Cyberpunk III: 2856A.D. MARS

Angel had been edging along the left wall, hating the black icy water as it crept to the level of her lower ribs.

Not for the first time she wondered why she hadn't listened to her mother, married a rich man, and spent her time knitting. Oh yes, she would have died of boredom. Why do that when she could die in so many more exciting ways?

Her career choices once again came into question as rocks began to grind and move around them and then bullets were spraying into their position.

With the sound of the shots and Jack's commands to 'get down' ringing in her ears, Angel dove deep and swam fast as possible in her gear, hearing the zipping gurgle of bullets traveling in water around her.

Thank goodness everything she wore and used was prepared for these conditions. She hoped.

 

Flint entered the tunnel in a rock face and found an elevator. He opened the door and Midori followed. He closed the door behind him and flicked the switch he felt a pressure rise in the elevator and then a green light flashed signalling a rise in oxygen. Flint removed his rebreather and the elevator went down after a few minutes it stopped and flint took firm his gun and stepped out as the door opened. The corridor still had parts of red rock for the walls but it was clear this was man made and probably unfinished. He decided to venture onwards anyway.

 

I followed Flint tight lipped as he entered the tunnels. As we entered the elevator I waited impatiently for the oxygen levels to rise desperate to get rid of the weight of the re breather. I sighed in relief and looked at the floor as the elevator whirred. When the elevator stopped flint stepped out first gun in hand I let the barrel of my shotgun peer out of the door before myself. When I felt safe I stepped out and waited to be signalled by flint. He examined the place then commanded me to move forward with a swift hand movement.

I hesitated I didn’t like the looks of this, it seemed unfinished who knew what was lurking about.

 

Jack looked behind him to see a chaos of bullets creating hundreds of small trails through the water where they had been. A few seconds later they stopped. He remained underwater. They sensed by motion, but the water seemed to obscure the sensors. They were safe if they stayed below the surface.

He caught Angel's eyes under the surface, and waved his hand to get her attention. He hoped she was paying attention in class when they taught hand signals. He motioned for her to move ahead slightly, and he'd stay back. He'd create a diversion. When he did, attack.

He swam back to their original position, and waited for Angel to get set.

 

Michael Stern looked down onto the gigantic construction below in the pit. There must have been thousands of Adepts working on the place. Behind him the double doors opened and Adam entered.
Stern slowly turned to greet him as always Adam was attired in his black suit.

As always Adam greeted the half machine cyborg with politeness. Stern trotted on eight arachnid legs and had a lower torso much like that of a spider. His head now bold with many wires running from the back of his skull into some kind of machine wired into his back. Sterns upper torso was mainly covered by a red sackcloth cloak. Michael trotted over to Adam running his sharp pincer like bionic fingers down his over stretched face which had been pulled back and clipped into place with clippers now amalgamated within his flesh.

“What news do you bring old friend.” Je said.

Adam looked down and across the dark construct below.

“All goes well we managed to gun down much of the fleet but its appears some have survived. I have despatched Fox. She has engaged one. The arachnids have also been despatched.”

“Good. You know who must be despatched now.”

 

Jack had a plan. That was good because running and screaming wasn't going to get us out of this.

By hand signals he quickly outlined what he had in mind.

A frickin' diversion? I just hoped we could both move fast enough to take out the gun before he got himself turned into Swiss cheese. I nodded and positioned myself for the best shot I could get.

Here went nothin', as they say.

 

Charlie Squad

Bull had crawled through his fair share of sewers over his military career, but he never got used to the smell and the smell in this sewer was particularly rank. He kept his eye out for any movement in front and behind the group. Every manhole cover they walked under made him want to pop his head up for a look, and some fresh air.

"How long are we going to wade around in the river of s***," he said. "I say we take a look at what's up in the city."

 

I'm on point. I *hate* being on point. I'm just an MP, what the heck do I know about this crap? SIGH At least geek-boy isn't right behind me... I hate how he stares at me. I start inching down the tunnel, peering suspiciously into every cross-corridor I come to. I'm still nervous about the sudden disappearance of the mini-mechas, and the knowledge that there's some deadly half-mech chick down here doesn't make me feel any better. I'm not really sure where I'm going, so I continue straight, waiting for word to stop or make a turn.

 

When Angel was in position, he nodded to her, then counted down on this fingers.
3...
2...
1...

He drove his hand upward, above the water, and heard the muffled sound of the guns begin blazing away. He withdrew his hand quickly and dived forward. Unfortunately, their accuracy was minimal, and they seemed to think they'd have a better chance dousing an entire area with bullets. Rather than go straight over him, as he planned, several bullets speared into the water near him. He dove forward, trying to get out of the immediate area. One of the bullets grazed him, leaving a large gash in his right arm. He winced in pain, but kept moving.

 

"Believe me Bull, I don't like being down here any better than you. However, we're less likely to run into enemies down here, and if we do, this place is easier to defend that up there in the open. Hey Hot Dog, bring up a map and show where the gate is. We can see just how far we should go in here before going up into the city." says Ash. The smell of ancient waste is about to make her puke.

 

Alpha

As the guns targeted Jack and began firing, Angel stood, water sheeting off of her as she fired again and again at the gun, plasma lighting up the corridor like streaks of lightning.

The first shot went wide, the second hit it straight on and the third ripped what was left of it from its support, almost dropping the twisted remains on Jack as they flew backwards and crashed into the water.

'I could really have used a rifle for that.' Angel thought regretfully.

"Cyrus, you okay?" she called as she twisted and turned, gun at the ready as she scanned the corridor for further threats.

 

"I'm sorry lieutenant," Bull said. "But I just can agree with that notion. We're wading in large tube of water, with the only ways out in front and behind us. Possibly above us if we're under a manhole. If we get ambushed now, we're sitting ducks."

 

Everyone felt a quake rock the ground. The quak lasts 20 seconds just as every gets there footing another quake shakes the ground again. And again it lasts 20 seconds. Everyone is slight shaken since Mars doesn't usually have quakes.

 

"Fine, we'll go up at the next man hole." The continue forward and then climb up. The manhole seems to have been in an old alley way. Ash taps her armor and goes ghost. Peeking around the corner, she can see a ton of machines. Its as if someone took the design for this city straight from the old hollywood vid, The Matrix. Every maching seemed to be going at top speed, but they never ran into each other. They knew their job perfectly. She taps her armor again and asks Hot Dog "So, how close are we to the gate?" Just then two short quakes came. "Mars isn't an active planet. That came from an explosion. I think we should hurry."

 

Jack heard the guns stop, and a piece of mangled metal splashed into the water beside him. He conjectured that Angel had done the Right Thing. He came out of the water, which had acquired a slight reddish shade around him due to the fluid emanating from his arm. He took a small syringe from his belt and stuck it in his arm. It was a coagulant, and it would help stop some of the bleeding.

"Good to go." He said. "Good shooting. Hopefully we can make it through here without running into any more of those things." He let out a breath and started walking, pushing his hair out of his face. As soon as it came in contact with water, it seemed to automagically curl.

"Any luck with the comm? Are we still gummed up?"

 

The earth shook for a second time and I stopped dead and looked towards Flint, I had a tendency of thinking my superiors had all the answers.

“What the f*** was that?” I asked. I hoped I didn’t look as paranoid as I felt. People I could handle but things like this really didn’t ring my happy bell. I hated nature at the best of times. It seemed like the elements were constantly against the human race.

 

Flint felt the shudder take him off his feet he banged into the rock wall looking at Midori doing the same. It must have lasted 20 seconds. It moved to help Midori when a second shake forced Flint to the ground slamming his nose hard on the floor.

“What the balls was that.” He groaned.

He picked himself up and shot a glance down the cavern.

 

A group of soldiers come rushing down the cavern. They come from the shadows seven armed with sub machine guns and each have a bionic hand gripping the gun. On closer inspection their faces are half cybernetic and amalgamated between flesh and metal. Almost grotesque in appearance. They take up firing positions and shoot down the corridor. The first shot slams into Midori’s shoulder stunning her. The second takes flint in the knee dropping him. The wound is a flesh graze but deadly enough to hurt. Gun fire chatters away as the seven soldiers attired in red and black camouflage take up firing positions and fire.

 

“You okay sir?” I asked reaching towards his face where Flint had hit his nose, I pulled back. Sometimes I cared a little to much. I rubbed my arm where I had fallen on it. Possibly a little bruising other then that I was okay. Flint seemed fine also.

“Not sure, a quake is my guess. How stable do you think it is down here?” I asked.

I was rethinking taking my re-breather off perhaps it was in my best interest to leave it on.

 

Flint drops pain stricken.

“Bastards.” He calls.

Flint sees Midori is still alive phew. He rolled into the walls side and let blaze a hail of fire gunning down one of the soldiers in a reckoning of gun fire. Flints clip runs dry he removes it rolls across the other side of the corridor and loads another and fires killing another.

“Midori two down five to go come on lass I need yer fire support.” Flint calls

 

The five soldiers moved closer one targets Flint on his chest and blazes a hail of fire towards him. Then rushes him once his ammo clip is spent. He leaps and slams the guns butt in Flints face.

Two more rush Midori still firing leaving their barrels smoking in a bad rage.

 

I feel something slam into my shoulder and recoil hitting the deck hard.

“Midori two down five to go come on lass I need yer fire support.” Flint shouts

“Oh for crying out loud,” I shout tearing my sleave where the bullet has hit me. I turn to check Flint’s position he’s on the ground nearby. “I‘m with you sir,” I shout” I roll to my stomach and use part of the rock wall to keep myself hidden before switching off the safety on my shotgun. I fire my first round and fumble with my pack for more shells “About time someone came out to play,” I shout above the roar of gunfire.

I’m to late for the reload Flints been hit with the guns butt. I’m left asking myself where the hell am I. I reload just in time for the two that rush me. The first takes a shot to the shoulder blowing it into little chunks that could be described as dog food. I blow the seconds head clean off his shoulders and flinch as I get a shower in his warm blood. I turn to the man who rushed Flint and pull the trigger, there’s a click but nothing happens. The gun is jammed I come out swinging it like a cricket bat. It connects with the man’s head and fires, whatever jammed the gun has vanished.

 

Flint rolls away reeling from pain he takes aim still holding his gun and blows the soldiers head off.

 

A grenade shoots around the corner creating a massive blast blowing Midori back into the elevator and flint across the corridor into a T junction.

As the soldiers stagger up the elevator kicks into life heading down with Midori still inside. leaving the pair now split up.

 

Flint takes his equipment and flees running down another corridor trying to out run the soldiers.

"Damn no way Midori could have survived." Flint greaves thinking his soldier is dead from such a blast.