Destruction's Right Hand (Razgriz & WritingxDreamer)

[Razgriz]

The year was 9538; humanity and Earth had finally come to a balance with each other. Power to fuel the devices of the modern day was now almost one hundred percent efficient, trash production had all but dropped to zero, and nature had been restored largely to what it had been since the size and population of cities had been decreased, the latter largely in part to a well-organized committee of family planning to reduce population growth. Build up, not out, as some folks might call the philosophy; roads too had decreased in number. They were still there, but only for mass transport of goods and of course, providing the people with a surface on which to walk. The cars that had once clogged the surface of the planet those few millennia ago were now replaced by efficient flying vehicles, using localized gravity inversion engines to take themselves off the surface and to the skies.

However, one day it would go horribly awry, so awry that everything mankind had worked to achieve would be threatened. It was the year 9719, and the Chancellor of League of Nations - the head of the newly-formed international government where a representative of each country was granted a seat to help better deal with global issues, rather than the old system of national governments that had proven extremely flawed in the past - was addressing a television and attending audience about the state of the international union. The elderly-looking man stood in a crisp black suit, the knot of the red-black striped tie he wore just visible from under his sports jacket. The greyed-chocolate locks neatly combed, and his silver-blue eyes gazed among those in attendance as he stood behind the podium, a genuine expression of contentedness on his face; the League's banner was hung up behind him, a way of showing his support and glee that people worked for the common good. He gave an extremely moving speech, one about how he - one forty-two-years-young Harry Feldser Hurman - was proud to be the leader of such a fine race of beings. Of how much they'd evolved to be this new, cooperative race that cast aside differences and worked with each to live as a truly advanced, united species.

Then.....It all came crashing down: A single bullet penetrated the dome of the building and traveled right through the skull of the charismatic, intelligent man; the banner of the League was painted in a horrific spray of blood and grey matter, and the Chancellor's lifeless corpse fell to the ground, never again to offer inspiring words to help the people continue living as they had been all these years. Naturally his family was hit the hardest; the son, one Samuel Ray Hurman - who was chosen to succeed his father when his term was up - at only twenty-three years of age, now held the responsibility of leading the world in his father's image. However, he was young and naive; he had some experience in politics, as his father had tried to teach him about everything he learned. His advisors worked with the boy as best they could, but.....He wasn't his father.

The unthinkable had happened: An assassination on the League of Nations Chancellor - the head of the newly-formed international government where a representative of each country was granted a seat to help better deal with global issues, rather than the old system of national governments that had proven extremely flawed in the past - was performed. The crime was not claimed by anybody for a few years; however, it was revealed that a conglomerate of rebels - ones who opposed the "dictatorial" ways of the League - had done so because they felt it was too powerful and limited the people's will to be truly free. Soon, the problem escalated into all-out war, the League trying to eradicate the Rebellion while the Rebellion tried to eradicate the League; however, one small faction of the group took it too far and detonated a black market-acquired nuclear bomb in the League's building, completely wiping out every leader of the new world from the face of the planet in a single, violent flash of heat and light.

With their symbol of order destroyed, countries struggled to regain control of order; however, it all soon fell back to the finger-pointing ways of the old days. Charismatic, silver-tongued civilians rose up in each nation and led the soldiers to further war, each now trying to grab as many resources as it could. Super-bugs were created and unleashed, decimating populations as teams of scientists worked just as hard to counter them. Nukes seemed to go off like fireworks, erasing entire cities and even smaller nations from existence in the blink of an eye. For decades this went on; as the bombs continued to fall and war raged on, the governments had shelters installed for those displaced by the constant fighting. Ones with every available commodity they could salvage; large groups of civilians were herded into these safe havens, where they could live out their lives and hopefully re-emerge to rebuild society.

*Fast-forward 100 years*

Eventually, the warring died out as humanity's population dwindled; by the year 9819, the planet was in bad shape: Many areas were still uninhabitable because of the lethal radiation levels, and much of the serene landscape was all but destroyed. Many cities were actually filled with mutants, humans that had gained an increased life-span but at the same time lost their sanity and became nothing more than mindless killing machines. However, Mother Nature still showed her persistence, as did humanity; trees began to flourish in what areas they could, and the surviving shelter people had long since crawled out of their holes in the ground, only to find that the world had changed quite a bit from what the stories had said it once looked like. But, they managed to rebuild, slowly but surely; however, a new threat had arisen: The Enforcers, a tyrannical group of very well-armed people that sought to impose their own brand of order on the remaining populace. To complicate matters more, groups of survivors had turned into nothing but raiders and bandits, attacking supply convoys and trying to salvage what scrap they could for their own goals and ways of life. It was an uneasy existence, but as long as the Enforcers were around, life seemed to be - at face value - pretty good considering it was supposed to have been the end of the world. Many towns had managed to scrounge up tech from the old days and re-purpose it into weapons, vehicles and other tools necessary for survival.

However, there were those who saw past the "good intentions" of the Enforcers and like the Rebellion that sought to liberate the people, a band of Resistance Fighters had risen to challenge the despotic organization. Their motto was "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, so fight the Enforcer's Reaper and you'll live another day". Who the Resistance people were was unknown, but they fought the Enforcers every chance they could get. Some towns were in support of them, others condemned them because it brought back the same problem that had killed the Old World. For the most part though, the fighting was mostly behind the scenes: Sabotage, intercepting supply lines, mostly things to cripple the various sources of life for each organization. But......the petty squabbles of the Resistance and the Enforcers didn't so much as faze Richard Redstone, Mayor of Central City. Standing at a mean 6'5", his blazing red locks reflected in the bright sun as he chewed on a lit cigar, an eyepatch covering his bad eye. The man, covered in a brown leather jacket and wearing nothing else but red pants and black combat boots, was built like a tank and looked like he could throw one too; few ever bad-mouthed him, but in all honesty, he oversaw this town with a fair hand and a clear sense of justice. He had his people to protect, and he couldn't let himself get caught up in this same old song and dance shit.

Now Central City was far from a metropolis, but it was one of the more developed settlements. From racing to strip clubs to businesses to plumbing, this town had it all; hell, some places even had old-style wooden signs and neon to help advertise themselves. However, none of it came for free, as did all things in life. There were still the problems of price-gouging, business fraud, and general crime to deal with, not to mention sending prospecting parties out to find what they needed. Hell there was plenty of it to go around, not to mention the trade routes with the other settlements that brought in plenty of goods. The only trouble was being able to acquire these goods, as that sometimes entailed going into rather dangerous territory. Territory that often claimed the lives of more good people than most cared to admit.

He then went back inside to get another trading party ready; there were other duties as well, but getting supplies was a top priority. He walked back into this rather messy office, where stacks of forms sat at his desk, and pressed the intercom button, his gruff voice playing out in speakers over the city's PA system, "Attention, Wellspring, this is your Mayor speaking. All Caravan personnel report to my office immediately". He then looked to his assistant Brian and said, "See if you can't scrounge up some more people to act as guard detail; we don't need the Gearheads or the Ghosts hitting us again". The short blonde man, dressed in a bright blue shirt and tan khakis, nodded and began trying to round people up, going from door to door of the more capable people in town. Redstone just hoped this would go better than last time; too many people got killed and they damn near lost the cargo.

---

(I tried to leave it kind of open-ended so that I didn't place too many restrictions on your character. I figured she could be just about anything, so that you can build her from the ground up. She can be a civilian, one of the Caravan Guards, a merc currently residing there, etc.)

 

[WritingxDreamer]

The air was stagnant, almost suffocating. If there was once any moisture around her it was surely gone. She was sure, at one point, that this area may have been a lush forest or even a prosperous city. But now? It was nothing more than a miserably uninhabitable desert. One that she found herself now of all times. Every muscle in her body ached and screamed for a break, one that she couldn’t afford to take with her life on the line. The leather of her makeshift ‘armor’ stuck to her skin from the sweat that dripped from her pours. It was comforting at least, to know that she was hydrated enough to sweat. She hadn’t had anything to drink in a few days and her throat was painfully dry.

She attempted to take a quick breath, but the only purpose that served was to renew the stench of death that surrounded her. Her stomach twisted and she had to fight to keep down any liquids she might have left. That’s right.. she was alone out here. Her bright green eyes, dulled by the harsh reality around her, scanned her surroundings. On practically every side she saw fallen comrades, rebellion members, just like herself, that had fallen in battle. She couldn’t cry, no, the tears had dried up many years ago. Now the only thing left for her to do was survive.

“Is that all of them?” A deep throated laugh echoed around her, causing her to subconsciously crouch down behind the sand dune she had found for sanctuary.

“I thought I saw another.” A second voice was heard, this one far less amused than the first. “But does it really matter? There’s no way someone would make it through this desert alone. Especially after a battle like that. Those rebel brats are just eating sand now.”

Anger built inside her, and the shaking of her body grew increasingly harsh. Those ‘rebel brats’ were her family. They were the only thing that kept her from falling into the insanity of the so called ‘future’. Peeking around the corner of the sand dune, what she witness sent her over the edge. The body of her lover, the body of Adrian, was pillaged down to the last bullet he had in his vest. A burly man nudged his foot against the side of him, before kicking him harshly across the sand like it was some sort of sport.

Before she even was conscious of actions, she felt her hand wrap around the handle of the knife she kept concealed under her vest. All her rage erupted in a hoarse cry of rage as she lunged from her spot toward the two males, her blade at the ready.

---

Her surroundings suddenly clashed together and the desert faded away just as quickly as it had become a reality. The same girl gasped awake in her bed, looking around at the small room. A dream.. that’s all it was. Just a dream.

A horrible nightmare she never wanted to relive.

Tossing the thin blanket she had aside, she stretched from the bed until her feet hit the cool wood of the ground beneath her. She took a shaky breath and stood up, making her way toward the semi shattered mirror across from her. It was enough, just enough for her to look at herself.

Standing at 5’3”, Gwendolyn Matthews was far from an ideal soldier. Her frame was petite, though still somewhat toned from her numerous athletic.. activities for the rebellion. She had light brown hair, cropped short for the most part except for two long pieces that hung past her shoulders. [ Link ]

A heavy sigh escaped her lips and she eventually recovered from the earlier shock of a nightmare. It didn’t take long before she changed out of the long shirt she wore for pajamas into her usual, more practical attire for survival. Today she had a job, a very particular job. She was posing as an ordinary mercenary who was one of the few in charge of protecting some cargo. It was a simple job, for her anyway, but it meant much more than just a simple task.

“I guess it’s going to be a long day..” Gwendolyn tugged on the long strands of her hair with a sigh. “I should, get going..”

 

[Razgriz]

Mayor Redstone tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the crew to assemble in his office; when all ten arrived, he began. "Alright, listen up. You all are in charge of protecting a very important shipment today. Girdershade, that little oasis town about thirty miles to the southwest of us, had their cold fusion reactor go down for the last time. The damn thing won't start up again, and their chief engineer tells me they need a new power core. So this....." he paused to pull out a sizable metal box, in which sat a fairly large tritium core contained in its lead-infused reaction chamber, and placed it in front of his desk before continuing ".....is what you'll be guarding. Now, I don't need to remind you all of the dangers out there......"

He paused, then kept going, "If the Gearheads, Ghosts, or even the Enforcers get their hands on this, who knows what they'll do with it. So be on your toes everyone. Gregors, Hemmingway, Jameson....". He then noticed that Matthews wasn't present; damn it, that girl was going to be the death of him. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Brian, go get Matthews and tell her to get her ass up, grab her gun, and meet the others at the front gate, double time. We have a duty schedule to keep, and we can't afford to have her lazing around". Brian nodded and quickly took his leave, leaving Redstone to brief the others on the details of their mission. Matthews and a few others would serve as advance scouts, while two drove the carrier buggy containing the package and the rest would serve other roles. Gregors was armed with a Black Widow Anti-Material Rifle, a bolt-action two-stage accelerator gun that was equipped with a bipod and variable zoom optical scope and fired .57-caliber osmium-iron slugs to drop almost anything in one shot. He would serve as over-watch from a distance and provide tactical. Hemmingway and Jameson were armed with Scimtar assault rifles loaded with standard steel rounds to shred anything that got too close for comfort.

Brian made his way across town to Matthew's humble abode; he then reached up and gently rapped on the door three times. "Miss Matthews. If you're still in there, Mayor Redstone wants me to inform you to meet the Caravan at the front gate immediately". Brian, of all Redstone's people, was sympathetic towards the young lady; though he didn't know the real reason behind her suffering, to him it was plain as day that she was hurting inside. So he always tried to be gentle; often he felt Redstone was too hard on her, even if he knew it was to help maintain a semblance of order. The truth was, Redstone was hard on everyone, but perhaps it was Brian's own empathy that made him feel like she was getting picked on.

 

[WritingxDreamer]

Although she knew that day held a particularly tight schedule, that didn't stop Gwendolyn from hesitating at the mirror as she usually did. Once, a few years ago, one might have complimented her on her appearance. Or even more often than not her eyes. But now.. it was like all the life had been drilled off of her being. Of course, she had completely wiped away that tiredness with her usual facade. At the very least, she could maintain that poker face to keep her feelings hidden away from the others around her.

Her trance was halted the moment she heard knocking on the door. The tasks for the day hit her like a bulldozer and she almost instantly regretted the moments she spent reminiscing about the past due to some stupid nightmare. She mused with her hair a little, a subconscious thing she did even though her looks were far from something she cared much about lately. Gwendolyn hurried toward the door, grabbing the rest of her things along the way. As she opened it, she was greeted with a familiar face. Her lips pulled up into a small smile and she waved her hand in a greeting.

"Ah.. Brian." She sounded sheepish, knowing full well what he was there for. "Sorry I slept in a little too late, I'm on my way right now. The front gates right?" While she spoke to him she casually leaned over beside her door to grab her boots. She quickly slid her feet in them, tying them up as she continued. "Sorry to make you always have to be the one to get me. I'll try to be a little more punctual next time.. Well of course, if there's a next time after this caravan thing." She smiled a little more, in a dry attempt at humor. Of course she had confidence in herself and her ability to carry out the task, but there was still always that chance... that chance that things would turn out just like they did before.

 

[Razgriz]

"Yes, Miss Matthews" Brian replied, bowing his head slightly; he'd been raised to be respectful to other people, so often he would do things like this. Being a fairly level-headed man, his patience for things was remarkably high, far more than that of Mayor Redstone; many considered him being the Mayor of the town instead. But what he had in dignity and respect for others he lacked in being able to motivate people sufficiently; yes he was a nice man, but he lacked the backbone and air of authority that Redstone had. Truthfully, it worked better with him as Redstone's assistant; he could take the man's harsh words and tone them down so that they would get the same message across without it being too brash and rubbing people the wrong way.

"Gwendolyn, you really shouldn't apologize so much......Otherwise, I think you might put me out of business" he then replied to her remark with his own cheeky sense of self-depreciating humor. Call it a personality flaw or a strength, but he loved helping to try and brighten people's days. He felt like, aside from being the one to enact Redstone's policies and advise him on potential courses of action, making the good Mayor less brash and the people smile were also his contributions to the town. "I wouldn't worry, my dear; you're quite the capable woman. Everything will be alright". As she might turn to leave, he couldn't help but hope he was right; yes she was capable, but so were those that wouldn't hesitate to end her life. Or worse, take her prisoner.

Hemmingway, dressed in his usual attire of grey Old World body armor and boots covered in a dirtied white trench coat, was busy getting the eleven man team together when he noticed Gwendolyn approaching them. "Ah, Matthews, how nice of you to join us" the twenty-three-year-old, sandy-haired man said with a slight snarl in his tone; it was clear that he wasn't pleased with her tardiness. Of course, she would be in time for the mission review. His bright brown hues scanned the group as he said, "Now that everyone's finally here.....let's break down what's going to happen: We're transporting a new fusion core to Girdershade since their own crapped out. It's our job to meet them half-way. Matthews, you're one of the fastest people we have right now, so you're going to be on scout duty with Jameson, Hefter and Gray. Your designation is Fire Team Three, and you'll be riding on the sides of the Runner. We'll be stopping at regular intervals to have you check for any potential threats. Fire Team One will consist of myself, Wilson, Thomas, and Nelson. We'll be close range support, two per Jetter. Harris, you man the transport's onboard turret; anything even looks at you funny, blow them to hell".

He then unfurled a map of the area; the parchment showed a layout of the area, complete with several markings of points of interest and a dotted red line. Pointing to the line, he commented, "This is the route we're going by. We'll be heading into some Gearhead and Ghost territory, but we don't exactly have much choice". Hemmingway laid his pointer finger on a red "X" located on a mesa. "Gregors already went on ahead; he'll be providing overwatch from here at Checkpoint Bravo. That is where the exchange between our team and Girdershade's retrieval unit will take place; when we get there, Fire Team Three will be on perimeter security". His eyes then lifted from the map to glare at Gwen, Jameson, Hefter and Geralds, saying with an extremely serious tone, "If you see so much as a jackrabbit get too close, report it in. We can't afford to let anything interfere with this trade. You all remember what happened when the Gearheads got hold of that refined tritium shipment". A noticeable shiver ran across the group; about six years ago, the Gearhead bandits raided an Enforcer supply ship and managed to make off with about six grams of the stuff. Next thing anyone knew, the Haggard Settlement was wiped clean off the map in a flash of light. Those bastards used this act of despicable morality as an intimidation and fear-mongering tactic to get any town they could to start paying protection money. However, the moment of remembrance was cut short when Hemmingway started rolling the map back up before sticking it back into the inner pocket of his coat. "Any questions?" Hemmingway then asked.

 

[WritingxDreamer]

The young girl couldn't help but give a somewhat cocky smile as she approached Hemmingway. More often than not the two of them butted heads, and she loved nothing more than to tease him or egg on his temper. Even though they hardly got along, the relationship they had was refreshing to her. She came to a stop beside him, placing her hands on her hips as she nodded her head. "Sorry I missed the initial briefing, You know how much I love hearing the mayor's voice bright and early in the morning."

Sarcasm aside, Gwendolyn genuinely felt bad for being late. She tried not to make a joke out of everything, knowing how grave the situation really was. Of course, sometimes you couldn't even help the workings of the mind. Deep down she still couldn't shake off the lingering dread that dream always brought her. To the superstitious, it could be seen as a bad omen.. but at the very least she hoped it was just a fluke. Perhaps she had eaten something dream inducing before she had gone to bed?

The procedure itself was simple, she was supposed to scout ahead, as they usually had her do since she was far quicker than she was muscular. She listened intently, careful to catch every detail of the mission specifics. Once the briefing was over she nodded her head a few times to signal her understanding. "No questions, Let's just get this over with."

 

[Razgriz]

Hemmingway's expression didn't even falter as no one raised any objection to the plan; all that left his lips was a simple "Alright then". It wasn't that he hated her; what bugged him was that something was eating at her, and it was affecting how she operated. Hemmingway was a sharp man; very little got past him, both in the physical and the mental aspects. But he knew better than to bring it up here; anything remotely indicative of a mental instability could compromise the integrity of the operation. He then began his usual routine of barking orders, getting everyone ready and the vehicles prepped for departure. Harris soon sat behind the controls of the three-barreled Steel Spitter VMMG (Vehicle Mounted Machine Gun), another man dressed in plain leather armor with goggles over his eyes - who went by the alias Speedy - sat behind the wheel of the Runner transport vehicle. The transport itself was a dull-green, four-wheeled, heavily-armored monster with custom performance tires and an engine so loud it cracked rock when it reached top speed. The passenger seat was occupied by a woman armed with an assault rifle; the package itself was in the storage compartment in the rear. And with this many people guarding it, they would have a hell of a time getting to it.

Soon the Jetter ATVs were ready to go as well, and within moments, they were out of the front gate right on time. Tires turned and churned the dirt-saturated road, spitting up small rock fragments as they roared out of the gate; the scouting team would have to hang on tight if they didn't want to fall off. It was going to be a couple of hours before they reached the rendezvous point; they could get there sooner, but that would mean traveling not only through some of the thickest of Ghost territory, but also a well-known Enforcer patrol route went through. And to be caught with a fusion core onboard......It was better to take a longer route with higher chances of safe arrival and return.

Several times they would stop and have the scouts dismounted from the sides of the Runner transport carrier and check ahead. It was strange; there wasn't a whole lot of activity, but then again, their route did take them on the fringes of the bandit gang's territory. Still, they expected to run into at least one patrol; it was almost TOO quiet. To say that nerves were running high was an understatement. Regardless, the few hours of travel past without any significant incident, and they reached the rendezvous point. "Overwatch, confirm you have visual......" Hemmingway said, placing a finger to the earbud he wore. "Got you in my sights, no bandits to see. No Enforcer patrols as of yet" was the sniper's response, the sleek black rifle resting on the two legs of its bipod as he overlooked the area. "Good, keep providing oversight". He then said to the rest of his team-mates "Alright, people get into position. The Girdershade retrieval unit should be here any minute". Now all they had to do was wait.

 

[WritingxDreamer]

The roar of the ATV's engine was enough to drown out any more negative thoughts that might have lingered in her head from the nightmare. This allowed Gwendolyn to relax and slide into her role as a scout. There was something simple.. something actually enjoyable about dedicating herself to such mindless work. Sometimes she wondered if at this point, it really mattered to her what side she was on. Of course, it was a foolish thought. There was only one side that she would truly fight for. Those peaceful days, the ones before the war was something she longed for. Of course, she had only heard about it in stories, but even that was enough to grasp a hold of her aspirations.

Before they had departed, she took the time to glove her hands, something in which she greatly appreciated once her grip on the sides of the vehicle had to tighten significantly. Most of the bigger scouts, although their body mass was still moderately light, still had a much easier time holding on than she. Several times throughout the journey the transport units would stop and her and the rest of her team would hop off. There was no time for motion sickness when she moved through the smoldering heat ahead. Since she was not exactly armed for battle, Gwendolyn had mostly taken light weapons with her. If there was an encounter while she was off on her own she would have to rely on a few knives and a pistol to survive the trip back.

In all honesty, she had expected at least some resistance. Their cargo was far from some petty good. It was a source of survival. Something that was desperately sought out around this day and age. She checked the surroundings with earnest dedication, waiting for the moment that one of them would find some enemy ahead. As they neared the rendezvous point, the whole situation grew stranger and stranger. "Why do you think we haven't seen anything yet?" She turned her head to one of the men behind her, holding onto the ATV not nearly as tightly as she.

"Maybe we got lucky?" The man shrugged, taking a drag from his cigarette, enjoying it until he figured they would need to dismount again. "It's not like we have to get resistance every time we complete a mission. It's a nice break."

She couldn't help but scowl a bit, a look of doubt on her face. "I don't think we can really afford to be too aloof about it.. I don't know I Just think it's..." Her voice trailed off while she examined their surroundings. "Odd."


It wasn't much longer before they reached the designated location. Gwendolyn hopped off the ATV, taking a second to catch her breath. Her stomach felt a bit queasy from the ride and threatened to make matters worse. Of course, she was used to the sudden rush of motion sickness and was quickly able to relax herself before anything.. unsanitary occurred. Of course, she couldn't say the same for some others who seemed positively green in the face. Someone should have probably mentioned the bumpy ride at high speeds wasn't exactly a cakewalk to handle.

She leaned back against one of the ATV's, reaching inside for some water while they waited. If this day went without incident maybe she would treat herself to something once they got back.

 

[Razgriz]

"Hey, stow the chatter" Hemmingway barked; the current mission leader definitely seemed uneasy. Then again, he was the type to expect the worst to occur, and the fact that they hadn't ambushed left him with two reasonable possibilities: They either got extremely lucky and managed to time the delivery right so that they just missed the patrols, or the other more likely scenario was that they knew where they were going to meet and would ambush them here. As the minutes ticked by, Hemmingway was growing more and more anxious; where the hell were they? They should have been here by now.

He was about to call for Matthews to have her check on ahead to see if they were coming when Gregor's voice played over the earbud, "Got a convoy approaching your position. Might be them" Hemmingway nodded and said, "Keep an eye on them....I'll let you know in a minute". Soon enough, the roar of an engine could be heard; Hemmingway immediately ordered everyone ready in case this was an ambush, himself shouldering his rifle. Suddenly, a voice called out, "Phoenix! Phoenix!" Hemmingway recognized the challenge word, then shouted in reply "Icepick!" and added to the rest of his crew "Stand down! They're here". Soon enough, another Runner transport vehicle, red-gray in coloration approached them, flanked by three ATVs of armed soldiers. He then placed a finger to the earbud and said to Gregors, "It's them. Scan the area, make sure we don't any uninvited guests" "Roger" was the reply.

A rather lanky blonde-haired man in a business-type suit, complete with tie and all, then stepped out of the Runner. "Ah, Mister Hemmingway. Good to see you again, old friend". Hemmingway was surprised to see this man of all people here. "Marshal Drake? What are you doing all the way out here?" Hemmingway then asked; Drake chuckled and replied, "Well, this is a fairly important piece of hardware we need. And besides, sitting in that stuffy town of Girdershade was getting boring. We're running on reserve power for now, and we're mighty grateful for your town to trade a power core with us. I believe we've brought ample recompense for this trouble". Drake then snapped his fingers, "Boys, if you would please" The rear door of Girdershade's Runner opened up and several boxes of supplies - medical equipment, spare parts, and food among other things - were carried out and laid before them. Hemmingway motioned for his men to go get what they were trading for, and soon enough the box was laid at Marshal Drake's feet. "Ah, excellent, Mayor Tim will be excited to see this. As will I; the reserve stores are particularly finicky and aren't very dependable".

Hemmingway just said, "It's no trouble; y'all have been good to us. Just hopes this helps you out in........" A loud bang was heard, and a solid ferrite round passed clean through Hemmingway's shoulder, making the mission leader drop like a rock, clutching the wound in pain. Just then, what seemed like more than half a dozen heavily-armored soldiers emerged from the surrounding rock. "Shit! Ambush! Get down, get down!" one of the men shouted; Harris turned the tri-barreled cannon and started firing on the assailants, forcing them to momentarily go into cover themselves. However, he was soon picked off by the unseen sniper with a gutshot, falling from the now-vacant cannon seat. "Kill them all!" one of the attackers shouted; the battleground quickly erupted into a frenzied firefight. Just then, two more vehicles arrived, pouring out almost two dozen additional troops in the same heavy armor. "What the fuck are the Enforcers doing here!?! How did they even get past the sentries?!" Jameson shouted, trying to cover Hefter and Geralds as they pulled Harris and Hemmingway out of the line of fire. "Gregors! Find that damn sniper!" Hemmingway shouted; not two seconds later one of the Girdershade soldiers got shot in the head, his body collapsing like a pile of bricks. "Now, dammit!" the mission leader said, trying to get himself to his feet and help out with defending the exchange point.

 

[WritingxDreamer]

Marshal Drake.. that was a name she hadn't heard in quite some time. The moment her superior spoke his name she peered out from around the ATV to get a good look at him. She had only met him once or twice, never personally, although it was more than enough to know what an important guy he was. Her mind started to wander, and her gaze flickered toward the object in question. "Is something like that really this important?" She mumbled to herself while she watched the exchange from afar. She understood though better than most of the people around her that people had become desperate. Even some of the most influential people had begun showing their hand to the world. Something that, a few years ago, would've seemed like a joke.

Gwendolyn unscrewed the top of the canteen she had grabbed, taking a quick sip of the refreshing water. Who knows how long the negotiations would last? 'It's none of my business anyway.. I just hope we get out of here soon before anything bad happens.' She thought to herself, exerting a small sigh.

She debated with herself about the outcome of such a event, only to have her thoughts halted once more by the echoing cry of a bullet flying past the ATV, directly into her superior's shoulder. Gwendolyn jumped up almost instantly, a foolish thing to do of course under enemy fire. "Sir!" She tried to move quickly toward Hemmingway, but was halted by the rain of bullets that seemed to surround them almost instantaneously after the sniper. Gwendolyn ducked back down behind the ATV to avoid as much fire as she could. She knew full well in a battle of fire power, what she had was NOT going to be enough.

She quickly scrambled around the already bloody battlefield in order to find something better to defend herself with. She saw in one of the ATV's, the body of one of the other girls that had come with them. An unused assult rifle still in her hands. She looked around before taking off quickly toward the body.

 

[Razgriz]

As the firefight continued ferociously, bullets pinging off the ground and surrounding vehicles, bodies dropping from the civilian side as the ground soldiers and snipers worked each other. The Enforcers armor seemed too much to handle, even for the Black Widow rifle that Gregor used; all that could be seen from them was bright flashes of energy as the Girdershade and Central City guns didn't so much as touch them, the energy shielding serving as more than adequate protection. Soon enough, another vehicle would show up on scene, this one much larger and better armed than any in the current vicinity. Another set of soldiers stepped out, before one man in a very much Old World military dress uniform made himself known. "Cease fire! Cease fire!" the well-dressed man then shouted; within moments, the gunfire had stopped on both sides. Needless to say, confusion was running rampant, the groups of people looking at each other. Why the hell was a cease-fire being called now? "Sir, why are we stopping now? These civilians are transporting a Class Three Hazard reactor element. For all we know..." one of the other soldiers then asked, but this new arrival cut them off, "Don't lecture me, soldier, I know very well what it is they might be doing. But we're not savages, Corporal. We leave that to those bands of tribals that plunder the weak and defenseless". The soldier certainly seemed cowed and merely stepped aside.

Geralds peered up past the engine compartment, surprised at seeing the well-dressed man; was that an Enforcer Captain out of armor? Shit, this wasn't good. "It's all right, fair citizens. There'll be no more fighting while I'm here. You'll have to forgive my men's.......tenacity. They tend to over-respond to situations like this". Over-respond? Was that how he put it? Geralds stood up and replied, looking at this man with utter contempt and hate in his voice, "Over-respond? Is that what you call shooting three people dead for doing nothing at all? This was a trade for supplies to a town in need, you fucking fascist pig!" The Captain simply tipped his hat, responding "Like I said, son, I didn't want it to have to be like this. But what you're transporting is something the Resistance can use against the Enforcers, and I can't let that happen. Even if you aren't, that's a risk I cannot take. Now I'm going to ask nicely: Hand over the reactor core, and no more blood will be shed. Otherwise, you'll be treated as Resistance sympathizers and summarily executed". At this, a laser beam from afar came and painted itself on Gerald's forehead, the sniper that had shot Harris and Hemmingway now focused on the rather large-sacked Central City man.

"Go fuck yourself....." Geralds then replied, a sentiment shared by the rest of the civilians; the Captain then sighed and raised his left hand, "Why does everyone have to make this so difficult? Soldiers! Aim!" The heavily armored Enforcer grunts raised their own rifles in preparation to slaughter everyone present, likely bringing up bad memories for Matthews. Time seemed to slow down, like this was going to be the end of everything. But just before the order could be given to fire, a rather loud humming was heard. "What the......" the Captain muttered, he and his soldiers looking around for the source of the noise. Unbeknownst to them, a small plane was flying overhead, its body tilted at an angle to make a circular path. Thermal optic cameras scanned the ground from above, before long locking onto one target hidden in a rocky outcropping. Positioning data was processed, a firing solution was achieved, and a missile streaked from the strange craft straight towards the hidden sniper. A whistling was heard growing volume, then an explosion erupted in the mountainous region behind the Enforcer troop. Near everyone who looked that way would see fire billowing out; the Enforcers' long-range cover was gone. Needless to say, the Captain was stunned, and was about to order the troops to fire when another missile streaked down and destroyed one of their vehicles. "Spread out and find who's doing....." the Captain shouted, only to have a bright beam of light strike one of his guards in the chest, burning a hole through the once indestructible armor and killing the human inside.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, CRIMINAL SCUM!" a semi-distorted voice then shouted; the source of the voice itself soon made itself known as a golden android soon landed between the Enforcers and the civilians; its right hand smoked a little, indicating this newcomer had been responsible for that shot. "You......" the Captain said, his dark-grey hues narrowing upon looking at the android; though the humanoid's face was featureless and seemed to possess no real mode of communication, it simply replied, "Yes, Enforcer Captain Milligan Rhodes. Once again, I catch you harassing harmless civilians trying to erk out an existence here. But this time, I'm not letting you get away". Milligan snarled and shouted, "Don't patronize me, Shiva! Because I've got something for you too!" A canister was produced and hurled at the robot, a cloud of electrified smoke encasing the apparent aide to the people of Girdershade and Central City. When the wind blew and cleared the smoke away, the humanoid could be seen still standing completely unharmed. "What?! You shouldn't even standing!" Milligan shouted, to which the response was, "You think something like that can affect me now? Your stupidity knows no bounds, Captain. But now it's my turn". The android then raised a hand and within moments, dog-sized quadrupedal attack mechs, dozens of them, emerged from the rock surrounding the civilians and instead of attacking them, charged the Enforcer squad. And the battle was on again, the people of Girdershade and Central City seeming to have someone watching over them now and a most-needed hand in battle against the Enforcer instigators; Geralds shouted "Come on! Take these bastards down!"

 

[WritingxDreamer]

If anything, Gwendolyn had speed on a majority of the soldiers that tried to block her path. She managed to weave through most of them while she sprinted toward the body. Eventually she reached her destination and skidded to a halt beside the now unused ATV. "Sorry Angela.." She muttered before she pried the assault rifle from the stiff fingers of her deceased comrade. Once she had her hand wrapped around the trigger, she turned her body back toward the battle. It was a split second too late though and she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. Gwendolyn cried out and nearly dropped the gun. Her legs slid out and she ducked back down behind the ATV to examine her wound.

It appeared that a stray knife from battle had embedded itself in her shoulder. The bullets around her made it it obvious that she had no time to think. She brought her free hand up and in one quick movement ripped the blade from her shoulder. Gwendolyn hissed in pain while she tossed it aside. "Damnit.. Damnit damnit!"

Right as she was about to reenter the fray, the silence had become almost deafening. The bullets had come to a complete halt, as did the rest of the fighting. She peered around the ATV, and what she saw made her breath catch in her throat. "It's that man..." Her entire body tensed up, the pain momentarily forgotten. "That guy is their leader..." It took all of her control not to attack him right then and there. She knew it was a death warrant, and what exactly did she have to lose? But deep down there was a lingering fear within her, one that kept her in place behind the ATV for now while the scene unfolded in front of her. She wasn't entirely sure who the machines belonged to, but whoever it was definitely caught the rage of the Enforcer leader.

Before she knew it, the battle had begun again. She fired off a few rounds at the soldiers that had noticed her position, but the pain her shoulder made it a bit difficult. Gwendolyn needed to move again. Her legs extended and she shifted away from the ATV, only to catch her first real sight of the battlefield.

Her stomach sank, and her vision blurred. It was the same.. nearly exactly the same as before. Her muscles stiffened again and she was completely unable to move. With ragged breathing she backed down just a bit. "No..." Of course, with her momentary lapse in judgement, she was unable to see the enemies closing in behind her.

 

[Razgriz]

Gwendolyn would find the dog-like attack mechs to be no threat to her; whatever was controlling them - be it the gold-armored robot-like figure or some other distinct entity - made it quite clear that they were all against the Enforcers. As they charged in, making strange barking sounds all the while, the Enforcers tried to contain them, their high-velocity, high-mass bullets felling some of the creatures but not enough of them. The enemy soldiers fell one by one, the combined efforts of the townspeople and their new mechanized allies slowly dwindling their numbers; the strange four-legged beasts tore through the enemy's armor like it wasn't even there, screams emitting before the razor-like teeth shredded the comparatively soft and delicate human flesh of the enemy's necks. The craft from above continued its automated aerial missile barrage, destroying the Enforcer vehicles one by one as each projectile crashed into its target and forcing its payload to make a significant explosion while eliminating some of the enemy Enforcer grunts at the same time.

Before long, the Enforcer Captain was surrounded on all sides; several of the surviving mechanical attack hounds encircled him, their forms covered in splotches of red and bullet holes and making growling noises. The Captain tried to back up, but quickly found himself with his back against the golden android. "Hello, Captain" the android stated simply; the Enforcer official turned and tried to punch the mechanized soldier, only to have his fist intercepted by the android's quick reflexes. For a few brief moments, they just stared at each other; a sickening crack was then heard as the android gave the man's arm a sharp twist, breaking his wrist and a few fingers in the process. Captain Milligan fell to a knee, crying out in pain before being seized by a robotic hound on each limb, their teeth having softened to blunt ends to avoid excessive penetration. As much as the Captain struggled, he wouldn't be able to get out and he quickly gave up. "You haven't won yet, Shiva; the Enforcers will find you and put you down like the rabid dog you are" the Captain The android simply crossed his arms and replied, "You think too highly of your people, Captain; you make them out to be the guardians of this world, but you are in truth the lowest form of scum, wolves in sheep's clothing. The Enforcers will be destroyed. Your people threaten the livelihoods of the innocent, weak and defenseless you claim to protect". And with that, the android turned and walked away. He would deal with the good Captain in a moment; he needed to see the extent of civilian casualties first.

The remaining hounds that weren't busy securing Milligan to the ground then began a rather strange task; small packs went to each dead Enforcer grunt and began peeling the armor off of their bodies, using their mouth-like appendages to "chew" the powerful suits while leaving the organic human flesh intact. Why they were doing this no one knew; however, given that the Adonis-like android was paying it no attention, it seemed like a normal occurrence. But it didn't make the townspeople any less uneasy; as the android approached, they raised their rifles as they were still uncertain what exactly its goals. The mechanized man held up his hands, even though they in truth held no chance of harming him, and said in the same neutral yet slightly distorted voice "Relax, good people. I am not here to harm you. Is everyone alright?" After the civilians exchanged some looks, they decided to give this.....thing...that helped them a chance. Slowly, they lowered their rifles, apparently now at ease. "For the most part, yeah, but we lost some people and have some injuries" Hefter then replied, showing Hemmingway's bleeding shoulder and Harris' gut wound. "Do you need any assistance?" the android then asked; Hefter shook his head and replied, "No I think we'll be OK" Geralds then turned and started giving orders, taking over since Hemmingway was currently incapacitated.

The android looked around and noticed a young woman, her body curled up against the side of a vehicle and her face one of sheer fright. The corners of the android's solid black eyes lowered, simulating an expression of concern for the distraught state. He slowly made his way over to her, soon coming to kneel by her side and extending an open hand palm-up, as if offering a friendly hand to grab onto. "Miss.....Miss....Are you alright? The battle's over" he then said, possessing no knowledge of the traumatic past she'd had to endure. Truthfully, if the android and the mechanized minions hadn't shown up, it would have been an almost exact repeat of what had happened to her years ago.

 

[WritingxDreamer]

Before any of them had a chance to get close to her, the unnaturally inhuman growl of a few of the mechanical 'dogs' snapped her from her trance. As if it was nothing more than a chore, they tore through the enemy with ease. She watched as their teeth pierced through the seemingly impregnable armor. Whoever created the beasts definitely was an old hand and dealing with the Enforcer army.

But who WAS it controlling these things? Gwendolyn tried to put the pieces together while she fired rounds from her position until the weapon was completely empty. She tossed it aside and kept herself backed against the vehicle. Without a gun she wouldn't be much help against the thick enforcer armor. To her surprise, the battle seemed to have already come to a near stop. The sudden 'reinforcements', if you could call them that, proved that the Enforcer soldiers were absolutely no match for him.

That just brought her back to her previous question. Who was in charge of this whole rescue? She remembered vaguely the strange golden android being referred to as 'Shiva'. "Shiva is the Hindu god of destruction isn't he?" She didn't know much mythology, but the name did ring familiar to her. Regardless, whoever he was, all of the remaining civilians definitely owed their life to him.. including her.

She should be thankful, but a scowl crossed her face. Gwendolyn was angry, not at 'Shiva', but herself. She brought the hand of her unhurt arm to her head and let out a sigh. "I did it again.. and this almost turned out like back then because of it. I'm such a fucking idiot.." While she mentally beat herself up, she hardly noticed the android had made his way to her until he crouched down in front of her body. Gwendolyn jumped in surprise, pulling her hand from her head to subconsciously hold her bleeding shoulder while she stared intently into the pitch black eyes of the robot.

"I'm fine." Her voice came more bitter than she had intended, and Gwen backpedaled her thoughts with a small sigh. "I'm fine... Thank you." She repeated, with a much calmer tone this time. "Thanks for saving me, Whoever you are."

 

[Razgriz]

If there was any bitterness or anger in Gwendolyn's tone, the android didn't seem to take note of it or press the issue any further. Whether this was out of respect for personal privacy or a simple disinterest in her personal affairs, no one would be able to say for certain. Regardless, the issue was considered done and over with, so there would no pushing from the android. "I'm glad........As for my name, it's.........." he then said; the red "pupils" of the android's eyes then peered to the woman's shoulder wound. "You're bleeding" it then commented, placing a metallic hand just over her wound before a purple-white light illuminated it; this wouldn't heal it completely, but it would help with sterilization at the very least. "I'm sorry I can't do more, as I am not equipped with all of the proper tools for medical treatment. I've managed to stabilize and sterilize the wound so as to prevent further blood loss and potential infection. Father should be here shortly to assist in that department though".

Within moments, another whistling could be heard; accompanying it were sounds of "Whoa!" growing louder and louder in volume. Marshal Drake was the one to speak up now, "Do you all hear that?" The android simply said, "Oh dear, not again........", before a loud crash was heard, sending up a small plume of dust. When it cleared, all that could be seen was yet another robot, its upper body embedded into the dirt and its relatively thin yet sturdy legs flailing about almost comically, like an ostrich with its head in the sand. Small whirring sounds could be heard as the legs continued to kick back and forth. "I beg your pardon, Miss, I'll be right back" the golden android said in what sounded like an exasperated tone. "Ivan! Ivan! Get me...out of here.....!" a muffled voice cried out, the source being somewhere underneath the ground. "Father, I don't understand how it is you end up like this; this is the third time this week" the android simply replied as his hands clasped around the newcomer's legs and hoisted it out of the ground. "I know, I know. I just need to work out the kinks in the gyroscope. Must be an imbalance in one of the rings, it's throwing off the orientation sensors. Now please put me down" the smaller bot replied, this voice sounding much more lively and human than the rather neutral, calming tone of the android. This new robot had a similar body structure, except its limbs were thinner, the fingers looked like claws and it seemed to have a horseshoe for a head.

After being put down and getting itself righted, the smaller robot seemed to brush itself off before scanning the area. "Urgh, stupid UV scanner........Need another feltrite conduit to fix it" the smaller bot then said, giving itself a smack on the head before the horseshoe-shaped spun around rather quickly, much like a spintop would. "Whoa, Nelly!" the robot exclaimed as it grasped its head to force the spinning to stop. With that particular bit of silliness done, it seemed this new robot finally got the bearing bugs worked out. "Nicely done, Ivan my boy. You make Papa proud" the smaller bot said, patting the larger humanoid bot on the back; the android - apparently named Ivan now - nodded and said, "The civilians suffered some casualties and injuries, but for the most part, they're unharmed". As the android and smaller robot talked, the civilians seemed to just watch on, apparently unsure of what to make of the situation; just what the hell was going on here? Who or what where these things? While they seemed friendly and didn't mean to cause harm......They just couldn't really say for certain.

The smaller android then said, popping a small box out of a back compartment and handing it to Ivan, "Ivan, treat the injuries with this as best you can. I'm going to have a talk with the good Captain over there". Ivan nodded and went to work while the smaller android stalked off towards the pinned Captain Milligan, quickly and efficiently stabilizing those that could be saved before making his way back to Gwendolyn. Her wound was the most shallow and he'd already treated it, so she had the lowest priority. "My apologies; Father is a bit.....eccentric, but his heart's in the right place". Ivan then held up a small metal can and said, "I apologize again, but this is going to sting, but it will fully seal your wound and accelerate the healing process". Without warning, a nozzle was placed into the open shoulder wound and white foam sprayed forth, completely plugging the small hole from the knife wound she'd sustained before wrapping it up in clean gauze. "I suppose I never did introduce myself, did I? My name is Ivan.....May I ask yours?"

 

[WritingxDreamer]

At first, Gwendolyn tried to protest the android's attempt at sterilizing the wound on her shoulder. She had some bad encounters with robots in the past, leaving her with a small trusting zone regarding them. It wasn't the robots per say that were the problem, but the people that controlled them. This android was different though.. and seemed to most definitely have a mind of his own for the most part. She sighed, deciding that at this point she had no other choice but to trust it. After the purple haze around his hand and her shoulder faded, she bowed her head a bit. "Thank you."

What she saw next was something equally as unexpected. Another robot, much like the one standing before her, crashed into the ground near them. Gwendolyn expected, and she wasn't honestly sure what she was supposed to expect, it to be another mindless machine. But she could tell from the moment it spoke that it was different. It seemed to her more like it was projecting a voice rather than creating it. After the first android had acknowledged him, her suspicions grew. "Father..?" She rubbed her hand against her head. "So this guy is in charge.."

This entire situation was starting to turn more and more into a headache.

Gwendolyn managed to tear her gaze from the newcomer to return it to the re approaching android from before. She tilted her head curiously, wanting to ask questions right off the bat. She knew however, that it wasn't really the time to question anything insignificant.

"Your father.." Gwen repeated after the robot started to speak again. "I think eccentric might be a bit of an understatement- Ah-" The cry of pain escaped her lips again, muffled only by her free hand quickly covering her mouth. The pain she felt in her shoulder was almost unbearable, but just as quickly as it came the pain faded away. Her green eyes glanced over at the wound, which now seemed practically nonexistent. She smiled just faintly. What a strange robot she was meeting today.

"Ivan.. I'm Gwendolyn. It's nice to meet you."

 

[Razgriz]

"Gwendolyn........It's a pleasure to meet you as well" Ivan replied, standing back up now that the woman was apparently out of danger for the moment. A small crash was heard directly; Ivan turned to see that some of the men had backed off. "Stupid jack.....I tell them this thing rides too low to the ground for field repairs" one of the guards said as he threw his wrench down in frustration. Ivan found an opportunity to make himself; after checking on Gwendolyn one last time, he made his way over to the vehicle. "May I be of assistance?" the android asked; the guard sneered "What the hell can you do? This thing weighs over half a freakin' ton......." Ivan then grabbed the side of the frame of the transport vehicle and effortlessly lifted it onto its wheels located on the other side. "I am not sure what half a "freakin' ton" is, but if it is close to a half-ton, I am rated to lift approximately ten times that amount". The guard stared at the seven-and-a-half-foot golden android as if it were some kind of alien. "Uh....Thanks" he said sheepishly, to which Ivan responded quite plainly "It's no trouble" as if the guard's hidden verbal jab had no effect on him. In fact, the android - compared to his so-called "Father" - seemed relatively level-headed.

The new robot was busy discussing something with the Enforcer Captain; what it was, no one would hear as they were a fair ways away. Not to mention the sounds of repair tools and chatter as the delivery crews from Girdershade and Central City worked to repair their vehicles, which had sustained heavy damage during the fight. "So, Captain.......How's the family?" this android responded; Milligan snarled, "And who are you to ask me that, you worthless bucket of bolts?!" A heavily-distorted laugh emitted from the robot's speakers; there was a slight pause as whirring sounds could be heard before the mech spoke again, "Sorry about that, my soundboard's going out. You wouldn't happen to have any spare NR234 Vari-Caps, would you?" Milligan just said, "What is it with you and parts? That's the fifth part you've mentioned in the last five minutes!" The android just responded, "Progress, my friend. To progress, things must be built and destroyed to maintain balance. It helps to in keeping things fresh and interesting. Look, a shiny robot, and over there a mockingbird! Did you know mockingbirds could change their songs at will? An extremely useful adaption that fools other birds into thinking anything from a more powerful competitor to a potential mate is nearby. They even warble at night when they can't find their Valentine.....Such a sad, sad fate".

To say Milligan was getting agitated was an understatement; this robot must have some serious screwed-up circuitry. "Just stop with the gibberish and hand over Shiva! Go tell that hunk of scrap over there to turn himself in!" The smaller android then slapped the Captain across the face, shouting "Ivan is not a hunk of scrap! He's my most glorious creation! A true AI capable of thought, logic, emotion and empathy! Things you and your Enforcers seem to lack, Captain!" Milligan's eyes widened, "You mean....he's not Shiva?" "Of course he's not, you brain-dead troglodyte! He's my son!" Milligan then said, "So you're Shiva......." The robot then started doing something really strange; it began hopping from one foot to the next, clapping its hands like an overenthusiastic child. "Ding ding ding! We have a winner! Here, have a sucker!" An old-world lollipop was then shoved into the Captain's mouth. "Don't worry, it's just grape-flavor! I always did hate those blue ones! They tasted so......icky? No, no, that's not the right word. Gross? No, that's not it either? Disgusting? Revolting? Appalling? Oh I know, they're icky!" Milligan just spit out the sweet sugar-bulb and snarled, "Just what the hell are you?" The robot then held a hand to its "heart", as if mocking hurt. "Why, Captain, I thought it was established that I was Shiva, was I not? Though come to think of it.....Hounds, release him!" The dogs then let their hold on the Captain go; the android then picked up the man and took to the skies.

"Hey! Hey! Let me down! Let me down!" Milligan shouted as Shiva flew this way and that, holding the Enforcer official out from his body at weird distances in random intervals. "No. No. No. Ye.....No" was all he kept saying; it was unclear exactly what this robot was up to. The townspeople looked up to the sky and watched the android seemed to toy with the Captain before suddenly taking off vertically high into the air at an astonishing rate. Milligan for the first time in his career screamed loudly enough to be heard for miles; this was too much, even for him. This of course made some of the townspeople cheer, glad to see the Enforcer getting fucked with. Just then the thrust cut out and they floated for a few seconds before free-falling. "Hey...Hey, Shiva! Shiva wake up, dammit!" the Captain shouted as their bodies fell closer and closer; moments before impact, the foot-thrusters reignited and slowed their descent to let themselves come to a grinding halt. Milligan was clutching to the robot as if his life depended on it, his skin pale; all that could be heard was, "You're....You're fucking crazy....." The android simply replied, "Thank you, Captain, you've been most helpful. Hounds!" The dogs pounced on the leader again, securing him to the ground. The android then walked up to Ivan - who'd just finished helping the repair crew fix some damage to the armor - and said, "My boy, I need you to shave about 2 millimeters off the front side of the third ring". Ivan just replied, "Yes, Father" before opening the smaller bot's chestplate. Inside was a rather impressive array of wires, circuit boards, plasma tubes and other devices that gave this robot its functionality and show that there was no human inside at all. "Father, I really don't see why you can't upgrade to a more evolved platform; this is so.....outdated" Ivan commented as his right forefinger transformed into a small cutting torch, before long sparks flying. "Oh come now, Ivan, I've been using this exoskeleton for twenty years. That would be the worst thing to do, second to giving you up of course".

 

[WritingxDreamer]

Gwendolyn wasn't the kind of person to stand by and watch everyone else work hard around her, so once Ivan patched her up she pulled herself to her feet. She brushed away the dirt from her clothes, and nodded her head somewhat confidently. She ducked into the ATV, trying her best to ignore the bodies. She tossed a few useless things aside before she found what she was looking for, a decently sized medical kit. A triumphant smile crossed her lips and she tugged it from the vehicle.

While Ivan, somewhat comically, helped out one of the guards, Gwendolyn moved through the battlefield in search of people still alive. She would find someone and stop, crouching down beside them to apply first aid. It took only a person or two before her hands and clothes were covered in blood. She didn't seem to mind, or notice, and continued to work hard. While she was in the middle of patching up one of them, Gwen found herself glancing over occasionally at Ivan's so called 'father'. He seemed to be questioning the Enforcer Captain for whatever reason. She pursed her lips together into a frown.

'I don't know if I can even trust this guy.. or robot.. or whatever he is...' She had her doubts, but thought it best to keep them to herself for now. Whatever he seemed to be doing, the enemy's captain most definitely didn't like. Which.. honestly? Was enough to make her pacified about the whole situation.

"What kind of guy makes shit like this?" One of the men she had been fixing up, who's leg was bent in an awkward position, remained fascinated with one of the dog like machines that was nearby. "This stuff looks way more advanced than any of the shit the Enforcers even have."

"Someone we owe our life to.." Gwendolyn set his leg back into position, much to his protest. She then looked around for some sort of wood or stick strong enough to wrap around his leg to keep it in position. As if reading her mind, the dog like robot wrapped it's mouth around some leftover debris that would be enough for a temporary splint. She smiled, taking it from it with a nod before looking back at her comrade. "Among other things as well.. Now hold still for a moment, please."

Once she finished with a majority of the first aid, she honestly could feel her curiosity boiling to a point that she couldn't ignore. Gwendolyn poured some water on her hands to wash them off before she tugged her hair back out of the way. A part of her was nervous, but she tried to ignore it as best she could while she approached Ivan, and the machine he dubbed 'Father.' "Ah.. You're the one.. who did all this right..?" She came to a stop somewhat near them, her gaze on the smaller android. "You're the one that guy called.. Shiva. Right? Thank you.. for saving us."

 

[Razgriz]

As Ivan worked on his "father's" chassis, the smaller bot turned its head so that the bend of its horseshoe-shaped processing center was faced towards the young woman that addressed them. "Shiva? Oh yes, that old label. I was thinking of a cool nickname, something that would fit yet hide who I truly am. And yes, I freely admit it's a nickname. Who would actually name their child Shiva? Then again, the Latin-Americans named some of their children Jesús, so I suppose it's not too far out there". Ivan then commented, "I was more particular towards Prometheus, or perhaps even Vulcan" The smaller android then blew a raspberry, replying "Oh please, Ivan, the Greeks and Romans are so over-rated. And don't use the excuse that Prometheus gave the humans fire, which in turned spurred civilization and progress". Ivan then replied, pulling back from the slight repair job that he was doing, "But it's true, Father; in a way, you're helping civilization move along. Much like how's Prometheus' gift enabled the humans to craft what they needed and give them the means to survive, your actions help these people live their lives and unshackle them from the Enforcer's totalitarian will".

The fingers of the robot's clawed hand tipped its "chin", as if in thought. "I suppose you're right; still, Prometheus was a giant and that is something I am not. And who wants to be associated with a crippled man, brilliant as he was? Come to think of it..........I was particular to War at one point......No, that wouldn't work. Crafting a horse with fire on its hooves and mane would be difficult, and besides I don't think there are even any steeds left. But that does give me an idea........" His head then turned and started scanning the wrecked Enforcer vehicles; if nothing less, they could serve as valuable raw material for further use. Yes, that would work just fine. He then sent a mental command to the robot dogs, instructing the ones holding the Captain to let go while the some of the others would take their place. The ones that let go then started to devour the vehicles themselves, their mechanized teeth through the torched metal of the wreckage with almost inhuman ease.

When that was done, he then turned back to the girl. "So you're Gwendolyn, then..........I can see why Ivan likes you". An interesting statement considering she never told this new robot her name. "You have such an innocent face, eyes full of unbridled determination to live from day to day. Show those Enforcer blowhards what it really means to live life to its fullest". He then sighed, "Shame it has to be marred by so much pain".

 

[WritingxDreamer]

Gwendolyn was astonished at the ramblings of the robot. She stood by while the two of them babbled on about the mythology of his name among other things. So Shiva was merely a pseudonym. She expected as much, but that just raised the question on the true identity of this genius.. mad man. His intentions seemed kindly enough, but there was no way she could fully trust someone like this.

Her thoughts were interrupted once more by his voice, and she turned her head back to him. "Ah yes my name is Gwendolyn.." Honestly she should have been surprised by his knowledge, but at this point nothing about him really surprised her. One thing that did surprise her though was knowing that 'Ivan' had a particular fondness for her. She had never heard of a robot that was capable of having his own likes and dislikes before.

"Pain.." She looked around at the battlefield once more, a pang ringing through her chest. "We've all felt.. a lot of pain.. because of the Enforcers."

 

[Razgriz]

"Yes, the Enforcers have caused much pain throughout this war-torn world. The Riders of the Red and Pale Horses concentrate much of their essence into them. The nerve of those braggarts, playing the role of God where none exists....." Ivan then started to say, "Father, please don't....." "Don't what, Ivan!? Express my outrage that they think themselves higher than any other human, trying to impose order on an infinitely chaotic system? That they can just roll over whatever they feel like and not suffer the consequences!? That they're really nothing more than primal savages with fancy toys? Mindless children that have yet to unlock the full potential of the things they use?! Wasteful scoundrels! The lot of them!!!! That is why I've taken up the mantle of the Destroyer, Ivan! They want destruction, I'll give them a full-access buffet of it!"

A lot of the remaining townspeople seemed rather put off by this man's insane ramblings; he certainly seemed a fair bit unstable. Ivan then just rested a firm hand on the smaller robot's shoulders "Father, enough, you're beginning to scare the civilians. And me" This certainly seemed to snap Shiva out of his rant, whose robotic head turned to see that Ivan was right. "Well, it's not like they wouldn't have figured it out, anyway" Shiva then commented, clearly non-repentant for the sudden outburst of his true feelings towards the Enforcer regime. Truthfully, Shiva had no real history with the Enforcers in terms of personal tragedy, but it sickened him to see the world's remaining technology by those full of avarice to impose their wills on others.

At least, an "Ahem" was heard; Hemmingway seemed to be up and about again, making his way towards Shiva and Ivan. "Well, listen you two, we really appreciate the support. But, I think it's time we got out of here before more of them show up. 'Sides, there's still more things that need to be done". Ivan then tapped Shiva on the shoulder, "Father, what should we do about the Captain?" Shiva's head turned once more to the Captain still pinned by the mechanized dogs. "We'll take him with his......Hounds, come!" All at once, the mechanized dogs charged towards the small robot; as they got with in a certain distance, they leaped into the air, transforming and folding into themselves to form small cubes, which slowly grew into a bigger cube until that was about the size of a softball. How they exactly were able to fit like that one couldn't say, but it worked; Shiva then tucked the cube into a hip compartment on his android. As Ivan grabbed the Captain, Shiva then said "Well, let's be off Ivan". His boot thrusters engaged, rocketing him up into the sky, Ivan following shortly behind him in the same fashion, carrying the Enforcer official off to god-knows-where. Soon they were gone, leaving not one trace of their existence behind save for the memory for those they had saved this day.

 

[WritingxDreamer]

For someone who had never been personally victimized by the Enforcers, Gwendolyn was caught off guard by the.. passion the so called vigilante possessed. She watched the two quietly, holding her hands in front of herself. 'I'd rather a guy like this... be on our side than the enemies...' Even she would admit that his intelligence intimidated her. She was strong, they all were strong, but against someone who was able to create machines as powerful and intelligent as Ivan, their strength meant practically nothing.

Gwendolyn turned her head then, her expression brightening significantly once she saw that her captain was still okay. "H-Hemingway!" She hurried over to him, examining him closely to make sure that he was fit enough to be standing.

Before she said anything else, her gaze wandered back over toward the two robots. "They're leaving.. Just like that..." She thought almost for certain that she would most likely never encounter them again. Gwendolyn's hand wandered to her healed shoulder which she examined again before a faint smile crossed her lips. "Hemmingway.. what should we do?"

 

[Razgriz]

"Jeez, don't look so surprised, Gwendolyn. I'm not made of china, you know" he replied half-jokingly as she approached him; though he'd be lying if he said her obvious worry about his well-being didn't warm his heart a little. Hemmingway rolled his shoulder, working out the stiffness as he got used to not having pain after being shot; he sure could use some of that instant healing foam or whatever that good-intentioned sociopath had. He still couldn't believe the luck; surviving an encounter with even three Enforcer soldiers, let alone a Captain and a platoon, was something definitely worth its bragging rights. Though he knew it was mostly because of that "Shiva" and his mechanized creations that really pulled through. In a way it pissed him off that Shiva had interfered, but he was more than glad they had a guardian angel for this encounter.

Gwendolyn's question snapped him out of his little daydream; he simply replied, "We're going home and finishing up what we need to do around town. And..." He then trailed off as the corpses of the few that died during the ambush were carefully loaded onto the smaller ATVs, continuing in a more solemn tone, "There's going to be some obituaries we need to make sure are known". Hemmingway always hated losing his people, and he knew Redstone didn't take the death of his citizens lightly. Though perhaps he would find condolence in the fact that the attackers had been thoroughly eradicated. Regardless, there was still work to be done; after everything was loaded up onto the respective transport vehicles and goodbyes were said, both parties started the return journey home.

---

Onward and upward, Shiva and Ivan flew to parts unknown, the latter carrying the now-unconscious Captain Milligan. The Enforcer official wouldn't shut up, so Ivan took it upon himself to silence the man, at least temporarily. "Father, I do not understand; if this man is so dangerous, why are we allowing him to live? Would it not be more prudent to terminate him?" A snicker could be heard from Shiva's robot form, its projected voice saying "Oh, Ivan, Ivan, Ivan. You still have so much to learn about the art of war. And human psychology; there are punishments far worse than death, my boy". Ivan was of course confused; advanced as his AI programming was, there was still much of the human world he did not fully comprehend. And with that lack of understanding came a definitive lack of moral cognizance.

"This way, my boy" Shiva then said, turning his robot so that he angled his flight path toward a patch of deserted rock. "Now, Ivan, I want you to say not a word. Understood?" The large golden android simply nodded; Shiva's vocal processors then started making a strange array of noises: Three sharp clicks, then a distorted, throaty warble followed lastly by a ghastly moan. At once, shadowy figures emerged from the surroundings; one stepped forth to greet the two strangers. It was a male, his five-foot-six toned form pale and ghost-like and his flesh covered in simple bandolier straps and shorts, the exposed portions had strange tattoos all over it. "Who...ssstthhh......daressss to ssssummon the Ssssspectre Tribalssss?" the man's voice said, possessing a significantly raspy quality. Shiva's form stepped forward, replying "I do.....But I wouldn't get so upset.....For I have something that might interest you......Ivan, if you would".

Captain Milligan's unconscious form was laid down at the feet of the apparent leader of this group; a sharpened, curved blade was procured and its tip poked into the side of the Enforcer. "What issss....sssttthhhh.....thisss? You dare to....sssstttthhh.....bring Enforcer trash here?" Shiva's bot then produced what appeared to be a hockey mask and threw it right next to the body of the Enforcer Captain, saying "I found this on him........." The tattooed man's bloodshot eyes widened, seeming to recognize the face-plate before bending over to pick it up. "No....It can't be.....sssttthhhh......Thisssss man......" "Yes, he killed Bonepick......Your boss........" The tattooed man's hands clenched the mask, angry that their leader had been defeated. "Your gift....ssssthhh....isssss much apprccccciated, sssstranger. But how....." "Did I know? I have very good ears and eyes........"

At this Captain Milligan seemed to wake up, little by little; the tattooed man looked down and back-handed the Enforcer. "Filthy garbage!........ssssttth.......You two! Take him to the Wailing Room...ssssttthhhhh.....I want his screams to be.....sssttthhh....the music we dance to!" Two more Spectres, glad in almost the same fashion as the one, grabbed the reeling Captain and dragged him off. "No! No! Unhand me, you unwashed brutes! The Enforcers will have your heads for this! Stop!" Milligan shouted before he disappeared, his screams fading into nothing. "Well......Have fun now.....Come along, Ivan" Shiva said once more, waving good-bye as he and Ivan took to the heavens once more, leaving the tribals to decide how to best deal with this new..."toy" of theirs. Ivan was still confused as to just what happened, but had the feeling his father knew something he didn't. And if it meant one less Enforcer in the world, then it was alright.

 

[WritingxDreamer]

They had lost so many people, way more than they should have. But Gwendolyn knew just as much as Hemmingway that they would’ve lost many more if it wasn’t for Shiva. “A part of me kind of hopes that we never see him again, or never have to..” She could see a few heads nod in agreement. Gwendolyn brushed herself off and gave a small determined nod. “Let’s get everyone home.” And with that she hurried off to help the rest of the men move the bodies.

--

“What do you think about getting married?”

The shock froze up her body, and Gwendolyn could barely comprehend exactly what had been said. Turning her head, she could see that Adrian was looking at her expectantly. She found herself caught up in his features as she often did. His permanently messy, chocolate brown hair looked almost styled, a trait that he often bragged to her about in a joking manner. His blue eyes were piercing, and indisputably to her, what originally drew her to him. She loved him, there was no doubt in her mind.

So why was it so hard to answer his question?

She drew her gaze away from him and looked ahead of them. They both had just finished a mission, and took it upon themselves to relax before they returned to check in. They had found a small cliff, overlooking the barren land in front of them. It was hardly romantic, but it was peaceful enough for the two of them.

“You must be kidding.” She didn’t look at him, but it was merely to hide the small blush that had crept across her cheeks. “This is hardly the time to go and get married.”

He laughed, looking ahead of them as well. “Maybe you’re right, but it was a thought. Don’t you think? Who knows, I bet we could get Hemmingway to seal the deal. We all know he’d love to do that.” The sarcasm in his voice was nearly absent, but Gwendolyn knew for certain it was there. She cracked a smile, laughing lightly at the thought.

“Sure sure.. but what would be the point of getting married?” Gwendolyn held her hands out in front of her, stretching her body a bit. “This isn’t the kind of world I would want to bring up kids. Besides, We’re still too young!” Her cheeks puffed out almost childishly. “I don’t want to get married at 19. My mom did that.”

Adrian’s lips cracked into an amused grin. “Who said anything about settling down and having kids. I’m not much older than you. I’m hardly father material either. I just… I dunno. I’ve been thinking a lot lately with these missions.” He turned his head back to her. “It feels like.. now adays.. you never know if you’re going to make it through the next mission.”

“That’s not funny.” She looked down, “You’re the best of the best. There’s no way you wouldn’t make it through the next mission, and the one after that, and the one after that!”

--

Gwendolyn shot up in a panic, sweat rolling down her body. Her breathing was heavy, ragged. “Another dream….” She curled up on her bed, her hands rubbing through her hair while she let out a heavy sigh. “That was a few years ago.. just before..” She didn’t finish the sentence this time, and stood up from her bed. She tugged on the bottom of the button up shirt, the only thing she had chosen to wear to bed due to the heat. “It’s going to be a long day.. I should take a shower.”

 

[Razgriz]

It had been a few days since that encounter with the mysterious android pair, one of which was Shiva himself and the other - taller, sleeker and far more intimidating - was one of the insane man's creations. Redstone was initially not pleased with what had happened, and rightly so: A total of seven people from both towns were killed. But the shining light in this was that a fair number of Enforcer soldiers and a Captain had been eliminated. The Central City mayor wanted to meet this Shiva person and give him, in his own words, "A big fucking pat on the back". He already gathered that would be an impossibility, since the eccentric man-android was gone. But it was nice to know that the traders seemed to have a powerful guardian; though Redstone couldn't help but wonder if he was with the Enforcers. From what had been described, he had a powerful and almost human-looking robot that could speak and seemed to have its own personality. Whether Redstone could completely trust him or not was still a topic of discussion

When word spread of Shiva and his little exploit of rescuing the traders from the likes of the Enforcers, spirits seemed to lift considerably; it was like the news that there was someone who could stand up to the Enforcers effectively brought some hope that perhaps they could live with one less, very much pronounced worry in their lives. Between the Enforcer sweeps of the cities and towns looking for Resistance members and the fact that the bandits held control over a lot of the resources needed to make a living in this harsh wasteland, hope was at a very low point. The best that most could do was eek out a meager life, working with others to scrounge together what they could find. Growing crops, recycling old and trashed objects to make new things, and crafting survival tools was not easy for the people in this post-apocalyptic world.

Regardless, there was work in the town that needed to be done. The water pipes were leaking again, the crops needed to be harvested, the stills for the Deadeye Saloon weren't working right, and other things that were on the list to be done. Most of these tasks were being taken care of by those that worked on them, but requests had come in for additional assistance for others. And from what Redstone had heard, one of the mercs - Matthews in particular - had the most amount of contact with Shiva. How much she knew he couldn't say, but some knowledge was better than none. "Brian, go get Matthews and tell her to get her ass over here ASAP" the built mayor barked; at once, the relatively shorter assistant once again made the small trek to Gwendolyn's residence. Upon reaching the threshold, Brian wiped his brow before knocking. "Miss Matthews....Miss Matthews........Mayor Redstone wants to see you". He hated having to bother the girl so much, knowing that she was trying to deal with her own demons. It was unlikely that she knew why Redstone was calling her in; it wasn't often he requested the audience of one single person, after all.