Darkside: Extinction
Moderator: Moderators
Its short, but who the hell cares?
I sure don't, you greedy bastards...
What the jesus! I meant for a stroy post to go here. Damn it all.
The defibrillator whirred up. Then there was a shock. Lizzy's eyes cracked open as her body restarted. ├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted, looking around. The doctor looked surprised, jerking back from the table. Lizzy felt her chest, feeling the burn of the electrical shock ├óÔé¼┼ôYou idiot!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy the hell did you do that!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The doctor looked at the two pads he held. Then he blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats all?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The doctor nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôDoctor!├óÔé¼┬Ø A medic shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôDoctor!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø the doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have to go now├óÔé¼┬Ø. The doctor placed the defibrillator into his bag and ran off.
Lizzy looked around the room. It was a cafeteria, altered to create a makeshift triage center. There were wounded crew members, most smashed and damaged from the bomb. Then Lizzy heard the sound of gunfire. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø She croaked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe ship's being invaded├óÔé¼┬Ø a wounded man said. Lizzy looked at him. He was laying on the table next to her, his legs a mangled bloody mess. ├óÔé¼┼ôInvaded?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked, still feeling a bit slow. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know much else├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôI just heard it from someone else├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy got out of the bed. Then her chest seized up, pain shooting through her. Lizzy sat back down again and wheezed. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe I won't be helping just yet├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve looked at the other members of the squad. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said over the headset ├óÔé¼┼ôHicks and Mankowski set up a base of fire down the hallway. Helena you cover us with you're rifle and Eve you spot for her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, nodding. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't we have any other spotters?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNope├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're going to have to rely on Eve for now├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet to it├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said . Helena snapped off a salute and shouldered her sniper rifle, turning around and running down the corridor. They were going to hit the hydroponics bay, and from what Helena's map showed her, there were two entrances. Mankowski and Hicks were going down the right entrance, where they would set up a machine gun position and get ready to flush the enemy out. Then Helena would take them out.
Helena set up on a balcony, climbing silently to the top. The enemy soldiers were setting up what looked like a command post in the middle of the gardens. They had just set up a radar post, or something, and Eve quickly counted twenty of them. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôShhh├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena murmured. Then she turned on her radio and said ├óÔé¼┼ôSet up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded, knowing she couldn't see him. Then he snapped an order to Mankowski. Mankowski had a perfect angle. He and Hicks could see the enemy through a crack in the door, hidden by the bulkhead.
He squeezed off a shot. The bullet bounced off an enemy's shoulder and send him toppling down, breaking the thing he was setting up. The other raiders dropped, finding cover. Hicks opened up with a quick three round burst. He tagged an enemy, cutting the enemy's leg off at the knee. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are wearing mark three's!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôAim for the joints├óÔé¼┬Ø. The raiders opened fire even as Mankowski slammed his hand down on the open/close button on the door. The bulkhead slipped shut and bullets bounced off of it. Mankowski and Hick's ran down the corridor. Mike picked up his commanding unit and ran to a new position. The bulkhead opened up and five raiders ran into the corridor, each of them looking around the corridor. Mike was hidden around the corner, but he still felt exposed.
Helena squeezed off a round, taking out the enemy's neck. His head slipped of his shoulder and the raider dropped. Helena moved the rifle to the next enemy, but he was ducking down to the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are going for cover├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve muttered, looking through her binoculars ├óÔé¼┼ôOne's exposed at 33 by 44 E├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helen moved her scope around until she spotted the enemy. He was ducked behind one of the long racks that held the plants of the hydroponics bay. But Helena took aim. She fired and red exploded around the helmet of the enemy. ├óÔé¼┼ôPenetration├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, loading another round into a chamber. ├óÔé¼┼ôtarget exposed...moving├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, moving her binoculars around ├óÔé¼┼ô32 by 45, moving N├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena sighted the raider, who was dashing from cover to cover. She pulled the trigger.
The raider fell, skidding across the ground. Then he got up again. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo joy├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena loaded another round into the chamber and took aim. But the raider was in cover, unable to be hit. ├óÔé¼┼ôNew target, moving├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn...lost him├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was another sound of gunfire from Mankowski and Hicks. They had moved to another door and started to shoot into the enemy from another area. Mike looked at his map, nestled into a bathroom that was situated near the hydroponics bay. His squad was outnumbered by...he wasn't sure about the figure, but it was a big one. ├óÔé¼┼ôCommand├óÔé¼┬Ø He said into his radio ├óÔé¼┼ôI need more men down here├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't have more men├óÔé¼┬Ø was the cut response.
Mankowski was propped against the door, firing into the bay. The raiders fired back, bullets hammering around the door. Two slammed into his chest, sending him flying back. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it├óÔé¼┬Ø he gritted his teeth, feeling the dents in his exoskeleton. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need higher caliber shells├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks shouted over the din of battle. Helena fired, her sniper rifle making a loud bang noise. A raider fell, the bullet penetrating her front armor. ├óÔé¼┼ôPenetration├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said. There was a screaming from someone who was wounded. A medic dragged the wounded raider undercover.
├óÔé¼┼ôStay here├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, clapping Hicks on the shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said. Then Mankowski was running away as fast he could down the hall. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks ducked under cover. Then a grenade trundled out of the door, sliding until it came to a rest. In front of Hicks. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh hell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Then he dived to the ground, letting his rifle skid away. For a second he wondered if the grenade was going to go off. Then there was a click. Then the world exploded.
Mankowski ran into the store room. He began to root through the crates, kicking them over until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out the massive clip and slapped it into his ZX. Then he checked his rifle over, grabbed several more of the clips and ran back out of the room. He ran to the door that Hicks had been covering. Then he saw Hicks laying there. ├óÔé¼┼ôHicks!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski skidded to a stop. A bullet whipped past his head, shooting through the open door. The raiders were moving forward very carefully, still on the cover from Helena's sniper. Mankowski slapped the close button. Then the five raiders who had gone out the first door came around the corner.
Mankowski fired two quick rounds. His gun kicked like a mule. Then two of the raiders fell, massive holes punched through their armor. The three surviving raiders ran back around the corner. Mankowski grinned, slapping his new magazine. Hicks groaned, slowly getting up. He saw the two corpses. ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell are in those?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDepleted Uranium├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski grinned under his helmet. A raider fired a few shots around the corner, twanging off the ground around Hicks. Hicks fired back and pulled out a grenade. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't have permission too-├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said. Hicks tossed the grenade around the corner. IT exploded, fire ripping around the corner and sending a single raider flying into the wall.
Mankowski shot the raider in the back, sending blood and entrails flying. ├óÔé¼┼ôGive me some of those!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust don't breach the hull├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski gave him a clip. Mike blinked, watching the readouts he was getting on his commander map. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid I...Did I order a...Mankowski are you using grenades?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, grinning. Helena fired another shot, clipping an enemy in the shoulder. A raider spun around and landed in between two rows. A friend of his dragged him off, under cover. Helena didn't have the heart to shoot the friend. Eve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThey haven't found us yet├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said. Bullets began to clatter around their position ├óÔé¼┼ôSay things like that, you idiot!├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena groaned.
Lizzy limped down the hall. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't think this is a good idea├óÔé¼┬Ø the doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're still not├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know what├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, turning on the doctor ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck off and tell me how did I die├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou took a girder to the back of the head├óÔé¼┬Ø The doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're atourepair systems got you up to working speeds then I jump started your heart├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ônow that explains why I feel like I got whacked by a two by four├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA what?├óÔé¼┬Ø The doctor asked. Lizzy turned away from him and kept walking down the hallway ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to find a gun├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. She walked around the corner. The doctor sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôDoctor!├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice shouted from the cafeteria. ├óÔé¼┼ôBe right there├óÔé¼┬Ø the doctor said, turning to the cafeteria.
Lizzy walked into the store room. She had a few bits and pieces she had dragged on board the ship. She opened one of the crates, wondering why a military ship would have unlocked munitions crates on board. Then she decided she really didn't care. As long as she got her gun. She pulled out the fifty caliber pistol, feeling its familer weight. It was a peashooter against exoskeletons. But it would do for now. She then moved slowly, painfully and with deadly purpose to the door.
Keller looked at the map of his ship. He had joined Sarris in the small bedroom they had set aside for their command post. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell are we going to do?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôUnconditional surrender?├óÔé¼┬Ø he suggested. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôRedeploy these marines├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, pointing ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd shore up this place with our turrets├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't have enough turrets├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe only have four!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell arm our medics. Arm our bridge crew. Arm every fucking man, woman and child on this ship!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôIssue D.U rounds, give out grenades and rig up nuclear weapons to our Star drive. I am not surrendering this ship├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller stared at her, blinking. ├óÔé¼┼ôI remembered why I love you├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller murmured. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris asked, not quite hearing him. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, still smiling.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø the orderly said ├óÔé¼┼ôhand out the guns├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm just a navy officer!├óÔé¼┬Ø Laurence said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not a soldier!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are now├óÔé¼┬Ø the orderly said, dropping another crate next to Laurence. Laurence looked around at the others who huddled in his room. He had run, thinking the whole ship would be after him. But the news hadn't gotten out. Yet. Now he was supposed to fight his new superiors. He looked at the two crates witch were filled with D.U magazines and ZX rifles. He picked one up and handed it to the nearest refugee. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm just a janitor├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said, looking panicked as she held the gun ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't fire...a gun!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Laurence just shrugged and handed a magazine to her.
Eve and Helena ran away. Bullets whizzed past her, but none connected. Eve rounded the corner, but a bullet caught Helena in the back of the right knee. She folded up, sliding over the ground. Eve grabbed Helena and dragged her behind cover. The raiders were advancing down the corridor in formation. Eve caught up against the wall, hearing them as they approached her cover. ├óÔé¼┼ôHelena├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you walk├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena groaned, feeling her knee ├óÔé¼┼ôNope├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNot yet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve muttered, pulling out her sidearm. She hadn't taken a ZX. Now she was very screwed. The raiders rounded the corners.
Eve raised her hands, the gun barrels pressed against her helmet. Helena groaned again, looking at the raiders that surrounded Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose I surrender├óÔé¼┬Ø.
I sure don't, you greedy bastards...
What the jesus! I meant for a stroy post to go here. Damn it all.
The defibrillator whirred up. Then there was a shock. Lizzy's eyes cracked open as her body restarted. ├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted, looking around. The doctor looked surprised, jerking back from the table. Lizzy felt her chest, feeling the burn of the electrical shock ├óÔé¼┼ôYou idiot!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy the hell did you do that!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The doctor looked at the two pads he held. Then he blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats all?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The doctor nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôDoctor!├óÔé¼┬Ø A medic shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôDoctor!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø the doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have to go now├óÔé¼┬Ø. The doctor placed the defibrillator into his bag and ran off.
Lizzy looked around the room. It was a cafeteria, altered to create a makeshift triage center. There were wounded crew members, most smashed and damaged from the bomb. Then Lizzy heard the sound of gunfire. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø She croaked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe ship's being invaded├óÔé¼┬Ø a wounded man said. Lizzy looked at him. He was laying on the table next to her, his legs a mangled bloody mess. ├óÔé¼┼ôInvaded?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked, still feeling a bit slow. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know much else├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôI just heard it from someone else├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy got out of the bed. Then her chest seized up, pain shooting through her. Lizzy sat back down again and wheezed. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe I won't be helping just yet├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve looked at the other members of the squad. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said over the headset ├óÔé¼┼ôHicks and Mankowski set up a base of fire down the hallway. Helena you cover us with you're rifle and Eve you spot for her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, nodding. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't we have any other spotters?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNope├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're going to have to rely on Eve for now├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet to it├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said . Helena snapped off a salute and shouldered her sniper rifle, turning around and running down the corridor. They were going to hit the hydroponics bay, and from what Helena's map showed her, there were two entrances. Mankowski and Hicks were going down the right entrance, where they would set up a machine gun position and get ready to flush the enemy out. Then Helena would take them out.
Helena set up on a balcony, climbing silently to the top. The enemy soldiers were setting up what looked like a command post in the middle of the gardens. They had just set up a radar post, or something, and Eve quickly counted twenty of them. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôShhh├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena murmured. Then she turned on her radio and said ├óÔé¼┼ôSet up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded, knowing she couldn't see him. Then he snapped an order to Mankowski. Mankowski had a perfect angle. He and Hicks could see the enemy through a crack in the door, hidden by the bulkhead.
He squeezed off a shot. The bullet bounced off an enemy's shoulder and send him toppling down, breaking the thing he was setting up. The other raiders dropped, finding cover. Hicks opened up with a quick three round burst. He tagged an enemy, cutting the enemy's leg off at the knee. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are wearing mark three's!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôAim for the joints├óÔé¼┬Ø. The raiders opened fire even as Mankowski slammed his hand down on the open/close button on the door. The bulkhead slipped shut and bullets bounced off of it. Mankowski and Hick's ran down the corridor. Mike picked up his commanding unit and ran to a new position. The bulkhead opened up and five raiders ran into the corridor, each of them looking around the corridor. Mike was hidden around the corner, but he still felt exposed.
Helena squeezed off a round, taking out the enemy's neck. His head slipped of his shoulder and the raider dropped. Helena moved the rifle to the next enemy, but he was ducking down to the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are going for cover├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve muttered, looking through her binoculars ├óÔé¼┼ôOne's exposed at 33 by 44 E├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helen moved her scope around until she spotted the enemy. He was ducked behind one of the long racks that held the plants of the hydroponics bay. But Helena took aim. She fired and red exploded around the helmet of the enemy. ├óÔé¼┼ôPenetration├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, loading another round into a chamber. ├óÔé¼┼ôtarget exposed...moving├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, moving her binoculars around ├óÔé¼┼ô32 by 45, moving N├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena sighted the raider, who was dashing from cover to cover. She pulled the trigger.
The raider fell, skidding across the ground. Then he got up again. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo joy├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena loaded another round into the chamber and took aim. But the raider was in cover, unable to be hit. ├óÔé¼┼ôNew target, moving├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn...lost him├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was another sound of gunfire from Mankowski and Hicks. They had moved to another door and started to shoot into the enemy from another area. Mike looked at his map, nestled into a bathroom that was situated near the hydroponics bay. His squad was outnumbered by...he wasn't sure about the figure, but it was a big one. ├óÔé¼┼ôCommand├óÔé¼┬Ø He said into his radio ├óÔé¼┼ôI need more men down here├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't have more men├óÔé¼┬Ø was the cut response.
Mankowski was propped against the door, firing into the bay. The raiders fired back, bullets hammering around the door. Two slammed into his chest, sending him flying back. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it├óÔé¼┬Ø he gritted his teeth, feeling the dents in his exoskeleton. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need higher caliber shells├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks shouted over the din of battle. Helena fired, her sniper rifle making a loud bang noise. A raider fell, the bullet penetrating her front armor. ├óÔé¼┼ôPenetration├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said. There was a screaming from someone who was wounded. A medic dragged the wounded raider undercover.
├óÔé¼┼ôStay here├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, clapping Hicks on the shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said. Then Mankowski was running away as fast he could down the hall. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks ducked under cover. Then a grenade trundled out of the door, sliding until it came to a rest. In front of Hicks. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh hell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Then he dived to the ground, letting his rifle skid away. For a second he wondered if the grenade was going to go off. Then there was a click. Then the world exploded.
Mankowski ran into the store room. He began to root through the crates, kicking them over until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out the massive clip and slapped it into his ZX. Then he checked his rifle over, grabbed several more of the clips and ran back out of the room. He ran to the door that Hicks had been covering. Then he saw Hicks laying there. ├óÔé¼┼ôHicks!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski skidded to a stop. A bullet whipped past his head, shooting through the open door. The raiders were moving forward very carefully, still on the cover from Helena's sniper. Mankowski slapped the close button. Then the five raiders who had gone out the first door came around the corner.
Mankowski fired two quick rounds. His gun kicked like a mule. Then two of the raiders fell, massive holes punched through their armor. The three surviving raiders ran back around the corner. Mankowski grinned, slapping his new magazine. Hicks groaned, slowly getting up. He saw the two corpses. ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell are in those?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDepleted Uranium├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski grinned under his helmet. A raider fired a few shots around the corner, twanging off the ground around Hicks. Hicks fired back and pulled out a grenade. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't have permission too-├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said. Hicks tossed the grenade around the corner. IT exploded, fire ripping around the corner and sending a single raider flying into the wall.
Mankowski shot the raider in the back, sending blood and entrails flying. ├óÔé¼┼ôGive me some of those!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust don't breach the hull├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski gave him a clip. Mike blinked, watching the readouts he was getting on his commander map. ├óÔé¼┼ôDid I...Did I order a...Mankowski are you using grenades?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, grinning. Helena fired another shot, clipping an enemy in the shoulder. A raider spun around and landed in between two rows. A friend of his dragged him off, under cover. Helena didn't have the heart to shoot the friend. Eve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThey haven't found us yet├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said. Bullets began to clatter around their position ├óÔé¼┼ôSay things like that, you idiot!├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena groaned.
Lizzy limped down the hall. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't think this is a good idea├óÔé¼┬Ø the doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're still not├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know what├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, turning on the doctor ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck off and tell me how did I die├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou took a girder to the back of the head├óÔé¼┬Ø The doctor said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're atourepair systems got you up to working speeds then I jump started your heart├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ônow that explains why I feel like I got whacked by a two by four├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA what?├óÔé¼┬Ø The doctor asked. Lizzy turned away from him and kept walking down the hallway ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to find a gun├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. She walked around the corner. The doctor sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôDoctor!├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice shouted from the cafeteria. ├óÔé¼┼ôBe right there├óÔé¼┬Ø the doctor said, turning to the cafeteria.
Lizzy walked into the store room. She had a few bits and pieces she had dragged on board the ship. She opened one of the crates, wondering why a military ship would have unlocked munitions crates on board. Then she decided she really didn't care. As long as she got her gun. She pulled out the fifty caliber pistol, feeling its familer weight. It was a peashooter against exoskeletons. But it would do for now. She then moved slowly, painfully and with deadly purpose to the door.
Keller looked at the map of his ship. He had joined Sarris in the small bedroom they had set aside for their command post. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell are we going to do?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôUnconditional surrender?├óÔé¼┬Ø he suggested. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôRedeploy these marines├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, pointing ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd shore up this place with our turrets├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't have enough turrets├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe only have four!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell arm our medics. Arm our bridge crew. Arm every fucking man, woman and child on this ship!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôIssue D.U rounds, give out grenades and rig up nuclear weapons to our Star drive. I am not surrendering this ship├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller stared at her, blinking. ├óÔé¼┼ôI remembered why I love you├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller murmured. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris asked, not quite hearing him. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, still smiling.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø the orderly said ├óÔé¼┼ôhand out the guns├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm just a navy officer!├óÔé¼┬Ø Laurence said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not a soldier!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are now├óÔé¼┬Ø the orderly said, dropping another crate next to Laurence. Laurence looked around at the others who huddled in his room. He had run, thinking the whole ship would be after him. But the news hadn't gotten out. Yet. Now he was supposed to fight his new superiors. He looked at the two crates witch were filled with D.U magazines and ZX rifles. He picked one up and handed it to the nearest refugee. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm just a janitor├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said, looking panicked as she held the gun ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't fire...a gun!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Laurence just shrugged and handed a magazine to her.
Eve and Helena ran away. Bullets whizzed past her, but none connected. Eve rounded the corner, but a bullet caught Helena in the back of the right knee. She folded up, sliding over the ground. Eve grabbed Helena and dragged her behind cover. The raiders were advancing down the corridor in formation. Eve caught up against the wall, hearing them as they approached her cover. ├óÔé¼┼ôHelena├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you walk├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena groaned, feeling her knee ├óÔé¼┼ôNope├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNot yet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve muttered, pulling out her sidearm. She hadn't taken a ZX. Now she was very screwed. The raiders rounded the corners.
Eve raised her hands, the gun barrels pressed against her helmet. Helena groaned again, looking at the raiders that surrounded Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose I surrender├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Last edited by Zoombie on 20 Aug 2006, 19:44, edited 1 time in total.
- Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
And now there is another post!
Deat! More death! EVEN MORE DEATH!
DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEATH!
The raider hauled Eve to her feet and pressed his gun into her back. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the plan├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going back to the hydroponics bay├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve grunted as he forced the gun barrel hard enough to make her spin arch in a very unpleasant way, a hand clamping down on her neck as she did so. The other raiders were picking up Helena, who's knee was still bleeding sluggishly. They bound it quite expertly, and dragged Helena away. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow walk├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said, his voice hot in Eve's ear. Eve struggled, trying to break out of his grip. The man squeezed and she felt a slight pop in her neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôEven in power armor├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôPressure can kill├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve stopped struggling.
She was forced into the hydroponics bay and thrown to the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks muttered, looking at them. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø he said over his radio ├óÔé¼┼ôCan I take them out?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôEve is in our line of fire├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a sound of footsteps and Helena was dragged into view. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd Helena too├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, looking at the feed from Hicks gun camera. He was still holed up in his little bathroom, hunched over the command map. Hicks and Mankowski were back at the door, ready to open fire on the enemy. ├óÔé¼┼ôCommand├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike switched his frequency to an upper level ├óÔé¼┼ôI need more men down here!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't have men to send!├óÔé¼┬Ø was the response.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell us where you're commander is or we shoot you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve grimaced as the raider pulled her helmet off. She saw the wounded that lay in the hydroponics, all of them raiders. They also had finished setting up the command station, despite the blood splattered over the command station. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø the mans said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a terrible lier├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've been picking up radio signals. We haven't managed to track them. Where is the commander for this area? How many men do you have around here!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôNot counting me and my partner├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôTwo├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBull shit!├óÔé¼┬Ø the man shouted, cuffing her in the head with the back of his palm. Eve pitched forward, slamming into the deck. She blinked, her eyes swimming, stars flashing in front of them.
Eve slowly got back up again, as best she could. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow tell us...how many squads!├óÔé¼┬Ø the man shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're IT!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôAll of the five of us!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man looked around. Then he pressed the gun to the back of Eve's head. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are going to kill her├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks hissed. ├óÔé¼┼ôStand down!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you fire you-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is your commander├óÔé¼┬Ø the raider shouted. Hicks stood up. Mike groaned, looking at his command map. Mankowski was backing Hicks up. He was moving to assist Hicks. ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me!├óÔé¼┬Ø the raider shouted. Eve closed her eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
Hicks took aim. The raider fired. Blood splattered and Eve was pitched forward, a hole blown in her forehead. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks shouted at the top of his lungs. He fired a long burst, holding down the automatic on his ZX. D.U rounds shredded the deck and several raiders. Blood splattered, mixing with Eve's. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO! NO! NO!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks was screaming, running into the hydroponics bay. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet down!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski shouted, bringing his weapon to bear. Two of the ten surviving raiders fired. One clipped Hicks and he topped forward, the wind knocked out of him by the round. It bounced off his armor, but was still enough to knock him silly.
Mankowski took this as license to open fire. He took down two of the raiders with quick D.U rounds to the chest and arm. The remaining raiders dove for cover. Mankowski, who went prone as fast as he could, aimed and fired, blowing huge holes in the enemy's cover. Then his gun clicked. He reached for his second ammo magazine. He didn't have one. ├óÔé¼┼ôfuck├óÔé¼┬Ø he swore, grabbing Hicks and slowly hauling him back to cover. The raiders started to fire, but their lower caliber rounds bounced off the armor that Mankowski and Hicks wore. None of the bullets managed to nick any sensitive parts of the armor.
├óÔé¼┼ôFuckers├óÔé¼┬Ø the raider muttered, reloading his gun ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need bigger god damned bullets├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI want some they have├óÔé¼┬Ø his partner said, looking at the furrows that the D.U rounds had made in the deck. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou really want to hole the hull?├óÔé¼┬Ø the raider asked, looking at the furrows with worry in his eyes. Then they both saw motion. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø one of the raiders murmured. Mankowski head them. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's going on!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats going on!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I'm not getting out of cover to find out├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he heard a scream and a pounding of footsteps. Then a raider ran out of the door, running as if the gates of hell had been opened behind him.
Then he tripped up. At first Mankowski thought his knee had been caught by some invisible wire. Then the top of the man's leg and the body above it continued even as the leg below the knee stayed. Then blood started to flow. The man continued forward, momentum carrying him there. Then his head slid off his shoulders, blood spraying. The body collapsed, blood fountaining over the ground. Mankowski gaped. Another raider ran, this one missing an entire arm. He clutched the stump over with his glove, no matter how much the metal finger tips gouged the already ruined flesh. Then he staggered to a stop. Mankowski brought his gun to bear. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø he croaked ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you getting this!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike gaped, not believing what he was seeing.
Then the raider's ribcage exploded outwards, the ribs forcing themselves inside out. Blood splattered and the raider fell forward, his guts sloping out his chest cavity. Hicks watched mutely. Then Mankowski heard the sound of vomiting inside a helmet. There was more screams. Some gun shots. Then some more running and a sound of tearing. Then there was silence. Mankowski got up, not wanting to look into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need recon├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, his voice soft. Mankowski tried to calm himself, breathing in and breathing out as slowly as he could. Hicks crawled away from the corpse, still not getting up. Then Mankowski slowly, carefully, walked into the door way.
In the middle of a veritable lake of blood and guts stood...Eve. She clutched her helmet at her side with her right arm, her left arm grasping the right one, looking at the ground. There was next to no blood on her other then a slight splatter across her chest and hair. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked. Eve looked up. Tears ran down her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm...I'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said shakily ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't mean...I don't want...I...I├óÔé¼┬Ø she trailed off, looking down at the ground. The helmet dropped to the ground and she collapsed to her knees and started to cry. Mankowski looked at the littered corpses and then at Hicks. After a moment he saw Helena was still where the raiders had placed her, lying on the ground her hands on her head.
Mike wasted no time. He dropped the command screen to the ground and he ran. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve! Eve!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, running through the door. Eve was stripping off her exoskeleton, wanting to get the blood as far away from her as possible. She frantically whipped her hair with her hands. They came away red. Not quite thinking things through, she whipped her hands over her white undershirt. That just smeared more blood over the white surface. ├óÔé¼┼ôSomeone get her mother!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted. Mankowski was helping Helena, even as Hicks was trying to calm Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôSomeone get Lizzy here now!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike tapped his radio. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats the situation!├óÔé¼┬Ø the command center asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe've got...a problem├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd get Lizzy down here now!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet who down where now?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked, hobbling into the hydroponics bay with a big grin on her face. Then she saw Eve crying, the blood and the corpses. She looked around, her jaw slack as what had happened was slowly absorbed into her mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôMom?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, looking up. She saw Lizzy's expression. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Lizzy shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôIts okay├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts over now├óÔé¼┬Ø. She knelt next to Eve, where Hicks also knelt, and placed her hand on Eve's shoulder. Mike licked his lips ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get out of here├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is the first good idea I've heard from you in a while├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut the hell up Mankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snapped.
Eve was walked into a small bed room, near the command station. Lizzy told Hicks and Mike to stay outside. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll handle this├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said to them ├óÔé¼┼ôYou two report in to the Capitan and the General├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded, but Hicks simply looked away sullenly. Then Lizzy shut the door on them and turned to the room. Whoever had used this room before was either away fighting, working somewhere else...or dead. Too many people were dead already. Crewmen killed in the bomb explosion, crewmen killed in the fighting. It was too many people for a flight that was supposed to be boring. Eve was laying down on the bed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI feel├óÔé¼┬Ø she said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôAs if a thousand pounds have dropped on my head├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lizzy sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf it hurts it must be good for you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI also feel very sleepy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI want you to know...that you did what was necessary├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve blinked, looking away ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want to think about it├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me about something else├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you want to talk about?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing. Anything├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me about my mother├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I was-├óÔé¼┬Ø she started. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, shaking her head ├óÔé¼┼ôMy...biological mother├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy blinked again ├óÔé¼┼ôPrime...Prime was├óÔé¼┬Ø She stopped, not sure how to go on.
├óÔé¼┼ôPrime was...perfectly innocent├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe was a good friend of mine, once I got over the fact she was...she was a├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlien?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôAn S-02├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI never did trust her until the end. She...its hard to describe. She loved without reservation. She trusted without fear. She hadn't learned to hate, how to be angry. At least not until we had hammered the good parts into her head first├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy smiled. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe sounds like me├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôMe gone right├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're you. Prime is someone and something completely different├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt seems she got everything easy. She fell in love, had a kid...she wasn't torchered├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve's voice was getting bitter.
├óÔé¼┼ôShe also died two months after she was...born, if thats the word for it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've managed to last a full nineteen├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve laughed wetly, a mix between a sob and a actually chortle. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI want you to take it easy├óÔé¼┬Ø she patted Eve on the head ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd just wait here until you're ready├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve rolled over in her bed ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnytime├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to report in with the chief. You take it easy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, closing her eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm...sleepy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she was asleep, snoring softly. Lizzy turned around and walked out of the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe use her├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe use her until there are no more raiders left on my damn ship!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy flared ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy daughter is not a gun. She is not a...a munition! She is a god damned human being!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe is a human being that can slaughter an entire army by her self├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôI would be remiss in my duties to not use such an asset├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAsset├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy daughter is not an asset. She is not something to be used up because its fucking CONVENIENT!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy slammed her fist into the table. It bent slightly with the fore of her blow. Blood trickled out from Lizzy's hand. Sarris looked at her, breathing slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôanother knock against Eve is she's a little...unstable├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lizzy shot him a nasty look, but Mike barreled onwards ├óÔé¼┼ôShe was captured at a young age├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe was subjected to experiments meant to hone her into a perfect living weapon. She was, for lack of a better word, nothing more then a god damned lab rat├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôUnstable?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHow so?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPsychotic....sometimes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts...complicated. We don't really know for sure. She has been stable for the last few months, but she has also been clinically human for the past few months. Now...we don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôShe'll be deployed as soon as we are sure she's safe to be used├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Lizzy spun around and walked out of the room, anger splayed over her face.
├óÔé¼┼ôIs she always like that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou get used to it soon├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWell the victory in the Hydroponics takes the heat off this sector. Redeploy you're squad here and meet up with these marines. Their sarge was hit and is in the infirmary for the next one or two days. Would you like to take over the two of the squads?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôSargent's don't command more then one squads├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI like how you handled the situation├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôSecond Lieutenant. Get to work├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike stood there, a little blindsided. Then he saluted ├óÔé¼┼ôYes sit├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôUpdate you're pips├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôBy slotting them into the computer over there├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike did so and his insignia blinked out of existence. Then they flickered back on with the single golden bar.
Then he ran out of the room, wondering how the hell he was going to handle two squads. One was enough to drive him completely batty.
Deat! More death! EVEN MORE DEATH!
DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEATH!
The raider hauled Eve to her feet and pressed his gun into her back. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the plan├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going back to the hydroponics bay├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve grunted as he forced the gun barrel hard enough to make her spin arch in a very unpleasant way, a hand clamping down on her neck as she did so. The other raiders were picking up Helena, who's knee was still bleeding sluggishly. They bound it quite expertly, and dragged Helena away. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow walk├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said, his voice hot in Eve's ear. Eve struggled, trying to break out of his grip. The man squeezed and she felt a slight pop in her neck. ├óÔé¼┼ôEven in power armor├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôPressure can kill├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve stopped struggling.
She was forced into the hydroponics bay and thrown to the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks muttered, looking at them. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø he said over his radio ├óÔé¼┼ôCan I take them out?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôEve is in our line of fire├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a sound of footsteps and Helena was dragged into view. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd Helena too├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, looking at the feed from Hicks gun camera. He was still holed up in his little bathroom, hunched over the command map. Hicks and Mankowski were back at the door, ready to open fire on the enemy. ├óÔé¼┼ôCommand├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike switched his frequency to an upper level ├óÔé¼┼ôI need more men down here!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't have men to send!├óÔé¼┬Ø was the response.
├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell us where you're commander is or we shoot you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve grimaced as the raider pulled her helmet off. She saw the wounded that lay in the hydroponics, all of them raiders. They also had finished setting up the command station, despite the blood splattered over the command station. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø the mans said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a terrible lier├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've been picking up radio signals. We haven't managed to track them. Where is the commander for this area? How many men do you have around here!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôNot counting me and my partner├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôTwo├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBull shit!├óÔé¼┬Ø the man shouted, cuffing her in the head with the back of his palm. Eve pitched forward, slamming into the deck. She blinked, her eyes swimming, stars flashing in front of them.
Eve slowly got back up again, as best she could. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow tell us...how many squads!├óÔé¼┬Ø the man shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're IT!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôAll of the five of us!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man looked around. Then he pressed the gun to the back of Eve's head. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are going to kill her├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks hissed. ├óÔé¼┼ôStand down!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you fire you-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is your commander├óÔé¼┬Ø the raider shouted. Hicks stood up. Mike groaned, looking at his command map. Mankowski was backing Hicks up. He was moving to assist Hicks. ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me!├óÔé¼┬Ø the raider shouted. Eve closed her eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
Hicks took aim. The raider fired. Blood splattered and Eve was pitched forward, a hole blown in her forehead. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks shouted at the top of his lungs. He fired a long burst, holding down the automatic on his ZX. D.U rounds shredded the deck and several raiders. Blood splattered, mixing with Eve's. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO! NO! NO!├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks was screaming, running into the hydroponics bay. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet down!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski shouted, bringing his weapon to bear. Two of the ten surviving raiders fired. One clipped Hicks and he topped forward, the wind knocked out of him by the round. It bounced off his armor, but was still enough to knock him silly.
Mankowski took this as license to open fire. He took down two of the raiders with quick D.U rounds to the chest and arm. The remaining raiders dove for cover. Mankowski, who went prone as fast as he could, aimed and fired, blowing huge holes in the enemy's cover. Then his gun clicked. He reached for his second ammo magazine. He didn't have one. ├óÔé¼┼ôfuck├óÔé¼┬Ø he swore, grabbing Hicks and slowly hauling him back to cover. The raiders started to fire, but their lower caliber rounds bounced off the armor that Mankowski and Hicks wore. None of the bullets managed to nick any sensitive parts of the armor.
├óÔé¼┼ôFuckers├óÔé¼┬Ø the raider muttered, reloading his gun ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need bigger god damned bullets├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI want some they have├óÔé¼┬Ø his partner said, looking at the furrows that the D.U rounds had made in the deck. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou really want to hole the hull?├óÔé¼┬Ø the raider asked, looking at the furrows with worry in his eyes. Then they both saw motion. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø one of the raiders murmured. Mankowski head them. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's going on!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats going on!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I'm not getting out of cover to find out├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he heard a scream and a pounding of footsteps. Then a raider ran out of the door, running as if the gates of hell had been opened behind him.
Then he tripped up. At first Mankowski thought his knee had been caught by some invisible wire. Then the top of the man's leg and the body above it continued even as the leg below the knee stayed. Then blood started to flow. The man continued forward, momentum carrying him there. Then his head slid off his shoulders, blood spraying. The body collapsed, blood fountaining over the ground. Mankowski gaped. Another raider ran, this one missing an entire arm. He clutched the stump over with his glove, no matter how much the metal finger tips gouged the already ruined flesh. Then he staggered to a stop. Mankowski brought his gun to bear. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø he croaked ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you getting this!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike gaped, not believing what he was seeing.
Then the raider's ribcage exploded outwards, the ribs forcing themselves inside out. Blood splattered and the raider fell forward, his guts sloping out his chest cavity. Hicks watched mutely. Then Mankowski heard the sound of vomiting inside a helmet. There was more screams. Some gun shots. Then some more running and a sound of tearing. Then there was silence. Mankowski got up, not wanting to look into the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need recon├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, his voice soft. Mankowski tried to calm himself, breathing in and breathing out as slowly as he could. Hicks crawled away from the corpse, still not getting up. Then Mankowski slowly, carefully, walked into the door way.
In the middle of a veritable lake of blood and guts stood...Eve. She clutched her helmet at her side with her right arm, her left arm grasping the right one, looking at the ground. There was next to no blood on her other then a slight splatter across her chest and hair. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked. Eve looked up. Tears ran down her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm...I'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said shakily ├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't mean...I don't want...I...I├óÔé¼┬Ø she trailed off, looking down at the ground. The helmet dropped to the ground and she collapsed to her knees and started to cry. Mankowski looked at the littered corpses and then at Hicks. After a moment he saw Helena was still where the raiders had placed her, lying on the ground her hands on her head.
Mike wasted no time. He dropped the command screen to the ground and he ran. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve! Eve!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, running through the door. Eve was stripping off her exoskeleton, wanting to get the blood as far away from her as possible. She frantically whipped her hair with her hands. They came away red. Not quite thinking things through, she whipped her hands over her white undershirt. That just smeared more blood over the white surface. ├óÔé¼┼ôSomeone get her mother!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted. Mankowski was helping Helena, even as Hicks was trying to calm Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôSomeone get Lizzy here now!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike tapped his radio. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats the situation!├óÔé¼┬Ø the command center asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe've got...a problem├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd get Lizzy down here now!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet who down where now?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked, hobbling into the hydroponics bay with a big grin on her face. Then she saw Eve crying, the blood and the corpses. She looked around, her jaw slack as what had happened was slowly absorbed into her mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôMom?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, looking up. She saw Lizzy's expression. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Lizzy shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôIts okay├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts over now├óÔé¼┬Ø. She knelt next to Eve, where Hicks also knelt, and placed her hand on Eve's shoulder. Mike licked his lips ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get out of here├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat is the first good idea I've heard from you in a while├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut the hell up Mankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snapped.
Eve was walked into a small bed room, near the command station. Lizzy told Hicks and Mike to stay outside. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll handle this├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said to them ├óÔé¼┼ôYou two report in to the Capitan and the General├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded, but Hicks simply looked away sullenly. Then Lizzy shut the door on them and turned to the room. Whoever had used this room before was either away fighting, working somewhere else...or dead. Too many people were dead already. Crewmen killed in the bomb explosion, crewmen killed in the fighting. It was too many people for a flight that was supposed to be boring. Eve was laying down on the bed. ├óÔé¼┼ôI feel├óÔé¼┬Ø she said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôAs if a thousand pounds have dropped on my head├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lizzy sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf it hurts it must be good for you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI also feel very sleepy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI want you to know...that you did what was necessary├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve blinked, looking away ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want to think about it├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me about something else├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you want to talk about?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing. Anything├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me about my mother├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I was-├óÔé¼┬Ø she started. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, shaking her head ├óÔé¼┼ôMy...biological mother├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy blinked again ├óÔé¼┼ôPrime...Prime was├óÔé¼┬Ø She stopped, not sure how to go on.
├óÔé¼┼ôPrime was...perfectly innocent├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe was a good friend of mine, once I got over the fact she was...she was a├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAlien?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôAn S-02├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI never did trust her until the end. She...its hard to describe. She loved without reservation. She trusted without fear. She hadn't learned to hate, how to be angry. At least not until we had hammered the good parts into her head first├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy smiled. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe sounds like me├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôMe gone right├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're you. Prime is someone and something completely different├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôBut├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt seems she got everything easy. She fell in love, had a kid...she wasn't torchered├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve's voice was getting bitter.
├óÔé¼┼ôShe also died two months after she was...born, if thats the word for it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've managed to last a full nineteen├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve laughed wetly, a mix between a sob and a actually chortle. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI want you to take it easy├óÔé¼┬Ø she patted Eve on the head ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd just wait here until you're ready├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve rolled over in her bed ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnytime├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to report in with the chief. You take it easy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, closing her eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm...sleepy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she was asleep, snoring softly. Lizzy turned around and walked out of the room.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe use her├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe use her until there are no more raiders left on my damn ship!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy flared ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy daughter is not a gun. She is not a...a munition! She is a god damned human being!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe is a human being that can slaughter an entire army by her self├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôI would be remiss in my duties to not use such an asset├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAsset├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy daughter is not an asset. She is not something to be used up because its fucking CONVENIENT!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy slammed her fist into the table. It bent slightly with the fore of her blow. Blood trickled out from Lizzy's hand. Sarris looked at her, breathing slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôanother knock against Eve is she's a little...unstable├óÔé¼┬Ø
Lizzy shot him a nasty look, but Mike barreled onwards ├óÔé¼┼ôShe was captured at a young age├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe was subjected to experiments meant to hone her into a perfect living weapon. She was, for lack of a better word, nothing more then a god damned lab rat├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôUnstable?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHow so?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPsychotic....sometimes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts...complicated. We don't really know for sure. She has been stable for the last few months, but she has also been clinically human for the past few months. Now...we don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôShe'll be deployed as soon as we are sure she's safe to be used├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Lizzy spun around and walked out of the room, anger splayed over her face.
├óÔé¼┼ôIs she always like that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou get used to it soon├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWell the victory in the Hydroponics takes the heat off this sector. Redeploy you're squad here and meet up with these marines. Their sarge was hit and is in the infirmary for the next one or two days. Would you like to take over the two of the squads?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôSargent's don't command more then one squads├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI like how you handled the situation├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôSecond Lieutenant. Get to work├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike stood there, a little blindsided. Then he saluted ├óÔé¼┼ôYes sit├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôUpdate you're pips├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said ├óÔé¼┼ôBy slotting them into the computer over there├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike did so and his insignia blinked out of existence. Then they flickered back on with the single golden bar.
Then he ran out of the room, wondering how the hell he was going to handle two squads. One was enough to drive him completely batty.
- Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
- Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07