Raptor One - Chapter 17
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Opening my eyes at the sound of static i hear leader talking.
“Leader here to all units, the six hour rest is up, where starting the exploration now, sharpen your hearing as i won’t say it twice.”
After that he started launching orders, dividing all the walkers into five team squads and sending then into different areas where they will start to explore.
I and four other walkers was ordered to the south west entrance.
My new squad mates are just numbers as like almost everyone here, they don’t own a walker.
The team consists of Jormungandr, Walker 21, 22, 23, and 24, Walker 21 being the team leader.
Shruging at the information i get up, forsaking the soft hum of energy that was soothing me.
Finished preparations i start heading to the south west entrance.
“Jormungandr here, regrouping at south west entrance area.”
I say as i continue my way to the south west area.
Reaching there i see two walkers there already, so i enter formation and wait the last two.
In less than five minutes the last two walkers finally show up and enter formation so we enter the Dead city and start exploration.
Seconds after entering the Dead city my sensors go crazy and panic alarm starts sounding.
“Walker 21 here, what’s happening Jormungandr?”
“Jormungandr here, Breach alarm sounded and Walker locked up, running on air filters for now, system report toxic spores all over the city in vast quantities, advice to lock up too.”
My words got the squad by surprise and alarmed then as they rapidly locked up their walkers as the sound of compressing sounded from their walkers.
“Jormungandr here, please report to leader about this or the chance of losing pilots in the first 10 minutes mark is as high as 95%.”
“Walker 21 here, roger.”
After that we continued with no new surprises as we advanced deeper into the city.
“Walker 22 here, dead end.”
“Walker 23 here, dead end too.”
“Walker 24 here, same here.”
“Jormungandr, dead end.”
That word became a routine mantra in our exploration as we continued to try and get deeper into the Dead city.
After much time of searching we finally find a way deeper into the city, but we need to pass by a shaded area.
“Jormungandr here, what do we do? Wanna risk it?”
My words are met with silence for a minute before they started discussing a plan.
This lasted for some time before i got a response.
“Walker 21 here, Jormungandr, you that have a better equiped Walker are our best bet here, can you go in and analize the situation?”
I stay silent before looking at myself.
The black smoke is still there, but is not thickening, that somewhat lessen my nerves but i still use caution.
“Jormungandr here, sure, just don’t block the entrance, I'll need it wide in case i need to bail out.”
I get a bunch of rogers as they make way for me.
With the entrance wide open i walk in.
As soon as my walker finish entering the shaded area the panic alarm sounds with extra alarm!
The sudden level 2 alarm make me jump back with too much force as Jormungandr skids to a stop a great distance from the entrance as the alarm stops.
“What the....”
“Walker 21 here, what happened!?”
“Give me a minute to de stress first.”
I get a roger as i pant still alarmed.
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After some minutes i finally relax enough that my bullet time deactivates on it’s own.
With a deep gulp of air and a sigh i start looking at the logs, trying to find why the level 2 alarm rung.
Minutes of looking i finally find why.
‘Jormungandr log: External anomaly detected, filter system analisis, toxic spores, walker cockpit not sealed, emergency sealing started. Log 2: External anomaly detected, filter system analisis: DANGER! Unable to filter patogen! Level 2 alarm rung.’
Checking deeper into the filter system log i find a more detailed description.
‘Jormungandr filter system log 2: External anomaly detected, analisis detect difference from toxic spore, detailed analisis started... Patogen Spore, stronger, more resilient, denser quantity, unable to filter, final results, infection capable spore resembling zombie spore that affected ants in the past, weak to sunlight.’
“Uhh.... that’s not good.”
“Walker 21 here, what happened?”
“In simple terms? We got a new species of zombie spore that is weak to sunlight in the shaded areas, our walker filters can’t handle it due to sheer quantity, and it is infection capable.”
“Walker 21 here, what’s wrong about it? Can't we just go in full seal?”
“Not that easy, a small breach is enough to expose you to the thing, and Bug walker are weak to blunt damage, even my walker is not out of this weakness, also, that type of spore need hosts to propagate, that means there is hidden danger in this city, must be why the last expediction almost got destroyed.”
My words got the guys talking but i interrupt their talk.
“I am redirecting my logs to Arachnid Leader, this can be of help.... Again....”
I get another round of rogers before they return to thinking a way to effectively pass this shaded area.
As they argue out some ideas i pass my data with my analisis to Arachnid leader and not even a minute later he ring back.
“Leader to Jormungandr, is your data correct?”
“Jormungandr here, i can bet my tier 5 medic badge on this if you want.”
I get silence for a second before hearing his voice again.
“Arachnid Leader here to all units, new data on the shaded areas arrived, avoid contact with it at all cost, if passing by one is necessary, Full Seal protocol is to be used, any and all breached walkers are to be rescued immediately independent of situation, all that is said right now is a order.”
I hear a chorus of yes sir as the other walkers used the main channel to reply.
“Okay, buckle up, and take care, I'll be the spearhead on this exploration.” I say.
They soon activated full seal mode as did i and we moved in to the building.
As we explored the building i saw fungal growth, mushroons and fungal beds or something, my system is alerting me to not get close to the fungal beds and i do so with pleasure.
The building is enormous, built with metal alone, it’s look is like a gateway to the other side, and we aren’t even deep into the city yet because of the blockages.
As we explore deeper into the building making turns and searching areas we pass by a open area.
The dark area’s only light source are the glowing veins of the fungal growth on the ground as the light pulses in a wave pathern.
Exploring the area further i hear Walker 23 yell.
“What the fuck! There something here!”
“21 here, what happened?”
“Hey, hey hey! It's running my way! Opening fire!”
The sound of a small shockwave is registered on my sound system as we go over and see what’s happening.
“Hey 23, this guy love you so much that it’s right hand is disproportionally ripped than the other!” I hear 22 say.
Looking over i see the different arm sizes the glowing person, infected have, but i can’t help and laugh at walker 23.
“My beloved! I finally found you! Now i don’t need to use my right hand anymore! Come!” i hear walker 21 say, trying to muffle is laugh.
“Fuck you!” I hear walker 23 angry yell as he open fire three times, all hitting the bulging arm as the infected chases after walker 23.
I can’t keep Jormungandr stopped because I'm almost convulsing in laugh.
“My beloved! Why are you running!? I just want us to fly into a passionate night so hard you won’t walk for a week!” Walker 24 says and i bust laughing out loud!
“Gahahahahaha! Oh god! My insides! It hurts! No more! Hahahahahahaha!” i laugh so hard even Jormungandr is contorting with me, but that don’t last as i hear a cry, a walker jumping, then the shriek of metal, Walker 23 opened fire on Walker 24.
“Jormungandr here, as of right now I'm taking over command temporarily-”
“But-”
“No but’s. Walker 23, you just did something that is considered a taboo and is penalized with death, cease movement immediately, all walkers, open fire on the infected, right now.” I say in a cold tone.
The others do as i say and with one salvo the infected is down.
“Why should i stop!? What can you do to make it happen!? Huh1?” i hear the altered voice of Walker 23.
I don’t say anything, just open my system, put both the machinegun and howitizer into overdrive as they start heating into orange color as my weapons ready to open fire at walker 23, my machinegun spinning.
“Open hostility with squad mate using lethal force, sentence, dishonored death, family will get marked as deviants, debt ten times the price of the operated walker will be forwarded to all surviving family member, and your body will be left to rot outside as your family sell their body and organs to pay for your mess, want me to say more?” I ask with a cold hostile tone.
Silence prevails but soon i see Walker 23 howitizer lift up and his walker take standby position, that means he surrendered.
“What will be of me now?” walker 23 asks.
“This situation was already reported to Arachnid leader, be glad you only wasted your military career, go live your life as civilian, as that is the only clean route you have left. Please return alone to Arachnid leader, we won’t escort you.”
“Roger.” The deflated voice of walker 23 sounds as he leaves back to the regrouping area.
“Walker 21, you have command. And everyone, don’t forget, calm is a obligation as a elite walker pilot of the southern sector, we are quality itself, don’t do what walker 23 just did, i don’t want to destroy the career of promissing pilots like you guys.”
A chorus of roger sounds as we resume our exploration.
It took us three refill to finally find the gate to the other side, and another one to finally open the gate itself before continuing our way deeper into the city.
After all that fiasco, our exploration was going well as we continue to find a way deeper into the city.
As we find another crossroad we separate again to search for a open way for us to continue.
As i was exploring the crossroad i took a look, and not finding anything amiss i report back as i continue my way forward but suddenly i hear grinding of cogs and screech of metal.
Doing a jumping spin, i see a giant metal road blocker halfway done at blocking my retreat!
“Curses! Someone respond!” i yell to my radio, but i receive only static, something is wrong.
“Jormungandr to Leader! Respond!” Nothing.
As a last resort i lift my howitizer into flak mode and fire, the round exploding into visible smoke.
All i can do now is rest and wait for someone to help me out of this...
Rotating Jormungandr back to the road on high alert i look at myself unconciously and see that the black smoke is now a full blown miasma, my death aproaches...
“Sigh... Why do this always happen... Is trying to do good a sin? I know I'm no saint but this karma is too much even for me...”
I sigh again, releasing myself from Jormungandr as there is no danger for now.
I lie down with my head betwen the capacitors again as the hum of energy soothes my strained nerves, and helps lower a little my panic, and unconciously i fall asleep...
Status:
Health (M.C.S: 50): On Duty, Panzer skelett(100%)
Day: 6 (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: 40% Decoded.