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Darkside, original...

IN PDF FORMAT!!

http://rapidshare.de/files/24763834/Darkside.pdf.html

Emotions! Agh!



├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike ducked down as bullet slammed into the window around him, sending bits of wood flying. He stood up higher, fired a few more shots and ducked down. July was under a near window, holding the rifle she had grabbed from the police station. Mike was glad that he had let her make a dash for the car, just to get that rifle. It had saved them ten times in the last hour, as July had run from place to place, firing at the D.G who were attacking.

But now they were pinned down by a heavy machine gun, placed on a nearby building. The hospital was getting chewed up, but thankfully the D.G weren't bringing in their heavies. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey must want this hospital pretty bad├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered. Then he heard an unmistakable sound of an artillery shell whistling in. ├óÔé¼┼ôHelena, Mankowski! Where is that coming from?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot here!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena's voice was muffled, as if she was ducked down. Mike ducked down as well. July did so as well.

Then the artillery barrage hit. The area around the hospital was the place that had been hit, shredding the outer walls. Mike was rolling, rolling down rubble. His ears were ringing. The machine gun was stopped, and Mike stopped rolling. He sat up and. Lizzy's eyes snapped open. She was staring at the celling. It was white, normal and so completely mundane, she had no idea what to make of it. There was a half cracked light fixture to her left, something that gave the room more character. She risked sitting up, but half way there her head pounded. Like it was still made of meat.

├óÔé¼┼ôThere you are├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. He was sitting next to the bed, as if he had been waiting for a long time ├óÔé¼┼ôYour looking pretty good for a legend├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy's hand immediately went to her throat. There was a plug, metallic and low tech. But it would work. She let her hand fall ├óÔé¼┼ôSometimes I wish that├óÔé¼┬Ø she said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôThey made us into robots. Then...then we wouldn't├óÔé¼┬Ø she trailed off, her head turning to the side so she didn't have to look at Mike or the celling. She heard Mike get up, but he didn't move after that.

Lizzy was able to not think when she was in the atoudoc. Now she was, and she didn't want to. She didn't want to face the daughter she had given up on, or the father she had abandoned. Then she heard Mike take a step forward. Then she felt his finger tips on her cheek and slowly rotated Lizzy's head around. ├óÔé¼┼ôRobots can't do this├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said softly and leaned down, his face close. Lizzy tried to push away, but her legs weren't work. ├óÔé¼┼ôPlease├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want to love again├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike paused and slowly pulled away ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø he said.

He turned around and started to walk away. Lizzy felt herself tear. Then he was out the door. Lizzy bit her knuckle, eyes screwed up as she started to cry. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am so stupid├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered. Mike leaned against the hallway outside of the recovery ward. He closed his eyes and banged his head against the wall ├óÔé¼┼ôGod├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôI am so stupid├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he heard foot steps from down the hallway. He turned around, looking. Sarge was walking down the hallway, tugging at his left sleeve, trying to get it to sit right on his stump. The atoudoc had topped it off with some plastiskin, but it would never really work for a overly long time.

├óÔé¼┼ôIs Lizzy okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's fine├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt did sound like a hell of a battle├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôtoo bad I was stuck in that fucking tube├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe just got lucky├óÔé¼┬Ø he started to walk down the hallway, with Sarge following him. The hospital, on this side looked fine. After about twenty odd feet, the hallway was half destroyed by an artillery shell. Bullet holes had torn the wall apart, but somehow the hospital was still standing. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou should see the other guys├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, seeing Sarge's questioning expression.

Blood. Lots of blood. Pools, dribbles, organs, splatters. Bones, rib's, arms. Heads, skulls and legs. Other body parts littered the ground. July couldn't look away, her face white. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe did that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm glad I wasn't there├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey...they just fell apart├óÔé¼┬Ø July murmured. Helena, hearing the oddness in her friends voice, turned July around. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go inside├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't think I can sleep again├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôNot after that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena ├óÔé¼┼ôThis one time I saw a anti personal mind take out fifty people in one go. It was almost as bad as that├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôDid you throw up as well?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked, smiling meekly. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou bet├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôAll in Mike's lap├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, walking up to the two women ├óÔé¼┼ôI remember it was my shirt├óÔé¼┬Ø. They all stood on the half roof of the hotel, the rest of it completely shredded by gun fire and artillery. Mike smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy's up. Tomorrow we move out. We really need to get to parliament├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed at the building, witch was starting to look worse for wear. The D.G were entrenched around it, and squads hitting the hospitals, banks, police stations and armory's. However they had run straight into Eve.

And Eve was locked up in a room. She had done it herself, after seeing the horror etched on the other's faces. But it had been so simple, to make the enemy just...fall apart. She didn't even need to do anything, just reach out and touch them lightly. So she stared at the wall, and wondered if it would always be like this. She could open the door as easy as blinking. But it made the others feel better. Then the door opened, and Mike was standing in the door frame. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can get out├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou could destroy this door easier then blinking, so whats the fucking point?├óÔé¼┬Ø

Lizzy was in bed. She hated being in bed, unless there was someone else in it. She also couldn't stand wheel chairs, hospitals and other place's of death. She felt a crawling need to get up, get out. So she stood up. It made her eyes swim, and her head burn madly. She took a single faltering step, her hospital gown wrapped around her shoulders. She walked to the door, and opened it. It almost took all of her strength, but she managed it. She took a step out side and faltered, almost falling over. She pressed her hand against the wall to keep her balance.

├óÔé¼┼ôHey! Hey!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike murmured, walking up to her and grabbing Lizzy ├óÔé¼┼ôYou shouldn't be up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy snarled, suddenly angry. She punched him in the chest, as hard as she could. Witch was as ineffectively as a fly batting its wings. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't need to be coddled!├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm fine!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike stepped back, letting go of her. Lizzy stood, tottering on her feet. Then she started to fall and Mike caught her in his arms. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm fine, I swear├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said into his chest. Mike laughed and tilted Lizzy's head up. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour going to kiss me?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHell├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll do more then that├óÔé¼┬Ø he jammed his lips against her.

Lizzy fell back against the opposite wall, feeling like glass. Mike's hands were on her thigh's, ruffling the gown she was wearing. It was paper, made to be taken off easily so as to facilitate surgery. Lizzy balled her hands up, muscles tense. Mike broke the kiss and stepped away. Lizzy was unable to move. She was tired, her body had been stabbed one to many times, and now she wanted to. She didn't know. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, suddenly look so abashed that Lizzy almost laughed. He was worried about offending her, somehow. Lizzy opened her mouth to say something. Then she changed her mind and said, somewhat lamely ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you help me to bed├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike smiled, and offered an arm for her to lean on. Lizzy, after hesitating for a moment, took it. Mike laid her back down on the hospital bed, and Lizzy felt the weight of the world lift off her shoulders. It was nice to not have to support herself. Mike turned to go ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll have to rig up a wheel chair├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôCause your not going to be walking by tomorrow├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy sat up so fast her head started to pound, and she almost fainted again. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll walk├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy yo-├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike stared. ├óÔé¼┼ôI watched my second lover waste away in a wheel chair├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôTill she...she took her own life├óÔé¼┬Ø

Mike looked at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not going into a wheel chair├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats final├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you can't walk├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll carry you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he walked out of the door. Lizzy lay in the bed a bit longer, staring at the celling. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod I hate hospitals├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered. She had seen too many friends die in them. Then she fell asleep, to have dreams of old friends and old place's. The sun set slowly, casting a red light on the city. Parliament was still standing tall, not struck by either asteroid or gun fight. The D.G and the looters were tearing the city apart, but S-02 was slowly filtering through the city, acting more like wild animals then invaders.

Lizzy woke up in the dead of night. The celling was now black, the room barely lit at all. She felt a bit woozy, but she could stand up. She started to walk, but just getting to the door at a pace that approached normal speeds made her break out in a cold sweat. She started to walk down the hallway, mostly leaning on the wall. Her early feeling of health was rapidly deteriorating. She got to the end of the hallway, passing by several closed doors on the way. One of those doors had ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge├óÔé¼┬Ø etched into the wall with a knife. Another had ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø penned on, possibly with sharpy.

Then the last door was open. Lizzy slowly peeked around the door. A woman with close cropped black hair was sitting in the middle of the room, legs pulled up to her chest. ├óÔé¼┼ôMom├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said softly, not turning around ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't want you to look at me├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy not?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIf any thing I want to see you. You look...just like Prime. I actually thought you were she├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôIn some ways├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked over her shoulder. Lizzy flinched. Eve's face had been cleaned, but hurriedly and with a rag. The rag did nothing for the blood on her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe ran out of running water├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, looking away ├óÔé¼┼ôSo I made do with a rag├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Lizzy almost fell to her knees, next to Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôlet me├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, licking her thumb and rubbing Eve's face. She started to rub the blood, trying to get it off. Eve jerked away ├óÔé¼┼ôStop it mom├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can clean it myself├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBull├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou haven't managed to clean it thus far├óÔé¼┬Ø. But she stopped, her arms heavy from the effort of cleaning. The effort of cleaning. Lizzy wondered how much blood she had really lost, how close she had been to. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour alive├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen they took you away Daniel always thought that...he never stopped. But I gave up├óÔé¼┬Ø. She hugged Eve ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm so sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Eve was nonplussed ├óÔé¼┼ôMom...Lizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôCalm down├óÔé¼┬Ø .├óÔé¼┬ØI'm trying├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just how many emotions can you cram into someones head in a few seconds?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it can be close to...a lot├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWith your metal brain├óÔé¼┬Ø she smiled. Lizzy laughed wetly, still crying ├óÔé¼┼ôI guess your right├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Eve pushed Lizzy away ├óÔé¼┼ôWe should really get some sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd just cry the night away├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôSo why are you in a containment room?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts the blood. I...I had to├óÔé¼┬Ø she hugged Lizzy again ├óÔé¼┼ôI couldn't let them kill Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Lizzy remembered the first time she had seen Prime kill someone with her mind and body. It still gave her chills to think that her little girl, her daughter could do something like that. But she refused to let go, just because Eve was still streaked with blood. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe really need to get some sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll help you to your room├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, picking Lizzy up. It was a shock that Eve could carry Lizzy. But Lizzy was so tired. Then she was in bed. Then she was asleep.

├óÔé¼┼ôI can do it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered and took another step. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôSomething is coming this way faster then a jet├óÔé¼┬Ø. His scanner was out, and the blip was coming towards them. Lizzy threw herself forward into he car, and Mike slammed the doors shut. Mankowski was going to drive, and July and Helena were on top of the car, ready with rifles. They were going to drive, shoot at anything dangerous looking, and go straight to parliament.

Mike and eve were in the back, with Lizzy. Lizzy was laying on the floor, strapped in. ├óÔé¼┼ôI hate getting injured like this├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts fucking embarrassing├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Shame about Amber

Its sad, but true. Poor Liz too. She has managed to outlive everyone who she cares about. Exept for her daughter, who will probebly outlive several G class stars.

tretchery, betrayal and a near inexaustable supply of cigars. All of this in this episode of Darkside.

Also why is the view's only, like, six hundred? Do less people read this then Darkside, because I remember I had way more views per page in the first Darkside. Oh well. As long as SOMEONE reads it, I will post it.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhoooooie!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski was enjoying the driving gig far more then July. He smashed through some rubble none too gently, gunning the engine to the max. ├óÔé¼┼ôPlease be fucking careful!├óÔé¼┬Ø July shouted, hanging on for her dear life. She was picking up swearing quite well. ├óÔé¼┼ôJuly!├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, pointing with her mangled hand ├óÔé¼┼ôS2! S2!├óÔé¼┬Ø. July brought her rifle around and saw something that would send a chill down most anyone's spine. A wave of S-02 was flowing over the buildings. It was not one creature, that much was for sure. It moved with the same wavelike motion that only a swarm of locusts could.

├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø July leaned over the edge of the car and shouted into the window ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need some heavy munitions up here!!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked out the window and saw the wave of S-02. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy were getting a big fucking huge wave coming!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't fight it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust flee├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you stop it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike looked at Eve. Eve shook her head, looking pained ├óÔé¼┼ôThere are too many of them├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPut the pedal to the medal and run like your fucking my sister!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted at Mankowski. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am fucking your fucking sister├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski muttered. He was already gunning the engine to the max.

Then Mike heard a very distinctive sound. It was a whump, hiss and flomp sound. Then a long, slow hiss. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThats not possible├óÔé¼┬Ø. He stood up in the rocking car and plastered his face on the window. A bright, greenish blue streak of fire was slowly arching over the sky. ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone!├óÔé¼┬Ø He shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôGET DOWN! THEY'VE LAUNCHED AN MN2 MINE!!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski, hearing that, slammed the break down. July and Helena rolled off the roof of the car and ducked down. Mike put his hands over his head, ducking and covering. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats an├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve started to ask, but Mike jerked her down.

Then a white light streamed through the windows. It was silent and still for an eternity, as if the world was holding its breath. Then the light faded slightly and. A wave of force smashed into the van and flipped if up and over the side. Red light was pumping through the windows and fire streamed past. Then, amazingly, it was over. The light faded and the wind stopped. Mike kicked the door open and looked out. The entire city block had been vaporised. Buildings stopped, ending half way through them. Cross sections of civic buildings were laid bare for Mike to see. A single, wavering smoke cloud floated over the city.

But there were no S-02 in sight. July and Helena were fine, hiding in a small hole under the truck. Mankowski's eyes were still smarting, dumb idiot had looked straight at the explosions. Sarge was fine. Lizzy was the one Mike was worried about. She had been banged around by the truck flipping. She had fallen on her side, and her right arm was severely bruised. She was also unconscious, for a reason Mike couldn't tell. Then he remembered something.

Matter Negation mrk Two mines were the most deadly weapons, short of nuclear weapons, asteroids and antimatter bombs. They didn't have the same radius of effect, but they had the same general power. A MN2 mine were made to be detonated about fifty meters above the ground. It would suppress the atomic force that kept matter bound together. This had the side effect of having every thing in a radius around the mine to dissolve into carbon and hydrogen. The energy released by just a little bit of matter going by by was enough to level a large office block.

So MN2 mines were almost never used, as they were expensive. It was easier to just nuke the damn place. Mike remembered an old saying he had heard. If it can fit in a briefcase, it can destroy the world. It had never quite made sense to him until he had seen a nuke packed into a Frisbee. He was just glad that they would never collapse an MN2 mind to that size and that, relative cheapness of a Frisbee nuke. Fundamental difficulties involving the reality's of mater meant a MN2 mine would never get to small, and Mike, looking out over the devastation, was eminently glad that the fundamental difficulties would never be solved.

├óÔé¼┼ôOne! Two! Three! Push!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted and everyone heaved on the side of the car. Everyone, or at least everyone who had not lost a necessary body part to push, shoved on the car. It rocked slightly. After two more shoves the car tipped over and slammed into the ground, right side up. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe tire's are flat, the windows are broken and we have no more gas├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôThose idiot's just had to throw their biggest gun into the fight. Anyone bet they only had one MN2?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôShut up Mankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut no├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, continuing on his rant ├óÔé¼┼ôThey just had to fire the fucking thing!├óÔé¼┬Ø he kicked the now useless van. Mike grabbed Mankowski and slammed him against the fan ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôShut...the fuck...up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski's face was beat red, but he did. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are heading straight for parliament. If anyone hears a MN2 go off, then you hit the deck├óÔé¼┬Ø. The group nodded, silent and sullen. ├óÔé¼┼ôWere going to make it├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. He didn't need to justify his words, he didn't need to say anything more. They heard a conviction in his voice and that was enough. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get a stretcher├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Keller's heat was hammering in his chest. The asteroid was going to pass by the enemy ship in a few minutes. Once it passed by the enemy ship would either fire on the asteroid or leave it alone long enough to let the shuttles disembark and drive home into the ship. The clock was counting down. Keller was sitting in the bridge, eyes glued to a screen with the asteroid on it. He could see a very occasional glint as a scattering of sunlight bounced off the shuttles. Keller was slowly turning his prised pencil in his fingers. It was an antique, made of wood.

The asteroid was almost to the mid point. Keller looked at Ron ├óÔé¼┼ôHere it goes├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The asteroid passed the mid point and. The Agamemnon's left turret slowly, almost lazily turned around and about. Keller snapped the pencil in his fingers when he realized what was about to happen. He closed his eyes. There was a flash of light, so bright it lit up the entire room. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Agamemnon fired├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôNuclear pay lode. The asteroids been splashed├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôHow├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller forced his mouth to form the words. He would feel sorrow later ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did they know?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron's voice was smooth, calm ├óÔé¼┼ôI told them├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller slowly spun his chair around and looked at his First Mate. Ron was holding a light weight laser pistol, one powered by a battery. It was good for a ten shots, and at this range it would blow out Keller's skull. Keller stood, looking at the barrel rather then his old friends face. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've been friends for years├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've fought enemy's at four different solar systems, together!├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller smashed his fist down on the arm of his chair ├óÔé¼┼ôWHY!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron asked, slowly walking around his station to stand near the exit. The other bridge officers were standing, some slowly reaching for their guns. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't reach for anything├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said ├óÔé¼┼ôOr I kill you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, turning back to Keller ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy...├óÔé¼┬Ø he paused ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose its because that while you were fucking your girlfriend against regulations, I was waking up to the simple fact that we have all been shafted!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Ron gestured to the other members of the bridge crew ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're getting paid nothing, thats right...nothing! By the time we get to back home, those of us who do, will have millions of worthless credits!├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWorthless?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're getting back pay for every year, with relativity taken into account!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôInflation├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said ├óÔé¼┼ôNone of us figured the inflation into the equation. By the time we get back economics will have either moved on, or our money will be completely worthless. But whats worse is while we are out here, getting our arms and legs blown off, the Colonials are living in luxury. So while the rest of you are kidding yourselves that we are fighting FOR something├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron's gun arm was shaking. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're not fighting for any ideal, or for freedom or democracy or anything! We are fighting for what is profitable for the dip shits back home├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo you've been feeding information to the enemy├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow much are they paying you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWith my own ship├óÔé¼┬Ø Ron said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd enough money to live for century's back at Homeworld├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI always knew you wanted a promotion, Ron├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I never knew how much until now├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he dived forward. Ron fired, and Keller felt a sudden, shocking heat in his left side. Then he was at Ron, and his left fist came around and he punched him. Ron doubled over, pistol clattering out of his hands.

Keller grabbed Ron's back and brought his knee into his stomach. Ron shoved himself up and broke Keller's grip. He reached for the gun, but then the rest of the bridge crew was dragging him away. Keller, feeling a large burn hole through his lower left stomach, held up his hand. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. They stopped carrying Ron away, Keller's gunnery officer looking at him. Keller leaned over and picked up the gun. ├óÔé¼┼ôI should kill you for what you've done├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. He pressed the laser pistol into Ron's hair and pulled the trigger. Brains exploded in a haze of liquid, flash melted by the laser bolt. ├óÔé¼┼ôChuck his corpse into space and turn the tac-con back on├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, sitting down.

Two of his bridge crew stayed behind, looking at Keller. Keller looked at them and said ├óÔé¼┼ôGet out├óÔé¼┬Ø. They looked at each other. ├óÔé¼┼ôI said...get out├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller repeated. They walked out of the bridge. ├óÔé¼┼ôComputer lock the door├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said .The doors to the bridge locked softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe betrayed me├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said to the room. He was surprised that sadness was not overwhelming, or even present. He didn't feel sad. He felt anger. He felt a rage that he had never known before. ├óÔé¼┼ôComputer├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôIs the tac-con back on line?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The computer bleeped affirmatively.

├óÔé¼┼ôSend a message to the Agamemnon├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôTell them...we are going to surrender├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike carried one end of the stretcher, and Eve carried the other. Lizzy was asleep, or unconscious, either one. The city was bathed in a red light, an odd aftermath of the MN2 mine. The entire place was bathed with something ominous and menacing. There was no S-02 in sight. The gun shots were gone, and Mike heard nothing about the D.G. So why was he so nervous was a question that grated on his mind. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy's voice was slurred ├óÔé¼┼ôYou didn't say that your so rough in bed├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she was asleep again.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. Mike's ears burned, but he tried to hid his embarrassment. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's still woozy├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike explained. ├óÔé¼┼ôRiight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôJust├óÔé¼┬Ø she stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôMy mother is a rather exuberant woman, from what I remember├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked up at her and blinked slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep moving├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, and Mike jumped and started to walk backwards again. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe should bed down here├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIn the street?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôIn that hotel├óÔé¼┬Ø. He pointed. Mike looked at the hotel and realized that it was much better then the one he had been staying at.

Lizzy looked around the room from her stretcher. She was laying in a king sized bed, at least five story's above the ground. Mike was laying in a cot next to her bed. The sun was almost down. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is everyone else?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. Mike stirred and rolled around ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is everyone else?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIn rooms around this place├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI volunteered to just stick around and make sure you're okay├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy got out of bed ├óÔé¼┼ôI think my body's gone out of 'emergency mode' she said, standing.

Mike got a great view of Lizzy as she stood up and was back light by the window. Her dark skin stood out under her white surgical gown. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod your lovely├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike murmured quietly, mostly to himself. Lizzy staggered a bit, still not quite steady on her feet. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI keep getting dizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike stood up and walked over to her. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't need your help├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm fine├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll leave if you want├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not sure├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not sure what I want. I keep thinking about what I want, but I don't know what to do with any...uhh... just kiss me├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Mike, as it turned out, didn't have a choice, as Lizzy grabbed his shoulders and pulled him into her.

Lizzy ran her hand up Mike's back, slipping it under his shirt. She ran her hands over the bumps on his spine, feeling the metallic plating underneath the skin. Lizzy broke the kiss and grinned at Mike. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBed or shower?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBed├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe water is down across the city├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy slowly stepped away from him, not really wanting to be to far away and started to undo the buttons on the back of her shirt. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is insane. We should be resting for the big push tomorrow├óÔé¼┬Ø

├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy let the gown slip to the ground. Mike jerked his shirt off, wishing his clothes were as easy to take off. He kissed Lizzy again, but missed and hit her cheek. Lizzy fell back into the bed, bringing Mike with her. Mike was on top, looking at her. Lizzy brought her legs up and onto Mike's chest ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't do missionary├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, a smile making her feet nonthreatening. Mike rolled off her and Lizzy sat up. He saw that the tattoo continued around her body, looping and twining suggestively. Not that she needed anything to be 'suggestive'.

├óÔé¼┼ôHelena├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, lying in bed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy do they call them MN2 mines? They seem to be fired from mortars├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked, rolling over to face the windows. The waning sunlight was filtered through by curtains that she had drawn over the window. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, thinking ├óÔé¼┼ôI really don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then a bullet whitled into the window and shattered it. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I think we might not get any sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena murmured, rolling off her bed.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, looking up. Then she yelped and shoved Mike's head out of the way ├óÔé¼┼ôThat tickles!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then another bullet hit something, this time a bit of the wall. It send some shards of concrete flying. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy grabbed her surgical gown. Mike pulled on his pants and strapped his holster on. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is shooting this time?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSounds like ZX-47's├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut by now everyone could have one of those, so I have no idea├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike and Lizzy ran into the hallway. Sarge and Mankowski were already there, their doors closed against any bullets coming through the windows. Helena backed out of her room, guns flashing as she pulled the trigger. July came out after her and slammed the door shut. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't think I hit anything├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut I think I scared them├óÔé¼┬Ø then she noticed Mike didn't have his shirt on ├óÔé¼┼ôI like the teen idol look├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, smiling. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do we do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked.

Mike listened for any other bullets hitting the walls. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I've found the disadvantage to having gigantic windows├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhich is?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe fact that random bullets can hit them├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôLets take some windowless rooms├óÔé¼┬Ø. He opened a door on the other side of the hall way and offered the way in for Lizzy. ├óÔé¼┼ôIsn't he the gentleman├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said in a false falsetto. July kicked him in the shin and he shut up. Mike followed Lizzy in and shut the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho wants to bet they are going to fuck all night instead of getting some sleep├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Helena, seeing July's expression, kicked Mankowski in the other shin. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop that!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski complained, but Helena just ignored him and said ├óÔé¼┼ôGood night, sir├óÔé¼┬Ø to Sarge. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that all about?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked. Sarge shook his head. He had a cigar in his mouth, inexplicably. ├óÔé¼┼ôSome people aren't as thick as you, you know├óÔé¼┬Ø he said and walked into the room opposite his. Mankowski stood in the hall way, feeling rather abandoned. Then he walked into an unoccupied, windowless room, and crawled into bed.

├óÔé¼┼ôI'm an idiot├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, her face covered with her hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo your not├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôMike's just a dunce who can't see past a pretty face├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I have a pretty face├óÔé¼┬Ø July moaned. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôMike is a dunce, remember?├óÔé¼┬Ø. July sat up ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats the point of even liking a guy? He's just going to go for someone with bigger breasts├óÔé¼┬Ø she weighed her breasts in her hands ├óÔé¼┼ôSee├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôMine are tiny!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôJuly├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think your over reacting. Mankowski is even dumber then Mike, when it comes to these things. Mike was probably sleeping without his shirt on. It is pretty damn hot on this planet├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Sarge frowned at his stump. He was alone, in his room. Exactly the way he liked it. Sarge put his feet up on the bed and relaxed. So what if he was missing an arm. He could still enjoy a nice stoogy. He pulled again on the cigar and patted his back pocket, where he kept his hidden stash. He was about to drift off to sweet dreams about Homeworld when the door burst open. ├óÔé¼┼ôMind if I bunk in here?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThe other rooms don't have big enough beds├óÔé¼┬Ø he jumped onto the bed next to Sarge. Sarge bit his cigar in half.

ive probly said this before...

but you storys keep getting better

Good. If it didn't then what would be the point?

Witness the shocking abduction of Eve Montoya, pluck from her house on her ninth birthday!

See the wily captain of the war vassal Agamemnon!

Behold the final fate of the Hannibal's brave marines!

All of this on...NOW!


Eve sat, looking out the window. She had heard the gun shots and the argument. But something had kept her back. She could feel the emotions of the others, aside for the glaring exception of Lizzy and Mike. The two Transcendi, or brain core's, or whatever they were called were blank spots on Eve's sense's, the life rhythms of both of them muted and covered by implants and metal. Eve focused again on the view out of the window. A sudden flare of light priced her eyes, then the window pane rattled as the shock wave hit it.

├óÔé¼┼ôFighting is still going on├óÔé¼┬Ø She murmured ├óÔé¼┼ôHumans can be so pointless some times├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked back out of the window and remembered her eight birthday. Dad had gotten her a pony, carved out of local wood. Mom had arrived three hours late, pulling her hood off against the rain as she walked into he party. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she had said ├óÔé¼┼ôWork was murder├óÔé¼┬Ø. She had smiled, her teeth bright on her face. Eve remembered longing to have a tattoo like her mother. Dad had said she was crazy. Eve was never sure whether her Dad was talking about her mother or her.

Her mother had walked up to the table, the Eve's friends gaping at her. Its not every day they saw the administrator of Colonial Security. Eve's mother had placed a paper wrapped parcel on the table. ├óÔé¼┼ôBetter late then never├óÔé¼┬Ø she had said, smiling. Eve had taken the parcel and unwrapped it. It had been a doll. Not a high end doll, made in one of the factory's by machines. It had been hand stitched, its left eye perceptibly lower then the left. It's hair was straggly, half blond and half yellow. It was, now that Eve looked at it critically, a very poor doll. But it had been made by her mother, by hand.

Eve had understood, at that second, that the important thing was not that her mother had money and would spend it for her. It was that her mother cared enough to slowly, carefully stitch a doll even with a schedule that forced her to be three hour late to her daughters birthday party. At the time 'thank you' seemed pale and ineffective. So she had said it, and hugged her mother around the legs. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou always were my special little girl├óÔé¼┬Ø her mother had said, picking her up.

One memory's often leads to another. Eve remembered her ninth birthday. She was asleep, in her bed. Or at least trying to sleep. She often only needed five or so hours of sleep, even when she tried her best. Her mother had always said if she had any more energy she would explode, so she was spending her time watching the clock. The clock was slowly ticking down to morning, as it was thirteen o clock at the time. Her homeworld had fourteen hour days and fourteen hour nights, so she had extra time to kill every day.

The clock ticked up to 14:22. Then she herd her father shout something. Eve sat straight up in her bed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then there was a loud bang and Eve jumped out of her bed, running downstairs. She heard a crash as the glass table in the center of their living room was smashed apart. ├óÔé¼┼ôDaniel!├óÔé¼┬Ø She heard her mother shout. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø that was a strangers voice. Then there were two more bangs, each louder then the last as Eve ran down the stairs. Eve heard a wet snap, and another pair of footsteps ran up to the stairs. Then BANG! BANG! And the form at the bottom of the stairs fell forward, blood spraying.

Eve was frozen in place, the red liquid splashed onto the front of her dress. The figure slowly tried to get up. Then she saw her mother, wearing nothing more then a nightdress, walk up and press her gun into the back of the figure's head. Eve wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't bring her eyes away. Her mother pulled the trigger and brains, bones and bloods splattered as the figure's face blew outwards. The figure collapsed the rest of the way. Then Eve's mother looked up and saw her girl. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve!├óÔé¼┬Ø She gasped. Then there was a loud crash and the sound of footsteps. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve! RUN!├óÔé¼┬Ø Her mother ran up the stairs, but her foot slipped on the blood and she landed.

Her gun clattered away, and Eve's mother reached for it. Eve bent over to grab it, to hand it too her mother. Then the running figures ran up to the mother. There where four of them, and they picked Eve's mother up and threw her backwards. Eve shrank back into the shadows, hiding. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight, bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø One of the four men said, punching Eve's mother in the stomach ├óÔé¼┼ôTell us where the alien is, and no one gets hurt├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've already shot Daniel├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve's mother spat, kicking out with her left leg. She caught one of the men in the knee, and Eve heard a snap of a bone. The man fell to one knee, and his companions helped him to his feet. One of them started to bind his leg, and the leader grabbed Eve's mother's hair ├óÔé¼┼ôRight Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, pulling a small, deadly looking knife out ├óÔé¼┼ôYou talk, or this gets...personal├óÔé¼┬Ø. He pressed the knife against Eve's mother's neck and slowly traced it down to the nightshirt that clung tight to her body, stuck there with sweat.

├óÔé¼┼ôBurn in hell├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve's mother said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy daughter is already out of this house!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The leader smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't believe you├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, sliding the knife under Eve's mother's shirt and cutting it slowly down the middle ├óÔé¼┼ôBut persuasion is always what I've been good at├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he tore the nightdress off. Eve gasped, hand flying to her mouth. She couldn't believe this was happening. It couldn't be happening. ├óÔé¼┼ôLarry├óÔé¼┬Ø the leader said, not turning ├óÔé¼┼ôGrab the girl├óÔé¼┬Ø. Larry, a rather burly looking man, turned around and walked up the stairs, shining his light up the stair well.

├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø The leader of the men said, as Eve was being dragged out of the house. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets have some fun├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôEVE!├óÔé¼┬Ø Her mother jerked out of their hands, because her skin was slick with sweat more then anything. She took four steps forward and was pulled down by the soldiers. Her arm was reaching for Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôEVE!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted. Then the door closed and cut off Eve's line of sight. Eve was crying. Then a rag was plastered over her face. She felt woozy, for a split seconds. Then she felt an onrush of energy and the wooziness vanished.

├óÔé¼┼ôYou idiot├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's part S-02! The knock out juice will just make her stronger├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she was thrown into the back of a truck. She sat up, but then she heard the cocking of a gun. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen you extraterrestrial bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø a man snarled ├óÔé¼┼ôYour mommy and daddy are dead. And If you don't sit still and work with us, then you're going to die too├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve found her tung ├óÔé¼┼ôW-what are you...I'm...i'm├óÔé¼┬Ø she started to cry anew ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm human!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The two men in front of the truck looked at each other. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet this through your pretty little head├óÔé¼┬Ø The man with the gun said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a fucking alien. You make me sick├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôJerold├óÔé¼┬Ø his partner said ├óÔé¼┼ôStop it. We have to get back to the shuttle├óÔé¼┬Ø. Jerold turned back to the wheel ├óÔé¼┼ôIf she moves, talks or even whimpers, shoot her in the leg├óÔé¼┬Ø. His partner shrugged and they started to drive. After ten or so minutes Eve stopped looking at them and started to look at the countryside. It was the jungle she had always known. Then she realized it was starting to rain, just like her last birth day. Eve began to cry.

The Capital city of Dantana was blurred. Eve blinked away the tears. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts in the past├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôOver eighty years ago├óÔé¼┬Ø. It felt like nine. Eve snorted, trying to get the snot off her face ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn you Einstein├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, putting her head down. Then there was a knock on the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike opened the door ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry, but this room is dangerous├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded, standing up ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought you'd be a bit busy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not going to press your mother...├óÔé¼┬Ø he blanched ├óÔé¼┼ôAbout that...├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe needs someone to love├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe all do├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Mike looked at her thoughtfully. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBull├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've been crying├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve looked at the ground ├óÔé¼┼ôFunny├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôHumans often hurt themselves more then anyone else does├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike opened the door and gestured for her to go first ├óÔé¼┼ôAfter you, madam├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôMike, if you can...give her one hell of a night├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike raised a single eyebrow questioningly and Eve's face burned ├óÔé¼┼ôNever mind├óÔé¼┬Ø she walked past him. She took a step and heard something.



Three days ago and captain Joseph Kelly was sitting in his desk. His bald plate glittered, as he kept it smooth and hairless. And a few hours ago he had lost communication with Dantana, and asteroids started to smash into the planet. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø his first in command said, knocking on the door. Joseph smiled at her, accepting the paper she handed ├óÔé¼┼ôThe ships computer spat this out as soon as those asteroids started to hit the atmosphere├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôthank you, Jasmin├óÔé¼┬Ø Joseph said ├óÔé¼┼ôDismissed├óÔé¼┬Ø. His first saluted and turned around, heading out of the room. Joseph opened the paper and started to read.

////to Commander of ::Vessel Type::: Bio War Cooperation Order 02\\\\

Commander ::Joseph Kelly:: of the ::BWC Agamemnon:: please take note.

Top secret data. Revealing of the following information is met with the death penalty, subject under your contract. Information will now follow.

2111, first contact is made in the Quarantine zone. First Contact race designated Species Zero Two. This race produced HEPE's at the rate of <data removed by BWC and Colonial government> and is known to evolve at a extraordinary rate, acting with environmental stimuli. . You are to immediately quarantine planet ::Dantana:: and not send or receive any information from the planet. If an enemy ships do anything that might comprise the quarantine, you must kill them.

Quadruple pay if the following clauses are met:

Maintain quarantine around ::Dantana::
Avoid Contact with S-02
Tell no one


End of Line


Joseph gently slid the paper into his recycling system. ├óÔé¼┼ôJasmin├óÔé¼┬Ø he said into the intercom ├óÔé¼┼ôCome in here please. I...need you and your...contact├óÔé¼┬Ø. His first had walked into the room, smiling her trade mark smile. It was then Joseph realized how his words must have sounded. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have some bad news├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut first, did you read this?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Jasmin said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why I immediately brought it too you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Joseph closed his eyes and shot her. The pistol was silenced, low caliber and hit her square in the throat. She fell on the ground, bleeding and gasping.

Joseph knelt by the body of his old First ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour probably wondering, why me?├óÔé¼┬Ø. He gently stroked her hair back ├óÔé¼┼ôBut you really shouldn't have read that note├óÔé¼┬Ø. A single dribble of blood was running down her face, like a bloody tear. Joseph kissed her on the lips. Jasmine pushed away, but the captain pressed forward until she stopped moving. He stood up and wiped the blood off his lips ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was an acceded├óÔé¼┬Ø he said to the computer ├óÔé¼┼ôI was cleaning my gun and she walked in, startling me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes captain├óÔé¼┬Ø the computer said softly. It was used to these kinds of orders.

The room was black. Then the blindfold was ripped off. Sarris blinked. The last thing she remembered was the sight of the Agamemnon's turret slowly turning to point at the asteroid. Then a mad, panicky scramble to grab her helmet. Then the entire place started to come apart as HE missiles rammed into the asteroid. She had felt the floor rock and then crack, and then she was vacuum trotting. She saw chunks of metal floating around. Her ears rang in the silence of deep space. Then a bright light flashed over her face and she was out cold.

├óÔé¼┼ôYour quite lovely├óÔé¼┬Ø A voice said softly. Sarris looked around ├óÔé¼┼ôShow yourself!├óÔé¼┬Ø She snapped. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am captain Joseph Kelly, BWC Agamemnon is my ship├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo your the one that scragged us?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris asked ├óÔé¼┼ôHas the captain contacted you?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø The captain said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut its more important that we get to know each other├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarris looked at him. Maybe he was crazy. Some captains, at the edge of space, did go a little power crazy. ├óÔé¼┼ôFor example├óÔé¼┬Ø Joseph said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe did a bioscan on you, and did you know your pregnant?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Sarris gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm...what?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAccording to records kept back at SOL, the baby is captain Keller's├óÔé¼┬Ø Joseph said ├óÔé¼┼ôNow, Keller has offered his conditional surrender. He will give us the Hannibal, in exchange for the crew getting safe passage back to SOL. Only problem is I don't trust him. And neither would you. He is a sneaky bastard├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot sneaky enough├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris muttered, feeling cross at her situation. Her hands were bound, metal hand cuffs so she couldn't break them or cut them. ├óÔé¼┼ôActually├óÔé¼┬Ø Joseph turned to walk out of the room ├óÔé¼┼ôWe had a spy on board├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris stood, or tried to, and cause the chair she was bound to to screech along the metal floor.

├óÔé¼┼ôA man named Ron Donahue├óÔé¼┬Ø Joseph said, walking out of the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôRon?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris looked shocked. Then offended ├óÔé¼┼ôRon was a fucking spy!├óÔé¼┬Ø The door slid shut and she was left alone to her words. ├óÔé¼┼ôCapitan├óÔé¼┬Ø Joseph's new first said ├óÔé¼┼ôJasmine's finished recycling├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø Joseph said with a complete lack of interest ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø his new first said ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought you'd want to hear about...├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't waste my time├óÔé¼┬Ø Joseph said ├óÔé¼┼ôWith dead people who no longer matter├óÔé¼┬Ø.

I got confused between Kelly and Keller. T'was a bit annoying

Zoombie wrote:And now for a limited time, super special offer!

Darkside, original...

IN PDF FORMAT!!

http://rapidshare.de/files/24763834/Darkside.pdf.html

Could you upload it somewhere else?

Well its the only place I know of TO uplode things.

Also just think of him as Joseph. Keller dosn't have a first name (some colononial worlds don't do family names. Other one's do really long family names. It differs, based off who colonized the planet). Also dosn't Joseph sound really evil? Thats why the only Joseph I know is known as Joe, rather then Joseph (witch sounds EVIL!)

zoombie, use http://www.bestsharing.com

Thank you muchly, Forb.

New link (get it while its hot and jucy!): Darkside FTW!

There is a mild problem. Its still in BBCode format, so its got little [ i ]'s before the italic portions and little [ /i ]'s at the end of the italic portions. Oh well.

EDIT:Link fixed!

Behold! A shocking reversal in the hotel rooms!

and Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee's BACK!


Eve stood still. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike turned around, looking at her. Then the hallway was wrenched down, wood splintered and flew through the air. Doors were ripped off their hinges and Mike was plunged into darkness, a rather large chunk of wood slamming into the back of his head. Eve rolled, feeling several large chunks stick into her. She cushioned her fall as best she could, despite the circumstances and rolled to a halt, a writhing mass of blackness swarming about her.

Lizzy woke up. Her room was tilting madly, as the floor was being pulled down by a swarm of S-02. It was unmistakably S-02, and Lizzy reacted instinctively, rolling off the bed and grabbing on the plush carpet to prevent her from sliding. A gun, possibly Mike's, slid down past her. She reached out and grabbed it, thanking god that she was in this exact position. Then she realized that she should be blaming god for being in this position. Whatever. She brought the gun around as the floor tilted again, now almost vertical. The bed disappeared into the S-02. Lizzy saw Sarge, hanging onto his wall for deal life with one Hand. Mankowski was standing at an insane slant, pressing his hands against the wall to keep himself from falling.

Lizzy holstered the pistol and started to climb up to the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet higher!├óÔé¼┬Ø She shouted. She looked left and right, seeing flash's of the others through new ripped holes in the wall. Then Lizzy was at the wall, her gun in her hand. She eyeballed the wall, looking for points that were already breaking. She fired, blasting apart wood and drywall. Then the entire thing caved in, a large section of it grazing her back. Lizzy felt her arms waver, but pure adrenalin and force of will kept her from falling. The writhing snake of S-02 was smashing about, as if something inside was doing something contrary to what it wished. Its writhing tail whipped around and traced across the walls and ripped them to rat shit. Someone screamed.

Then Lizzy was through the wall. She tried to imagine the building and what would create this dizzying drop. The building must be imploding. ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone├óÔé¼┬Ø She shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôTO ME!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She collapsed on the wall, witch was now the floor. She heard muffled footsteps and counted people. Mankowski, Sarge (who looked sweaty as hell and was massaging his still attached arm), Helena and a July who was still crossing herself. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere's mike? Where's my daughter!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked. The building shuddered. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey were across the hall, I think├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬Ø she pointed at Sarge ├óÔé¼┼ôlead the rest out of the building. I'm going for Mike and Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Sarge nodded, but July shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm coming too├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Lizzy looked at her. She was one of the few who hadn't lost a limb or had the crap beaten out of her. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut drop the gun. Its going to slow you down├óÔé¼┬Ø. July handed the pistol to Helena, who slipped it into her shirt. ├óÔé¼┼ôGodspeed├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said. The wall, or floor, tilted slightly and something gave under Lizzy's feet ever so slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôLets see if we can get to the elevator shafts or ladders. Or something├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Lizzy started clambering over the wall. It was impossible to stand, as the building was build with a lot of insulation. Insulation being a high tech bag of smart material that padded the upper and lower parts of the place. In between was open air, for when the stuff went on the fritz. It was enough to crawl through, but was claustrophobic and hot. Lizzy head July behind her, muttering a prayer under her breath. Then Lizzy head a change in the random thrashings of the S-02 snake. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôHold perfectly still├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was silence for a minuet. Then Lizzy head the sound of crashing, and a loud swear form Sarge. Then the sound of running feet, on level ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey must have gotten out├óÔé¼┬Ø July said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat means we will too├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, and started to climb again.

Mike woke up, a hand gently stroking his chin. He blinked. Eve was looking at him. But there was something strange behind her. Then he saw that the S-02 mass was rounded up around them, creating a perfect circle. It covered them, over the top, but still a diffuse light was let through. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere...what are...how?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike blathered, feeling confused. The whack to the back of the head must have scrambled something. He felt the blood and mangled skin and realized, with all to familiar sense of thanks, that if he had been human he would have been dead. Thanks pops, you bastard Mike smiled wryly at that.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow are you feeling?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike looked around again at the rippling S-02 ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd why are we still alive?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm...I told it to leave us alone├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike suddenly heard something in her voice. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is Eve!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Target's head hung, hair drooping over her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôI just want you to love me├óÔé¼┬Ø she said softly. Mike backed away, or tried too, but her hand, her real hand, was clamped onto his wrist. It was like a vice, and he didn't want to antagonize her too much. Eve was a known unknown. The Target had already proved to be very unpredictable.

Mike, buying for time, said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Target's lips twisted, and her hand tightened, squeezing his wrist. She forced his hand up and planted it on her breast. The tableaux held for a few moments, Mike sitting there like an idiot, gasping in pain as the Target's hand clamped down on his wrist. He could feel her nipple through the shirt. Why he would think of something like that at a time like this was a worrying reminder of the smash he had taken to the back of his head. Then the Target let his wrist go, and Mike had an overwhelming urge to jerk it away. But then he realized that he didn't want to upset the Target.

Mike had been in odd situations, some down right insane. Facing a court martial for saving a cat. Almost dying because the ship's food dispenser was set to shoot nothing but whipped cream out of its nozzle. Narrowly avoiding behind crushed by a falling ├óÔé¼┼ôState puff Marshmallow ├óÔé¼┬Ø singe. This ranked up with them. Feeling up a psychotic alien, surrounded by a deadly alien entity that could kill him at any moment. ├óÔé¼┼ôLove me├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said, her voice more like a child asking for her favored toy then anything else. Mike opened his mouth to say something, but the Target leaned in and pressed her lips against his, her tong cutting off anything he was about to say.

Mike say there, eyes wide like an idiot. He thought of many things a sane person would do. Instead he sat there, his now limp hand sliding down the Target's chest. Then he heard a dull thunk, like a rock hitting half dried cement. That snapped Mike out of the half hypnotic revere he was in. The Target pulled away, reaching for her shirt. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, pushing her away with his hand ├óÔé¼┼ôMaybe this isn't the best time to get into a physical relationship├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Target's mouth twitched slightly, as if she was about to smile. Then Mike felt a invisible hand brush his crotch. He jerked back, inadvertently running into the wall of S-02.

Mike felt like he had hit half hardened cement, fingers of chill slowly reaching up and about his face. Then he was falling through the S-02 creature. Then he was out on the other side. Into blindingly open space, daylight streaming through clouds. It was dawn, but it seemed like the brightest day he had seen. Then he was falling, with the awful slow motion effect that occurred when something horrible was about to happen, and you couldn't do anything about it. He started to fall, feeling his stomach lurch as he did so. A single piece of the S-02 writhed where he had come out of it. Mike could see the city, stretched out like a mosaics under him. He heard the wind, crying his name. Then he hit ground.

Lizzy watched the S-02. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is going on in there?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIts been still for an hour. Thats not normal├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhats...normal for that!├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. She was getting very stiff from staying in the half crotched pose, even if it was for only a hour. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we should try and wake the thing up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't think├óÔé¼┬Ø July started to say, but then Lizzy kicked out and smashed her foot into the wall. Part of it broke away and flew into open space, and landed straight into the strange 'bulge' that had appeared in the center of the snake thing.

The wood sank into the S-02 and vanished. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats not normal├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then a second bulge appeared on the side of the S-02 snake, about the size of a human. It was in the part of the creature that was bulging madly out into space. July and Lizzy twisted around to see it, as their vantage point was a small bit of wall that was surrounded on all sides by gaping holes, slanted madly. If Lizzy let go she would slide out into open space. Then the bulge popped and Mike flew out. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy gasped, but July already unhooked her toes and was sliding down the side of the floor wall.

Lizzy watched as Mike fell. Then July plunged into the space, grabbing onto the side of the wall, so she swung out into open space. Then she reached out, grabbing for Mike. But he was not looking at her, his eyes turned up wards. ├óÔé¼┼ôMIIIIIIKE!├óÔé¼┬Ø July shouted, reaching for him. It was like a tragic scene from a over done holodrama. July's hands grasped out, reaching for any part of Mike. But then he whistled out of her grasp and plummeted. Straight into a small outcropping of wood, a plank of wood that jutted out from a floor below them. He landed, rolled and curled up.

Mike wondered why falling form ten or so story's hadn't killed him. Then he curled up and went to sleep. July let go of the wall and landed, catlike, on the small outcrop of wood. It almost cracked, but then July was grabbing onto Mike and kicking a nearby window open. ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôHelp!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy nodded, repeating the same trick as July did. She hovered, grasping onto the side of her prior vantage point. July tossed Mike ungainly into the window she had kicked open. He landed in a pile of legs and arms. July then jumped in after him. Lizzy let go and hit the small platform, landing with the same ease as July had.

Then the platform snapped off from the wall and Lizzy was falling. Then July grabbed her arm and Lizzy felt her arm almost jerk out of its socket. But her reinforced skeletal structure held, where a normal humans shoulder would have been dislocated. Then July dragged her in and Lizzy lay in a panting pile. She looked at the celling. It was bulging slightly, but would hold. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike!├óÔé¼┬Ø July hissed urgently ├óÔé¼┼ôMike!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike grumbled. Then July did something on impulse.

She kissed Mike, frantically. Mike's eyes opened slowly. Then he closed his eyes. July broke the kiss and looked at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know you, don't I?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø July said. ├óÔé¼┼ôTell Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not ready for a├óÔé¼┬Ø he faded out. July sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy is it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone wants a piece of Mike? No one wants Sarge, or Mankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø. July blushed ├óÔé¼┼ôWell...Helena isn't interested in anyone├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats cause she's the one smart person├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said softly ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's the one who wont be hurt when we die├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôWe're not going to die├óÔé¼┬Ø July said. She looked at Mike. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're not├óÔé¼┬Ø she repeated.

The Target sat in her circle of S-02, legs pulled up into her lefts. A piece of the wall detached and slowly formed legs and arms. The Target looked at the form and tried to get it to look more like Mike. It fumbled, but receiving secondhand messages from an intelligence much higher then its own was trying. She banished the form with a wave of her hand and pressed her face into her knee's. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy am I alone├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked the air. The air had no answer.

Sarge kicked the door. It caved slightly. He kicked the door again and the double doors flew outwards, to smash on the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis entire building is collapsing├óÔé¼┬Ø He said to the other behind him ├óÔé¼┼ôSo stop being so afraid of heights. Just roll when you hit the ground├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôCan't we get lower then this?├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked out the window. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôGet that mattress and drop it down there. That'll break your fall├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think your plan needs improvement├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd what do you suggest?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena looked around ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are in a supply closet. We could use those ROPES for something├óÔé¼┬Ø

Lizzy looked out the window. It was a long drop down, and she had no idea how to get down. Then she saw a rope fly out of a window, at lest eight or so story's down. Then she saw Helena slowly lower herself down, using on her good hand. It looked hard, and probably hurt her hand a good deal. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow are we going to get down?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to get Mike awake first├óÔé¼┬Ø July said. She was holding Mike's head in her lap, looking worriedly at him every few seconds. Lizzy felt like she should say something. The wound on the back of Mike's head looked sever, even for a Transcendi. And she had never seen an S-02 act the way it had up there.

Then she heard a loud explosion, a shattering of wood and glass and metal. Bits of debris flew everywhere, and a huge chunk of the upper story's slid down off the corner of the new roof. It caved part of the wall off, exploding Lizzy, July and Mike to the wind of the morning. The chunk smashed into the ground, shattering loudly. Then Lizzy saw a figure slowly drop from the top of the building. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted. Then the figure stopped, hovering in mid air. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot...quite├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said, her voice dripping with hatred.

Cool things have been happening in my life. One) The comic book store called today and...THEY SAID THAT MY COMICS WERE IN!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

The first three issues of Hellsing have arrived. Super cool vampire V zombie V Nazi action, with enough style to choke a horse. Big guns, zombies, vampires, really cool hats, hilarious dialog, anti-heroes and enough blood to fill TWO Kill Bill's. I loved them. Now I need to get four, five, six and seven. I mean...I gots to see how this turns out. Also each one comes with a free bonus story, involving a Catholic Assassin and a psychotic Nun who fight Islamic terrorists, communists and pagans. You know, normal enemy's of the Vatican. Did I mention that this is incredibly offensive to...well...everyone. Pfft

The second cool thing) I BOUGHT AN I-POD! Whaaaaa? Thats right! I am writing...while listening to WEIRD AL! Witch...is not often, cause I don't own any Weird Al, but my friend does. So I...er...borrowed the Mp3's and have been laughing my ass off for about...seven hours or so.

The Third Cool thing) I was rummaging through my closet and I found a little gem of a game my Bro had bought Eon's ago. Made by Bungi (you know, back when Microsoft was not forcing them to do nothing but make Halo clones), it is called Oni (daemon in foreign). Its like an anime, but you can like...be a total bad ass. Its got the BEST kung-fu system in a game I've ever played. Battles are hard, twitchy and require a lot of skill. But when you dodge an enemy kick, only to land next to the guy with the plasma rifle, and you bring your fist around and knock him over, just before an enemy fires a rocket at you, and then you cartwheel out of the way, and the rocket hits the guy behind you, blowing him away. Then you run up and GRAB the enemy's head and spin around, kicking everyone around them while snapping their necks. This kicks one guy off the roof, knocks another one over and kills the poor sap you grabbed onto. Then a guy grabs you from behind, and throws you and you land, pulling out your sniper rifle. Then you blow his head off at point blank range with your sniper rifle (that fires super cooled mercury via rail gun. Neat huh?). This sends the bad guys corpse flying through a window, shattering it. Then you look around and like five guys are dead. And how much damage did you take? None!

Thats right! NONE! Note: this battle happened. And it was frigged HARD! I had to do it three times, because I kept dying, cause the bady's would just gang up and beat down on my poor character.

I'm rambling aren't I?

Also I got a new avatar. Nice shades, I say. Cool hat too. Big gun, but you can't see that.




├óÔé¼┼ôJuly├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked, trying to pick Mike up and still look at the figure slowly floating towards the already shattered window. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. Then she kicked a piece of wood expertly into the air, sending it flying straight at The Target ├óÔé¼┼ôRUN!├óÔé¼┬Ø She shouted as the piece of wood combusted, flying apart in a haze of splinters. The Target landed, padded by the carpet. Lizzy kicked the door out of the place down, her boot slamming into the door knob. July went out first, practically dragging Mike behind her.

Lizzy turned around momentarily, seeing her not-daughter come closer, like some kind of elemental force. Then she slammed the door and started to run after July. It was a futile gesture, even against a normal human, as the knob had already been shattered off by her foot. But the Target was far more dramatic then just opening the door. There was a sound of cutting air, as if something far sharper and deadlier then Lizzy could comprehend slashing through the air. Then the door fell in several piece's, The Target stepping through it. By then Lizzy was at the elevator at the end of the hall.

It was no surprise that the elevator cable had snapped long ago. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't climb the ladder├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ônot with Mike in this state├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy licked her lips, looking back at the Target. ├óÔé¼┼ôRunning out of room? Like rats in a trap├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said, still walking forward at the exact same pace she had kept for this entire time. ├óÔé¼┼ôRats are one of the nicer animals├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôJust think of mosquitoes. Or spiders├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Target stopped, about half way down the corridor. She looked completely out of place, her normal, day to day clothes torn and dirty, her feet bare, standing amid the tacky carpet and tacky furniture that lay, half smashed in the hall way.

Lizzy was beginning to wish she had brought a gun when the Target flicked her head, sending her black hair flapping behind her head so she could look at them without staring through her over long bangs. ├óÔé¼┼ôGive me Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you can walk away with at least some of your limbs intact├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSome, eh├óÔé¼┬Ø July said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you want with Mike? The way he tells it you could have killed him ten times already├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it about him├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Target stopped, taken aback by the sudden question. She thought about it, her eyes tracking.

├óÔé¼┼ôHe saved me├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen I was too naive to know he would just leave me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSaved?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked ├óÔé¼┼ôYou knew Mike...before now?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Target laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôOf course├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis planet has far more then its fair share of coincidences. Mike arriving at this planet a scant week after Lizzy did. I landing here, when fired from a space station into a random part of the sky. My shattered mind bringing together false and imagined memory's, bringing me to this city. My weak sister, taking control back there...when you were to die├óÔé¼┬Ø she looked straight at Lizzy.

├óÔé¼┼ôSister?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked ├óÔé¼┼ôYou mean Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target shouted, her voice filled with enough anger to blister the pain of a main battle tank ├óÔé¼┼ôMy sister doesn't deserve that name! She doesn't deserve to be a GOD!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôPrime was no god├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut your a stain on her memory├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am what you and your species made of me!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target shouted, her eyes bulging, a pent up fury being released. A tremor went through the air, causing everything to waver slightly. Lizzy felt her hair being pushed around by an almost solid wave of air being pushed past. Then the hallway behind her crumpled inwards, as if a gigantic hand had grabbed it and crushed it, like a child smashing his toy building to see how it looked destroyed.

├óÔé¼┼ôRun!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted at July. July stared to, trying to drag Mike with her. She went to a door, as if going into a dead end room would help. The door, the door frame and the room behind it thumped inwards, wood, metal, plastic and insulation matieral cramming together, moving like snakes. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø July snapped, backing up. The wood rearranged itself to look like a leering face. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop it!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted at the Target ├óÔé¼┼ôif your going to kill us, KILL US!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Target smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought you would never ask├óÔé¼┬Ø. The hallway started to constrict, wood crumpling inwards as if it was a hand, sliding inwards. Lizzy and July stood still, waiting for the hand to blot them out of existence. But then...the wave of destruction stopped, right behind them.

Lizzy suddenly realized it. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't let Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø she started to say, but then his unconscious body started to drag across the floor. July grabbed the arm, using the same strength that saves a drowning man as he clings to a life vest, and Mike was stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet away!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy grabbed Mike's shirt, dragging him back. The pull was not as much as The Target could put out. She didn't want to damage her...target. ├óÔé¼┼ôLet him go!├óÔé¼┬Ø July grunted, backing up into the wall of rubble. The Target snarled, her teeth grinding against one another. Her hair started to whip around under its own vocation, like Medusa's snakes.

Lizzy spotted something out of the corner of her eye. Part of the wall had collapsed, and she saw sky. ├óÔé¼┼ôThere!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted, pointing. The Target jerked her eyes off Mike, and a vein in her forehead twitched. The sky was cut off as wood crumpled around it. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck that├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, reaching into her shirt. She pulled...a cellphone. ├óÔé¼┼ôHold him├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, dialing. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need some heavy ordinance, floor├óÔé¼┬Ø she looked at the hall and spotted the floor number, splayed over one of the mangled doors. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think the fifth├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôHeavy ordinance!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shouted. The cell phone signal was weak, because it was self broad casted rather then jacking into the planet web frame. Witch was down. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't even have a rifle!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Sarge herd a deep rumbling sound. The D.G were moving out, heading to the hotel. Sarge looked up and saw another part of the building crumple inwards, a massive hand print smashing inwards, sending wood and metal flying. He covered his head with his still attached arm, waving off some bits of wood that showered on him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait, survive for like five minutes├óÔé¼┬Ø he hung up.

├óÔé¼┼ôSurvive?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked, looking at her cell as if it was something she had never seen before. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't find that likely├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target took a step forward ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you give me Mike, you might walk out of this building with both of your feet├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy looked around. She remembered Prime had a pretty long range, but never this power. Or did she? Prime had never had reason to destroy things on a large scale. Did Eve, or whatever possessed her, have a limit. July looked around. Then she kicked at the rubble that kept the door closed. And to her surprise it gave, opening her way into a mangled room. ├óÔé¼┼ôcome on!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, dragging Mike thought he small hole she had opened.

Lizzy followed, but just as her foot came through the hole smashed together with a crash. The Target looked up at the celling and suddenly it caved upwards, wood splintering upwards. Then she was up. The room that Lizzy and July found themselves in was mangled, five lines ripped through the floor to bring the outer wall up to the door. It was as if a gigantic hand had swept through the room. Witch, Lizzy thought, was entirely possible. She danced from shred of floor to shred of floor. She got to the corner, where the door was open. She kicked at the window at the next room over, witch was surprisingly intact. It gave slightly. She kicked again and it fell inwards, shattering on the floor. ├óÔé¼┼ôGoing somewhere?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target asked, standing above them, her hair flapping in the real wind.

The tank rolled around the corner, its driver sitting upwards. It was a standard paramilitary tank, roughly ten years old from the look. Two treads, simple and easy to make, drove it around, with a single turret that could spin around. The turret had two barrels, cycling load times and a single machine gun strapped to the back, on a smaller turret. A sniper nest could be folded out, and then turned into a radar station. The tank was an all purposes vehicle, made to do the regular things, like drive around and shoot. It could also hunker down, put the turret up on a slightly raised pole, and act as a turret. Add to this a well hidden sniper nest/radar center, it could double as a anti-infantry hidey hole and a radar targeting center. Expensive, for a paramilitary vehicle, but enough bang for the buck to make it one of the more popular vehicles in any planetary guard unit.

├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shouted, Mankowski and Helena flanking him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho the fuck are you?├óÔé¼┬Ø A thick sottish voice shouted over the tank's engine, the pilot looking at Sarge with a mixture of distrust and mild apathy. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am requisitioning this tank├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. The pilot laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd like to see your registry I.D code and military license├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, grinning. Sarge snapped his arm out of his pocket, his pistol flying into his hand. He aimed it straight at the Pilot, who looked like Sarge had grown a third eye. Helena and Mankowski followed suit, their guns sounding remarkably loud as they pulled them out. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs this the right one?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, smiling.

The Target dropped down from the floor above them, landing lightly. Lizzy gulped. She could get to the next room. But that would mean abandoning Mike and July. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho first?├óÔé¼┬Ø . She saw July who, was standing protectively over Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. July flew backwards, hands flying to her throat. She floated over the city, gasping for breath. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø The Target looked at Lizzy ├óÔé¼┼ôGive me Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy stood still, indecision running through her. Then there was a whistle. And the room she was going to jump into exploded, a fire ball ripping outwards, sending wood and plastic flying. Lizzy brought her hands up, covering her eyes from the sudden light.

├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour off by two meters!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is measured with feet, damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena grumbled, trying to type one handed. Mankowski pressed some buttons, bending over in the very cramped innards of the tank. A shell flew out of the side of the right barrel and there was a chunk. ├óÔé¼┼ôBoth barrels loaded!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôAimed!├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôFIRE!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shouted, bringing the binoculars up to his face again. Both barrels roared, flame and smoke shooting out of them, uncoiling in front of the tank. The shells screamed forward and.

Stopped. The Target had raised her hands, bringing them up as if to catch the shells. They had slowed and stopped, dropping below supersonic speeds and slowing to a crawl, as if the air had turned to molasses. The Target was sweating. She couldn't afford to let these shells hit Mike. She grunted and threw them aside, her mind flicking them in different directions. They impacted on the sides of the building, exploding violently. Then Lizzy smashed her in the back of the head with a chair. The Target pitched forward, almost falling out of the building. Then she settled to a rest, her left arm dangling over the edge. But she was unconscious.

Then Lizzy saw that July was no longer in front of the building. Lizzy ran to the edge, praying that she wouldn't see July...Then she saw her. July had grabbed onto a jagged spar of metal sticking out into space. Her left hand was bleeding freely, the metal cutting it open. Her right hand had grabbed onto the side of the wall. But it was slowly failing. ├óÔé¼┼ôHang on!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll help you├óÔé¼┬Ø. July looked up, her face streaked with tears ├óÔé¼┼ôI...├óÔé¼┬Ø she trailed off. Lizzy jumped to the next room, witch had been gutted by the tank shell. It was nothing more then a C of wood, blackened and worn by flames. But she found a handhold and slid down to the next room.

She clambered across the building and reached July. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, slowly so as to not lose her balance. She got to the jagged bit of metal, more like a half broken girder now that she thought about it. July's hand was slipping, the metal tearing it apart slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered, reaching out, grabbing for July. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour going to have to let go of the wall├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll catch you!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't...I can't├óÔé¼┬Ø July's breath was coming in gasps, the pain written over her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have to!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, reaching. July took a breath, and reached her hand outwards, forcing herself to support herself with the jagged end of the girder. Blood trickled down her arm, slowly creating a red stain on her already ruined shirt. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy reached. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't!├óÔé¼┬Ø July placed her hand back on the wall. It slowly ran down.

├óÔé¼┼ôJULY!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôI AM YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER! TAKE YOUR HAND OFF THE FUCKING WALL AND GIVE IT TO ME!├óÔé¼┬Ø. July, her body trained to listen to such voice's, reached. Lizzy stretched her hand and grabbed it. She dragged, pulling with enough effort to bend steel. July was jerked up onto the little outlet that Lizzy was standing on. She clutched her mangled hand to her shirt, spreading red all over her bosom. Her eyes were squeezed shut, tears streaming down her nose. Lizzy sighed, her heart slowly retreating from its place in her throat. Sarge was cheering, the binoculars still jammed into his eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's happening?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked.

July leaned backwards, trying to give her exhausted arms a rest. Then there was a sickening lurch and the girder started to bend forward. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø July sobbed,sliding down the girder. The other end of the girder tore a large hole in the wall, and Lizzy leaped back onto the firm ground. She would have only one chance. July was falling, her arms reaching every direction, trying to find something to prevent her fall. Lizzy threw herself forward, arm reaching for July. She grabbed the hand, the bloody mangled hand.

Then her arm took up the slack and popped slightly, her already damaged bones complaining under the weight. Lizzy looked at July, at the younger woman. July's hair was matted to her face, snot and tears blemishing her otherwise pretty face. Lizzy realized that July looked rather like someone she had known. Someone who had jumped. But July was falling. Lizzy felt July's hand slid out of her grasp, but she tightened her hold and kept her up, somehow. ├óÔé¼┼ôTell├óÔé¼┬Ø July gasped. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy brought her other arm around to grab the hand. It was out of reach, not without moving Lizzy to an even more dangerous position.

├óÔé¼┼ôTell...tell Mike I love him├óÔé¼┬Ø July said. Then her fingers slipped out of Lizzy's hand.

*groans* where's my new episode? /Me feels lost

episodes! We want your Episodes (taken from the night of the living dead 2)!

Funny. Cuase I JUST POSTED IT!

oh fark! you posted before i did

Yeah but its cool.

I have a new hat.

could someone... um compress this to a sentence or two so I dont have to read the whole thing?