Darkside: Extermination
Moderator: Moderators
It's a wee bit short, but fun!
I mean, who doesn't like fun!
Lizzy had no arms to lay down, but she did raise her hands, knowing not to argue with what looked like two very deadly cannons. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø her radio crackled ├óÔé¼┼ôState your name, affiliation and reasons to be in this asteroid belt├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck off├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. In retrospect it was not exactly the best wording to use in that situation. The gun's spun up. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you don't comply, then you will be splashed over all these asteroids├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice said. Lizzy knew that if she told them anything, anything at all about what they were doing...about Eve, then she would be fucked. Eve would be fucked. The Hannibal and everyone on it would die.
├óÔé¼┼ôMy name? Alexa├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd me and my friends are doing some asteroid mining├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAsteroid mining with an anti-capital class weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôWell....Alexa prepare to be taken in├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGreat├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôhey, marine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said on a tight band wave ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's your name?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôJulian├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, voice even ├óÔé¼┼ôWell Julian, just remember that no matter what happens I love you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam?├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian said, his voice full of bepuzzlement. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause You're my husband├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, hoping he got the message. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight...mam├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian said, a smile in his voice.
Lizzy looked out into space, magnifying into the debris's field. The second fighter that had showed up was frittering around Eve. Eve's helmet was off, and she was floating like someone dead. Lizzy smiled at that. Clever girl. Then the other fighter was drifting past her, air lock opened and a single space suited person leaning out with a gun pointing at her. Then he fired the gun and a net shot out and wrapped around Lizzy and pulled her in. Then another net fired and grabbed Julian as well. Then the fighter, witch was very roomy for a light fighter, started up its engine.
After a long while, where the only thing that Lizzy could see was the blank, metal wall of the shuttle and the netting over her visor. Julian, being a smart marine, did not pipe up or say anything. Then there was some deceleration and a stop. Then Lizzy was rolled on her back ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø The pilot said, his helmet still on ├óÔé¼┼ôI believe my captain needs to speak with you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he pressed a button and the net fell away from Lizzy. She stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd because I am a gentleman├óÔé¼┬Ø The pilot said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou and your husband can undress in here├óÔé¼┬Ø. He stepped out of the ship and the airlock closed.
Lizzy stood up and jerked her helmet off. Julian stood up slower then that, but he took his helmet off. Lizzy grabbed the front of his space suit and pulled him to her. She pressed her lips against his. Julian was a bit surprised by this, his eyes wide. Lizzy locked her gaze with him and he seemed to nod with his eyes. Then she broke her kiss and leaned in, nipping his ear with her teeth. Then she whispered as softly as she could ├óÔé¼┼ôCall me Alexa Sandrason. You're Julian Sandrason, and we've been married for ten years, asteroid miners. They are watching us├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she moved back, her gloved hands still on either side of Julian's face.
├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Lizzy smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, honey├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing broken. Not even a valve dented├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck heads├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian moved out of her hands ├óÔé¼┼ôStupid fuck heads├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't tell them that to their face├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...but they killed Brian!├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian said. Lizzy put on as best a sad face as she could ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not sure what happened. It could have be-├óÔé¼┬Ø. Julian cut her off, enjoying his chance to act ├óÔé¼┼ôCould have been? This is a war ship. What else could have smeared my brother like that!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy forced a smile away from her mouth. She had to get this guy to organize some kind of thespian club.
They changed. Lizzy, despite her complete lack of feeling for Julian in a romantic, sexual or even mild attraction, helped him, touching him in ways one would expect a married couple to do so. After they had both stripped down to their under suits. They kissed again. Julian's hands got a little frisky, but Lizzy ignored them. Just a young man, who had to play act someone's wife. And Lizzy liked to think that she was attractive, so she couldn't blame him. Not really. Then the door opened and the pilot stepped in, wearing a nicely pressed Colonial Navy uniform.
Lizzy drew apart from Julian and looked at the pilot. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø the pilot said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed at Julian ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're with me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about me!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, actually indignant ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can't├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't tell me what we can't├óÔé¼┬Ø The pilot said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are in control now. Your hubby will come with me, and you will wait here├óÔé¼┬Ø. He dragged Julian out of the fighter and the door closed. Lizzy sat down in the pilot chair and sighed slowly. She covered her face with her hand, feeling very alone.
Eve was just floating. It was perfectly silent, a perfect silence that she absolutely loved. Then a harpoon jammed through her ribs and she was dragged to the fighter. Then she was hauled on board. She played dead, flopping around like a dead fish. The pilot looked her over and, once the air lock was pressurized, the pilot took of her helmet, for it was a her. Then the woman knelt down and looked over Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn shame├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Then she felt Eve's cheek, just to be sure. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat a pretty girl├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Eve could hear real regret her in her voice. So it made her feel a little bad when she mind fragged her, ripping through her memory's, thoughts, feelings. Then Eve cut her head off.
The now headless corpse slumped to the ground, blood fountaining over the pristine floor. Eve stood up, her lungs reforming to possess oxygen again. Then she walked over to the console as a voice barked through it. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey, Sandra├óÔé¼┬Ø A male voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôDid you grab that corpse?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, using the woman's voice as a template ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah. Its definitely dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôMeet me back at the ship├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. She, using the memory's she had stolen from the now dead Sandra, to turn on the engine.
Memory's were a bit different from actually doing it, so it took her a long while to get the fighter running. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø the other pilot asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôA little computer difficulty├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay...need help?├óÔé¼┬Ø the other pilot said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI got it├óÔé¼┬Ø. She throttled the ship forward and started to fly towards the navigation beacon. The other fighter pulled ahead and Eve placed the corpse in the air lock. But first she stripped naked and started to take the corpses suit off. Then she placed that on, glad it was mostly clean of blood, and then looked around for a recyclers. She fed the corpse into the recyclers, wondering how she would explain the missing 'corpse'.
Julian drummed his fingers on the table. The interrogator looked at him, over the table. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen can I see my wife?├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen you answer my questions├óÔé¼┬Ø the interrogator said flatly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI will fucking answer you questions├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian said, standing up ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen you let me see my fucking wife├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen, Mr. Sandrason, you have to think about you're wife. There is no planet you can go to, and you don't have a long range ship. And we also believe that you're not married at all├óÔé¼┬Ø. Julian's face twisted in anger ├óÔé¼┼ôYou son of a├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIn fact, I think that she is your commanding officer, and that you are both on a covert mission from the rouge colonial ship Hannibal├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I think that you are out of your mind├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian said. ├óÔé¼┼ôExplain you're marine corps space suit. Explain the lack of ship, short ranged or otherwise. Explain the fact that over three billion people on Dantana are dead and you don't seem to have NOTICED!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd explain why you think that you're married to one of the most famous legendary figures in human history├óÔé¼┬Ø. Julian didn't have much to say to that, other than gaping at his interrogator. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou think my wife is a-├óÔé¼┬Ø he started to say.
├óÔé¼┼ôElizabeth Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø The interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're file says you're form Shinon, and the legend is quite strong on that planet. So don't tell me you've never heard of Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø. Julian was struck completely dumb. Lizzy to Elizabeth, he could see, but Elizabeth Montoya? That was just crazy. He said as much. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø the interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôFact├óÔé¼┬Ø he held up a picture. It was of two women, one with skin pigmentation that was as white as porcelain. The other was unmistakably Lizzy. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis picture was taken over a century ago, when Montoya was just a pick pocket, hanging out with her high school girlfriend├óÔé¼┬Ø the interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ônow tell me she's not an exact twin of your wife, right down too the tattoo's!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lizzy sat in her shuttle. Then the door opened and a blading man with glasses stepped in. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm afraid Private Julian Xuxi has talked his mouth off, Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy stood up and changed her words from ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø to ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck are you talking about├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck am I talking about, Montoya?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat the fuck I am talking about is a serious federal offense, something worthy of the death sentence. You are wanted for murder, theft of colonial property, willful destruction of the UFS Enterprise, UFS Alexander and the UFS Rodger Young and the kidnapping of Sentient Weapon Number Zero Three two, code named Eve. You are wanted on every single planet in the Colonial Government, and by three corporations and have been in hiding for eighty years. Eighty years is not so long, not with relativity and cryogenics. So you're crimes have practically been committed yesterday. Now...├óÔé¼┬Ø the Interrogator sat down on one of the chairs in the fighter ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me what the fuck I am talking about├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lizzy was struck dumb. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know who I am, your probably working for the Black Ops or one of those fuck head groups├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôActually├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are working for the Blue Sun Corporation, but they are a cover for the Transcendi branch of the government, so you could say yes, we are working with one of the 'fuck heads'├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou do know that I am a Transcendi├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are actually a messiah figure├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôAn entire branch of our force's split off to join your own personal Moses, The Marshall├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHis name├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, a tick running in her left eyebrow ├óÔé¼┼ôIs Jason├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôI will have to report that to my superiors. They might find it useful├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're not going to report to your superiors├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIn fact, you're not going to leave this room alive├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that a fact?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator said, looking somewhat amused at her response. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, standing up ├óÔé¼┼ôYour death is going to be quick...and unexpected├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy's eyes, involuntarily looked over his shoulder. The Interrogator, realizing that her threats might actually mean something. But Eve didn't give him a chance, ramming her forearm blade through the back of his skull.
The Interrogator's hands twitched, reaching up for the blade protruding out of his left eye socket. Then he slumped forward and off the blade. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou took you're time├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, not even bothering to glance at the Interrogator. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I needed to get you a uniform├óÔé¼┬Ø she smiled and threw the pile of cloth at her. Lizzy turned away and stripped of her under shirt and pulled on the new uniform. Eve averted her eyes, not really wanting to see her mother naked. After a few moments of cloths changing Lizzy and Eve walked out. Eve's face re-morphed into an unfamiliar woman. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're getting good at that├óÔé¼┬Ø
Eve smiled at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have a man's uniform in you're pockets?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWell get it. I'll rescue our wayward babe, and then we meet at the fighter├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, taking a hard right to turn around the corner. Lizzy looked after her, feeling a little odd about the entire situation. She also took some time to look around the Excalibur. It looked like the Hannibal, pre getting shot up. The crew looked competent, moving briskly about their duty's. Then Lizzy remembered that she had to rescue their wayward babe. And she walked off.
I mean, who doesn't like fun!
Lizzy had no arms to lay down, but she did raise her hands, knowing not to argue with what looked like two very deadly cannons. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø her radio crackled ├óÔé¼┼ôState your name, affiliation and reasons to be in this asteroid belt├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck off├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. In retrospect it was not exactly the best wording to use in that situation. The gun's spun up. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf you don't comply, then you will be splashed over all these asteroids├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice said. Lizzy knew that if she told them anything, anything at all about what they were doing...about Eve, then she would be fucked. Eve would be fucked. The Hannibal and everyone on it would die.
├óÔé¼┼ôMy name? Alexa├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd me and my friends are doing some asteroid mining├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAsteroid mining with an anti-capital class weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø The voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôWell....Alexa prepare to be taken in├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGreat├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôhey, marine├óÔé¼┬Ø she said on a tight band wave ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's your name?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôJulian├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, voice even ├óÔé¼┼ôWell Julian, just remember that no matter what happens I love you├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMam?├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian said, his voice full of bepuzzlement. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause You're my husband├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, hoping he got the message. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight...mam├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian said, a smile in his voice.
Lizzy looked out into space, magnifying into the debris's field. The second fighter that had showed up was frittering around Eve. Eve's helmet was off, and she was floating like someone dead. Lizzy smiled at that. Clever girl. Then the other fighter was drifting past her, air lock opened and a single space suited person leaning out with a gun pointing at her. Then he fired the gun and a net shot out and wrapped around Lizzy and pulled her in. Then another net fired and grabbed Julian as well. Then the fighter, witch was very roomy for a light fighter, started up its engine.
After a long while, where the only thing that Lizzy could see was the blank, metal wall of the shuttle and the netting over her visor. Julian, being a smart marine, did not pipe up or say anything. Then there was some deceleration and a stop. Then Lizzy was rolled on her back ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø The pilot said, his helmet still on ├óÔé¼┼ôI believe my captain needs to speak with you├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then he pressed a button and the net fell away from Lizzy. She stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd because I am a gentleman├óÔé¼┬Ø The pilot said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou and your husband can undress in here├óÔé¼┬Ø. He stepped out of the ship and the airlock closed.
Lizzy stood up and jerked her helmet off. Julian stood up slower then that, but he took his helmet off. Lizzy grabbed the front of his space suit and pulled him to her. She pressed her lips against his. Julian was a bit surprised by this, his eyes wide. Lizzy locked her gaze with him and he seemed to nod with his eyes. Then she broke her kiss and leaned in, nipping his ear with her teeth. Then she whispered as softly as she could ├óÔé¼┼ôCall me Alexa Sandrason. You're Julian Sandrason, and we've been married for ten years, asteroid miners. They are watching us├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then she moved back, her gloved hands still on either side of Julian's face.
├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Lizzy smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôYes, honey├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing broken. Not even a valve dented├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck heads├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian moved out of her hands ├óÔé¼┼ôStupid fuck heads├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't tell them that to their face├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut...but they killed Brian!├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian said. Lizzy put on as best a sad face as she could ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not sure what happened. It could have be-├óÔé¼┬Ø. Julian cut her off, enjoying his chance to act ├óÔé¼┼ôCould have been? This is a war ship. What else could have smeared my brother like that!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy forced a smile away from her mouth. She had to get this guy to organize some kind of thespian club.
They changed. Lizzy, despite her complete lack of feeling for Julian in a romantic, sexual or even mild attraction, helped him, touching him in ways one would expect a married couple to do so. After they had both stripped down to their under suits. They kissed again. Julian's hands got a little frisky, but Lizzy ignored them. Just a young man, who had to play act someone's wife. And Lizzy liked to think that she was attractive, so she couldn't blame him. Not really. Then the door opened and the pilot stepped in, wearing a nicely pressed Colonial Navy uniform.
Lizzy drew apart from Julian and looked at the pilot. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø the pilot said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬Ø he pointed at Julian ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're with me├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about me!├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, actually indignant ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can't├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't tell me what we can't├óÔé¼┬Ø The pilot said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are in control now. Your hubby will come with me, and you will wait here├óÔé¼┬Ø. He dragged Julian out of the fighter and the door closed. Lizzy sat down in the pilot chair and sighed slowly. She covered her face with her hand, feeling very alone.
Eve was just floating. It was perfectly silent, a perfect silence that she absolutely loved. Then a harpoon jammed through her ribs and she was dragged to the fighter. Then she was hauled on board. She played dead, flopping around like a dead fish. The pilot looked her over and, once the air lock was pressurized, the pilot took of her helmet, for it was a her. Then the woman knelt down and looked over Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn shame├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Then she felt Eve's cheek, just to be sure. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat a pretty girl├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Eve could hear real regret her in her voice. So it made her feel a little bad when she mind fragged her, ripping through her memory's, thoughts, feelings. Then Eve cut her head off.
The now headless corpse slumped to the ground, blood fountaining over the pristine floor. Eve stood up, her lungs reforming to possess oxygen again. Then she walked over to the console as a voice barked through it. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey, Sandra├óÔé¼┬Ø A male voice said ├óÔé¼┼ôDid you grab that corpse?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, using the woman's voice as a template ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah. Its definitely dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood├óÔé¼┬Ø The man said ├óÔé¼┼ôMeet me back at the ship├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. She, using the memory's she had stolen from the now dead Sandra, to turn on the engine.
Memory's were a bit different from actually doing it, so it took her a long while to get the fighter running. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø the other pilot asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôA little computer difficulty├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOkay...need help?├óÔé¼┬Ø the other pilot said. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI got it├óÔé¼┬Ø. She throttled the ship forward and started to fly towards the navigation beacon. The other fighter pulled ahead and Eve placed the corpse in the air lock. But first she stripped naked and started to take the corpses suit off. Then she placed that on, glad it was mostly clean of blood, and then looked around for a recyclers. She fed the corpse into the recyclers, wondering how she would explain the missing 'corpse'.
Julian drummed his fingers on the table. The interrogator looked at him, over the table. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen can I see my wife?├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen you answer my questions├óÔé¼┬Ø the interrogator said flatly. ├óÔé¼┼ôI will fucking answer you questions├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian said, standing up ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen you let me see my fucking wife├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen, Mr. Sandrason, you have to think about you're wife. There is no planet you can go to, and you don't have a long range ship. And we also believe that you're not married at all├óÔé¼┬Ø. Julian's face twisted in anger ├óÔé¼┼ôYou son of a├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIn fact, I think that she is your commanding officer, and that you are both on a covert mission from the rouge colonial ship Hannibal├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I think that you are out of your mind├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian said. ├óÔé¼┼ôExplain you're marine corps space suit. Explain the lack of ship, short ranged or otherwise. Explain the fact that over three billion people on Dantana are dead and you don't seem to have NOTICED!├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator stood up ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd explain why you think that you're married to one of the most famous legendary figures in human history├óÔé¼┬Ø. Julian didn't have much to say to that, other than gaping at his interrogator. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou think my wife is a-├óÔé¼┬Ø he started to say.
├óÔé¼┼ôElizabeth Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø The interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're file says you're form Shinon, and the legend is quite strong on that planet. So don't tell me you've never heard of Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø. Julian was struck completely dumb. Lizzy to Elizabeth, he could see, but Elizabeth Montoya? That was just crazy. He said as much. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø the interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôFact├óÔé¼┬Ø he held up a picture. It was of two women, one with skin pigmentation that was as white as porcelain. The other was unmistakably Lizzy. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis picture was taken over a century ago, when Montoya was just a pick pocket, hanging out with her high school girlfriend├óÔé¼┬Ø the interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ônow tell me she's not an exact twin of your wife, right down too the tattoo's!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lizzy sat in her shuttle. Then the door opened and a blading man with glasses stepped in. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm afraid Private Julian Xuxi has talked his mouth off, Montoya├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy stood up and changed her words from ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø to ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck are you talking about├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck am I talking about, Montoya?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôwhat the fuck I am talking about is a serious federal offense, something worthy of the death sentence. You are wanted for murder, theft of colonial property, willful destruction of the UFS Enterprise, UFS Alexander and the UFS Rodger Young and the kidnapping of Sentient Weapon Number Zero Three two, code named Eve. You are wanted on every single planet in the Colonial Government, and by three corporations and have been in hiding for eighty years. Eighty years is not so long, not with relativity and cryogenics. So you're crimes have practically been committed yesterday. Now...├óÔé¼┬Ø the Interrogator sat down on one of the chairs in the fighter ├óÔé¼┼ôTell me what the fuck I am talking about├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Lizzy was struck dumb. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou know who I am, your probably working for the Black Ops or one of those fuck head groups├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôActually├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are working for the Blue Sun Corporation, but they are a cover for the Transcendi branch of the government, so you could say yes, we are working with one of the 'fuck heads'├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou do know that I am a Transcendi├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are actually a messiah figure├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôAn entire branch of our force's split off to join your own personal Moses, The Marshall├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHis name├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, a tick running in her left eyebrow ├óÔé¼┼ôIs Jason├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator said ├óÔé¼┼ôI will have to report that to my superiors. They might find it useful├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're not going to report to your superiors├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIn fact, you're not going to leave this room alive├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIs that a fact?├óÔé¼┬Ø The Interrogator said, looking somewhat amused at her response. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, standing up ├óÔé¼┼ôYour death is going to be quick...and unexpected├óÔé¼┬Ø. Lizzy's eyes, involuntarily looked over his shoulder. The Interrogator, realizing that her threats might actually mean something. But Eve didn't give him a chance, ramming her forearm blade through the back of his skull.
The Interrogator's hands twitched, reaching up for the blade protruding out of his left eye socket. Then he slumped forward and off the blade. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou took you're time├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, not even bothering to glance at the Interrogator. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I needed to get you a uniform├óÔé¼┬Ø she smiled and threw the pile of cloth at her. Lizzy turned away and stripped of her under shirt and pulled on the new uniform. Eve averted her eyes, not really wanting to see her mother naked. After a few moments of cloths changing Lizzy and Eve walked out. Eve's face re-morphed into an unfamiliar woman. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're getting good at that├óÔé¼┬Ø
Eve smiled at her. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you have a man's uniform in you're pockets?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWell get it. I'll rescue our wayward babe, and then we meet at the fighter├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, taking a hard right to turn around the corner. Lizzy looked after her, feeling a little odd about the entire situation. She also took some time to look around the Excalibur. It looked like the Hannibal, pre getting shot up. The crew looked competent, moving briskly about their duty's. Then Lizzy remembered that she had to rescue their wayward babe. And she walked off.
There will be no Darkside: Extermination episode tonight.
Why?
Cause I like cheesing you off.
And I bought episodes 4-7 of Hellsing, and I really need to see if the Nazi invasion of Britain via Vampires. I mean, its like Nazi's...but they are Vampires.
This sounds like fun. I gotta go...place... <runs off>
Why?
Cause I like cheesing you off.
And I bought episodes 4-7 of Hellsing, and I really need to see if the Nazi invasion of Britain via Vampires. I mean, its like Nazi's...but they are Vampires.
This sounds like fun. I gotta go...place... <runs off>
-
Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
-
Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
hear ye! hear ye!
new episode arrives, somewhat belatedly! Locals rejoice!
eve meets a new friend! Lizzy proves her ability at counting! Mike is volunteered for a suicide mission! The universe is heating up, and the second major scale space battle is about to go into full swing! Will anyone survive the 'toys' the Excalibur is brining. Use your imagination. They are coming from a Space/time research station. I can think of more then a few guns you could build with that stuff...
├óÔé¼┼ôWhere the fuck is she!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho let him on the bridge?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf we love Eve, we lose. You have two people who know how Eve works, and I'm one of them. The other one is-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø An aide cut in. Keller turned to him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're getting a signal├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts from what looks like a fighter, high acceleration├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôPut the signal through├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey Capan├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts captain├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller corrected her. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI tend to make that mistake├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere did you, the marines and Eve get too?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWellllll├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have a wee bit of a problem. See we ran into the Excalibur├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou did?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked, shooting Mike an annoyed look. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey have a few tricks up their sleeves. They have ten fighters, for one├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow can you tell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, butting in again. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell, Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said over the link up ├óÔé¼┼ôSeeing as how there are nine bogy's flying after us, that plus the fighter we stole, and that makes ten├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôKeep firing├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly muttered into his mic. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alpha 2 snapped over the intercom ├óÔé¼┼ôThe munitions are impacting├óÔé¼┬Ø. Stanly squeezed down on the trigger and the two machine guns on his Viper started up, almost unnoticeable vibrations through the hull. Bullets were flung out of the gun, lit by the flash's on the barrels. The bullets were normal anti-fighter rounds. If one tagged the enemy ship that ship would be torn apart in a hail of deadly fragments, along with their reactor going up as their shielding was torn apart there. He watched on the computer screen. The bullets hit the ship. But nothing happened.
├óÔé¼┼ôStop firing├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly said over the intercom ├óÔé¼┼ôThey must have shielding├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Alpha five's fighter blipped out of existence on the computer screen. Light flared as the O2 inside the fighter lit up and the ammo stores exploded, sending more fragments into space. One twanged lightly off Stanly's hull. ├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly heard Alpha Three. ├óÔé¼┼ôBreak formation├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôIt must be mines!├óÔé¼┬Ø. His computer reacted to his shout and the fighter pulled up and out of formation. The once nice line formation was now a blob of fighters, spreading outwards in a haze.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly muttered, looking at his computer. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was our own munitions├óÔé¼┬Ø Alpha Eight said, her voice calm ├óÔé¼┼ôThe enemy must have stopped them, then they drifted into Jules path. Then they detonated├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think she's right├óÔé¼┬Ø Alpha three said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll stop├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly shouted. The fighter chunked backwards, then started to drift. It was going forward, relatively, at about ten miles per hour. In space that was as good as stopped. The enemy ship started gaining. Then it was well out of their sensor range. Stanly kept his telescope on it for a few minutes. Then he sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôBack to the Excalibur├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to bury Jules├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve sighed, her face relaxing as the enemy's broke away. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's just...harder in practice, with so many shells├óÔé¼┬Ø. But she smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I put some shell's in their path├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's right├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats one enemy fighter down for the count├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's voice came through the computer. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've gotten away clean├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can tell Mike to stop worrying├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller looked at Mike, who made a 'who, me?' gesture. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's relived, to tell the truth├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, turning back to his console.
Lizzy cracked a grin ├óÔé¼┼ôTell him if he's good then maybe we won't need two rooms tonight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Keller looked at Mike. Mike repeated his 'who, me?' gesture. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll rent out your room├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose that means he's been a good boy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike repeated his gesture. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou could say that├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered. He switched the com to an engineer ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you rig up our shuttle bays to take a fighter, class Viper?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Engineer blinked, then nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôNot too hard├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll get to work├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAbout work├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've been working with the Engineering corps, but have been little use. I've been trying to get a job that I can do well, but that just seems to be shooting at things├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why you're here, isn't it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats what the message said├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôdo you have an order for me, captian?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need you to go back down to Dantana's surface├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike's eyes widened ├óÔé¼┼ôI buried too many people down there├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you need?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to see if anyone is alive down there, and more importantly, do you remember a woman by the name of Gloria Ridembach?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike shook his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe is probably going down into history as the woman who invented the Matter Neutralizer Gun├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, stepping forward ├óÔé¼┼ôA what?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou heard me├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôMs. Ridembach created a weapon that could focus a Matter Neutralization field at a target and not destroy itself in the proses. It will usher in a new era of weapon technology, and could end this coming battle in five seconds├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is this magic gun?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOn Dantana├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was left there in the rush to get into the shuttles├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo who am I going down with?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked ├óÔé¼┼ôMy team, whats left of it, are in the recovery ward. Sarge is getting his arm regrown, Helena's going to be in psychiatrics for god knows how long, Mankowski had half his ribs cracked, two broken completely. Lizzy's getting shot at, Eve I wouldn't risk. Who else is going down?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMs. Ridembach herself is├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's the only one who can find the damn thing, as she's the only one who knows were its hid├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd where is this Ms. Ridembach?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôBehind you├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said, sounding very tired. ├óÔé¼┼ôAH!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike yelped, turning around. ├óÔé¼┼ôShall we go?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked.
Lizzy put a slight spin on the fighter and sat back in her chair, enjoying the sensation of gravity. The star scape, and the Hannibal, floated in circles, going around and around and around. Lizzy smiled at that. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen do we get to dock?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, walking over to the front of the ship. ├óÔé¼┼ôIn about├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy checked her watch ├óÔé¼┼ôThree hours, once they get the damn thing to accept this ships coupling mechanisms├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve groaned ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do we do till then?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, pulling her stolen uniforms cap down to cover her eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôMake like Julian, over there├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve looked at Julian, who was sleeping. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't we have space suits?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNope├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDidn't think to bring em├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôScrew this├óÔé¼┬Ø She said, walking into the air lock.
Lizzy nodded, not quite listening to her daughter. She was already half asleep. Then she heard a tap tap tap on the window screen. It was actually a camera recording from outside. It showed Eve, floating out there with her hair spread outwards in a halo of waving blackness. Lizzy gaped, knowing Eve couldn't see her. Eve smiled again and waved, then pointed at the Hannibal├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôClever girl├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered. Eve mouthed the words 'thanks'. Lizzy blanced. She didn't think that Eve could hear her. ├óÔé¼┼ôSee you later├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve mouthed. Then she pushed off the side of the ship and started to drift to the Hannibal. She landed softly on the side of the ship. A technician, who was working on an exposed tube from the outside of the ship, turned around at the vibration. He jerked back, looking at Eve.
Eve saluted to him and pointed to the air lock. The Technician, still in a state of shock, reached forward and opened the air lock. Eve bowed to him and dropped into the air lock. She 'fell' in then realigned herself with the ship's gravity field. It was very disorienting as she was falling towards the inner door, then curving as she aligned herself with the new gravity field, then she landed with the air lock behind her. She closed the door and waited for the door to pressurize. Then she reshaped her lungs to breath O2 and walked into the Hannibal.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo where is Eve?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's probably on the ship├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry. She's a nice girl, when some corporate big wig isn't fucking with her head├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller sighed, looking away from his com system. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy repeated ├óÔé¼┼ôhow goes the new link up?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller looked at his second com system. The Engineer he had on the other line shook his head frantically and held up his hand, all fingers and a thumb stuck out. He mouthed the word Five. ├óÔé¼┼ôBout six hours├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose I'll just be going to sleep now├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôno, wait!├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller protested, but then the link shut off. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat woman is going to kill me├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought that was my job├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said from behind him.
Eve walked down the hallway, whistling. The crew was looking, and feeling, happier then when she had arrive. The Hannibal was looking cleaner, more repaired every day. The bags were slowly vanishing from under people's eyes. She found herself at a mess hall. Eve walked in and looked around. People were talking, eating, laughing. Some were sitting alone, looking depressed. Those must be the people who lost someone in the battle. But most of the crew didn't lose any friends. It was the marines who had taken the hardest loses. Those were the men and women who were sitting alone at their tables, staring at their food as if it owed them something.
Eve decided, on a whim, to sit down at one of those tables. There a man sat, looking at a cup of coffee. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, smiling. The man looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI've never seen you around before├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø She said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHicks├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said, reaching over the table. It took Eve a few seconds. Then she remembered the custom and took the hand, pumping it. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing today?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hicks blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat makes two of us├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hicks smiled faintly ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to go├óÔé¼┬Ø. He got up, leaving his cup behind. Eve stood up and followed him.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy are you following me?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks snapped, looking at Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Hicks stopped and stared at her ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you do this to just anyone, or am I special somehow├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLuck of the draw├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou looked sad, and the seat was free├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you, some kind of...Good Samaritan?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks asked ├óÔé¼┼ôSpreading good cheer to all in need?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRound about├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, nodding. Hicks looked at her as if she was absolutely flipped. Then he started to walk down the hallway, not even saying goodbye to her. Eve started to run after him, feet slapping on the hallway. Hicks turned around ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you just going to keep persisting until I smile?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked.
Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôSmile would be nice, but being happy would work too├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hicks forced a smile to his lips ├óÔé¼┼ôHere├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôLadie Dah, I'm happy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve frowned. Hicks stopped. Eve kept frowning, then she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy are you sad?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy over, Fletch, died when the bastards shot down our asteroids├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey killed him, and the rest of my squad along with him├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI've lost loved one's too├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe best thing, I think, is to remember they existed, and for that time, they did something good and worthwhile├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hicks looked down ├óÔé¼┼ôHow do you know that he did something good?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe loved you├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you loved him back├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hicks covered his face with his hands ├óÔé¼┼ôThats├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked ├óÔé¼┼ô Silly? Insane? Trite? True? All of the above├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hick's sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou must be crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo, just bored├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve smiled. She turned away, walking down the hall. Hicks ran to catch up. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou want to go for coffee?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought you weren't interested in...that├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can learn├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd no good deed goes unpunished├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're not an punishment├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve grumbled. Then two M.P's walked around the corner. One of them saw Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, reaching for his gun. He and his partner pulled their weapons out and aimed at Eve. Hicks stepped in front of her. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis...person├óÔé¼┬Ø the M.P said ├óÔé¼┼ôis still considered dangerous├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDangerous?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks asked. Eve pushed him out of the way ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll go with you two. Its not like I'm committing any crime├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou, and you...mother were given express orders to not wander about the ship├óÔé¼┬Ø The M.P said. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry about it├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôOnce I point out to Keller that I'm not going to kill everyone, I'm sure we can have coffee├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked off with both M.P's, smiling and waving to Hicks. Hicks stood there, feeling as if something big went over his head. Then he shrugged and remembered a old marine pseudo-saying. Our way is not to question 'why'. He supposed that would have to suffice.
The boy smacked his lips, probing his teeth with his tong. His new, shiny tong. The nice woman was smiling at him ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe operation was a complete success├óÔé¼┬Ø. The boy smiled at her and nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you try talking?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. The boy shook his head, wondering why she kept asking such silly questions. Talking would just get the tong cut out again. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't need to say much. Just your name├óÔé¼┬Ø. Saying a name was what had gotten the Boy's tong cut out. So he just shook his head again.
Mike sighed. The shuttle was the last shuttle the Hannibal had, other then their spanking new, completely stolen, illegal fighter. Now he was going to land on a planet that was now swarming with S-02, with a woman who had managed to build the most deadly weapon of mankind and leave it on said planet's surface. He finished the start up sequence and the shuttles docking bay clamps opened with a clang. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôPut us down right next to Parliament├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôremember, no matter what I say, no matter how it seems, I want you to do EVERYTHING I say├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôEverything?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIF I order you to crawl in mud, do it. If I order you to run through machine gun fire, do it. I will do everything in my power to keep you alive├óÔé¼┬Ø. Gloria nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI can do that├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm under no illusions about this mission. Its a dangerous run├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut we can do it in a few minute├óÔé¼┬Ø the shuttle started to accelerate. It zipped past the fighter. Mike wished he could talk to Lizzy, tell her he might not be coming back to share her room. But Keller said she was asleep, and Mike knew that Lizzy hated to be woken up when she was sleeping. So he had not said anything. Now he was regretting it.
The shuttle would take about six hours to get to the planet. Mike leaned back in his chair and went to sleep. Gloria watched him snore for a bit. Then, shaking her head, she want back to her drawing table. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø She muttered, pouring over her schematics ├óÔé¼┼ôI have some idea's about the Stealth fields. If we can somehow adapt them...├óÔé¼┬Ø. Suddenly it was all so obvious. Gloria didn't know why it hadn't been obvious to the tech heads back at SOL. This would give her a matter neutralization field around a ship, but it would not actually effect the ship. That was, for all intents and purposes, invulnerability. Gloria's head started to spin. Think of how much money the royalties would rake in...
new episode arrives, somewhat belatedly! Locals rejoice!
eve meets a new friend! Lizzy proves her ability at counting! Mike is volunteered for a suicide mission! The universe is heating up, and the second major scale space battle is about to go into full swing! Will anyone survive the 'toys' the Excalibur is brining. Use your imagination. They are coming from a Space/time research station. I can think of more then a few guns you could build with that stuff...
├óÔé¼┼ôWhere the fuck is she!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho let him on the bridge?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf we love Eve, we lose. You have two people who know how Eve works, and I'm one of them. The other one is-├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø An aide cut in. Keller turned to him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're getting a signal├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts from what looks like a fighter, high acceleration├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôPut the signal through├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey Capan├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts captain├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller corrected her. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI tend to make that mistake├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere did you, the marines and Eve get too?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWellllll├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI have a wee bit of a problem. See we ran into the Excalibur├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou did?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked, shooting Mike an annoyed look. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey have a few tricks up their sleeves. They have ten fighters, for one├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow can you tell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked, butting in again. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell, Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said over the link up ├óÔé¼┼ôSeeing as how there are nine bogy's flying after us, that plus the fighter we stole, and that makes ten├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôKeep firing├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly muttered into his mic. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are!├óÔé¼┬Ø Alpha 2 snapped over the intercom ├óÔé¼┼ôThe munitions are impacting├óÔé¼┬Ø. Stanly squeezed down on the trigger and the two machine guns on his Viper started up, almost unnoticeable vibrations through the hull. Bullets were flung out of the gun, lit by the flash's on the barrels. The bullets were normal anti-fighter rounds. If one tagged the enemy ship that ship would be torn apart in a hail of deadly fragments, along with their reactor going up as their shielding was torn apart there. He watched on the computer screen. The bullets hit the ship. But nothing happened.
├óÔé¼┼ôStop firing├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly said over the intercom ├óÔé¼┼ôThey must have shielding├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then Alpha five's fighter blipped out of existence on the computer screen. Light flared as the O2 inside the fighter lit up and the ammo stores exploded, sending more fragments into space. One twanged lightly off Stanly's hull. ├óÔé¼┼ôSon of a bitch!├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly heard Alpha Three. ├óÔé¼┼ôBreak formation├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôIt must be mines!├óÔé¼┬Ø. His computer reacted to his shout and the fighter pulled up and out of formation. The once nice line formation was now a blob of fighters, spreading outwards in a haze.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell?├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly muttered, looking at his computer. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was our own munitions├óÔé¼┬Ø Alpha Eight said, her voice calm ├óÔé¼┼ôThe enemy must have stopped them, then they drifted into Jules path. Then they detonated├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think she's right├óÔé¼┬Ø Alpha three said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll stop├óÔé¼┬Ø Stanly shouted. The fighter chunked backwards, then started to drift. It was going forward, relatively, at about ten miles per hour. In space that was as good as stopped. The enemy ship started gaining. Then it was well out of their sensor range. Stanly kept his telescope on it for a few minutes. Then he sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôBack to the Excalibur├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to bury Jules├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Eve sighed, her face relaxing as the enemy's broke away. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you okay?├óÔé¼┬Ø Julian asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's just...harder in practice, with so many shells├óÔé¼┬Ø. But she smiled ├óÔé¼┼ôBut I put some shell's in their path├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's right├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats one enemy fighter down for the count├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller's voice came through the computer. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've gotten away clean├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou can tell Mike to stop worrying├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller looked at Mike, who made a 'who, me?' gesture. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's relived, to tell the truth├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, turning back to his console.
Lizzy cracked a grin ├óÔé¼┼ôTell him if he's good then maybe we won't need two rooms tonight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Keller looked at Mike. Mike repeated his 'who, me?' gesture. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll rent out your room├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose that means he's been a good boy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike repeated his gesture. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou could say that├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered. He switched the com to an engineer ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you rig up our shuttle bays to take a fighter, class Viper?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Engineer blinked, then nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôNot too hard├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll get to work├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôAbout work├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI've been working with the Engineering corps, but have been little use. I've been trying to get a job that I can do well, but that just seems to be shooting at things├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôThats why you're here, isn't it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats what the message said├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôdo you have an order for me, captian?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need you to go back down to Dantana's surface├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike's eyes widened ├óÔé¼┼ôI buried too many people down there├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you need?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to see if anyone is alive down there, and more importantly, do you remember a woman by the name of Gloria Ridembach?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike shook his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe is probably going down into history as the woman who invented the Matter Neutralizer Gun├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, stepping forward ├óÔé¼┼ôA what?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou heard me├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôMs. Ridembach created a weapon that could focus a Matter Neutralization field at a target and not destroy itself in the proses. It will usher in a new era of weapon technology, and could end this coming battle in five seconds├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mike gulped ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere is this magic gun?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôOn Dantana├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was left there in the rush to get into the shuttles├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo who am I going down with?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked ├óÔé¼┼ôMy team, whats left of it, are in the recovery ward. Sarge is getting his arm regrown, Helena's going to be in psychiatrics for god knows how long, Mankowski had half his ribs cracked, two broken completely. Lizzy's getting shot at, Eve I wouldn't risk. Who else is going down?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMs. Ridembach herself is├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's the only one who can find the damn thing, as she's the only one who knows were its hid├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd where is this Ms. Ridembach?├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôBehind you├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said, sounding very tired. ├óÔé¼┼ôAH!├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike yelped, turning around. ├óÔé¼┼ôShall we go?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked.
Lizzy put a slight spin on the fighter and sat back in her chair, enjoying the sensation of gravity. The star scape, and the Hannibal, floated in circles, going around and around and around. Lizzy smiled at that. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen do we get to dock?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked, walking over to the front of the ship. ├óÔé¼┼ôIn about├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy checked her watch ├óÔé¼┼ôThree hours, once they get the damn thing to accept this ships coupling mechanisms├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve groaned ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do we do till then?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, pulling her stolen uniforms cap down to cover her eyes ├óÔé¼┼ôMake like Julian, over there├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve looked at Julian, who was sleeping. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't we have space suits?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNope├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDidn't think to bring em├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôScrew this├óÔé¼┬Ø She said, walking into the air lock.
Lizzy nodded, not quite listening to her daughter. She was already half asleep. Then she heard a tap tap tap on the window screen. It was actually a camera recording from outside. It showed Eve, floating out there with her hair spread outwards in a halo of waving blackness. Lizzy gaped, knowing Eve couldn't see her. Eve smiled again and waved, then pointed at the Hannibal├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôClever girl├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy muttered. Eve mouthed the words 'thanks'. Lizzy blanced. She didn't think that Eve could hear her. ├óÔé¼┼ôSee you later├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve mouthed. Then she pushed off the side of the ship and started to drift to the Hannibal. She landed softly on the side of the ship. A technician, who was working on an exposed tube from the outside of the ship, turned around at the vibration. He jerked back, looking at Eve.
Eve saluted to him and pointed to the air lock. The Technician, still in a state of shock, reached forward and opened the air lock. Eve bowed to him and dropped into the air lock. She 'fell' in then realigned herself with the ship's gravity field. It was very disorienting as she was falling towards the inner door, then curving as she aligned herself with the new gravity field, then she landed with the air lock behind her. She closed the door and waited for the door to pressurize. Then she reshaped her lungs to breath O2 and walked into the Hannibal.
├óÔé¼┼ôSo where is Eve?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's probably on the ship├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry. She's a nice girl, when some corporate big wig isn't fucking with her head├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller sighed, looking away from his com system. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy repeated ├óÔé¼┼ôhow goes the new link up?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller looked at his second com system. The Engineer he had on the other line shook his head frantically and held up his hand, all fingers and a thumb stuck out. He mouthed the word Five. ├óÔé¼┼ôBout six hours├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose I'll just be going to sleep now├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôno, wait!├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller protested, but then the link shut off. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat woman is going to kill me├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought that was my job├óÔé¼┬Ø Sarris said from behind him.
Eve walked down the hallway, whistling. The crew was looking, and feeling, happier then when she had arrive. The Hannibal was looking cleaner, more repaired every day. The bags were slowly vanishing from under people's eyes. She found herself at a mess hall. Eve walked in and looked around. People were talking, eating, laughing. Some were sitting alone, looking depressed. Those must be the people who lost someone in the battle. But most of the crew didn't lose any friends. It was the marines who had taken the hardest loses. Those were the men and women who were sitting alone at their tables, staring at their food as if it owed them something.
Eve decided, on a whim, to sit down at one of those tables. There a man sat, looking at a cup of coffee. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, smiling. The man looked up ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI've never seen you around before├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø She said. ├óÔé¼┼ôHicks├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said, reaching over the table. It took Eve a few seconds. Then she remembered the custom and took the hand, pumping it. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing today?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hicks blinked ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat makes two of us├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hicks smiled faintly ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI need to go├óÔé¼┬Ø. He got up, leaving his cup behind. Eve stood up and followed him.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhy are you following me?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks snapped, looking at Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. Hicks stopped and stared at her ├óÔé¼┼ôDo you do this to just anyone, or am I special somehow├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôLuck of the draw├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou looked sad, and the seat was free├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho are you, some kind of...Good Samaritan?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks asked ├óÔé¼┼ôSpreading good cheer to all in need?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRound about├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, nodding. Hicks looked at her as if she was absolutely flipped. Then he started to walk down the hallway, not even saying goodbye to her. Eve started to run after him, feet slapping on the hallway. Hicks turned around ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you just going to keep persisting until I smile?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked.
Eve nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôSmile would be nice, but being happy would work too├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hicks forced a smile to his lips ├óÔé¼┼ôHere├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôLadie Dah, I'm happy├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve frowned. Hicks stopped. Eve kept frowning, then she said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy are you sad?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy over, Fletch, died when the bastards shot down our asteroids├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey killed him, and the rest of my squad along with him├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôI've lost loved one's too├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe best thing, I think, is to remember they existed, and for that time, they did something good and worthwhile├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hicks looked down ├óÔé¼┼ôHow do you know that he did something good?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe loved you├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd you loved him back├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hicks covered his face with his hands ├óÔé¼┼ôThats├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve asked ├óÔé¼┼ô Silly? Insane? Trite? True? All of the above├óÔé¼┬Ø. Hick's sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou must be crazy├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôNo, just bored├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve smiled. She turned away, walking down the hall. Hicks ran to catch up. ├óÔé¼┼ôWait├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou want to go for coffee?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought you weren't interested in...that├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can learn├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd no good deed goes unpunished├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're not an punishment├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve grumbled. Then two M.P's walked around the corner. One of them saw Eve. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit!├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted, reaching for his gun. He and his partner pulled their weapons out and aimed at Eve. Hicks stepped in front of her. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis...person├óÔé¼┬Ø the M.P said ├óÔé¼┼ôis still considered dangerous├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDangerous?├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks asked. Eve pushed him out of the way ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll go with you two. Its not like I'm committing any crime├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôYou, and you...mother were given express orders to not wander about the ship├óÔé¼┬Ø The M.P said. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve├óÔé¼┬Ø Hicks said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry about it├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôOnce I point out to Keller that I'm not going to kill everyone, I'm sure we can have coffee├óÔé¼┬Ø. She walked off with both M.P's, smiling and waving to Hicks. Hicks stood there, feeling as if something big went over his head. Then he shrugged and remembered a old marine pseudo-saying. Our way is not to question 'why'. He supposed that would have to suffice.
The boy smacked his lips, probing his teeth with his tong. His new, shiny tong. The nice woman was smiling at him ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe operation was a complete success├óÔé¼┬Ø. The boy smiled at her and nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you try talking?├óÔé¼┬Ø She asked. The boy shook his head, wondering why she kept asking such silly questions. Talking would just get the tong cut out again. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't worry├óÔé¼┬Ø The woman said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou don't need to say much. Just your name├óÔé¼┬Ø. Saying a name was what had gotten the Boy's tong cut out. So he just shook his head again.
Mike sighed. The shuttle was the last shuttle the Hannibal had, other then their spanking new, completely stolen, illegal fighter. Now he was going to land on a planet that was now swarming with S-02, with a woman who had managed to build the most deadly weapon of mankind and leave it on said planet's surface. He finished the start up sequence and the shuttles docking bay clamps opened with a clang. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôPut us down right next to Parliament├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôremember, no matter what I say, no matter how it seems, I want you to do EVERYTHING I say├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôEverything?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked.
├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôIF I order you to crawl in mud, do it. If I order you to run through machine gun fire, do it. I will do everything in my power to keep you alive├óÔé¼┬Ø. Gloria nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôI can do that├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm under no illusions about this mission. Its a dangerous run├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôbut we can do it in a few minute├óÔé¼┬Ø the shuttle started to accelerate. It zipped past the fighter. Mike wished he could talk to Lizzy, tell her he might not be coming back to share her room. But Keller said she was asleep, and Mike knew that Lizzy hated to be woken up when she was sleeping. So he had not said anything. Now he was regretting it.
The shuttle would take about six hours to get to the planet. Mike leaned back in his chair and went to sleep. Gloria watched him snore for a bit. Then, shaking her head, she want back to her drawing table. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø She muttered, pouring over her schematics ├óÔé¼┼ôI have some idea's about the Stealth fields. If we can somehow adapt them...├óÔé¼┬Ø. Suddenly it was all so obvious. Gloria didn't know why it hadn't been obvious to the tech heads back at SOL. This would give her a matter neutralization field around a ship, but it would not actually effect the ship. That was, for all intents and purposes, invulnerability. Gloria's head started to spin. Think of how much money the royalties would rake in...
├óÔé¼┼ôSir, we're getting a signal├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller turned around ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor operator swore ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it!├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller walked over to the station. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're getting buzzed├óÔé¼┬Ø The sensor operators said ├óÔé¼┼ôNine fighters inbound├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAll right folks├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, looking around his bridge crew ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's started. Get everyone mobilized and go to red alert├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes sir├óÔé¼┬Ø his gunner officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôRed alert├óÔé¼┬Ø. No alarms sounded, but Keller knew that the signal was sent to everyone's slates and computer stations.
├óÔé¼┼ôGet me Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd do we have a competent pilot?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø His flight operator said ├óÔé¼┼ôwe do have Lizzy. She flew the thing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat doesn't quite count as competent├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôBut at least she can fly it. Launch it├óÔé¼┬Ø. The flight officer nodded, talking into his head set. He winced as Lizzy shouted something back at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're the only one who actually...flew the fighter├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat doesn't mean I want to die with it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôThose are trained fighter pilots. I just figured out the stop, go and how to turn of the blinker commands├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's got a point├óÔé¼┬Ø the flight operator said. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôSpin us around so the fighter is facing away from the enemy├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The fighter link up had been jury rigged as fast as possible, and was not the most elegant system. It was a collection of pipes and tubes shoving into space. The tubes connected to the air lock, fuel intake outtake and the O2 tank. A single spar of metal was keeping the fighter next to the Hannibal. And seeing as how they didn't want to launch it, they had to keep it from the Excalibur's line of fire. The Hannibal slowly rotated around, main engines starting to light up. ├óÔé¼┼ôMove us into asteroid field├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to get something between us and the enemy├óÔé¼┬Ø.
One of the asteroids exploded, weird crackling energy consuming the entire thing. The last shreds of the asteroid vanished. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell just happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir the enemy ship has fired├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI noticed that├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered, looking at the screens. The cameras was replaying the destruction of the asteroid. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø His gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôthey fired a few seconds after the asteroid exploded├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller stared at him ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSee├óÔé¼┬Ø The gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôthe asteroid exploded, THEN the enemy fired. But, playing it back, you can see that the shot hits before the ship fired├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat does that mean├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have no├óÔé¼┬Ø his gunnery officer said. Then a sliver of the Hannibal was blown off, a thin gouge cut through the upper sleeper tank. The entire ship started to spin wildly. Eve walked into the room, staggering with the impact. ├óÔé¼┼ôReporting for duty├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, steadying herself as the ship's counter balance engines started to correct the ship. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen the enemy ship fires, can you see if you can stop it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir the enemy has fired├óÔé¼┬Ø His gunner officer. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was hit?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø The gunnery officer said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhiffed right past us├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, sitting down in Keller's chair.
├óÔé¼┼ôCan you tell what they are shooting at us?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt feels like...a bullets. Just a very very fast bullet. Like those things we use to communicate...the Tac-cons├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôAre they firing tachyons at us├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, turning to his gunnery officer. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't tell├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer ├óÔé¼┼ôBut they've fired again. I'm counting a twenty, maybe thirty second reload time├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's getting closer├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôFighters at thirty one kilometers, accelerating. They are within range of the long nines├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said. ├óÔé¼┼ôFiring├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôTwo shots connected. Both down. Those fighters have P.D weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôenemy fighters are entering the asteroid field. They are breaking formation, half within our lines of fire. Enemy's firing├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve clapped her hands and rubbed them ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø she grinned. The enemy fighters were looping around the asteroids. Fighters were actually not so useful in most space combat. The enemy could knock down enemy fighters with long range weapons. In open space they were completely defenseless, other then their very light P.D guns. Now in an asteroid field fighters were a holy terror, using the asteroid as cover and their maneuverability to get very close to the enemy. At close ranges their light guns were deadly. The P.D guns of heavy ships just didn't have the time to hit the smaller munitions, and so the fighters could tear them apart.
├óÔé¼┼ôGet us out of this asteroid field├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. One of the asteroids exploded, one of the Excalibur's shots smashing it to pieces. ├óÔé¼┼ôOn the other hand├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey might hit us if we move out of the field├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you stop those shots?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôToo fast├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut the enemy fighters...if they get close enough├óÔé¼┬Ø. She smiled at that. Keller grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôWere are the fighters?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. His sensor officer looked at his console ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have lost contact with...one bearing down on us!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sat up in her chair ├óÔé¼┼ôget a camera on this├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, rolling up her sleeves.
Keller looked at his console as the sensor officer patched through the camera feed. One of the fighters came barreling down, guns firing. Then it flew in half, its two halves continuing on their momentum. One of them smashed into an asteroid and exploded. The other was taken down by a P.D weapon and exploded. The pilot had bailed, and was floating, his space suit flashing a 'pick me up' buoy signal. ├óÔé¼┼ôSend the fighter├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you sure that is a good idea?├óÔé¼┬Ø His gunner officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean...he's an enemy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. And that was that.
Lizzy walked into the fighter and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôAt least I don't need to figure out how to fire the thing├óÔé¼┬Ø. She was wearing a space suit, one of the nice form fitting one's she used to have. She was getting used to wearing them again, and she quickly fastened her helmet on. She breathed the recycled air, trying to remember which button turned the fighter on. The fighter disconnected before she could do it however, and it started to drift. ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø someone said over the com line ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have enemy fighters coming in. You might want to start...moving├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI told you├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know how to fly this very well!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
She found the on button and flipped it. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis seems to be a bit more crazy then somethings I've done├óÔé¼┬Ø. The fighter started up and she throttled it forward. The downed pilot was waving his arms at her. She opened the air lock and drove over to the pilot. He crawled in ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you avoid their weapon?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat weapon?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked, not turning around as the man closed the air lock. He sat down next to the wall and pulled his helmet off. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo you're with team two?├óÔé¼┬Ø the Pilot asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, still not turning around. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell are they using?├óÔé¼┬Ø the pilot mused ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat kind of weapon could do that?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôI have no idea├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, trying not to laugh. The pilot looked at her console ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy are we docking with the enemy ship?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Lizzy pulled out her pistol and pressed it into the pilot's helmet. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a new POW├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. The ship docked and the pilot raised his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a good thing that we're not heartless murderers, or else you might be in some trouble├óÔé¼┬Ø. The pilot sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're the woman who stole our fighter, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn good work on that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm touched. Now get out of my ship├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôthe enemy has switched to normal munitions├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow would I know?├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we are going to get pounded in about...ten or so seconds. Spinning up P.D weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll handle this├óÔé¼┬Ø. The bridge crew looked at her. Eve grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is what I've been training for├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôfive seconds to impact├óÔé¼┬Ø The gunner officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôAre yous sure about the P.D guns?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. He looked at Eve. She was still smiling.
The enemy shells were a few meters from the ship. Then they stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was..easier then I thought├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you throw the shell's back at the enemy?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood question├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. She closed her eyes. The shells departed in a hurry. An enemy fighter was caught in the flurry of shells and exploded violently. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood arm├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could use you in baseball├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve laughed. Then the eight remaining fighters formed up and flew off. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere are they going?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLooks like they are going home├óÔé¼┬Ø his sensor officer said.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Excalibur is within our range├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFire├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôFiring├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer said. The side guns of the Hannibal opened up and shells started to pour into space. Eve smiled and gave them all a slight flick. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've already tagged ten hits on the enemy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôTen?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked ├óÔé¼┼ôare their P.D guns even working?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôOur shells are going roughly five times faster then normal├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller looked at Eve. Eve winked. Lizzy walked into the bridge ├óÔé¼┼ôHey├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing here?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWanted to check on the battle├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about the prisoner?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's in the lock up├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôPut him there myself. Now how is the battle going?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo far├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then the entire room tilted to the side. Lizzy's legs were jerked out from under her and Keller was thrown over a console. The gunnery and sensor officers both were smashed into their work stations. The gunnery officers arm was bending in the wrong direction when he got back up. Eve was the only one who hadn't been tossed around. She was sitting in her chair, looking dazed.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck hit us├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller growled, standing up and whipping blood of his brow. A cut was bleeding sluggishly from where he had skinned his head against the corner of a console. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe enemy ship has fired├óÔé¼┬Ø The sensor officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis was a direct hit├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamage report├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy arms broken├óÔé¼┬Ø The gunnery officer said, sounding surprised ├óÔé¼┼ôow├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet to the medical bay├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, looking at this console. A hole, roughly ten feet by ten feet was smashed through the direct middle of the ship. Everything there was just...gone. ├óÔé¼┼ôCasualties?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôMore then we would want├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said, reading through some intermittent reports ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're getting a signal from the Excalibur. They want to talk├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Keller whipped his mouth and nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôFirst bring me up a picture of the enemy ship├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The sensor officer nodded and Keller walked to his console. The Excalibur's fighters were in a phalanx around it, to act as back up P.D guns. The ship itself looked in a bad shape, a pattern of craters torn in its hull plating. Smoke was still pouring out of the holes, showing that they still hadn't gotten a fire under control. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you read minds?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAfter a fashion├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ônot through a screen, thought├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWorth a shot├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôPatch the signal through├óÔé¼┬Ø. His sensor officer nodded and typed on his keyboard.
The shuttle hit atmo. Mike was jolted away by Gloria shaking him ├óÔé¼┼ôWake up! Wake up!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, blinking away his fatigue. He started to adjust their landing, so they wouldn't actually collide with the ground, but rather set down nicely. Then the ship shuddered slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôTurbulence├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing to worry about├óÔé¼┬Ø. The shuttle shook a bit more. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSlightly more turbulence├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike sighed, wondering why he had to be packed with someone who had obviously never flown in space before. The landing went without a hitch, the shuttle crusing over the planets surface until it got to the capital city.
Then Mike pulled back on the throttle ├óÔé¼┼ôno way├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, putting the shuttle in a fuel expensive hover mode ├óÔé¼┼ôNo way am I landing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLook├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike pointed. The city retained it shape, somehow. Over that however, was a swarming pile of S-02. Black grit covered the city, swarming, growing, flailing and generally moving about. ├óÔé¼┼ôHoly crap├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy machine is under all that!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI really hope that you can build a new one├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked, pointing at the city.
Mike swore loudly. A huge tentacle of S-02 was reaching out of the city. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, pulling back on the stick. The shuttle zipped backwards, but the tentacle grabbed the front of the shuttle. Then it threw the shuttle into the ground. Mike saw the ground rushing at the windshield. Then he ducked and covered. Then the shuttle crumpled, smashing into the ground. Gloria saw a rather large hunk of metal sticking through her gut. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh hell├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThats what it feels like├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI wonder if Alex thought├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike groaned. He opened his eyes and saw a huge chunk of rock smashing through the windshield, about half an inch from his face. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was close├óÔé¼┬Ø he breathed. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey...Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said, her voice thick and soupy. Mike crawled out of his ruined cockpit and looked at Gloria. She had a rather large chunk of metal shoved through her stomach. Blood was slowly pumping out of her wound. Mike winced ├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôcan you move your legs?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Gloria grunted ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour spine has been severed├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôAt least it looks like├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats...great├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said, blood trickling out of her mouth ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I'm going to die├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're not going to die├óÔé¼┬Ø.
He looked around for the medical station. It was packed near the back of the shuttle, so it was most likely to be spared. He crawled up the slanted shuttle and grabbed the medical station. He pulled it open and grabbed some general purpose medical bags. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know how to dress a wound├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at the wound. ├óÔé¼┼ôDoes the...tac-con still work?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria murmured. Mike almost whacked himself. Of course. He crawled back into the ruined cockpit and looked around. The shuttle still had power, amazingly. He found the com switch and turned it on. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Mike Dobson├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôMike Dobson. We've been shot down over Dantana. Are in need of medical evac, over├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Mike Dobson. We are in need of medical evac, over├óÔé¼┬Ø he repeated. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria groaned ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I hear something├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike crawled back out of the cockpit and into the main rooms. He heard it too, a slithering sound. ├óÔé¼┼ôS-02├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered, grabbing for a pistol. He found the gun and aimed it at the sound. The sound stopped. He waited. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬ØGloria moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôI think...I'm going out├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike started to rummage through the medical supplies again, placing the pistol on the slated floor. He pulled out a sealant. Then the roof of the shuttle started to cave in. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. He grabbed Gloria, then as gently as he could, pulled her off the jagged spike. She screamed. But then she was off.
The celling caved in a bit more. Mike shoved the sealant gun into the hole and squeezed, spraying the sealant around the wound. Then he dragged Gloria to the air lock, opened the door and they both crawled out a second before the S-02 tentacle smashed the shuttle to bits and pieces. Gloria lay on the ground, gasping in pain. Her face was as white as a sheet, sweat shining on it. Mike looked at his shuttle. The tentacle , a huge rippling blackness, moved away. Then it was gone. Mike blinked. Then he heard a clomp. It sounded like...footsteps. He turned around. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice said.
├óÔé¼┼ôGet me Eve├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd do we have a competent pilot?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø His flight operator said ├óÔé¼┼ôwe do have Lizzy. She flew the thing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat doesn't quite count as competent├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôBut at least she can fly it. Launch it├óÔé¼┬Ø. The flight officer nodded, talking into his head set. He winced as Lizzy shouted something back at him. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're the only one who actually...flew the fighter├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat doesn't mean I want to die with it├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôThose are trained fighter pilots. I just figured out the stop, go and how to turn of the blinker commands├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShe's got a point├óÔé¼┬Ø the flight operator said. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôSpin us around so the fighter is facing away from the enemy├óÔé¼┬Ø.
The fighter link up had been jury rigged as fast as possible, and was not the most elegant system. It was a collection of pipes and tubes shoving into space. The tubes connected to the air lock, fuel intake outtake and the O2 tank. A single spar of metal was keeping the fighter next to the Hannibal. And seeing as how they didn't want to launch it, they had to keep it from the Excalibur's line of fire. The Hannibal slowly rotated around, main engines starting to light up. ├óÔé¼┼ôMove us into asteroid field├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to get something between us and the enemy├óÔé¼┬Ø.
One of the asteroids exploded, weird crackling energy consuming the entire thing. The last shreds of the asteroid vanished. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell just happened?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir the enemy ship has fired├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI noticed that├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered, looking at the screens. The cameras was replaying the destruction of the asteroid. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø His gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôthey fired a few seconds after the asteroid exploded├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller stared at him ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSee├óÔé¼┬Ø The gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôthe asteroid exploded, THEN the enemy fired. But, playing it back, you can see that the shot hits before the ship fired├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat does that mean├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have no├óÔé¼┬Ø his gunnery officer said. Then a sliver of the Hannibal was blown off, a thin gouge cut through the upper sleeper tank. The entire ship started to spin wildly. Eve walked into the room, staggering with the impact. ├óÔé¼┼ôReporting for duty├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, steadying herself as the ship's counter balance engines started to correct the ship. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen the enemy ship fires, can you see if you can stop it?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir the enemy has fired├óÔé¼┬Ø His gunner officer. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was hit?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing├óÔé¼┬Ø The gunnery officer said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhiffed right past us├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said, sitting down in Keller's chair.
├óÔé¼┼ôCan you tell what they are shooting at us?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt feels like...a bullets. Just a very very fast bullet. Like those things we use to communicate...the Tac-cons├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller stopped ├óÔé¼┼ôAre they firing tachyons at us├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, turning to his gunnery officer. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't tell├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer ├óÔé¼┼ôBut they've fired again. I'm counting a twenty, maybe thirty second reload time├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt's getting closer├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said softly. ├óÔé¼┼ôFighters at thirty one kilometers, accelerating. They are within range of the long nines├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said. ├óÔé¼┼ôFiring├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôTwo shots connected. Both down. Those fighters have P.D weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôenemy fighters are entering the asteroid field. They are breaking formation, half within our lines of fire. Enemy's firing├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve clapped her hands and rubbed them ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø she grinned. The enemy fighters were looping around the asteroids. Fighters were actually not so useful in most space combat. The enemy could knock down enemy fighters with long range weapons. In open space they were completely defenseless, other then their very light P.D guns. Now in an asteroid field fighters were a holy terror, using the asteroid as cover and their maneuverability to get very close to the enemy. At close ranges their light guns were deadly. The P.D guns of heavy ships just didn't have the time to hit the smaller munitions, and so the fighters could tear them apart.
├óÔé¼┼ôGet us out of this asteroid field├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. One of the asteroids exploded, one of the Excalibur's shots smashing it to pieces. ├óÔé¼┼ôOn the other hand├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey might hit us if we move out of the field├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI know├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you stop those shots?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôToo fast├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut the enemy fighters...if they get close enough├óÔé¼┬Ø. She smiled at that. Keller grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôWere are the fighters?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. His sensor officer looked at his console ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have lost contact with...one bearing down on us!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve sat up in her chair ├óÔé¼┼ôget a camera on this├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, rolling up her sleeves.
Keller looked at his console as the sensor officer patched through the camera feed. One of the fighters came barreling down, guns firing. Then it flew in half, its two halves continuing on their momentum. One of them smashed into an asteroid and exploded. The other was taken down by a P.D weapon and exploded. The pilot had bailed, and was floating, his space suit flashing a 'pick me up' buoy signal. ├óÔé¼┼ôSend the fighter├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you sure that is a good idea?├óÔé¼┬Ø His gunner officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôI mean...he's an enemy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. And that was that.
Lizzy walked into the fighter and sighed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôAt least I don't need to figure out how to fire the thing├óÔé¼┬Ø. She was wearing a space suit, one of the nice form fitting one's she used to have. She was getting used to wearing them again, and she quickly fastened her helmet on. She breathed the recycled air, trying to remember which button turned the fighter on. The fighter disconnected before she could do it however, and it started to drift. ├óÔé¼┼ôLizzy├óÔé¼┬Ø someone said over the com line ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have enemy fighters coming in. You might want to start...moving├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI told you├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know how to fly this very well!├óÔé¼┬Ø.
She found the on button and flipped it. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis seems to be a bit more crazy then somethings I've done├óÔé¼┬Ø. The fighter started up and she throttled it forward. The downed pilot was waving his arms at her. She opened the air lock and drove over to the pilot. He crawled in ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôHow did you avoid their weapon?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat weapon?├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy asked, not turning around as the man closed the air lock. He sat down next to the wall and pulled his helmet off. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo you're with team two?├óÔé¼┬Ø the Pilot asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, still not turning around. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell are they using?├óÔé¼┬Ø the pilot mused ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat kind of weapon could do that?├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôI have no idea├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said, trying not to laugh. The pilot looked at her console ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy are we docking with the enemy ship?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. Lizzy pulled out her pistol and pressed it into the pilot's helmet. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're a new POW├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. The ship docked and the pilot raised his hands. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts a good thing that we're not heartless murderers, or else you might be in some trouble├óÔé¼┬Ø. The pilot sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're the woman who stole our fighter, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked ├óÔé¼┼ôDamn good work on that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThanks├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm touched. Now get out of my ship├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôthe enemy has switched to normal munitions├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow would I know?├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we are going to get pounded in about...ten or so seconds. Spinning up P.D weapons├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôI'll handle this├óÔé¼┬Ø. The bridge crew looked at her. Eve grinned ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is what I've been training for├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôfive seconds to impact├óÔé¼┬Ø The gunner officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôAre yous sure about the P.D guns?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. He looked at Eve. She was still smiling.
The enemy shells were a few meters from the ship. Then they stopped. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was..easier then I thought├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller sighed ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you throw the shell's back at the enemy?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood question├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said. She closed her eyes. The shells departed in a hurry. An enemy fighter was caught in the flurry of shells and exploded violently. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood arm├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe could use you in baseball├óÔé¼┬Ø. Eve laughed. Then the eight remaining fighters formed up and flew off. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere are they going?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLooks like they are going home├óÔé¼┬Ø his sensor officer said.
├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Excalibur is within our range├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFire├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôFiring├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer said. The side guns of the Hannibal opened up and shells started to pour into space. Eve smiled and gave them all a slight flick. ├óÔé¼┼ôSir├óÔé¼┬Ø the gunnery officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe've already tagged ten hits on the enemy├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôTen?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked ├óÔé¼┼ôare their P.D guns even working?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôOur shells are going roughly five times faster then normal├óÔé¼┬Ø. Keller looked at Eve. Eve winked. Lizzy walked into the bridge ├óÔé¼┼ôHey├óÔé¼┬Ø she said.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat are you doing here?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWanted to check on the battle├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat about the prisoner?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe's in the lock up├óÔé¼┬Ø Lizzy said ├óÔé¼┼ôPut him there myself. Now how is the battle going?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo far├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then the entire room tilted to the side. Lizzy's legs were jerked out from under her and Keller was thrown over a console. The gunnery and sensor officers both were smashed into their work stations. The gunnery officers arm was bending in the wrong direction when he got back up. Eve was the only one who hadn't been tossed around. She was sitting in her chair, looking dazed.
├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the fuck hit us├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller growled, standing up and whipping blood of his brow. A cut was bleeding sluggishly from where he had skinned his head against the corner of a console. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe enemy ship has fired├óÔé¼┬Ø The sensor officer said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis was a direct hit├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôDamage report├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy arms broken├óÔé¼┬Ø The gunnery officer said, sounding surprised ├óÔé¼┼ôow├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGet to the medical bay├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said, looking at this console. A hole, roughly ten feet by ten feet was smashed through the direct middle of the ship. Everything there was just...gone. ├óÔé¼┼ôCasualties?├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôMore then we would want├óÔé¼┬Ø the sensor officer said, reading through some intermittent reports ├óÔé¼┼ôWe're getting a signal from the Excalibur. They want to talk├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Keller whipped his mouth and nodded ├óÔé¼┼ôFirst bring me up a picture of the enemy ship├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. The sensor officer nodded and Keller walked to his console. The Excalibur's fighters were in a phalanx around it, to act as back up P.D guns. The ship itself looked in a bad shape, a pattern of craters torn in its hull plating. Smoke was still pouring out of the holes, showing that they still hadn't gotten a fire under control. ├óÔé¼┼ôEve├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller said ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you read minds?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôAfter a fashion├óÔé¼┬Ø Eve said ├óÔé¼┼ônot through a screen, thought├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWorth a shot├óÔé¼┬Ø Keller muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôPatch the signal through├óÔé¼┬Ø. His sensor officer nodded and typed on his keyboard.
The shuttle hit atmo. Mike was jolted away by Gloria shaking him ├óÔé¼┼ôWake up! Wake up!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said, blinking away his fatigue. He started to adjust their landing, so they wouldn't actually collide with the ground, but rather set down nicely. Then the ship shuddered slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôTurbulence├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôNothing to worry about├óÔé¼┬Ø. The shuttle shook a bit more. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSlightly more turbulence├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike sighed, wondering why he had to be packed with someone who had obviously never flown in space before. The landing went without a hitch, the shuttle crusing over the planets surface until it got to the capital city.
Then Mike pulled back on the throttle ├óÔé¼┼ôno way├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, putting the shuttle in a fuel expensive hover mode ├óÔé¼┼ôNo way am I landing├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôLook├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike pointed. The city retained it shape, somehow. Over that however, was a swarming pile of S-02. Black grit covered the city, swarming, growing, flailing and generally moving about. ├óÔé¼┼ôHoly crap├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said ├óÔé¼┼ôMy machine is under all that!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôI really hope that you can build a new one├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat's that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria asked, pointing at the city.
Mike swore loudly. A huge tentacle of S-02 was reaching out of the city. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, pulling back on the stick. The shuttle zipped backwards, but the tentacle grabbed the front of the shuttle. Then it threw the shuttle into the ground. Mike saw the ground rushing at the windshield. Then he ducked and covered. Then the shuttle crumpled, smashing into the ground. Gloria saw a rather large hunk of metal sticking through her gut. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh hell├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThats what it feels like├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôI wonder if Alex thought├óÔé¼┬Ø.
Mike groaned. He opened his eyes and saw a huge chunk of rock smashing through the windshield, about half an inch from his face. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat was close├óÔé¼┬Ø he breathed. ├óÔé¼┼ôHey...Mike├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said, her voice thick and soupy. Mike crawled out of his ruined cockpit and looked at Gloria. She had a rather large chunk of metal shoved through her stomach. Blood was slowly pumping out of her wound. Mike winced ├óÔé¼┼ôAh├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôcan you move your legs?├óÔé¼┬Ø. Gloria grunted ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour spine has been severed├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôAt least it looks like├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats...great├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria said, blood trickling out of her mouth ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I'm going to die├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou're not going to die├óÔé¼┬Ø.
He looked around for the medical station. It was packed near the back of the shuttle, so it was most likely to be spared. He crawled up the slanted shuttle and grabbed the medical station. He pulled it open and grabbed some general purpose medical bags. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI know how to dress a wound├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked at the wound. ├óÔé¼┼ôDoes the...tac-con still work?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria murmured. Mike almost whacked himself. Of course. He crawled back into the ruined cockpit and looked around. The shuttle still had power, amazingly. He found the com switch and turned it on. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Mike Dobson├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôMike Dobson. We've been shot down over Dantana. Are in need of medical evac, over├óÔé¼┬Ø.
├óÔé¼┼ôThis is Mike Dobson. We are in need of medical evac, over├óÔé¼┬Ø he repeated. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬Ø Gloria groaned ├óÔé¼┼ôI think I hear something├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike crawled back out of the cockpit and into the main rooms. He heard it too, a slithering sound. ├óÔé¼┼ôS-02├óÔé¼┬Ø he muttered, grabbing for a pistol. He found the gun and aimed it at the sound. The sound stopped. He waited. ├óÔé¼┼ôMike├óÔé¼┬ØGloria moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôI think...I'm going out├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôFuck├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike started to rummage through the medical supplies again, placing the pistol on the slated floor. He pulled out a sealant. Then the roof of the shuttle started to cave in. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø Mike said. He grabbed Gloria, then as gently as he could, pulled her off the jagged spike. She screamed. But then she was off.
The celling caved in a bit more. Mike shoved the sealant gun into the hole and squeezed, spraying the sealant around the wound. Then he dragged Gloria to the air lock, opened the door and they both crawled out a second before the S-02 tentacle smashed the shuttle to bits and pieces. Gloria lay on the ground, gasping in pain. Her face was as white as a sheet, sweat shining on it. Mike looked at his shuttle. The tentacle , a huge rippling blackness, moved away. Then it was gone. Mike blinked. Then he heard a clomp. It sounded like...footsteps. He turned around. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø a voice said.
-
Guessmyname
- Posts: 3301
- Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 21:07
