Authors notes: So I wanted to get this out before I go away this weekend so I apologise if these seems a little rushed.
Id also like to say not to worry this is going somewhere but Im a big fan of build up and character development the next chapters will be allot more interesting I promise.
Once again comments and constructive criticism is welcome.
I hope you enjoy
Chapter 2: Filters and Friends
"Come now Anton! A Cessna?Are you kidding me it would be ripped apart by the winds and storms you cant possibly expect me to believe that it was a bit of debris caught in the wind nothing more." Captain Gorbachev was a practical man he knew what he knew and didnt believe in fair tales or folk stories unless he saw them with his own eyes, and even then always tried to find an explainable reason for why they happened.
He stood there leaning on the two crates covered over with an old oak door that acted as his desk his knuckles turning white as he pressed his clinched fists against the hard wood. He was a big man, not as tall as Anton or as broad but his body was all muscle the veins in his arms bulged whilst he stared down Anton with worn grey eyes.
He was going grey despite his relatively young age, stress of the command Chance guessed as he stood back watching Anton plead his case to the commander.
"Captain I saw it with my own eyes flying straight and level! Chance saw it to!" Anton turned to give him a pleading look now they where inside they had taken off their gas masks and Anton looked as if he was about to scream in frustration. "Tell him Chance you saw it to im not going stir crazy!"
Chance eyed his commander and his friend for a moment rubbing his hand nervously over the scope of his rifle. The plane changed everything at least it changed the dynamic the Metro dwellers saw themselves in. Many believed they where the last of humanity left alive on the earth, ever since the radios had gone dead across the world many speculated that they had fallen to some calamity or another and that Russian stubbornness and persistence and the worlds largest nuclear bunker had allowed them to survive this long.
But if people lived possibly beyond Moscow that meant there was land that possibly wasn't tainted by nuclear fallout and other survivors possibly with the means to help repair the metro. Hesitantly Chance nodded and saw Anton's face visibly relax from relief.
Gorbachev's frown only grew however, grunting he pushed himself off of his desk and turned around looking at the map of Moscow that was pinned upon the wall. He stood there silently for some time before turning around again.
"Im going to have to report this to Miller and D6 command ill send for you when I receive word don't expect a medal or anything they save those for real heroes. Go on your dismissed."
They didn't need telling twice Anton snapped off a quick salute and they both left leaving the captain and his guard to mull over what was said. They exited into a great hall which had been converted into a garage of sorts men hauled around boxes whilst others worked on fixing up truck and vehicles for the surface.
All the while guards watched over all from the gantries.
Chance had to admit that although the trucks where essentially made from salvage they where a damn site better looking and in many cases more comfy than the contraptions used to get about the metro. In one of them you could go where you liked and not just follow the tracks going forward or backwards.
Their time in the garage was short lived as Anton led them into the mess hall, instantly the smell of cooked meat filled Chances nostrils making his mouth water instantly.
"Hey... Hey Anton, Nikolai over here!"
A hand shot up and waved at them beckoning them, Chance knew who it was the instant their names where called out. It was Gruman, he was an ex Hansa caravan guard who had grown bored watching the caravans owner get rich and fat. He eventually joined the order after the battle against Korbut and his men when the Order put a call out for new men to join their ranks. They sat down beside him after they had gathered up their rations and began to dig in as soon as their behinds touched the wooden bench.
Gruman looked at them both as he ran his thumb and index finger over his goatee watching the two of them pig out. He sat there for a few moments a smirk slowly curling across his lips.
"You two are disgusting" He mocked as Anton and Chance looked up at him.
"No where near as disgusting as those mags you keep in your locker Gruman that's not natural!" Anton sparked back spraying their Hansa friend with saliva and stew. The three burst out laughing at the inside joke causing a few of those around them to turn from their own conversations and card games.
"So.." Gruman began again "A little rat told me that you two saw something interesting up in your nest come come tell me I have a right to know"
"What right is that then?" Chance replied as he sopped up the last of is stew with a chunk of hard bread. "You just want a new story to spread around so people will talk to you"
Anton chuckled at that still tucking into his his meal. Gruman feigned as if he had been wounded holding his hands against his heart as if he had been shot leaning back only far enough as to not fall of the bench.
"Come Come now the men need stories to distract them from the beasts and that ghastly siren that simply... will not shut up!" Gruman leant forward again resting his elbows on the table placing his head in his hands. He wasn't wrong however working at a guard post in the Metro was dangerous enough on the surface was another game entirely. It took it out of you physically and mentally and if you didn't get distractions it was enough to send men crazy.
Chance had seen it one day one of the younger lads simply upped from his seat took off his gas mask and walked out into the red square disappearing into the trees. The worst part was that they never found his body. Moscow was haunted although most Rangers wouldn't admit it.
"A plane" Anton replied pushing his bowl from him picking at his crust of bread popping a small amount into his mouth. It was Gruman alone that burst out this time a hearty laugh from the belly. When he saw the others wernt laughing he quickly stopped his smile disappearing in an instant.
"You cant be serious no one lives beyond the metro never mind knows how to fix up a plane... you two my friends have been smoking some funny mushrooms haven't you?"
D6 was always a hive of activity, new recruits came in every day from all over the metro hoping they had what it takes to be a Spartan. It was a hard selection process made only harder now that the Orders operations concentrated even more upon surface operations. Yet the Order needed more than just Spartans to operate. It needed engineers technicians and all manner of other expertise to run smoothly and efficiently.
Those that weren't selected for the Spartan training program had the chance to do other things within the Order and still become a part of the hand of peace in the metro. Miller watched from his wheel chair as a computer technician walked by talking into his head set carrying a computer tablet.
They had found much and more in D6 and even now months had yet to still fully explore the network of storage bunkers that just seemed to go on for ever and ever both up towards the surface and down deeper into the darkness of the metro.
He had turned up for an important meeting taken from his position as captain of Polis guards at least for the moment. His successor was a young man full of energy and ideas, in many ways he reminded him of Artyom in others himself and some times he even saw a hint Khan in him. The man was a believer but also very smart and knew when to keep people who could help him around. After the battle for D6 Miller had expected to have been discharged with honours and left to live out the rest of his live in the bottle.
His Successor had seen to it that he got the position of Captain of the Guards at Polis, It was the very least he could have done for such a distinguished Spartan. Miller was grateful and always gave as best council as he could when he was asked. Miller had been surprised when he was summoned back to D6 however, he was just settling into his new role and hadn't been expecting a return so soon to his old command.
He was pulled from his thoughts as the very man he was thinking about entered the room closely followed by his daughter Anna. You couldnt tell yet but she was pregnant with Artyom's child, Something he still hadn't made up his mind whether he approved or disapproved. Yet he still smiled a soft father smile when she came over to him and embraced him in a hug.
He had not seen her in several months their duties keeping them apart. He gave Anna one last squeeze before letting her go and looking to his successor. Colonel Adrik Korneyev was a tall man, but not as muscled as miller he also lacked the facial scars that set himself apart from so many. He had a shock of short dark brown hair and even darker eyes. A Disarming smile crossed his lips as he stood there holding his hands behind his back.
He eyed them all up one by one measuring their worth and character. It was always hard to take over command from someone who was much loved within the Order. It was even harder to put your own stamp on things. Miller was confident Adrik would be a man who could.
"Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen ill cut to the chase as we do not have much time. As you might not all be aware a situation has developed on the surface."
"There is always a situation on the surface developing..."
Adrik gave the interrupter a cold stare the promptly shut him up.
"As I was saying a situation has developed. As of 10 am yesterday morning a look out in the Saint Basils Cathedral outpost spotted aircraft flying over north-western Moscow."
There where a few grumbles as the new sunk in the people arrayed around the room all of them seasoned soldiers and commanders turned to one another and whispered completely out of character for such seasoned men, it was only Miller and Anna that remained silent through it all but he felt Anna's hand tense on his shoulder.
Adrik let the interruption slip this time, it was a shock to say the least many thought they where the survivors in all of mother Russia and some even the world. To hear that they wernt the last and that those survivors had access to aircraft would have sounded down right bizarre to many. A Fictional story made up by some delusional wind burnt look out.
Miller had his own questions however, none about the reliability of the report, a Spartan was a Spartan and those on the surface where the toughest of the tough. Any report had to have been true, what Miller couldn't grasp was how the aircraft wasn't ripped apart by the razor storms and other harsh weather conditions.
"Im sure you all understand the implications this can have on the whole of the metro. It is possible that this could bring about change even we could not predict. There fore it is imperative that we find and make contact with these people before any other faction in the Metro.
It would be folly to assume that the Reich or the Red line don't know of this already. It would be prudent to assume that they are already preparing their own operations regarding the sighting."
Miller gave him a short slow nod as Adrik looked over to him for a moment pausing to catch his breath. Miller couldn't fault the new commander he was being careful a good trait to have in these times. The Order was operating both on the surface and in many places concerning mutants who had infested some of the more inner stations. In some cases cutting off some of the independent outer stations.
The Order was stretched dangerously thin, and every one knew it, but Polis could not allow the Reich or the Red Line to gain an upper hand in anything. They to where waking up to the perilous situation the metro was in and slowly creeping up to the surface just like the orders years ago. More and more Spartan Stalkers where coming across Fascist and Red scouts so far thankfully without incident.
"I am authorising a 5 man scout team to ascertain the origin of this aircraft sighting and recon and assess the situation. Its possible these people may be able to help us and the metro."
"What if they turn out to be hostile?"
"Then we will know to be more careful from now on. We cannot sit behind our blast doors and wish the world away. The Metro may stand for another century perhaps longer but D6s supplies are only so much and the metro is a big place we cannot afford to sit on our arses and watch rats run by." Adrik replied leaning forward and resting his hands on the table on top of the map of the metro. His smile had turned into a hard line as he pressed his lips together gazing at the map for a few moments before turning to Miller.
"Miller I want you to find our hero, I want Artyom to lead the expedition I know you think he had been through enough, and earned his rest but I cannot think of another man better suited to the job have him report to me as soon as possible... understood?"
Miller frowned for amoment but nodded his head regardless. Artyom had given more than most for the cause but Adrik had a point Artyom was the natural choice for this operation, He had weathered the city more than most others he had seen and lived through the unexplainable phenomenons of the world and his philosophical nature ensured that he almost always made the right decision in the end.
"Yes Colonel ill see to it"
"Good then we are done here... dismissed" Adrik smiled once again straightening himself once again clasping his hands behind his back.
They all filed out slowly going back to their duties. Miller allowed his mind to wander for a moment as he daughter pushed him from the room. She was a good woman and a kind daughter, he time with Artyom had softened her a little it had seemed her experience with Lesnitski and the reds had changed her made her more grateful for those around her.
That and the child in her belly was sending her hormones raging every which way but up.
She pushed him up the walkway in silence he did not try to turn around to look at his daughter he already knew what she was thinking.
"It will be okay, he will be with some of the finest rangers in the order and plus... that little one will be looking out for him as well."
Anna stopped for a moment staying silent, causing Miller to turn to look at her. If she was upset she hid it well but then again that came from being the daughter the ex commander of the Polis Rangers. She started pushing him again looking down at him, it was then he saw the single tear roll down her cheek.
He tried to give her a warming smile, despite his macho exterior she was his daughter and he would always care for her no matter what.
"I know, I just wish I was going with him." she managed without another tear.
Chance looked around him, D6 was amazing to look at and watch, on either side of the bore hole elevators moved up and down in spirals taking men to the surface or down into the depths of D6 no doubt to explore the remaining holds and bunkers. He was headed for a different location however, ever since Anton had spotted the aircraft they had been recalled back to D6 to await reassignment. Something was going on and he and Anton where going to be part of it.
The elevator came to a stop and the operator swung the gate open allowing them to step off with a curt nod before moving on further down the levels obviously to pick up others wanting to go up. Anton looked to him and rubbed his hands together.
"You'd think they would turn the heating on every now and again" He smirked and blew on his gloved hands just as one of the guards stepped forward, his face hidden behind his assault helmets visor.
"You two Corporal Nikoli Asimov and Anton Kalinski" the guard asked in an obviously bored tone, chances where he had been stood on guard for quite some time now. Anton nodded and stepped forward.
"Yup thats us! Here for our spa day"
If the guard found it amusing you couldn't tell he simply shrugged and stepped back motioning for them to progress through the thanked him as they went through into the decontamination chamber, it was standard procedure and with most entrances into D6 having them it kind of became common practice to go through the decontamination it had become second nature to Chance and Anton by this point.
It took but a few moments for the process to complete and they where on their way. Waiting for them on the other side of the chamber was another set of guards waiting to escort them to their final destination. Neither wore masks but both where armed with Kalash assault rifles. Where ever they where going it must have been important.
Through winding corridors and several doors they finally came arrived at their destination. A small barracks room with enough bed to sleep 8 people and store their equipment. Inside where three other Spartans just like them. Two where going about packing their gear whilst the third sat in the far off corner looking at a pair of dog tags. Anton stiffened almost immediately gripping Chances arm tightly mentally stopping himself from saying anything stupid.
"Nikoli... do you know who that is in the corner!"
Chance never had time to really look or reply how ever as the other two spotted them and moved over to greet them. The two others couldnt have been any different. One was tall and lean whilst the other was short and bulging with muscles. The taller smiled and shook their hands, a firm but friendly shake.
"Sergeant Yoris and this is Sergeant Keller nice to meet you. You two must be Nikoli and Anton right?"
Anton nodded as well well as Chance.
"They call me Chance"
Yoris smiled and nodded in understanding, whilst Keller grumbled and moved back to what he was doing. Yoris nodded again before sucking in a deep breath of air and turning back to Anton and Chance placing his hand on Chances shoulder.
"Where are my manners if you dont know already our glorious leader over there in the corner is Artyom, saver of the metro Rearer of Dark ones and bane of the Red Line, I heard the Fuhrer himself is personal scared of our hero"
Anton audibly took in a gasp of air as Yoris moved to show Artyom staring up at them both.