Close Call on Tundeer

[En1gma]

Captain Nikolai's brow furrowed, and sweat ran down his nose and chin and dripped onto his console. His Leviathan mech was beginning to overheat, and he knew that next to come was heat fatigue and the subsequent fight to keep his consciousness.

He and his second-in-command, Jadzia, had fought their way through a dozen Xeno, and they were both appreciative of the air scrubbers which kept them from smelling the ichor dripping from their mechs. Jadzia was even worse off than Nikolai, but he didn't complain, bearing the sweltering heat without a word. 

The sliding doors which would lead to the gate consoles were just ahead, and they ran past a pair of Skitterings to get there. To the east they could just barely see a Tact Point, covered with alien filth and crawling with Xeno. Nikolai prayed that they would remain unseen. Bullets rained over his shoulder as Jadzia tore into the Skitterings behind him. Pathetic screams erupted and Nikolai didn't even turn-- Jadzia knew how to do his job. The pair sprinted their way to the doors and punched the controls. 

A Skittering jumped and flew through the air at Nikolai, who slammed his wide blade into its mandibles, stopping it short. He leveled his plasma pistol over the sword and sent a boiling hot bolt down its throat. A simple swipe of the blade and the lifeless corpse tumbled to the ground. Jadzia pushed past his captain, meaning to use him as cover, but as he turned to ready his weapon, a chorus of hisses and screeches erupted in the darkened corridor. The console room had been over taken and they had walked straight into a trap. There was no time to react, and two Xeno closed the distance, bearing into the Soldier's mech and raking it with their razor sharp claws.

Sensors and alarms screamed as the suit registered major damage, and Jadzia reeled from the vicious attack. He brought his gun to bear and steeled his jaw. He worked his controls and sent a sharp burst into the closest Hunter, which leaped back as the high caliber rounds went to work on its carapace.

Nikolai hoped Jadzia would make it through, and he motioned for them both to back into the corridor. The Xeno to the east had heard Jadzia's rifle fire and had begun to swarm toward them; it was two Templars against an entire host, and he didn't know if they would see this battle through.  

[Cory Trese]

Dark. I love it. Well done, bravo +1

[fallen]

Love to read this - great work.

Also fun to see johndramey's Nikolai in full effect!

[En1gma]

It's rough, and in need of polish/re-wording, but I just wanted to give a great screenshot some context

I might be doing a few more of these, just so I can get used to writing about mechs and the Templars, if you catch my meaning.

[En1gma]

Thaaaat's better. I hate doing things on my phone. Since Google tweaked their keyboard, I've had nothing but trouble. The above post should read much better now.

[zach]

That's fine work

[En1gma]

They made it, but just barely... the two hit the switch and had to hold the corridor while the Hydra hit the switch three turns later. Very tense, and thank Shalun for Overwatch.

[En1gma]

I'm just continuing with Nikolai's exploits, as it's an incredibly photogenic crew, if I may say so.



"Captain Nikolai-- They have us hemmed in on all sides; radar is registering multiple contacts coming from all directions!" Scipio, the head Engineer for Nikolai's battleforce snapped closed his comm channel and punched commands for his newly deployed sentry into his control panel. Nikolai's second Engineer, Mortem, followed suit and a pair of turrets turned to face the encroaching Xeno.

Nikolai nodded to the Templars behind him and as one, the pair of turrets and his most capable Soldier Jadzia opened fire on the crowd assembling for an attack. Dampeners kept the ambient noise to a comfortable level inside the mechs, but he knew that the sound erupting from the three barrels would be deafening in the enclosed space before them. Skitterlings and Hunters alike exploded in showers of gore and carapace. A half dozen aliens fell before a sound from behind them caused Nikolai to check his instruments.

"Welcome to the battlefield, Templar," he spoke evenly as he fired shots into an irradiated Skitterling preparing to leap at him.

"A pleasure to be here, Captain Nikolai." It was a cool, collected woman who answered him, and they could hear the heavy Berserker Class Leviathan moving into position beside the Captain. No sooner than she reached his side than a Hunter broke through the withering fire and barreled at her at full speed. Jadzia brought his weapon to bear, but the beast ducked nimbly under his deadly arc of shells. "By Shalun," Lucretia cursed, bringing her shield between them. She flicked the controls gently, causing the immense bulk of her mech to edge forward into the blow. She was rewarded with a sickening thud, but the Hunter was merely stunned. It fell back, rolling away from the precision fire coming from Mortem's pistol.

As soon as it caught its bearings, it charged again. Lucretia put her mech's weight into the blow once more, but allowed the shield to give after the damage was done. The Hunter fell before her, claws raking the bottom of her shield. A twist of her controls and her axe swept high in the air, then down into the head of the being below her. She placed a massive boot on its crushed body and pulled free her axe, ready for the next attack.

Sizzling bolts repeatedly dumped boiling plasma through the door which was beginning to pile high with dead bodies, but still the Xeno pressed the narrow opening, fighting their way into the hail of accurate fire which eagerly awaited them. Nikolai's voice came through, an oasis of calm in a zone of pure hell. "Templars-- I have called in our second Berserk, Rachman, to answer the call of battle. It will take several minutes for him to make his way to us, so we hold here until he arrives. We have seen their worst, and we have found them wanting! Once we are joined by our brother-in-arms, we will make our push on the next TP. Until then-- WE FIGHT ON!!" Four green acknowledgment lights flashed on his HUD, and they resumed their war for the TP behind them. 

[fallen]

In the name of Shalun, awesome

[wascalwywabbit]

Every time I a see a screen shot with the seemingly constant artistic improvements in the game it gives me a satisfying feeling like a master's painting... GJ guys, respect.

[fallen]

The new turrets are one of my favorite additions