Oh god... Why?! How!?!
For the last several months, I have been working with a group of others to create a new weapon. This game is amazing in that it allows players to create completely new items governed by the games rules. Our research ability is only really limited by our own imaginations. Sure, I’m not able to fly a fighter ship as well as players who chose that route, and I can’t even correctly hold a P-19 Plasma rifle, much less use it in combat. But I can make new weapons and tools for those that can. And that’s how I wanted to play.
But now, as we were nearing the completion of our newest heavy weapons that could punch through nearly all light to medium shield systems with a single salvo, this horrible disaster has struck us. I’m not exactly sure how it started. I just know that it shouldn’t have gotten this far. In fact, I’m not sure how it did get this far. We have security on this research station to prevent things like this.
About two hours ago, I was working in the lab on the heat dissipation module for the new cannons. One of the downsides to having that much firepower is that after firing a few times, the weapon would get so hot it would start to melt. But we had come up with a novel method for avoiding that issue. Anyway, I was working on implementing this new method when the alarms started sounding.
We had gone through drills many times, so everyone knew what to do. We immediately locked down the lab and lowered the shielded barricades to prevent anyone from forcibly breaking in with plasma cutters. These barricades were designed so that no modern weapon could break through. Invaders would have better luck trying to cut through the outer hull of the station and coming in from outside. Once these barriers were in place, we were supposed to just stay put until security sounded the all-clear. That was how things were supposed to go.
Instead, the alarms continued to sound as we heard sounds of battle coming from the corridors outside. Sounds of lasers firing, and muffled screams that sounded like “how” came through the door. At first, I thought I was mistaken, but now I understand exactly what they meant. How did these invaders succeed. It doesn’t make sense. It shouldn’t have happened. They shouldn’t even be here.
After a short while, the sounds died down. There were no more screams, no more gunfire. And then, the horror came to my lab. First, I heard the creaking as the locked outer door was forced opened. Then, slowly, I saw something work it’s way under that nearly impenetrable barricade. It was a number of small, chipped stone points. Once under, they began to twist and tilt, slowly lifting the barricade until there was enough space for the invaders to get their hands under it, then they lifted it out of the way! This door shouldn’t have been openable from the outside without a three step bioscan that only security and authorized researchers were registered in. But these men had broken through with nothing but sheer physical strength.
The invaders then stepped into the lab. Several pointed the spears, which was what they had been using minutes earlier to force the door open, at me. They all wore basic leather clothing, and their faces were painted with a variety of colors. Then one man with long, unkempt hair stepped forward.
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“We are the Avengers of the Natural Order! This place and all of the activities carried out here have been deemed Unnatural. We are here to restore things to the way they should be. Do not resist, and your life shall be spared. However, you shall never again be permitted to put your hand or mind to such a disgusting perversion of nature.”
The Avengers of the Natural Order! I’ve heard of these guys before, but I never expected them to be here. In fact, they shouldn’t have been able to get off their home world. They’re a group of players who decided to play this science fiction game as a group of primitives, believing all forms of technology are evil, and refusing to use any of it. How did they get off the ground. How did they defeat our security forces using only spears, clubs, and arrows. No, wait. Unexpectedly, those might be the most effective weapons against the personal shield units all the guards wear. Such primitive weapons weren’t even considered when designing them. We did make them capable of deflecting most composite metal blades used in modern weapons, but we never considered someone using sharpened flint arrowheads and wooden clubs. I doubt it was intentional, but they actually brought what were possibly the most effective weapons they could when they came here.
Still, our security forces should have eliminated the invaders before they could even use their primitive melee weapons. This should never have been possible, yet here I am, surrounded by men pointing spears at me, and not a single security guard remaining to stop it. I’m not sure what is going to happen to me now. I suspect I will be held in their village on the planet to await whatever fate they chose for me… Wait, how are we going to get to their planet? How did they get here?
I have been herded to the cafeteria, where I find many of my fellow researchers also are gathered. The man who spoke before, and thus far the only one I have heard speak at all, stands in front of us.
“We have decided to release you all, but we shall keep possession of this place until it is cleansed. Do not continue the sins against nature, for which you have been punished this day. Next time we meet, the Avengers of the Natural Order will not be so lenient. Now go! Those men shall take you away from here.”
He pointed toward the entrance, where two men were standing. One had a stern frown on his face as he watched the whole proceeding. It was the other that truly worried me, though. On his face was an entertained grin, as though this whole thing were just some sort of comedy show. The smiling man took a comm unit out of his pocket.
“We’re bringing some passengers to replace the old ones. You haven’t filled that hold yet, right?”
A short while later, a female voice sounded.
“Na, I’ve been loading the loot into the others first. I figured we might need that one empty still.”
The man nodded, then looked at us.
“Alright, you all come with me. My ship is waiting in the main hanger bay. My name is Krizet, captain of a relatively unknown cargo freighter called the Scavenger.”
The other man shook his head. “Can we change that name. It really is terrible.”
The first man just shrugged. “I dunno, it seems rather fitting for us, really. Anyway, let’s get going everyone, we’ve got a long trip ahead of us.” Then, as if it was an afterthought, he pointed at the second man. “Ah, right, this rather dour guy is my second in command. If you need anything on our voyage, I recommend you talk to him, and not the short woman who makes up the third person on our little crew. She'll probably pick your pockets before helping you with whatever you needed. I'll try to keep her busy, so just look for this guy. His name is Horvath.”