Darkside: Extermination

[Guessmyname]

There were marines in the first one, but I recall no 'Mike's as being one of the marines.

Sarge and maybe Mankowski were in it though

[CompWiz]

i think he has a diffrent name now...

[Forboding Angel]

There's some sort of connection between Eve and 'the target' isn't there?

hmm, what gives you that idea?

[CompWiz]

There's some sort of connection between Eve and 'the target' isn't there?

hmm, what gives you that idea?

they are never in the same place at the same time

[Guessmyname]

Read Eve's dreams again...

[Zoombie]

Hurray! Every one was paying attention.

And yes, read Eve's dreams again.

EDIT: Oh and these are a different Sarge and Mankowski. I actually forgot there was a Mankowski in the last book, and Sarge is just a usefull name for when authers are too lazy to think up a name. Maybe Sargent Glickson.


nah.

And Mankowski...fell...through...a time thingy.

[Zoombie]

The mystery deepen's yet AGAIN!

A new charicter, some new complications, new adventures. Deadly secrets are comming to a head and someone...is about to die!

No, I'm just kidding.





Or am I?



Weapon 2's eyes opened. The others were asleep, Weapon 1 and Weapon 3. She could barely move her eye's, but she could see the darkened sphere around her. Then she felt a shifting mind on the other side of the glass. She focused and felt the cold, inorganic of the new mind. It was more shown by its lack of connections and ripples, the lack of biology making it stand out against the other minds in the room. She tried to focus on the other mind, the one that was in futile, fleeting verbal communication.

├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the containment facility├óÔé¼┬Ø the organic mind said. Then it heard the inorganic mind, dimly, from the ears of the organic mind ├óÔé¼┼ôI never would have guessed├óÔé¼┬Ø. Weapon 2 knew that soon her time would come. Soon she and her sisters would escape. Soon. [i/]

Mike slowly ran his hand over his bandaged face, wondering where that had come from. He turned away from the door, when July had left and sat down on his seat. He looked at himself in the mirror and grained. He still looked under thirty, if you looked under the bandages. He would heal, fast hopefully. Then he heard a knock on the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you forget, July?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, opening the door. Eve stood outside the door. She looked very pale and skinny, from the last time he had seen her. ├óÔé¼┼ôExplain├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôEverything├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo, Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, looking down at the woman. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said. She was looking a bit better, faster then July would have thought. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's with Mike?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI feel like a barely know him...how old is he? He said he served with the Marines for twenty years, but he can't be more then...thirty├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôMike keeps to himself├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut he was born around the 2100's├óÔé¼┬Ø. July gasped. ├óÔé¼┼ôHis family was part of the big 'brain coring' fad of the 2111├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôBrian coring?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. Then she brightened ├óÔé¼┼ôOh...those├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why he keeps it to himself├óÔé¼┬Ø. July gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôSo...he's a...a...Transcendi?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôbut don't call him that. He hates it when people mention it├óÔé¼┬Ø. July ran her fingers through her hair, turning around the small hotel room they had chosen. Martial Law was making it tough to get supply's, even basic medical equipment. July had to make do with band aids. Band aids for five amputated fingers. July checked her watch. Only a one or maybe two days left till the Handball arrived.

├óÔé¼┼ôYou sure this will work?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first asked, looking at the course plotted. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt should├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôBring us out right near the Agamemnon. Now├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at the flight coordinator ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you dampen our output?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOnly on visible light wavelengths├óÔé¼┬Ø the flight coordinator said ├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe on the gamma range, but if they have snoopers├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell its better then nothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller snapped ├óÔé¼┼ôDo it!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt'll cut engine efficiency├óÔé¼┬Ø The coordinator muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't fucking give a shit├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, sitting down in his chair ├óÔé¼┼ôCan't anyone just take an order now a days?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The Handball moved out of the asteroid field, its engine hastily reconfigured to put out a razor thin streamer of gas. It was a bit slower, but...incredibly. They came out right behind the Agamemnon. It was such a sudden transition from heavy clouds of dust to open space. It was a very self contained asteroid field, something that bothered Keller now that he thought about it. The Handball had to suddenly break or run straight into the deadly gamma ray bath coming out of the Agamemnon's engines.

A ship's engine was its deadliest weapon. The still...not quite understood workings of the Star Drive spewed out an ungodly amount of energy. Gamma rays, neutrinos, infrared, light. Pretty much everything on the E.M spectrum. Unfortunately most of these out puts don't really push a ship. The genius behind the Star Drive, Brian Olushola, had died after he managed to get the first one working. It was a irony that his first working drive did exactly as it was supposed to and put out every radiation under the sun. Right into Brian's face.

The Star Drive had then been patented by his widow, Julia Olushola, and sold to the military and civilians of the highest bidder. She had then remarried, became Julia Eastwood and lived to the ripe old age of eighty eight with a sixteen trillion credit a year income. But without her widower's genius, no one had really cracked exactly how to really refine or redesign the Star Drive to something more usable and less unstable. But engineers and researchers started working at what they were good at. Shutters. The engine of a ship was, essentially, the Star Drive and a massive collection of valves and alternators that changed the output that finally came out of the ship.

This allowed the commanders of ships to alter the output in a verity of ways, to suit unique situations. The Agamemnon, once it realized that the enemy was right behind it, opened every single one of its shuttles and a wave of even more deadly radiation began to pour out. The Hannibal's computer automatically jammed on the acceleration. For a second everything Keller thought was focused on pain and the feeling of his chair molding his body, rather then the other way around. Then there was a jolt.

├óÔé¼┼ôSir!├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôAsteroid impact, low speed├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Hannibal's PD guns started firing, blasting apart the slowly moving asteroids before they impacted again. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't take another hit like that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMove us up, around the Agamemnon├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd ready the rail gun├óÔé¼┬Ø.The Hannibal moved up, the rail gun getting warmed up so it didn't malfunction when it actually needed to fire. The Agamemnon lowered its engine out put to less lethal ranges, as keeping it at full output had a way of straining the life support. Not all the radiation went out in a straight line.

Then the Agamemnon spun around, engines firing hard. The acceleration curve was high, but not beyond human tolerance. The Hannibal fired its lower guns at the Agamemnon, the ineffective volley being easily shot down. The Agamemnon was almost turned about, remaining guns at the ready. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't let them catch us with their fire├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep moving us up, fluctuate acceleration randomly├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø the flight coordinator said ├óÔé¼┼ôRail Gun almost aimed├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow close is almost?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôA few seconds before├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunner officer said, but then Keller's first shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôIncoming!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCut acceleration├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller shouted.

The Hannibal stopped accelerating. It kept going up, but it wasn't quite in the same spot that the Agamemnon had expected. The Agamemnon's shots mostly went over the Hannibal, a small fraction of them scathed the top of the long ship. Several warning klaxon's started going off. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have a breach├óÔé¼┬Ø someone shouted. Keller looked at his screen and called up a damage report. It was bad. The glancing hits had managed to slip through several holes already punched in the ship's armor. There was a fire, that much was cretin, and the left shuttle bays had been damaged, but it was hard to tell the extent. There were fourteen marines in those shuttle bays.

├óÔé¼┼ôEverything?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike grinned falsely ├óÔé¼┼ôThat would be a long story├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen start with how you got here├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd...why you brought me to that place├óÔé¼┬Ø. Something flashed over Mike's face. It was something like fear. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat place?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, still trying to evade. ├óÔé¼┼ôCut the bull shit├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour partner, or whatever, shot me and you took me to your ship or base or something and you fixed me up├óÔé¼┬Ø she pulled her shirt up, exposing her stomach. It had slightly more flab then she would have liked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat am I supposed to be looking at here?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôThis├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve pointed. There was a very thin, jagged scar running down her stomach. Mike sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you had been shot it should have had a much much larger scar then that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou put some kind of advanced med tech on me├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve accused ├óÔé¼┼ôI remember it clearer each passing moment├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike opened his mouth, about to say something. Then he saw a slight glint on top of a building, visible through the still open door of his apartment. It looked like...a. ├óÔé¼┼ôGET DOWN!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted, running forward and tackling Eve. Then the bullet slammed into the floor, blowing a rather large hole open.

├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø The sniper muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôMissed├óÔé¼┬Ø she got up and started to run. ├óÔé¼┼ôPrime Minister├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, tapping the microphone on her left molar with her tong ├óÔé¼┼ôI missed├óÔé¼┬Ø. G swore loudly ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck! All right. Track the target and get him to talk. I'm taking your glove's off, Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôYes mam├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then a large chunk of her hiding place exploded, sending bits and piece's of brick flying everywhere. Then Lizzy got up and started to run, slinging her collapsible sniper rifle over her shoulder.

Mike kept firing, aiming for the barely seen silhouette of the sniper, his silenced pistol whiffing slightly. Eve still lay on the floor, staring at the hole that gaped right next to her head. The sniper suddenly stopped moving. Then she was down, dropping to the alleyway. Mike took cover, still looking at the alleyway, waiting for the sniper to come out. Then something flew out, moving quickly. Mike hit it with two bullets before he realized it was a garbage bag. Then the sniper's pistol was out and firing. Mike jerked back, sudden holes apearing on his door.

While his pistol was silenced, the Sniper's was not. It barked loudly and flashed brighter. Mike got a pretty good look at her. Slight of frame, almost black skin and a black suit, with black hair. ├óÔé¼┼ôEnough on the black motif├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered. Eve was slowly getting to her feet, stupidly getting into the sniper's line of fire. ├óÔé¼┼ôMove!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôGrab that bag!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve leaped to obey his orders, running over to the bag. She chucked it at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow open that air duct├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd get out of here!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve snorted, grabbing a gun out of the bag she had tossed him ├óÔé¼┼ôLike hell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to help├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôCan you hit anything?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. Bang! BANG! The door was starting to get very holed, the sniper's bullets seeming to come in an endless patter. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can try├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said .├óÔé¼┬ØRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to suppress this fuck. I fire, then you fire and I move. Then I fire, you move. Ready?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. The door's upper hinge exploded, the sniper shot hitting home. Then the door tittered slightly and fell in. ├óÔé¼┼ôNOW!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted to Eve.

Eve leaned out, far to much then was necessary, and started blazing away with one of Mike's smaller nine MM pistols. The sniper, however, was not taking chances and ducked back into her alleyway. Mike ran forward, jumped over the railing and landed in the small plaza in front of the hotel. Then he immideatly dived into the lobby, taking what little protection that offered. The sniper, realizing that the bullets from Eve where going off by a wide margin, ducked out and started shooting. Then Mike started firing back.

Lizzy ducked back in ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThis guy is good├óÔé¼┬Ø. She slid her fifty round clip out of her gun and grabbed her other one. The gun was a miracle in downsizing. The bullets were small and the gun was small. Wouldn't do much against a armored target, but each bullet was tipped with a micoexplosive. Would tear up human innards quite nicely. But Lizzy wasn't shooting to kill. Her target ran out of the hotel, firing wildly at her. The shots went very wide, so Lizzy decided to duck out and fire.

Then, to her shock, a bullet slammed into and through her shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a fucking bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø She gritted her teeth, falling back against the ally wall. Blood started to run down the wall, staining it dark red. Lizzy slid her gun into her holster and reached into her jacket. The Minister had given her authority to do all she needed to get the target under her wing. She had not specifically forbidden grenades...

Mike was not expecting what happened. He thought the small object that hurtled out out of the ally way was a rock. Then it exploded. Eve caught some of the blast, flying backwards and slamming into the wall. Mike had ducked, but he couldn't help running out of cover to grab Eve and drag her to cover. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow sweet├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered, slapping a bandage on her wound. Then she ran out of cover, under the smoke kicked up by the grenade blast, and pulled out her two smaller pistols. Mike saw her, pulling the guns out, and caught a flash of the harness she wore under her jacket. It was covered with guns, and yet she still cut a fine figure.

├óÔé¼┼ôWho is this person?├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. Eve coughed, sitting up ├óÔé¼┼ôThat stings├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, feeling her self over. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you all right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing broken, as far as I can see├óÔé¼┬Ø.Mike glanced at her. Then he felt a gun pressed into the back of his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôDrop the piece!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted. Mike raised his hand and let the gun drop. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, picking him up ├óÔé¼┼ôNow get the fuck out of here├óÔé¼┬Ø Then she aimed her pistol at Eve ├óÔé¼┼ôYou!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she gasped.

It can't be. That was the first thought that went through Lizzy's head. No, impossible, insane. The universe wouldn't be that cruel. Then she brought her gun back up, aimed straight at the bitch's head. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't move, don't even blink├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't think, don't breath├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve stood stalk still, trying to breath as slowly she could. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow the fuck did you get on this planet!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked ├óÔé¼┼ôPlanet?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're not from Dantana!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted, kicking in the back and pressing her down into the ground ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you get here!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Eve gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôMy father bought my way here├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, almost crying ├óÔé¼┼ôBefore he died├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy relaxed her pressure on Eve's back, but still kept her pistol up. She looked up, through the building and into her past. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour fathers not dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Mike's gun was pressed into her back. It was an odd little picture. Mike standing, both hands on his gun, pressing the barrel into the back of Lizzy's neck. Lizzy, one of her feet pressing into Eve's back, her gun aimed straight at Eve's head.

Then Lizzy dropped her gun to the ground and stepped back from Eve. Eve slowly got to her feet wincing at the new bruise on her back. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you, and what do you want!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy grinned, her teeth flashing on her almost black face. Mike was caught off guard. She was incredible looking. Then he tightened down on his control, not wanting to get lax just because of pretty face. No pretty face was a travesty to apply to this sniper. A gorgeous face.

├óÔé¼┼ôMy name is Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo last name, and no middle name. No longer name, I.D number, bar code or anything else. I got hired by the Prime Minister of the planet to do jobs she can't entrust to anyone else. She sent me for your girlfriend├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you want with Eve?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIf anything I would expect that you'd come after me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôCause your with the marines? I don't care. I've fucked a marine, a while ago├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, looking off ├óÔé¼┼ôShe was a hot one, that was for sure├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't side track├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Liz said ├óÔé¼┼ôI do get distracted├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy does the Prime Minister want my...Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø he changed the word at the last moment, but Eve still reddened slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd probably have to sweet talk her before she tell's me anything i Don't Need To Know├óÔé¼┬Ø she wiggled suggestively ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you know what I mean├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is this person?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve whispered into Mike's ear, walking around. ├óÔé¼┼ôI really don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho am I?├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked over her shoulder and flashed the self same smile.

Mike gulped, looking at Lizzy. Eve shoved him ├óÔé¼┼ôStop it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy suddenly looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you want to live?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked suddenly. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen run!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted. Then Mike heard the sirens. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe grenade├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø he said to Eve. Eve picked up Lizzy's gun. They ran. Lizzy followed them. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy are you following us?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, turning around and looking at Lizzy. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've decided├óÔé¼┬Ø she suddenly fished into her mouth and yanked the top of her left molar ├óÔé¼┼ôTo switch sides├óÔé¼┬Ø. She ground the artificial cap under her boot.

├óÔé¼┼ôWe've lost the signal├óÔé¼┬Ø the tech said. G swore ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it!├óÔé¼┬Ø she snapped ├óÔé¼┼ôI knew that bitch was unreliable├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen why did you hire her?├óÔé¼┬Ø the tech asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up├óÔé¼┬Ø G said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd send every available police unit to Lizzy's last known position!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes mam├óÔé¼┬Ø the tech said, turning back to the screen. The tech flicked on his com system. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll units├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôAll units, to sector...Five-4├óÔé¼┬Ø. G sat down at her desk, almost tripping over some wires. Her office had been turned into a higher tech op's post.

Lizzy stooped, her head cocked. Mike stopped as well, looking at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe police are not coming straight at us. They expect us to keep running├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked around, still listening around ├óÔé¼┼ôSo lets screw with their heads├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHow!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go straight for them├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy grinned again, teeth flashing. But there was nothing playful or innocent in that smile. She opened her jacked and showed her guns. ├óÔé¼┼ôGrab some├óÔé¼┬Ø She said. Mike blanched ├óÔé¼┼ôJust be sure not to grab the soft one's├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy smiled again. Eve looked at him, eye's narrowing. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked.

The police cars were more armored then fast. On a planet who's car population topped at several hundred cars per billion people, speed was not as necessary as armor. But suddenly the car in the front of the five car column screeched to a stop. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is the situation?├óÔé¼┬Ø one of the back cars radioed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we've found the target├óÔé¼┬Ø the front car said ├óÔé¼┼ôits-!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then there was a muffled explosions. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck are you doing!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted. The grenade had landed directly under the front car, and had ripped it to shreds. ├óÔé¼┼ôKeeping us alive├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said.

The police that came out of the cars were obviously crack troops, moving orderly. If they hadn't been aiming at him, Mike would have suggested that they joined the Colonial Marines. But they were aiming at him, at Eve and at Lizzy. And Lizzy had probably pissed them off big time. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike, Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôGet down and get out of sight├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPut your hands up!├óÔé¼┬Ø A police officer shouted, his voice amplified. Lizzy grinned at Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry, hansom├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll be coming back├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want you to kill a lode of police officers!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike hissed ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are just doing their job├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Lizzy's smile faltered slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut It's better to end it as fast as possible. They aren't going to stop chasing us. They never do. I wouldn't├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike heard something in her voice, something deep and sad. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't just leave her├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. The police shouted again ├óÔé¼┼ôRAISE YOUR HANDS UP OR WE WILL FIRE!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike grabbed Eve's arm and ran with her. The police, already trigger happy, opened fire. The bullets started rain down, but suddenly Lizzy wasn't in the same spot. She was suddenly running...up the side of a building.

Mike gaped. Lizzy ran up the side of the building and grabbed the top edge of the building. Then she slid herself onto before the police traced her path and started blowing holes in the walls. Lizzy snapped the hooks back into her boots before rolling onto her stomach, ignoring the bullets whizzing above her head. Then she slid out her collapsible rifle and snapped the barrel out. Then she took aim, right on the police officer leader's heart. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop firing!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted.

The police officer leader blanched, seeing the red blip on his heart. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis rifle could punch through you, the car behind you and then into the ground├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo drop your guns!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo it├óÔé¼┬Ø The police leader said. The other officers dropped their guns ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôTell the Prime Minister that she can't have the target├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy stood, keeping her rifle aimed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou got that?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The leader of the police nodded slowly. Then Lizzy shot him in the kneecap and jumped off the building, hooks in her heel's catching the wall of the building and slowing her down.

Lizzy landed and started to run, hooks snapping back into her boots. She got half way across the street before the police opened fire. The bullets zipped around Lizzy, but she got to the safety of the alleyway. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI would kill them?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI haven't killed anyone is fifty years. Its standard police procedure to pilot the front car from remote. Cuts down on casualty's├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think so├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI remember it on CSI: Dantana├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou watch that crap?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWant to make something of it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve snapped back.

├óÔé¼┼ôLady's├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôRun!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The police had started to run towards their position. The three of the team all broke into a mad dash, running as fast as they could down the ally. Mike was last, firing blindly behind him with his gun. Then they rounded the corner as the police opened fire. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it!├óÔé¼┬Ø the police leader snarled, a medic strapping a trauma kit on his kneecap. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet me G├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell her...tell her that Lizzy is being more of a bitch then she said├óÔé¼┬Ø.

G slowly put the phone down, anger burning through her. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet me more info on Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôPast records, past history's. Acquaintance's, friends, lovers. The guy she picked up at a bar last week. Everything!├óÔé¼┬Ø. G's much abused technician started working, typing at his computer. G stood up and grabbed a cigar off her table. She had upgraded from cigarettes to cigars an hour after the message from the Agamemnon. ├óÔé¼┼ôFind the woman, Eve, and bring her to your parliament. Get her to us as fast as possible, and you'll have our company's support├óÔé¼┬Ø.

July was watching late night T.V. She had heard some sirens rush past the hotel she was in, but had paid them no heed. Helena was valiantly playing a newer game on the computer that came with the room, but she said she hated photorealism in her games. Made her sea sick, apparently. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis just in├óÔé¼┬Ø the brainless female announcer said ├óÔé¼┼ôA heated police battle between three unidentified attackers├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then shaky camera footage from a store window. Two women and a man standing, talking, as police stared at them. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, grabbing her gun ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to tell Sarge and Mankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike is doing something stupid, again├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to help him├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena's mouth quirked ├óÔé¼┼ôYou like him?├óÔé¼┬Ø. July looked at Helena. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm his ex. He is a fine catch├óÔé¼┬Ø. July shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôYour crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôMike is nice...but he's...well...nice├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can fluster you so easily├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, turning back to her game. Some people would have thought she was ignoring the world around her. But July could see the worry lines around her mouth and the way her finger slammed down on the mouse button as she played.

├óÔé¼┼ôHe did what?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked, incredulous. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's currently fighting in down town, near his dingy little hotel├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I think that he's found a new friend├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then there was a slight jimmying on the door. Everyone in the room jumped. Mankowski pulled his gun out, as did Sarge and July. The door was being carefully forced open, the lock picked. Then the door opened and a woman walked in, looking over her shoulder at Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôSo this room is kept empty by the inn keep, for my personal use...if you know what I mean├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Then she saw the three other people in the room and pulled her gun out too. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour staying here!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The woman suddenly dropped her pistol ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, suddenly rubbing her temples ├óÔé¼┼ôDoes everything have to happen on this fucking planet?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean by that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked, gun still aimed. Lizzy ignored him ├óÔé¼┼ôYou guys sort this out├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to ask the manager why he rented my damn room out├óÔé¼┬Ø.

[Panda]

Zoombie, you have some very good ideas as far as plot goes. I like how you have a lot of mystery in your stories, but I think that they seem to drag a little at times. Your writing style very clearly illustrates what is going on in the story, but I think that you need to be more descriptive especially in scenes where something dramatic is happening or about to happen. I also think that you should write fantasy stories. Writing fantasy stories may help you improve on all of these points and I would be happy to read them.

[Zoombie]

Hurray, critizisem!

More detail is always a good thing. Unless you go over bord and start having way to much friggen detail. I'll work on that. I try not to drag, but sometimes it happens.

Oh and fantasy? Just wait, I've got something cooking.

And some older, less good writing but still pretty cool about a verity of crazy things:

Rings http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1688

And A quasy kind of a little wird as all hell fantasy with lasers and talking guns (as opposed to talking swords)

Waste http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=4856

[Zoombie]

├óÔé¼┼ôYou first├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know these ropes are NOT necessary├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôUnless you...like that sort of thing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou first├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, refusing to be unruffled. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am Lizzy. I don't have a long name, short name, quick name, small name. I don't have a number, bar code, stamp or certificate. I am nameless and faceless├óÔé¼┬Ø she flashed a smile ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I have been bouncing around this verse sense before World War Four├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo far, so good├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep it up├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI'm a mercenary, of the worst kind├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't fight for money, or for power or for love, honor or anything else├óÔé¼┬Ø. She paused slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôI fight for...myself, as odd as that is├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd that means?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike prodded her. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want to elaborate on that├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø she sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI've been tied up at least twenty times, have had four real lovers and countless flings. I've captained star ships and fought army's. I've seen alien's and the extremes of humanity, from darkest to brightest├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats all well and good├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow much of it is true?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôAll of it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, glancing at Mankowski, who was busy rummaging through her weapons. The harness she had been wearing had been rolled over a table in the rather small hotel room, and Mankowski was examining her weapons with something approaching amazement. Folded up rifles, micro sized pistols, grenades, ammo, knives's and a single three piece katana with a vibration unit in its hilt. All of this crammed onto one human, who was not the tallest or largest person Mike had ever seen.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked ├óÔé¼┼ôExactly where did you get all these munitions? And how did you pay for it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, eye's going up to the celling ├óÔé¼┼ôI got my guns from at least ten different world, mostly the Core Planets. I pay for it with my exorbitant fee's. Most people can't afford my services. G, the Prime Minister, of this planet certainly couldn't├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge and Mike both said something at the same time, Mike saying ├óÔé¼┼ôG?├óÔé¼┬Ø then ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean they couldn't?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôG is her name. I don't know where she got it, or why she kept it. And I took this job because...a good friend of mine asked me too. I just didn't expect this├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWho was your good friend?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, deciding to barge into the interrogation. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour father├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said after a moment ├óÔé¼┼ôNext question├óÔé¼┬Ø For a moment Eve was completely still. Then she practically ran forward, grabbing Lizzy's shoulders and forcing the other woman to look at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy father is dead!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow could he tell you anything!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy fixed Eve with an intense gaze and Eve backed down. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you really know your father?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe was a man of many many talents├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe was a scientist├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said flatly. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd several other things├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, smiling.

├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, turning to Sarge ├óÔé¼┼ôCan I please get out of this chair? You have all my guns and as much fun as it may be, I'm not a rope person├óÔé¼┬Ø. The ropes and restraints fell from her wrists and Lizzy stood up, sliding a small razor back into her shirt sleeve. Mike reached for his gun, but Lizzy smiled disarmingly ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not going to do anything├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm just going to sit down, over here├óÔé¼┬Ø. She sat down on Sarge's bed. Then she lay down and put her feet up. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats better├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.

Mike looked at Sarge. ├óÔé¼┼ôInsufferable woman├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôSo you say that she attacked you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôthat was my mission. To find and kill a woman by the name of Eve Colby├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe was supposed to kill me?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...that doesn't make sense├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I have to employers. Your father, to protect you, and G, to kill you├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, her eyes closed ├óÔé¼┼ôG provided me with a location, money, supplies. A nice technician to...work with├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy opened her eyes and winked at Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôthen when I found you, it turns out you ARE the same Colby I was sent to find. So I switched sides├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell that explains that├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot really├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôLike how did she know my father!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She was looking angrily at Lizzy. ├óÔé¼┼ôI told you├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI had four loves├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she closed her eyes. The blood drained out of Eve's face. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you saying...├óÔé¼┬Ø she said slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôThat your my mother?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy started to laugh, sitting up in the bed ├óÔé¼┼ôGirl, I don't even look like you├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, lying back down. She kept laughing, but stopped herself by biting her knuckle.

July looked at the burnt out husk of the police car and moaned inwardly. The police were still dragging it away, and lodes of them were searching the area for clues. July was at least ten meters away from the actual site, kept away by bands of yellow tape. She knew where Mike would have gone, if forced to flee from his hotel. She started to walk, praying that her gun wasn't as obvious as it felt. Then one of the police officers shouted at her ├óÔé¼┼ôStop!├óÔé¼┬Ø. July turned around slowly. The police officer looked at her ├óÔé¼┼ôYou there├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôHave you seen anything strange?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo sir├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm just out for my early morning walk├óÔé¼┬Ø. The officer nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôHave a nice day mam├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.

Saturday, morning. Lizzy snored loudly, sleeping on Sarge's bed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck are we going to do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThe police know we are in this city, martial law is keeping us here and now we've got a madwoman with us. A very heavily armed madwoman. And she just pissed off the Prime Minister of the fucking planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge's eyes were closed. Bags were under his eyes, and he looked exhausted ├óÔé¼┼ôWe run├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe get as far from this city as possible and find some hiding place in the wilderness├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI like that plan├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, still not opening her eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up, please├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have it up to here with you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThen its agreed├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge blinked. Lizzy stood up and grabbed her harness. She slipped it on, easily enough. Then she pulled on her jacket. Then she finished by walked out of the room, all of this in a few seconds. The door slammed and Mike looked at Sarge. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan she just leave like that?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then the door opened again ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you guys coming or not!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. Mike nudged Eve, who had fallen asleep a few minutes ago ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're leaving apparently├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.

The five of them, Mankowski, Eve, Lizzy, Mike and Sarge, cut an odd sight as they walked through the streets. ├óÔé¼┼ôTry to make your guns less obvious├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike hissed at Lizzy. Lizzy zipped up her shirt more and Mike relaxed slightly. Then they arrived at where July and Helena were staying. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThere are even more people in this little group?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust two more├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd they both girls, so you should get along just fine├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Sarge knocked on the door and Helena opened it. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing here?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWere leaving the city├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou and July get your stuff stowed├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôJulys not here├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe went out an hour ago, looking for Mike. Thought he had gotten himself in some...trouble├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike groaned at that, looking over his shoulder as if expecting July to be right behind him. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo when will she be back?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked, stepping in front of Sarge. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNever mind her├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shoved Lizzy out of the way ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen will July be back?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

July had given up trying to find Mike. She had tried following foot prints, but Mike and whoever was with him hadn't left footprints. So now she decided to go to sarge's place. There had been no one there, not even Sarge and Mankowski. Mike's hideaway had been taken over by the police, but from her distant vantage point, July could see lots of bullet holes in the door. But no blood. She sighed with relief at that, and decided to head back to her place. Maybe Mike had gone there.

The Hannibal was losing air, thanks to a rather large fire that had been sparked in their forward shuttle bay. A gaping hole into space was open, and the huge fire that was eating up even more O2 continued to burn merrily, widening the hole even more. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can close off the fire's accesses to O2 within five or so minutes├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow much will that eat out of our reserves?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going to need to wheel in a icesteroid, get some O2 off that├óÔé¼┬Ø. His first said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we have four or so hours leeway├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The Agamemnon was still firing at them, but the Hannibal was well beyond their effective range. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we at least sweep our fumes over them?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo. They have already gotten out of range. The radiation would be to dispersed at that point├óÔé¼┬Ø his first sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThey got us├óÔé¼┬Ø. Later, when they had found and straddled the ship up to an asteroid, Keller, his bridge crew, and the Marine General met together, to discus what had happened. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe were outclassed. They were bigger, better armor. Turned better, too├óÔé¼┬Ø. The flight coordinator nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd they don't have five hundred next to useless marines to lug around├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.

├óÔé¼┼ôThose 'useless' marines saved out asses├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first snapped. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have a plan. We're out gunned. Lets fix that. I want us to get whatever juice we can out of this asteroid, grab more asteroids. This ship is capable of a deep space refit so lets start building new turrets and guns. Some of our marines are engineers. Lets get them working as well. Drill our other marines on boarding actions. We did 10 percent damage last time, lets start doing more. I want to cripple the enemy with long range fire, then take the enemy as prise├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller looked over the table, knuckles white as he held it ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you understand?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

There was a chorus of yes sirs. The General, however, stayed silent. The bridge crew and the General stood up to leave, but Keller raised his hand ├óÔé¼┼ôGeneral, stay├óÔé¼┬Ø. She stopped her walk out of the room, and turned around to look at Keller. The rest of the bridge crew left, door shutting behind them. General Sarris slowly walked to Keller, frowning. ├óÔé¼┼ôGeneral├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have a problem with my plans?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, sir├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said, her voice offish and hard. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have any other problems?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said. She grabbed Keller and kissed him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy haven't you even talked to me?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, breaking the kiss ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean not even a hello, sorry I thawed you fast enough to take your nipples off├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, smiling. Sarris had actually scared him for a bit. She liked doing that. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't think I've had this much fun in a decade. We get to take a ship as prize!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour actually excited about this?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOf course├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhenever we're in a space battle I feel awfully useless├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôYour never useless├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have to go├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said, looking wistful. Then she saluted smartly. ├óÔé¼┼ôDismissed!├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, saluting her as well. Sarris dropped her arm and walked out of the room. Keller's first came in as she left ├óÔé¼┼ôDressing down the General?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, smiling. Keller knew that he had no idea of their actual relationship, but his fist's comments struck him as funny. He would love to 'dress down' Sarris. Maybe, when they set down in one of the Core worlds again.

The engineering division of the Marines on the Hannibal took to munition production like a mouse to cheese. The Hannibal, being a deep range patrol ship, had some fairly good mining tech. It would never bring in a profit, but it allowed the Hannibal to refit in space. The new turret banks were being covered with camouflage, to hide them from the Agamemnon. It would take a very good microscope to see the modifications. But by the time that was feasible for the Agamemnon to do the guns would have already fired.

The plan was to put as many shell's in the air. The guns didn't need to swivel, nor did they need to track. They just needed to shoot, to keep the Agamemnon's PD guns firing at maximum. The Marines started drilling, and they drilled hard. Constant training, with shifts between training divisions. Some people complained of fatigue after the first day, so Sarris lessened their pace. Slightly. But after the second day of hard work and training they had to scramble. Because the Agamemnon had arrived, burning hot and barreling into the asteroid field.

Lizzy kicked her boots off and put her feet up. The others made do with sleeping bags and futons that Mike had...borrowed from a sporting good store. It was funny, Lizzy thought, that after thousands of years of evolution, sporting goods stores hadn't changed much. If at all. They still had those stylized rock formations you climbed, if you were to sissy to do the real thing. Now Lizzy had known what to get. Not futons and sleeping bags. Just a hammock. Her jacket was enough for the warm winter nights of Dantana.

Lizzy thought back over her life and sighed with contentment. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts been pretty good so far├óÔé¼┬Ø she said and closed her eyes. Then, suddenly, she sat up. It was night, dark, cold. She was cold. It was snowing. Lizzy pulled her gun out, pointing it around. Then, as the fogginess of her dream slowly dripped away she realized that it wasn't snowing, it wasn't cold and this wasn't...home. Lizzy holstered the pistol and lay back down. She looked at the unfamiliar constellations and tried to get her former sense of well being back.

But she was alone. She had said four loves. But now she had none. No one else in the party was sleeping well. Aside from Mankowski, who had learned the ability to sleep through anything. Sarge was awake because it was his watch. July was awake, running over what she wanted to say again and again. Nothing sounded right. They all sounded stilted and almost comic. Helena was awake, trying to play her game boy one handed. Eve was rolling listlessly over and over. Then, in silence, she unzipped her sleeping bag.

Mike was looking at Lizzy. It bothered him how...attracted to her he had been. Mike, after living a long time and seeing many many beautiful woman, so he thought he was over and beyond what some people called 'base human visual desire'. Well he was wrong about that. He had gotten a view of Lizzy's thin figure when she had sat up in her hammock. Back lit against the full moon of Dantana, she had been...beautiful. Then she had sat back down and gone to sleep. Mike did the same. Or at least tried to.

After tossing and turning for a bit, Mike was shocked into full awakeness by a sudden tapping on his shoulder. Mike looked at the figure in front of him, squinting in the darkness. Then the features of the man who was crouching next to him came into focus as Sarge. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve is gone├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd she's not alone in the night├óÔé¼┬Ø he flipped his scanner open. Mike looked at it. A blip was slowly moving in a large circle around the campsite. ├óÔé¼┼ôfuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWake everyone up, but tell them to be quiet. I'm going after this thing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't let you go it alone├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôListen├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis thing seems to want to avoid killing me at all costs├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you know this...how?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen Stevenson died, I was right next to the creature. I was the biggest threat, with the biggest gun. But she went for Helena and July after Stevenson. Why not me? It's also beaten the crap out of me on several occasions├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy does that make you think it wants to keep you alive├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause it could have killed me hundreds of times├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, rummaging through his bag. He pulled out his pistol and a smaller gun that he had borrowed from Lizzy. Sarge's eyes fluttered back and forth, thinking Mike's suggestion over.

├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to wake the others├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm coming too├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. Sarge and Mike started. They hadn't even heard the approach of the mercenary. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe'll rip you apart├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI know something. Its going to help us subdue this freak. I know...I know its kind├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike thought about it ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you know?├óÔé¼┬Ø. But Sarge cut in ├óÔé¼┼ôBoth of you go├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe target is getting closer and we need to organize a defense. Just buy us time├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded and started off, slipping through the underbrush. Lizzy was right behind him, already snapping together her katana.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhere did you get that sword?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked softly. The blip had stopped and was waiting. From their recon efforts they knew that it was in a glade. As if it was waiting. ├óÔé¼┼ôI found it in a pawn shop├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd found that I loved it at first sight. Spent twenty years getting good at it. I don't use the traditional methods, but they seem to work├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShhh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, equally softly. He noticed that Lizzy was practically leaning over her shoulder. Her proximity distracted him for a moment. Then he was distracted by her running forward, sword flashing in her hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike groaned. Then he ran forward too.

├óÔé¼┼ôIts you├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said. Lizzy grinned viciously, sword resting on the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did it have to be you?├óÔé¼┬Ø the target continued ├óÔé¼┼ôIs the universe this cruel...Mother?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôStep-mother├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI never knew my real one├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIsn't that right, Prime├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't you dare say that name├óÔé¼┬Ø The target's eyes narrowed. Suddenly it was less a meeting between two old friends in a glade to two enemy's, preparing for battle.

Mike watched, paralyzed with amazement. Lizzy knew the target, he felt like he knew that he also knew the target, god knows where and the target seemed to know both of them. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy shouldn't I?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy shouldn't I bring up that name. Why shouldn't I speak the truth? Why, tell me Prime. Tell me!├óÔé¼┬Ø. There were two slams and suddenly the target was flying. It landed right behind Lizzy. But Lizzy was faster, and had brought her katana around in time to catch the target. But the target had brought up her hand and blood splattered as her upper arm was cut deep.

Lizzy rolled back as the target brought her arm around, a blade suddenly snapping out of its wrist. Lizzy bounced to her feet ├óÔé¼┼ôYou bleed?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôMore human then last time├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMore weak!├óÔé¼┬Ø the target snarled, running forward. What followed was a flurry of blows and parrys almost too quick for Mike to see, even with his augmented eyes. First Lizzy slid her sword between a block created by the target's blades, as both arms had extended the same blades Mike had seen early. But the target spun aside and brought her right arm around to lop off Lizzy's head.

But Lizzy ducked and the target spun around. But she turned this momentum around and brought her blade straight for Lizzy's face. Lizzy rolled backwards, sword flashing. It clattered against the target's blades, sending sparks. Lizzy came to her feet, sword pointed straight out. The two women stood still. Mike blinked, not entirely sure what had happened. He replayed in his memory and fit bits and piece's of the fight together, flash's of what had happened. But now the flurry of motion had been replaced by complete stillness.

├óÔé¼┼ôYou fight well├óÔé¼┬Ø The target said ├óÔé¼┼ôbetter then...others├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôYou might want to know something├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø the target asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not right handed├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, suddenly swapping swords. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour doing this for fun!├óÔé¼┬Ø The target almost sounded insulted. ├óÔé¼┼ôHell neither of us can die├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôNot from an itty bitty pig sticker, like this. So why not enjoy it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you live without your head?├óÔé¼┬Ø The target asked. Then Mike pressed his high caliber pistol on the nape of the target's neck ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôMike and...Elizabeth. What a odd combination├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, stop all this├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd could someone please tell me what the fuck is going on, Elizabeth!├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at Lizzy. Lizzy still had her sword at the ready. The target, Mike and Lizzy held still for a moment. Wind whistled through the glade, tugging at Mike's clothes and gun arm as he aimed. Then the target sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Mike's right hand fell off. Mike stared at the still twitching hand. Its back end smoked and sparked, the mechanical and electronic inputs completely destroyed.

Mike gulped. He felt no pain. He had lost that hand at least five times, over the years. A land mine, a grenade, a laser burner, a flame thrower and a large caliber sniper rifle had one by one claimed first his biological hand and then a succession of artificial hands. This one had been his best and newest. It was supposedly re-attachable. Mike hoped it was. Then the target shoved him back, invisible hands smashing his stomach. Then there were two loud slams and the target flew up into a tree. Then it was gone.

├óÔé¼┼ôYou have a artificial hand?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have a fucking artificial brain├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy parents got me the brain coring tech for my birth...day├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike trailed off. Lizzy was crying. She let her katana slid through her fingers. It sank into the ground, and Lizzy fell backwards into a tree, letting it support her. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered, running her hand under her nose, whipping away snot and tears. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you all right├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, stepping forward. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just so damn...damn├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy trailed off ├óÔé¼┼ôA Transcendi├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, using the old old old term for a brain cored person.

├óÔé¼┼ôIs that a problem?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, feeling a little chilled. He hated cyber bigots, having to deal with them all his life. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, idiot├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm a Transcendi too├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat explains a bit├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he looked at the severed stump of his hand. He bent over and grabbed the artificial one, pulling the pistol out of its grip. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell they said this was re-attachable, even when severed├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. He put the hand back on its socket, then held it there for a moment. There was a whirr and a click, then Mike wiggled his fingers a bit. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt'll take a while├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôfor the back up circlets to work right├óÔé¼┬Ø. He held up his left hand ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll use this then├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Lizzy had stopped crying, pulling herself together. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, pulling her katana out of the ground and handing it to her ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat set of the waterworks?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy smiled, still sniffling ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just everything seems to be on this damn planet. Enemy's from the past, big cooperations and a hansom Transcendi ready to sweep me off my feet├óÔé¼┬Ø she looked around ├óÔé¼┼ôOnly difference is this place is a lot warmer├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked at Lizzy. For a moment all he could think of was that she called him handsome. ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe target... you called her Prime. Who is Prime?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôPrime...Prime...prime├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said softly, as if tying the word out. They were walking slowly towards the camp site, not wanting to hurry. ├óÔé¼┼ôPrime is...Prime was...a good friend of mine. I didn't trust her, not at first. I was jealous of her, after she died. And I was always afraid of hell as her. Imagine, if you will, a child who is perfectly innocent. A child that doesn't know right or wrong or good or evil. Now give this child a big fucking huge gun├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is Prime├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI'm expecting a big but├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou could say that├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôPrime's 'big gun' was her mind and her body. She was a shape shifter and a telekinetic. Not nearly as strong as, what did you call it? The target? But she was growing, before she died. She was growing in both mental capacity and physical ability's. She survived a fucking fall from orbit├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike blinked slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôFrom orbit?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI saw it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI was there├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo, is the target Prime?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know that now. She looks like her, but she's not├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôHow do you know that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause Prime had a daughter├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. Then they reached the camp. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour alive!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe blip went about thirty meters away from your position. Then it went of the scanner├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked at the scanner Sarge offered. Thirty meters from the glade was still on the scope. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think she camouflaged her self├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe has a huge amount of HEPE's going on around her. If I had a big singe like that, I'd find a way to cover it up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then there was a cracked twig, as if a foot had broken it.

Everyone, including Mankowski, July, and Helena, who were all on watch with guns ready, jumped. They all immediately turned on the direction of the sound, and July turned on her shoulder lamp. Eve held up her hands to cover her face from the sudden light. ├óÔé¼┼ôJeez├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI go to go to the bathroom and everyone gets their guns out├óÔé¼┬Ø.

[Guessmyname]

Eve is the good side of Prime's daughter?

or actually Prime's daughter?

[Archangel of Death]

Eve is the human half of Prime's daughter... and the other side is the Prime side.

[Zoombie]

Its complicated and cool, and you'll get to find out.

Eventually.

[Hoinkie]

Man im loving your story´s

except the ocassional spelling mishap
wich happens to everyone

keep it up

[Zoombie]

The dream had been vague. And terrible. Lizzy stood at the edge of the camp as dawn slowly broke. Light would take time to filter through the tree's and brush, and the air would take longer to warm. At night it had gotten cooler. It was never cold, per say, but it had been cool. And for Lizzy cool was enough. She had stood, for maybe and hour, just watching the horizon for the sun. The dream. It kept hammering at her, in the back of her mind. She had thought she had left those ghosts in her past. But, Lizzy smiled at the thought, maybe the ghosts hadn't left her.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing...out here?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked the air ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing...all the way out here?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôExcuse me?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Lizzy didn't jump, but it was a close thing. She hadn't heard the marine walk up to her. And seeing as how marines were usually as loud as a percussion band to Lizzy, she must not have been paying attention. She was getting wrapped up with this...situation. With these people. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow's the hand?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBull├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy hand is repairing itself as fast as can be expected. It'd be better if I had some krazy glue to fix it up, but├óÔé¼┬Ø he smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've been...not yourself ever sense the target...what did you call it, Prime?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, NOT Prime├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike backed away slightly, a little scared by the vehemence. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, turning back to the sunrise ├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe I've never been myself until...the target showed up├óÔé¼┬Ø she said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy, who are you? The target called you Elizabeth├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. Lizzy gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôThats an old name├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôAn old life├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike licked his lips ├óÔé¼┼ôI know its crazy. I know its impossible, and I know she's just the legend but...├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked, smiling slyly. Mike nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôYour first name is Elizabeth├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut what is your last name├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI don't have a last name├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. She suddenly knew what he was talking about. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou do├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy was suddenly awake of how close he was. She backed up slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôI am Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing else├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike backed away too, raising his hands ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll drop it├óÔé¼┬Ø. He turned away. Lizzy was ready to let him leave, but she had an odd reluctance to let him go. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you notice anything strange about Eve?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, looking completely blindsided by the question. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôAny thing odd about Eve!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe came with us to the forest...she also has odd bathroom habits, apparently├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe left right before the target showed up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked at her ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats insane. I met her before I even saw the target├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't have enough evidence, but at least keep a look out...for...well...anything├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll see├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.

Mike was more then a little angry. Eve had been one of the few people he knew on this planet that wasn't mostly crazy. And now some...some alluring stranger was telling him that she might be a sentient weapon. It was insane. He walked softly back into camp. It was early morning, and only July was awake because it was her watch. The plan was to wake up and be ready to go at at least twelve O clock, and head deeper into the forest. The Extermination was going to start at the cites and move slowly outwards, and they needed to be as far away from the cites as possible.

When Mike had asked Eve about what she thought, she had said that if the planet had used biological weapons it deserved its fate. She felt surprisingly strong about that, as most people probably did after World War Four. Mike hadn't been to SOL for forty odd years, but he had heard story's that still sent a chill down his spine. They had been that close to losing the Homeworld. Mars glowed in the dark and Jupiter's moons was still spitting out new plagues every once and a while. But from what Eve had hinted at, she had seen Mars, Jupiter and Homeworld.

Mike sat down at his little designated place, where he had laid out his kit and gear. He slid his gun under his pillow and lay down, groaning slightly. His hand spasmed slightly, a new collection of wires reconnecting as their smart heads wound themselves through the still fucked up innards of his wrist. Mike flipped open a hatch on the back of his hand and tried fiddling with some of the wires. All he managed to do was cause his trigger finger to squeeze compulsively. Mike sighed and shoved his hand under his covers. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, smiling.

├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, sitting up. His trigger finger spasmed one last time and then stopped. Mike tried wiggling it a bit. ├óÔé¼┼ôHaving hand troubles?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts artificial├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHuh├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have a artificial foot├óÔé¼┬Ø she pulled of one of her boots and wiggled her toes. Mike could hear the servos moving as her toes wiggled. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWell...├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat because I'm a Trad I wouldn't get an implant this drastic?├óÔé¼┬Ø July smiled softly ├óÔé¼┼ôWell some Trads would go with a peg leg, but I'm not a moron├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo when did you become a Trad├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. July looked away ├óÔé¼┼ôI was born as one. So...well there I go├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, remembering some event long ago. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have been up for the night. So I'm going to turn in├óÔé¼┬Ø. July nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to go back to look out. Just in case a specifically vicious or deadly beaver attacks├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike rolled over, smiling to himself. Then he realized that Dantana had no beavers. Or anything even remotely resembling beavers. Then he felt something crawling on his face. Mike sat up and a spider landed on his chest. Mike grabbed it, but them his hand spasmed again and the spider was smeared over his palm, rather then flying though the air. ├óÔé¼┼ôUgh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike groaned.

He lay back down and covered his head with his sleeping bag. Let the spiders, or whatever Dantana called its spider equivalents, walk on that. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge's voice intruded on the half sleep Mike had obtained ├óÔé¼┼ôMike, uncover your head and get the hell up├óÔé¼┬Ø. That was punctuated by a light kick. Mike sat up grumbling. ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone, get up!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shouted as Mike slowly stood. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve grumbled. She looked like she had gotten almost less sleep then Mike, if that were possible.

├óÔé¼┼ôLook├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, pointing. They all looked, and any chatter or complaints died in their lips. A single flickering light was slowly streaking down slowly moving across the sky, spewing smoke out the back end. It went over the forest, blotting out the sun for a split second. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôEVERYONE DOWN! COVER YOUR EARS!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike, knowing to trust an order like that, dropped and slammed his head under his pillow. The other, thankfully, did the same.

Because the large chunk of metal, screaming into the atmosphere was going many times the speed of sound. So when the sonic boom finally hit the forest, it blew the leaves off trees. Even with a pillow jammed over his head, and sound buffers in his ears, Mike felt as if his head was going to crack. He slowly stood up, to look at the vanishing meteorite. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts begun├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, his lips moving but Mike's ears ringing too loud to make sense of the sound. Then the asteroid, staying together far better then Mike expected, slammed into the ground. Smoke thumped up and the shock wave blew through the forest, even several miles away. Then the explosions was visible, brighter then the still dim sun.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôA megatonnage weapon├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted, trying to be heard over the continual roar, ├óÔé¼┼ôAn asteroid dropping into atmosphere. Why they didn't aim it better is a good question├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean?├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt looked like it did damage├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôTo a few acres of forest├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut what I don't get is why. My sources said that the Hannibal can't use atomic, biological or megatonnage weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd what source is that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked, turning around.

├óÔé¼┼ôThe Prime minister├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôManaged to get a spy on board the Hannibal or something. They have been beefing up the defense systems of the planet, but not in the way to fight the big three megadeath's├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd why didn't you tell us earlier!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou didn't ask!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut also it doesn't mean a flying fuck because we should STILL head away from the city's. Where are your precious marines going to hit first?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge looked angry, but then Mike pointed ├óÔé¼┼ôAnother one!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said .This one was farther away and heading away.

├óÔé¼┼ôOh god├óÔé¼┬Ø G said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey started bombing my fucking planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam├óÔé¼┬Ø The tech said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't think those are from the enemy star ship├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø G said, running over to his console. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Hannibal isn't even close to the planet├óÔé¼┬Ø the tech said, pointing. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen were are these asteroids coming from?├óÔé¼┬Ø G asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWe should be picking them up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are├óÔé¼┬Ø the tech said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut not on what we expected. They seem to...suck up light...radio waves, infrared. Pretty much everything. There like black holes, but with less gravity├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo how can we detect them?├óÔé¼┬Ø G asked ├óÔé¼┼ôOther then when they land on us?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The tech said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have a very crude HEPE sensor. It can barely detect anything its not aimed at, and├óÔé¼┬Ø he flicked a screen on. Suddenly a cloud of symbols flickered on around the planet. Some would miss. But most would not. ├óÔé¼┼ôStart shooting those things├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd issue the evac order├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes mam├óÔé¼┬Ø the tech said, starting to type.

Lizzy suddenly felt a odd quiver run down her back. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have HEPE scanners, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked Mike. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Lizzy grabbed the scanner off his belt and snapped open the scanner. It was going crazy, huge blobs of whiteness appearing over the entire scanner, moving quickly across it. So quick it was hard to see them. It took a moment for Lizzy to process the information, but when she did the first thing she thought was Oh god. Her mind was stuck on that for quite a bit. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, grabbing the scanner out of her limp hands ├óÔé¼┼ôThe scanners busted├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Lizzy shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy here?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy now, damn it. They stay quite for eighty years, but why HERE!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She grabbed Mike by the shoulders ├óÔé¼┼ôGet your kit together. Get everyone's kit together. We need to get off this planet!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat...why?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike siad ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean, I know we have to get off the planet, but who are you talking about. Who stayed quiet?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo time├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, looking up. Another asteroid was landing. This one split in half and exploded part way down to the ground. Lizzy closed her eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôThis world is going to die, even without your marines working at it├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôAll right├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you don't want to follow me you can stay here and die├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean, die?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWe just need to stay out from under the falling rocks├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts worse. We need to get to the star port and get off this planet as soon as possible├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats bull├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôI say we wait here and call the Hannibal when they arrive and let them pick us up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy's shoulders slumped slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôLet me tell you a story├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôIt started when I was captaining a star ship. Its make is unimportant, as is its name, so don't bother asking. So I was flying this ship between star systems, and then I ran into a small rock. It was not batted away by the ram field by sheer bad luck, and then it was sticking to the side of my ship. And in this rock is a...species. And it nearly killed me, my crew and my first husband├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd it gives off HEPE emissions like there is no tomorrows├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou mean its an alien race coming down on our heads?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked.

├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôAn alien race that was discovered right before World War Four. Then we forgot about it. Like forgetting about asteroids when you live in a asteroid belt├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat can you tell us about this...race?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell it evolves spontaneously whenever the environment changes around it. And we found, to our shock, that killing something is changing the fucking environment├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike hissed softly ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm with the running away plan├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust to get off this damn planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then another asteroid came down, slightly closer then the rest of them. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know where my ship is├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is your ship?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe parking lot├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôRight near parliament├óÔé¼┬Ø.

[CompWiz]

oh crap its raining S-02!!!!!

[Guessmyname]

Yay!

[Zoombie]

Excitement!


The Hannibal's HEPE sensors were going crazy, but Keller had something more serious to worry about. The Agamemnon had started bombing the asteroid field about two days ago, but because of the ships girth and lack maneuverability, it had to stay outside of the field. So it was firing into the field, trying to put enough piece's of rubble into the field until the Hannibal was tagged by one. And for now the Hannibal was able to shoot down the piece's when they got too close. But it was getting hairy, with thousands of partials big and fast enough to go through the ram field, to get all of them with the PD guns on the Hannibal.

So the HEPE sensors kept screaming and no one paid attention to them. The bridge crew had told the computers to stop acknowledging the HEPE sensors. So now they sent the signals to an empty router, where no one would pay them mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, looking at his bridge crew ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to get our asses out of the fire. Any ideas about how to do that?├óÔé¼┬Ø. His first spoke up first ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could boost the ram field integrity and ram out way out. Come out guns blazing├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller thought about it ├óÔé¼┼ôCould we get the marines out at the same time and hit the enemy at the same time├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSure├óÔé¼┬Ø The first said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've been thinking. The Agamemnon seems to have rather exemplary sensors├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat gives you that idea?├óÔé¼┬Ø The flight coordinator asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first said, looking smug ├óÔé¼┼ôThey have found us on the spot every single time that we've come out of this field. First they were right in front of us...right where we needed to be to be hit by their thrust. Now they found us good enough to bombard our entire area. I think they will finds us well before we come out of the asteroid field and hit us more├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo why should we go gun's blazing?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts the only option, other then running├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said ├óÔé¼┼ôAny thing sneaky would be found out by the Agamemnon. They've seen everything sense now├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôLets at least give them more then one targets├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at his gunnery officer ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you cobble together a decoy of some kind?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI could strap an engine to a bunch of sounders and fire it off as we go out. It'll look like we're heading out in two place's at once├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can rig it up in a few minuets├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôMake it so. Dismissed├óÔé¼┬Ø. His bridge crew walked out of his office, and Keller sat there for a few more minuets. Then he called up Sarris. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarris├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôGet your troops together. We're going to hit the enemy in a few hours├óÔé¼┬Ø he paused ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I think we have a spy on board├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The asteroid impact site was molten for a few minuets, but by the time the hazard team showed up to see what was giving off the HEPE emission, it was cool enough to walk on. Two Dantana Guards were with them, wearing some battered and dirty armor with rifles slung over their back. The rifles were old Colonial cast offs, ZX-47 models. Still worked, but they missed all the neat additions the ZX-87's had, such as more types of ammo, longer range, smart bullets. But they could still kill, and for the D.G that was what was important.

The hazard team walked into the crater, their equipment ready. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not getting any readings off the rock├óÔé¼┬Ø one of them said ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing except the damn HEPE readings├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs it hazardous, Robson?├óÔé¼┬Ø another one asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Robson said, running his scanner along the rock face created by the asteroid impact ├óÔé¼┼ôBut this rock is very strange. Its giving off some...odd gas's. Well nothing odd about them, but they shouldn't be there├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right├óÔé¼┬Ø The third one said, plopping her heavy scanner on the ground and setting up a computing station ├óÔé¼┼ôThis denotes...life├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not getting anything else that says this thing has life forms├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôShit!├óÔé¼┬Ø Robson said suddenly, falling back ├óÔé¼┼ôAlexander, I saw something!├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a note of panic in his voice. Alexander ran to him, trying to push along the side of the asteroid and not tear his suit in the possess. The asteroid was jagged, far more so then he had expected. Long, jagged edges tend to break off in reentry. But then he got to Robson, who was laying on his back, trying to push away with his legs, but failing to find contact on the soft side of the crater. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you see?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alexander said, proffering a hand.

├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know. I don't know. It scared the crap out of me├óÔé¼┬Ø Robson said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGuards!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alexander said ├óÔé¼┼ôGet over here! We might have something hostile├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes sir!├óÔé¼┬Ø the D.G snapped off a salute, even though neither Alexander or Robson could see him. His partner followed, with one last glance at the third member of the hazard team. She was busy typing on a computing station ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not detecting movement├óÔé¼┬Ø She said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't care what your detecting├óÔé¼┬Ø Robson snapped ├óÔé¼┼ôI saw something├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't see anything!├óÔé¼┬Ø

Robson pointed at a crack in the asteroid. Inside the crack there was just blackness. Alexander grabbed a torch and turned it on. He shone a beam of light into the crack. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm still seeing nothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Alexander said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm...what the hell...what...├óÔé¼┬Ø she started typing as fast as possible. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked, turning around. Then the there was a shifting sound in the asteroid and a tendril shot out. It was fast, black, and moved with a disturbing alien grace. Then it wrapped around Alexander's neck. He reached up to grab the blackness wrapped around his hazard suit. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôShit! Help├óÔé¼┬Ø his voice sounded very very small.

The D.G brought their guns up, but Alex seemed unharmed. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlex!├óÔé¼┬Ø Robson said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't move├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't think I fucking know that. Fuck. Fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø he started to mutter profanity under his breath. The tentacle tightened slightly around the hazmat suit, which was made to prevent this sort of thing. The helmet was a large bubble, with a wide neck, so Alex could still breath. Robson pulled out a long knife he always kept on his person, mostly for show. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman was scrambling over the crater ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't do it Robson!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy not! He's going to fucking die in there Gloria├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo wait!├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't know anything about it. What if...what if it has acid for blood├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats bull├óÔé¼┬Ø Robson said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, but if its true├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll kill Alex and yourself├óÔé¼┬Ø. Robson stepped back, reluctantly. Alex was close to crying. The tentacle was perfectly still, except for an unsettling ripple that ran up its length. It looked completely black, mottled with deep blue veins. But what unsettled everyone was its blackness. It seemed to...pull light in around it. Everything about it seemed evil, despite Alex's beliefs that nothing was truly evil in the universe.

Alex closed his eyes and tried to slow his breath, to bring his heart under control. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôAlex don't open your eyes. Just focus on being calm and still├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex nodded, dropping his hands from the tentacle. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust listen to me, listen to me. Focuses on my voice├óÔé¼┬Ø. Alex nodded again. He was already able to ignore the slight feeling of pressure on the hazmat suit neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are yo trying to do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are going to see if we can't find out more about this thing├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôRobson, bring up the heavy scanner├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The heavy scanner could bombard pretty much anything with all known forms of electromagnetic radiation. The hazmat suit would protect Alex from everything but some of the more esoteric partials. And those usually didn't do to much damage. Alex distracted himself by naming the partials emitted by the scanner. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are going to turn this thing back on├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø Alex said ├óÔé¼┼ôGloria, if I don't make it...tell Sandra I'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a pause. Gloria nodded, then realizing Alex's eyes were still closed, she said aloud ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay├óÔé¼┬Ø.

They turned on the scanner. It whirred up to full power. Then the tentacle spasmed and tightened so swift Gloria didn't know what had happened until it was all over. The helmet of the hazmat suit filled with bright, red arterial blood. Gloria felt cold for a moment. Then she was to busy running, her legs pounding as she ran up and out of the crater. The asteroid started to crack, ominously. The tentacle had retracted inside. Robson was running up, crying freely. Alex's corpse was buried as the rock fell apart in several large chunks.

Then blackness shot out, long groping, reaching arms. The center of the blackness was...expanding, growing. The blackness swarmed over Alex's body and dissolved it. The two D.G backed up, guns at the ready. The hazard team was already running past them. Gloria, smartly enough, tore off her hazard suit so she could run faster. Robson stopped after a bit and took of his suit too. The two D.G, in the end, were shining examples to their outfit. They stood their ground and in good order brought their guns up.

Then they started to fire into the blackness, cutting huge holes in it with their ZX-47's. But every hole refilled faster then it was stuck out. But the gigantic blot grew faster and faster. Then it shrank back down in size for a moment, shrinking back. Then it launched forward and swamped the Guards. The two D.G died in an instant, skin boiling away and mucles below being devoured by...whatever had come out of the asteroid. Gloria stopped running, a fire in her chest. She had never run this fast, this far. Robson staggered to a halt with her, and they both stood panting.

The darkness, in the distance, was still. It had stopped moving so completely Gloria wondered, for a moment, if the D.G had killed it somehow. ├óÔé¼┼ôGloria├óÔé¼┬Ø Robson said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that...what the FUCK was that!├óÔé¼┬Ø He was starting to panic, his breaths coming in quick bursts. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said. In vids she always saw that the heroin or the hero would slap the weaker member of the party. She looked at Robson, whose eye were closed, tears running down his nose, and realized that she was crying too. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I think its not...not moving├óÔé¼┬Ø.

July was in the back of the group, as far from Lizzy and Mike as possible. They had been talking with one another for more of the morning as they walked towards the city. It was taking a long time, longer then they had expected. July didn't mind. It was giving her time to think, think about how could she be stupid. How could a bumpkin from a DS colony, a Trad no less, even interest someone like Mike. July looked down at the ground and focused on putting one step on the other.

├óÔé¼┼ôJuly?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats wrong?├óÔé¼┬Ø. July looked up. Mankowski was matching pace with her, an odd look on his face. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing, Mankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, looking up and putting a cheery face on. ├óÔé¼┼ôBull├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were practically crying├óÔé¼┬Ø. July looked at him and smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis mission is getting complicated enough without turning it into a sit-com├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski shrugged and started walking faster, soon out distancing July.

The small group made it to the city without too much fuss. Lizzy was tight lipped ,though, as to her actual name. So Mike had stopped asking, and had kept the conversation on anecdotes and movies. Lizzy was slowly becoming more like her old self, joking more often and smiling more. She was still worried, almost panicking, but it was under the surface. She looked strong. And sometimes thats what was important. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you see├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOver there├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike pointed. Two people were running as if all the fires of hell were after them.

Gloria was the first one to see the group of people walking out of the forest. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho...are....they!├óÔé¼┬Ø she gasped. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo idea!├óÔé¼┬Ø Robson gasped. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets check them out├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said, slowing down her run. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Robson said. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to warn them...whatever the fuck that is...I have reason to believe that its on each of those asteroids├óÔé¼┬Ø. As if to punctuate her point another asteroid started to fall, but it was way off in the distance. The planet rotation changed where the rocks fell, so one area wouldn't get bombarded all the time.

├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The leader of the group looked up. She looked familiar to Gloria, but Gloria couldn't place her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry, but I'm in a hurry├óÔé¼┬Ø the leader said, even as Gloria walked up to them. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to warn you├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôThese asteroid strikes are bringing an...an alien├óÔé¼┬Ø. The woman leading the group cut her off ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've seen it before├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she kept walking, the rest of her group following. Gloria stood there, mouth hanging. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you know!├óÔé¼┬Ø. And she started running after them.

[Zoombie]

Another episdoe!


How had it gone so wrong. Keller clutched a bleeding hole in his side. It had only been a few minuets sense they had come out of the asteroid field, but it felt more like hours. The Hannibal had rammed into a mine. Mines in space were an old idea, and usually completely impractical. But this one had been clever. It had been an antimatter bomb, encapsulated in a sphere of vacuum. It was very unstable, so when the Hannibal's ram field had brushed it aside, it had detonated and tore a ragged chunk out of the front of the Hannibal. The shock wave had also caused the Hannibal to list madly, spinning like a top.

The bridge had been partially destroyed, the gunnery console literally exploding. It had been a custom in old Sci-fi shows that whenever the ship was hit the computers would explode in a flurry of sparks. In real life the computers did explode, and for a verity of reasons. Power over loads, a shell hitting to close to the bridge, abrogators. But when it exploded it tore apart, flames leaping out, and shards of plastic and metal flying everywhere. The gunnery officer was dead, half his head ripped apart and the rest of his cooked nicely. Keller's first was bandaging the hole in Keller's side, after taking the large piece of plastic that had torn through it.

├óÔé¼┼ôReport├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, trying to get his mind of the pain. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've lost about fifty off marines and over forty of our crew├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we have less then fifty percent of our guns left├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a dull explosion in the distance, sending reverberations through the hull. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat sounded like a hull hit├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe enemy can fucking whittle us down with a single gun. We don't have computer support, do we?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø His first said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have enough power to send a tac-con message├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Keller looked at his first ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could surrender├óÔé¼┬Ø the first was frowning. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôI will not surrenders my ship├óÔé¼┬Ø. He stood up, wincing ├óÔé¼┼ôGet a repair crew up and start of the engine. I'm going to kill this fuck if i Have to ram him├óÔé¼┬Ø. His first sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't mean that. We can't continue this fight├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut they don't know that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Agamemnon has the same kind of sensors we have. Telescopes, some HEPE sensors, possibly infrared and gamma. They don't have some magical sensor that can detect our exact position coming out of an asteroid field├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôThen how do you explain├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is a spy on board├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. His first flinched, looking...odd. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho do you think it is?├óÔé¼┬Ø His first asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have no idea├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. Another dull explosion sounded through the hull. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first propped Keller up on his shoulders ├óÔé¼┼ôLets see if we can find some clues├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller grunted, feeling another spike of pain run down his side. The Hannibal suddenly groaned and a very very low note started to ring through her hull. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked, looking around.

├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not leaving until you answer my questions!├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria shouted, running after Lizzy. Lizzy groaned, wondering why this woman would have to be so persistent. Dantana, on the outside, looked fine. It was sunny, and the sky was clear...aside from a few ominous streaks of smoke that slowly drifted over the sky. The birds were not singing, scared away by the sonic booms of asteroids. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis species will kill everything on this planet. Leave├óÔé¼┬Ø. Gloria gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôBut isn't there something we can do? Anything├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is nothing you can do. Shooting just makes it stronger├óÔé¼┬Ø. She turned back and started to walk swiftly again. The rest of the group pushed past Gloria and she moved away.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean we have no ships?├óÔé¼┬Ø G asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe only have fifteen low orbit shuttles. They can't get into another solar system├óÔé¼┬Ø the tech said. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø G muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôDo we have ANY intra-solar system craft?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell there is one, owned by a...Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø her tech said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a ten person ship with inertial suppressors and ten sleeper caskets. Its also got a lot of non-regulation weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø. G blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôSo...ten man ship...can we use it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø her tech said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can hack into it in about├óÔé¼┬Ø he started to type ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI would have thought she'd have better computer defenses├óÔé¼┬Ø G muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø She started to walk towards the door ├óÔé¼┼ôBy├óÔé¼┬Ø.

After she walked out of the room her tech looked up. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can fucking leave me!├óÔé¼┬Ø he started to run after G. They both got to the ship at almost the same time, G having the head start but the tech running for his life. ├óÔé¼┼ôTake me with you!├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, reaching for G. G blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut lets go├óÔé¼┬Ø. They both hustled onto Lizzy's ship and started up the engines. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo thats why├óÔé¼┬Ø the tech muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThis computer system is like...a fifty years old├óÔé¼┬Ø. After a few moments of fiddling he started up the engine.

Another wave of asteroids was punching through the atmosphere. One of them shot over head, causing Lizzy to clap her hands over her ears. ├óÔé¼┼ôLOOK!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shouted, pointing at the city. Lizzy, Mike, Eve, July, Helena, Sarge and Mankowski looked up. A spherical ship was gently lifting off, thrusters firing. Then it took off, main engine starting. It drifted lazily across the sky. Then an asteroid smashed into it and both ship and asteroid exploded above the city, showering the city with rocks and other debris. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was...that was my FUCKING SHIP!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The remnants of the ship, less then a twisted bit of frame, plummeted into the city and detonated, blasting apart a block and probably killing more then a few people. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôMy ship!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was a great idea...while it lasted├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy tore her hat off and threw it on the ground. Mike noticed that her hair, witch had been bound up inside the hat for all this time, was actually rather long and lustrous. Then he blinked, remembering that he was planning to not be attracted to Lizzy any more.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe still have another plan├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell if there is a parliamentary building then its going to have a tac-con. We could send the Hannibal a message and they could pick us up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy frowned. Somehow she had become the de facto leader of the group. Even Sarge was deferring to her. Lizzy sighed and wondered when the universe would give her a break. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe go for Parliament├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then an explosions ripped open a part of the wall around the city. Screams and shots filtered into the air, barely audible but present none the less. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets hope its still standing├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said.

Eve had said the bold words, but now that she was seeing the detestation first hand those words came back to her. Whatever planet does that deserves its fate. No one deserved this. She walked edgily around the corpse, lying in the middle of the streets. The rest of the group were silent as well, even Mankowski looked rather withdrawn. Eve assumed that he and the other marines had seen detestation like this before.

Actually they hadn't. The Colonial Marines either only saw the enemy soldiers. The enemy soldiers were easy to dehumanize, as they usually wore dull metal armor, that made them look more like robots then anything else. They also were firing through walls, around corners and running for their lives. It was never anything so personal as this. July was taking it hard, harder then Eve even. After they passed two children, both killed by what looked like machine gun fire, July stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod├óÔé¼┬Ø she gasped and threw up, bending over as she did so. Her gun clattered to the ground.

Mike patted her on the back and Sarge looked around. ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski, Helena!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôSecure this place. Lizzy and Eve, set up watch. Scream if you see something├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he walked over to July, who was slowly standing up. ├óÔé¼┼ôSome soldier I make├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, mouth turning slightly up at the corners. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôFirst time I saw a dead kid I threw up too├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't believe you'd ever throw up├óÔé¼┬Ø July said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNah, it was at my first job├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, looking in the distance, vague memory's coming to the surface ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't' remember much, it was a really long time ago├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhy can't you remember that?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought you have...a brain core thing├óÔé¼┬Ø she grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts still just a replica of the human mind. It still has faults. I have so much in here that sometimes I can't quite...get it to sync up right, if you know what I mean├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do you remember about your first job?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. Mike blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was a research station, I know that much. I was a security guard, and something bad happened. Thats all I can remember├óÔé¼┬Ø. July nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we should go now├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôEven though my legs still feel like rubber├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Then Mike shoved her down. July landed, blinked. Then she herd the gunshot. It was as if everything had gotten scrambled. ├óÔé¼┼ôBogeys!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôOn the roof!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Bogeys, July thought, what is a Bogey?. Then everything snapped into focus and she scrambled to her feet. Her spotter was dead, her sniper rifle was in flames, but she was still a sniper in the Colonial Marines. She went down into a crotch, looked at the roof of the building that Lizzy pointed at and took am.

BANG BANG BANG BANG! The four looters, for that was who the attackers were, fell. Mike lowered his pistol slowly. July stood up and holstered her pistol ├óÔé¼┼ôThat'll show them├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Mike looked back. Each of the enemy had been hit straight in the center of their mass, where it was a pretty much confirmed kill every time. Helena was grinning ├óÔé¼┼ôThats some fine shooting├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo wonder you got posted to this mission├óÔé¼┬Ø. July allowed herself a slight smile. One of the looters corpses fell off the building and splatted on the ground.

The group continued, but now with Eve leading the way. She knew her way through the city better then anyone else in the group, despite how many times she told them that the city was already unrecognizable. Most people were cowering indoors, but a large number of them were out in the city, enjoying the last few days of violence they had available to them, and the D.G, police and private security force's seemed to be doing absolutely nothing about the violence. Gun shots were a near continual sound in the back ground. Eve rounded the next corner and expected to see a straight street to parliament.

What she got was a battle. An entire platoon of D.G soldiers were battling what looked like a swarm of blackness. Eve suddenly felt her legs give out from under her and she fell face forward. She couldn't move, but her head was turned at an angle so she could see the streets, some ruined buildings and a deceptively beautiful strip of sky that was clear of dust, dirt and smoke. Then Sarge rolled her onto her back and the rest of the group was around her. ├óÔé¼┼ôDrag her back├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't be in this battle├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve tried to move, but she couldn't.

The battle was quieter then Eve expected, the D.G guns cracking softly every once and a while, with a few screams when one of the creatures they were fighting managed to grab one of them. But then Eve was pulled into a half ruined shop and picked up by Sarge, Mike and Mankowski. They placed her gently on the table. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked ├óÔé¼┼ôEve are you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Eve's lips moved without her doing anything ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.

├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's all right├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at the others. Eve sat up and blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôI have no idea what happened├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just...those creatures├óÔé¼┬Ø. She shuddered convulsively. ├óÔé¼┼ôThose are our enemy├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, looking out of the window ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't let them touch you. Firing will slow them down, but...its going to help them in the long run├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you think we'll have to fight them?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôEventually├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut for now does anyone know of a way to get around the fight?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could go through the alleyways├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, remembering those damned things.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôBy now those alleyway would have no doubt been filled with rubble├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe police station├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said suddenly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked, looking just as confused as the others. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe police have cars├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôBig, heavy armored cars. We can use those to punch through the smaller side streets and get to parliament├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy ducked down, gesturing madly to the others. Five D.G's ran past, guns at the ready. They didn't look into the building.

Lizzy stood ├óÔé¼┼ôI agree├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, as if nothing had broke the conversation ├óÔé¼┼ôThey also have guns. And when my ship went up in smoke I lost pretty much every single one of my guns. And we are going to need guns. Lots and lots of guns├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then a...hound of sorts jumped through the window, hurtling over Lizzy and landing on one of the tables, crushing it with its weight. It was comprised of almost complete blackness, streaked by veins of deep blue. It had four legs, no head and a stubby tail. It stood up, turned around slowly, as if regarding the humans who were backing away from it.

It's tail swished slowly back and forth and its skin...rippled down from its headless neck to its tail. ├óÔé¼┼ôKill it!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted, pulling out her .50 cal pistol. She fired and blew a chunk out of the things front section. Black grit flew everywhere. The massive hole that was torn in the creatures side started to fill up again, the black grit that had been flung outwards slowly dribbling back together. But Lizzy fired again. This time the dog was almost torn in half and in the middle of its body something was glowing.

It looked like a small, egg sized, gold ball. It shimmered and rippled like water forced to stay in a single shape. The dog staggered on its remaining legs and looked at Lizzy, almost pitiful. Lizzy fired again and blasted the gold sphere apart. The body of the dog stood there for a moment, then fell to its side. It disintegrated, vanishing into a black vapor that smelled slightly of formaldehyde. The black grit that had been blow off stayed, but didn't do anything. They just sat there like dirt. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, regaining her voice first. Lizzy looked at the others, disappointment on her face. Then it faded ├óÔé¼┼ôNext time we meet a creature like that, whether its a biped, tripod or quadruped, shoot it till you see gold. Then shoot that. The damn thing will vape faster then Io├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski's face looked momentarily pained and Lizzy's eyes soften slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.

The group set out, once again following Eve. Eve knew the nearest police station, witch was nestled near the wall of the city. It was a combination of a tower, for looking over the city, radio station for broadcasting to the police and armory for equipping the police. The farther away from parliament they got the less fighting there was. The only saw a single darkhound, as Mike named it, running from alleyway to alleyway. Lizzy had told them to ignore it, telling them that the creatures were about as smart as a brick. They wouldn't notice humans unless they were right in front of them. For some reason that failed to cheer Mike up.

Eve was screaming. But on one could hear her. You can't hear someone else's thoughts. Her body was walking, moving, talking. She could feel other thoughts, conflicting, angry thoughts. But they weren't hers. The other thoughts would jump from topic to topic, faster then Eve could think them. She caught snatches of thoughts. Anger at Lizzy. No a deep hatred of Lizzy, that stretched back before time imaginable. It was terrifying to think that her mind could contain such hatred. Then the thoughts switched to a lust that almost hurt to feel.

Eve started to probe her senses, trying to see if she could do something, anything. But the other in her mind was strong, incredibly strong. The other personality kept switching from elation, despair, anger, love, hatred. It was dizzying, disturbing and Eve railed against the other. Then the other focused at her and Eve was screaming again. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have no idea├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou really don't...this is quite...amusing├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice sounded rather sadistic. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you? What do you want!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, thinking as hard as she could. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm you. Your me├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour mother gave you to me. I can't see why she bothered├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôMy mother├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, thinking furiously ├óÔé¼┼ôshe died when I was born. The cesarean operation was botched├óÔé¼┬Ø. She trailed off, feeling a sense of shock emanating from the other. ├óÔé¼┼ôA cesarean├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôA cesarean operation...you think our mother needed a cesarean├óÔé¼┬Ø. An image was forced on Eve. A woman, lying in the snow. Blood pooling around her. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats not how that happened├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt is├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats impossible. She died after a cesarean├óÔé¼┬Ø. Even to her it sounded like denial.

├óÔé¼┼ôWe're here├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Eve looked like she was drifting slightly, but when he spoke she snapped back into focus. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't open the door. But I think you guys can handle that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet me├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôI grabbed Stevenson's demo pack when he died. Always though it was going to come in handy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou grabbed Stevenson's pack without even asking us?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked, looking surprised and irritated. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell its not like he needed it anymore├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, placing the shaped charge on the door.

├óÔé¼┼ôGet back├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said. Then two D.G soldiers, who were walking to the police station for the same reason that Eve and the others were. To get some guns. One of the D.G saw the demo charge and leaped to the correct conclusion and started firing his ZX-47. The first shot hit the demo charge. It was bad luck. It was a mistake. The demo charge was shaped, so as to not send to much of the energy created by the blast in the wrong direction. But the bullet caused it to fall slightly off the door and bend outwards. There was red in the air.

July was the fastest, getting better at coping with the sudden shock of battle. She found the best way was to literally shut her brain off and let her arms do the work. Her arms moved left, then right. Her fingers pulled the trigger once, twice. The two D.G fell, their body armor no protection against armor piercing bullets. They fell back and July holstered her pistol, smiling. She was pretty good at this. She turned around and the smile died on her face.

Mankowski and Mike had been struck by the explosion. Mike had been better off, being farther away, but he was still severely burned down the left side of his face. Mankowski had caught a large chunk of metal door in the back. It had embedded itself in a rib, possibly fracturing more then one ribs. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski gasped, his voice bubbly and wheezily. Then he coughed, no matter how much it hurt, and blood dribbled out of his mouth onto the ground.

Eve was backed against the wall, her hair singed back from her head. A large chunk of debris was floating in front of her face, the jagged edge almost touching her eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena, not looking up from Mike and Mankowski ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you help!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve felt the other let the piece of rubble slowly drop to the ground. Then she was walking over to the two body's. ├óÔé¼┼ôHere├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôPut pressure on the wound├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy had hit the deck, but now she was ripping her shirt to make a bandage. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge├óÔé¼┬Ø she said while doing do ├óÔé¼┼ôGo into the police building and get some medical kits or something. Anything!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

After a few minuets of frantic searching Sarge found the medical supplies in the building. He ran out, carrying the bags. He tossed them to Lizzy, who grabbed them out of the air and started applying them with an ease and effort that made Sarge think that she was a lot older then she let on. No way a twenty year old could be that good with guns and medical supplies. And make first contact with aliens. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I've stabilized Mike. But Mankowski's going to have a real hard time breathing soon. Lets get him inside├óÔé¼┬Ø.

[Zoombie]

I write so much tts probably unhealthy!


Mike remembered.



Mike rolled up the newspaper, ignoring the slight screech as the advertisements turned off suddenly, and threw the paper across the room. It flapped back open and dragged on the air. The advertisements started back up again, blaring obnoxiously. Mike stood up, magnetic soles keeping him stuck to the floor. After walking a bit, trying to get the hang of walking in zero gravity. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan someone please tell me what the fuck is going on!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted at the door. The door, which had yet to respond to anything Mike had said all evening, stayed shut and silent.

Then, to his surprise, it opened. ├óÔé¼┼ôSimon?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing here?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Simon smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI always like it when I can flummox you├óÔé¼┬Ø. He walked into the room, perfectly at ease in zero G. Mike sat back down, allowing the chair to strap him back in. ├óÔé¼┼ôSimon├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell is going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Simon pulled a chair out of the wall and sat down on that as well ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôthis is a story about how I got you a new job├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd that required an arrest warrant?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike proffered the piece of paper. He had crumpled it into a tiny ball.

├óÔé¼┼ôIts all for state security├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon said, waving his hand dismissively. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo your saying you got the Colonial government to arrest me...to give me a job?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Simon smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen have I ever lead you wrong, Mike?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLodes of times├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôLodes of times you've gotten me in nothing but trouble├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut you survived, didn't you?├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts only a bad idea if you die from it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike thought about that for a second ├óÔé¼┼ôSo whats this job├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnother security contract├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust like the last four you've had. But this one...is completely different!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike opened his mouth to say something, but Simon cut him off ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are going to be commanding the private security arm of the...the├óÔé¼┬Ø he pulled out a piece of paper and squinted at it ├óÔé¼┼ôHe-ro-she-ma├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike jerked the paper out of Simon's and read it himself. ├óÔé¼┼ôHiroshima├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Then he looked at Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôYou do know what Hiroshima is right?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt has no bearing on anything├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought as much├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou never did pay attention in history class. Hiroshima was one of the first cites to be hit by atomic weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo?├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat does that have to do with├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike cut him off ├óÔé¼┼ôWould you let your daughter go out with someone who was named Hitler?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know name doesn't denote temperament├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon said.

├óÔé¼┼ôTrue├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, nodding at that ├óÔé¼┼ôBut when you name a research station Hiroshima you really think that tells you what it does├óÔé¼┬Ø. Simon was about to say something, but then the shuttle docked, causing the entire room to shake. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell its a moot point now├óÔé¼┬Ø Simon said ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause we've arrived├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôMike wake up!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike sat up and wondered what had happened to his left eye. Then he felt the bandages on his face and side. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôShit, theres a breach!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then his mind snapped into the present. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôEve, I'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. She smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôIts all right. We've secured the police building. Lizzy, July and Helena have all set up sniper posts on the tower. Sarge is trying to secure the door├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôTending to you guys├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Mike looked around, trying to remember his dream.

Then he saw Mankowski. The big man looked very worse off. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs he going to be okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. The injury's that Mankowski had were dressed and bandaged. A three medical packs were strapped around various parts of his body, and a tube was running out of his arm, for reasons that Mike didn't really want to go into. ├óÔé¼┼ôWill he be okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe think├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's not as durable as you are├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose having snobby parents really does have some advantages├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôhm?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, getting up. He regretted it, almost falling face first.

Eve wanted to warn Mike, but the other wouldn't let her. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's remembering├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why Stevenson had to die. He knew who we were├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy knows who we are too├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve pointed out ├óÔé¼┼ôShe doesn't trust us at all├óÔé¼┬Ø. The other seemed more then bit taken aback by that. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe know me├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut she doesn't know your me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm NOT YOU!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop trying to deny it├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf Lizzy doesn't trust us, she's smart. She's not alone with us├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou wouldn't├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf she tells the others, how will we get off this planet?├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said.

Eve was silent for a bit. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't kill Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôPlease...don't├óÔé¼┬Ø. The other's emotions were unreadable for a moment. Then, amazingly it took pity. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said ├óÔé¼┼ôMike will live├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Eve realized that her body was helping Mike to his feet, telling him to stay in his bed. Mike joked about something, but Eve was unable to concentrate on it. The other wanted something of Mike. She was sure of that. But what was wanted, and why...she had no idea. Then her body's head snapped up, looking around frantically.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat wrong?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I hear something├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve's mouth said. Eve couldn't hear much of anything, other then some scuffling sounds upstairs and the sound of July and Helena talking. Then she picked it up. A very low hum, resonating through the room. Eve suspected that it was not meant to be heard by human ears. Underneath the hum was a skittering sound, like thousands of cockroaches climbing over each other. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, at the same time Mike asked the self same question. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve's body lied. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts our people├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said ├óÔé¼┼ôOur kind calling to us├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOur kind?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'll learn, later├óÔé¼┬Ø the other said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut for now watch├óÔé¼┬Ø.

July was doing a cats cradle, trying to pass the time. They would be in the police station for more then a while, according to Lizzy. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe should be safe├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt'll take the aliens about a week to get up to speed before consuming the planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat happens then?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey expand until they cover the entire planet. Then they stop and sit there until the environment changer's├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSounds like a perfect biological weapon├óÔé¼┬Ø July commented, frowning at her cats cradle. ├óÔé¼┼ôSeems that way├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. She pulled an apple out of her back pack and started to munch on it.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhere did you get that apple?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFound it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIn the fridge, downstairs├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena dashed off. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe loves apples├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think├óÔé¼┬Ø. The cats cradle became a nightmarish tangle. ├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a├óÔé¼┬Ø July tore the cats cradle of her fingers and threw the string out the window. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, finishing off the apple and throwing the core over her shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôHow is it going?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHmm?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell its the end of the world├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôor this world. How is it hanging by you?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am a greenhorn. At least thats what Stevenson called me├óÔé¼┬Ø her face fell. ├óÔé¼┼ôWere you two close?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôI had only met him a few days ago. Its weird...I haven thought of him in hours, for fear I would cry. He was the first person in my life that I have seen killed. Not die, but just out and out killed. But I don't really feel much of anything now├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShock├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôOnce your out of the situation you're brain will suddenly hit you with what happened and you'll get the shakes├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell its what happens to me├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, grinning. July decided to not think about it. She might get the shakes before they got off the planet.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo, July├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy pulled another apple out of her back back and started eating that one ├óÔé¼┼ôHow's it going with Mike?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. She was about to ask Lizzy for an apple, but the question had driven it completely out of her mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean, hows it going?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI wasn't aware that anything was...going on between me and Mike at all├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome off it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts obvious to anyone with half a brain. Aside from Mike, of course├óÔé¼┬Ø. July sighed and leaned against the window frame ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's just so...so cool!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy furrowed her brow ├óÔé¼┼ôI've not heard anyone called cool in ten years├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.

├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...its the best thing I could come up with├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats the best who?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked, walking up with five apples in her hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, turning around and looking out the window. Lizzy mouthed the word ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø at Helena and pointed at July. Helena nodded sagely ├óÔé¼┼ôWell if it makes you feel better├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's easy to seduce. Just make him think your in trouble├óÔé¼┬Ø. July turned around, face beat red. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I met him when I was on my last coin in a bar round Tristar. We got married a month later and stayed together for five years. But the corps tends to not have lasting marriages├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did you even bother?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked ├óÔé¼┼ôA five year marriage...thats almost a fling├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena paused halfway between one apple bite and the next ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen it was starting it seemed like it would go on forever├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked out the window, standing next to July. The city was burning in some area's, and the battle was slowing outside of parliament. The aliens had backed off, for a reason that Helena couldn't see. ├óÔé¼┼ôHuh├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo the aliens normally retreat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked Lizzy. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey never retreat├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell these ones are├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said.

The Hannibal's left engine had been torn out of its casing. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did this happen?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAn asteroid snuck up on us├óÔé¼┬Ø The engineer said. The engineer, a rather formidable woman of sixty years of age, with a single oily pigtail tied behind her back, was frowning at Keller. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did it sneak up on us?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOur sensors and PD guns are down back here├óÔé¼┬Ø the engineer said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd if we don't get to dry dock, or something, soon...then we aren't going to survive long├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we move out of the asteroid field's general area?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSlowly and in a straight line...yes├óÔé¼┬Ø the Engineer said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut the enemy fucks are still shooting us to pieces with precision strikes├óÔé¼┬Ø

Another dull roar rent the ship. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is impossible├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't win, not out here├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at his first ├óÔé¼┼ôTell Com's to send a Tac-Com message to SOL. Tell them that an unknown cooperation is covering for Dantana and to send in a fucking Armada├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes sir├óÔé¼┬Ø His first said, snapping off a salute. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd bring Sarris...General Sarris to my ready room├óÔé¼┬Ø he added. His first snapped off another salute and smiled at Keller. Keller gulped, wondering if his first knew. But then he decided that it wasn't going to matter. Running away from a Extermination was a court martial offense. Might as well throw on some other reg breaking.

Keller sat in his ready room, putting his feet up on his desk. The explosions and tilting had thrown everything into disarray, so his feet finished the job. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou wanted to see me, Sir?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris asked, opening the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have a miracle, by the way?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we have gotten out of range of the enemy guns├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller looked at his desk and noticed that it said the ship was moving. ├óÔé¼┼ôAt least the inertial dampeners are still on├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Sarris suddenly brightened ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have an idea├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Agamemnon has sub par soldiers├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey have less of them from our scanners, but our marines reported that they are very poorly trained. There are reports of breaking, lack of disciplen and bad shooting. If we can get a hundred or so marines on board, think of the damage we could do! We could still take the ship├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts...its not worth it├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Hannibal is damaged beyond our ability's to repair in this environment. We can't get close enough to get the damn marines on board!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I know how to do that├óÔé¼┬Ø.

She pulled out a data slate and a light pen ├óÔé¼┼ôWatch├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've done the math. Each shuttle can put out, roughly, several thousand kilo's...or about...about...├óÔé¼┬Ø she thought for a moment ├óÔé¼┼ôTen G's. We have twenty shuttles. Those, firing their engines in combined, can have half the full acceleration of the Hannibal. That is more then enough to hurtle a large asteroid past the Agamemnon├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPast....├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou mean...past?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said,grinning ├óÔé¼┼ôThats the genius! They wont fire at it, because its going PAST the enemy!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd when it goes past our shuttles drop of the asteroid and drop off about a hundred or so marines├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôExactly├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've discussed it with some of my engineers. They say it can be done, and it CAN work!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre there any asteroids close enough we can use?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked ├óÔé¼┼ôOnes we can get with only half our engines working├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe telescope still works├óÔé¼┬Ø she smiled. Keller touched his desk ├óÔé¼┼ôYes?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSet a course for├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller looked at the data slate Sarris proffered ├óÔé¼┼ôAsteroid designation 1,3,19├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes sir├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt'll take us half a day to get there├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll be in my quarters├óÔé¼┬Ø he flicked off the intercom and looked at Sarris ├óÔé¼┼ôWith you├óÔé¼┬Ø.