Cyberpunk III: 2856A.D. MARS

"Wait here, and don't let it see you." She touches a button on the top left of the chest of her armor. Ash, completely disappears. All that could be seen, is a slight distortion in the light as she moves. She slowly peaks around the corner to see the gun moving back and forth, scanning its territory. When it looks away, she quickly steps around the corner and freezes. It looks back and sees nothing. It looks away once more and she pulls her gun into position. As soon as it looks away again, her gun goes off, burning a hole straight through the sentry. It drops to the cave floor and stops moving.

Ash goes visible again and motions to Bull to continue going through the cave tunnel.

 

Bull continued to lead the way through the cavern system, not quite sure of where he was going. He remembered the waterfall outside, so he tried to stick to the tunnels that were dripping from the ceiling. He wasn't sure why that made sense, but it seemed logical at the time.

Him and the lieutenant continued heading up the slanted cavern until they came to a shut door way. Bull fiddled with the keypad for a few minutes. It flashed red every time he pressed a number combination.

"Well s***," he said, spitting out another brown wad.

 

Nero watched the along the length of the tunnel. Angel was on her knees, carefully picking up the scattered tools that had fell during the crash. Cyrus smacked the side of a scorched view screen, but it refused to turn on. Karasu sat on a metal box, his handgun hanging lazily in his grip.

He examined the storage hold carefully. Apparently the Dragonfly crew hadn't changed their stock, as it was filled with instruments that didn't suit their operation. He took the rations that could last them a few weeks or so.

Above the stacked boxes were shelves of medical material. Three packets of salt morphine, a syringe of antibiotics and a coldheat strap. He quickly rolled up his leg sleeve and wrapped up his ankle. Perfect he thought. He gravi-stuck his Hydra rifle to his back diagonally, a nifty ability that allowed him to carry a weapon without a strap or holster and when activated will magnetically attach the weapon to his suit a short distance. Nero put the supplies on the ground outside of the vehicle.

"Does everyone have what they need? We can't waste any time." Nero said, slightly leaning on one foot, the coldheat strap had worked wonders for him.

 

Angel hid a small smile as Nero strapped his ankle. She had been right.

"Does everyone have what they need? We can't waste any time."

Angel nodded, snapping a pocket at the knee of her uniform closed on the tools inside.

"I believe we do, Sir."

She slipped on the small pack that held her share of the medical supplies and food to carry.

"Now we need the schematic and a direction."

 

Jack rummaged around the shuttle, trying to prioritize. There were a lot of useful components on the computers here that really shouldn't be left to burn. The problem was, there was a lot of it, and he couldn't take it all. In the end, he took a few nanoprocessor banks, a good chunk of system core, and a tiny LCD monitor. He also backed up the entire content of secondary storage onto his minidrive. If he had to build a comm program, he'd rather not start from scratch. He then effectively told the computer to screw itself; deleted all files from the comp. Military secrets and all that.

"Ready to move out, Sir!"

 

While walking with the others Karasu readies himself. He has to keep a level headed mind set. He has to keep all of his training with him. He breathes in deeply with a calm sigh. He listens and looks out to the crips horizon. He thought he heard something, but it doesn't register his brain. Until a little later.
"I hear something coming from a south direction," he said.

 

I swear I have no idea how this scrawny runt ended up in the military, let alone how any one ever puts up with him. Unfortunately, he's right... he is *very* good at what he does. He stayed behind in the shuttle to get the computer running again as we tried to fight off the wave of mecha-bugs outside... uhg. Disgusting. One minute they're everywhere, and the next, they're suddenly, and inexplicably, gone. I don't like mysteries like that... there's usually an unhappy ending to them. A second later, I realized I was alone out here... Ash and Bull were gone. Right about then, Mr. leet hacker, or whatever he was calling himself, swaggered out claiming he owned the world, or something, which brings us back to current.

I shot him a glare, but that just seemed to make his grin wider. "Come on. Ash and Bull are missing, we need to find them." I told him, "Also, the mecha-spiders that were just out here a second ago are gone... keep an eye out for them. I expect them to probably attack again." He nodded, and we start a sweep of the cave, searching for anything unusual. After several minutes of searching, I find an old-looking very solid metal door with a small blinking keypad next to it hidden in an alcove. "Yo Hotdog! Get over here!" He trots over, and I point out the keypad. "Think you can get that open?"

 

Ash hears some sounds on the other side of the door. She says in a whisper "wait, that sounds like..."

She knocks on the door, and yells "Hey, Private McShayne, is that you? I think I found the way out, but we need to get this door open. Is Hotdog with you?"

 

"Yo..dog!...over here!....open!"

Bull heard the familiar sound of McShayne's voice. He pounded on the door. "Hey, McShayne, Hot Dog!" he shouted as loud as he could. "We're on the other side!"

 

I look at this out of date old stuff that my grandma would be able to crack using a tampon and a butter knife. What type of looser uses this junk anymore.

"OMFG Lame-o-werez"*

I pull out my Jet-Black(tm) DeathBringer 36789-P278D Ugly Warz (IE: Modern Palm Pilot) hand held atomic enzyme processor unit and have it run the cod compatibility programs for this archaic lock thing. before we can blink the green light goes in a tizzy.

I am the WarzGod! I am always first day Beouch!

Just to make sure they don't loose my uber awesomeness I add a UZMI card link to my Deathbringer to link it to the main shuttle so that this little baby can locate where all the others are. All your base are belong to me!

"LOLZ Dis H4x0rZ p0wns B0x0r5"*

I can hear Holly's teeth grinding and I know she just can't stop thinking about what ownz-ness is standing next her, bet is taking all she has to not just jump my bones right here and now.

(Translated from L33t Speak)

 

The door slid open and Charlie was reunited with little fanfare. Bull spat another brown wad on the ground. "Good job uber-Geek," he said patting Hot Dog on the shoulder. "Now maybe the Lieutenant can give us some godd**n perspective here and tell us what our objective is."

 

"The objective is simple. we need to locate the gate. Take control of it,if possible, or destroy it if we can't. Hey, you two, listen up. They are probably watching our movement, so be on the look out for ambushes. Also this is this woman named Fox wearing black armor and some pretty wicked looking augments. Ok, we head back to were me and Bull were until we reach the fork and then take the other way. Move out and be cautious." says Ash, as she turns and leads her team into the darkness.

 

As the lieutenant leads the group back into the cavern, Bull gives a skeptical look. "If you want to look out for the cat-woman, then why are we going back to where she ambushed you?"

He flipped his helm-lamp on again, moving back into point. "S*** we took so many twists and turns that I don't even know how to get back," he said. Bull looked backwards to Hot Dog. "You got a schematic for us, half pint?"

 

"I believe we do, Sir." Angel said.

"Ready to move out, Sir!" Cyrus echoed behind her, taking with him precious tech materials.

"Can we just leave?" Karasu responded, whirling his custom pistol in circles on his index finger.

Castillene nodded. Very well then, Alpha, strap up. We're moving out.

* * * * *

They had made solid progress in the past fifteen minutes, but the tunnels seemed to go on for eternity. They had been taken to the same path as before twice. After being returned to the same spot a third time, Nero decided to mark their path. Every twenty minutes he either made a jagged slash on the wall with his combat knife, or put one bullet in a specific spot.

The tunnels had been confusing them for a while, and none of them could tell how intricate it went. It was a maze, and it was stalling them. Whatever Sekki architect made this place,he thought, is seriously going to get his teeth punched in

They arrived at a circular room with large slabs of rock on the ground. Castillene signalled the squad for a rest, he presumed it was better that his soldiers were well rested, sooner or later they were bound to run into something.

Castillene waited until all his troops were seated, watching the way they came from vigilantly.

"Alright," Nero started. "From here I think it would be sound if we got our strategy worked out and hopefully get out of this to accomplish our mission"

Then a faint vibration reverberated through the room. Karasu and Cyrus reacted the quickest. Karasu jumping up from the slab, pulling out dual pistols, aiming in two opposite directions. Cyrus grabbed Angel and both of them put their bodies against the wall. Plasma pistols aiming.

Nero didn't move.

He felt the movement increase in volume, and violent creaks of rough surfaces sliding with friction together. Then he was caught completely off guard.

He was too late to realize what was happening, and before he could utter a phrase of wording, the floor under him opened up. Swallowing him into the dark.

Angel attempted to move and take action, but Cyrus put his arm in the way. Blocking her.

"Wait! It's a trap, theres nothing we can do" Cyrus warned.

"Are you friggin serious? You guys are pathetic" Karasu spat, walking towards them both. A rock popped up from under his feet, and as he lost balance, he tumbled into Angel and Cyrus. The wall they were braced against opened inwards, making them all roll end over end down a rock ramp.

 

Team 3: Charley

Puffth! Some psycho beocuh is after us, BAH! I'll give her some surprise butt secks and dat shut her up and teach her place to my manly greatness!

Me, not be able to take control of some gate thing, never happen!

"Yah! Yah, A,B,A,C,A,B,B, w3 0wnz dis place!"

I flip the panel on the Deathbringer and pull up the solid light imaging platform of the planet. Of course I have a map, if it is known, I know it.

 

Ash stops the groupl and turns to Hot Dog. "Hey geek boy, enough with the net speak or I'll remove what gives you the ability to link with females."
.....As if it'll ever be used for that anyways......
"So tell us, in english, how to get out of here and towards our target. Also, try to get into contact with the other teams to learn their progress."

 

Team 3: Charley

Like she is all that, next time she wants to get into the rap we got going she can tits or GTFO I swear give a beouch some stripes and she thinks she is all that.

I tap the solid light map and then trace the route on the map "17's a scH3m471C beouch RTFM"*


*(Translated from Leet Speak) "It's a Schematic Bi*** read the f***ing manual"

 

Team Alpha

When Nero dropped through the floor it almost seemed like a magic trick, especially as he didn’t make any noise other than a slight, ‘Hup!’ as he vanished.

Then somehow the world turned upside down and Angel found herself tumbling and sliding at uncomfortable speed, tangled with Cyrus and Karasu. The lights on their visors whirled crazily in the dark and then Angel’s head hit a rock, hard, knocking her visor askew.

She sat up shakily, readjusting the visor, the tiny light from it picking out Cyrus, who was half-lying on her, then Karasu, who was under her legs.

It took a second to disentangle from the other two. She turned her head to make sure but Nero was gone.

They were in a larger cavern that seemed to have no entry or exit than the wall that had just tumbled them into here. In the thin beam of light she saw the glisten of water at the bottom of the ramp.

“Are you two all right?” Angel asked Cyrus and Karasu.

 

Charlie Squad

Ash looks over the holo-map and says "Right, then the way out of here is simple enough." She leads the team throught the maze like cavern, after a while, they enter an area that seems to have been built rather than natural. Ash can see old pipes running across the wall, though most of them seem to have been rusted through by now. "This must the sewer system of the city, from when people still controlled it. Using this, we might be able to travel under the city and get closer to our target, without being seen."

.......Though with our luck so far, I highly doudt it......

Ash has Holly lead, and she watches their back. Bull is put next to HaXoR boy, for his protection. Hopefully he will be able to prevent Ash or McShayne from strangling him.

 

WTF? ZOMFG! Since when did I become ****ing Mario?

Do I look like I am supposed to be waddling in some archaic craptastic dump station which I bet was built by those Scientology jackwads!

Deathbringer is pulling up red lines on the other groups, figgers, I bet those lameo's the lot of them.

I send a text message anyway, it will stay on their system and when they get the brain power to figure out how figure something out they can get it then.

"Attn: Communications Specialist of Team Alpha and Beta, this is Communications Specialist Private Oscar Dumont of the Charley Team seeking to validate your situation and progress, please respond at first possible chance"

 

Karasu looked around taking in the scenery. He was analyzing everything. He looked at Angel.
"I'm fine and you?" he said.
Karasu kept his ears open. Listening and ready for anything. He took in a calm breathe and looked at his two teammates.
He took out his handguns and kept his guard up.

 

"Bloody barf...talk about random." Jack pulled himself off of Angel, feeling some strange, hormonal reluctance to do so. He forced the thought from his head and dusted himself off. They had just taken a spill down a steep, smooth ramp. They'd need some form of magic, a rope perhaps, to get back up from down here.

Other options? There was a dark, narrow corridor before them. He took the flashlight attachment from his belt and slapped it onto his pistol.

"I'm in the green. You?"

 

"I'm in the green. You?"

If Angel had to be trapped with someone in a dank dark hole she thought Cyrus wasn't a bad option. Hopefully he was as brilliant at shooting people and strange ...things...as he was at talking to computers.

The ramp was steep enough to be difficult to stand on. Angel looked down doubtfully, seeing that they would have to walk through water to proceed down the corridor. No idea how deep that was. And she hoped against hope that it was merely water.

Angel stopped for a moment and drew out the TeamComm unit that the Communications Specialist in each team carried. No signal. She slipped it back into its pocket, snapped the pocket down, and drew her plasma pistol.

She checked the charge. It was ready for action.

"Good to go." She told Cyrus and began to crab-step down the last bit of the incline toward the water.

 

Karasu analyzed the situation before making a move.
"Listen here I think its safer if one person goes on the left side of the wall and the other on the right side of the wall," Karasu said, "This creates a wall and I will stay in the middle...keep your ears open, make sure your eyes are wide open and scanning every ounce of your environment, and if anything hostile comes at you, shoot it and keep your guard up."
Karasu walked into the water it was slightly icy and he felt the ice soak into his bone, but it didn't bother him much. Maybe to much time in the Arctic.

 

Jack flipped on the light and held his pistol up and a two-handed grip, shining it on their relative path. He followed Karasu's lead and stuck close to the right wall, alert for sign of movement. He breathed slowly and evenly, centered and focused, letting no distraction into his mind.

The water only came to his ankles at first, but it steadily deepened until they were waist-height. He checked to make sure the component pockets on his belt were sealed. He heard only the dripping of water and the sound of their own movements.

Something moved. In a flash, Jack moved his light towards the movement. It had been on the wall, and he had gotten only a brief glimpse from the corner of his eye. It looked like one of the rocks had shifted slightly.

Another move, on the other wall. Another second passed, and at both spaces, the rocks suddenly jutted out and rotated, revealing rotary sentry guns.

"Down! Get down!" Jack fired twice, one shot hitting the left gun, the other going wide. He then dived into the water and shot forward, trying to get away from his first position. He hoped the others had done the same.