The dawn sky came up the darkness descending into a grey dull appearance the ground remained white and the snow fell in a gentle whisper under a soft wind. The train crew returned for the last of the train ride and the team led by Captain Hawke boarded the train. The group were somewhat sombre of the events coming and the thoughts of the lost Merle gaston and Helena. Each of the group wondered who might be next. Gask lit up a cigarette while Mika snuggled up in her furs in the carriage. Spencer and Eve went to the convoy and remained their. The train began to leave Everest station and soon became a speeding juggernaut plough snow either side as the wheels spun around. Hawke stood up front with the Driver and Roughneck. Spencer had gone to the rear while Eve had sat in her new armoured carrier. Gask and Mika pondered their futures while David and Artie had remained silent. After a day the night returned and the train had remained on coarse eventually coming to a halt the morning after. David had mounted up in the large lead truck and drove it from the train. Sadie had manned the gun port on top. Eve followed the group one off the train in her new carrier Drake and The Doctor with her. Hawke jumped into the lead truck followed by Spencer and Mika. Gask Lewis and with Chris came off the train last in the second armoured carrier. The convoy was now down to three vehicles. The Convoy began again through the last of the Dunes. Out here it was wide and vast. David had kept his eye on the journey a head.
Groups Arrangment Group One Captain Gabriel Hawke David Wayne Mika Corvagio Jonathan Thomas Spencer Arthur Ackenloe group Two Eve Drake Bruce Dr. O. Djalili, MD Sadie Feist Group Three Gask Lewis(Louie) Markorolev Steward Chris Kimsey
Hawke gazed out of the window at the gentle falling snow flakes passing by as the truck drove on ahead. He looked on at the photo he’d placed on the dash board and then checked his SA-80A3 was in working order then he un-holstered his Desert Eagle to check it through. Once satisfied he re-holstered the gun. It wouldn’t be long now he thought.
Mika huddled into the furry liner of her parka, her skin sensitive to everything after the night before. She couldn't help a tiny smile that touched her lips when she saw Spencer board the train with Hawke. The smile faded a bit when she caught sight of Eve from the window and faded more when she saw Artie. Artie had every right to be unhappy - if he even knew. Still, she couldn't have done anything differently. It was a strong desire, to make everything okay with everyone before the group set off once more on what was most likely a suicide mission - Hawke's unspoken signals had apprised Mika of that - but it appeared to be impossible. Eve was not going to make nice and Artie...she didn't know what to think about Artie. Mika sighed, her eye falling on Spencer again and the good feelings came flooding back. For a while everything had been more than all right. There had been no hiding, no holding back. With Spencer she may have surpassed the intimacy she had with Boris. For a while...for just a little while...everything had been perfect.
When Spencer had awoke, prepared, and stepped out into the hall that morning, the first thing he noticed was his sunglasses, still laying on the floor. He stepped over and stood in front of them, seeming to pause and reflect for a long moment. Then, swiftly and deliberately, he raised his foot and crushed them underneath it. He wore a smile as he turned and left the building. He climbed into the lead truck and all his last hopes were made real. Mika was there. Her own face lit up at his approach, and he was able to look into her eyes with no masks; no more hiding. He took a seat next to her, resting his hand on hers.
From over head a large screech of a noise passed by the groups looked up to see two flyers zoom by in the air the sound almost deafening as they passed. Mika looked up shock filled her face as the sound in the distance filled her with a chill Artie jumped up to man the main stubber gun the instant he was up the cold came at his flesh. David made no sign of emotion as the flyer’s flew by. It was the shadow in the distance that caught his Gaze. “Tripod.” Muttered Hawke. ***** Gask raced his carrier on ahead of the main truck and began to aim straight for the tripod as it grew closer. Chris jumped up to take a hold of the carriers rocket gun while Lewis watched in ore at the size of the thing. Chris opened fire rocket after rocket flew across the snow as the convoy raced towards the machine. A disturbing sound echoed across the dune as a long red streak of laser came from the tripod. Gask’s eyes widened as the blast slammed into the front of his carrier. Chris was thrown from the gun slamming and rolling into the snow. Lewis dashed to the back of the carrier the door half open and then the world he was in went around and upside down ending in a spin. Lewis opened his eyes sparks flew across the interior of the carrier He crawled across the the driver’s seat to check on Gask. He looked at the Orlocks blood soaked face and the half cigarette in his mouth. Lewis heard that sound again and watched in horror as the Tripod closed on the Carrier. He realised a second laser was coming down on the carrier. Lewis grabbed his SA-80 and left the carrier feeling the sudden cold at his face. He ran from the upside down armoured carrier. Gask groaned as he inhaled smoke from his cigarette then saw the laser head straight for him. He closed his eyes and made his peace. Then came the sudden pain followed by the darkness. He was gone. Lewis was thrown in the air as the carrier exploded in a ball of flames a second explosion disintegrated the carrier. Chris rolled onto his back to witness the carriers destruction. David slammed the truck into the tripods leg the cabin shook violently from the impact and the tripod stumbled. Hawke jumped out firing his SA-80 on full auto at the tall green lizard looking Drekk. The creature fell to his death. Hawke looked at the destroyed Vehicle. He realised Lewis and Chris were alive but Gask was gone. The Doctor came and collected Chris with Sadie they pulled the bruised Roughneck aboard Group two’s carrier while Hawke helped Lewis aboard the main truck.
Mika helped get Lewis to a seat in the main truck. "Are you all right?" Lewis seemed a bit vague, possibly just that things had moved so quickly, "That explosion..." She realized that his hearing might have been damaged to some extent so instead of trying to talk she busied herself with checking his pulse and looking for injuries.
The attack had been quick and intense, and there was little Spencer could have done. The truck had slammed hard into the Tripod's leg and Hawke had easily dispatched the pilot. One of the trucks had been destroyed. Gask was dead. Chris and Lewis had been thrown and had taken some injuries. Spencer knelt next to Mika and assisted her in checking Lewis over for injuries.
Sadie’s first, and somewhat facetious, thought, was that Chris was heavier than he looked. That was, however, partly because she was taking most of his weight; the Doc was helping as much as he could, but his ankles were still pretty bad and he could barely take his own weight let alone the big Roughneck’s. Sadie locked her arms around Chris’s chest, bent her knees to support her back and heaved the man bodily into the carrier. Gently, she laid him down so the Doc could examine him, then fell to her knees beside him. She wished she was hauling in Gask as well as Chris. When she had seen the Orlock’s corpse and sort of numb hole had pierced her stomach, and a sort of mist had veiled her mind. Maybe she hadn’t known him well, but she’d counted Gask among her friends – they’d both saved each other’s backs more than once, and she’d found she got along well with him. She remembered him quoting Dickens when they were separated from the rest of the group, and gave a dry laugh than came out as a hiccupping cough. Getting to her feet she stumbled over to the door and looked out at where Gask’s body was already being buried by flurries of snow. That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But, it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day. She smiled at the memory and whispered, “Goodbye, Gask.” Then, turning to Doc, she was business again. “How is he? What I can do to help?”
Eve had breathed a sigh of relief when she had entered the truck and watched as Chris entered the truck behind hers. Then the Drek had attacked his truck. In the review mirror a ball of flames swallowed the truck and as the lead truck slowed down to stop Eve did also. Her heart was hammering in her chest. She felt so sick, she had decided now she had told Chris to stay away from her that she would simply act like she didn’t care in the slightest about him. On seeing the truck she couldn’t stop shaking. She had to tell herself over and over that she had a responsibility to the truck and she couldn’t leave it. Finally torturing herself had been to much and her eyes watered as she tried to hold back tears. She hurried out of the truck and looked around. There was somebody laying on the ground Spencer and Mika knelt down beside the man. Eve breathed an audible sigh of relief it was Lewis and he was okay. “Where‘s Chris?” Eve asked Spenser refusing to look at Mika. “Is everyone okay?”
The main truck came to a halt as the large dome came into view. “See that hatch.” Hawke said pointing out the window. Lewis and Spencer leant forward. “Yeah” The both said. “That’s were we’re going.” Hawke opened the side door. The cold biting at his face the snow still a gentle fall with a gentle breeze. Hawke dropped from the truck his SA-80 held firmly in the grip of his hands. Lewis dropped next followed by Mika and Artie. “We’re going in. Artie Your our detonator.” Hawke said. Artie nodded and quickly ran to the rear of the truck opened it up and a small bike sat ready. Both Mika and Lewis helped move the Nuke onto the bikes back. Artie getting nervous that they don’t drop the bomb. He sat on the bike and revved it up. Lewis watched as Hawke entered the small hatch. The tunnel led down in a slant. Artie followed. “Slow and easy.” Said Hawke. Eve drove up to the hatch were hawke stood. “What now.” She asked. Hawke looked at the grey sky then the dome. “Make noise. And lot’s of it. Crash through that frakking Dome and let the bastards hear you do it.” Hawke said. Eve smiled wound her window up. “Doc Out.” She said. The Doctor dropped from the carrier and watched as the armoured carrier raced across the snow headed for the dome were the large drill ploughed through the Earth. Even outside the sound was disturbing. Hawke looked back at Mika and Spencer. Follow Artie in and off we go. Hawke took a map of the tunnels out and looked across. OK we go down and find the base that’s what we blow.” He said looking at the group. Artie led the way followed by Mika Spencer and Lewis and Hawke and the Doctor. David watched as the carrier with Sadie manning the stubber and Eve racing across the snow raced off. Drake opened the back hatch ready to jump once they breached the glass of the dome no doubt Sadie would follow. Chris sat by Eve eyes wide and ready for the new battle.
<<this happened before Raven's last post... >> It all happened too fast for him to make sense of anything. One second he was behind the launcher, then next, he was thrown from the truck and landed face first in the snow, rolling to a stop after tumbling a good distance. He was stunned senseless for a time until the surge of adrenaline helped to clear the fog. His body racked with pain, everything hurt, he knew moving would only make things worse, still he knew his only chance of survival was making it back to his vehicle. He rolled over just in time to see a huge alien weapon destroy Truck 3 with his compatriots still inside. He was paralyzed by fear and horror. Flaming fragments of the vehicle landed around him as he looked on in disbelief. He wanted to run, but had no control of his limbs. He was approached by two figures whom, as they got closer, he was able to recognize as Sadie and Doc. They picked him up, dragging his legs through the snow as they hurriedly made their way to another vehicle. Chris tried to walk, but his legs were useless, all he could do was stare wide eyed into Sadie's face as he shook uncontrollably. "They're dead." he kept repeating... "They're dead."
"Get ready," Eve shouted. Eve Revved the engine and let it scream as the truck roared towards the dome. She picked up speed, and the stubber situated on the roof roared to life. Eve looked towards Chris briefly, she wanted to tell him what she hoped for here, but it didn’t matter. She simply prayed for his safety. She pulled her revolver from its place in her holster and forgetting herself for a moment grabbed Chris’s hand and squeezed it gently.
Hawke followed the group down the tunnel the air was stale and the atmosphere cold. Hawke felt every motion chill his bones. His gun remained aimed forwards.
Arthur rode in with the nuke strapped to his back and a bundle of bad nerves. This was definitely not in a day's work for him. With everything else swirling in his brain, and the remnants of last night's whiskey party, he saw this as a welcomed change after getting over the fact he's responsible for a bomb. The tunnel was cold and dark like many other tunnels, if not every other tunnel he had been in before. He took a swig from his flask to ease any symptoms of a hangover, as he trucked on. Or rather, he biked on. "Alright Artie, you're the only one you can trust now. Pull yourself together and cut the crap." he said to himself.
Eve drove the armoured carrier straight through the glass dome. Glass shattered and fell like water spread across the hull of the carrier as it passed through. A sudden laser blast crashed into the front Sadie was thrown in the air and down landing feet first using a boulder for cover. Drake jumped from the door guns blazing. Chris and Eve cracked heads on the dash board. “Damn it.” Eve muttered. The carrier stuttered and fell silent. Chris jumped out followed by Eve clenching her shot gun. Pulse lasers blazed across the compound towards the group. Eve made a dash for a tower taking out a Drekk that approached. His head combust in a ball of black liquid. Eve cocked and fired another. She wounded a Drekk in the leg the large brute fell backwards his pulse laser streaked across the compound. Eve felt a sharp pain brace her chest. And fired her shot gun again. The fallen Drekk slumped to one side dead. She moved feeling winded. Drake dashed from cover to aide her. Sadie moved up forwards taking shots at anything that moved. Chris moved to Drake and Eve. Eve loaded her gun and rose up to fire. She sighted a Drekk. The brute fired the laser skimmed passed and Eve fired. The Drekk dropped to the ground his face gone in a black burst of liquid from the shot. Eve felt pain wince her. She suddenly staggered and slipped down to one knee. A large laser blast fired upwards slammed into the glass shattering more. Drake and Chris pulled eve in cover as the glass spread across the floor. Eve went to cock her shotgun and saw her cloths coloured red. She slipped to her knees again. Pain taking a hold of her body. She suddenly released her grip of her shotgun. Chris watched as Drekk began to circle them. Eve slid on her back leant up against a post. She felt colder than usual. Drake looked into her eyes. “It’s bad ain’t it.” She said in a whisper. Drake looked away at the seven approaching Drekk. “Nah.” He said about to engage the aliens in a fire fight, yet felt the grip of fingers take his arm. Drake turned to Eve. “No.” She whispered. Drake watched her take a grenade from her thick coat. “Go. And don’t look back.” She muttered. Blood seeping from her lips down her chin. Drake looked back at the Drekk. “You don’t have to do this.” He said. Eve merely smiled. “Yeah, yeah I do. Now go. Frak off.” She said clenching the grenade tightly. Drake patted her shoulder. “It’s been a pleasure.” He said as he moved off using the half buildings for cover. Eve looked up at the grey sky in the large hole made. “I think I’ll look with my own eyes.” She said to herself removing her golden tinted goggles. Eve slid down the post further as the Drekk approached she felt death reap her body. “I always liked the snow. It’s so quiet and peaceful.” She said. The Drekk surrounded her and spotted the others moving on. One Drekk looked down and noticed her clenched hand, his eyes went wide as Eve revealed the grenade and pulled the pin. BANG. The area exploded in a ball of flames taking the seven Drekk in the blast and a further two who were close enough. Eve was gone. Drake, Sadie and Chris all looked back to see her make that final heroic last stand. The three of them then looked across the compound and knew they had to create a diversion for the others to blow the Drill.
Spencer's shotgun was at the ready as he followed Artie into the tunnels. He was extremely concerned for him and his stability. So much had happened to him, and as much as he didn't like to show it, Spencer knew it was getting to him. The worst of it was, if Artie did lose it, Spencer would likely be his first target. He'd have to watch for that. A huge shattering of glass echoed as from a distance, and shortly after that an explosion. Well, there was the diversion. Spencer still clung to the fading hope that they would make it through this alive.
Mika paced beside the man she'd chosen, her shotgun at the ready. She was nearly certain that there would be no future beyond this day for the group and yet she clung to hope. Live or die, they would succeed. She would prefer to live now that she had someone to live for again. She felt Spencer's presence like waves of heat from a radiator, strong, warm, and intensely comforting even though they weren't touching. Even though they were on high alert and heading into danger. Mika was grateful that they'd had a chance to say the things that they really wanted to. She was greedy for more but knew that the Drekk might cut this destiny short. Artie motored ahead, the nuke practically resting on his back. She had to admire his roughneck tenacity and ability to get a nerve-wracking job done. An explosion sounded behind them and Mika pressed on, hoping that none of the crew had gotten hurt. She tried to reach out with her newfound senses, to feel what the Drekk might be thinking, but so far nothing. She was frustrated, not sure what a Drekk's emotional signature might feel like and wondering if her newfound powers were still developing or whether she was not yet at the apex.
Drake, Sadie and Chris all looked back to see her make that final heroic last stand. The three of them then looked across the compound and knew they had to create a diversion for the others to blow the Drill. Drake called to the others, "We must stay alert. Eve's sacrifice must not go in vain. I just hope Hawke and others do the work fast. Let's create a bit of scene to attract those damned lizards.". Drake had got a lof ammunation in his backpack. He pulled a handful of bullets and started loading his gun. He still had a lot of ammo in his bag. He shot bullets after bullets at the building. Then he stopped. He hoped that the Drekk would have heard it.
Drekk flooded into the tunnels several came from the rear while another several began heading towards the group. Hawke, lewis and Artie went forwards while Spencer the Doc and Mika began to engage the rear attack laying down a covering position for Hawke Lewis and Artie to go.
Sadie shielded her eyes as the area went up in a blast of bright red and orange flame. A wave of hot, ash-filled air swept over her, and she felt again the hollowness of a comrade’s death. She gave a short salute in the direction of where Eve had been, and murmured, “Thank you.” She glanced over at Chris, not able to even imagine what he would be feeling now. They did not have time to grieve as they wanted, however. “Let’s create a bit of a scene to attract those damned lizards.” Sadie glanced over at Drake as he spoke, and saw him reloading his gun. With a grim smile, Sadie raised her own shotgun and joined him in shooting over and over. She hoped the Drekk would appreciate their little show.
He felt Mika beside him, and from her he gained the strength to continue, and the hope for a better day. If there was to be anything beyond this, he wanted to share it with her. She had brought him out of hiding, and with her, he was whole. It was something he had never had. In the distance, gunshots echoed. And the sound of many feet on the metal flooring grew ever closer. Around them, the Drekk began to flood the halls, the majority coming from behind them. Spencer spun, raised his weapon and began firing. One of the Drekk jerked backwards under two loads of buckshot to its chest. Another was stopped in his tracks as half his head exploded in a haze of thick, black fluid. A third leveled his weapon, but felt it knocked away along with the rest of his forearm. When they had recovered, the Drekk began to return fire. Still firing, Spencer guided Mika along with him to the large braces that jutted from the wall. They provided some temporary cover at least.
Mika's back landed against the wall, huddling behind the bracing structure with Spencer. She feverishly reloaded the shotgun after having backed up Spencer's attack with shots of her own. The doctor, seeing cover as a pretty good idea, had jumped behind another of the braces. "Are you all right, doc?" Mika called and thought she heard a reply in the affirmative. A pattern appeared in front of her eyes as though suspended in midair. Glowing white dots being gradually surrounded by glowing green ones. Other white dots outside of this new perimeter. "They're coming around to surround us," Mika told Spencer tensely, "they're moving quickly." Peeking out from behind the support she saw the lizardy-looking aliens racing across the hard floor. It might already be too late. "Jonathan! We can't let them get to Artie and the nuke." Mika looked into Spencer's face, "I love you, whatever happens." She pumped the shotgun, ready to take the battle to the enemy once more.
