RIFTS Short Story - Out West
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 10:35 pm
Greetings gamers,
During the COVID era my son and I played RIFTS with just the two of us. We enjoyed the group a lot and I wrote a short story about it.
OUT WEST
Preface 1
Location: Winsted Lake, Minnesota. Roughly 10 miles west of Tolkeen
Date: February 3rd, PA109
Time: 1845 TTI (Tolkeen Time Index)
“Hay fur face. You going to get that armor done in time for me ta join that action?”
Big Grey stopped with his welding and looked up at the guy in his unkempt pilot jumpsuit with a look of disapproval. He sighed, smirked and put down the portable welder rod. He motioned with his large hands, palms up, that the guy could continue the repair for him. The pilot smiled in response and gave him a thumb up.
“Thanks Big Grey. You always have me back buckaroo. See you in ten.” The pilot walked away continuing to thank him.
He adjusted his welding goggles and continued working. Everyone his whole life has called him Big Grey. The main reason was he is a rather large bi-pedal race called wolfen. He stood just over seven feet with massive muscles that pushed his weight to 315 pounds. Just as the racial nametag he had a long muzzle and short grey fur covering his whole body. He did not keep up on his physical appearance with hair that was unkempt to the point of looking mangy and several scars across the muzzle. Even in the very cold temperatures of February he liked to wear only baggy cargo shorts with a utility belt that sported all manner of tools and trinkets. Big grey was an operator by trade. Trained to modify and repair electrical, mechanical equipment and weapons. His assignment was with the Tolkeen Mobile Tech Support that provided field repair to military units. He liked the freedom of the job. To just be able to stay out in the open doing what he likes best.
He stood up and looked at his work on the Sky King Rocket Cycle. The damage that was inflicted was patched up and even hardened in some vital areas without compromising the weight for flight. Big grey stretched his head to the sky to get the kinks out. His current surroundings were beautiful to him. The lake was calm and had a perfect reflection of the blue magical ley line that was suspended over the surface. It was not a very big one, only around ten feet in diameter. Blue white light emanated from the magical wall just enough to cast shadows for twenty feet. This one ran east all the way back to Tolkeen itself, while ending just short of a mile west of the lake.
His keen hearing picked up the back of his armored personnel carrier (APC) opening up and someone walking over to him. He side glanced over to look at the gorgeous figure of Jasmin. She was a psi-stalker that helped Big Grey out with all manner of work. Plus she had a thing for wolfens that was a mutual benefit. She was wearing her black skin tight leggings and top that had all the intent of showing off her curvaceous figure.
“Well, well. Looks like you got that jackassas jet fixed. Again.” Jasmin’s punctual emphasis of the “again” was not lost to him. He has fixed the reckless pilots equipment almost every time it went out on a mission.
“Guess we will see if the new modifications will assist his lack of tactful flying.” Big Grey responded. He then took one stride over to her and wrapped her in a great hug. She hugged him back and let out an audible hum of pleasure.
Jasmin kept on holding the hug. “I had a sight of precognitive flashes while I was resting. Something is going to happen soon. Might want to pack up just in case.”
As a psi-stalker she had a large amount of psionic powers that have proved her ability in the past. Over time he has learned to listen to her when she spoke of such things out loud. He let her go and gathered up his tools. While Big Grey stored his equipment into the APC, Jasmin walked over to the lake shore to study at the ley line. She knelt down to feel the cool water run over her hand. At that same moment her psionic sixth sense assaulted her in such a great quantity as to render her stunned. Blindingly white light cascaded through her mind. It carried faint images that blurred fast across her perception, but she captured a few. In what seemed like hours her conscience mind finally seized ahold of reality. Jasmin was on all fours and breathing hard. She looked up to focus her vision on the now pulsating white ley line.
“How can that be?” she silently said while tears formed.
Big Grey just completed strapping down the last of his equipment when a bright flash that was bright enough to come from everywhere lit the inside of the APC. As he ran back outside he had to shield his eyes from the light over the lake. He could barely make out the ley line was at least three times as large while it pulsed with a light that emanated from inside. With that it started to come alive with thick tendrils of energy that randomly shot out for tens of feet and sharply arced to the earth like a circuit ground. His vision adjusted to the light and viewed Jasmin running from the lake shore and yelling something at him. Big Grey hurried to get to her. The ley line then flashed again with another searing pulse that released dozens of the energy tendrils. He watched in slow motion horror as Jasmin was sprinting to the APC and an energy arc swept across her path. In that moment time stopped. Her face was one of surprise as she just vanished. Not the vanished type when someone is hit by energy weapons, she just ceased to exist in that instant. He was howling in rage while reaching out for where Jasmin used to be.
All went dark after that. Almost pitch blackness like someone turning off a light in a windowless room. He could hear the lake nearby and many voices yelling in excited tones. No light came from the ley line as it was no longer there. A rumbling got the attention of his keen hearing from the distance to the east. His natural night vision started to fade in to look upon the great city of Tolkeen. Even at 10 miles away anybody could normally see the lights of the city and pyramid beacons of nexus light. This time there were no magical light of any type. Only multiple flashes of explosions could be made out. Also streaks of many flying vehicles buzzed around the city like angry hornets.
This is not happening. Big Grey pondered.
The immediate camp came alive with activity. Many troops were starting to move out, including the pilot from earlier who jumped in and started his Sky King. Thrusters lifted the vehicle into the air twenty feet and the rockets burned to life as he headed to Tolkeen. His hand radio was alive with jumbled talk of people crossing over each other. He ran back into the APC closing the rear doors as he made his way to the driver’s chair. Completing a quick start to the gas hybrid engine and base radio at the same time, he listens into the traffic. Somehow the Coalition has disrupted all of the ley lines around Tolkeen and launched a massive offensive. Magical energy turned on itself and decimated the city protection system. Frantic information of magic acting wild or not at all filled the radio airways. Lastly, confirmations of Coalition armored units and troops were actually reported inside the city. It took about eight minutes for Big Grey to gather all this and seconds to make up his mind on what to do. Strapping himself in the drivers chair he gunned the APC to leave. He grabbed the base radio microphone and programmed it for general transmission.
“To all units that can receive this. This is TMTS bravo heading mark 6 point 3. Tolkeen compromised. I say again, Tolkeen compromised. Anyone who wants to meet with me and survive is welcome. General beacon 55 megahertz active.” He replaced the microphone in its cradle and increased speed west.
“Well now. This day turned to ******** real quick.”
Preface 2
Location: Tolkeen air space
Date: February 3rd, PA109
Time: 1845 TTI (Tolkeen Time Index)
Vlard "Sickel" Navaeski was currently on flight patrol in his SAMAS PA-06A power armor. The combat computer was displaying on his heads up display the programmed route of patrol he was assigned. Cruising at a height of 300 feet at 120mph in a great circle around the city was far from exciting for the Special Forces trained warrior. He was actively serving the 5th year of a 6 year tour for the Tolkeen Civil Militia. In just less than a year Vlard will have his choice of what branch he gets to transfer to. He wanted to be a commander of a search and destroy armored squad. Engaging the daemons and monsters that pose a threat to Tolkeen was a thrill he craved. As a member of the Tolkeen Special Forces he already had perks available to him. Like the one in which he gets to paint his SAMAS all red with the Russian black star on the chest. He was very proud of his Russian family history.
The SAMAS’s HUD brought up his chronometer alarm to signal that the patrol was up. Vlard banked high right to thrust up and hit freefall to turn around. Ahead his HUD picked up Cpl Jacks in his Triax Predator Power Armor flying straight for Vlard. Vlard boosted his speed up to 200mph and inverted. The Predator also increased speed and went sideways while holding his left arm up in a high five. Power armor elite pilots are far more daring than they need to be and love showing it off. They both pass each other to give an expert high five at an angle that will not break each other’s hand. Although, Vlard did put a slight more strength into the gesture that caused a high ping of metal upon contact.
“OUCH! You *******!” Jacks yelled over the comm.
“*****.” Vlard returned and then gave a hearty laugh. He aimed the SAMAS at the robot bay open doors where all of the power armors for his sector are stored. A Northern Gun M56 Multi Assault Robot was exiting the hanger. The 26 foot tall robot stopped and stepped back as Vlard streaked down fast and flipped over to engage the jets for rapid deceleration. Jet wash fanned everything out for 30 feet. Even items near the doors on technician’s carts blew all over. He somersaulted the armor over at the last possible point and killed the power to the jets causing him to land on the feet a little hard but in style. He turned to the Multi Robot and gave them thumbs up. He walked the SAMAS down the main aisle ignoring all the people around that were visibly upset over the landing. The storage gantry was open waiting for Vlard to park his power armor. He back in, locked it down and shut the reactor down. The center section opened up allowing Vlard to step out onto the concrete pad.
As soon as Vlard’s feet touched down he had a lighted cigarette handed to him by a very young male elf.
“The right jet is twelve percent off thrust Squirt.” He addressed the boy in between drags.
Squirt replied without looking up from his data pad accessing the armor through a cable he plugged in. “Surprised you know fancy words like that.” Vlard walked past the elf and flicked him on the tip of his pointed ear, causing Squirt to wince away.
He sat down on a rolling chair and reached into the bottom chest of the tool kit to pull out a bottle of hard spirits with two glasses. He poured both glasses full and emptied one only to refill it again. Squirt might look very young, but he was an elf. He has lived several lifetimes more than Vlard already. The kid was a good operator and the only one he trusted around his equipment. Plus he liked taking time off to do the work himself and the kid made him look like a big guy. Vlard took off the top of his pilot’s uniform. He was kind of a big guy at 6ft 8in and a 240lb frame of muscle. He liked to be in shape and practice physical workouts often. Both arms, chest and back were covered in Russian themed tattoos.
Both of his parents were refugees from Russia thirty years ago. His mother was pregnant with Vlard when they boarded a Tolkeen refugee transport to start a new life. He was born in transit. His father was a natural with power armor and joined the Tolkeen Air Force upon arrival. Many years later they had another son and daughter while Vlard was entering Tolkeen military service. Then, right as he was graduating, his father died in a mission that involved fighting Tolkeen enemies. That was all the information they got from the courts as the mission was labeled top secret. Vlard wanted to continue doing his father’s name good and exceled in military training. It made him confident and some would say arrogant, but it was worth it.
Alarm klaxons startled Vlard to conscience suddenly in his apartment room. He sat up quickly and was met with a foggy vertigo that comes with drinking too much. Holding his head with both hands he focused on getting his world to stop spinning. An empty bottle of alcohol was rolling across the floor and he centered on that to clear the effects. It took a few minutes for Vlard to understand the alarm process and think sort of clearly. He grabbed his flight suit and emergency go-pack and stumbled over to the door. It opened up while he was putting on the flight suit. A male security guard looked at Vlard inside.
“Sir. We are under attack. Please get to your armored squad as soon as you can.” He then moved away and left the door open.
Vlard’s head was throbbing like mad, but he knew he had to get back to the hanger. He managed to stumble into the hallway that was crowded with personnel running everywhere. There were several people he knew that said stuff to him in a rush and then left. Most of what he heard was echoes of nonsense with the alcoholic daze he was experiencing. After many retracing of steps he managed to get back to the main hanger access. He hardly recognized the area.
It was pure chaos.
The entire bay was dark with no power being provided. The only light was the multiple fires burning in several locations all at once. There was active weapons fire coming from the entrance. Both outgoing and incoming, there was a large battle inside the city walls. It looked like a good portion of armored units made it out due to the empty bays. Several did not and had absorbed so much damage the metal for the remains of twisted frames was on fire. Plasma caused that, not any type of accident. Plus the coloration and intensity suggested one word back to Vlard on munition identification.
Coalition.
“It’s about Narthesis sake that you finally made it here Sickel.” His elf operator addresses him from the shadows to his right. Squirt walked up to Vlard, he looked tired and dirty. “Oh for goddess sake. Your still hammered you idiot.” He rummaged around his knap-pouch around his waist and produced a hypo-gun used to deliver various chemical substances. Squirt quickly touched Vlard’s arm and activated it. The indicator flashed showing that the yellow liquid in the cartridge was emptied.
In seconds the world came to a steady halt and Vlard could think clearly. He hated those anti-hangover shots, but this time he was willing to let it happen. During the few minutes it took to affect him, Squirt was informing him that he performed maintenance and prepped his SAMAS for combat with new loads of ammunition.
“What the hell happened out there kid?” Vlard slowly questioned. “The whole bay looks like hammered **** in here.” He finished suiting up the proper way and made his way to where his SAMAS was stored.
“The Coalition hit us. Don’t know how they did it but they did. They are in the perimeter and even took down the magical protection grid.” Squirt proceeded over to his data pad and entered the codes to start up the SAMAS. It started to hum to life in response. He then pointed to the back of the armor. “I placed your bug-out equipment bag on the support struts between the jets.”
Vlard realized that he only did that because he knew it was time to go and not come back. The elf was a smart one and had access to information that surprised anyone at times. He had the common sense to let it sink in. He completed the final adjustments on his flight suit and climbed up into the waiting SAMAS. As the middle section closed up he shared a stare and a nod with Squirt.
“Better have fixed that right jet or I’m coming back to kick your little ass.” Vlard joked over the loudspeaker.
Squirt crossed his arms and had a grin. “You are an ******* you know that right?”
“That’s what they tell me.”
Jets forced the unit up into a hover. The C-40R Rail Gun was already in his right hand and loaded with a full complement of ferrous slugs. Vlard gave the command to silence the general comm chatter since it was packed with noise of combat. The combat HUD filtered out the light from the fires and searched for targets. He hit the accelerator and set his altimeter to keep it no more than 10 feet off the ground. If the Coalition States (CS) were in the city then they would pick up on his armor in the air. He left the bay quick and turned left immediately to stay near large buildings. The HUD started providing data of information of a host of targets. At a glance it was all CS armor, cyborgs and troops. That was bad news.
Vlard landed around a corner to gain intelligence. There was fighting in the air and on the ground. The Tolkeen energy grid seemed to be random in providing power to sections. There were random missile explosions along with energy discharge everywhere. He used the optic system to zoom in on a group of movement several blocks from his position. His heart sank at the ID tags his HUD provided. An armored group of four strike cyborgs, at least twenty soldiers and one Mark V APC were on the patrol and armed for heavy engagements. There was not even close to being a line between being confident and being stupid as a Special Forces member. He was good, but that was not a fight he could possibly win.
The wall opposite of him exploded in a hail of laser and plasma fire. Vlard figured they picked up on his SAMAS signature. He fired up the jets and stayed in between buildings heading to the outer limits of the city. According to radio chatter the west area was the most likely survival odds on getting away. Running low and fast he avoided firefights and started to formulate a plan to survive. Once he got clear of the city he increased altitude to 400 feet and speed to 200mph to leave his old home behind.
That’s when Vlard’s HUD picked up a signal on the comm. “General beacon 55 megahertz active.”
Vlard set the coordinates to the location of the signal.
“Sounds good to me.” He said to himself.
During the COVID era my son and I played RIFTS with just the two of us. We enjoyed the group a lot and I wrote a short story about it.
OUT WEST
Preface 1
Location: Winsted Lake, Minnesota. Roughly 10 miles west of Tolkeen
Date: February 3rd, PA109
Time: 1845 TTI (Tolkeen Time Index)
“Hay fur face. You going to get that armor done in time for me ta join that action?”
Big Grey stopped with his welding and looked up at the guy in his unkempt pilot jumpsuit with a look of disapproval. He sighed, smirked and put down the portable welder rod. He motioned with his large hands, palms up, that the guy could continue the repair for him. The pilot smiled in response and gave him a thumb up.
“Thanks Big Grey. You always have me back buckaroo. See you in ten.” The pilot walked away continuing to thank him.
He adjusted his welding goggles and continued working. Everyone his whole life has called him Big Grey. The main reason was he is a rather large bi-pedal race called wolfen. He stood just over seven feet with massive muscles that pushed his weight to 315 pounds. Just as the racial nametag he had a long muzzle and short grey fur covering his whole body. He did not keep up on his physical appearance with hair that was unkempt to the point of looking mangy and several scars across the muzzle. Even in the very cold temperatures of February he liked to wear only baggy cargo shorts with a utility belt that sported all manner of tools and trinkets. Big grey was an operator by trade. Trained to modify and repair electrical, mechanical equipment and weapons. His assignment was with the Tolkeen Mobile Tech Support that provided field repair to military units. He liked the freedom of the job. To just be able to stay out in the open doing what he likes best.
He stood up and looked at his work on the Sky King Rocket Cycle. The damage that was inflicted was patched up and even hardened in some vital areas without compromising the weight for flight. Big grey stretched his head to the sky to get the kinks out. His current surroundings were beautiful to him. The lake was calm and had a perfect reflection of the blue magical ley line that was suspended over the surface. It was not a very big one, only around ten feet in diameter. Blue white light emanated from the magical wall just enough to cast shadows for twenty feet. This one ran east all the way back to Tolkeen itself, while ending just short of a mile west of the lake.
His keen hearing picked up the back of his armored personnel carrier (APC) opening up and someone walking over to him. He side glanced over to look at the gorgeous figure of Jasmin. She was a psi-stalker that helped Big Grey out with all manner of work. Plus she had a thing for wolfens that was a mutual benefit. She was wearing her black skin tight leggings and top that had all the intent of showing off her curvaceous figure.
“Well, well. Looks like you got that jackassas jet fixed. Again.” Jasmin’s punctual emphasis of the “again” was not lost to him. He has fixed the reckless pilots equipment almost every time it went out on a mission.
“Guess we will see if the new modifications will assist his lack of tactful flying.” Big Grey responded. He then took one stride over to her and wrapped her in a great hug. She hugged him back and let out an audible hum of pleasure.
Jasmin kept on holding the hug. “I had a sight of precognitive flashes while I was resting. Something is going to happen soon. Might want to pack up just in case.”
As a psi-stalker she had a large amount of psionic powers that have proved her ability in the past. Over time he has learned to listen to her when she spoke of such things out loud. He let her go and gathered up his tools. While Big Grey stored his equipment into the APC, Jasmin walked over to the lake shore to study at the ley line. She knelt down to feel the cool water run over her hand. At that same moment her psionic sixth sense assaulted her in such a great quantity as to render her stunned. Blindingly white light cascaded through her mind. It carried faint images that blurred fast across her perception, but she captured a few. In what seemed like hours her conscience mind finally seized ahold of reality. Jasmin was on all fours and breathing hard. She looked up to focus her vision on the now pulsating white ley line.
“How can that be?” she silently said while tears formed.
Big Grey just completed strapping down the last of his equipment when a bright flash that was bright enough to come from everywhere lit the inside of the APC. As he ran back outside he had to shield his eyes from the light over the lake. He could barely make out the ley line was at least three times as large while it pulsed with a light that emanated from inside. With that it started to come alive with thick tendrils of energy that randomly shot out for tens of feet and sharply arced to the earth like a circuit ground. His vision adjusted to the light and viewed Jasmin running from the lake shore and yelling something at him. Big Grey hurried to get to her. The ley line then flashed again with another searing pulse that released dozens of the energy tendrils. He watched in slow motion horror as Jasmin was sprinting to the APC and an energy arc swept across her path. In that moment time stopped. Her face was one of surprise as she just vanished. Not the vanished type when someone is hit by energy weapons, she just ceased to exist in that instant. He was howling in rage while reaching out for where Jasmin used to be.
All went dark after that. Almost pitch blackness like someone turning off a light in a windowless room. He could hear the lake nearby and many voices yelling in excited tones. No light came from the ley line as it was no longer there. A rumbling got the attention of his keen hearing from the distance to the east. His natural night vision started to fade in to look upon the great city of Tolkeen. Even at 10 miles away anybody could normally see the lights of the city and pyramid beacons of nexus light. This time there were no magical light of any type. Only multiple flashes of explosions could be made out. Also streaks of many flying vehicles buzzed around the city like angry hornets.
This is not happening. Big Grey pondered.
The immediate camp came alive with activity. Many troops were starting to move out, including the pilot from earlier who jumped in and started his Sky King. Thrusters lifted the vehicle into the air twenty feet and the rockets burned to life as he headed to Tolkeen. His hand radio was alive with jumbled talk of people crossing over each other. He ran back into the APC closing the rear doors as he made his way to the driver’s chair. Completing a quick start to the gas hybrid engine and base radio at the same time, he listens into the traffic. Somehow the Coalition has disrupted all of the ley lines around Tolkeen and launched a massive offensive. Magical energy turned on itself and decimated the city protection system. Frantic information of magic acting wild or not at all filled the radio airways. Lastly, confirmations of Coalition armored units and troops were actually reported inside the city. It took about eight minutes for Big Grey to gather all this and seconds to make up his mind on what to do. Strapping himself in the drivers chair he gunned the APC to leave. He grabbed the base radio microphone and programmed it for general transmission.
“To all units that can receive this. This is TMTS bravo heading mark 6 point 3. Tolkeen compromised. I say again, Tolkeen compromised. Anyone who wants to meet with me and survive is welcome. General beacon 55 megahertz active.” He replaced the microphone in its cradle and increased speed west.
“Well now. This day turned to ******** real quick.”
Preface 2
Location: Tolkeen air space
Date: February 3rd, PA109
Time: 1845 TTI (Tolkeen Time Index)
Vlard "Sickel" Navaeski was currently on flight patrol in his SAMAS PA-06A power armor. The combat computer was displaying on his heads up display the programmed route of patrol he was assigned. Cruising at a height of 300 feet at 120mph in a great circle around the city was far from exciting for the Special Forces trained warrior. He was actively serving the 5th year of a 6 year tour for the Tolkeen Civil Militia. In just less than a year Vlard will have his choice of what branch he gets to transfer to. He wanted to be a commander of a search and destroy armored squad. Engaging the daemons and monsters that pose a threat to Tolkeen was a thrill he craved. As a member of the Tolkeen Special Forces he already had perks available to him. Like the one in which he gets to paint his SAMAS all red with the Russian black star on the chest. He was very proud of his Russian family history.
The SAMAS’s HUD brought up his chronometer alarm to signal that the patrol was up. Vlard banked high right to thrust up and hit freefall to turn around. Ahead his HUD picked up Cpl Jacks in his Triax Predator Power Armor flying straight for Vlard. Vlard boosted his speed up to 200mph and inverted. The Predator also increased speed and went sideways while holding his left arm up in a high five. Power armor elite pilots are far more daring than they need to be and love showing it off. They both pass each other to give an expert high five at an angle that will not break each other’s hand. Although, Vlard did put a slight more strength into the gesture that caused a high ping of metal upon contact.
“OUCH! You *******!” Jacks yelled over the comm.
“*****.” Vlard returned and then gave a hearty laugh. He aimed the SAMAS at the robot bay open doors where all of the power armors for his sector are stored. A Northern Gun M56 Multi Assault Robot was exiting the hanger. The 26 foot tall robot stopped and stepped back as Vlard streaked down fast and flipped over to engage the jets for rapid deceleration. Jet wash fanned everything out for 30 feet. Even items near the doors on technician’s carts blew all over. He somersaulted the armor over at the last possible point and killed the power to the jets causing him to land on the feet a little hard but in style. He turned to the Multi Robot and gave them thumbs up. He walked the SAMAS down the main aisle ignoring all the people around that were visibly upset over the landing. The storage gantry was open waiting for Vlard to park his power armor. He back in, locked it down and shut the reactor down. The center section opened up allowing Vlard to step out onto the concrete pad.
As soon as Vlard’s feet touched down he had a lighted cigarette handed to him by a very young male elf.
“The right jet is twelve percent off thrust Squirt.” He addressed the boy in between drags.
Squirt replied without looking up from his data pad accessing the armor through a cable he plugged in. “Surprised you know fancy words like that.” Vlard walked past the elf and flicked him on the tip of his pointed ear, causing Squirt to wince away.
He sat down on a rolling chair and reached into the bottom chest of the tool kit to pull out a bottle of hard spirits with two glasses. He poured both glasses full and emptied one only to refill it again. Squirt might look very young, but he was an elf. He has lived several lifetimes more than Vlard already. The kid was a good operator and the only one he trusted around his equipment. Plus he liked taking time off to do the work himself and the kid made him look like a big guy. Vlard took off the top of his pilot’s uniform. He was kind of a big guy at 6ft 8in and a 240lb frame of muscle. He liked to be in shape and practice physical workouts often. Both arms, chest and back were covered in Russian themed tattoos.
Both of his parents were refugees from Russia thirty years ago. His mother was pregnant with Vlard when they boarded a Tolkeen refugee transport to start a new life. He was born in transit. His father was a natural with power armor and joined the Tolkeen Air Force upon arrival. Many years later they had another son and daughter while Vlard was entering Tolkeen military service. Then, right as he was graduating, his father died in a mission that involved fighting Tolkeen enemies. That was all the information they got from the courts as the mission was labeled top secret. Vlard wanted to continue doing his father’s name good and exceled in military training. It made him confident and some would say arrogant, but it was worth it.
Alarm klaxons startled Vlard to conscience suddenly in his apartment room. He sat up quickly and was met with a foggy vertigo that comes with drinking too much. Holding his head with both hands he focused on getting his world to stop spinning. An empty bottle of alcohol was rolling across the floor and he centered on that to clear the effects. It took a few minutes for Vlard to understand the alarm process and think sort of clearly. He grabbed his flight suit and emergency go-pack and stumbled over to the door. It opened up while he was putting on the flight suit. A male security guard looked at Vlard inside.
“Sir. We are under attack. Please get to your armored squad as soon as you can.” He then moved away and left the door open.
Vlard’s head was throbbing like mad, but he knew he had to get back to the hanger. He managed to stumble into the hallway that was crowded with personnel running everywhere. There were several people he knew that said stuff to him in a rush and then left. Most of what he heard was echoes of nonsense with the alcoholic daze he was experiencing. After many retracing of steps he managed to get back to the main hanger access. He hardly recognized the area.
It was pure chaos.
The entire bay was dark with no power being provided. The only light was the multiple fires burning in several locations all at once. There was active weapons fire coming from the entrance. Both outgoing and incoming, there was a large battle inside the city walls. It looked like a good portion of armored units made it out due to the empty bays. Several did not and had absorbed so much damage the metal for the remains of twisted frames was on fire. Plasma caused that, not any type of accident. Plus the coloration and intensity suggested one word back to Vlard on munition identification.
Coalition.
“It’s about Narthesis sake that you finally made it here Sickel.” His elf operator addresses him from the shadows to his right. Squirt walked up to Vlard, he looked tired and dirty. “Oh for goddess sake. Your still hammered you idiot.” He rummaged around his knap-pouch around his waist and produced a hypo-gun used to deliver various chemical substances. Squirt quickly touched Vlard’s arm and activated it. The indicator flashed showing that the yellow liquid in the cartridge was emptied.
In seconds the world came to a steady halt and Vlard could think clearly. He hated those anti-hangover shots, but this time he was willing to let it happen. During the few minutes it took to affect him, Squirt was informing him that he performed maintenance and prepped his SAMAS for combat with new loads of ammunition.
“What the hell happened out there kid?” Vlard slowly questioned. “The whole bay looks like hammered **** in here.” He finished suiting up the proper way and made his way to where his SAMAS was stored.
“The Coalition hit us. Don’t know how they did it but they did. They are in the perimeter and even took down the magical protection grid.” Squirt proceeded over to his data pad and entered the codes to start up the SAMAS. It started to hum to life in response. He then pointed to the back of the armor. “I placed your bug-out equipment bag on the support struts between the jets.”
Vlard realized that he only did that because he knew it was time to go and not come back. The elf was a smart one and had access to information that surprised anyone at times. He had the common sense to let it sink in. He completed the final adjustments on his flight suit and climbed up into the waiting SAMAS. As the middle section closed up he shared a stare and a nod with Squirt.
“Better have fixed that right jet or I’m coming back to kick your little ass.” Vlard joked over the loudspeaker.
Squirt crossed his arms and had a grin. “You are an ******* you know that right?”
“That’s what they tell me.”
Jets forced the unit up into a hover. The C-40R Rail Gun was already in his right hand and loaded with a full complement of ferrous slugs. Vlard gave the command to silence the general comm chatter since it was packed with noise of combat. The combat HUD filtered out the light from the fires and searched for targets. He hit the accelerator and set his altimeter to keep it no more than 10 feet off the ground. If the Coalition States (CS) were in the city then they would pick up on his armor in the air. He left the bay quick and turned left immediately to stay near large buildings. The HUD started providing data of information of a host of targets. At a glance it was all CS armor, cyborgs and troops. That was bad news.
Vlard landed around a corner to gain intelligence. There was fighting in the air and on the ground. The Tolkeen energy grid seemed to be random in providing power to sections. There were random missile explosions along with energy discharge everywhere. He used the optic system to zoom in on a group of movement several blocks from his position. His heart sank at the ID tags his HUD provided. An armored group of four strike cyborgs, at least twenty soldiers and one Mark V APC were on the patrol and armed for heavy engagements. There was not even close to being a line between being confident and being stupid as a Special Forces member. He was good, but that was not a fight he could possibly win.
The wall opposite of him exploded in a hail of laser and plasma fire. Vlard figured they picked up on his SAMAS signature. He fired up the jets and stayed in between buildings heading to the outer limits of the city. According to radio chatter the west area was the most likely survival odds on getting away. Running low and fast he avoided firefights and started to formulate a plan to survive. Once he got clear of the city he increased altitude to 400 feet and speed to 200mph to leave his old home behind.
That’s when Vlard’s HUD picked up a signal on the comm. “General beacon 55 megahertz active.”
Vlard set the coordinates to the location of the signal.
“Sounds good to me.” He said to himself.