Lest we forget... – Orders please
by Soghla' Marie St. Helene & Eredh Hay'legh & Sogh Marla Varquis & HoD Ro' Matlh

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Post Details

Title   Orders please
Mission   Lest we forget...
Author(s)   Soghla' Marie St. Helene & Eredh Hay'legh & Sogh Marla Varquis & HoD Ro' Matlh
Posted   Thu Sep 30, 2010 @ 12:55am
Location   On the plain outside
=/=St. Helene to Eredh Hay’legh. Vasquis and I have got a whole lot of those sled and bike things here. What do you want us to do with them?=/=

An immense roaring noise filled Marie’s ears. She span round in time to see a turret on a roof top start to turn in her direction. A beam of harsh light lanced out. It hit the ground not far from her feet.

Stuff whatever orders Hay’legh wants to give. The order of the day is self-preservation!

“Varquis,” she yelled, “get under cover on one of those sleds!”

She fired up the nearest bike. Using what little energy it had left she returned fire. At least, that’s what she intended to do. She pressed the button she hadn’t identified previously thinking it a laser of some kind. It sent out a beam alright but all that did was drag the bike towards the building.

Damn Newton’s Third Law. It’s some sort of tractor beam but there’s no way that building is going to move so all I’m doing is pulling myself closer to death.

She pushed the bike away and ran for cover herself. “We can’t stay here forever, “she said to Varquis between pants. “I’m going to try to get into one of those Nephilim things. They might have some way of striking back.”

Marla ran behind one of the sleds. She started tactfully thinking out a plan before attacking.

Marie’s climbed up the heavy bulk into one of the armoured shells. There was a place to stand where your feet and legs were strapped in to control teh walk and grips for your hands to control the weaponry It was a strange feeling, riding in what amounted to an extended version of herself. Unlike the bikes, it was like it was made to fit...her.

A display came up on her cracked viewscreen. She worked the controls tentatively, trying to figure out just what did what. Somehow, everything she did worked. It was almost as if...as if the damn thing was telling her what to do.

She turned it round and brought the roof turrets into view. The cross hairs locked on, turning green. She pressed the firing button.

Nothing.

She pressed again.

Nothing.

What’s wrong with this thing? Why won’t it fire when told? Everything else worked perfectly, why won’t this?

She watched as the turret swung round. Fear rose in her gorge. Her bowels went weak. It latched onto her. There was nothing she could do but stand there and wait for the killing blow.

The turret hovered. Get it over with. What are you waiting for?

The turret moved on. Not a shot had been fired. Marie felt like vomiting – not a good feeling encased in close fitting armour.

She tried the firing button again, just in case....

Still nothing.

Then the voices began.

--On the Bridge of the F'Hew--

Hay'Legh frowned as the Quartermaster's voice was drowned out in a loud roar of noise before the connection was cut. "What has she stirred up down there!" the Rihan muttered as she shut her end of the link down. She received no answer from any of the Bridge crew, and if one did they would have found themselves down with a broken nose.

The XO opened up her comms again.

',' Malth, I've just lost contact with the Quartermaster ','

There was a roar of weapons fire over the Coms and Ro' could be heard yelling.

,'. Fall back! I'll Carry HoS. Hay'legh, something has activated the Auto Sentries. We are falling back to the door. Get everyone to the safety of the ship and keep that cloak up! We'll need to find a way to shut down the Turrets from here. ,'.

Conflicting orders flooded Marie’s senses. At one and the same time she could ‘hear’ voices urging her to attack, to keep moving forward at all costs and someone – she thought it was Matlh – ordering the retreat.

=/=Say again?=/=

The voices became more insistent. They were like a cacophony inside her head. She tried to shut them out but they would not be refused. Go forward.... Repel the invaders.... Hold that flank.... There were so many of them and they would not be denied.

Then Matlh’s voice cut through the din. She heard it – she knew that she heard it the old fashioned way, through her ears. That allowed her to distinguish it. She focused on it. Go forward.... She forced the thought down.

She tried the firing button again but still nothing. She turned the Nephilim around and pointed it at the gates. It set off at a brisk pace. Halfway there it’s power cells gave out but, by then, Marie was quite prepared to abandon it anyway; the voices were driving her insane.

She jumped out and sprinted for the gate. An energy bolt from the turret nearly brought her down but she went on. Thankfully the voices were silent now, allowing her to concentrate on the primary task at hand – ensuring her survival on this mad world.