And now, with out further a due, I and my partner, Zooty, will present tonights show. But first, to begin, if you have not read Darkside...then never fear! This story is self continued. It has some characters from the old story, and some...complications from the old story. An enemy will rise. A hero reborn. A planet will burn, and army's will clash. And, I'm afraid, humanity will enter its twilight.
But, fear not good reader, for all hope is not lost. As long as the series remains profitable I will continue to make more! Thank you, and...enjoy the show....
Part 0: Hunt
80 years later
//////WARNING: DANGEROUS CRIMINAL\\\\\\
This person in question, Jane Doe #2223, recently escaped Dantana central detention facility at 0334 hours. She was being detained after the unprovoked murder of thirteen citizens (Three children, four women, Six Men) and four police officers. She has a unidentified weapon, capable of killing at a 10 meter range (32.81 feet). She is extremely dangerous. If you see her in your area, evacuate immediately and call 441.
Date: June 14, 2191
//////WARNING: DANGEROUS CRIMINAL\\\\\\
Miles looked at the notice and snorted softly. It was night time, and Dantana was especially lovely. The sky was a perfect dark blue, and he could heart the waves, even this far inside the city. The woman on the picture didn't look more then eighteen, maybe nineteen if you pushed it. Her hair was raven black. A hair cut that would look would look sever on most people, but her face just looked at a base level to be a happy one. Her mouth seemed to smile, even in a still photograph. ├óÔé¼┼ôNonsense├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles murmured ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's just a kid├óÔé¼┬Ø.
But still he started to hurry home. His footsteps rang softly, echoing slightly in the empty streets. The air was still humid, despite Dantana's slide into winter. Capital City wasn't even on the equator, but rather in a large meteorite crater about several thousand kilometers in the opposite direction. The crater was right next to the sea, but was safe from the waters by the walls, set up by their Corp.
Then Miles heard another pattern of steps behind him. He turned around. A shadow was walking slowly down the streets. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello?├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou see the bulletin?├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice asked. It sent a chill down Miles spine. It sounded like a young woman, but compacted in that voice was malice and hatred beyond anything that Miles could think of. It was nothing specific, but something about the low, half mumbled words made him want to run. The woman stepped into the light of a nearby street lamp. It was the woman on the bulletin. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Miles said softly.
The woman grinned stiltedly, taking another step forward ├óÔé¼┼ôEver sense I came to this fucking planet, people have treated me like dirt├óÔé¼┬Ø. Miles tried to run, but something held him back. His feet were rooted to the spot, not working. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know what the worse thing is? Its the smell├óÔé¼┬Ø she looked up, straight at Miles. Her eyes flashed ├óÔé¼┼ôIts the smell of thousands of monkeys jammed into small cites like packaged food! You disgust me!├óÔé¼┬Ø. She took another step forward, her smile completely feral.
Miles, hearing the insanity in the woman's voice, broke and ran. He could get away and tell the police, he would live. He would- then he fell. He felt numb. Then he looked down and saw the blood pumping out of his two stumps. His legs ended at the lower thigh, bones jutting outwards into the open air. Miles started to scream, but then his head fell off as cleanly as if it had never been attached.
The woman looked at the dead man and knelt down. She dragged her fingers through the pool of blood. And brought her fingers to her lips. She licked the blood up and grinned slowly. Each one deserved to suffer. That was what the voice was saying. She stood and started to walk again. Then she turned half way and felt a sudden pain. The woman dropped to her knee's, head cupped in her hands as a pain beyond her imagining shot through her. She screamed, openly. Then the pain passed. She looked around and saw the blood pooling around her legs. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh my god!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted, standing up as fast as she could. Then she saw the corpse and vomited, falling back to her knee's. The vomit and blood mixed and the woman shuddered. She tapped her shirt phone ├óÔé¼┼ô441!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said to her phone. The phone bleeped. ├óÔé¼┼ôPolice?├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman on the other end of the line said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've found someone! He's been murdered├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll be right there├óÔé¼┬Ø The police woman said. The woman sighed, running her hand through her hair. It was blond.
Two weeks later.
Revile. Mike snapped to attention and leaped out of his casket, muscles and mind trained by two decades of military discipline snapping to work, even though Mike was still not awake. His naked feet hit the deck, and as normal he forced himself to stand still. ├óÔé¼┼ôMichal Dobson, 44315443, reporting for duty!├óÔé¼┬Ø he snapped his hand to salute and shot his spine straight. ├óÔé¼┼ôAt ease, Dobson├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've been thawed alone├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike blinked and looked around. Nude women and nude men all lay to the sides of him, sleeping in their sleeper caskets. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy have I been thawed?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked as he walked behind Sarge. ├óÔé¼┼ôSame reason I, Helena, Mankowski, Stevenson and July have been woken up├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge looked over his shoulder. Somehow he had gotten a cigar before he had even gotten pants. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've been diverted from our course├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd they need the entire platoon. But the platoon needs you, first├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded.
Mankowski was playing with his yo-yo slowly, doing some tricks. His feet sat up on the table. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we get some fucking clothes?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked, crossing her arms over her breasts. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're not going into uniform for another hour. You want to get into an exosuit for any longer then necessary. July looked away, looking out of the window in the conference room and Stevenson spotted a small tattoo on her the left side of her buttocks. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour a Trad├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said. July kicked his shin.
├óÔé¼┼ôShut up, both of you├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said. She was playing her Gameboy, her thumbs smashing buttons at a speed that seemed unhealthy for all concerned. Her game bleeped. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôStill playing?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, walking into the conference room, opening the metal door with a jerk. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm up to thirty three thousand├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats...big├óÔé¼┬Ø July said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just a retro game├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôHelena users it to train├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDoom is a classic├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena snapped, shutting the Gameboy with a snap.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said, looking over the table egarly ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you think its Darkside?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Helena snorted. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't start with that├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou served with him?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said loftily ├óÔé¼┼ôI survived a month of him talking about that fucking legend├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, looking at Stevenson, eye's bright ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's Darkside?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Stevenson gaped at her ├óÔé¼┼ôYou never heard of it?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a planet? Odd name├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôDarkside was the first human colony├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was the first to go independent. Not that there was much of a government in those days. See its not its settlement that was important. Its what happened about fifty odd years after it was settled├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThree Lighthuggers, or the pitiful excuses they had for Lighthuggers at the time, were sent there├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said, grinning. He was leaning over the table conspiratorially. ├óÔé¼┼ôOne of the Lighthuggers was hijacked by Elizabeth Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't say├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôNot....THE Elizabeth Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat other fucking Elizabeth have you heard off?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski snapped ├óÔé¼┼ôDarkside is a fucking legend. Liz had nothing to do with it. After World War four most records were vaped, so whats the point of worrying about the past?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats what the common opinion is├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said, looking at the other soldier and frowning ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I think Darkside is still there. Still being lead by the most feared pirate of all time├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, yeah and a unicorn was there too. And a teek├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd some dragons├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut the fuck up, Mankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson muttered.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnyone know why we've been thawed?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked, changing the topic. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø was the response. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell thats grand├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, walking into the room. He wore his cap, his cigar and nothing else, like all of the other soldiers in the room. But still everyone else snapped to attention. The Gameboy clattered to the ground and Helena winced slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôAt ease, and get seated├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. The others all sat down, even July. July did try to keep herself modest. Why she had joined the Colonial Marines was a mystery.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôHQ has woken us six up for one reason├óÔé¼┬Ø. He tapped a button on the table and the entire table flickered to life, the Hannibal's course displayed on it. But the course, rather then ending at DS-451, curved sharply and landed straight on a planet in the Correlian Sector. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a fifty percent fuel waste! The Colonials are going to be pissed├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Colonials ordered the course change├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge snapped, looking at the burly man. Mankowski's shock was obvious.
Mike was also surprised. The Colonial government was the most miserly, anal retentive, money grubbing bastards ever elected. Spending more money then necessary on fuel was completely unheard of. Unless it was a emergency. A emergency large enough to send a government ten light years distant in uproar. This would be bad. ├óÔé¼┼ôAbout two weeks ago├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe planet Dantana destroyed the rival Planet Corriala├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDestroyed?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked ├óÔé¼┼ôDestroyed...how?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA biological weapon├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said softly.
├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena muttered. July shot her a reproving glance, but it was half hearted. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo its an extermination, is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked tonelessly. ├óÔé¼┼ôExtermination├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut first the Colonials want us to retrieve something├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at the soldiers ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd we are going to get it before the invasion to retrieve it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are we going to retrieve├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSomething that has escaped from the Colonials top secret research tank. It killed about...fifty people in its escape, and will probebly keep killing people on Dantana├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about the extermination?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked ├óÔé¼┼ôIt'll be rounded up then├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis entire mission can't be on the record. We're shipping out on a small one way shuttle, launched out of the Hannibal's main rail gun├óÔé¼┬Ø. July hissed ├óÔé¼┼ôAcceleration tanks?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, your going to have to take drugs. Its for duty├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge looked at July. Would she crack? But July nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø She said sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôfine, I'll take drugs. And my god forgive my necessary sin├óÔé¼┬Ø she bowed her head momentarily.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôAny questions?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell is this thing? How does it kill, whats its range, temperament and other ability's. And what does it look like├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge's mouth quirked ├óÔé¼┼ôIts looks like whatever it wants too├óÔé¼┬Ø The man smiled, chomping down on his unlit cigar ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd it kills with what It wants too├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA shape shifter?├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe don't know. The Colonials are keeping it hush hush. But...they said that the thing has a ten meter kill radius├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMeters?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked.
Sarge sighed. July had been born on one of the Federation planets. ├óÔé¼┼ôRoughly...thirty feet├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd learn metric├óÔé¼┬Ø. July nodded. Mike suddenly realized it. She was a Trad, for sure, but she was also green. Very green, to not know metric. To not be comfortable with casual nudity. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what are our jobs?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. Sarge looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôI trust you know what your good at├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I only know that Helena is a sniper├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI only just met these others├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôJuly is a sniper, Mankowski's heavy weapons, Stevenson demolitions and I'm the Sage. Clear?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôClear with me├óÔé¼┬Ø he stood up.
├óÔé¼┼ôI didn't dismiss you├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge growled. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe briefing is over, by me├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. He was tired. His feet were cold. And he was still thawing. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I need a god damn bath├óÔé¼┬Ø. He walked out. ├óÔé¼┼ôDismissed├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, his voice curt and angry. The others left slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo, Sarge├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôIs Mike always weird?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up Mankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge muttered, walking off. ├óÔé¼┼ôHell├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôMike is going to get it bad this time├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe always do that?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's still a private after twenty years in the force. He once got up to Sargent, but was rebuffed for drinking on duty├óÔé¼┬Ø.
July frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôHe must need some discipline├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just he doesn't care├óÔé¼┬Ø. They both walked out. Sarge stopped a few feet from the room and leaned against the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø He muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy Dobson├óÔé¼┬Ø he shook his head. As the squad dispersed, the ship started to decelerate. It wasn't noticed on board, but the ship itself flipped around and started burning in the opposite direction. They would arrive at Dantana in a week and half, but a one way shuttle would get there in two days.
Eve moaned. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy....my shop!├óÔé¼┬Ø she moaned. She wouldn't swear. This...planet, this swill hole of a planet was unbearable. First no one visited her shop. She had had a hard time of it to just get the...thing off the ground. The bar, or shop, or winery or whatever you wanted to call it, cost more to make then it pulled in. And the people who went into her bar were...undesirable. One bum stayed in the bathroom, shooting up drugs for hours on end. She hadn't the heart to drag him out, so she ignored him. Now this.
The bar was wedged under three other shops, and those shops were wedged into the surrounding mall. But only her bar was a burnt out husk. Only her bar was ruined beyond all repair. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry mam├óÔé¼┬Ø One of the security guards said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe will be refunding you, but if you don't have insurance...then we can't really do anything├óÔé¼┬Ø. He walked away, not looking very sorry. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, you can't do anything├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve muttered. She flipped him off and felt much much better for it.
├óÔé¼┼ôFuck it├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered, walking away from her bar ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll get a new damn job├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked across from the bar and into the other bar. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo if its not Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø the bartender said jovially ├óÔé¼┼ôI heard about your misfortune├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded and sat down on the chair ├óÔé¼┼ôRenaldo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan I have a job?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Renaldo was one of the few people on this planet who actually cared for her. The old man was kind, even when Eve was angry at the people on this planet. Dantana was a small planet, and was very isolationist. So she couldn't walk down a street without getting something or other shouted at her.
├óÔé¼┼ôSure├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow about you take my weekend job?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWeekended Job?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I need to take some time off├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou take the job three days a week, then I can have more time off├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan I also work as a waitress?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI need something to do, or this planet will drive me crazy!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSure├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said, grinning ├óÔé¼┼ôSoon Dantana will gift you with something. It always does├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked at his wife's photograph. ├óÔé¼┼ôEven when it snatches it away├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. Then she was immediately sorry. '
Renaldo looked furious for a moment. Then sorrow wrecked his face. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said quietly ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was uncalled for├óÔé¼┬Ø. Renaldo nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve looked around and smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôThe bar seems to be getting along well├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said ├óÔé¼┼ôAs well as can be expected├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôSo when should I show up for work?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNext week├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said. Then he frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôHear about the new murder?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Eve looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôNo...I don't think I've learned about the first murder├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôSee├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said ├óÔé¼┼ôA real psycho bitch killed thirteen people two days ago├óÔé¼┬Ø. He pulled a electronic bullion out from his desk and slid it along the bartop. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe killed a poor sap last night, just a block from here!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe looks so familiar├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe looks like someone I know├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood thing its not me├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve laughed. Renaldo grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôTrue that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho could it be├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell If we see her, you know who to call├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, if those bastards would believe an offworlder├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve walked home, whistling softly. She was tired. Renaldo, bless his heart, had given her a job. But it wasn't the same as owning a shop. And thirteen people? She only knew ten people on the planet. It was hard to imaging thirteen people being killed at one moment. She got to her house, a small probational closet, as she called it. It was four rooms in one, switching furniture around to save space. It was stacked on top of three other rooms, like hers, and those were arrayed in rows. It made a block of rooms, each accessible with ladders and a single elevator.
She walked into her room and plumped down on her bed. She kicked her feet off and closed her eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôDad├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôwhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve wouldn't cry. She refused to cry. Then she did, as irritating as that was. She had come here a year ago, and it had been an unending hell sense then. Berating police officers, snobbish neighbors. Even vandalism, and other such things as that. But today was the second to last straw. Her bar had been what kept her going, and now it was a burnt out husk.
Eve rolled over and went to sleep.
Dantana was an oddity, in colonized space. It was habitable, right of the block. Its oceans were water, its air nitrogen and oxygen, and its plants were green. To make it better, rich vein's of minerals abounded in the equatorial region of the planet, detectable from orbit. The first teams sent down to the surface found a wealth of biological recourses as well, and soon the colony was funded by the Correlian Cooperation and the money started to pour in.
So it was a shame what had to be done. Mike got a great look at it from the shuttle window. Unfortunately, as they had been decelerating for most of their time in transit, the window had to be played back after the shuttle went into orbit. Mike wore his exosuit, along with the other soldiers. The suits looked like heavy armor of an older era. A breast plate, containing more complicated gear and computers and other gadgetry then a ballistic missile of another era, was the center pieces of the armor. Capable of stopping a high caliber, anti tank round fired at point blank range, the armor was a great piece of equipment.
The joints were enhanced musculature, increasing the strength of the soldiers at least by a power of two. The arms and the leg portions were flex armor, not as strong as the breast plate, but capable of stopping smaller, slower rounds. Mike hated it. The entire thing seemed contrived to be as uncomfortable as possible. Everything either was too tight, or too lose, or too open or too itchy. He needed to scratch five different place's, due to the wire's and junk running into his body and implants, but the damn suit was made to make it as hard as possible to itch anywhere.
He endured it, as he had endured it for twenty years. The first year it was unbearable. He dreaded putting the exo-suit on more then combat, for a time. After the second year it was just a dull pain, just like how any continual pain was. Then after the first decade he was so used to it, he could almost live in it. But he would never call it home. He had long wanted to do far worse then punching the bastard who had designed the suit, but he reserved some special place in hell for the man who had made the woman's suit. Somehow they had made it protective, but damn enticing.
That was just the thought of imminent death, spurring his libido. Four men and two women against and entire fucking planet. Mike leaned back and closed his eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're going to drop down in about a half hour├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôGet ready├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike waited an extra minute, eye's closed. This was the worst part. The half hour before battle. Green horn's took this time to pray, jabber incoherently, cry. Some even tried to leave. But by this point the Colonials had invested about thirty million credits into your carcass. So you'd better kill at least one person for the Colonial government, or you'd be thrown in debtors prison. And no one wanted to end up in debtors prison.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said, sitting down next to Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôYou ready for your part?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. He had thought he was over Helena before he had gone into the casket, about a year ago his time, three years ago Earth time. But, damn it, he still wanted her. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou shoot them, and I find them├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou think you can do it, though? Last we heard this thing changed shape instinctual. It might even know that it wore a different appearance├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôIts probably some new implant, or genehack├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena murmured ├óÔé¼┼ôsomething feel's odd. Why don't they just send in the black op boys? Why us├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike knew the answer ├óÔé¼┼ôYour not going to like the answer├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd how would you know it, pray tell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked, looking cross. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôits obvious to someone who's worked with the Colonials for long enough. We are the expendables. If that thing cuts us to piece's, who's going to care?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFifteen minuets!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shouted. He didn't need to. The shuttle was as quiet as a grave, aside from the slight tremor of correctional engines.
├óÔé¼┼ôI need to get ready├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, grabbing for his kit. The shuttle slowly twisted around, bringing its heat shield to bear. Then the anti-ship missiles slammed into its right engine.
------------------------
Edit: Fixed some dates and times to make more sence.
Darkside: Extermination
Moderator: Moderators
Darkside: Extermination
Last edited by Zoombie on 25 Jun 2006, 18:41, edited 3 times in total.
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Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
huh.
The entire world lurched. Eve sat up blinking. She felt woozy, as if she had drunk too much. Her memory was foggy. Then it all came back. Eve lay back down again. Life could wait. She rolled over and went back to sleep, muttering nonsense words to herself. She pulled the blanket up and over her head. It was silly, but that always made her feel more secure. She was about to slip back into her dream, the pleasant one she could always find, when there was a sudden pounding on her door.
Eve tried curling up, thinking that if she ignored the sound then it would go away. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam? Mam?├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice came through the intercom, even without Eve's permission ├óÔé¼┼ôthis is the police├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve slowly got out of bed and grabbed her shirt ├óÔé¼┼ôJust a second├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. She pulled on the shirt and walked over to the door, opening it. What surprised her most was the light streaming through the door, sudden and bright. By her internal clock it could be no more then six, or maybe seven. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you Eve G. Colby?├óÔé¼┬Ø the police man asked.
Eve looked at him groggily. He looked like a police officer, with gorilla arms and a uniform that looked too small for his bulging muscles. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôDrop the Colby├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam?├óÔé¼┬Ø the police officer asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNever mind├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it, sir?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The police officer frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôThere has been another murder, same M.O├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve was suddenly awake ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight there├óÔé¼┬Ø the police officer pointed over the railing that allowed people to walk from one room cubical to another. There was a massive white tarp covering a large area. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow many people!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, looking at the tarp.
├óÔé¼┼ôOne├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer turned away from the tarp slowly. Then a might gust of wind, kicking up suddenly, blew. The officer stumbled, almost falling. Eve was behind him in a flash, steadying him. But then one of the stakes holding the tarp down was jerked out of the ground. And the tarp slowly curved up and revealed what was below. A severed head lay half a meter from a torso. The torso had been torn, rent completely in half, spilling intestines everywhere. The legs had been tossed away, as had the arms. It was almost as if something had pulled whoever had been there apart in a whirlwind of violence.
Eve swooned. It was a stupid, stupid thing to do. But she didn't have time to think about it before she hit the deck, fainting completely. The officer draged her into her room ├óÔé¼┼ôGet that fucking thing covered!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted. Other people were exclaiming in disgust, one man vomiting. ├óÔé¼┼ôNOW!├óÔé¼┬Ø The officer shouted, dragging Eve's feet into the room and shutting the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWake up├óÔé¼┬Ø he propped her up on the only chair in the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôWake up├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer sighed.
The shuttle spun and suddenly there was two downs. Mike slammed into the wall, then was dragged to the floor. Conflicting gravity's, one artificially generated, the other created by a spinning ship. ├óÔé¼┼ôComputer!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge was shouting ├óÔé¼┼ôGravgen off!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then one gravity field vanished and it was just the wall. Alarms blared and it was all Mike could do to look around. Again he thanked his brain. The old one would have passed out from acceleration at this point.
Everyone was slammed against the wall, but no one looked harmed. The exosuits were pretty damn tough, and could protect them from most anything. That includes getting shot out of orbit by an anti-ship missile. The shuttle's nose started to point down, down, and they plummeted into the atmosphere. Correctional engines tried to get their heat shield on the right side, but it was hopeless. The hull armor would have to do.
The shuttle ripping through the atmosphere made a sonic boom, but not much else. The shuttle cooled fast, so it looked like a shooting star. The shuttle was stealthy, so it did not appear on radar. The shuttle was also strong, so it did not explode when it hit the ground. Everything else did, however. A copse of tree's, unfortunate enough to be the target for the shuttle's nose, was shredded. The tree's flew outwards and dirt flew everywhere. Then the shuttle bounced, slid and came to a rest. Mike groaned, sliding down the wall and bumping his head on the floor. Then he slid down the floor. The floor was at a tilt. He looked around. Sarge had been strapped in, now that he realized it. Sarge and July had been strapped in. Because, instead of fantasying about their ex, they were actually getting ready.
├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone all right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThe floor should have cushioned the acceleration a bit├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski's teeth were glittering white on his face as he grimaced, holding his arm. It was bending the wrong way, a shard of bone stabbing out and against the the flex armor. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts my arm├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, not looking at it ├óÔé¼┼ôI think its broken├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge unbuckled his seat belt and walked over to Mankowski, careful to not fall on the tilted floor. He knelt by the man ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is going to hurt, so turn your pain receptors off├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mankowski sudden realized he could do that ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, laying his head back. Then suddenly he relaxed completely. ├óÔé¼┼ôhow do you feel?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôBetter then I have in a long while├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge nodded and straightened his arm. There was a sickening crack, but Mankowski just grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt should take a few minuets for the repair systems to fuse the damn thing together├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge told Helena, who was already getting to her feet ├óÔé¼┼ôMake sure this idiot doesn't move├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Then Sarge turned around ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere's Stevenson?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Mike was jolted. He looked around. Stevenson wasn't in the shuttle. Then Stevenson walked in from the bathroom cubical ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, looking around ├óÔé¼┼ôJust cause we were shot out of orbit doesn't mean a man doesn't need to use the toilet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCheck in first├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge growled. Mankowski was looking around, looking mildly doped. Having no pain receptors did that to a man. Sudden freedom from all pain, even the little ones that most people don't noticed, is somewhat euphoric.
├óÔé¼┼ôMike, Stevenson, you two check out our area's. July, Helena, get your spotters and head up top. Cover our area. Mankowski, don't move├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge barked out orders as he grabbed his rifle, pistol and ammo. A chorus of ├óÔé¼┼ôYes sir├óÔé¼┬Ø's followed as each soldier went to their tasks. Mike opened the door and Stevenson jumped out, rifle bared. Then Mike followed, rifle also in his hands. The two clambered out of the pit, making next to no noise. Mike crested the crater's side and looked around. It looked shockingly like Minnesota, just hotter.
A city twinkled in the distance, and he could hear the sound of traffic. The city itself was probably capital city, the one in the crater, but he couldn't tell, not now. Other then that there was nothing else to be seen. ├óÔé¼┼ôClear├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike siad. Stevenson, who was checking the other direction responded with another ├óÔé¼┼ôClear├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge nodded, listing to his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôSet up a perimeter and shore up the crater. Were going to be here for a while├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike pulled out some scanner pitons and slammed them into the ground around the crater.
Sarge grinned at the sensor net that bloomed on the shuttle's computer. Everything seemed fine, from his point of view. Some small, wildlife animals were still hightailing it out of the area, but nothing humanoid was coming in. ├óÔé¼┼ôThese idiots must have lost track of us├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered, typing on the computer. The stealth field of the Shuttle was brought up and the entire thing would blip of any known form of detection known to man. Other then line of sight.
July pulled her spotter out and grinned. The fury animal looked more like an odd, three legged, furry pet. Its head had four eyes plopped around its head, and it looked around constantly. ├óÔé¼┼ôAwww├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour a good boy├óÔé¼┬Ø. She pet it, running her fingers down its furry coat. Her spotter, Kyle, shivered softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop making out and set up├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said. Her spotter was already perched on her shoulder, chirping softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø July grabbed her sniper rifle and the two of them walked out of the shuttle.
At first July had been irritated that she had to work with a biohacked...thing. Being a trad she frowned on biohacking, implants and mind alteration. But she had quickly been won over by how adorable it was. She loved Kyle, her little spotter. The fact that he could spot a living target about five miles away in less the a second, and tell her where it was, was another nice thing about him. July set up in a tree, clambering up the still standing alien tree and settling herself on a branch. She put her rifle next to her, in a easy to reach position.
Kyle perched up on her head and chattered. July smiled and petted him, somewhat awkwardly due to her position. Helena set up on top of the shuttle, jumping up and grabbing the side of the wing. ├óÔé¼┼ôJuly?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena sent, talking into her headset. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you as good with that thing as they said you are?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. July tried to force the smile off her face ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'd bet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo implants?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNone├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose I'm lucky I wasn't the one who broke his arm├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôTurn your pain receptors back on and move out. The med com says your fine├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski nodded, still looking doped. Then he sat up, groaning ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôRemind me to never turn them back on├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, yeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge set ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need some shoring up on our heavy weapons, so get at it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski grumbled, grabbing his weapons. Sarge looked back at the screen. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø he said into the headset ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, sarge?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYour our local irregular. Got a irregular plan?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we should try to keep quiet and sneak into town, beat around the bush. We can't go in guns blazing or they'll be tipped off pretty damn quick├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. Then he spotted a red blip slowly moving towards the shuttle ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've got company├óÔé¼┬Ø. July breached in ├óÔé¼┼ôSir, its a civilian, about twenty years old, armed with a hunting rifle...he also has an adorable dog├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSounds like a hunter├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could incapacitate him, take the clothes and I could sneak into the town, get you guys civy clothes and we can find the target├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge mulled it over ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't kill him├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats for the courts to work out├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø. He flipped his snoopers down and suddenly everything bloomed into color. He could spot the man as a bright green blob, walking closer and closer to the crater. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop barking, Goose├óÔé¼┬Ø the hunter grunted. Then Mike slithered out of the crater, getting behind a tree. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell happened here?├óÔé¼┬Ø the hunter muttered, walking up to the crater. He spotted the odd, angular shuttle. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that a meteorite, or something?├óÔé¼┬Ø the man asked. Mike rolled his eyes. Yokel.
Then he slithered out from behind the tree and smashed his hands against the man's neck. The man dropped, unconscious. His dog barked wildly. Mike shot the dog with his silenced pistol. He closed his eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy is it harder when its a fucking dog?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked the air.
I am going to kill all of you
Eve woke up, the same police officer standing over her. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I was dreaming├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, voice throaty and horse ├óÔé¼┼ôPeople don't get ripped apart, not even in movie's├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou fainted├óÔé¼┬Ø The officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut we've cleaned up the mess├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve groaned ├óÔé¼┼ôHave you ever had that feeling where your not sure if your awake or asleep?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø The officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I do suggest you keep it easy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôwait├óÔé¼┬Ø eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho was the murdered person?├óÔé¼┬Ø she was suddenly terrified, but she was not sure what of. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe Ided him a while ago├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôA person by the name of Esteban├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sighed, collapsing back into her chair ├óÔé¼┼ôthank god├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know him├óÔé¼┬Ø. The police officer nodded and walked out of the room ├óÔé¼┼ôTake care├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't go out after hours. The murder is jumping around the city, so he's probably not going to strike here again├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not leaving the house for a good time, thats for sure├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The door closed and Eve sighed. She stood up and walked over to her computer. She typed in some keys and the entire room shifted into a small -------. She typed in some more keys and then a bowl of ice cream slid out of the -------. Eve turned her room back to its normal setting, then sat down on her chair. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôA murder, right next door├óÔé¼┬Ø. She ate the ice cream slowly, savoring the flavors. Her dad had liked ice cream, she knew. But she still couldn't remember his face.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø The clerk said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou need a room?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø the young man said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need a room├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have an I.D?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have money, but my I.D has yet to come through in the mail├óÔé¼┬Ø. The clerk nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôFine, just we will need to get your D.N.A on file├óÔé¼┬Ø. The young man nodded, pressing his thumb into the proffered terminal. The terminal spun up and took some skin off him. The young man smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôSo this is a good hotel, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOne of them├óÔé¼┬Ø the clerk said.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo where's my room?├óÔé¼┬Ø the young man asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts on the third floor, room 41├óÔé¼┬Ø. He handed the young man a card ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's your name for the ledger?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The young man nodded, thinking for a moment ├óÔé¼┼ôMichal Dobson├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø the clerk typed it up ├óÔé¼┼ôEnjoy your stay├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded and walked up the stairs to the third level. The hotel looked rather tight, but Mike was just using it for a temporary base. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've gotten a room├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered into his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I can't detect the target within at least two miles├óÔé¼┬Ø he flipped his small scanner shut and put it back in his pocket. There was no response. Sarge wouldn't respond, unless it was an emergency. It was hard to track where messages went, but not so hard to track where they go.
Mike walked into his room and looked around. It was horribly depressing, a small four in one cubical. Unpersonalized, small and dank. It was almost as bad as an Arco, back on Earth. But then again, it was just a hotel. Mike closed the door and locked it, and turned around. He ran into a woman, leaving her room. They both fell over, limbs tangled. Mike shot straight up ├óÔé¼┼ôI am so sorry!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, reaching to help the woman up. But she jumped up and landed on her feet, nimble like a gymnast. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts my fault├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, grinning. Then she locked eyes with him.
Mike felt woozy. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm your new neighbor├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, trying to ignore his sudden wooziness. ├óÔé¼┼ôhi├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said, grabbing his left hand and pumping it ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, grinning. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Eve grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you an offworlder too?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Eve's face fell ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome with me├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I'll show you why you shouldn't have come├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôBut I don't even know you├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, still walking behind Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I'm an offworlder like you, and this is what Dantana does to offworlders├óÔé¼┬Ø she got to the stairs and jabbed her fingers at the poster hanging next to the stairs. It had a red circle surrounding a bizarre symbol. It looked like white 'plus' sing, but its ends were each bent radically. Below it bright red words proclaimed ├óÔé¼┼ôRemember the Truth!├óÔé¼┬Ø. A small, black and white picture, scratched with age, was in the middle. It was a mustachioed man, wearing clothes of the ancient past, orating to a crowd. The crowd seemed to be enjoying the speech, cheering wildly.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is this?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe isolationist party├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey have been making life hell for anyone offworld. The police don't care, cause half of them agree and the other half doesn't care├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike grined ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I can handle some pricks├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo these idiots burned down my bar last night├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I know another offworlder who can't get a job, just because he wasn't born in this ...crap planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. She seemed cross at herself ├óÔé¼┼ôCan't swear├óÔé¼┬Ø She muttered. Mike shook his head ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to buy some clothes├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you know of any good place's to go?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The entire world lurched. Eve sat up blinking. She felt woozy, as if she had drunk too much. Her memory was foggy. Then it all came back. Eve lay back down again. Life could wait. She rolled over and went back to sleep, muttering nonsense words to herself. She pulled the blanket up and over her head. It was silly, but that always made her feel more secure. She was about to slip back into her dream, the pleasant one she could always find, when there was a sudden pounding on her door.
Eve tried curling up, thinking that if she ignored the sound then it would go away. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam? Mam?├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice came through the intercom, even without Eve's permission ├óÔé¼┼ôthis is the police├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve slowly got out of bed and grabbed her shirt ├óÔé¼┼ôJust a second├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. She pulled on the shirt and walked over to the door, opening it. What surprised her most was the light streaming through the door, sudden and bright. By her internal clock it could be no more then six, or maybe seven. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you Eve G. Colby?├óÔé¼┬Ø the police man asked.
Eve looked at him groggily. He looked like a police officer, with gorilla arms and a uniform that looked too small for his bulging muscles. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôDrop the Colby├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam?├óÔé¼┬Ø the police officer asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNever mind├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it, sir?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The police officer frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôThere has been another murder, same M.O├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve was suddenly awake ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight there├óÔé¼┬Ø the police officer pointed over the railing that allowed people to walk from one room cubical to another. There was a massive white tarp covering a large area. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow many people!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, looking at the tarp.
├óÔé¼┼ôOne├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer turned away from the tarp slowly. Then a might gust of wind, kicking up suddenly, blew. The officer stumbled, almost falling. Eve was behind him in a flash, steadying him. But then one of the stakes holding the tarp down was jerked out of the ground. And the tarp slowly curved up and revealed what was below. A severed head lay half a meter from a torso. The torso had been torn, rent completely in half, spilling intestines everywhere. The legs had been tossed away, as had the arms. It was almost as if something had pulled whoever had been there apart in a whirlwind of violence.
Eve swooned. It was a stupid, stupid thing to do. But she didn't have time to think about it before she hit the deck, fainting completely. The officer draged her into her room ├óÔé¼┼ôGet that fucking thing covered!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted. Other people were exclaiming in disgust, one man vomiting. ├óÔé¼┼ôNOW!├óÔé¼┬Ø The officer shouted, dragging Eve's feet into the room and shutting the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWake up├óÔé¼┬Ø he propped her up on the only chair in the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôWake up├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer sighed.
The shuttle spun and suddenly there was two downs. Mike slammed into the wall, then was dragged to the floor. Conflicting gravity's, one artificially generated, the other created by a spinning ship. ├óÔé¼┼ôComputer!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge was shouting ├óÔé¼┼ôGravgen off!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then one gravity field vanished and it was just the wall. Alarms blared and it was all Mike could do to look around. Again he thanked his brain. The old one would have passed out from acceleration at this point.
Everyone was slammed against the wall, but no one looked harmed. The exosuits were pretty damn tough, and could protect them from most anything. That includes getting shot out of orbit by an anti-ship missile. The shuttle's nose started to point down, down, and they plummeted into the atmosphere. Correctional engines tried to get their heat shield on the right side, but it was hopeless. The hull armor would have to do.
The shuttle ripping through the atmosphere made a sonic boom, but not much else. The shuttle cooled fast, so it looked like a shooting star. The shuttle was stealthy, so it did not appear on radar. The shuttle was also strong, so it did not explode when it hit the ground. Everything else did, however. A copse of tree's, unfortunate enough to be the target for the shuttle's nose, was shredded. The tree's flew outwards and dirt flew everywhere. Then the shuttle bounced, slid and came to a rest. Mike groaned, sliding down the wall and bumping his head on the floor. Then he slid down the floor. The floor was at a tilt. He looked around. Sarge had been strapped in, now that he realized it. Sarge and July had been strapped in. Because, instead of fantasying about their ex, they were actually getting ready.
├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone all right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThe floor should have cushioned the acceleration a bit├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski's teeth were glittering white on his face as he grimaced, holding his arm. It was bending the wrong way, a shard of bone stabbing out and against the the flex armor. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts my arm├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, not looking at it ├óÔé¼┼ôI think its broken├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge unbuckled his seat belt and walked over to Mankowski, careful to not fall on the tilted floor. He knelt by the man ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is going to hurt, so turn your pain receptors off├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mankowski sudden realized he could do that ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, laying his head back. Then suddenly he relaxed completely. ├óÔé¼┼ôhow do you feel?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôBetter then I have in a long while├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge nodded and straightened his arm. There was a sickening crack, but Mankowski just grinned. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt should take a few minuets for the repair systems to fuse the damn thing together├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge told Helena, who was already getting to her feet ├óÔé¼┼ôMake sure this idiot doesn't move├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Then Sarge turned around ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere's Stevenson?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Mike was jolted. He looked around. Stevenson wasn't in the shuttle. Then Stevenson walked in from the bathroom cubical ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, looking around ├óÔé¼┼ôJust cause we were shot out of orbit doesn't mean a man doesn't need to use the toilet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCheck in first├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge growled. Mankowski was looking around, looking mildly doped. Having no pain receptors did that to a man. Sudden freedom from all pain, even the little ones that most people don't noticed, is somewhat euphoric.
├óÔé¼┼ôMike, Stevenson, you two check out our area's. July, Helena, get your spotters and head up top. Cover our area. Mankowski, don't move├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge barked out orders as he grabbed his rifle, pistol and ammo. A chorus of ├óÔé¼┼ôYes sir├óÔé¼┬Ø's followed as each soldier went to their tasks. Mike opened the door and Stevenson jumped out, rifle bared. Then Mike followed, rifle also in his hands. The two clambered out of the pit, making next to no noise. Mike crested the crater's side and looked around. It looked shockingly like Minnesota, just hotter.
A city twinkled in the distance, and he could hear the sound of traffic. The city itself was probably capital city, the one in the crater, but he couldn't tell, not now. Other then that there was nothing else to be seen. ├óÔé¼┼ôClear├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike siad. Stevenson, who was checking the other direction responded with another ├óÔé¼┼ôClear├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge nodded, listing to his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôSet up a perimeter and shore up the crater. Were going to be here for a while├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike pulled out some scanner pitons and slammed them into the ground around the crater.
Sarge grinned at the sensor net that bloomed on the shuttle's computer. Everything seemed fine, from his point of view. Some small, wildlife animals were still hightailing it out of the area, but nothing humanoid was coming in. ├óÔé¼┼ôThese idiots must have lost track of us├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered, typing on the computer. The stealth field of the Shuttle was brought up and the entire thing would blip of any known form of detection known to man. Other then line of sight.
July pulled her spotter out and grinned. The fury animal looked more like an odd, three legged, furry pet. Its head had four eyes plopped around its head, and it looked around constantly. ├óÔé¼┼ôAwww├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour a good boy├óÔé¼┬Ø. She pet it, running her fingers down its furry coat. Her spotter, Kyle, shivered softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop making out and set up├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said. Her spotter was already perched on her shoulder, chirping softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø July grabbed her sniper rifle and the two of them walked out of the shuttle.
At first July had been irritated that she had to work with a biohacked...thing. Being a trad she frowned on biohacking, implants and mind alteration. But she had quickly been won over by how adorable it was. She loved Kyle, her little spotter. The fact that he could spot a living target about five miles away in less the a second, and tell her where it was, was another nice thing about him. July set up in a tree, clambering up the still standing alien tree and settling herself on a branch. She put her rifle next to her, in a easy to reach position.
Kyle perched up on her head and chattered. July smiled and petted him, somewhat awkwardly due to her position. Helena set up on top of the shuttle, jumping up and grabbing the side of the wing. ├óÔé¼┼ôJuly?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena sent, talking into her headset. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you as good with that thing as they said you are?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. July tried to force the smile off her face ├óÔé¼┼ôYou'd bet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo implants?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNone├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose I'm lucky I wasn't the one who broke his arm├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôTurn your pain receptors back on and move out. The med com says your fine├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski nodded, still looking doped. Then he sat up, groaning ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôRemind me to never turn them back on├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, yeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge set ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need some shoring up on our heavy weapons, so get at it├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski grumbled, grabbing his weapons. Sarge looked back at the screen. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø he said into the headset ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, sarge?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYour our local irregular. Got a irregular plan?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we should try to keep quiet and sneak into town, beat around the bush. We can't go in guns blazing or they'll be tipped off pretty damn quick├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. Then he spotted a red blip slowly moving towards the shuttle ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've got company├óÔé¼┬Ø. July breached in ├óÔé¼┼ôSir, its a civilian, about twenty years old, armed with a hunting rifle...he also has an adorable dog├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSounds like a hunter├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could incapacitate him, take the clothes and I could sneak into the town, get you guys civy clothes and we can find the target├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge mulled it over ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't kill him├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats for the courts to work out├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø. He flipped his snoopers down and suddenly everything bloomed into color. He could spot the man as a bright green blob, walking closer and closer to the crater. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop barking, Goose├óÔé¼┬Ø the hunter grunted. Then Mike slithered out of the crater, getting behind a tree. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell happened here?├óÔé¼┬Ø the hunter muttered, walking up to the crater. He spotted the odd, angular shuttle. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that a meteorite, or something?├óÔé¼┬Ø the man asked. Mike rolled his eyes. Yokel.
Then he slithered out from behind the tree and smashed his hands against the man's neck. The man dropped, unconscious. His dog barked wildly. Mike shot the dog with his silenced pistol. He closed his eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy is it harder when its a fucking dog?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked the air.
I am going to kill all of you
Eve woke up, the same police officer standing over her. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I was dreaming├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, voice throaty and horse ├óÔé¼┼ôPeople don't get ripped apart, not even in movie's├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou fainted├óÔé¼┬Ø The officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut we've cleaned up the mess├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve groaned ├óÔé¼┼ôHave you ever had that feeling where your not sure if your awake or asleep?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø The officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I do suggest you keep it easy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôwait├óÔé¼┬Ø eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWho was the murdered person?├óÔé¼┬Ø she was suddenly terrified, but she was not sure what of. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe Ided him a while ago├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôA person by the name of Esteban├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sighed, collapsing back into her chair ├óÔé¼┼ôthank god├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know him├óÔé¼┬Ø. The police officer nodded and walked out of the room ├óÔé¼┼ôTake care├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't go out after hours. The murder is jumping around the city, so he's probably not going to strike here again├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not leaving the house for a good time, thats for sure├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The door closed and Eve sighed. She stood up and walked over to her computer. She typed in some keys and the entire room shifted into a small -------. She typed in some more keys and then a bowl of ice cream slid out of the -------. Eve turned her room back to its normal setting, then sat down on her chair. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôA murder, right next door├óÔé¼┬Ø. She ate the ice cream slowly, savoring the flavors. Her dad had liked ice cream, she knew. But she still couldn't remember his face.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø The clerk said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou need a room?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø the young man said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need a room├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou have an I.D?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have money, but my I.D has yet to come through in the mail├óÔé¼┬Ø. The clerk nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôFine, just we will need to get your D.N.A on file├óÔé¼┬Ø. The young man nodded, pressing his thumb into the proffered terminal. The terminal spun up and took some skin off him. The young man smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôSo this is a good hotel, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôOne of them├óÔé¼┬Ø the clerk said.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo where's my room?├óÔé¼┬Ø the young man asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts on the third floor, room 41├óÔé¼┬Ø. He handed the young man a card ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's your name for the ledger?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The young man nodded, thinking for a moment ├óÔé¼┼ôMichal Dobson├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø the clerk typed it up ├óÔé¼┼ôEnjoy your stay├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded and walked up the stairs to the third level. The hotel looked rather tight, but Mike was just using it for a temporary base. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've gotten a room├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered into his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I can't detect the target within at least two miles├óÔé¼┬Ø he flipped his small scanner shut and put it back in his pocket. There was no response. Sarge wouldn't respond, unless it was an emergency. It was hard to track where messages went, but not so hard to track where they go.
Mike walked into his room and looked around. It was horribly depressing, a small four in one cubical. Unpersonalized, small and dank. It was almost as bad as an Arco, back on Earth. But then again, it was just a hotel. Mike closed the door and locked it, and turned around. He ran into a woman, leaving her room. They both fell over, limbs tangled. Mike shot straight up ├óÔé¼┼ôI am so sorry!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, reaching to help the woman up. But she jumped up and landed on her feet, nimble like a gymnast. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts my fault├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, grinning. Then she locked eyes with him.
Mike felt woozy. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm your new neighbor├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, trying to ignore his sudden wooziness. ├óÔé¼┼ôhi├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said, grabbing his left hand and pumping it ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, grinning. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Eve grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you an offworlder too?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Eve's face fell ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome with me├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I'll show you why you shouldn't have come├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôBut I don't even know you├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, still walking behind Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I'm an offworlder like you, and this is what Dantana does to offworlders├óÔé¼┬Ø she got to the stairs and jabbed her fingers at the poster hanging next to the stairs. It had a red circle surrounding a bizarre symbol. It looked like white 'plus' sing, but its ends were each bent radically. Below it bright red words proclaimed ├óÔé¼┼ôRemember the Truth!├óÔé¼┬Ø. A small, black and white picture, scratched with age, was in the middle. It was a mustachioed man, wearing clothes of the ancient past, orating to a crowd. The crowd seemed to be enjoying the speech, cheering wildly.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is this?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe isolationist party├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey have been making life hell for anyone offworld. The police don't care, cause half of them agree and the other half doesn't care├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike grined ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I can handle some pricks├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo these idiots burned down my bar last night├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I know another offworlder who can't get a job, just because he wasn't born in this ...crap planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. She seemed cross at herself ├óÔé¼┼ôCan't swear├óÔé¼┬Ø She muttered. Mike shook his head ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to buy some clothes├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you know of any good place's to go?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
-
Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
Twists? Or just some random crap?
Mike walked into the forests, grumbling at the underbrush. ├óÔé¼┼ôStupid, fucking planet├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôI like it when they don't have wildlife├óÔé¼┬Ø. It was harder to get by with five sets of clothes carried under his arms. The ground puffed up right in front of him, with a small wizzzt sound. Mike backed up slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it, It's me├óÔé¼┬Ø he barked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôCheck in before getting close, damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight, I brought some clothes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood work├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone back to the shuttle├óÔé¼┬Ø.
July prodded her jacket, trying to get it to fit right. Then she turned around and walked straight into a police officer. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam?├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer asked. July jumped slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just I'm a little lost├óÔé¼┬Ø. She grinned, dimpling as best she could. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll we're here to serve├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer said, blushing slightly. July nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to find...the local grocery store├óÔé¼┬Ø. The officer laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôLook up├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. July looked up and saw the singe above her. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. The officer walked away.
July loved the city. For one thing it reminded her of her home, back on DS-3321. Also, unlike the Hannibal it was kept at a nice, normal level of humidity. She walked into the store, looking around slowly. She couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Then she mentally slapped herself. She was looking for a shape shifter. She looked around, making sure no one could see her, and slid her scanner out.
Their target gave off high energy partial emissions. HEPM were a recently discovered phenomenon. They acted, in laymen terms, like a mix between neutrinos and taychons. It was hard to detect them on, say, an industrial world like Earth or Mars, but on a small planet of Dantana, with its deep continental mining and three boreholes, there was little to no background radiation to stop their scanners. In orbit Sarge had picked up the signal of HEPM's from this city. Luck had crashed them next to it, and somehow the damn thing wasn't here. Every hour July phoned in to Sarge, and hoped the others were having more luck then she.
Then her scanner bleeped. July dropped, that was how surprised she was. A man, walking by, picked it up for her ├óÔé¼┼ôDropped your cell phone, mam├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø July said. Everyone on this planet was so nice. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy don't you take this pamphlet├óÔé¼┬Ø. He did have a stack of pamphlets under his left arm, and he offered one to July. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo thanks├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not interested├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut, mam, its the wave of the future├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, really├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, walking away from him.
She flipped the scanner open and looked it over. The blip was moving slowly away from her, possibly down an ally. July looked around and saw the sun was going down. She walked down a near by ally, moving to the blip. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôthis is Tango One├óÔé¼┬Ø. She waited a second ├óÔé¼┼ôI've found it, at sector├óÔé¼┬Ø she looked at her scanner ├óÔé¼┼ôFour-1├óÔé¼┬Ø. The blip stopped and July pulled out her high caliber pistol. The pistol would stand out on the planet, which was still using nine millimeters to stop the medium sized saurian animals that prowled the planet.
Then the blip started to move very fast. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø July muttered, starting to run. She tripped over a trashcan, sending it clattering to the ground. July ignored the trash, jumping over it and kicking off the wall, landing on her feet nimbly. The blip suddenly moved ten or so meters to the left. But there was a building in the way. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell?├óÔé¼┬Ø July turned and started to run. Then a blur ran in front of her, crossing through an ally way intersection. July fired a shot and part of the wall exploded. The entire city was getting very dark. Night fell quickly and the blip had stopped. July walked around another bend of the maze like alleyways. The blip was still not moving.
Eve sighed, cleaning the cup as fast as she could. For some reason doing the same job she had before was a lot worse when you were employed by someone else. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø A man called from the bar ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve turned around ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, tired and grumpy from a day of rude patrons cat calling at her. Renaldo ran a good bar, but she was sure that at least half the people in the bar were Isolationists. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need some help here├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, waving a packet of nuts in the air.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy nuts have too much salt on them├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôCould you clean them off├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sighed again. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're good at licking nuts, I can tell├óÔé¼┬Ø the man's face broke into a grin. Isolationist, for sure. Either that or just some jerk. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour nuts are far to small├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man's brain took a while to work it through, but when he did his eyes bugged. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, jumping to his feet. Eve was already behind the bar ├óÔé¼┼ôClosing time!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted, looking at the clock.
The people in the bar walked out of the bar, some slower and more drunkenly then the others. The man who had accosted Eve spat on the table top as he left. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, yeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve muttered, putting the glass away. She threw her barman's robe away, landing it squarely in the cleaning hamper. Then Eve grabbed her purse and walked out of the bar, locking it up as she left. Night was going to hit soon, and the police had set up a curfew. She would have to hurry home.
Eve decided to take a short cut. She turned into an ally way. Then she heard something that sounded like a gunshot. But it was low, muffled. More like thunder, now that she thought about. Eve shook herself, telling herself to stop imagining things.
The blip suddenly started to move behind July. July spun around, gun at the ready. Then she saw a black form at the end of the alleyway, lit by a street lamp. July fired, grinning. The target slumped to the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I got it├óÔé¼┬Ø July said into her headset. There would be no confirmation, not until she got to the shuttle with the corpse. July ran up to the body, scanner ready. Then her heart stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø July muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge, I think I hit the wrong target├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike was listening in. He looked at the scanner and located sector Four-1. He started to walk quickly, his long legs aiding his progress. When he got their July had already done a commendable job hiding the body, and dressing the wound. But July was using a high caliber, armor piercing pistol, and it had torn a huge, ragged hole in the woman's stomach. It was an intestine shot, and if the woman didn't get medical attention soon, she would die. Then Mike recognized her. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh shit├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know her├óÔé¼┬Ø.
July looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know her? We've only been her a few hours├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI needed cover├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôGetting a hotel room helped. She was my next door neibor├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do we do? She'll die, even with the medical tech on this planet├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked, ripping part of her shirt to make a dressing. Mike chewed his lip ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't just leave her here. Lets get her out of the city├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike tapped his headset, turning it on ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge, we're heading out. We'll be coming back with wounded├óÔé¼┬Ø.
It was a hair raising trip through the city. Not many people were on the street's, but they still stuck to the alleyways. Mike carried Eve on his back. There were two times where they left the relative safety of the alleys. The first was easy. There was no one on the small side street, and so Mike ran as fast as he could, Eve moaning softly with each foot fall. July followed after him, pistol holstered, but scanner out. The second was much harder. Two police officers were on the corner, watching the streets.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôI run around back, distract them and you run├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike nodded. July started slipping through alleyways, moving over trashcans and garbage with the same athletic grace she used to pass through other battlefields. But most of those battlefields were simulated. Most simulations don't have rats. July stepped on a rat and it screeched, bighting her foot. July yelped, shocked. Those teeth hurt. The police suddenly jerked, weapons up. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnother murder!├óÔé¼┬Ø one shouted, running to the alleyway. The other followed, pulling her gun out.
Mike took this as an opportunity to run. He dashed across the street and got to the fence that surrounded the edge of the crater. He pulled out a vibroknive and slashed open a large hole. Then he dragged Eve through it, grabbed her and ran. The police officer came around the corner. There was no one there. He walked down the ally way, pistol at the ready. He walked to the rat den that had been stirred up. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou see anything?├óÔé¼┬Ø the other police officer asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø the first one holstered his pistol and turned around. They both walked out of the ally way.
And above them July stood, legs spread out in a V, keeping her propped up on the narrow alleyway. She breathed a ragged sigh, sweat streaming down her face. This was one of the harder gymnastic moves she knew. Then July dropped down, quiet as a cat. Then she ran out of the ally way. She made a dash for the hole in the fence. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop!├óÔé¼┬Ø one of the police officers had spotted her. July kept running. One of them fired a warning shot, and by luck of design, the bullet went straight through her calf.
July stumbled, turning a fall into a roll, and came out on the other side of the fence. Then she kept rolling till she was under the underbrush. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø A police officer turned his torch on and started shining it through the fence. The underbrush protected July from the light. The police officer pulled out his com ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have a hole in the fence├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBring some tech's├óÔé¼┬Ø. July got up and started to limp back to the shuttle. Then she reached into the wound, found the bullet and ripped it out. She tossed it out.
Mike got to the shuttle. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that July?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôJuly is right behind me├óÔé¼┬Ø. He turned around. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered.
Capitan Keller looked at the message. Then he dragged it into the trash can, pressing his finger onto the touch screen. The message would be saved, as a back up, but he still wanted to destroy it as best he could. ├óÔé¼┼ôBad news?├óÔé¼┬Ø his first asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFirst they order us to drop to subramjet speeds. Then they tell us to do a ninety degree turn in LESS then one parsec. Now├óÔé¼┬Ø he jabbed his finger at the screen ├óÔé¼┼ôNow the fucktards at the Colonial parliament have restricted our use of Biological weapons, nuclear weapons and megatonnage weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø his first was just a surprised as he was. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats like telling someone to paint a painting and then chopping of their hands├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy block mega tonnage?├óÔé¼┬Ø his first asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do they think we are going to do, drop the ship on them?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller rolled his eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can refit the rail gun to fire asteroids and those are considered under the megatonnage rule if they go above several thousand tonnes├óÔé¼┬Ø. His first sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThat doesn't matter├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôthe Dantana system doesn't have an asteroid belt├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThaw the marines├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd get them trained up for urban combat├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow many people live on Dantana?├óÔé¼┬Ø his first asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFour billion├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, his voice dull ├óÔé¼┼ôNinety nine point nine percent are civilians. They have a level two planetary defense grid├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell at least that we can handle├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut thats nine thousand nine hundred and ninety against five hundred, when you don't take into account militia├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôBreak out the big guns. The biggest we can use, at least├óÔé¼┬Ø. His first snapped off a salute, standing and leaving the room. Keller put his feet up on the desk, as all captains have a right to do.
July got to the crater that the shuttle had created and rolled down the slope, her leg giving way at the most inopportune time. She landed next to the shuttle door. Mankowski opened the door ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, eating a fruit he had pulled of one of the tree's ├óÔé¼┼ôYou finally got back├óÔé¼┬Ø. July winced and crawled into the shuttle ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski you bastard├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôYou do know all proteins on this planet are poisonous right?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, dropping the apple to the ground next to July. ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski, knock it off├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shouted. July got to her feet ├óÔé¼┼ôMy legs fine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôAt least...soon it will be├óÔé¼┬Ø she grabbed a medical kit.
They all stood around the floor, looking at the woman. A trauma belt, more like a huge elastic ribbon that you tied around large wounds, tightened slowly on Eve. She was asleep, and probably would be for a while. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do we do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is something familiar about her├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, she looks like that porno star├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski snickered. ├óÔé¼┼ôShove it├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena hit him on the back of the head. Eve's eyes suddenly shot open.
Mike walked into the forests, grumbling at the underbrush. ├óÔé¼┼ôStupid, fucking planet├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôI like it when they don't have wildlife├óÔé¼┬Ø. It was harder to get by with five sets of clothes carried under his arms. The ground puffed up right in front of him, with a small wizzzt sound. Mike backed up slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn it, It's me├óÔé¼┬Ø he barked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôCheck in before getting close, damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight, I brought some clothes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood work├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone back to the shuttle├óÔé¼┬Ø.
July prodded her jacket, trying to get it to fit right. Then she turned around and walked straight into a police officer. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam?├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer asked. July jumped slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just I'm a little lost├óÔé¼┬Ø. She grinned, dimpling as best she could. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll we're here to serve├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer said, blushing slightly. July nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to find...the local grocery store├óÔé¼┬Ø. The officer laughed ├óÔé¼┼ôLook up├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. July looked up and saw the singe above her. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. The officer walked away.
July loved the city. For one thing it reminded her of her home, back on DS-3321. Also, unlike the Hannibal it was kept at a nice, normal level of humidity. She walked into the store, looking around slowly. She couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. Then she mentally slapped herself. She was looking for a shape shifter. She looked around, making sure no one could see her, and slid her scanner out.
Their target gave off high energy partial emissions. HEPM were a recently discovered phenomenon. They acted, in laymen terms, like a mix between neutrinos and taychons. It was hard to detect them on, say, an industrial world like Earth or Mars, but on a small planet of Dantana, with its deep continental mining and three boreholes, there was little to no background radiation to stop their scanners. In orbit Sarge had picked up the signal of HEPM's from this city. Luck had crashed them next to it, and somehow the damn thing wasn't here. Every hour July phoned in to Sarge, and hoped the others were having more luck then she.
Then her scanner bleeped. July dropped, that was how surprised she was. A man, walking by, picked it up for her ├óÔé¼┼ôDropped your cell phone, mam├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø July said. Everyone on this planet was so nice. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy don't you take this pamphlet├óÔé¼┬Ø. He did have a stack of pamphlets under his left arm, and he offered one to July. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo thanks├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not interested├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut, mam, its the wave of the future├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, really├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, walking away from him.
She flipped the scanner open and looked it over. The blip was moving slowly away from her, possibly down an ally. July looked around and saw the sun was going down. She walked down a near by ally, moving to the blip. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôthis is Tango One├óÔé¼┬Ø. She waited a second ├óÔé¼┼ôI've found it, at sector├óÔé¼┬Ø she looked at her scanner ├óÔé¼┼ôFour-1├óÔé¼┬Ø. The blip stopped and July pulled out her high caliber pistol. The pistol would stand out on the planet, which was still using nine millimeters to stop the medium sized saurian animals that prowled the planet.
Then the blip started to move very fast. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø July muttered, starting to run. She tripped over a trashcan, sending it clattering to the ground. July ignored the trash, jumping over it and kicking off the wall, landing on her feet nimbly. The blip suddenly moved ten or so meters to the left. But there was a building in the way. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell?├óÔé¼┬Ø July turned and started to run. Then a blur ran in front of her, crossing through an ally way intersection. July fired a shot and part of the wall exploded. The entire city was getting very dark. Night fell quickly and the blip had stopped. July walked around another bend of the maze like alleyways. The blip was still not moving.
Eve sighed, cleaning the cup as fast as she could. For some reason doing the same job she had before was a lot worse when you were employed by someone else. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø A man called from the bar ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve turned around ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, tired and grumpy from a day of rude patrons cat calling at her. Renaldo ran a good bar, but she was sure that at least half the people in the bar were Isolationists. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need some help here├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, waving a packet of nuts in the air.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy nuts have too much salt on them├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said ├óÔé¼┼ôCould you clean them off├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sighed again. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're good at licking nuts, I can tell├óÔé¼┬Ø the man's face broke into a grin. Isolationist, for sure. Either that or just some jerk. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour nuts are far to small├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man's brain took a while to work it through, but when he did his eyes bugged. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, jumping to his feet. Eve was already behind the bar ├óÔé¼┼ôClosing time!├óÔé¼┬Ø she shouted, looking at the clock.
The people in the bar walked out of the bar, some slower and more drunkenly then the others. The man who had accosted Eve spat on the table top as he left. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, yeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve muttered, putting the glass away. She threw her barman's robe away, landing it squarely in the cleaning hamper. Then Eve grabbed her purse and walked out of the bar, locking it up as she left. Night was going to hit soon, and the police had set up a curfew. She would have to hurry home.
Eve decided to take a short cut. She turned into an ally way. Then she heard something that sounded like a gunshot. But it was low, muffled. More like thunder, now that she thought about. Eve shook herself, telling herself to stop imagining things.
The blip suddenly started to move behind July. July spun around, gun at the ready. Then she saw a black form at the end of the alleyway, lit by a street lamp. July fired, grinning. The target slumped to the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I got it├óÔé¼┬Ø July said into her headset. There would be no confirmation, not until she got to the shuttle with the corpse. July ran up to the body, scanner ready. Then her heart stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø July muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge, I think I hit the wrong target├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike was listening in. He looked at the scanner and located sector Four-1. He started to walk quickly, his long legs aiding his progress. When he got their July had already done a commendable job hiding the body, and dressing the wound. But July was using a high caliber, armor piercing pistol, and it had torn a huge, ragged hole in the woman's stomach. It was an intestine shot, and if the woman didn't get medical attention soon, she would die. Then Mike recognized her. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh shit├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know her├óÔé¼┬Ø.
July looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know her? We've only been her a few hours├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI needed cover├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôGetting a hotel room helped. She was my next door neibor├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do we do? She'll die, even with the medical tech on this planet├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked, ripping part of her shirt to make a dressing. Mike chewed his lip ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can't just leave her here. Lets get her out of the city├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike tapped his headset, turning it on ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge, we're heading out. We'll be coming back with wounded├óÔé¼┬Ø.
It was a hair raising trip through the city. Not many people were on the street's, but they still stuck to the alleyways. Mike carried Eve on his back. There were two times where they left the relative safety of the alleys. The first was easy. There was no one on the small side street, and so Mike ran as fast as he could, Eve moaning softly with each foot fall. July followed after him, pistol holstered, but scanner out. The second was much harder. Two police officers were on the corner, watching the streets.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôI run around back, distract them and you run├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike nodded. July started slipping through alleyways, moving over trashcans and garbage with the same athletic grace she used to pass through other battlefields. But most of those battlefields were simulated. Most simulations don't have rats. July stepped on a rat and it screeched, bighting her foot. July yelped, shocked. Those teeth hurt. The police suddenly jerked, weapons up. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnother murder!├óÔé¼┬Ø one shouted, running to the alleyway. The other followed, pulling her gun out.
Mike took this as an opportunity to run. He dashed across the street and got to the fence that surrounded the edge of the crater. He pulled out a vibroknive and slashed open a large hole. Then he dragged Eve through it, grabbed her and ran. The police officer came around the corner. There was no one there. He walked down the ally way, pistol at the ready. He walked to the rat den that had been stirred up. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou see anything?├óÔé¼┬Ø the other police officer asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø the first one holstered his pistol and turned around. They both walked out of the ally way.
And above them July stood, legs spread out in a V, keeping her propped up on the narrow alleyway. She breathed a ragged sigh, sweat streaming down her face. This was one of the harder gymnastic moves she knew. Then July dropped down, quiet as a cat. Then she ran out of the ally way. She made a dash for the hole in the fence. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop!├óÔé¼┬Ø one of the police officers had spotted her. July kept running. One of them fired a warning shot, and by luck of design, the bullet went straight through her calf.
July stumbled, turning a fall into a roll, and came out on the other side of the fence. Then she kept rolling till she was under the underbrush. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø A police officer turned his torch on and started shining it through the fence. The underbrush protected July from the light. The police officer pulled out his com ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have a hole in the fence├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôBring some tech's├óÔé¼┬Ø. July got up and started to limp back to the shuttle. Then she reached into the wound, found the bullet and ripped it out. She tossed it out.
Mike got to the shuttle. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that July?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôJuly is right behind me├óÔé¼┬Ø. He turned around. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered.
Capitan Keller looked at the message. Then he dragged it into the trash can, pressing his finger onto the touch screen. The message would be saved, as a back up, but he still wanted to destroy it as best he could. ├óÔé¼┼ôBad news?├óÔé¼┬Ø his first asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFirst they order us to drop to subramjet speeds. Then they tell us to do a ninety degree turn in LESS then one parsec. Now├óÔé¼┬Ø he jabbed his finger at the screen ├óÔé¼┼ôNow the fucktards at the Colonial parliament have restricted our use of Biological weapons, nuclear weapons and megatonnage weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø his first was just a surprised as he was. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats like telling someone to paint a painting and then chopping of their hands├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy block mega tonnage?├óÔé¼┬Ø his first asked ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do they think we are going to do, drop the ship on them?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller rolled his eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can refit the rail gun to fire asteroids and those are considered under the megatonnage rule if they go above several thousand tonnes├óÔé¼┬Ø. His first sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThat doesn't matter├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôthe Dantana system doesn't have an asteroid belt├óÔé¼┬Ø
├óÔé¼┼ôThaw the marines├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd get them trained up for urban combat├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow many people live on Dantana?├óÔé¼┬Ø his first asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFour billion├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, his voice dull ├óÔé¼┼ôNinety nine point nine percent are civilians. They have a level two planetary defense grid├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell at least that we can handle├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut thats nine thousand nine hundred and ninety against five hundred, when you don't take into account militia├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôBreak out the big guns. The biggest we can use, at least├óÔé¼┬Ø. His first snapped off a salute, standing and leaving the room. Keller put his feet up on the desk, as all captains have a right to do.
July got to the crater that the shuttle had created and rolled down the slope, her leg giving way at the most inopportune time. She landed next to the shuttle door. Mankowski opened the door ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, eating a fruit he had pulled of one of the tree's ├óÔé¼┼ôYou finally got back├óÔé¼┬Ø. July winced and crawled into the shuttle ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski you bastard├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôYou do know all proteins on this planet are poisonous right?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, dropping the apple to the ground next to July. ├óÔé¼┼ôMankowski, knock it off├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge shouted. July got to her feet ├óÔé¼┼ôMy legs fine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôAt least...soon it will be├óÔé¼┬Ø she grabbed a medical kit.
They all stood around the floor, looking at the woman. A trauma belt, more like a huge elastic ribbon that you tied around large wounds, tightened slowly on Eve. She was asleep, and probably would be for a while. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do we do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThere is something familiar about her├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, she looks like that porno star├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski snickered. ├óÔé¼┼ôShove it├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena hit him on the back of the head. Eve's eyes suddenly shot open.
├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge muttered, almost dropping his cigar out of his mouth. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere am I?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked blearily. Then her eyes rolled back into her head. Mike drew the syringe out of the young woman's arm ├óÔé¼┼ôSedatives├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôKeep her quiet and asleep├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood thinking├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. As Eve spiraled back into uncosiusness, everything blurred together. Normally when she was asleep, or the one time she had decided to shot up on X, she had the same bleary dreams everyone else did.
But this time she was awake and focused, but...asleep at the same time. She seemed to have a body of infinite capacity, and yet no body at all. She looked around. Then she turned around and saw a man. He wore a long tench coat, that was unfastened down the middle. Underneath his clothes were nondescript, mostly dark red and blue. The man raised his pistol and aimed. A single tear ran down his cheek, and he fired.
Eve sat up, head pounding madly. She looked around her apartment, her normal, everyday apartment. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo way├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo fucking way├óÔé¼┬Ø. She got up and groped around, finding the wall and running her hands along it till she found the light switch. She turned the lights on and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was not a dream├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt couldn't have been├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked around her room, at the messy and uneven room. Then she heard a knock, knock, knock on her door.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho is it!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve groaned. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts me├óÔé¼┬Ø her new neighbor said, voice muffled through the door. Eve opened the door. The man looked at her, frowning slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôYou should really put on a shirt├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôSome less quick people would think that was an invitation├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve looked down and realized that the wind was blowing coldly on her bare chest. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, her head hurting too much for her to care. She pulled on a shirt and opened the door.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I saw you come in last night├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you looked really out there├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't do...X├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø the man, Mike, said. Then she felt a prickling sense of deja vu. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I've seen you before├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve murmured. ├óÔé¼┼ôYesterday├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen you told me where the cloth's store is├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôNo...last night...in the forest├óÔé¼┬Ø.
A flash of last night's dream. Forest sliding over her, moonlight flashing through the tree's. And Mike, oddly enough. ├óÔé¼┼ôForest?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, his eyes not changing. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was just a dream├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve waved her hand dismissively ├óÔé¼┼ôSo yeah I had a long day yesterday├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I was just worried├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't need to be worried├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can take care of myself├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø a man shouted from below Eve's room.
Eve looked over Mike's shoulder. It was the bastard from the pub. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you want?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou think it was over last night?├óÔé¼┬Ø the jerk shouted. One of his friends, who looked slightly more calm, tried to say something in his ear. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up!├óÔé¼┬Ø the jerk shouted, shoving his friend away. ├óÔé¼┼ôPlease leave me alone├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said tiredly. The jerk suddenly reached down and grabbed a rock. Then he threw it straight at her.
He must be great at baseball was all Eve could think before suddenly a hand appeared in front of her face. Mike's arm had shot out, faster then she could see, and grabbed the rock. Then he crushed it into powder. ├óÔé¼┼ôRocks├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts always the rock's, isn't it. You plan to kill, and yet you can even be bothered to bring a proper weapon├óÔé¼┬Ø. The way he said it creeped Eve out. Less like anger, more like disdain. The jerk was standing, eyes bulging.
Mike jumped over the rail and landed, taking the two meter drop as easily as if it had been stepping off a stool. He landed, knee's bent. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou got a problem with this woman?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, his voice still completely calm, as he took a step towards the jerk. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø the jerk said hurriedly. Mike took a last step forward and stood, face to face with the jerk. Even though the jerk had bigger muscles and wore more threatening clothes, Mike looked deadly.
The jerk turned around and stalked off, trying to look like he wasn't running. His friend had picked himself out of the mud and dust in the road and set off, not even disguising the fact that he was running. Mike walked up the stairs to Eve's level. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't stand street toughs├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, trying to be nonchalant. He was trying to hard. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked ├óÔé¼┼ôYou caught it, right out of the air!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just simple trigonometry├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôHave a nice day├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Mike mentally slapped himself. They were all supposed to lay low. The shooting last night was bad enough, as it had sent the police into insane protective mode. But now he was actually getting involved with people who would be dead in a six days. But...he hated bully's. And by the time he had gotten to Dantana grabbing things thrown at him was as easy as thinking. He had practiced his catching the thrown knife routine a lode of times. It was too bad every grenade on the market exploded on impact.
Mike started his rounds, checking sectors Five-2 through Five-6. Trying to look like a tourist, he stopped every once and a while, unobtrusively looking at his scanner. He passed Mankowski, who had thrown the whole 'lay low' thing out the window. He stood out, a tall, foreign looking man with three cigarettes who said hi to everyone and wore huge sunglass's. But then again maybe he was so unusual that no one would suspect him of being anything but an extravagant tourist. At least that was what Mike hoped.
He came to the edge of sector Five-3 and sector Five-4. Mike took out his scanner and opened it. A blip started to trace across his scanner. ├óÔé¼┼ôTarget in motion, moving at Sector Five-3 to....Four-3├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said into his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôTracking now├óÔé¼┬Ø he slipped into an ally way and started to run down it. The blip suddenly stopped. He walked around the corner to where the blip was. He looked down the ally way. There was nothing there.
Mike unholstered his pistol and started to walk slowly down the ally way. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere are you├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. The blip was closer. Closer. Then it was behind him. He turned around. Nothing was there. ├óÔé¼┼ôSilly primate├óÔé¼┬Ø A chilling voice said. Mike looked up, gun ready. The target was standing on a building, looking down at him. It looked completely back, the sun silhouetting it. But long hair blew in the wind, and the voice was definitely feminine. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour the target, eh?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, placing the gun right over her head.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou were sent to track me down?├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm touched. I didn't know they cared├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey spent seventy trillion credits on you├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said , remember his briefing ├óÔé¼┼ôThey wasn't their money back├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey should have gotten a receipt├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said. Mike's mouth quirked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo you have a sense of humor?├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI see those credits went to good use├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target dropped down, landing in shadow.
It seemed to drape itself in shadows, the darkness clinging to it like a cloak. Its eye's opened again and they were bright, slowly changing from blue to red, to green, to gold to silver. It was hypnotic. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe rumors are true. You are a shape shifter├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am beyond what your mind can imagine├óÔé¼┬Ø the thing said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSilly primate├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've forgotten your briefing├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Six meters. Mike jerked backwards as his gun fell in half, sheered completely through. ├óÔé¼┼ôBitch├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are worse then the others├óÔé¼┬Ø the thing said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou pollute your body with implants and metals├óÔé¼┬Ø. She took a step forward ├óÔé¼┼ôYou should be shown the errors of your ways├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target jumped forward suddenly and Mike felt hands grab him, throwing him into the wall. Then two feet smashed into his stomach, again and again. Then the hands tossed him back down the alleyway, sending him slamming into the wall.
Mike rolled onto his front, gasping in pain. He looked up at the target, walking slowly towards him. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've lost your gun├óÔé¼┬Ø the thing said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, standing up ├óÔé¼┼ôbut I've never needed one before├óÔé¼┬Ø. He threw his knife, slipping out from behind his shirt. Then her chucked it straight at the target. The knife stopped in midair, spun around and shot straight back at him. Mike, knowing when to not catch things, ducked and the knife buried itself in the wall, up to the hilt.
├óÔé¼┼ôI need reinforcements├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike gasped. The target looked at him. Then it shot straight up into the air and landed on a building. Mike grabbed his scanner and saw the blip run across the roof into another sector. Then it stopped. And vanished. July ran down the ally way as Mike brushed himself off. ├óÔé¼┼ôJesus├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, looking him over. Mike looked at himself. Bruises covered his face, and once he lifted his shirt, they were showed to cover his chest as well. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod, what the hell to you run into?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike groaned.
Eve gasped. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh my god├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, running up to Mike. His face was bruised and bandaged. One of his eyes was almost swollen shut. He looked like three people had beaten him about the head with two by fours. Mike looked at her for a moment, then turned away. Eve walked up to him. She looked over his injury's and hissed softly ├óÔé¼┼ôDid that guy and his friends beat you?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Mike stood still, his unblackened eye looking at her. Then he started to laugh. He laughed and laughed, almost hysterically so.
Mike walked into his apartment and left Eve standing there, looking very bemused. Eve kicked his door as it shut. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôLeave before I can thank you├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked back to her apartment, still cross. She walked in and closed the door with a shut, turning on the monitor. The T.V announcer was talking about yet another murder, this time half way across the city. It had the same M.O as the others, leaving two people eviscerated and spread over a large part of the city.
Eve sighed. This wave of murders was getting everyone worried. She sat down in the chair, getting some ice cream that he had left out. She looked at the half eaten ice cream and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's not that good looking├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered. Then there was a knock on the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts me├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Eve got up and opened the door slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry for laughing at you├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt just struck me as funny├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts all right├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded sheepishly and walked away. Eve closed the door and sat back down.
Mike got back to his apartment and banged his head against the wall. What had possessed him. It wasn't that she was pretty, or exceptionally pretty. She was cute. ├óÔé¼┼ôMust be the beating├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôPunch's go to my head├óÔé¼┬Ø. He walked to his desk, picking up his headset. He settled the spider silk thin system into his hair, so that it was completely invisible. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis things six meter weapon is incredible├óÔé¼┬Ø. He knew that Sarge couldn't respond so he just continued without a break ├óÔé¼┼ôIt can cut anything apart, with as much or as little force as the creature intends. Its invisible and hurts like a bitch. I have no idea how to capture it├óÔé¼┬Ø.
But this time she was awake and focused, but...asleep at the same time. She seemed to have a body of infinite capacity, and yet no body at all. She looked around. Then she turned around and saw a man. He wore a long tench coat, that was unfastened down the middle. Underneath his clothes were nondescript, mostly dark red and blue. The man raised his pistol and aimed. A single tear ran down his cheek, and he fired.
Eve sat up, head pounding madly. She looked around her apartment, her normal, everyday apartment. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo way├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNo fucking way├óÔé¼┬Ø. She got up and groped around, finding the wall and running her hands along it till she found the light switch. She turned the lights on and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was not a dream├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt couldn't have been├óÔé¼┬Ø. She looked around her room, at the messy and uneven room. Then she heard a knock, knock, knock on her door.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho is it!├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve groaned. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts me├óÔé¼┬Ø her new neighbor said, voice muffled through the door. Eve opened the door. The man looked at her, frowning slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôYou should really put on a shirt├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôSome less quick people would think that was an invitation├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve looked down and realized that the wind was blowing coldly on her bare chest. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, her head hurting too much for her to care. She pulled on a shirt and opened the door.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I saw you come in last night├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you looked really out there├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't do...X├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø the man, Mike, said. Then she felt a prickling sense of deja vu. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I've seen you before├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve murmured. ├óÔé¼┼ôYesterday├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen you told me where the cloth's store is├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôNo...last night...in the forest├óÔé¼┬Ø.
A flash of last night's dream. Forest sliding over her, moonlight flashing through the tree's. And Mike, oddly enough. ├óÔé¼┼ôForest?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, his eyes not changing. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was just a dream├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve waved her hand dismissively ├óÔé¼┼ôSo yeah I had a long day yesterday├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôWell I was just worried├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't need to be worried├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can take care of myself├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø a man shouted from below Eve's room.
Eve looked over Mike's shoulder. It was the bastard from the pub. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you want?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou think it was over last night?├óÔé¼┬Ø the jerk shouted. One of his friends, who looked slightly more calm, tried to say something in his ear. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up!├óÔé¼┬Ø the jerk shouted, shoving his friend away. ├óÔé¼┼ôPlease leave me alone├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said tiredly. The jerk suddenly reached down and grabbed a rock. Then he threw it straight at her.
He must be great at baseball was all Eve could think before suddenly a hand appeared in front of her face. Mike's arm had shot out, faster then she could see, and grabbed the rock. Then he crushed it into powder. ├óÔé¼┼ôRocks├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts always the rock's, isn't it. You plan to kill, and yet you can even be bothered to bring a proper weapon├óÔé¼┬Ø. The way he said it creeped Eve out. Less like anger, more like disdain. The jerk was standing, eyes bulging.
Mike jumped over the rail and landed, taking the two meter drop as easily as if it had been stepping off a stool. He landed, knee's bent. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou got a problem with this woman?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, his voice still completely calm, as he took a step towards the jerk. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø the jerk said hurriedly. Mike took a last step forward and stood, face to face with the jerk. Even though the jerk had bigger muscles and wore more threatening clothes, Mike looked deadly.
The jerk turned around and stalked off, trying to look like he wasn't running. His friend had picked himself out of the mud and dust in the road and set off, not even disguising the fact that he was running. Mike walked up the stairs to Eve's level. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't stand street toughs├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, trying to be nonchalant. He was trying to hard. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked ├óÔé¼┼ôYou caught it, right out of the air!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just simple trigonometry├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôHave a nice day├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Mike mentally slapped himself. They were all supposed to lay low. The shooting last night was bad enough, as it had sent the police into insane protective mode. But now he was actually getting involved with people who would be dead in a six days. But...he hated bully's. And by the time he had gotten to Dantana grabbing things thrown at him was as easy as thinking. He had practiced his catching the thrown knife routine a lode of times. It was too bad every grenade on the market exploded on impact.
Mike started his rounds, checking sectors Five-2 through Five-6. Trying to look like a tourist, he stopped every once and a while, unobtrusively looking at his scanner. He passed Mankowski, who had thrown the whole 'lay low' thing out the window. He stood out, a tall, foreign looking man with three cigarettes who said hi to everyone and wore huge sunglass's. But then again maybe he was so unusual that no one would suspect him of being anything but an extravagant tourist. At least that was what Mike hoped.
He came to the edge of sector Five-3 and sector Five-4. Mike took out his scanner and opened it. A blip started to trace across his scanner. ├óÔé¼┼ôTarget in motion, moving at Sector Five-3 to....Four-3├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said into his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôTracking now├óÔé¼┬Ø he slipped into an ally way and started to run down it. The blip suddenly stopped. He walked around the corner to where the blip was. He looked down the ally way. There was nothing there.
Mike unholstered his pistol and started to walk slowly down the ally way. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere are you├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered. The blip was closer. Closer. Then it was behind him. He turned around. Nothing was there. ├óÔé¼┼ôSilly primate├óÔé¼┬Ø A chilling voice said. Mike looked up, gun ready. The target was standing on a building, looking down at him. It looked completely back, the sun silhouetting it. But long hair blew in the wind, and the voice was definitely feminine. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour the target, eh?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, placing the gun right over her head.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou were sent to track me down?├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm touched. I didn't know they cared├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey spent seventy trillion credits on you├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said , remember his briefing ├óÔé¼┼ôThey wasn't their money back├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey should have gotten a receipt├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said. Mike's mouth quirked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo you have a sense of humor?├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI see those credits went to good use├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target dropped down, landing in shadow.
It seemed to drape itself in shadows, the darkness clinging to it like a cloak. Its eye's opened again and they were bright, slowly changing from blue to red, to green, to gold to silver. It was hypnotic. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe rumors are true. You are a shape shifter├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am beyond what your mind can imagine├óÔé¼┬Ø the thing said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSilly primate├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've forgotten your briefing├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Six meters. Mike jerked backwards as his gun fell in half, sheered completely through. ├óÔé¼┼ôBitch├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are worse then the others├óÔé¼┬Ø the thing said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou pollute your body with implants and metals├óÔé¼┬Ø. She took a step forward ├óÔé¼┼ôYou should be shown the errors of your ways├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target jumped forward suddenly and Mike felt hands grab him, throwing him into the wall. Then two feet smashed into his stomach, again and again. Then the hands tossed him back down the alleyway, sending him slamming into the wall.
Mike rolled onto his front, gasping in pain. He looked up at the target, walking slowly towards him. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've lost your gun├óÔé¼┬Ø the thing said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, standing up ├óÔé¼┼ôbut I've never needed one before├óÔé¼┬Ø. He threw his knife, slipping out from behind his shirt. Then her chucked it straight at the target. The knife stopped in midair, spun around and shot straight back at him. Mike, knowing when to not catch things, ducked and the knife buried itself in the wall, up to the hilt.
├óÔé¼┼ôI need reinforcements├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike gasped. The target looked at him. Then it shot straight up into the air and landed on a building. Mike grabbed his scanner and saw the blip run across the roof into another sector. Then it stopped. And vanished. July ran down the ally way as Mike brushed himself off. ├óÔé¼┼ôJesus├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, looking him over. Mike looked at himself. Bruises covered his face, and once he lifted his shirt, they were showed to cover his chest as well. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod, what the hell to you run into?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike groaned.
Eve gasped. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh my god├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, running up to Mike. His face was bruised and bandaged. One of his eyes was almost swollen shut. He looked like three people had beaten him about the head with two by fours. Mike looked at her for a moment, then turned away. Eve walked up to him. She looked over his injury's and hissed softly ├óÔé¼┼ôDid that guy and his friends beat you?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. Mike stood still, his unblackened eye looking at her. Then he started to laugh. He laughed and laughed, almost hysterically so.
Mike walked into his apartment and left Eve standing there, looking very bemused. Eve kicked his door as it shut. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôLeave before I can thank you├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked back to her apartment, still cross. She walked in and closed the door with a shut, turning on the monitor. The T.V announcer was talking about yet another murder, this time half way across the city. It had the same M.O as the others, leaving two people eviscerated and spread over a large part of the city.
Eve sighed. This wave of murders was getting everyone worried. She sat down in the chair, getting some ice cream that he had left out. She looked at the half eaten ice cream and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's not that good looking├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered. Then there was a knock on the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts me├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Eve got up and opened the door slowly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry for laughing at you├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt just struck me as funny├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts all right├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded sheepishly and walked away. Eve closed the door and sat back down.
Mike got back to his apartment and banged his head against the wall. What had possessed him. It wasn't that she was pretty, or exceptionally pretty. She was cute. ├óÔé¼┼ôMust be the beating├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôPunch's go to my head├óÔé¼┬Ø. He walked to his desk, picking up his headset. He settled the spider silk thin system into his hair, so that it was completely invisible. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis things six meter weapon is incredible├óÔé¼┬Ø. He knew that Sarge couldn't respond so he just continued without a break ├óÔé¼┼ôIt can cut anything apart, with as much or as little force as the creature intends. Its invisible and hurts like a bitch. I have no idea how to capture it├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Funny story. About a few months ago, when I was still writing Darkside, I had a great idea for a character. It would be either an alien or a genetic engineering experiment or a mutant or something, and would be able to...like...rip people in half with their minds! Cool, no?
Well I had just thought up this character and was wondering how to interject it into the story. But I was taking a break, contemplating my navel, and the phone rang. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello?├óÔé¼┬Ø I asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey <name withheld>, Its Paul├óÔé¼┬Ø was the reply. Ah yes, my friend Paul. About at the same time my friend Paul had just found something that would alter his lifestyle a lot. It was called ├óÔé¼┼ôAMV Hell 3: The Motion picture├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Some back story on what the hell that is. AMV stands for Anime Music Video, witch is a collection of Anime clips that have been put to different music, and I really wish I knew that before my friend Paul showed AMV hell 3 to me. Because a hour and fourteen minutes later I was sitting in my chair, eyes bugging. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat...the...hell...was...that?├óÔé¼┬Ø I asked, looking at Paul. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was awesome, don't you think!├óÔé¼┬Ø Paul said. More like bizarre and hilarious, in a bizarre way.
But anyway my friend Paul was sent on a mad quest. He got the credits for AMV hell 3 and decided, much too quickly, to watch each and every single Anime on it. I can hear the 'Oh my gods├óÔé¼┬Ø over the Internet as I write this. But the good upshot of this means that he gets to sift through the crap and shows me the 'good' Anime's. Then I can make fun of them relentlessly. And that brings us to the climax of this story. I come to his house, thinking of how great this new character idea is.
And my friend shows me a Eflen Lied. And I go ├óÔé¼┼ôDAMN IT ALL!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Because the Anime in question starts with a severed arm. The prior owner of this severed arm is staring in abject terror at a semi-mummified figure that is held in a restraint cage. Then the gaurd's head falls off and fountains of blood shoots everywhere. Then his partner starts firing wildly at the restrained figure, but the figure just ignores the bullets (witch fly off of their intended course). Then the dead gaurd's key levitates off his corpse and unlocks the restrained figure and out steps the Naked Chick Who Can Cut People In Half With Her Mind.
The next few minutes were probably the most blood ten minutes of television I've ever seen. I counted at least five decapitations, three dismemberments, four eviscerations, one heart explosion and three examples of how pen's flung at mock five through the eyeball really really hurt. For a little while, at least. I was in shock. Not only did the Anime steal my idea, but they did it in a blazingly cool way. I watched the entire show, and was struck by how great it is. Damn you, Paul!
So i took the character down, reworked it a bit, threw in some alien's and volia, out tome's Prime! I am really angry though cause this is the third time someone else has already done my idea, and the second time they have done it better then me. Crap! Oh right, what does this have to do with Darkside: Extermination? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But if you can stand a lot of blood and nudity (and a really really depressing story) check out Elfen Lied. And no, I don't know what the title has to do with the plot. Stop asking questions.
Keller looked at his ship. He had one of his windows always set to show the current state of affairs on his ship, showing the narrow and long profile of his ship split into multiple subsections. All of them were grayed out, aside from a small thin section that ran along the spin of the ship. Some people would wonder at the logic of putting sleeper caskets on the edge of the ship. But the Hannibal was made as a long range patrol ship.
Long range patrol ships were equipped with one of the better ram jets, and a better ram jet means a better ram shield. A better ram shield means you can afford to put your sleepers on the outer edge of the ship, which frees up space down the center of the ship for the thing that really needed to got there, the railgun. Because the entire ship's length was used, the Hannibal could send a small sized asteroid through a target at blueshift speeds.
The sleepers would wake slowly, as to keep the thaw death rates down to 0.01 percent. After about two days of transit the sleepers would be up and about, and Keller would have to shoulder the rather burdensome job of turning the sleepers into marines. But he had something more worrying to focuses on. A broadside class cruiser was decelerating towards them. The computer said the ETA was three hours, at the relative speeds of the two ships, but Keller was sure the enemy would match their speed faster.
broadsides, a tactic that had been abandoned for over three century's, had come back in a bizarre way with the release of the broadside class cruiser. Most ships were thin and long. Ram shields could cover them more easily, they could avoid asteroids and other rocks easily, and they looked pretty cool. Broadsides were short ranged, harder to accelerate, and had a hard time avoiding anything if it came up on them quickly. But they could put out more shots and lasers and missiles per second compared to the patrol vessel.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôwhy are you out here?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The broadside blipped closer and closer on the monitor. Keller's first showed up, walking into the room, carrying a data slate. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've managed to fashion several new shots for the rail gun├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what's the news on the broadside├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at the monitor. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt should be within range in a few hours├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we hit it with the rail gun?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can try├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said, smiling. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is always the worst part├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen your close enough to see the enemy but not close enough to shoot├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike sat down on the bed and sighed. He hurt like all hell, and had to get out of the city and back to the shuttle. Wednesday would dawn soon, and that was the designated meet day, when everyone went back to the shuttle. Even him. Mike got up, wincing at several different pains that shot up around his body. He opened the door to his apartment and stepped out. Slipping through the ally ways was, as usual his modus operandi.
Mike staggered to a stop, his chest burning. He had been running quietly down several alleyways, and running quietly was hard, even when you weren't injured. He had to take a break. Then his scanner jumped in his pocket. Mike pulled the scanner out and flipped it open. The blip was right behind him. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome back for a rematch?├óÔé¼┬Ø the target asked. Mike turned around, looking up. The Target sat, legs over the side of the building. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have more pressing matters then├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen a twenty trillion dollar weapon?├óÔé¼┬Ø The target asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI have to meet it├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike grinned, then winced ├óÔé¼┼ôYou certainly did a number on my left arm├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI could have torn it off├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou should be greatfull├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I have seen the wanted posters├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou want the reward?├óÔé¼┬Ø the target asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot really├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, starting to edge away from the target. He was still within six meters, by what he could tell. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôStay├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said, its voice suddenly very feminine. Mike's grin slowly vanished. Then he dived to the side, slamming into some trash cans.
The invisible hand tightened on his shoulder for a moment, but then Mike was out of range. Part of the brick wall he was behind him blew apart, the invisible fist smashing into it. The target dropped down, landing catlike on the ally way floor. Mike started to run, ignoring the trash splattered over his shirt and pants. He heard a slam and the target was up and over, hair flapping. Then another slam sound, two puffs of dirt and debris shooting up before the target hit the ground. Black hair whipped in the air, the Target slowly turned around. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a neat trick├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said.
The target's face was angular, perfectly symmetrical and coldly beautiful. It was chilling, how perfect she was. ├óÔé¼┼ôStay├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said. Mike backed up a step. Then he felt an invisible hand grab the front of his shirt and pull him forward. He stopped a few centimeters away from the Target. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou survived├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou lived last night. How?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's what I do├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The Target smiled. Then Mike started to pull out his combat knife. He got it out. Then the blade itself fell to the ground and Mike was left holding the handle.
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you remember?├óÔé¼┬Ø the target asked. Mike, in one fluid motion kicked outwards. His foot landed perfectly onto the Target's stomach. The hand let him go and Mike started to run, away from the target. Light was glimmering on the horizon. The target started to walk after him, but Mike was running as fast as possibly, ignoring the noise he was making. He got to the end of the ally ways and burst into the light, bowling over a poor man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The man picked himself up, looking past at the trash smeared stranger who was running. Then he heard sobbing. He turned around and looked down the ally way. A woman, or teenager, sat against the wall, legs pulled into her body, held there by her arms. She was sobbing, hair wrapped around her like a cloak. The man walked into the ally way ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe didn't remember├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe didn't├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man, worried about her sanity, looked over his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is he?├óÔé¼┬Ø the man asked. Then the woman stopped sobbing. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere am I?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, looking around. Then her face wrinkled up, her nose scrunched up as if she was smelling something horrible.
She looked at the man. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you looking at, primate?├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman asked, standing, her hair seeming to move with a life of its own. The man, now seriously frightened, turned to run. But then he was spun around and slammed into a wall, something pressing into his back. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour race has spread like a virus├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said. The man started to gibber, feeling a fist slowly crush into his spine. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd now you've taken our homes├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôBut...your human├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, trying to talk sense into the man woman. ├óÔé¼┼ôI AM NOT!├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman shouted. Then the fist punched through the man's back, severing his spine and blowing a large hole in his stomach. The man slid down the wall and collapsed, eye's rolling back into his head. The woman suddenly doubled over. Someone screamed, looking down the alleyway. ├óÔé¼┼ôCall an ambulance!├óÔé¼┬Ø a woman shouted, looking at the bleeding corpse.
The target looked down the ally way at the three people who were staring at her in shock. Then she shook her head. ├óÔé¼┼ôMommy?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, looking at her bloody hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, no, no├óÔé¼┬Ø she ran her hands down her face, blood smearing down her face ├óÔé¼┼ôNot again├óÔé¼┬Ø. A ambulance pulled up, sirens blaring. The target's head snapped down. She crouched down and there were two loud slams, and the ground cracked. She shot straight up into the air and landed gracefully on a building, melting away into shadows.
The paramedics ran down the ally way and dragged the man out. A police officer showed up soon after, to inspect the crime area. He looked at the floor and frowned. ├óÔé¼┼ôThese look like...hand prints├óÔé¼┬Ø. One of the paramedics looked at the prints, and frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôThat should have...shattered someone's hands├óÔé¼┬Ø. The police man swallowed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat can do that to a man?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, pointing at the blood stains and bits of intestines. And the hole in the wall in the middle of the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll check it for metal bits. Might be a sword├óÔé¼┬Ø the paramedic said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats my job├óÔé¼┬Ø the police officer said.
Eve sighed, cleaning the cup. It seemed like all she did for the last day and a half was clean cups. At least this was a slow day. There was one woman in the bar and two guys, most of whom where passed out. So Eve decided to use this to perfect her act. She took out one of the ultra expensive wine glasses and balanced it on her index finger. She stood there for a few seconds, balancing the cup. ├óÔé¼┼ôWaitress!├óÔé¼┬Ø someone shouted. Eve jumped and the drink fell off her finger. She caught it in her other and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you want?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôA beer'd be nice├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, walking into the bar. He sat down at the bar. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo your looking better├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said noncommittally. Mike sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI heal fast├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what are you doing here?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was thirsty, so I came├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Eve looked at him again and noticed that there were trash stains all down his front. He also stank. ├óÔé¼┼ôRun into a unfriendly trashcan?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHa ha ha├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôActually I almost died for the second time this week├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve looked at him, eyebrows shooting up. ├óÔé¼┼ôWorks been murder├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, smiling. ├óÔé¼┼ôha ha ha├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve did a passing imitation of Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do you want?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôA beer├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNice and simple├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve grabbed a cup and started to pour a beer from the tab. Mike sipped it, glad that his brain was unaffectedly by alcohol. He had found this bar purely by accident, slipping into it purely for a chance to hide.
Eve heard the door opened again, and looked up. A police officer walked into the bar. Eve frowned, looking back to Mike. He wasn't there anymore. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam?├óÔé¼┬Ø The officer asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, looking around distractedly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHave you seen this man, or this woman?├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer slid two pictures over the desk. The first was a woman, with long black hair and a strikingly beautifully face. The other picture was Mike. It had been taken from across the street as Mike ran, his face partly blurred. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI haven't├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer said, walking out of the bar ├óÔé¼┼ôHave a nice day├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve looked back to where Mike had sat. Then he slid out from under the bar top, and sat back down on his stool. Eve leaned over the bar top and looked. If Mike had been fast and a great gymnast then he would have been able to cram himself under the bartop and be hidden from view. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThey're looking for you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike's mouth quirked ├óÔé¼┼ôI told you. Works been murder├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Well I had just thought up this character and was wondering how to interject it into the story. But I was taking a break, contemplating my navel, and the phone rang. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello?├óÔé¼┬Ø I asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey <name withheld>, Its Paul├óÔé¼┬Ø was the reply. Ah yes, my friend Paul. About at the same time my friend Paul had just found something that would alter his lifestyle a lot. It was called ├óÔé¼┼ôAMV Hell 3: The Motion picture├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Some back story on what the hell that is. AMV stands for Anime Music Video, witch is a collection of Anime clips that have been put to different music, and I really wish I knew that before my friend Paul showed AMV hell 3 to me. Because a hour and fourteen minutes later I was sitting in my chair, eyes bugging. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat...the...hell...was...that?├óÔé¼┬Ø I asked, looking at Paul. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was awesome, don't you think!├óÔé¼┬Ø Paul said. More like bizarre and hilarious, in a bizarre way.
But anyway my friend Paul was sent on a mad quest. He got the credits for AMV hell 3 and decided, much too quickly, to watch each and every single Anime on it. I can hear the 'Oh my gods├óÔé¼┬Ø over the Internet as I write this. But the good upshot of this means that he gets to sift through the crap and shows me the 'good' Anime's. Then I can make fun of them relentlessly. And that brings us to the climax of this story. I come to his house, thinking of how great this new character idea is.
And my friend shows me a Eflen Lied. And I go ├óÔé¼┼ôDAMN IT ALL!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Because the Anime in question starts with a severed arm. The prior owner of this severed arm is staring in abject terror at a semi-mummified figure that is held in a restraint cage. Then the gaurd's head falls off and fountains of blood shoots everywhere. Then his partner starts firing wildly at the restrained figure, but the figure just ignores the bullets (witch fly off of their intended course). Then the dead gaurd's key levitates off his corpse and unlocks the restrained figure and out steps the Naked Chick Who Can Cut People In Half With Her Mind.
The next few minutes were probably the most blood ten minutes of television I've ever seen. I counted at least five decapitations, three dismemberments, four eviscerations, one heart explosion and three examples of how pen's flung at mock five through the eyeball really really hurt. For a little while, at least. I was in shock. Not only did the Anime steal my idea, but they did it in a blazingly cool way. I watched the entire show, and was struck by how great it is. Damn you, Paul!
So i took the character down, reworked it a bit, threw in some alien's and volia, out tome's Prime! I am really angry though cause this is the third time someone else has already done my idea, and the second time they have done it better then me. Crap! Oh right, what does this have to do with Darkside: Extermination? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But if you can stand a lot of blood and nudity (and a really really depressing story) check out Elfen Lied. And no, I don't know what the title has to do with the plot. Stop asking questions.
Keller looked at his ship. He had one of his windows always set to show the current state of affairs on his ship, showing the narrow and long profile of his ship split into multiple subsections. All of them were grayed out, aside from a small thin section that ran along the spin of the ship. Some people would wonder at the logic of putting sleeper caskets on the edge of the ship. But the Hannibal was made as a long range patrol ship.
Long range patrol ships were equipped with one of the better ram jets, and a better ram jet means a better ram shield. A better ram shield means you can afford to put your sleepers on the outer edge of the ship, which frees up space down the center of the ship for the thing that really needed to got there, the railgun. Because the entire ship's length was used, the Hannibal could send a small sized asteroid through a target at blueshift speeds.
The sleepers would wake slowly, as to keep the thaw death rates down to 0.01 percent. After about two days of transit the sleepers would be up and about, and Keller would have to shoulder the rather burdensome job of turning the sleepers into marines. But he had something more worrying to focuses on. A broadside class cruiser was decelerating towards them. The computer said the ETA was three hours, at the relative speeds of the two ships, but Keller was sure the enemy would match their speed faster.
broadsides, a tactic that had been abandoned for over three century's, had come back in a bizarre way with the release of the broadside class cruiser. Most ships were thin and long. Ram shields could cover them more easily, they could avoid asteroids and other rocks easily, and they looked pretty cool. Broadsides were short ranged, harder to accelerate, and had a hard time avoiding anything if it came up on them quickly. But they could put out more shots and lasers and missiles per second compared to the patrol vessel.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôwhy are you out here?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The broadside blipped closer and closer on the monitor. Keller's first showed up, walking into the room, carrying a data slate. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've managed to fashion several new shots for the rail gun├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's first said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what's the news on the broadside├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at the monitor. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt should be within range in a few hours├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we hit it with the rail gun?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe can try├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said, smiling. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is always the worst part├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen your close enough to see the enemy but not close enough to shoot├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike sat down on the bed and sighed. He hurt like all hell, and had to get out of the city and back to the shuttle. Wednesday would dawn soon, and that was the designated meet day, when everyone went back to the shuttle. Even him. Mike got up, wincing at several different pains that shot up around his body. He opened the door to his apartment and stepped out. Slipping through the ally ways was, as usual his modus operandi.
Mike staggered to a stop, his chest burning. He had been running quietly down several alleyways, and running quietly was hard, even when you weren't injured. He had to take a break. Then his scanner jumped in his pocket. Mike pulled the scanner out and flipped it open. The blip was right behind him. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome back for a rematch?├óÔé¼┬Ø the target asked. Mike turned around, looking up. The Target sat, legs over the side of the building. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have more pressing matters then├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen a twenty trillion dollar weapon?├óÔé¼┬Ø The target asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI have to meet it├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike grinned, then winced ├óÔé¼┼ôYou certainly did a number on my left arm├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI could have torn it off├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou should be greatfull├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I have seen the wanted posters├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou want the reward?├óÔé¼┬Ø the target asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot really├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, starting to edge away from the target. He was still within six meters, by what he could tell. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôStay├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said, its voice suddenly very feminine. Mike's grin slowly vanished. Then he dived to the side, slamming into some trash cans.
The invisible hand tightened on his shoulder for a moment, but then Mike was out of range. Part of the brick wall he was behind him blew apart, the invisible fist smashing into it. The target dropped down, landing catlike on the ally way floor. Mike started to run, ignoring the trash splattered over his shirt and pants. He heard a slam and the target was up and over, hair flapping. Then another slam sound, two puffs of dirt and debris shooting up before the target hit the ground. Black hair whipped in the air, the Target slowly turned around. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats a neat trick├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said.
The target's face was angular, perfectly symmetrical and coldly beautiful. It was chilling, how perfect she was. ├óÔé¼┼ôStay├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said. Mike backed up a step. Then he felt an invisible hand grab the front of his shirt and pull him forward. He stopped a few centimeters away from the Target. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou survived├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou lived last night. How?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's what I do├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The Target smiled. Then Mike started to pull out his combat knife. He got it out. Then the blade itself fell to the ground and Mike was left holding the handle.
├óÔé¼┼ôDo you remember?├óÔé¼┬Ø the target asked. Mike, in one fluid motion kicked outwards. His foot landed perfectly onto the Target's stomach. The hand let him go and Mike started to run, away from the target. Light was glimmering on the horizon. The target started to walk after him, but Mike was running as fast as possibly, ignoring the noise he was making. He got to the end of the ally ways and burst into the light, bowling over a poor man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The man picked himself up, looking past at the trash smeared stranger who was running. Then he heard sobbing. He turned around and looked down the ally way. A woman, or teenager, sat against the wall, legs pulled into her body, held there by her arms. She was sobbing, hair wrapped around her like a cloak. The man walked into the ally way ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe didn't remember├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe didn't├óÔé¼┬Ø. The man, worried about her sanity, looked over his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho is he?├óÔé¼┬Ø the man asked. Then the woman stopped sobbing. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere am I?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked, looking around. Then her face wrinkled up, her nose scrunched up as if she was smelling something horrible.
She looked at the man. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you looking at, primate?├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman asked, standing, her hair seeming to move with a life of its own. The man, now seriously frightened, turned to run. But then he was spun around and slammed into a wall, something pressing into his back. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour race has spread like a virus├óÔé¼┬Ø the woman said. The man started to gibber, feeling a fist slowly crush into his spine. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd now you've taken our homes├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôBut...your human├óÔé¼┬Ø the man said, trying to talk sense into the man woman. ├óÔé¼┼ôI AM NOT!├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman shouted. Then the fist punched through the man's back, severing his spine and blowing a large hole in his stomach. The man slid down the wall and collapsed, eye's rolling back into his head. The woman suddenly doubled over. Someone screamed, looking down the alleyway. ├óÔé¼┼ôCall an ambulance!├óÔé¼┬Ø a woman shouted, looking at the bleeding corpse.
The target looked down the ally way at the three people who were staring at her in shock. Then she shook her head. ├óÔé¼┼ôMommy?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked, looking at her bloody hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, no, no├óÔé¼┬Ø she ran her hands down her face, blood smearing down her face ├óÔé¼┼ôNot again├óÔé¼┬Ø. A ambulance pulled up, sirens blaring. The target's head snapped down. She crouched down and there were two loud slams, and the ground cracked. She shot straight up into the air and landed gracefully on a building, melting away into shadows.
The paramedics ran down the ally way and dragged the man out. A police officer showed up soon after, to inspect the crime area. He looked at the floor and frowned. ├óÔé¼┼ôThese look like...hand prints├óÔé¼┬Ø. One of the paramedics looked at the prints, and frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôThat should have...shattered someone's hands├óÔé¼┬Ø. The police man swallowed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat can do that to a man?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked, pointing at the blood stains and bits of intestines. And the hole in the wall in the middle of the wall. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe'll check it for metal bits. Might be a sword├óÔé¼┬Ø the paramedic said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats my job├óÔé¼┬Ø the police officer said.
Eve sighed, cleaning the cup. It seemed like all she did for the last day and a half was clean cups. At least this was a slow day. There was one woman in the bar and two guys, most of whom where passed out. So Eve decided to use this to perfect her act. She took out one of the ultra expensive wine glasses and balanced it on her index finger. She stood there for a few seconds, balancing the cup. ├óÔé¼┼ôWaitress!├óÔé¼┬Ø someone shouted. Eve jumped and the drink fell off her finger. She caught it in her other and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you want?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôA beer'd be nice├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, walking into the bar. He sat down at the bar. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo your looking better├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said noncommittally. Mike sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI heal fast├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what are you doing here?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was thirsty, so I came├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Eve looked at him again and noticed that there were trash stains all down his front. He also stank. ├óÔé¼┼ôRun into a unfriendly trashcan?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHa ha ha├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôActually I almost died for the second time this week├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve looked at him, eyebrows shooting up. ├óÔé¼┼ôWorks been murder├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, smiling. ├óÔé¼┼ôha ha ha├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve did a passing imitation of Mike ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do you want?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôA beer├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNice and simple├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve grabbed a cup and started to pour a beer from the tab. Mike sipped it, glad that his brain was unaffectedly by alcohol. He had found this bar purely by accident, slipping into it purely for a chance to hide.
Eve heard the door opened again, and looked up. A police officer walked into the bar. Eve frowned, looking back to Mike. He wasn't there anymore. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam?├óÔé¼┬Ø The officer asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, looking around distractedly. ├óÔé¼┼ôHave you seen this man, or this woman?├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer slid two pictures over the desk. The first was a woman, with long black hair and a strikingly beautifully face. The other picture was Mike. It had been taken from across the street as Mike ran, his face partly blurred. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI haven't├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø the officer said, walking out of the bar ├óÔé¼┼ôHave a nice day├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve looked back to where Mike had sat. Then he slid out from under the bar top, and sat back down on his stool. Eve leaned over the bar top and looked. If Mike had been fast and a great gymnast then he would have been able to cram himself under the bartop and be hidden from view. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat did you do?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThey're looking for you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike's mouth quirked ├óÔé¼┼ôI told you. Works been murder├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The plot thicken's a little bit more. Can our hero's figure out what the hell they are trying to bring down? Will the Hanibal even show up to destroy Dantana. Some people might ask why is everything happening now? Its only the first twenty three page's!
That...is a very good question with a very big answer. But to put it in shorter terms...boom. Boom. Boom boom boom boom!
Helena's spotter sat on her head, looking over the large area's of grasslands that spread out around the small copse of tree's that the shuttle landed in. Helena was more occupied with her game boy. A relic from the ancient past, the game boy had been fished out of New York, about fifty or so years after the ice cap's melted, and had been lovingly restored with exacting detail. Helena had a harder time getting the single game she had for it, an old 'Doom' game. Doom had been a family relic, and it had coasted at least half of Helena's back pay just to get it.
But now she could kill daemons anywhere in the universe. Mankowski had often sneered at her game boy, asking 'where the vacuum tubes were', but Helena ignored him. She was sure that everyone ignored Mankowski, who seemed to not even notice the fact that no one listened or cared about what he had to say. Other then Sarge, but that was because he was Sarge. Helena closed the game boy with a snap, her spotter digging its claws into her head. She looked up. Mike was walking towards them, looking even worse for wear. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour late├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôBy at least...├óÔé¼┬Ø she checked her watch ├óÔé¼┼ôTwelve hours├óÔé¼┬Ø.
When Mike had failed to show up at the Shuttle, Helena had been the first to tell everyone to not panic. She had served with Mike for five years and knew when he was in trouble. Mike always reported when he was in trouble. So he must be doing something important, or be distracted. Sarge was pretty damn angry with Mike, and Helena knew he was going to chew him out. But what did she care? Mike was always doing something stupid.
├óÔé¼┼ôMurder?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, feeling very cold ├óÔé¼┼ôYou mean...your not...your not THE murderer, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked at her. Then burst out laughing. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf I was├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThen why would I be telling you?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve had no response to that. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was just in the wrong place at the time├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI saw someone getting killed, went to help. The police came. I ran├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôSo did you get a look at the murder?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. You don't remember. The Target's voice came floating back to Mike. It sounded familiar.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the containment facility├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI never would have guessed├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe inner sphere is a inertia amplifier. It'll stop a fucking star drive. It'll stop her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about the other three spheres?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôEach one is a amplifier. If one fails, there are three others to stop her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat warrants theses measures? A twelve year old girl?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMike, hey, Mike?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve snapped her fingers. Mike jumped slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were parsecs away├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was thinking about my last job├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôSecurity guard├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat explains it├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were a security guard├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôExplains what?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow you can, you know, fight and stuff├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Mike finished off the beer ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks for the beer├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow much do I need for that?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFive credits├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Mike reached into his pockets and dropped some chits on the bar top. ├óÔé¼┼ôHave a nice day mam├óÔé¼┬Ø.
He walked out into the open air and was shocked at the sunlight. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat time is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked at his watch. ├óÔé¼┼ôTwelve o clock?├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered and started to run. Then his injured and re-injured body parts started to throb again. He started to walk quickly rather then run. He got to the gate and walked through. The guard at the gate didn't look up. He just waved Mike past.
G cut a rather comical figure, dashing across the courtyard, one smoke dangling from her lips and two others jammed into her left hand. ├óÔé¼┼ôExcuse me├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, shoving past some accountants. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes Prime Minister├óÔé¼┬Ø they said, backing away. G got into an elevator and rode it straight to the top of parliament. She walked into her offices and rubbed her hands through her hair. Then she spat her smoke out the window, shoved one of her other one's on top of her ear, and lit the third on with a laser pointer.
G supposed she should be screaming, or running for the hill's, or sobbing uncontrollably, or any number of perfectly reasonable hysterical reactions. But all she could do was focuses on the next pull of the cigarette. Then she realized how incredibly pointless it was. Smoking was always pointless, but now it struck her how astronomically pitiful and short her life span was, how futile and moronic it was to waste it sucking a cheap plant down. She threw her other cigarettes out of the window.
G thumbed the intercom system ├óÔé¼┼ôDor, get my cabinet├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôEmergency meeting, planetary security and all there├óÔé¼┬Ø. After a few minutes the three other members of G's cabinet walked in. G let them all sit down. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo whats the Emergency?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are all going to die├óÔé¼┬Ø G said ├óÔé¼┼ôIn roughly four days├óÔé¼┬Ø. It had the expected effect on her cabinet. Everyone started talking at once. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have been targeted for extermination├óÔé¼┬Ø G said over the hubbub. ├óÔé¼┼ôFor gods sake, why!├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian asked, standing up. G smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI have no idea├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou were given direct orders├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôTo report back at midnight├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike stood straighter, trying to bear the shouts with dignity. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck were you thinking!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked, closing his eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôI ran into the target├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I realized something├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou ran into it again├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you still haven't captured it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo I haven't captured it├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause it cut my gun in half with its mind├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Sarge looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôTelekinetic has been disproved more times then bullets have been fired├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut thats what I've seen. Invisible hands, cutting things in half from six meters away. And one insane bitch to boot├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge was completely nonplussed, for about ten seconds, then he gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôSo if this thing is telekinetic, assuming thats even possible, we can't capture it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot unless you want to die. I think the only reason I lived was...├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike trailed off.
Your all going to die.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe only reason is?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. Mike blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't quite remember├óÔé¼┬Ø he said blankly ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...it had something to do with my old job├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was what, thirty years ago?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I've lived a long time. Memory's have a way of getting jumbled├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Sarge slowly exhaled ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do we do about it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo we have an inertial suppressors?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe ship comes with one├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet Stevenson on it and turn it to an amplifier├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf that possible├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey work on the same principle├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, tapping his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôStevenson get in here├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Stevenson walked into Sarge's little office, a small gun cabinet in the shuttle ├óÔé¼┼ôI recognized her!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat wounded girl├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know who she reminds me of├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't care├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you switch around our Shuttle's inertial suppressor into an amplifier?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Stevenson blinked, thinking about it for a second. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think so├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt might require new parts├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can get them, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMight need to do some robbing├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI only have...ten credits from that hunter├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Sarge frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôSee to it you don't get caught. And take Mankowski with you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded, walking out of the gun closet. Sarge sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI need a better office├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, looking around.
The figure was wrapped in restraints, with at least fourteen buckles running down its center. It floated in the middle of a sphere, not moving. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am going to kill all of you├óÔé¼┬Ø .
├óÔé¼┼ôEve!├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said into Eve's ear. Eve shot up, eyes opening. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI never thought I'd see you sleeping on the job├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said. Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts all right├óÔé¼┬Ø her employer said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can tell these last few days have been stressful for you. I mean how many murders is it now, at least fifteen├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd two of which in my vicinity├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right. I'm glad tomorrows is an off day for me├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve walked to her apartment, whistling softly as night started to fall. What had that dream been about? The figure in the sphere. The voice. She shook herself. Mike was walking into his apartment as Eve came to the hotel. He was carrying something under his back, and a strang man was walking behind him, talking animatedly.
├óÔé¼┼ôThen I say 'damn you got a big pussy, damn you got a big pussy' and she says 'why did you say it twice?'. Then I say 'I didn't├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said. Mike looked at him, eye brow cocked. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThe echo?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike turned away from him and walked into his apartment, dropping off the latest item. It had been easy enough to steal. First Mankowski distracted the electronic salesmen, then Mike slipped the component into his backpack. Easy as pie, seeing as how they didn't need to worry about police finding them.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo thats the last of it, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think so├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts what Stevenson put on the list. What you can do with it is beyond me├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a knock on the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll get it├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Mankowski nodded. Mike walked up to the door and opened it. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, grinning. ├óÔé¼┼ôHi├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, gulping ├óÔé¼┼ôUh, Eve, this is not the best time├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve's face seemed to fall slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôsorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike closed the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats the cute one we had to fix up, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked.
Eve stopped cold. The cute one we had to fix up, right? The one thing she had always hated about the apartments was the fact that the rooms had next to no soundproofing. Now she was incredibly glad of it. She walked into her own room and sat down. She remembered it. She had come to the ally, to get home. Then blankness. Then she was home. But...no. Thats not what had happened.
A figure, darkened by the ally way. A flash, then. A bullet smashing through her body, burying itself in a rib. Falling, then flash's of light and shadow and sound, under cut by a pain so intense she blocked it out. Mike's face, looking down at her before sliding sedatives into her arm. His voice, talking with those strangers. She heard one of them call one of them 'Sarge'. Eve looked at the wall ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you Mike?├óÔé¼┬Ø. She asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the CSV Hannibal. State your course and business├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the Corporate broadside Agamemnon├óÔé¼┬Ø A cut voice said thought the tac-com ├óÔé¼┼ôPlease desist in your maneuvers├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller gritted his teeth ├óÔé¼┼ôDo they know why we are here├óÔé¼┬Ø his First asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSeems like├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, then putting the tac-com back on ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are here in a legally sanctioned Extermination. Please stand aside, or you will be aiding and abetting war criminals├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe know all about your madness├óÔé¼┬Ø the response came through fast, as if the captain on the broadside had rehearsed it ahead of time. ├óÔé¼┼ôMadness? It was madness to attack a world with a banned biowepon├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø one of the tech's said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe enemy have opened fire├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôGet those P.D turrets on and maneuver us around them. Make sure not to open us to their broadside. Keller turned to his first ├óÔé¼┼ôGet some marines ready for boring partys├óÔé¼┬Ø. Fire streaked thought the night sky as the Agamemnon opened fire, mostly with 'sounder' shells. Sounders were made to be as confusing to the enemy sensors as possible, usually exploding at random distance's from the enemy, and pulsing radar constantly.
The Hannibal wasn't confused, as its main gun was not something that really needed to track to hit its target. The rail gun had already been loaded and the small asteroid was accelerated to incredible speeds, zooming down the middle of the ship. It flew into space at the broadside. Keller knew the broad side would destroy it, but he could always hope that the bits and pieces would do some damage. True to form the broadside opened all of its fire power onto the asteroid, and blew it to pieces. But because the pieces were still going the same speed as the broadside, they streaked through the enemy ship.
The Agamemnon had three brand new holes through it, but none were big enough to be overly threading. ├óÔé¼┼ôBring us in closer├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat will make us a bigger target├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I don't want to give them anytime to whittle our shot down! Bring us closer!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
That...is a very good question with a very big answer. But to put it in shorter terms...boom. Boom. Boom boom boom boom!
Helena's spotter sat on her head, looking over the large area's of grasslands that spread out around the small copse of tree's that the shuttle landed in. Helena was more occupied with her game boy. A relic from the ancient past, the game boy had been fished out of New York, about fifty or so years after the ice cap's melted, and had been lovingly restored with exacting detail. Helena had a harder time getting the single game she had for it, an old 'Doom' game. Doom had been a family relic, and it had coasted at least half of Helena's back pay just to get it.
But now she could kill daemons anywhere in the universe. Mankowski had often sneered at her game boy, asking 'where the vacuum tubes were', but Helena ignored him. She was sure that everyone ignored Mankowski, who seemed to not even notice the fact that no one listened or cared about what he had to say. Other then Sarge, but that was because he was Sarge. Helena closed the game boy with a snap, her spotter digging its claws into her head. She looked up. Mike was walking towards them, looking even worse for wear. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour late├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôBy at least...├óÔé¼┬Ø she checked her watch ├óÔé¼┼ôTwelve hours├óÔé¼┬Ø.
When Mike had failed to show up at the Shuttle, Helena had been the first to tell everyone to not panic. She had served with Mike for five years and knew when he was in trouble. Mike always reported when he was in trouble. So he must be doing something important, or be distracted. Sarge was pretty damn angry with Mike, and Helena knew he was going to chew him out. But what did she care? Mike was always doing something stupid.
├óÔé¼┼ôMurder?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, feeling very cold ├óÔé¼┼ôYou mean...your not...your not THE murderer, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked at her. Then burst out laughing. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf I was├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThen why would I be telling you?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve had no response to that. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was just in the wrong place at the time├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI saw someone getting killed, went to help. The police came. I ran├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôSo did you get a look at the murder?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. You don't remember. The Target's voice came floating back to Mike. It sounded familiar.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the containment facility├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI never would have guessed├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe inner sphere is a inertia amplifier. It'll stop a fucking star drive. It'll stop her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about the other three spheres?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôEach one is a amplifier. If one fails, there are three others to stop her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat warrants theses measures? A twelve year old girl?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôMike, hey, Mike?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve snapped her fingers. Mike jumped slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were parsecs away├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI was thinking about my last job├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôSecurity guard├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat explains it├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou were a security guard├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôExplains what?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow you can, you know, fight and stuff├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Mike finished off the beer ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks for the beer├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow much do I need for that?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFive credits├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Mike reached into his pockets and dropped some chits on the bar top. ├óÔé¼┼ôHave a nice day mam├óÔé¼┬Ø.
He walked out into the open air and was shocked at the sunlight. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat time is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked at his watch. ├óÔé¼┼ôTwelve o clock?├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered and started to run. Then his injured and re-injured body parts started to throb again. He started to walk quickly rather then run. He got to the gate and walked through. The guard at the gate didn't look up. He just waved Mike past.
G cut a rather comical figure, dashing across the courtyard, one smoke dangling from her lips and two others jammed into her left hand. ├óÔé¼┼ôExcuse me├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, shoving past some accountants. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes Prime Minister├óÔé¼┬Ø they said, backing away. G got into an elevator and rode it straight to the top of parliament. She walked into her offices and rubbed her hands through her hair. Then she spat her smoke out the window, shoved one of her other one's on top of her ear, and lit the third on with a laser pointer.
G supposed she should be screaming, or running for the hill's, or sobbing uncontrollably, or any number of perfectly reasonable hysterical reactions. But all she could do was focuses on the next pull of the cigarette. Then she realized how incredibly pointless it was. Smoking was always pointless, but now it struck her how astronomically pitiful and short her life span was, how futile and moronic it was to waste it sucking a cheap plant down. She threw her other cigarettes out of the window.
G thumbed the intercom system ├óÔé¼┼ôDor, get my cabinet├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôEmergency meeting, planetary security and all there├óÔé¼┬Ø. After a few minutes the three other members of G's cabinet walked in. G let them all sit down. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo whats the Emergency?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are all going to die├óÔé¼┬Ø G said ├óÔé¼┼ôIn roughly four days├óÔé¼┬Ø. It had the expected effect on her cabinet. Everyone started talking at once. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have been targeted for extermination├óÔé¼┬Ø G said over the hubbub. ├óÔé¼┼ôFor gods sake, why!├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian asked, standing up. G smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôI have no idea├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou were given direct orders├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôTo report back at midnight├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike stood straighter, trying to bear the shouts with dignity. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck were you thinking!├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked, closing his eyes. ├óÔé¼┼ôI ran into the target├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I realized something├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou ran into it again├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you still haven't captured it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo I haven't captured it├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause it cut my gun in half with its mind├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Sarge looked at him ├óÔé¼┼ôTelekinetic has been disproved more times then bullets have been fired├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut thats what I've seen. Invisible hands, cutting things in half from six meters away. And one insane bitch to boot├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge was completely nonplussed, for about ten seconds, then he gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôSo if this thing is telekinetic, assuming thats even possible, we can't capture it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot unless you want to die. I think the only reason I lived was...├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike trailed off.
Your all going to die.
├óÔé¼┼ôThe only reason is?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. Mike blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't quite remember├óÔé¼┬Ø he said blankly ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...it had something to do with my old job├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was what, thirty years ago?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I've lived a long time. Memory's have a way of getting jumbled├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. Sarge slowly exhaled ├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do we do about it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDo we have an inertial suppressors?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe ship comes with one├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet Stevenson on it and turn it to an amplifier├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf that possible├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThey work on the same principle├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, tapping his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôStevenson get in here├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Stevenson walked into Sarge's little office, a small gun cabinet in the shuttle ├óÔé¼┼ôI recognized her!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat wounded girl├óÔé¼┬Ø Stevenson said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know who she reminds me of├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't care├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you switch around our Shuttle's inertial suppressor into an amplifier?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Stevenson blinked, thinking about it for a second. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think so├óÔé¼┬Ø He said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt might require new parts├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can get them, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMight need to do some robbing├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI only have...ten credits from that hunter├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Sarge frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôSee to it you don't get caught. And take Mankowski with you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike nodded, walking out of the gun closet. Sarge sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI need a better office├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, looking around.
The figure was wrapped in restraints, with at least fourteen buckles running down its center. It floated in the middle of a sphere, not moving. ├óÔé¼┼ôI am going to kill all of you├óÔé¼┬Ø .
├óÔé¼┼ôEve!├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said into Eve's ear. Eve shot up, eyes opening. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI never thought I'd see you sleeping on the job├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said. Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts all right├óÔé¼┬Ø her employer said ├óÔé¼┼ôI can tell these last few days have been stressful for you. I mean how many murders is it now, at least fifteen├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd two of which in my vicinity├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour right. I'm glad tomorrows is an off day for me├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve walked to her apartment, whistling softly as night started to fall. What had that dream been about? The figure in the sphere. The voice. She shook herself. Mike was walking into his apartment as Eve came to the hotel. He was carrying something under his back, and a strang man was walking behind him, talking animatedly.
├óÔé¼┼ôThen I say 'damn you got a big pussy, damn you got a big pussy' and she says 'why did you say it twice?'. Then I say 'I didn't├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said. Mike looked at him, eye brow cocked. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked ├óÔé¼┼ôThe echo?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike turned away from him and walked into his apartment, dropping off the latest item. It had been easy enough to steal. First Mankowski distracted the electronic salesmen, then Mike slipped the component into his backpack. Easy as pie, seeing as how they didn't need to worry about police finding them.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo thats the last of it, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think so├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts what Stevenson put on the list. What you can do with it is beyond me├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was a knock on the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll get it├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. Mankowski nodded. Mike walked up to the door and opened it. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, grinning. ├óÔé¼┼ôHi├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, gulping ├óÔé¼┼ôUh, Eve, this is not the best time├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve's face seemed to fall slightly ├óÔé¼┼ôOh├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôsorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike closed the door. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats the cute one we had to fix up, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked.
Eve stopped cold. The cute one we had to fix up, right? The one thing she had always hated about the apartments was the fact that the rooms had next to no soundproofing. Now she was incredibly glad of it. She walked into her own room and sat down. She remembered it. She had come to the ally, to get home. Then blankness. Then she was home. But...no. Thats not what had happened.
A figure, darkened by the ally way. A flash, then. A bullet smashing through her body, burying itself in a rib. Falling, then flash's of light and shadow and sound, under cut by a pain so intense she blocked it out. Mike's face, looking down at her before sliding sedatives into her arm. His voice, talking with those strangers. She heard one of them call one of them 'Sarge'. Eve looked at the wall ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you Mike?├óÔé¼┬Ø. She asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the CSV Hannibal. State your course and business├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the Corporate broadside Agamemnon├óÔé¼┬Ø A cut voice said thought the tac-com ├óÔé¼┼ôPlease desist in your maneuvers├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller gritted his teeth ├óÔé¼┼ôDo they know why we are here├óÔé¼┬Ø his First asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSeems like├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, then putting the tac-com back on ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are here in a legally sanctioned Extermination. Please stand aside, or you will be aiding and abetting war criminals├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe know all about your madness├óÔé¼┬Ø the response came through fast, as if the captain on the broadside had rehearsed it ahead of time. ├óÔé¼┼ôMadness? It was madness to attack a world with a banned biowepon├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø one of the tech's said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe enemy have opened fire├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôGet those P.D turrets on and maneuver us around them. Make sure not to open us to their broadside. Keller turned to his first ├óÔé¼┼ôGet some marines ready for boring partys├óÔé¼┬Ø. Fire streaked thought the night sky as the Agamemnon opened fire, mostly with 'sounder' shells. Sounders were made to be as confusing to the enemy sensors as possible, usually exploding at random distance's from the enemy, and pulsing radar constantly.
The Hannibal wasn't confused, as its main gun was not something that really needed to track to hit its target. The rail gun had already been loaded and the small asteroid was accelerated to incredible speeds, zooming down the middle of the ship. It flew into space at the broadside. Keller knew the broad side would destroy it, but he could always hope that the bits and pieces would do some damage. True to form the broadside opened all of its fire power onto the asteroid, and blew it to pieces. But because the pieces were still going the same speed as the broadside, they streaked through the enemy ship.
The Agamemnon had three brand new holes through it, but none were big enough to be overly threading. ├óÔé¼┼ôBring us in closer├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat will make us a bigger target├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I don't want to give them anytime to whittle our shot down! Bring us closer!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Another thrilling episode of Darkside: Extermination.
Thursday night. It was perfect for Sarge's needs. The isolationist part was having a rally near the middle of town. Most everyone would be there, even if it was just to boo. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôhere is the plan├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike, Stevenson, Mankowski, Helena and July were gathered together. Stevenson was greasy from working on the shuttle's engine and the inertial amplifier. Helena and July were both stiff from staying up tree's all day and most of the night. Sarge had pulled them back in, worried that Mike's frequent transit between shuttle and city would attract attention.
Mike himself was still looking rather beat up, but was healing nicely. Sarge turned on the ship's computer, and it displayed the map of the city they had taken while in orbit. Everyone crowded around. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge pointed to three highlighted sectors ├óÔé¼┼ôThese are the areas the target has been spotted in├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed at thirteen other sectors, these highlighted in red ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd these are where the murders had taken place├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a circle├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWith one missing spot├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge pointed out a swath of three sectors that kept the circle from being complete ├óÔé¼┼ôI think the target will be there├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAre we going to let some Prime Minister bleed this planet to the company?├óÔé¼┬Ø the spokesman shouted into the microphone. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO!├óÔé¼┬Ø was the resounding reply, the crowds arms raised up in cheer. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre we going to let outsiders emigrate and take our planet away from us?├óÔé¼┬Ø the spokesman shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO!├óÔé¼┬Ø was the resounding reply. Mike could hear the hullabaloo from at least three city blocks away. It was almost pitch black in the alleyways. His gun was held in his left hand, witch was still bandaged, scanner held in the right hand. He slowly brought the scanner around, hoping to spot the target. He stopped and turned in a slow circle, feet crunching in the gravel. ├óÔé¼┼ôLooking for me?├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice asked behind him.
Mike spun around and Mankowski leered back at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod damn it Mankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't fucking sneak up on me like that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge sent me to tell you that the target's been found in sector...├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, looking at his scanner ├óÔé¼┼ôSector Ten-4├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, following the bigger man as they walked through alleyways. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo do you think we'll get it this time?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI remembered my briefing this time├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, stopping. Mankowski turned around and looked at Mike.
Mike aimed his pistol right at Mankowski's left eye. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôStop screwing around├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour a shape shifter├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge would never send troops if he could just zap me a message on the headset├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is me, Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, taking a step forward. Mike fired and the pistol hissed slightly, silencer cutting down on the noise. The wall next to Mankowski exploded, sending bits of brick and stone flying. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat shouldn't of missed├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôstop screwing around├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski raised his hands ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've got me├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Then his face melted like hot wax, feature's blending together into a formless whole. The body shrunk slightly, the hair shooting outwards as it did so. The target stood, looking like her normal self, and cricked her head slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôNeat trick├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôNow why don't you just come along. Make it easier for us├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd die first├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine by me├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snarled, pulling the trigger once, twice then three times. Shell caseins fell to the ground, clattering softly. Each bullet missed the target by a wide margin.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo you can deflect bullets├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. The target swayed slightly. Mike fired again, bringing his gun up suddenly. The bullet cut a thin line down the left cheek of the target. Then blood started to run down it. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour getting tired├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. The target sank to her knee's ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not a one trick pony├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. She spread her arms out wide and two blades snapped outwards, folding on hidden sockets under her wists. It was such a seamless transition that Mike couldn't even tell when the blades had come out. They were just there.
├óÔé¼┼ôNeat├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike started to say, but then the target dashed forward, left arm coming up and around. Mike ducked, body falling into its normal pattern of fighting. The blade went though the wall next to him, sending a shower of debris onto Mike's back. He kicked the target once, then again, not putting his foot down. The target moved with the kicks, flying into the wall. She rebounded, blades sweeping about. Mike dived to the side and they switched sides, with the target facing away from him.
Mike pressed his gun into her back ├óÔé¼┼ôTry and deflect this├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôor do anything and I will kill you├óÔé¼┬Ø. There were two wet snaps as the blades folded back into the targets arms ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said into his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôI've gotten the target. I think she'll be cooperating for now. Heading to the meeting place├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked at the target ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, shoving her down. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just like old times├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôBreach! Breach! Breach!├óÔé¼┬Ø [i/]. Mike cursed his age and shoved the target down the alleyway. The target was one of the more willing hostage's Mike had gotten from place to place. She didn't put up a fight, not with the gun in her spine. They made good time to the meeting place, where Sarge had cut a hole in the fence of the city. The rest of the team was there. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou got her├óÔé¼┬Ø. Stevenson gasped, looking at the target. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts y├óÔé¼┬Ø he started to say. Then his head fell off, a torrent of blood spraying. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena shoved July away, falling to her side. Her gun was out, but the target already acted. The fingers on Helena's right hand suddenly flew off and the woman curled up, clutching her bloody stump, mouth open in a silent scream. Sarge and Mankowski were backing away from the target. For now all of them were out of range. Everyone but Mike.
Mike backed away, raising his gun, knowing that he would die soon. Then two fists slammed into his chest and he was sent flying. He hit the street, sliding along the ground and sending dust flying. He heard silenced gunshots but the bullets were not hitting their marks. ├óÔé¼┼ôRun!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted, ignoring his broken rib ├óÔé¼┼ôRUN!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski looked at him, but Sarge shoved him back. Mankowski fell through the hole. Sarge dived after him, even as the dust kicked up by the battle was...distorted by a invisible force.
The target walked slowly to Helena, looking at the injured woman. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted, staggering towards Helena ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't do it!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target looked at him. The tableau held, Helena curled up, Mike's hand outreached to the target. The target staring at him, a blank expression on her face. Then a bullet went straight through the target's shoulder, sending blood flying. The target fell backwards and hit the ground, eye's shut tight. July slowly lowered her pistol and lay her head back down ├óÔé¼┼ôBitch├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered.
Eve hated the Isolationist party. They ignored facts, distorted others and played on the fear of the population of the omnipotent company and the up swell of immigrants that were arriving daily. She had walked away from the rally even before it had started, tired of the hate that it stirred up. Hate on both sides, the Isolationists and the other political party's that disagreed with them. She walked into an ally, heading home.
The target gasped, hand clutching the wound in her shoulder. Her body was already repairing itself, but the pain was incredible. She tried to do something, anything. But Mike was already above her, gun pointed at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôget up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't├óÔé¼┬Ø the target moaned, curling up. July was already helping Helena to her feet, getting a battle dressing ready for the severed finger stumps. Helena was pale, tears running down her face. Mike grabbed the target's feet and started dragging her. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge├óÔé¼┬Ø he said into his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have subdued the target├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôGet up├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike grabbed the targets shoulders, even the injured one, and forced her to stand. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow walk├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The target closed her eyes and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
├óÔé¼┼ôI thought the system was impregnable, damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up Mike and rally the troops. We need to stop her, and stop her now├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRally the troops? We only have thirty left and she's already heading this way├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine...we'll evac the station, blow everything├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit, what was that!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôI am going to kill all of you├óÔé¼┬Ø. .
Mike threw the target into the shuttle and ran away, fear in his mouth. Now that he didn't have a gun to the back of her head, she could strike back. He made it to the top of the crater. Then there was a thump and he couldn't breath, the air becoming like flypaper, sluggish and unresponsive. But he kept moving and burst out of the inertial amplification field. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood show├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, taking his finger off the activation button. Mike turned around and looked into the field. It was a very...shoddy inertial amplifier. Made from cobbled together parts and a rewired suppressor, it looked like it wouldn't last a hour, let alone two days.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe're still screwed├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said as July bound Helena's hand. Helena drinking deep from a bottle of brandy, trying to not focuses on the fact that she had no fingers on her right hand. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut Sarge'll think of something├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to tell him what we should do. Right now├óÔé¼┬Ø. He turned away, walking to where Sarge was sitting, smoking his last cigar. July stood to stop him, but Helena placed her left hand on the woman's shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's an irregular├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts is his job├óÔé¼┬Ø.
There are times where the rigidity of military hierarchy worked against itself. For those times there where the Irregulars. The Irregulars were formed about thirty years ago, when the used and reused battlefields of SOL gave way to the infinity different worlds and stars capes of the fifty odd star systems and DSO's that made up human space. They were jacks of all trades, capable of thinking their way out of most situations. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we should blow the shuttle and kill the target while we still can├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôReasons?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. He wasn't rejecting the idea out of hand, witch was a good sine. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe target...I keep thinking I've seen her before├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike looked away ├óÔé¼┼ôbut you saw what she can do as well as I did. Stevenson...Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd that stasis field is not going to last├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats an understate...ment├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off. The slightly distorted sphere of air was starting to flicker. ├óÔé¼┼ôCrap├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think your right├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôLets detonate the├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then part of the shuttle wall fell forward, flying outwards. The field failed and the target stepped outwards. ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôHIT THE DECK!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge slammed the button on his remote control.
The shuttle's computer bleeped. Then its reactor exploded. It was a small, mostly contained explosion, made to do as little damage to the surrounding area. But it still sent Mike and Sarge flying. The minimushroom cloud thumped up into the air and the entire forest was lit up. Then Mike hit the ground, rolling. He landed on his back, looking up at the night sky as the flames from the explosion died down.
Then there were two loud slams and a second later the target landed. She looked completely uninjured. She turned her head slightly, looking at Mike. Mike immediately pulled his gun out and aimed. He fired, but the bullet was deflected. But then Sarge started to pour on his own firepower, his pistol blasting out shot after shot. The target fell back, obviously tired from deflecting the high velocity bullets. The target turned and ran. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are short one shuttle├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, looking at the flaming wreckage ├óÔé¼┼ôand a lot of guns├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked back at the city. The target had already melted away, into the shadows.
Thursday night. It was perfect for Sarge's needs. The isolationist part was having a rally near the middle of town. Most everyone would be there, even if it was just to boo. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôhere is the plan├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike, Stevenson, Mankowski, Helena and July were gathered together. Stevenson was greasy from working on the shuttle's engine and the inertial amplifier. Helena and July were both stiff from staying up tree's all day and most of the night. Sarge had pulled them back in, worried that Mike's frequent transit between shuttle and city would attract attention.
Mike himself was still looking rather beat up, but was healing nicely. Sarge turned on the ship's computer, and it displayed the map of the city they had taken while in orbit. Everyone crowded around. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge pointed to three highlighted sectors ├óÔé¼┼ôThese are the areas the target has been spotted in├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed at thirteen other sectors, these highlighted in red ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd these are where the murders had taken place├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a circle├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWith one missing spot├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge pointed out a swath of three sectors that kept the circle from being complete ├óÔé¼┼ôI think the target will be there├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAre we going to let some Prime Minister bleed this planet to the company?├óÔé¼┬Ø the spokesman shouted into the microphone. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO!├óÔé¼┬Ø was the resounding reply, the crowds arms raised up in cheer. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre we going to let outsiders emigrate and take our planet away from us?├óÔé¼┬Ø the spokesman shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôNO!├óÔé¼┬Ø was the resounding reply. Mike could hear the hullabaloo from at least three city blocks away. It was almost pitch black in the alleyways. His gun was held in his left hand, witch was still bandaged, scanner held in the right hand. He slowly brought the scanner around, hoping to spot the target. He stopped and turned in a slow circle, feet crunching in the gravel. ├óÔé¼┼ôLooking for me?├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice asked behind him.
Mike spun around and Mankowski leered back at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod damn it Mankowski├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't fucking sneak up on me like that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge sent me to tell you that the target's been found in sector...├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, looking at his scanner ├óÔé¼┼ôSector Ten-4├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, following the bigger man as they walked through alleyways. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo do you think we'll get it this time?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI remembered my briefing this time├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, stopping. Mankowski turned around and looked at Mike.
Mike aimed his pistol right at Mankowski's left eye. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said ├óÔé¼┼ôStop screwing around├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour a shape shifter├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge would never send troops if he could just zap me a message on the headset├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is me, Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Mankowski said, taking a step forward. Mike fired and the pistol hissed slightly, silencer cutting down on the noise. The wall next to Mankowski exploded, sending bits of brick and stone flying. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat shouldn't of missed├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôstop screwing around├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski raised his hands ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've got me├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Then his face melted like hot wax, feature's blending together into a formless whole. The body shrunk slightly, the hair shooting outwards as it did so. The target stood, looking like her normal self, and cricked her head slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôNeat trick├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôNow why don't you just come along. Make it easier for us├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target shook her head ├óÔé¼┼ôI'd die first├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine by me├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike snarled, pulling the trigger once, twice then three times. Shell caseins fell to the ground, clattering softly. Each bullet missed the target by a wide margin.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo you can deflect bullets├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. The target swayed slightly. Mike fired again, bringing his gun up suddenly. The bullet cut a thin line down the left cheek of the target. Then blood started to run down it. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour getting tired├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. The target sank to her knee's ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not a one trick pony├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. She spread her arms out wide and two blades snapped outwards, folding on hidden sockets under her wists. It was such a seamless transition that Mike couldn't even tell when the blades had come out. They were just there.
├óÔé¼┼ôNeat├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike started to say, but then the target dashed forward, left arm coming up and around. Mike ducked, body falling into its normal pattern of fighting. The blade went though the wall next to him, sending a shower of debris onto Mike's back. He kicked the target once, then again, not putting his foot down. The target moved with the kicks, flying into the wall. She rebounded, blades sweeping about. Mike dived to the side and they switched sides, with the target facing away from him.
Mike pressed his gun into her back ├óÔé¼┼ôTry and deflect this├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôor do anything and I will kill you├óÔé¼┬Ø. There were two wet snaps as the blades folded back into the targets arms ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said into his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôI've gotten the target. I think she'll be cooperating for now. Heading to the meeting place├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked at the target ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, shoving her down. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just like old times├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôBreach! Breach! Breach!├óÔé¼┬Ø [i/]. Mike cursed his age and shoved the target down the alleyway. The target was one of the more willing hostage's Mike had gotten from place to place. She didn't put up a fight, not with the gun in her spine. They made good time to the meeting place, where Sarge had cut a hole in the fence of the city. The rest of the team was there. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou got her├óÔé¼┬Ø. Stevenson gasped, looking at the target. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts y├óÔé¼┬Ø he started to say. Then his head fell off, a torrent of blood spraying. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck!├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena shoved July away, falling to her side. Her gun was out, but the target already acted. The fingers on Helena's right hand suddenly flew off and the woman curled up, clutching her bloody stump, mouth open in a silent scream. Sarge and Mankowski were backing away from the target. For now all of them were out of range. Everyone but Mike.
Mike backed away, raising his gun, knowing that he would die soon. Then two fists slammed into his chest and he was sent flying. He hit the street, sliding along the ground and sending dust flying. He heard silenced gunshots but the bullets were not hitting their marks. ├óÔé¼┼ôRun!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted, ignoring his broken rib ├óÔé¼┼ôRUN!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mankowski looked at him, but Sarge shoved him back. Mankowski fell through the hole. Sarge dived after him, even as the dust kicked up by the battle was...distorted by a invisible force.
The target walked slowly to Helena, looking at the injured woman. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike shouted, staggering towards Helena ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't do it!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target looked at him. The tableau held, Helena curled up, Mike's hand outreached to the target. The target staring at him, a blank expression on her face. Then a bullet went straight through the target's shoulder, sending blood flying. The target fell backwards and hit the ground, eye's shut tight. July slowly lowered her pistol and lay her head back down ├óÔé¼┼ôBitch├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered.
Eve hated the Isolationist party. They ignored facts, distorted others and played on the fear of the population of the omnipotent company and the up swell of immigrants that were arriving daily. She had walked away from the rally even before it had started, tired of the hate that it stirred up. Hate on both sides, the Isolationists and the other political party's that disagreed with them. She walked into an ally, heading home.
The target gasped, hand clutching the wound in her shoulder. Her body was already repairing itself, but the pain was incredible. She tried to do something, anything. But Mike was already above her, gun pointed at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou bitch├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôget up├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't├óÔé¼┬Ø the target moaned, curling up. July was already helping Helena to her feet, getting a battle dressing ready for the severed finger stumps. Helena was pale, tears running down her face. Mike grabbed the target's feet and started dragging her. ├óÔé¼┼ôSarge├óÔé¼┬Ø he said into his headset ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have subdued the target├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôGet up├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike grabbed the targets shoulders, even the injured one, and forced her to stand. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow walk├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The target closed her eyes and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
├óÔé¼┼ôI thought the system was impregnable, damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up Mike and rally the troops. We need to stop her, and stop her now├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRally the troops? We only have thirty left and she's already heading this way├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine...we'll evac the station, blow everything├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit, what was that!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôI am going to kill all of you├óÔé¼┬Ø. .
Mike threw the target into the shuttle and ran away, fear in his mouth. Now that he didn't have a gun to the back of her head, she could strike back. He made it to the top of the crater. Then there was a thump and he couldn't breath, the air becoming like flypaper, sluggish and unresponsive. But he kept moving and burst out of the inertial amplification field. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood show├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said, taking his finger off the activation button. Mike turned around and looked into the field. It was a very...shoddy inertial amplifier. Made from cobbled together parts and a rewired suppressor, it looked like it wouldn't last a hour, let alone two days.
├óÔé¼┼ôWe're still screwed├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said as July bound Helena's hand. Helena drinking deep from a bottle of brandy, trying to not focuses on the fact that she had no fingers on her right hand. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø July said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut Sarge'll think of something├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to tell him what we should do. Right now├óÔé¼┬Ø. He turned away, walking to where Sarge was sitting, smoking his last cigar. July stood to stop him, but Helena placed her left hand on the woman's shoulder ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's an irregular├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts is his job├óÔé¼┬Ø.
There are times where the rigidity of military hierarchy worked against itself. For those times there where the Irregulars. The Irregulars were formed about thirty years ago, when the used and reused battlefields of SOL gave way to the infinity different worlds and stars capes of the fifty odd star systems and DSO's that made up human space. They were jacks of all trades, capable of thinking their way out of most situations. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think we should blow the shuttle and kill the target while we still can├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôReasons?├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge asked. He wasn't rejecting the idea out of hand, witch was a good sine. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe target...I keep thinking I've seen her before├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike looked away ├óÔé¼┼ôbut you saw what she can do as well as I did. Stevenson...Helena├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd that stasis field is not going to last├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats an understate...ment├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off. The slightly distorted sphere of air was starting to flicker. ├óÔé¼┼ôCrap├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said ├óÔé¼┼ôI think your right├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôLets detonate the├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then part of the shuttle wall fell forward, flying outwards. The field failed and the target stepped outwards. ├óÔé¼┼ôEveryone!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôHIT THE DECK!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Sarge slammed the button on his remote control.
The shuttle's computer bleeped. Then its reactor exploded. It was a small, mostly contained explosion, made to do as little damage to the surrounding area. But it still sent Mike and Sarge flying. The minimushroom cloud thumped up into the air and the entire forest was lit up. Then Mike hit the ground, rolling. He landed on his back, looking up at the night sky as the flames from the explosion died down.
Then there were two loud slams and a second later the target landed. She looked completely uninjured. She turned her head slightly, looking at Mike. Mike immediately pulled his gun out and aimed. He fired, but the bullet was deflected. But then Sarge started to pour on his own firepower, his pistol blasting out shot after shot. The target fell back, obviously tired from deflecting the high velocity bullets. The target turned and ran. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarge said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are short one shuttle├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, looking at the flaming wreckage ├óÔé¼┼ôand a lot of guns├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked back at the city. The target had already melted away, into the shadows.
The Hannibal and the Agamemnon were in what most people called a pissing match. The Agamemnon would fire a volley of bullets and missiles. The Hannibal would swat them down and weather the fast moving pattering of debris that came from those shots. Then the Hannibal would fire back, its significantly smaller volley getting shot out of the sky by the Agamemnon. But Keller was getting his marines ready. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have gotten all our remaining shuttles ready├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôLets give the enemy something else to concentrate on├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked at his gunnery officer and singled him. The Hannibal fired its left maneuvering jets and spun around. It took an agonizingly long time. The Agamemnon had just fired a volley at the front of the Hannibal, and it took at least ten seconds to reload. By that time the Hannibal was broadsiding the broadside. Then it opened fire with every single one of its side missle banks.
Rockets, sounders, mussels and micronukes were launched in a dizzying light show, confusing the optical and radar sensors of the Agamemnon. Under this cloud of flashing lights and pulsing beacons a wave of shuttles were launched. A full third of the Hannibal's complement of marines were launched. One of the shuttles, unfortunately, was blown out of the air by a point defense laser. The laser cut through the left engine and detonated the reactor core.
The rest of the shuttles landed, bug like, on the side of the Agamemnon. They all started to burn their way through, lasers cutting through the armor plating on the Agamemnon like tissue paper. It was just a lot of toilet paper. The first shuttle that broke through immediately let its soldiers in. The soldiers jumped thought the zero gravity of the shuttle and landed, feet first, in the new gravity field of the Agamemnon. The marines started to run down the rather grungy hallway they had bored into, guns ready.
They were supposed to smash up the area around their insertion, and then get out. They were explicitly ordered to not take the Agamemnon as prise. So they set to it, placing demo charges every ten or so meters. They ran into minimal resistance, a few technicians and such, and dispatched them with a few quick rifle shots. The other squads of marines were doing similarly well. Then one of the squads ran smack into one of the Agamemnon's squads. The squad leader was the first to go, a sudden blooming of red on her shirt followed by an explosion as the explosive round detonated in her ribcage.
The other members of the squad dropped, firing back. The three bullets caught three respective enemy targets. One enemy was hit in the shoulder, sent spinning. The other two were leg and arm shots, doing minimal damage. The hall ways offered little protection, but the marines stuck to the wall and tried to keep low profiles. The enemy pulled plates off the wall, uncovering electrical wiring and bare armor, and used those plates to cover their body's. One of the marines leaned around the corner and fired off a quick burst with their rifle.
The bust caught a enemy who was standing and taking aim. The enemy fell, the marines A.P bullets going straight through their rather privative Kevlar armor. The marine ducked back into his hiding spot, and two bullets slammed into the deck and wall's around him. One of his partners fired around the corner, firing blind. One bullet almost hit an enemy, but the enemy jerked back in time. The firefight continued in the same vein for quite a while, shots being exchanged for a few more seconds. Then one of the marines managed to hit an enemy soldier in the head. Brain's and bits of skull flew everywhere.
The remaining two soldiers broke, finally. The marines cut them down, aiming for the legs and back. The soldiers collapsed and died. ├óÔé¼┼ôHead out├óÔé¼┬Ø One of the marines said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have a job to do├óÔé¼┬Ø. But now the job was getting far to hot for them. They pulled back as lodes of new soldiers came to their area's. The shuttles detached, but three were taken down by laser and shot. Their husks kept spinning off into space, flaming slowly as the last bits of O2 were used up. The bomb squad on the Agamemnon tried frantically to disarm the demo charges. But there were to many. ├óÔé¼┼ôDetonate├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said.
A trail of explosions stitched themselves over the Agamemnon, sending debris's and flaming bits of armor flying outwards into space. Ten percent of the Agamemnon's weapons were blasted apart in the fiery blast. The six remaining shuttles limped back to the Hannibal as the smaller ship started to move away. The Agamemnon would be staying still for the time being, putting out fire's and closing holes. The Hannibal knew it would follow. It set course for the larger of the two asteroid belts in the Dantana system.
Eve woke up, drenched in sweat. She had a nightmare about running and hiding. She had dreamed the Isolationists were after her, but their face's morphed and bled into different people. Then Mike was aiming a gun at her, then she was awake. She slowly pulled her shirt off. It stuck to her most unpleasantly, sticky and heavy with sweat. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve threw the shirt away and groped around for her watch. It was three in the mourning, Friday. She rolled over and tried to sleep. Then she heard something. It sounded liked footsteps.
Eve got out of bed, grabbing a clean shirt. She walked over to the door and opened it slowly. She looked around outside and saw a figure slowly walking down the stairs. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. The target spun around and suddenly a gun jumped into his hand. Mike stepped forward and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't sneak up on me like that├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve starred at his gun cross eyed, heat hammering in her chest. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just I didn't expect you to point a gun at me!├óÔé¼┬Ø her voice went up in volume at the last word.
├óÔé¼┼ôShhh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm here against orders├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI came by to get some of my stuff. I've got a score to settle├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA score? Orders?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you talking about!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour never going to see me again├óÔé¼┬Ø he put his foot up on the railing ├óÔé¼┼ôTell the hotel clerk that my room is open for rent├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he vaulted over the side and landed with almost no sound. Eve watched him melt into the shadows, moving like a cat hunting a mouse. She gulped. Then ran down the stairs, following him.
Sarge had ordered Mike to wait till morning. But the Mike was through. He was through with this crummy mission, through with playing cat and mouse with...whatever they had been sent to track down. So he had left, taking some ammo off of Sarge's person as the bigger man slept. Mike went into the city and pilfered some gun shops, breaking in easily and evading their rather privative antibreak in systems even easier. He grabbed a hunting shot gun and two more, lower caliber pistols. After strapping them on his person he went to the hotel. To pick up his jacket.
Now he was walking through the nearly deserted streets of the city, scanner out. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that the scanner didn't. A figure jumping from roof top to roof top. Mike turned slowly, as if scanning the entire area. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said from the top of a building right next to him ├óÔé¼┼ôYou never learned to bluff? Even now?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôWho said I was bluffing?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked and fired the shot gun, slipping it into his hand with a jerk of his arm.
At least some of the pellets came home because a few drops of blood came down. But then the target was falling straight at him. Mike dived backwards, rolling away from the invisible six meter sphere of influence around the target. He came up, dropping the shot gun, with both low caliber pistols in his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôEat it├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered, firing both of them. At this range he would have a hard time missing, but the bullets were deflected. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that all you have?├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôThose 9mm's wont even make me break a sweat├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike grinned and suddenly threw both pistols forward. The target caught them with her invisible hands, but by then Mike had already gotten his high caliber gun out and ready. He fired, aiming straight for the head. But the target was smart, putting both pistols between her and the bullet. Mike stood up, grabbing the shot gun and running. The target started after him, levitating sedately after him. Mike fired his shot gun behind him, mostly to distract, then dived into a store front window.
The target stepped into the diner, the glass shards moving out of the way from her feet under their own power. She walked up to the front of the store, looking for Mike. He was standing next to a fire exit, aiming his gun at a stove top. The gas tank had been hastily pulled out and placed where Mike could hit it. Mike could have said something flippant. But rather he fired into the gas tank and dived out of the fire exit. The store exploded into flames, shattering the unbroken windows. The target flew out of one of those windows, pushed back by her own powers.
Mike started to run again, hoping he had slowed the target again. No such luck. Two slams and the target was flying up and over the destroyed diner. Mike took aim and fired. The target spun and twisted and ended up landing on her side. She levitated a near by bit of debris from the diner and hurled it at Mike. Mike dived to the side and the debris smashed into a window behind him, setting of another alarm. The street was already loud, from all the alarms, but it was also brightened by the now happily burning diner.
Mike got to his feet and ran into a gun shop, the same one he had ripped off no more then a few minutes ago. The target started ran in after him. Mike barred the door, shoving a heavy casket of shotgun ammo in front of the door, in hopes of blocking it. No such luck. The door exploded inwards, shattering as it did so. Mike held his hands up, dropping his shot gun even as he reloaded it. Several bits of wood cut his arms of, but he still grabbed the nearest gun off the nearest gun rack. It was a semi-automatic pistol, witch he fired at the target.
The target batted the bullets away just as easily as it did the others. Mike started to run thought he store. Then a pen, levitated from the counter of the gun store, buried itself in the wall, right in front of his face. Mike ducked as a stool did the same, shattering. Mike rolled under a counter and grabbed a rifle off that. He grabbed some bullets and started loading them. The target had gotten to his hiding place. Mike shoved the rifle into her calf and fired. The target dropped, its calf exploding in blood as the bullet tore through it. Mike got up and ran, even as the target started getting up, favoring its right leg. Its calf was already healing.
Mike ran into the street and pulled out of his jacket one of the few things that Sarge had salvaged from the ship. A grenade. He turned it on and threw it into the gun shop. The entire shop exploded, a massive fire ball causing the walls to fall outwards. The secondary explosions from the ammo caused the entire place to light up again. Mike fell to the ground, blinking away the flash from the twin explosions. He slowly stood up.
The target stood in a circle of calm, the fire twining around her, but not touching her. Then she took a step forward. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike grunted ├óÔé¼┼ôJust fucking DIE!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôLets give the enemy something else to concentrate on├óÔé¼┬Ø. He looked at his gunnery officer and singled him. The Hannibal fired its left maneuvering jets and spun around. It took an agonizingly long time. The Agamemnon had just fired a volley at the front of the Hannibal, and it took at least ten seconds to reload. By that time the Hannibal was broadsiding the broadside. Then it opened fire with every single one of its side missle banks.
Rockets, sounders, mussels and micronukes were launched in a dizzying light show, confusing the optical and radar sensors of the Agamemnon. Under this cloud of flashing lights and pulsing beacons a wave of shuttles were launched. A full third of the Hannibal's complement of marines were launched. One of the shuttles, unfortunately, was blown out of the air by a point defense laser. The laser cut through the left engine and detonated the reactor core.
The rest of the shuttles landed, bug like, on the side of the Agamemnon. They all started to burn their way through, lasers cutting through the armor plating on the Agamemnon like tissue paper. It was just a lot of toilet paper. The first shuttle that broke through immediately let its soldiers in. The soldiers jumped thought the zero gravity of the shuttle and landed, feet first, in the new gravity field of the Agamemnon. The marines started to run down the rather grungy hallway they had bored into, guns ready.
They were supposed to smash up the area around their insertion, and then get out. They were explicitly ordered to not take the Agamemnon as prise. So they set to it, placing demo charges every ten or so meters. They ran into minimal resistance, a few technicians and such, and dispatched them with a few quick rifle shots. The other squads of marines were doing similarly well. Then one of the squads ran smack into one of the Agamemnon's squads. The squad leader was the first to go, a sudden blooming of red on her shirt followed by an explosion as the explosive round detonated in her ribcage.
The other members of the squad dropped, firing back. The three bullets caught three respective enemy targets. One enemy was hit in the shoulder, sent spinning. The other two were leg and arm shots, doing minimal damage. The hall ways offered little protection, but the marines stuck to the wall and tried to keep low profiles. The enemy pulled plates off the wall, uncovering electrical wiring and bare armor, and used those plates to cover their body's. One of the marines leaned around the corner and fired off a quick burst with their rifle.
The bust caught a enemy who was standing and taking aim. The enemy fell, the marines A.P bullets going straight through their rather privative Kevlar armor. The marine ducked back into his hiding spot, and two bullets slammed into the deck and wall's around him. One of his partners fired around the corner, firing blind. One bullet almost hit an enemy, but the enemy jerked back in time. The firefight continued in the same vein for quite a while, shots being exchanged for a few more seconds. Then one of the marines managed to hit an enemy soldier in the head. Brain's and bits of skull flew everywhere.
The remaining two soldiers broke, finally. The marines cut them down, aiming for the legs and back. The soldiers collapsed and died. ├óÔé¼┼ôHead out├óÔé¼┬Ø One of the marines said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have a job to do├óÔé¼┬Ø. But now the job was getting far to hot for them. They pulled back as lodes of new soldiers came to their area's. The shuttles detached, but three were taken down by laser and shot. Their husks kept spinning off into space, flaming slowly as the last bits of O2 were used up. The bomb squad on the Agamemnon tried frantically to disarm the demo charges. But there were to many. ├óÔé¼┼ôDetonate├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said.
A trail of explosions stitched themselves over the Agamemnon, sending debris's and flaming bits of armor flying outwards into space. Ten percent of the Agamemnon's weapons were blasted apart in the fiery blast. The six remaining shuttles limped back to the Hannibal as the smaller ship started to move away. The Agamemnon would be staying still for the time being, putting out fire's and closing holes. The Hannibal knew it would follow. It set course for the larger of the two asteroid belts in the Dantana system.
Eve woke up, drenched in sweat. She had a nightmare about running and hiding. She had dreamed the Isolationists were after her, but their face's morphed and bled into different people. Then Mike was aiming a gun at her, then she was awake. She slowly pulled her shirt off. It stuck to her most unpleasantly, sticky and heavy with sweat. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve threw the shirt away and groped around for her watch. It was three in the mourning, Friday. She rolled over and tried to sleep. Then she heard something. It sounded liked footsteps.
Eve got out of bed, grabbing a clean shirt. She walked over to the door and opened it slowly. She looked around outside and saw a figure slowly walking down the stairs. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. The target spun around and suddenly a gun jumped into his hand. Mike stepped forward and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't sneak up on me like that├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve starred at his gun cross eyed, heat hammering in her chest. ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts just I didn't expect you to point a gun at me!├óÔé¼┬Ø her voice went up in volume at the last word.
├óÔé¼┼ôShhh├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm here against orders├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI came by to get some of my stuff. I've got a score to settle├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôA score? Orders?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you talking about!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYour never going to see me again├óÔé¼┬Ø he put his foot up on the railing ├óÔé¼┼ôTell the hotel clerk that my room is open for rent├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he vaulted over the side and landed with almost no sound. Eve watched him melt into the shadows, moving like a cat hunting a mouse. She gulped. Then ran down the stairs, following him.
Sarge had ordered Mike to wait till morning. But the Mike was through. He was through with this crummy mission, through with playing cat and mouse with...whatever they had been sent to track down. So he had left, taking some ammo off of Sarge's person as the bigger man slept. Mike went into the city and pilfered some gun shops, breaking in easily and evading their rather privative antibreak in systems even easier. He grabbed a hunting shot gun and two more, lower caliber pistols. After strapping them on his person he went to the hotel. To pick up his jacket.
Now he was walking through the nearly deserted streets of the city, scanner out. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that the scanner didn't. A figure jumping from roof top to roof top. Mike turned slowly, as if scanning the entire area. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said from the top of a building right next to him ├óÔé¼┼ôYou never learned to bluff? Even now?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôWho said I was bluffing?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked and fired the shot gun, slipping it into his hand with a jerk of his arm.
At least some of the pellets came home because a few drops of blood came down. But then the target was falling straight at him. Mike dived backwards, rolling away from the invisible six meter sphere of influence around the target. He came up, dropping the shot gun, with both low caliber pistols in his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôEat it├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered, firing both of them. At this range he would have a hard time missing, but the bullets were deflected. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that all you have?├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said ├óÔé¼┼ôThose 9mm's wont even make me break a sweat├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike grinned and suddenly threw both pistols forward. The target caught them with her invisible hands, but by then Mike had already gotten his high caliber gun out and ready. He fired, aiming straight for the head. But the target was smart, putting both pistols between her and the bullet. Mike stood up, grabbing the shot gun and running. The target started after him, levitating sedately after him. Mike fired his shot gun behind him, mostly to distract, then dived into a store front window.
The target stepped into the diner, the glass shards moving out of the way from her feet under their own power. She walked up to the front of the store, looking for Mike. He was standing next to a fire exit, aiming his gun at a stove top. The gas tank had been hastily pulled out and placed where Mike could hit it. Mike could have said something flippant. But rather he fired into the gas tank and dived out of the fire exit. The store exploded into flames, shattering the unbroken windows. The target flew out of one of those windows, pushed back by her own powers.
Mike started to run again, hoping he had slowed the target again. No such luck. Two slams and the target was flying up and over the destroyed diner. Mike took aim and fired. The target spun and twisted and ended up landing on her side. She levitated a near by bit of debris from the diner and hurled it at Mike. Mike dived to the side and the debris smashed into a window behind him, setting of another alarm. The street was already loud, from all the alarms, but it was also brightened by the now happily burning diner.
Mike got to his feet and ran into a gun shop, the same one he had ripped off no more then a few minutes ago. The target started ran in after him. Mike barred the door, shoving a heavy casket of shotgun ammo in front of the door, in hopes of blocking it. No such luck. The door exploded inwards, shattering as it did so. Mike held his hands up, dropping his shot gun even as he reloaded it. Several bits of wood cut his arms of, but he still grabbed the nearest gun off the nearest gun rack. It was a semi-automatic pistol, witch he fired at the target.
The target batted the bullets away just as easily as it did the others. Mike started to run thought he store. Then a pen, levitated from the counter of the gun store, buried itself in the wall, right in front of his face. Mike ducked as a stool did the same, shattering. Mike rolled under a counter and grabbed a rifle off that. He grabbed some bullets and started loading them. The target had gotten to his hiding place. Mike shoved the rifle into her calf and fired. The target dropped, its calf exploding in blood as the bullet tore through it. Mike got up and ran, even as the target started getting up, favoring its right leg. Its calf was already healing.
Mike ran into the street and pulled out of his jacket one of the few things that Sarge had salvaged from the ship. A grenade. He turned it on and threw it into the gun shop. The entire shop exploded, a massive fire ball causing the walls to fall outwards. The secondary explosions from the ammo caused the entire place to light up again. Mike fell to the ground, blinking away the flash from the twin explosions. He slowly stood up.
The target stood in a circle of calm, the fire twining around her, but not touching her. Then she took a step forward. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike grunted ├óÔé¼┼ôJust fucking DIE!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
How do I write so much? I have to much time on my hands. Why do I write so much? Because I love it. Where do I get this time from? Summer break!
├óÔé¼┼ôJuly├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôGo to Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø. July looked at the injured woman, distracted from her vigil over the burning shuttle wreck. Everyone was feeling pretty dejected. Even Mankowski wasn't joking anymore. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. Helena was as white as a sheet, and because the shuttle's medical supplies were no longer available, she would need to rest a lot. She had bled too much, even with the bandages on.
├óÔé¼┼ôGo to mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe'd have gone after the target, alone├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, looking around the shuttle's former resting place. Then she blanched. Mike had slipped out without anyone noticing. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, pulling her own pistol out. It was only half loaded. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo to mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said again, her head lolling back. She was asleep. July nodded and started to run to the city. She slipped through the underbrush with her normal aplomb and arrived at the city gates in a few minutes. Then the first explosion ripped through the middle of the city. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø July grained, running her hand through her hair.
Mike ran, but then the invisible hands grabbed his back. He was catapulted forward to slam back first into a shop window. He landed, glass cutting him up even more. The target stepped through the window with her customary grace. Mike slowly got to his feet. Then an invisible hand smashed his stomach, causing him to double over. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy...wont├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said, lifting him up with her natural hands and tossing him back into the street ├óÔé¼┼ôyou die!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike rolled with the fall and staggered to his feet ├óÔé¼┼ôPractice├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, spitting some blood out of his mouth.
The target started to advance again, but Mike turned around, running. He spotted something that could be his salvation. A small moped was parked in between a shop and a house. He ran to it, pulling out into the street. The keys were in it. ├óÔé¼┼ôThank you├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike looked up wards, thinking of the god he didn't believe in anymore. He turned the key and floored the moped. He shot out into the street. Then the front wheel exploded in half, cut straight through by the target. Mike flew over the handlebars and slid along the street.
He lay there, half his face almost abraded off his skull. He coughed and staggered to his feet again. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour not going to kill me├óÔé¼┬Ø he said to the target ├óÔé¼┼ôif you were you would have ten times over├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target stopped, looking stunned. Mike wiped his brow, smearing blood and grit over his hand and the rest of his face, failing completely to clean anything. But he stood a little straighter ├óÔé¼┼ôYour nothing more then a bully├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The target took a step forward, hair suddenly moving without wind.
├óÔé¼┼ôShe...won't...die!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike's eye widened fractionally. The woman walking towards him, framed by fire light, hair billowing in an unseen wind. Then the side of her head exploded. The target fell over, hair suddenly still. Blood and brains had splattered over the ground, the target's head and hair covering the stain. July lowered her pistol ├óÔé¼┼ôI got the bitch in one shot├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, a smug smile on her face. Mike looked at July. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, grabbing him ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get you to the shuttle├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve blinked. She had dreamed the same thing...again. Being chased through the streets. Then Mike aiming a gun at her. Then waking up in bed. But this time was different. She felt like she had been run over and ground in a blender, then left for dead for a few days. She immediately walked to her sink and dialed up a diet coke. The faucet poured the beverage out and she drank it down quickly. Then she dialed up water and drank that down as well. Then Eve looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. Then her phone rang.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts Renaldo├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice on the other end of the line said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut Eve, where are you?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, feeling very tired. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts Saturday├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you're...seven hours late for work at this point├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I├óÔé¼┬Ø she stammered. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry to do this├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I can't keep someone who is late all the time. I'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. He hung up. Eve closed the phone and sighed. Then she tossed it across the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats it├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm through with this fucking planet├óÔé¼┬Ø.
G sighed and closed her eyes. She had tried to stop doing that, but it was hard when your planet and all five billion people on it were going to die in a one or two days. ├óÔé¼┼ôPrime Minister├óÔé¼┬Ø her intercom bleeped ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're getting a tac-con message├óÔé¼┬Ø. G blinked slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôFrom who?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts...its from the same vassal that told us the Hannibal was coming. The...Agamemnon├óÔé¼┬Ø. G sat up straighter ├óÔé¼┼ôPut them on├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. The tac-con bleeped and whirred, receiving the relayed message. Each planet in Colonial space was equipped with a tachyon-communicator, so they could stay in contact with SOL. But SOL had cut Dantana off now they were marked for Extermination.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the Agamemnon├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice said through the tac-con ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have managed to delay the Hannibal. But our source told us that the shuttle you shot down...it had six marines on board├óÔé¼┬Ø. G sat straight up ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought...that was a rival Cooperation├óÔé¼┬Ø she said slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôOur radar lost track of it. We thought it had burnt├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, Minister├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôOur contact said it was a high tech stealth shuttle. It has survived and landed near Capital city├óÔé¼┬Ø.
G looked out of parliament's window and gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôThe murders├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat must be connected├óÔé¼┬Ø. She was working late, but even so the city was aglow with light. She had been working late for the last few nights, but has topped it off at working till one in the morning. She sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy have you called?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked the tac-con. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Extermination is delayed, for now. But our source on board the Hannibal has told us something...very interesting├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø G asked, feeling an odd flutter of hope. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Hannibal has been told to not use Biological, Atomic or Megatonne weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø. G stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then a part of the city exploded behind her. She turned around. A explosion had ripped apart a portion of the commercial district. If G concentrated she could see the gunshots. ├óÔé¼┼ôI will have to call you back├óÔé¼┬Ø G said, turning off the tac-con. ├óÔé¼┼ôSomeone tell me what the fuck is going on down there, and why on one has done anything about it!├óÔé¼┬Ø G shouted into her intercom.
The police arrived at the seen. There was at least five destroyed shops, two blown up outright, and lots of shell casings. Blood was tracked around everywhere, mostly from what looked like one person. But then there was a large splatter of blood and brains in one area. No corpses.
G looked at her cabinet ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe situation is as follows. Six marines are running around our planet, blowing shit up├óÔé¼┬Ø she pointed out the window at the under construction part of the city, trying to rebuild that which had been destroyed. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Hannibal has been handy capped, so we actually have a chance. And the Agamemnon has managed to keep the Hannibal busy enough for us to have an extra week or so, as the battle goes├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do we do?├óÔé¼┬Ø one of her cabinet asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFirst we start breathing the bush, try to find those Marines and such. Second we beef up our defense grid. Divert all mining profits to building up a new defense network. And put out the news about the extermination and start a draft├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was an immediate negative response from her cabinet members. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut the fuck up!├óÔé¼┬Ø G shouted. They did, witch was surprising ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to have a strong leader, for now├óÔé¼┬Ø G said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo I'm disbanding my cabinet and putting the colony under martial law├óÔé¼┬Ø. Security guards walked into the room. G's cabinet looked shocked. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust in case├óÔé¼┬Ø G said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou didn't want to go quietly├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The first sweep picked up the shuttle. It was just a good thing that Mike, Sarge, Mankowski, Helena and July had already moved into the city. The two women together, so July could watch over Helena while she healed. Sarge with Mankowski, as much as both of them detested it, and Mike in his old hotel room. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought I was told to rent this out├óÔé¼┬Ø The clerk said as Mike walked in to his room. Mike looked at him, half his face bandaged and ghoulish looking. ├óÔé¼┼ôNever mind├óÔé¼┬Ø the clerk said.
Mike was glad that they had all gotten into the city that very day. Because a few hours after he had sat down in his hotel room every television turned on and a prerecorded message declaring Martial law was broadcast. Mike sighed slowly, wishing that the headsets weren't rendered inoperative by the shuttle's destruction. Then he heard a knock on his door. Mike stood up and opened the door, and was rather shocked to she July standing there. She was holding her scanner. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø she gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôI put a fucking bullet through her skull├óÔé¼┬Ø she showed the scanner to Mike. A blip was slowly moving away from their position. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did she survive├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked.
Mike closed his eyes and wished that for once in his life something would go right.
The Hannibal, by design, was capable of slipping through asteroid belts. The broadside was not. But it was trying, valiantly. But its guns were working overtime to bat asteroids away. After a few hours of this the Agamemnon withdrew from the asteroid belt. The Hannibal had taken a beating. It was even worse, now that Keller could actually look at it. The lasers, the missiles and the shots had pot marked the sides and front armor. Long laser burns had marked their way on the ship, leaving massive black scars.
Twenty marines had died in the boarding actions, three crew members killed when part of the power system was overloaded by a fault router. Keller sighed. Now it was time to wait and wait. They couldn't aim at the Agamemnon, as to turn in an asteroid belt was many many times more difficult then it was normal, as you had to avoid all the asteroids. And the Agamemnon would see the Hannibal turning a long time before the Hannibal had finished turning.
So Keller was stuck, forced to wait. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Agamemnon has started to move off. They are heading to the planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMove us out of the field!├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut sir, the repairs...├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't care├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôToe an asteroid here and mine it dry while we go after them├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCapitan├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe enemy out guns us by at least a factor of two. This is beginning to...get a little ridiculous├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've always been a good first├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd your great at telling me when I'm being suicidally stupid├óÔé¼┬Ø. His first snickered under his breath ├óÔé¼┼ôThats true├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to disobey orders├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôLoad a nuke in the rail gun├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôJuly├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôGo to Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø. July looked at the injured woman, distracted from her vigil over the burning shuttle wreck. Everyone was feeling pretty dejected. Even Mankowski wasn't joking anymore. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked. Helena was as white as a sheet, and because the shuttle's medical supplies were no longer available, she would need to rest a lot. She had bled too much, even with the bandages on.
├óÔé¼┼ôGo to mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe'd have gone after the target, alone├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, looking around the shuttle's former resting place. Then she blanched. Mike had slipped out without anyone noticing. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, pulling her own pistol out. It was only half loaded. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo to mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Helena said again, her head lolling back. She was asleep. July nodded and started to run to the city. She slipped through the underbrush with her normal aplomb and arrived at the city gates in a few minutes. Then the first explosion ripped through the middle of the city. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø July grained, running her hand through her hair.
Mike ran, but then the invisible hands grabbed his back. He was catapulted forward to slam back first into a shop window. He landed, glass cutting him up even more. The target stepped through the window with her customary grace. Mike slowly got to his feet. Then an invisible hand smashed his stomach, causing him to double over. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy...wont├óÔé¼┬Ø the target said, lifting him up with her natural hands and tossing him back into the street ├óÔé¼┼ôyou die!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike rolled with the fall and staggered to his feet ├óÔé¼┼ôPractice├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, spitting some blood out of his mouth.
The target started to advance again, but Mike turned around, running. He spotted something that could be his salvation. A small moped was parked in between a shop and a house. He ran to it, pulling out into the street. The keys were in it. ├óÔé¼┼ôThank you├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike looked up wards, thinking of the god he didn't believe in anymore. He turned the key and floored the moped. He shot out into the street. Then the front wheel exploded in half, cut straight through by the target. Mike flew over the handlebars and slid along the street.
He lay there, half his face almost abraded off his skull. He coughed and staggered to his feet again. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour not going to kill me├óÔé¼┬Ø he said to the target ├óÔé¼┼ôif you were you would have ten times over├óÔé¼┬Ø. The target stopped, looking stunned. Mike wiped his brow, smearing blood and grit over his hand and the rest of his face, failing completely to clean anything. But he stood a little straighter ├óÔé¼┼ôYour nothing more then a bully├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The target took a step forward, hair suddenly moving without wind.
├óÔé¼┼ôShe...won't...die!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike's eye widened fractionally. The woman walking towards him, framed by fire light, hair billowing in an unseen wind. Then the side of her head exploded. The target fell over, hair suddenly still. Blood and brains had splattered over the ground, the target's head and hair covering the stain. July lowered her pistol ├óÔé¼┼ôI got the bitch in one shot├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, a smug smile on her face. Mike looked at July. ├óÔé¼┼ôCome on├óÔé¼┬Ø July said, grabbing him ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get you to the shuttle├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve blinked. She had dreamed the same thing...again. Being chased through the streets. Then Mike aiming a gun at her. Then waking up in bed. But this time was different. She felt like she had been run over and ground in a blender, then left for dead for a few days. She immediately walked to her sink and dialed up a diet coke. The faucet poured the beverage out and she drank it down quickly. Then she dialed up water and drank that down as well. Then Eve looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. Then her phone rang.
├óÔé¼┼ôWho is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts Renaldo├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice on the other end of the line said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut Eve, where are you?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you mean?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, feeling very tired. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts Saturday├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you're...seven hours late for work at this point├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôI...I├óÔé¼┬Ø she stammered. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm sorry to do this├óÔé¼┬Ø Renaldo said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I can't keep someone who is late all the time. I'm sorry├óÔé¼┬Ø. He hung up. Eve closed the phone and sighed. Then she tossed it across the room. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats it├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm through with this fucking planet├óÔé¼┬Ø.
G sighed and closed her eyes. She had tried to stop doing that, but it was hard when your planet and all five billion people on it were going to die in a one or two days. ├óÔé¼┼ôPrime Minister├óÔé¼┬Ø her intercom bleeped ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're getting a tac-con message├óÔé¼┬Ø. G blinked slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôFrom who?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts...its from the same vassal that told us the Hannibal was coming. The...Agamemnon├óÔé¼┬Ø. G sat up straighter ├óÔé¼┼ôPut them on├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. The tac-con bleeped and whirred, receiving the relayed message. Each planet in Colonial space was equipped with a tachyon-communicator, so they could stay in contact with SOL. But SOL had cut Dantana off now they were marked for Extermination.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is the Agamemnon├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice said through the tac-con ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have managed to delay the Hannibal. But our source told us that the shuttle you shot down...it had six marines on board├óÔé¼┬Ø. G sat straight up ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought...that was a rival Cooperation├óÔé¼┬Ø she said slowly ├óÔé¼┼ôOur radar lost track of it. We thought it had burnt├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, Minister├óÔé¼┬Ø the voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôOur contact said it was a high tech stealth shuttle. It has survived and landed near Capital city├óÔé¼┬Ø.
G looked out of parliament's window and gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôThe murders├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat must be connected├óÔé¼┬Ø. She was working late, but even so the city was aglow with light. She had been working late for the last few nights, but has topped it off at working till one in the morning. She sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy have you called?├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked the tac-con. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Extermination is delayed, for now. But our source on board the Hannibal has told us something...very interesting├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø G asked, feeling an odd flutter of hope. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Hannibal has been told to not use Biological, Atomic or Megatonne weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø. G stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then a part of the city exploded behind her. She turned around. A explosion had ripped apart a portion of the commercial district. If G concentrated she could see the gunshots. ├óÔé¼┼ôI will have to call you back├óÔé¼┬Ø G said, turning off the tac-con. ├óÔé¼┼ôSomeone tell me what the fuck is going on down there, and why on one has done anything about it!├óÔé¼┬Ø G shouted into her intercom.
The police arrived at the seen. There was at least five destroyed shops, two blown up outright, and lots of shell casings. Blood was tracked around everywhere, mostly from what looked like one person. But then there was a large splatter of blood and brains in one area. No corpses.
G looked at her cabinet ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe situation is as follows. Six marines are running around our planet, blowing shit up├óÔé¼┬Ø she pointed out the window at the under construction part of the city, trying to rebuild that which had been destroyed. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Hannibal has been handy capped, so we actually have a chance. And the Agamemnon has managed to keep the Hannibal busy enough for us to have an extra week or so, as the battle goes├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo what do we do?├óÔé¼┬Ø one of her cabinet asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFirst we start breathing the bush, try to find those Marines and such. Second we beef up our defense grid. Divert all mining profits to building up a new defense network. And put out the news about the extermination and start a draft├óÔé¼┬Ø. There was an immediate negative response from her cabinet members. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut the fuck up!├óÔé¼┬Ø G shouted. They did, witch was surprising ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to have a strong leader, for now├óÔé¼┬Ø G said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo I'm disbanding my cabinet and putting the colony under martial law├óÔé¼┬Ø. Security guards walked into the room. G's cabinet looked shocked. ├óÔé¼┼ôJust in case├óÔé¼┬Ø G said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou didn't want to go quietly├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The first sweep picked up the shuttle. It was just a good thing that Mike, Sarge, Mankowski, Helena and July had already moved into the city. The two women together, so July could watch over Helena while she healed. Sarge with Mankowski, as much as both of them detested it, and Mike in his old hotel room. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought I was told to rent this out├óÔé¼┬Ø The clerk said as Mike walked in to his room. Mike looked at him, half his face bandaged and ghoulish looking. ├óÔé¼┼ôNever mind├óÔé¼┬Ø the clerk said.
Mike was glad that they had all gotten into the city that very day. Because a few hours after he had sat down in his hotel room every television turned on and a prerecorded message declaring Martial law was broadcast. Mike sighed slowly, wishing that the headsets weren't rendered inoperative by the shuttle's destruction. Then he heard a knock on his door. Mike stood up and opened the door, and was rather shocked to she July standing there. She was holding her scanner. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø she gasped ├óÔé¼┼ôI put a fucking bullet through her skull├óÔé¼┬Ø she showed the scanner to Mike. A blip was slowly moving away from their position. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did she survive├óÔé¼┬Ø July asked.
Mike closed his eyes and wished that for once in his life something would go right.
The Hannibal, by design, was capable of slipping through asteroid belts. The broadside was not. But it was trying, valiantly. But its guns were working overtime to bat asteroids away. After a few hours of this the Agamemnon withdrew from the asteroid belt. The Hannibal had taken a beating. It was even worse, now that Keller could actually look at it. The lasers, the missiles and the shots had pot marked the sides and front armor. Long laser burns had marked their way on the ship, leaving massive black scars.
Twenty marines had died in the boarding actions, three crew members killed when part of the power system was overloaded by a fault router. Keller sighed. Now it was time to wait and wait. They couldn't aim at the Agamemnon, as to turn in an asteroid belt was many many times more difficult then it was normal, as you had to avoid all the asteroids. And the Agamemnon would see the Hannibal turning a long time before the Hannibal had finished turning.
So Keller was stuck, forced to wait. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Agamemnon has started to move off. They are heading to the planet├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMove us out of the field!├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut sir, the repairs...├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't care├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôToe an asteroid here and mine it dry while we go after them├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôCapitan├óÔé¼┬Ø his first said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe enemy out guns us by at least a factor of two. This is beginning to...get a little ridiculous├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've always been a good first├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd your great at telling me when I'm being suicidally stupid├óÔé¼┬Ø. His first snickered under his breath ├óÔé¼┼ôThats true├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to disobey orders├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôLoad a nuke in the rail gun├óÔé¼┬Ø.
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Guessmyname
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