A Web Serial by M.C.A. Hogarth
| 50. Platform Games. | 52. Seniority. |
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51. Rescue
Flea. "****. We're gonna die."
Scythe. "Can that **** and do your job."
The crabs are streaming from both corridors and over the fallen wall. The team has its backs to one another, facing out. They expend their first-generation shields against the hail of alien needles.
The crabs keep coming.
Spots. "Claws! Shield power?"
Claws. "Zip."
Spots. "Rewire from something else!"
Claws. "There's nothing ****in' nonessential LEFT."
The crabs keep coming until they're climbing over their dead and into Team Kitty's faces.
Scythe. "****! Back up!"
Hairball. "Got a wall here, boss!"
Spots punches a final combination on her glove and shoves her way in front, slicing through the first three crabs with the edge of her shield.
Claws. "****! Spots!"
Spots. "Help. Me. NOW."
Claws fumbles through the power shunt and jumps after her, clearing the crabs in front. Fang recovers first and shoots past the falling pieces.
Claws. "****. ****. ****. ****." He nearly gets punctured by a crab pincer. "****!"
Fang. "****, stay alive, you ****er, you're the only thing keeping us up!"
Claws. "**** you!"
Scythe. "KING!"
Fang. "MINE!" She aims past Spots and Claws. "****, stop weaving!"
Hairball grabs the back of her suit and pulls her. "Up!"
Fang glances back, then jumps onto his knee and aims past the crabs Spots and Claws are killing. First shot: head explodes. Second shot: thorax explodes before the head has time to fall past it.
Scythe, catching green marks on his HUD. "Watch your shots, we've got friendlies!"
[ Company ] [ Peaches ] : Good plan, Sergeant.
[ Company ] [ Flea ] : ****, if we're not happy to see you!
Peaches and the relief cut away from the crabs from behind, Team Kitty from in front. They meet in the gore-soaked middle surrounded by mounds of crab parts.
[ Company ] [ Scythe ] : It's good to see you, ma'am.
[ Company ] [ Peaches ] : You all in one piece?
[ Company ] [ Scythe ] : Yes, though we burned through our power cells.
[ Company ] [ Peaches ] : Head on back, then. We'll mop up and take the rest of your shift.
[ Company ] [ Scythe ] : Yes, ma'am. Switching to squad channel. "You heard her. Let's go."
Fang. "Nothing left to do here anyway. Hey, Flea."
Flea. "What?"
Fang, grinning. "I'm waiting for your tally of headshots."
Flea. Long pause. Then: "**** you!"
Armory, six hours later. Peaches is unlocking her helmet when the Gunny shows up. She is exhausted, sweat streaking her hair to her temples.
"Ma'am?"
She looks over. "What's up, Gunny?"
"Priority message."
She nods and steps outside the door, leaving the rest of the relief team to unsuit. Once there: "Let's have it, then."
He hands her a tablet, which she scans... and then closes her eyes.
"They're coming...." She looks at him. "My God, Gunny, we got them. We got the company from Depot A! We're going to be reinforced! We might live through this assignment after all!"
Gunny. "From your lips to God's ear, ma'am."
| 50. Platform Games. | 52. Seniority. |
|---|
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