*Snores louder than nuclear explosion*
*Throws boots at Grimwulf, but misses* Fucking eye, piece of shit. Fucking Grimwulf too. This ain't no life.
I'll go for a walk, men.
Can't sleep to his snoring too, eh?
No, it's not that. I have a feeling about the upcoming day. A
bad feeling.
13th of Fall, 5500
*shivers* Gotta get a grip.
What is wrong with you, weather?
I will tell you ungrateful bastards how to deal with cold weather. It's a slav secret. Are you ready? ARE YOU?!
Vodka?
Squatting?
AND GRUELING LABOUR! That's it, now both of you are officially slavs. Na zdorovie!
One hour later.
RYAN, what a coincidence! Didn't know you are chillin' at the same club. It's pretty cool here, right?
Y-yes. V-very c-c-c-cool. J-just c-c-chilling.
You're looking good, Ryan. Working out? Eating well?
K-k-kill me.
Feeding you this particular shashlik batch is basically the same! I mean, can you even stand the smell? Holy hell, I wouldn't be surprised if that one is made of Servant. Did I tell you about Servant? A great man, a heroic man. He believed in this colony, and died to defend it. And nobody had to convince him, RYAN.
Later this morning.
*pssshhhh* Anybody still alive out there? Come in.
*psshhh* This is Grim Crimson speaking, Karl Marx incarnated. State your political views at once. Over.
*psh pshh* Hehe, sorry for that. Our leader Grimwulf here has a weird sense of humour. Or maybe he's gone nuts again, you never know. So, who are you?
We came from the District to help.
Oh. More guys who just
love stabbing mechos with kitchen knives.
*sigh* Really glad to have you with us.
Hey! My group volunteered to come here and save your sorry asses. And I'm only doing it for the sake of one particular drunkard, who might or might not even be here. Show some fucking appreciation.
Let me guess. You are looking for Grimwulf.
No. For the pilot who crashed that excuse of a starship. Azira.
Wait. Nelson?
Come over here, elder brother. It's been too long.
It's really you. When a stranger told me that your ship crash landed in this area, I thought he was bullshittin' me. What. The HELL. Are you doing here, Azira?
Oh, you know. Was flying near this system, saw this planet, thought about your bar. Then remembered that you still owe me 70 credits. So. Why not pay you a visit, I thought?
Why not? WHY NOT?! Maybe because the orbit has more space junk than you can dodge in sober state! But, looking at how far from the District you crashed, I'm sure you
wasn't sober when it happened! How could your captain allow this?
He might have been
*coughs* sleeping. Deeply. I didn't want to wake him up just to ask his permission for a little detour.
So you basically crashed the ship, killing god knows how many people on board, just because you were looking for the nearest bar?!
Let's not forget 70 credits you owe me.
Ahem. I hate to interrupt this touching family reunion. Nelson?
Yes. Right. Azira, meet Sparkles and the rest of my team: Palmer, Lowell and Lilith. They are capable and loyal. Time to put an end to your mechanoids problem.
What? Wait. Forget about mechanoids - we are coming with you, to the District. It's just four of us: me, Grimwulf, Kalin, and Ry... Actually, scratch that - just three of us.
It's not that simple, ace. The District is overpopulated. Each year more and more citizens are banished or executed. We don't accept strangers, be it someone's brothers or not.
Remember those poor bastards who came here before us?
The knife masters?
Aye. They were banished too. Our Mayor would accept them back only if they killed your centipedes. In melee combat. Thus proving themselves worthy of being pardoned.
That's just fucked up. Why are you here then?
To tell you that those 70 credits were mine to begin with. I won that bet fair and square!
You cheated! I was drunk, and you knew it.
We are here, because your brother Nelson is overly sentimental. He was worried about you, and insisted that we follow his lead, and deal with your problem.
... Yes, it is true. I want you to build your own home on this planet, Azira. Trust me, no better place for a new colony than your old ship's wreckage. That's how the District was founded, and most of other major settlements too.
Honestly, Azira - none of us is happy to be here. Let's get this over with, for the love of god.
Lead the way. We'll talk later.
Ok, that's as far as we can go. I see one of them. The other must be inside the cryo facility.
Good. Try to shoot its head or sensors, that will give us an edge. I'll draw its fire on myself while you do it. Sparkles, go tell the others to stay behind the cliffs and wait for my command. Then come back here.
Roger that.
Wait, I will call Grim and Kalin. *pssshhhh* Red Base, come in.
*psshhh* Ye?
We are about to blow up the centipedes. For real this time. Care to join?
You want Kalin to club them to death? I can't join as well.
Why not?
Because I'm the ONLY ONE who actually does SOMETHING about incoming Winter! Good luck, though. Over and out.
Impressive teamwork, Azira. Glad you still have so many friends at your age.
You could bring me a bottle instead of sarcasm.
I run a bar, not a charity. Are you going to shoot or not?
Fuck's sake, Nelson. I hope you know what you are doing. Lots of men died to these 'pedes.
Good. They must be damaged in previous encounters. Less work for us. Shoot that thing already, damn you!
Here goes nothing.
*bang*
Did you hit it?
Yes. And now this thing is pissed.
That was the plan. Keep shootin'. HEEEEEEEEEEEY, YOU MECHANOID BUTTPLUG! OVER HERE!
AARGH..!
Nelson!
I'm fine! Stay back! AZIRAAAH!
*bang*
The second centipede is here! It's shooting fucking napalm rockets!
GOOD! Then aim for it, COME ON!
*bang*
Did you hit it?!
Yes! Now both of them are coming for us!
Sparkles, is everyone on position?
Ready and waiting, Nelson.
Azira, FALL BACK! Behind the cliffs, go, go!
What are we doing, Nelson?! It's a suicide mission!
*limping, panting* Just keep up the good work, brother.
NELSON, WATCH OUT!
HRGH
NELSON!
I'm FINE! EVERYONE ATAAAAAAACK!!!
Watch out! *Throws grenades*
FUCK! THEY GOT LILITH!
I swear, these things are fucking immortal. WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!
COME ON, YOU METAL PIECE OF--
NO!!!
Nelson, STAY DOWN! They will ignore you if y--
AAAAAAAAAAAA!!
*psshh* Azira, come in. Have you started a fucking war out there?
Nelson..?
DIE, DIE, D-- AAAGH!!
Nelson! NELSOOON!
*bang* FUCK!!!
*bang* *bang*
*bang*
Holy shit...
*panting* He did it... FALL BACK! FALL BACK!!
NO! We kill the second one!
*bang* WE KILL ALL OF THEM!
*bang*
AZIRA, YOU SONOFA-- oh my god
HOLD ON, SPARKLES!
*bang*
Valhalla, here I come! AAAAAA
*throws grenade*
A-alive?
*huff* I'm still alive.
*pshh pshhhhh* Azira, holly hell, come the fuck in. Respond! Over!
*pshh* ... Grim.
So you are still alive, after all! I was almost worried about you.
... I'll be honest with you, Grim. I never thought we'll stay here for long. Maybe I was hoping to somehow return to space. Or maybe I planned on travelling to... well, some place far away. Until this day.
Don't tell me the centipedes are dead.
Not only the centipedes. Let's just... Let's just give this place a name, Grim. Anything will do. This is my home now.
A bit later.
Hmpf. Hrmf. You, uhhh, want me to stay?
No. It's ok.
Maybe you should say some words?
... No.
I'll just go then. If you need to talk, then err. You should probably talk to Kalin.
Damn you, Nelson. I just wanted to have a drink with you. Maybe settle down like you. And now... Kalin?
Didn't mean to interrupt.
You didn't. I'm done here.
Want to stay for Servant's burial?
We didn't really know each other.
Nobody did. The guy was crazy, plain and simple. But in a good way. I liked him.
He was the best of us. At least the best of you.
Will you ever give me a minute of solitude?
Not now, that's for sure. The centipedes are dead, and Winter's bangin' at the door. Now all three of us will drop whatever we were doing, and go for scavenging. Right now!
You could give us a moment there, Grimwulf. Nelson and Servant deserved a proper funeral.
Graves ain't going anywhere. You can visit them any other moment you want. We have no time for sentiments. Wait, what the fuck?
That fucking thing is still functional!
Yeah, it can't get up though. Your warg completely destroyed its leg.
Motherfucker.
No time for sentiments, eh?
Remember me?! EAT LEAD!!
*opens fire*
That's for Champion.
*bang*
Later that night.
You're not in the talking mood, doctor Azira. Did someone die?
...
You can tell me, good doctor. I can help. They call people of my profession
empaths - we specialize on easing the pain.
... My brother.
How did he die?
Killed by a centipede.
Did you kill that centipede?
Yes.
Do you feel better knowing that?
No.
Then it wasn't the centipede who killed your brother.
... What?
The only way to ease the loss of a loved one is to avenge his death, preferably as brutal as you can. That's what any psychologist or empath will say. How did he die exactly?
He was downed while fighting that thing in melee. And then... He was just gone.
People don't just die for no reason, doctor Azira. Who else was with you?
Nelson's team. Lilith died before that, so there was Palmer, Lowell and Sparkles.
Where did these people come from?
The District. Probably the only faction that doesn't want to see us dead.
Your brother used live there, right?
He did. He wasn't only my brother. He was my friend.
Tell me about that Sparkles person.
I don't know anything. She was just there. Took a major beating herself.
She was using frag grenades, fought without fear. You have to stand very close to the target to throw those grenades, you know.
A-HA! Grenades! Was she anywhere close when your brother was downed? Was she throwing grenades at that moment?
Wh... Why.
And there you have your answer, doctor Azira.
If you want the pain to go away, you have to make things right. You owe it to your brother.
I... should go.
Have a good night, doctor Azira.
A few minutes later.
You there. Ace.
Sorry about your brother... You know what, fuck you! I'm not sorry! I blame YOU for his death! He was my friend and my leader. We could live a good, long life in the District if you didn't show up! Just get out of my way, and pray we'll never see each other again.
(
Azira decides what to say and what to do)
