Raptor One - Chapter 16
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Waking up and feeling Winter and Hurricane hugging me i give a contented smile before going out of bed.
As i hit the shower i start to chirp another happy melody as i feel the water cleansing my feathers and most of my organic parts that i have left.
As i start to dry myself in the wind drier i close my eyes, my chirping melody gething more melancholic as i feel the strong wind flow betwen my feathers, reminding me of my old life, where it was not perfect at all, but it was pacific and full of happiness, where war was fought with words and not blood.
As i exit the batroom, my chirping reaching it’s end i look at Winter and Hurricane, both looking at me.
“Good day girls, how are you two feeling?” I ask, my words showing the care i feel for then.
“I’m feeling good, but there’s something wrong today, i don’t know what.” Winter says, happy, but confused by her emotions.
“As a Seer, i know a little better about your feelings, as i’m feeling the same, a premonition of bad omen, not at us, but at you, Omega.” Hurricane says, worry visible on her face.
I nod to the girls heeding their words i activate my forgothen ability.
*Death Vision activated*
System, Death Vision defalt ON.
*Noted*
My vision blur for a second before returning in full force, looking at Winter and Hurricane i see a transparent layer covering their bodies, white in color, that means they will live long.
Looking at myself i see my body emiting dark smoke, the feeling of having a reaper with it’s scyte on my neck is not pleasant, that means that there is something that will happen at some time that will kill me, my only idea about the danger comes from the expedition that will happen in a few hours from now.
“My body, it’s emiting black smoke.” I say looking at the girls.
“Can’t you opt out of the expedition? As i see it, it’s the only event worth causing death to you.” Hurricane says, worry in her face, her eyes shining dangerously at the tought of me dying.
“I would love to stay with you girls, but... this chance can become a driving factor for the stability of all the grid colonies, even reconecting the broken link betwen north and south grid sectors, my presence can be of use as we are dealing with old tech.” I say with a sigh, knowing their worry.
“But...” Winter tries to put a strong front but fails.
“We already lost our most powerfull group of Walkers, Squad zero, The Raptors, composed of top tech Vikings, piloted by royalty from the strugling Shattered empire, are dead, their Vikings mere scraps in a sea of dead warriors and Walkers at the fallen Grid colony 11 Delta, The Dwarfs Den.” I say, my voice somber as i continue.
“With Grid colony 11 Delta destroyed, we are now cut off from the northern grid sector where Grid Capital, or colony zero resides, that alone is a blow to morale alone, then we have the resources and manpower cut off from arriving from the northern grid sector, that alone will sap the southern grid colonies dry sooner or later, worse, all the production of heavy components required for repairs and expansion come from the nothern sector, that is, we lose a pillon, we lose a kilometer of living space to monsters and radiation, now, tell me, should i go, or not go?” I say, my face showing helplessness.
Winter and Hurricane keep silent at my words, but they are clearly against my actions.
I sigh. “Girls, i have Omega Protocol, even if i die and is left to rot, I'll come back to you sooner or later, alive that is, but i don’t know if I'll be in one piece, or the same when i return as my feeling about this expediction says this will be a sacrificed victory at best.” I sigh again, trying not to mind the black smoke oozing out of my body.
The girls want to argue back at my non convincing answer but i close in on then and give the girls a hug, grabing their tails, giving me a gasp in sync.
Winter, my semi childhood friend has a special place in my heart, when i needed she was there with Susan, being cheefull and demanding attention in her own way, i chuckle.
Hurricane, my piece of personal peace wrecker, agressive, curious, loyal, ready to go with me be it thin or thick, can’t just walk away after knowing a sweet demi like her, i chuckle again.
I lift my head to Winter and with a soft voice i call “Ammy, come.”
Winter blushes but lowers her head to me and we share a romantic looking kiss that last two minutes, ended only because Winter needs to breath.
I lock eyes with Hurricane who is blushing.
I say to Hurricane with a faint smile “Roberta, show me your loyalty.”
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Hurricane eyes shines for a moment before she too kiss me, another two minutes of suave kissing ended only because of lack of oxygen.
I separate from the girls, give then a loving smile the leave to hangar bay number 12.
The blushing girls look at each other before smiling back.
“Take care.” They say in chorus as i give one last smile before going my way.
Arriving at Hangar bay number 12 i enter and see Jormungandr shining in the low light, looking outside the rising sun is barely hidden by the thick steam of melting ice and latex beasts.
I give Jormungandr a last scan, some of it’s components have degraded because of continuous use, but maintenance and repairs kept Jormungandr at 99% capacity at all times as my experience as engineer coupled with my system allow me to repair and keep my Walker as best as it can go before needing to replace parts, something that not all engineers can reach easilly.
With one hour left before the sun fully rises and the expediction leaves i enter Jormungandr and do some last minute checks.
With the check complete and seeing that Jormungandr is fully rearmed and charged i nod before entering and booting up.
Looking at the ammo counter i see the 155mm howitizer count at 100 rounds, and the machinegun at 25000 rounds.
Cross checking it i see that it’s correct, so i activate the radio.
“Jormungandr to base, ready for sortie, awaiting orders, over.”
After saying that i close my eyes and wait until the time of departure arrives.
Almost one hour later i hear my radio giving static.
“Here is Arachnid leader, regroup at Grid one outer gate in 10 minutes for sortie, over.”
“Jormungandr Here, roger.”
I open my eyes and directs Jormungandr to the asked location.
Arriving there i find more than 20 Walkers already there, five of then towing trailers with components, rations and a specialized solar trailer for recharging the Walkers on the way.
As i get in formation and await the last ones to arrive i start chirping a tune as i wait.
The 10 minutes mark is over and all walkers are here, so i hear the leader.
“Attention all units, we are departing now, initiate spearhead formation and keep your radio active, report any sighting imediatelly, is that clear?”
A chorus of Yes sir reaches my ears as i activate my radio and enter into the formation, the Walkers towing the supplies on the middle of the formation as we depart.
As Grid one outer gate is located on the back of the colony we are forced to circle the city before entering deep into the wild lands.
The expediction was more or less pacific on the first day as most monsters are still preparing to emerge back to the surface, so our travel was pacific.
The second day, things started getting more tense as cockroaches and ants started apearing on the wastelands again, contact was minimal, we don’t engage, they don’t attack.
At day three however, things got more tense as the terrain became more strange, the radiation monitor shot out of the green zone and started going back and forth as we advance, the terrain, once arid wasteland now starting to become a mix of swamp and stone trees.
Combat in this kind of terrain was inevitable as we where forced to break formation, losing our deterent ability, the cockroaches became more bold and small combats started as we advanced further.
The expediction forced to slow down it’s pace beause of the constant combat decided to change tactics making groups of three to five member to support, and i became a defender of the supply carriers as the slow march continued.
As the stress of the situation became worse the leader decided we need to clean a space for recharge and rearming, finding a place that was mostly open and with acess to the standard ground we cleared the space.
The supply Walkers formed a circle protection in the middle of the area and stabilized camp, starting the Ammo thumper and the walkers that had their capacitor more drained where the first to start charging and rearming.
As the defensive perimeter was made a screech reverberated from a distance, all the walkers on this expediction did not have external sound modules unlike me, so i alerted the group.
“Jormungandr here, screech coming from the west in our direction, sound analisis says there is 60% chance of being a bulldozer roach, please advice, over.”
“Leader here, reinforce the west formation, hold your fire if confirmed target is bulldozer roach.”
“Jormungandr here, i can act as bait to force it’s weakness open, please advice, over.”
“Leader here, If confirmed target, then you have green signal, over.”
I nod to myself as i return to chirping my tune as i wait the reckless bug to enter visual range.
Not needing to wait much i see three Bulldozer roachs, two are mostly fighting each other, the third one must be female if the sit rep is correct.
Adjusting my position i start running in their direction, when i get close i open fire with my machinegun just to anger the female bulldozer.
The roach did not like what i did and focused on me and charged at me but with a good jump I'm out of her way.
Now in the middle of the roaches i keep my ears keen as i can only see in a 180 degrees in front.
The female bulldozer after stoping adjust to face me as i pelter her with some machinegun fire, but before i continue pestering her the other two charge my way as the sound of their destruction closes in.
Jumping out of the way to the side again i see while in the air as the Walker formation aim at the female bulldozer bare back and fire, green blood spewing in arcs as five 155mm rounds blasts it’s backside to pieces.
As i land i quickly start firing my machinegun at the two other bulldozers, but it don’t work as i can clearly see they are not happy losing a future mate.
Changing strategies again i jump to their rears and pop some 155mm shots on one of the bulldozers, no resistance is felt as i see it slump down with a thud not moving anymore.
The last bulldozer got warry of it’s rival sudden death and tries to face me only to show it’s side to both of us.
Showing no mercy and taking the oportunity we blast it from both sides at once, limbs and green blood flying in all directions as the last one drops dead not even utering a shriek.
I return to the walker defensive perimeter and close my eyes as i chirp a diferent tune as i wait until the group are done.
Four hours later all the walkers, mine included are charged and rearmed, so we pack up and resume our way as we already rested when resupplying.
The rest of the journey was more peacefull as less and less creatures apeared as we got closer to the dead city.
Outside the dead city perimeter i look up and see a very technologic city, it’s size unknown as i can’t see it’s end beyond the horizon, faint lines flow in some buildings, the city looks like a maze, as i was taking in the sight i hear Arachnid leader.
“Leader here to all units, welcome to dead city, don’t let the name fool you, the last expediction here was almost completely wiped out, this dead city is covered by spores and mushroons, they are sensitive to light so staying in contact with light will help you tremendously, try not to enter shaded areas if possible, also keep your radio on at all times, that’s a order, and for your own good, never leave your Walker, the simplest thing that can happen to you is death, the worse is eaten alive, are i clear?”
A chorus of yes sir resounds.
“Alright, now rest up, we are going to start the exploration in six hours, good luck, you will need it. Also one squad will be on standby for rescue at all times in case of emergency, I'll be directiong the exploration from here and keep the supply squad safe, that’s all, Arachnid Leader out, and good rest.”
I give a nod to myself again as i place Jormungandr on standby and disconect myself.
Getting more confortable in the cockpit i lean my head betwen the space of the double capacitors, the soft hum of energy working as a good melody for sleep.
Soon I'm in dream land...
*Automatic allocation of extra Nanites complete.*
Status:
Health (M.C.S: 50): On Duty, Panzer skelett(100%)
Day: 5 (Brightdawn) Month: 1
Age: 16 (Legal adult)
Credits: 10050 (No change.)
Nanite storage: 1000 units (Max 1000 units, 100u Regen per day)
Abilities:
Omega Protocol: Unlocked.
Path 1:
Alpha Protocol: 0% Decoded.
Path 2:
Scavenger Protocol: 30% Decoded.