Don't worry, the minefield is defunct!
Posted on Sun Dec 6th, 2020 @ 7:48am by Lieutenant JG Ryan Kade III
Mission:
MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Near the Alpha/Gamma border.
Timeline: During: "There's always one in the family."
632 words - 1.3 OF Standard Post Measure
“Uh, guys, what does it mean when the lights start flashing red and all the beeping?”
Kandiss froze in her tracks, double-checking her sanity with a palm slap to her own temple. Yup! That hurt. She was definitely not dreaming. “Say again, Lucas, what did you just do!?”
---One Hour later---
The room shook with a resounding boom that sent an entire layer of dust straight off the east wall, scattering it all around. The computer terminals flickered as the aftershock rumbled across the entire building.
Were it not for her quick thinking, Kandiss would have been tossed halfway across the room. Instead, she held onto the nearby railing, the entirety of her small body flailing horizontally against the incoming shockwave.
The five men in front of her weren’t so lucky. A round of curses could be heard as the entire group, with nothing nearby to steady themselves, flew off the ground for several meters. They flailed, skidded, and tumbled, some of them going so far that they slammed into the nearby wall.
She was the first to recover, getting her legs beneath her and standing back up as fast as she dared, her brain feeling a little scrambled as she regained her balance. She stumbled only for a few steps before realizing she was going in the wrong direction, then turned towards the northern exit.
“G- get off me!” One of them said, his arms flailing as he tried to push a heavier comrade away.
She leaned against the doorway, turning back with a satisfied grin as she watched her pursuers struggle in their heap. As she ran through, she slapped the locking mechanism.
“Hey!” One of them shouted after her before getting cut off as the door slammed shut.
She kept running, tearing through the hallways at breakneck speeds. Luckily for her, this level of the facility had many tight turns, vast numbers of separate storage rooms, and many places to hide. On the other hand, if she stuck around for too long, they could break through the encryption and take over the station computer systems, which would mean game-over for her.
She hit her palm against the comm badge so hard, it almost flew off, "Damnit, Lucas!" She yelled between breaths, "I could use one of your miracles, right now."
"Locking out the main computer is the only reason you're still alive, girl!" He retorted, his voice crackling through the badge. "I think that's about all the miracle you're gonna get, today... unless your boy-toy actually shows up as he promised."
"Oh for frell's sake," came her exasperated response, "are you still hung up on that?"
"... no."
"Uhuh." She said.
Suddenly, Kandiss came skidding to a halt. "Frell!" She exclaimed, slamming her fist into the sudden dead end she'd turned into. This hallway looked like it was planned to be expanded, but was cut short- maybe budget cuts, definitely annoying.
She turned about, then froze.
"Hey!" The fully armored man called out as he turned into the same dead-end hallway, raising his pulse-rifle as he saw her.
Frelling dren! She cursed inwardly, her eyes darting around, looking for a way out. Of course, there wasn't, but what else could she do?
"Hands up, bitch." He said before turning his head slightly and calling through comms, "I found her, what do you want me to do?"
A voice came through the comms, smooth and deep. "Kill her and take the relic."
Kandis clenched her fists, suddenly remembering the small orb in her side-satchel. That's what they want? She sighed, wondering if she should try bartering for her life.
"With pleasure." The gunman replied to his boss.
Nevermind that idea. She mused, darkly.
Suddenly, the whole world went white.
