it was a screamer├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris's eyes snapped to full alertness. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you sure!├óÔé¼┬Ø She demanded, leaning over the desk. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôI asked the ship's computer, now that it's not being controlled by the Agamemnon's computer net, to run a scan and it's detected four of those things implanted through the ship├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Sarris gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy haven't we gone zombie?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI had a technician take on apart. Apparently they operate on a completely different physiology as humans. They are completely useless against us├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris sighed explosively, relaxing as quickly as she had tensed up. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I have no idea what they are for├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôOther then, perhaps, to control the Target that Joseph was so interested in. Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI remember you telling me about her├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut she's human, isn't she?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI really...don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said.
Eve slumped forward, out like a light. As if she were dead as a matter of fact. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered. Then there was a howl and another S-02 beast charged into the room, swinging its arms like cudgels. Mankowski dropped the screamer, reaching for his gun. Mike shoved him out of the way, grabbed the orb and then yanked the first knob to its third position. Eve twitched convulsively and stood up. The S-02 creature ran at her. Then it dissolved in mid air, flying apart at the seams. Then the black grit itself dissipated, flying into nothingness. Eve clutched her head ├óÔé¼┼ôOw├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. It sounded like an understatement. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo time├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôTo the motor pool├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed down the hall. They all set of at a run, though Eve looked more like a stagger.
More S-02 beasts chased them, but they were shying back, not wanting to get to close. Lizzy fired a pot shot at one, but even that didn't gode it into attacking. Then they ran out into the open air and saw something that warranted a quick inspection. A horde of S-02 was swarming, still wavering between charging at the small group and staying away from Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't stop them all├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said softly. Mike backed up slowly, pushing Eve behind himself as if to protect her. The motor pool, a collection of a single jeep and the two remaining tanks, was behind them. But no one wanted to turn away from the massive swarm of S-02.
Eve licked her lips, looking around. Then her back stiffened slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôOn my mark├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôRun to the jeep and drive├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Mike gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôHelena!├óÔé¼┬Ø he hissed ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to go back for her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's fine├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey only chase one's that can run├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't just leave her here├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, looking at Eve. Eve shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôShe will be more likely to live if we don't go near her├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have to draw them away from Helena, then come back├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike opened his mouth to argue. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know how these things...think, if thats how you can describe it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike's face spasmed, running through several different emotions. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, laying a hand on his shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will come back for Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMark!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve shouted. They all ran. Except Eve ran towards the S-02. Mike didn't have time to think, he just ran. He got into the backseat of the Jeep, were a large sixty cal machine gun was placed. Lizzy and Sarge got in the front, Lizzy readying her pistol. Sarge gunned the engine. Then Mike spared a glance to Eve. What he saw, at first, was horrifying. Eve was in the center of the black hoards, struggling at the monstrous shapes around her. Then.
Then Eve jumped, high, impossibly high. She was above the S-02 and for a dizzying moment the sun was behind her, causing her to look like. Like an Angle. Then she snapped her arms out and two blades came out, snapping out on joints hidden on her wrists. Then Eve fell back to earth, hair whipping as she did so. She landed, knee's bent. Then she spun around, blades cutting through the S-02. Black grit sprayed, forms were flayed in half and fell, squirming. Eve was a spinning whirlwind, running, jumping, kicking, slashing. It looked almost choreographed, a single ballet dancer in the middle of a boiling river. Then she landed on her toe's, blades flashing out, sending more limbs scattering.
├óÔé¼┼ôFire├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. Mike looked at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôFIRE!├óÔé¼┬Ø She shouted. Mike hauled the machine gun around and let lose, leaning back on the trigger. Bullets sprayed out of the three barrels and the sound was truly tremendous. Mike let a whoop, seeing S-02 beasts falling as he laid into them with high caliber rounds. Eve danced around his rounds with such grace that Mike wasn't even worried about hitting her. Then she started to strike with her mind. It was only visible because of the rain. Ripping distortions in the rain drops, spheres and planes, snakes and invisible hands, all of them boiling through the air like angry phantoms.
Black grit flew and disintegrated before it hit the ground. Then a sphere of rain shot outwards, creating a solid area where it looked like water was disobeying gravity and inertia and standing perfectly still. Then it sloughed off, falling to the ground in a pattering hail. Then the sphere vanished. And Eve was sitting in the center of the a suddenly clear muddy area. She was kneeling, head down. Blades unextended. Eve slowly stood up as the rain slowly stopped. The clouds were clearing. Eve shook herself, slowly cricking her neck. Then she looked at the jeep.
Mike relaxed his trigger finger. The gun stopped spinning, raindrops sizzling on its barrels. The entire case of ammo was spent. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can get Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked over to the jeep, smiling at them. Everyone was slack jawed, staring at her in disbelief. Eve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was...├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIncredible├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike felt uncomfortable. He had always thought power corrupted. And Eve had power. Then the more pressing concern of Helena came to his mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, jumping off the jeep. He and Eve ran to the building.
Eve had been right. Helena was completely undisturbed, still in what amounted to a coma. Her condition was slowly deteriorating, from what Mike and Sarge could tell. Eve was watching them as they checked Helena over, changing some bandages and trying to trickle what little water they had down her throat. Lizzy was staring at Eve, still awed by what she had seen. Then Eve walked over to the commandeered table and looked down at Helena. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I can help├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Mike normally would have asked her if she had any medication. But after the battle he knew that Eve actually meant that she could help. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou could try├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve reached her hand over Helena's chest, where she had been wounded.
Then she stood there. After a moment Mike felt a little disappointed. Then he noticed that Helena was breathing easily again. After a moment she blinked and sat up. ├óÔé¼┼ôHelena!├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're okay!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena stood up suddenly, saying something incoherent. Then her hands went to her head and she wavered. ├óÔé¼┼ôOw├óÔé¼┬Ø She moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôMy head!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She sat down on the table. Then she looked around frantically, ignoring the pain ├óÔé¼┼ôTipp!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is she! Is she okay├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she saw the expression on everyone's faces.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she breathed. Mike's mouth opened to say something. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, louder this time. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo. No. No. NO!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She cupped her face in her hands, a racking sob causing her entire body to shudder. It was a sound of someone in more pain then they could bear. Mike placed a hand on her shoulder, not sure if he could really say anything to make it better. There was silence in the room, other then Helena's sobs. Even the rain was gone. Sunlight was streaming through the clouds, bright and happy. It was a bit of natures cruelty. The sunlight didn't care about what the people in the room were feeling. Then they all heard a scuffing sound. Mike looked up. The little boy was slipping out from behind a book shelf. He had snuck back there and had been hiding from the S-02.
He walked over to Helena and put his hand on her shoulder as well. Helena sobbed again, as if kindness just made it worse. But the boy kept his hand on her shoulder. He didn't try to say anything, unlike Sarge was was actually trying to say something comforting. He was just offering his touch. Mike turned away, walking out of the room. He stood outside, looking at the sky. He heard footsteps behind him. Mike turned half around and saw Lizzy.
She was standing, looking away from him. But she was behind him. Mike looked away from her, not sure what to say. ├óÔé¼┼ôDeath├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's harder to bear when it's someone else who has to bear the pain of it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike grunted ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've seen loved one's killed before my very eyes. I've had my husband shot dead, in...in his favored chair, reading a trashy romance novel├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike heard Lizzy's feet scuff the dirt as she turned. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat makes this so different?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat makes this fucking death so different, so...so much worse?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôTime├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've dealt with the other deaths, or at least numbed the pain. This is fresh, this is new├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lizzy walked to his side. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen this is over├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm taking Eve and we're going to head as far away as we can. With a good synthesizer and some nutrients, you can live in deep space a-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôno├óÔé¼┬Ø he turned and looked at Lizzy. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know what├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've been fucked by the Colonial government. They screwed with my mind, they've killed my friends to test their little science experiment├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy's face twisted with sudden anger ├óÔé¼┼ôThat experiment is my fucking daughter├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's...she's not human├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snapped.
There was silence. Lizzy's face was stricken, as if she wasn't sure to cry, shoot him, or shout something. Then Mike's face fell ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm-├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy kissed him. It wasn't exactly the response he expected. Then she broke the kiss, stepping backwards. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou actually meant it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMeant what?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat you were sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, smiling as if it were obvious. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Then he heard a very very low rumble. The door was shaking in it's frame, the knob rattling. Lizzy looked around for the sound. Them Mike's face split in a huge grin.
A trio of shuttles was roaring towards them, flying low over the city. One of them dipped into the promenade that lead to the parliament. It rolled out it's landing gear and screeched to a halt. It was like something out of a crazy, insanely optimistic day dream. Helena and Sarge walked out, Helena leaning on Sarge, more for psychological support then anything else. Then Eve walked out of the door, looking at the shuttles as if she wasn't surprised at all. The little boy, however, stayed inside. Mike stepped in ├óÔé¼┼ôHey, trooper├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôCome out├óÔé¼┬Ø. The boy shook his head, making inarticulate sounds of fear.
├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll be fine. These guys are here to help us├óÔé¼┬Ø. He prayed, hoped, and wished that it was true. The boy yielded and they both walked into the light. Soldiers were walking out of the drop ships, guns at the ready. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you the marines?├óÔé¼┬Ø one of them shouted. Mike stepped forward, but Lizzy grabbed his arm ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôAre those men in your uniforms?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey would be├óÔé¼┬Ø Mikes said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf I had a uniform, witch I think went up with my shuttle├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a yes then├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow let go of my arm├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike suggested.
Lizzy did so and he stepped forward. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThank god├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldier said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd here I was thinking we would have to scour the city for you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldiers said ├óÔé¼┼ôCapitan Keller has shown those Agamemnon bastards what for├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, feeling surprised and relived at the same time. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldier said. Then he paused ├óÔé¼┼ôWho's those with you?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked back ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have Sargent Glickson├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike pointed Sarge out ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø his voice died. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about the other marines?├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldier asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWe had a Stevenson...├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôDead├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôHe and July are both dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about a private Mankowski?├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldier asked, still consulting a data slate he had attached to his helmet reader. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's right there├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike pointed to Mankowski. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about those civys?├óÔé¼┬Ø The soldier asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe kid we don't know his name. His tong has been fucking cut off, for gods sake. We can only guess on what had happened to him before we found him. The girl, eighteen is my guess, is named Eve Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø. The soldier suddenly brought his gun up and Mike heard the sound of it whirring up.
The other soldiers did the same, all aiming at Eve. Eve balled up her hands, readying herself for an attack. Lizzy and Mankowski both pulled for guns. Sarge moved Helena to his missing arm and pulled his gun too. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo! Wait!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWait, god damn it!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The marine looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôFor gods sake├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat woman is quite possibly the most dangerous thing on this planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you dare call my daughter a thing!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôDaughter!├óÔé¼┬Ø The marine shouted. Lizzy brought her gun to bear on him ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn straight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
├óÔé¼┼ôCan we all just calm the FUCK DOWN!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted. He grabbed the marines gun and forced it down. The gun discharged. The marines fired, a clattering cacophony of gunfire. Lizzy, Sarge and Mankowski all opened up with their light weapons. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted. Then the marines stopped firing. Then Mike saw what had caused them to stop firing. Eve was standing in front of her mother, eyes flaring. The bullets had stopped halfway to the smallish group. Eve waved her hand and the bullets dropped to the ground, slipping into the mud.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Mikes said ├óÔé¼┼ôEve is friendly. She's not going to kill anyone, she'll come without a fight. She'll even be bound and gagged for Christs sake, as long as we GET THE FUCK OF THIS PLANET!├óÔé¼┬Ø His voice cracked as he shouted, the strain and were of the past few days taking their toll on him. Eve stepped forward ├óÔé¼┼ôI will├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôBe bound by any and all restrictions you would like to place on me├óÔé¼┬Ø she bowed her head, and knelt in the mud ├óÔé¼┼ôJust please, get my mother and my friends off this planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. The marine gulped at her. Then, slowly and uncertainly, he nodded.
├óÔé¼┼ôCapitan Keller!├óÔé¼┬Ø A aides shouted through the door. Keller zipped his fly up, letting Sarris off the wall. She sighed, frustrated. They had finally gotten some time alone together and now. She buttoned up her over shirt, hoping that the problem would be over quickly. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome in├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. The aide walked into the room. If he wondered why the General was there, with half her uniform off and thrown to the floor, he didn't show it. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're getting a tac-con message├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPut it through├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, sounding irritable.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø The aide said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's for...it's for one of the people we picked up of the planet. A woman who has only given the name 'Lizzy'├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller blinked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is this woman?├óÔé¼┬Ø He asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey won't tell us much. She became very tight lipped after her...her daughter was put in custody├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDaughter?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've only put that...that Eve person in cus...to...dy├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off, staring at his aid. ├óÔé¼┼ôDaughter!├óÔé¼┬Ø He shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats all she would say. Daughter├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôBring this...Lizzy to me├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.
Lizzy walked into the room. A hard woman, maybe thirty or thirty five, was standing behind the figure she know knew as Capitan Keller. Keller himself looked like a trustworthy, helpful person. Lizzy also noticed that he was in love with the woman behind him. It was pretty obvious from the rumpled cloth's, the lipstick on his face and the half zipped up fly on his pants. He sat down and smiled at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're fly's not zipped up all the way, and you've got lip stick on you're neck. Either that or it's one hell of a hickey├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Keller gulped and whipped up his neck. Then he did his fly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Capitan Keller, and this is General Sarris├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd a mighty fine day to you, too├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, reaching over the desk and grabbing his hand. He shook, smiling at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy have you called me here?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôTwo reasons. The first is about you're...daughter├óÔé¼┬Ø He smiled. Lizzy's face stiffened, anger flashing across it. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's my step daughter├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI adopted her, and thats all there is too it├óÔé¼┬Ø. She put a definite finality on that sentence, so Keller decided to abandon that line of inquiry.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe second thing├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôIs...we're getting a call for you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA call?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôA Tac-con message, to be specific├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôTachyon!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...but...but...who know's I'm alive...out here├óÔé¼┬Ø she changed the sentence in mid word. ├óÔé¼┼ôSomeone├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôFrom the upper brass, by the sound of it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have a wall viewer?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight here├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller gestured to the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf its private, we can leave├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. It was a farce, because they would just replay the recordings. Lizzy must have known that as she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, but you can watch anyway├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller smiled and thumbed a button on the desk.
The wall monitor flickered to life. All that could be seen was a business suit. In the suit was a man. His face was in darkness, as was his shoulders. A cigarette dangled from one of his fingers. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. The figure was silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy looked at Keller ├óÔé¼┼ôis this-├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then the figure sighed slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Lizzy stared at the screen. ├óÔé¼┼ôI├óÔé¼┬Ø the man started again ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I thought I had worked out what I was going to say years...decades ago├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy stared at the screen, her face blank. The figure stepped forward and light splayed over his face.
Keller and Sarris gasped. The man's eyes were cold steel, blue and heartless. His hair was dirty blond, more brown then anything else. His nose was perfectly normal. Then, below his nose, was just a blank sheet of skin. It was a normal chin, normal cheek's and completely normal ears. But there was just no mouth. Keller had never seen anything like that, even in the most extreme human alteration. Then he heard Lizzy gasp something, her voice chocked with tears. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, stepping backwards. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo. No. No. No. No. No. No├óÔé¼┬Ø she kept backing up with every 'No'. She hit the far side of the wall and slid down it, her face breaking. She started to sob. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's impossible├óÔé¼┬Ø she moaned.
Impossible.
-----------------
Told you.
We are now entering out last part of this epic story. Will our character ever make it out of this solar system alive? Will Lizzy, Mike, Helena, Sarge, Mankowski and Eve ever get a break and some measure of happiness?
Only time will tell.
Remember. It gets the darkest before dawn
Part II: Death and Rebirth
Jason had thought Lizzy would either shoot him, swear at him, or kiss him. If he were there, and not stuck over twenty two light years away. He had not expected sobbing, tears and curling up into a small ball. So he was silent, not sure of what to say, or do. Could he? Suddenly every word, every sentence and truth that he had rehearsed for years...decades...hell, slightly less then a century. Now it all seemed completely inadequate and silly. So he was silent, unable to say anything. He saw the two other people in the room look at each other. Then they quietly left. He thanked them, silently, for that. ├óÔé¼┼ôLiz├óÔé¼┬Ø he said softly.
├óÔé¼┼ôGo away├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy sniffled. It was so completely unlike her that Jason was, once again, silent. He tried to start again. Then he stopped. Lizzy stood up, whipping her nose as neatly as possible. ├óÔé¼┼ôLiz├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's Lizzy now├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. They were both silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho the fuck are you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason stiffened, eyes widening ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Jason├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy I-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a fucking impostor├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm a what?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust like the last man who I thought was dead, then turned out to be alive, you're a fucking clone, or look alike, or something├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am the real, one hundred percent ME Jason├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôProve it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôProve to me that you're not just some fake, some actor├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason wished he could smile momentarily. Then he leaned back against the wall behind him. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have that mole, right about you're ass├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you really hate it when I tickled you're armpits. You love, absolutely love doggy style, can't stand missionary and├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop! Stop!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy snapped, brining her hands up. Jason laughed, but she looked angry as hell ├óÔé¼┼ôI can think of ways you could know that, you sick fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Jason sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôRemember when we were on the Enterprise, doing that hellish maintenance work├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy was silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was about the second year in, when we were in the air ducts. We had taken a break, you know the normal breaks we made. The naked kind├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy smiled despite her self, lost in memory's. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I said that we're making history'. Then you said that...that.├óÔé¼┬Ø he paused, remembering ├óÔé¼┼ôthat history is more fun when you're reading it then when you are making it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen I said├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason continued. Lizzy cut in ├óÔé¼┼ôHistory is just a life thats made all the choice's├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Jason paused. Then Lizzy's smile faded ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere the fuck have you been?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Jason licked his lips ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's complicated├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you survive?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's complicated├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's impossible├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were cremated├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can skate on Dry Ice if you have frictionless surfaces on your soles├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy stared at him blankly. Jason sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIce expands when cold, but when you press on it with the skates, then it melts, creating a near-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, no no├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's ice skating?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôyou know what├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know how much it hurts my self image, but I'm getting lips├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI miss smiling├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd when you get back, I'll have...plenty of things to do with them├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lizzy sighed, leaning against the desk behind her ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat has been going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason paused, considering his words ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôEvery single thing that has happened to you, on Dantana, has been caused by a power struggle going on back here, at SOL├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI haven't heard of a power struggle├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo one's declared war, or anything├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey wouldn't├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôMost of SOL dosn't even know there is a power struggle going on at all├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo who's side are you on?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôJust who are you working for├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said, scratching his head ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm on the only side that I give a damn about├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho's?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I thought that would be obvious├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYours├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike's mouth watered. He didn't know he did that until he had been starved, about a decade or so ago. And he had no wish to ever repeat the experience. And yet, as life was sadistic and cruel, he had. Now, sitting in front of him, was a insta-heat steak dinner, with mashed potatoes with extra gravy. Mike wanted to savor the meal for as long as possible. He wanted one second. Then another second. Then he tore into the meal with his knife and fork, shoving food down his mouth as quickly as possible. The steak and mashed potato's were gone in a matter of seconds.
After that Mike leaned back in his chair, looking around his room. The others were in their own room's, probably have dinner as well. Then a flash of Helena's sobbing face crossed over his mind. Mike stood up and opened the door. Two guards stood out side, one of them turning around to face him as the door opened. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry sir├óÔé¼┬Ø the guard said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou cant leave this room├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy the fuck not?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snapped. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're security├óÔé¼┬Ø the guard said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe enemy crew has not been fully pacified yet├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike tried arguing, but then the door automatically closed, cutting of the target of his words.
Helena woke from a dream. Her sheets were clean. Where was she? Then she remembered and wanted to go back to sleep, just as a way to escape from the pain. After that didn't work, she stood up and walked around her room. A dinner packet lay on the table, but she ignored it. There was a bathroom station in the wall, with a slide out toilet, shower stall and sink all built in one. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. Her face was red and puffy, her eyes swollen from crying. Helena closed her eyes.
She had seen friends killed in front of her eyes, blasted apart by artillery and struck down by some faceless, nameless soldier on the other side of the fight. She had always been sad, even sorrowful. She had never fallen apart. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm getting to sentimental for this shit├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered. That made her smile. Then she started to cry again. She sat down at the table and realized that, no matter how horrible she felt, she was still hungry. She popped the insta-heat and began to eat, not caring what was inside. She ate it surprisingly fast, crawled into bed and went to sleep.
The boy sat in the doctors place. He looked around, even as the doctor rummaged around, looking for her tools. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll be able to regrow your tong soon. You might have a hard time talking for a while, but soon you'll be chatting it up with the ladies├óÔé¼┬Ø. The boy smiled at that. He didn't really want to 'chat up the lady's' but with a tong he could eat easily again. He was also tired of not being able to pick at his teeth with his tong. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman doctor said, pulling out a hypo ├óÔé¼┼ôThis might sting a little...├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve sat in the middle of the cell. She felt at peace for the first time in...weeks? Months? Years? She knew who she was, what she was doing, and her mind was clear and able to focus on what she was to do next. If that was not at peace, she didn't know what was. She felt the emotions of the crew. Victory from the marines. Worry from Mike, worry for his friends and lover. Grief from Helena. Eve's face fell at feeling that. She wished she could heal one's mind as she could their body. But that would cheapen it, cheapen the relationship that inspired the grief. The planet below her was too far for her to feel the horrific, mindless fury of the S-02. And that was the best thing.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're working for...me?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôMore or less. I actually was the one who set up the entire Quarantine Zone idea. I wanted you to be happy. But Darkside has too many things on it, too many important artifacts for it to be left alone unless I did something. So I did├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt didn't work├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said darkly. She saw hurt in Jason's eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôIf putting a bullet in my brain├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWould have saved Daniel's life, I would have done it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy was unnerved by the sincerity and conviction in his voice.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhats the plan?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Plan?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. Then he was interrupted by another man shouting in the background of his screen. ├óÔé¼┼ôMarshal! Marshal!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason turned around ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Black Ops├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey've sent word to the deep range ship, the Excalibur├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Excalibur?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's was whipping around DS-432. Sir...DS-432 is only two light years from Dantana├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's their ETA?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThree weeks├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThree weeks!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLiz. Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason corrected himself ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've got a deep range frigate, one hundred man crew, thirty marines. It's smaller, lighter then the Hannibal, but from what we've heard your ship is pretty banged up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's not my ship├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut this sounds like we can handle it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats not all├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Excalibur was sent to DS-432. That's a Black Op's research station. Its mostly a space-time research station├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm hearing a big 'but' coming up├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're right├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've got a mole on their team. They sent us a tac-con message from DS-432. They've developed something big, nasty and it's strapped to the side of the Excalibur├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you know anything else about this big nasty?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOur informant is dead. He was found and shoved out of an air lock├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo no, we don't know ├óÔé¼┼ô. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said again. Then ├óÔé¼┼ôWait' she said ├óÔé¼┼ôBlack Ops? Did he say Black Ops!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Jason sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey're still alive and kicking├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI heard they were destroyed in WWIV├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've heard a lot of things├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. The man behind him coughed slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm afraid I'm going to have to call you back├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. Lizzy stepped up to the monitor and placed her hand on the screen. ├óÔé¼┼ôI love you├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI love you too├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. Then he turned of the screen. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø his aide said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know its important to you, but we need to hurry├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut she loves me├óÔé¼┬Ø. He walked off with his aide, a new spring in his step.
Lizzy slid her hand off the screen. Then she turned around and walked out of the room, thumbing the door's open button. Keller and his girlfriend were outside the room. Keller's face was pressed against her neck and he was murmuring some nonsense in her ears. They both jumped, looking vaguely guilty. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir, Mam├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI would like to thank you both for you're rescue of us on the planet. I believe I need to be a bit more clear├óÔé¼┬Ø she reached out her hand ├óÔé¼┼ôMy full name is Elizabeth Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø
The two of them looked blankly at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. Lizzy frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôMore importantly I need to tell you something. A long range patrol ship, named the Excalibur is barreling down on us and we have about...three weeks├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThree weeks!├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a long time to wait for reinforcements├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's not reinforcements├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are coming to blow us out of the water and capture Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy dose everyone want this girl?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's girlfriend muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe can tear this ship apart with her mind as quick as blinking├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris was silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's on our side, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we need to get this ship back together, get as far away from Dantana as possible, and see if we can get some more guns├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can actually repair the Agamemnon, but we won't have enough crew to man both ships├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen don't├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can just leave the Agamemnon here├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets drop it on the planet├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôDestroy some of those aliens while we are at it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhatever you do├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't do that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat will only make them stronger├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've fought these things before├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The next week flew past. The Handball moved into the asteroid belt and started to digest some. The small factory that they had was working round the clock, mechanical builders putting together guns, munitions, missiles, drones and lasers. Lizzy took over the job of training Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, wishing she had logged more EVA time in the preceding years. She had used to practically live in space suits, back when she had been a pirate.
Piracy in the 2111's was a simple matter of getting close, grappling over in an EVA Suit and burning one's way in. If the enemy was trying to get away from you, you hit their engines until they could no longer accelerate. If one could, they would simply cut the passenger section of the ship off from the cargo bay and take that. Lizzy had been able to hit a ship and get into it after a matter of minuets. Now she was nervously clinging to a shuttle, looking out into the asteroid field. Eve was out there.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve responded. She was wearing a bright green space suit, unlike Lizzy's black one, so she could be more easily spotted. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIn combat we need to alter the direction of enemy shells within a split second. It's harder, much harder, then stopping simple low caliber rounds, or even tank shells. So lets start with this asteroid. Ready?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy gestured to the marine who was crouched over the gun control panel. This was also a great opportunity to test one of the new gun makes put out by the factory. This gun was made to fragment when the shell hit. Fragment rounds worked great against large ships, but tended to get shot down easily. Keller was thinking that a swarm of them would rip the Excalibur to shreds.
The gun fired soundlessly in space, a flash. The shell zipped past Lizzy, to fast for her to see. Then it smashed into an asteroid, fragmenting. The asteroid broke apart in a thousand pieces, many of them larger then the shuttle. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet ready to run├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered, switching to the tight beam com link between her and the marine. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about Eve?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Marine asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe can live in a vacuum├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, still worried despite that ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't├óÔé¼┬Ø. She then tapped the magnification on her helmet and tried to find Eve.
A chunk of asteroid flew at Eve. She focused on it and it swerved to the side, madly. Eve was sweating after just that. The other bits of asteroid weren't going her direction, other then some small bits she pushed away. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo we have a reading?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. The second marine, a man tasked with watching over a scanner ├óÔé¼┼ôThe thing's going crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNumber, I need a fucking number├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt says├óÔé¼┬Ø The marine read off the number. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, switching to her com band with Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're reading a quadruple increase in your last test├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, panting ├óÔé¼┼ôIt still feels like I'm getting kicked in the stomach by a horse├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWant to come back?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't want to tire you out├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you fire the gun at me?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy gulped. Asteroid pieces were one thing. Firing a deadly, high velocity, high explosive anti-ship shell at her daughter was not exactly something she wanted to do. Not that she enjoyed blowing apart asteroids with her daughter as close as she was now. ├óÔé¼┼ôdo it├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can take it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy closed her eyes, prayed, and nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôFire├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. The gun fired soundlessly again. The shell whizzed through space, straight at Eve.
Then it stopped. It didn't slow, move aside, or anything. It just stopped, about a hundred or so meters from Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôHoly Jesus fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø The marine monitoring the HEPE sensor ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was a ten fold increase from the last count. The scanners actually burned out, from what I can tell├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôEve├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou broke the scanner├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, abashed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we'll need to finish this test early├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôCome back to base├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Then she stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm feeling something...something coming this way...and its fast├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy looked at the marine next to the sensor ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're not getting anything├óÔé¼┬Ø He said.
Then there was a silent spray of reddish blood. Lizzy turned around and saw a massive crater where the marine who had been using the gun was. The gun was gone, he was gone, and all that remained was chunks of flash and blood. Then something whipped past the asteroid, silently. It was nothing more then a silvery, steel flash. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet down!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted, kicking the marine in the chest plate. As he was anchored at his feet, he spun back and hit the asteroid, slightly more safe. Lizzy detached her foot to kick. Then her other foot came loose, not quite secured.
She floated up, reaching for her air pistol. Then she saw two large caliber machine guns pointed at her. A small, silvery disk was floating above the asteroid, guns aimed directly for her. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôLay down you're arms├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice crackled over her intercom ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd prepare to be taken into custody├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Only time will tell.
Remember. It gets the darkest before dawn
Part II: Death and Rebirth
Jason had thought Lizzy would either shoot him, swear at him, or kiss him. If he were there, and not stuck over twenty two light years away. He had not expected sobbing, tears and curling up into a small ball. So he was silent, not sure of what to say, or do. Could he? Suddenly every word, every sentence and truth that he had rehearsed for years...decades...hell, slightly less then a century. Now it all seemed completely inadequate and silly. So he was silent, unable to say anything. He saw the two other people in the room look at each other. Then they quietly left. He thanked them, silently, for that. ├óÔé¼┼ôLiz├óÔé¼┬Ø he said softly.
├óÔé¼┼ôGo away├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy sniffled. It was so completely unlike her that Jason was, once again, silent. He tried to start again. Then he stopped. Lizzy stood up, whipping her nose as neatly as possible. ├óÔé¼┼ôLiz├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's Lizzy now├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. They were both silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho the fuck are you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason stiffened, eyes widening ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Jason├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy I-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a fucking impostor├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm a what?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust like the last man who I thought was dead, then turned out to be alive, you're a fucking clone, or look alike, or something├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am the real, one hundred percent ME Jason├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôProve it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôProve to me that you're not just some fake, some actor├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason wished he could smile momentarily. Then he leaned back against the wall behind him. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have that mole, right about you're ass├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you really hate it when I tickled you're armpits. You love, absolutely love doggy style, can't stand missionary and├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop! Stop!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy snapped, brining her hands up. Jason laughed, but she looked angry as hell ├óÔé¼┼ôI can think of ways you could know that, you sick fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Jason sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôRemember when we were on the Enterprise, doing that hellish maintenance work├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy was silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was about the second year in, when we were in the air ducts. We had taken a break, you know the normal breaks we made. The naked kind├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy smiled despite her self, lost in memory's. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I said that we're making history'. Then you said that...that.├óÔé¼┬Ø he paused, remembering ├óÔé¼┼ôthat history is more fun when you're reading it then when you are making it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen I said├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason continued. Lizzy cut in ├óÔé¼┼ôHistory is just a life thats made all the choice's├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Jason paused. Then Lizzy's smile faded ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere the fuck have you been?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Jason licked his lips ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's complicated├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you survive?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's complicated├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's impossible├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were cremated├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can skate on Dry Ice if you have frictionless surfaces on your soles├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy stared at him blankly. Jason sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIce expands when cold, but when you press on it with the skates, then it melts, creating a near-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, no no├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's ice skating?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôyou know what├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know how much it hurts my self image, but I'm getting lips├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI miss smiling├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd when you get back, I'll have...plenty of things to do with them├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lizzy sighed, leaning against the desk behind her ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat has been going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason paused, considering his words ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôEvery single thing that has happened to you, on Dantana, has been caused by a power struggle going on back here, at SOL├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI haven't heard of a power struggle├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo one's declared war, or anything├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey wouldn't├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôMost of SOL dosn't even know there is a power struggle going on at all├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo who's side are you on?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôJust who are you working for├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said, scratching his head ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm on the only side that I give a damn about├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho's?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I thought that would be obvious├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYours├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike's mouth watered. He didn't know he did that until he had been starved, about a decade or so ago. And he had no wish to ever repeat the experience. And yet, as life was sadistic and cruel, he had. Now, sitting in front of him, was a insta-heat steak dinner, with mashed potatoes with extra gravy. Mike wanted to savor the meal for as long as possible. He wanted one second. Then another second. Then he tore into the meal with his knife and fork, shoving food down his mouth as quickly as possible. The steak and mashed potato's were gone in a matter of seconds.
After that Mike leaned back in his chair, looking around his room. The others were in their own room's, probably have dinner as well. Then a flash of Helena's sobbing face crossed over his mind. Mike stood up and opened the door. Two guards stood out side, one of them turning around to face him as the door opened. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry sir├óÔé¼┬Ø the guard said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou cant leave this room├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy the fuck not?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snapped. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're security├óÔé¼┬Ø the guard said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe enemy crew has not been fully pacified yet├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike tried arguing, but then the door automatically closed, cutting of the target of his words.
Helena woke from a dream. Her sheets were clean. Where was she? Then she remembered and wanted to go back to sleep, just as a way to escape from the pain. After that didn't work, she stood up and walked around her room. A dinner packet lay on the table, but she ignored it. There was a bathroom station in the wall, with a slide out toilet, shower stall and sink all built in one. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. Her face was red and puffy, her eyes swollen from crying. Helena closed her eyes.
She had seen friends killed in front of her eyes, blasted apart by artillery and struck down by some faceless, nameless soldier on the other side of the fight. She had always been sad, even sorrowful. She had never fallen apart. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm getting to sentimental for this shit├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered. That made her smile. Then she started to cry again. She sat down at the table and realized that, no matter how horrible she felt, she was still hungry. She popped the insta-heat and began to eat, not caring what was inside. She ate it surprisingly fast, crawled into bed and went to sleep.
The boy sat in the doctors place. He looked around, even as the doctor rummaged around, looking for her tools. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll be able to regrow your tong soon. You might have a hard time talking for a while, but soon you'll be chatting it up with the ladies├óÔé¼┬Ø. The boy smiled at that. He didn't really want to 'chat up the lady's' but with a tong he could eat easily again. He was also tired of not being able to pick at his teeth with his tong. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman doctor said, pulling out a hypo ├óÔé¼┼ôThis might sting a little...├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve sat in the middle of the cell. She felt at peace for the first time in...weeks? Months? Years? She knew who she was, what she was doing, and her mind was clear and able to focus on what she was to do next. If that was not at peace, she didn't know what was. She felt the emotions of the crew. Victory from the marines. Worry from Mike, worry for his friends and lover. Grief from Helena. Eve's face fell at feeling that. She wished she could heal one's mind as she could their body. But that would cheapen it, cheapen the relationship that inspired the grief. The planet below her was too far for her to feel the horrific, mindless fury of the S-02. And that was the best thing.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're working for...me?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôMore or less. I actually was the one who set up the entire Quarantine Zone idea. I wanted you to be happy. But Darkside has too many things on it, too many important artifacts for it to be left alone unless I did something. So I did├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt didn't work├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said darkly. She saw hurt in Jason's eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôIf putting a bullet in my brain├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWould have saved Daniel's life, I would have done it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy was unnerved by the sincerity and conviction in his voice.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhats the plan?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Plan?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. Then he was interrupted by another man shouting in the background of his screen. ├óÔé¼┼ôMarshal! Marshal!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jason turned around ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Black Ops├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey've sent word to the deep range ship, the Excalibur├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Excalibur?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's was whipping around DS-432. Sir...DS-432 is only two light years from Dantana├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's their ETA?├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThree weeks├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThree weeks!├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLiz. Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason corrected himself ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've got a deep range frigate, one hundred man crew, thirty marines. It's smaller, lighter then the Hannibal, but from what we've heard your ship is pretty banged up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's not my ship├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut this sounds like we can handle it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats not all├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Excalibur was sent to DS-432. That's a Black Op's research station. Its mostly a space-time research station├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôI'm hearing a big 'but' coming up├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're right├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've got a mole on their team. They sent us a tac-con message from DS-432. They've developed something big, nasty and it's strapped to the side of the Excalibur├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you know anything else about this big nasty?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOur informant is dead. He was found and shoved out of an air lock├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo no, we don't know ├óÔé¼┼ô. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said again. Then ├óÔé¼┼ôWait' she said ├óÔé¼┼ôBlack Ops? Did he say Black Ops!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Jason sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey're still alive and kicking├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI heard they were destroyed in WWIV├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've heard a lot of things├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. The man behind him coughed slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm afraid I'm going to have to call you back├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. Lizzy stepped up to the monitor and placed her hand on the screen. ├óÔé¼┼ôI love you├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI love you too├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said. Then he turned of the screen. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø his aide said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know its important to you, but we need to hurry├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Jason said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut she loves me├óÔé¼┬Ø. He walked off with his aide, a new spring in his step.
Lizzy slid her hand off the screen. Then she turned around and walked out of the room, thumbing the door's open button. Keller and his girlfriend were outside the room. Keller's face was pressed against her neck and he was murmuring some nonsense in her ears. They both jumped, looking vaguely guilty. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir, Mam├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI would like to thank you both for you're rescue of us on the planet. I believe I need to be a bit more clear├óÔé¼┬Ø she reached out her hand ├óÔé¼┼ôMy full name is Elizabeth Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø
The two of them looked blankly at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. Lizzy frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôMore importantly I need to tell you something. A long range patrol ship, named the Excalibur is barreling down on us and we have about...three weeks├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThree weeks!├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a long time to wait for reinforcements├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's not reinforcements├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are coming to blow us out of the water and capture Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy dose everyone want this girl?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's girlfriend muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe can tear this ship apart with her mind as quick as blinking├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris was silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's on our side, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we need to get this ship back together, get as far away from Dantana as possible, and see if we can get some more guns├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can actually repair the Agamemnon, but we won't have enough crew to man both ships├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen don't├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can just leave the Agamemnon here├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets drop it on the planet├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôDestroy some of those aliens while we are at it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhatever you do├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't do that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat will only make them stronger├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've fought these things before├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The next week flew past. The Handball moved into the asteroid belt and started to digest some. The small factory that they had was working round the clock, mechanical builders putting together guns, munitions, missiles, drones and lasers. Lizzy took over the job of training Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, wishing she had logged more EVA time in the preceding years. She had used to practically live in space suits, back when she had been a pirate.
Piracy in the 2111's was a simple matter of getting close, grappling over in an EVA Suit and burning one's way in. If the enemy was trying to get away from you, you hit their engines until they could no longer accelerate. If one could, they would simply cut the passenger section of the ship off from the cargo bay and take that. Lizzy had been able to hit a ship and get into it after a matter of minuets. Now she was nervously clinging to a shuttle, looking out into the asteroid field. Eve was out there.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve responded. She was wearing a bright green space suit, unlike Lizzy's black one, so she could be more easily spotted. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIn combat we need to alter the direction of enemy shells within a split second. It's harder, much harder, then stopping simple low caliber rounds, or even tank shells. So lets start with this asteroid. Ready?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy gestured to the marine who was crouched over the gun control panel. This was also a great opportunity to test one of the new gun makes put out by the factory. This gun was made to fragment when the shell hit. Fragment rounds worked great against large ships, but tended to get shot down easily. Keller was thinking that a swarm of them would rip the Excalibur to shreds.
The gun fired soundlessly in space, a flash. The shell zipped past Lizzy, to fast for her to see. Then it smashed into an asteroid, fragmenting. The asteroid broke apart in a thousand pieces, many of them larger then the shuttle. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet ready to run├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered, switching to the tight beam com link between her and the marine. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about Eve?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Marine asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe can live in a vacuum├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, still worried despite that ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't├óÔé¼┬Ø. She then tapped the magnification on her helmet and tried to find Eve.
A chunk of asteroid flew at Eve. She focused on it and it swerved to the side, madly. Eve was sweating after just that. The other bits of asteroid weren't going her direction, other then some small bits she pushed away. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo we have a reading?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. The second marine, a man tasked with watching over a scanner ├óÔé¼┼ôThe thing's going crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNumber, I need a fucking number├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt says├óÔé¼┬Ø The marine read off the number. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, switching to her com band with Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're reading a quadruple increase in your last test├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, panting ├óÔé¼┼ôIt still feels like I'm getting kicked in the stomach by a horse├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWant to come back?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't want to tire you out├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you fire the gun at me?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy gulped. Asteroid pieces were one thing. Firing a deadly, high velocity, high explosive anti-ship shell at her daughter was not exactly something she wanted to do. Not that she enjoyed blowing apart asteroids with her daughter as close as she was now. ├óÔé¼┼ôdo it├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can take it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy closed her eyes, prayed, and nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôFire├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. The gun fired soundlessly again. The shell whizzed through space, straight at Eve.
Then it stopped. It didn't slow, move aside, or anything. It just stopped, about a hundred or so meters from Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôHoly Jesus fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø The marine monitoring the HEPE sensor ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was a ten fold increase from the last count. The scanners actually burned out, from what I can tell├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôEve├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou broke the scanner├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, abashed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we'll need to finish this test early├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôCome back to base├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Then she stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm feeling something...something coming this way...and its fast├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy looked at the marine next to the sensor ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're not getting anything├óÔé¼┬Ø He said.
Then there was a silent spray of reddish blood. Lizzy turned around and saw a massive crater where the marine who had been using the gun was. The gun was gone, he was gone, and all that remained was chunks of flash and blood. Then something whipped past the asteroid, silently. It was nothing more then a silvery, steel flash. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet down!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted, kicking the marine in the chest plate. As he was anchored at his feet, he spun back and hit the asteroid, slightly more safe. Lizzy detached her foot to kick. Then her other foot came loose, not quite secured.
She floated up, reaching for her air pistol. Then she saw two large caliber machine guns pointed at her. A small, silvery disk was floating above the asteroid, guns aimed directly for her. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôLay down you're arms├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice crackled over her intercom ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd prepare to be taken into custody├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Whoever said it wants Lizzy in particular. Remember the enemy ship barreling down on the Handball?
Now what if said ship had sent some lighter fighters ahead, to scout out the enemy position? And lets say a pair of these fighters found something that looks suspiciously like a weapons test. Now what would you do, if you were flying the fighter. Blowing the test apart and capturing some prisoners sounds like a good plan to me...
Now what if said ship had sent some lighter fighters ahead, to scout out the enemy position? And lets say a pair of these fighters found something that looks suspiciously like a weapons test. Now what would you do, if you were flying the fighter. Blowing the test apart and capturing some prisoners sounds like a good plan to me...