by Eden Blue
“I know the clock is ticking. Return to your ship and hopefully we will see each other again,” Jamie smiled.
Evan stepped forward, head tilting forward, “Thank you.”
Jamie reached up and caressed his cheek, “When this is all over, stop by so we can celebrate. It was good to see your brother, but to see you both together would fill my heart. He talked a lot about you, back in the PvP conflicts and today.”
Evan smiled, “We will.”
Jamie pulled her hand back, “On your way. Calibrate your sensors as sensitive as you can and direct them east of the city. The installation should be easy enough to find.”
Evan nodded. Vickers downed his drink and placed the glass on a small table. Lydia eyed Jamie for a long second, not wanting to move.
The performer looked to Lydia for a moment, “Do you want an autograph?”
“Yes please!” Lydia beamed.
Jamie flashed her pearly white smile, “Is that a plasma rifle on your back?”
Lydia nodded and reached behind under her cloak. Magnets disengaged the rifle and the cyborg brought it around and held it sideways. Jamie picked up an old fashioned white marker from her desk with one hand and took hold of the rifle with the other. Lydia stared as Jamie wrote “To my killer fan. Jamie Spiral.”
Evan and Vickers grinned. Lydia’s eyes were the size of saucers when Jamie handed it back to her. The cyborg held the rifle close, almost hugging it.
“Be safe out there and tell your brother I expect a drink when his business is concluded.”
The three players said their fair wells and left the dressing room. The door closed behind them and they made their way through the short hallway and into the small club. Evan thought back to his brother as they made their way past the small crowd still gathered. Asking him to infiltrate a military installation was a tough pill to swallow, but the Engineer knew deep down that his brother was challenging him. It was the only reason why he would ask him to take on such a dangerous mission. Evan’s Engineer brain began working out strategies and equipment they may need for such an operation. He wasn’t rich, but he did have enough credits to buy some things that could make it easier getting in.
Lydia smiled, her rifle secured to her back and covered. Vickers walked along, his large framing dwarfing his fellow players. They moved to the door and it slid open. Stepping out, the bright sun filled the sky with magnificent brilliance. Evan closed his eyes for a moment and soaked it in. He spent so much time travelling in space, it was nice to be on a planet and just enjoy the warmth of the sun.
Head dipping down, his eyes slowly opened and a shadow curled around his heart. Vickers’s smile faded away and Lydia’s brow formed a hard V. Down the street they came, twenty Crimson Blades marched, eyes spotting the three players and hands moving to holstered plasma pistols and rifles over their shoulders.
Evan made a quick glance down another street as two dozen Dumon soldiers marched behind a Krekken Ludrenn. The soldiers carried high powered plasma rifles in their smaller arms as they moved in step with one another, thick pincer arms hanging from large shoulders.
“I don’t think they’re here to see Jamie Spiral,” the Doctor whispered out the side of his mouth.
Eight
Evan connected his control implant to his E-pack and the duel module forearm bands under his sleeves. Information lit up the corner of his vision as the connection was established and he channeled power to the forearm bands. A small vibration ran along his skin as he glanced at the Crimson Blades to one side and the Dumon soldiers to the other. Each side hadn't seen each other yet and Evan’s mind worked to take advantage of it.
Lydia’s hand moved under her cloak, fingers touching the edge of her hidden plasma rifle. Eyes drank in each force with target percentages and weak spots. Skills glowed with their levels at the edge of her vision while she readied her Boost ability. An alert appeared in her vision, indicating they were being scanned by the Dumon. The cyborg relented on connecting to her rifle, not wanting to give them a reason to start shooting.
Doctor Vickers relaxed his stance as he rubbed his palms against his pants. He then stood straighter with a wide smile and open hands. The Ludrenn leading the Dumon force eyed the large Terran, webbed hand close to his sidearm.
The three players stood their ground as the two forces reached the corner. Crimson Blades turned their heads to the Krekken and the Krekken looked to the Crimson Blades. Each force regarded each other before the Ludrenn commander stepped forward.
“By order of Commander Spirro, you three are under arrest for the crimes of mass murder aboard a Terran station. You shall be taken into custody and handed over to a Terran official,” the Ludrenn said with authority.
A woman stepped forward, her eyes holding seething venom as she stared at Evan but talked to the Dumon commander, “We are taking them in for the bounties. We have been following them since they landed and have full claim.”
The commander nodded, “Normally we would abide by your claim, but there are special circumstances concerning the fugitives. The Krekken command will pay the bounties to you for your efforts.”
Evan eyed the woman, a cold chill running down his spine. The woman glared with murderous intent as her hand rested on her holstered pistol. Thin red armor covered her from the neck down, but her face told a story that the player knew all too well. Blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail as green eyes focused on the engineer, jaw grinding and fingers flexing.
“You remember me…. Evan Ward,” the blonde said with infused malice.
The Doctor took a small step forward, hands out, “I’m sure this is all a misunderstanding. We can clear this up once we hand over our identification cards.”
The woman ignored the Doctor, eyes drilling into Evan’s soul, “My father is still doing time because of you and your brother.”
Evan kept his eyes neutral as his heart thudded in his chest, “Nika, my brother took down your forces fairly. It was your father who came to our home with a gun and a knife.”
Nika’s eyes blazed as her mouth twisted, “Don’t you dare! He was only going to scare your brother, but you had to call the magistrates! Now he is doing time mining and farming on a prison moon! Your family destroyed my family!”
The Krekken commander’s eyes half closed, “I’m sure the history between you may seem important, but I will have to order the Crimson Blades to disperse from the area. This is a Krekken operation.”
Nika turned her hard gaze to the commander, “Take the other two but we are taking Evan Ward into our custody.”
The commander gave the Crimson Blade a wicked smirk, “I think not. Disperse or you are all under arrest.”
Several Dumon soldiers pointed their plasma rifles at the Crimson Blades. Several guild members pulled out pistols and rifles, aiming them at the Dumon. Evan was tempted to call for backup but resisted. He didn’t want to make the situation any worse than it already was.
“What’s going on out here?” Jamie Spiral stepped from the club, her skimpy stage outfit barely covering her body.
Evan, Vickers, and Lydia watched as the performer stepped past and stood before them, hands on hips.
“Sub-Commander Korr, what is the meaning of this?” Jamie asked as she looked to the Ludrenn.
Sub-Commander Korr’s eyes widened and head bowed slightly, “Lady Spiral, forgive me. I don’t mean to intrude, but I am apprehending three fugitives.”
Jamie gave him a wicked smile, “Three fugitives? I see three fans leaving one of my shows. There must be some kind of mistake?”
Korr shook his head but kept it head bowed, “No mistake. The three behind you are wanted for the Azure Station massacre. I am to escort them into our custody for transport.”
Jamie took a sultry step forward, eyes on the sub-commander, “I’m sure there must be a mistake. These three were visiting to see one my shows. They are big fans and it wouldn’t due to ruin their experience.”
Korr’s eyes widened a little as
he stood straight, “I…I can’t leave them, even for you. They are high priority. My commander will dry me out if I don’t come back with them.”
Jamie stepped closer, eyes locked on the sub-commander’s eyes, “Maybe we can let it go, just this once. I know you like that thing I do with my tongue. I would hate for our special times together to go away.”
The sub-commander was visibly shaken. Evan guessed if a Krekken could sweat, Korr would be sweating bullets.
“I… I…I have to follow my orders…” Korr stuttered.
Nika sneered her disgust and tried to take a step forward. The blonde looked down to see her feet were rooted to the spot. Several other Crimson Blades tried to follow, their feet not moving and stuck to the very ground. Nika looked up, her eyes narrowing on the Doctor and rage seeping into her brow.
“It won’t hold long. If we are going to do something, it has to be now,” The Doctor said in a low voice before bedlam erupted.
Nika pulled her plasma pistol and aimed for Evan’s face. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger again and again. Chaos bloomed as Evan activated his shields. Energy shields flashed at the Engineer’s arms, roughly the size of his body. In an instant, the player planted the shields in front of him to form a wall as plasma bolts burst against it. The player’s arms pushed back with each striking force.
Crimson Blades opened fire at the three players and the Dumon forces. The giant humanoid crustaceans returned fire, but could not move due to their feet also being rooted to the ground. Plasma bolts filled the air as each side took heavy damage. Evan watched as the firefight rained sideways. Crimson Blades shouted as their bodies were punched with pie sized holes. The Dumon shrugged off most of the plasma strikes with only one taking a bolt to its rifle and exploding, sending the Dumon’s head spiraling in the air, away from its body.
Vickers grunted as Evan dug his heels into the ground, holding off plasma bolts. Lydia whipped her plasma rifle around and aimed, Evan’s shield before her.
“Can I fire out?” Lydia asked as she aimed at Crimson Blades.
Evan gritted his teeth as the shields took punishment. They had less than thirty seconds before the shields collapsed. With time dwindling, the engineer gave a reluctant nod.
“Heck yea!” Lydia said as her visual targeting acquired targets.
The Cyborg’s rifle stabbed out and flashed light as plasma bolts fired in rapid succession. Personal shields went up taking some strikes as the Crimson Blades stumbled back, the nano-drones holding them losing power as they tried to regroup. Nika stayed low, pulling the trigger again and again, her pistol blasting out bolts.
Jamie Spiral was moving like a dancer during a plasma storm. Compartments opened on each side of her thighs as she moved toward the sub-commander. Korr had his pistol out and firing at the Crimson Blades unaware of the performer moving toward him. Plasma pistols sprung from the compartments and delicate fingers coiled around the handles. Pulling them free, she moved to Korr and swung a long leg up and brought it hard against his chest. Korr went flying onto his back, a plasma bolt just missing his neck. Jamie spun her body around, bolts lighting up the area until she aimed her pistols, fingers hovering over the triggers.
The performer’s eyes took in the scene as the Crimson Blades guild took cover, firing back randomly at everyone. Jamie was about to pull the triggers when a plasma bolt flashed past her from above. Turning her head, eyes took in the Crimson Blades as they pointed rifles down from a nearby building.
Lydia picked her targets and fired at will. A Crimson Blade cried out as one bolt hit him in the leg and three others hit him in the chest. As his body was thrown, Lydia blasted at his chest for good measure and turned to another target. A kill alert filled the corner of her vision as she aimed and fired again and again. The Cyborg didn’t have time to contemplate her actions as she knew they would all be dead soon if she didn’t take down as many as she could. With deadly precision, bolts blasted at armor and several hit the enemy in the face.
The smell of burning plasma blanketed the area. Dumon soldiers pressed forward on the Blades, their backs getting hammered by the Blades in the buildings, firing from windows. Jamie turned her attention to the Crimson Blades with the high vantage points, squeezing both triggers with the calm of a summer breeze. Bolts fired back, each one striking a rifle, neck or eye and not in that order. Some Crimson Blades cried out, clutching at their faces while others slumped forward, skin black and smoke rising up before fading away.
Jamie kept moving, every footfall measured and every pull of the trigger true. Evan couldn’t help, but watch as she moved perfectly through the chaos, a ballerina in a hurricane. Korr turned onto his side and returned fire to the Blades in the building, keeping their aim off the unleashed performer.
Evan watched as his shields took punishment, power draining away. Trying to think on his feet, he tried to step back to the entrance of the Dead Unicorn for cover when the shields gave out. With a sputter, shields faded from view. Lydia continued to fire as now plasma bolts shot past them and burst against the club’s outer walls. Evan tried to reroute power when something flashed and hit him in the chest. The engineer went back, mind reeling as his hit points drained to nearly half. The player could feel the burning sensation as he stumbled back only to be caught by large hands.
The world went silent as plasma bolts filled the area. Evan looked down at his chest, clothes burned off and a black crater staring back at him. The Doctor was shouting something, but Evan couldn’t hear him. All the player could think was that he had already failed and his true mission was not complete. A “Stunned” status effect blinked as he could not move his legs. Hands still flexed as he tried to regain his balance.
Doctor Vickers pressed a large hand to Evan’s wound. Light shimmered before Evan’s eyes as the area around his wound began to blur. The crater started to close up, hit points returning slowly. Hearing returned as Vickers shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Auto Plasma Cannon!” Doctor Vickers shouted.
Almost drunkenly, Evan reached behind him and a rod ejected from his E-pack and into his open hand. The player whipped his arm around and threw the thick rod into the air. Vickers laid the player down and then turned to the rod as plasma bolts blazed back and forth. A tripod flipped out as the rod lengthened and the other end shifted. It landed on the ground, clamping to the floor as the top end shifted metal and parts, extending into a barrel and square casing.
Evan couldn’t command Pris to use the auto cannon because of no contact with the ship but that didn’t stop the Doctor from racing forward, taking hold and pulling the extending trigger. The Doctor laughed as he swiveled the cannon while holding down the trigger. Rapid fire plasma bolts streamed out, cutting through the defensive position of the Crimson Blades on the street level. The few remaining Crimson Blades struggled to fall back amid the fury of the auto cannon, Lydia’s rifle and the Dumon blasting away.
Nika growled as she aimed at Evan seventy feet away. She fired again and again, trying to take him out while avoiding the streaming cannon. Evan saw that he was back to about 75% of his hit points and just turned away as bolts hit the ground nearby, blasting debris at him.
Lydia turned her barrel as Nika gave a wild grin and continued to fire at Evan. The Cyborg pulled the trigger with a cold heart. A bolt struck the Crimson Blade in the chest, sending her spiraling backwards to the ground. Lydia was about to turn and pick off another target when a bolt struck the side of her head.
Evan’s eyes widened as Lydia’s arms dropped and her head bent in a strange angle. The Engineer was to his feet, arms out and grabbing her as she fell like a toy doll. Vickers turned the cannon and blazed up the street. Nika rolled out of its path, a fellow guild member grabbing her and pulling her back. Plasma ripped up the ground and streamed into the enemy.
Jamie kept moving, returning fire as the Crimson Blades fired from the building. Dumon soldiers clustered around Korr as he tried to get back up. Plasma rifles blasted holes and
craters into the building holding the Crimson Blades. Evan held Lydia in his arms while Vickers laid surpassing fire with the plasma cannon.
The player stared down at Lydia’s ruined face. A black blast mark covered nearly half of it with a large crack running from her chin to her temple. Lydia looked up at Evan’s worried brow, eyes calm. The Engineer could see the working micro parts in the thick crack and smell her burnt hair. Lydia eyed him for a second before her head corrected itself and snapped into place. Evan watched as the Cyborg stood, scooped up her plasma rifle, hoisted the butt to her shoulder, aimed and returned fire with the smoothness of a well-oiled machine.
Evan watched as she moved her upper body like a turret, targeting and firing. Down the street, a hover van blazed along and turned sideways. The side door opened and Crimson Blades came spilling out with rifles, plasma, and rocket launchers.
“They called in everyone,” Vickers shouted as he aimed the cannon and unleashed a stream of plasma bolts.
“Get back into the club! It’s the only way we’re getting out of here!” Evan shouted above the firefight.
“The whole block could be surrounded!” Vickers shouted back before taking a plasma bolt to a large shoulder.
The Doctor shrugged it off as nano-drones began knitting his bones, muscle and flesh back into place. The cannon fired bolt after bolt until the doctor pulled the trigger one more time and the stream of bolts stopped. Vickers looked down on the tiny read out, “Ammo 0%”.
Jamie Spiral continued to move but for every Crimson Blade she took down, two more seemed to take their place. The performer wondered if the entire building was filled with them as she moved, bolts missing her by inches.
Gurgling screeches filled the air as Dumon soldiers fell one by one. Out of twenty-four, six stood, clustered around their commander. Panic filled Korr’s blue eyes as he continued to assist Jamie by firing back at the building filled with Crimson Blades. Lydia was single handily keeping the extra Blades busy down the street. When one would poke their head out, scorching plasma caved in their face. Evan could see this was turning into a losing fight. In the distance, Nika licked her lips as she hoisted a rocket launcher to her shoulder.