BOOM BABY! These chapters just keep getting longer… but school's out so I'm rolling along =) Anyway, this chapter is in Mokiki's POV. I thought you might want to get to know her better. This chapter was supposed to end elsewhere, but just got too long. It's become a two-parter. Lots of action ahead… could be dangerous ;D
Chapter 4: Combat
Two months ago…
Approximately two hours before the KR-06 incident…
So far, we've seen this tale unfold from one solitary angle, now we shall shift viewpoints to a new perspective—a viewpoint that will enlighten us as to the points of the story left shrouded in mystery. We first delved into this story in the midst of tragic events previously unexplained, however, now we will see where the story truly began…
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
You would think that she would be used to it by now—the innumerable stares, the confused glances, the constant invasion of privacy. Mokiki shrunk back in her seat attempting to make herself a smaller visual target. She kept an agitated scowl plastered on her face hoping it would ward off the unwanted attention. "It's as if they've never seen a woman before!" Mokiki thought in slight exasperation.
The jacker was currently a passenger on a Keron military transport shuttle along with a good number of other soldiers. The quadrant's invasion coordinator had received various reports of suspicious enemy activity on one of Keron's recent invasion acquisitions. He deployed a unit of reconnaissance soldiers to investigate source of the problem; and, since he had heard rumors of heavy-duty computer weapons being sighted in the area, he sent Private Mokiki along as a precaution.
So, here she was—sitting in a cramped little shuttle quietly waiting to arrive at their destination. The spacecraft was about as impressive as a flying tin can. Paint was peeling off the vessel revealing the rusty patches beneath. Mokiki swore she heard the engine splutter, stop, then restart at least twice. The inside of the shuttle was as bad as a the outside, if not worse, an indistinguishable odor lingered in the cabin, and a midewy dampness coated every surface. How a space shuttle had gotten damp, she had no idea.
Mokiki gave a small sigh and shifted uncomfortably on her cold, steel bench. She was bored. She had considered entertaining herself by repeatedly asking 'Are we there, yet?' knowing it would drive the pilot bonkers, but decided it was probably a bad idea to distract the driver of a clunky shuttle moving through space at warp speed. Besides, she shouldn't do anything to make herself stick out even more.
The shuttle was jam-packed with soldiers. All of them men. Even the pilot. "Take a picture, will ya?" the jacker thought moodily. She shot a withering glare at the soldier sitting across from her; he had been eyeing her for the past half hour. Was it really that strange for her to be here? Sure, the jacker didn't look much like a soldier; she was a few inches shorter than the average Keronian, and with her slim figure and long legs she looked as though she should be in the modeling business—but, seriously! Did her appearance merit all this attention? She had as much a right to be here as they did. She wished everyone would bug off.
Nobody ever really said anything to her, but she could read their faces like an open book. She saw them saying things like:
"Well, well. What have we here? She can load my sniper rifle anytime." (*gag*)
"What's a chick doing here? She a nurse? Oh, frog. She's not lost is she?" (Really?)
"The battlefield is no place for a woman. Humph. I hope that I don't end up being her babysitter." (Uh… Rude!)
"What is the big deal?" Mokiki seethed. Yes, she'd admit that her presence there was unusual, but come on, people!
Being a military race, it was common for both male and female Keronians to be involved in their planet's invasion efforts. However, Keronian women often took military positions such as nurses, communication officers, or computer specialists. Very rarely did women receive combat position on the frontline.
Well, Mokiki had always been sort of an oddball.
And speaking of odd…
During Mokiki's mental tirade, one of her fellow soldiers had squeezed onto the bench beside her. Mokiki had given him a threatening stare when he approached as if daring him to sit down. Seemingly oblivious to Mokiki's subtle warning, the soldier sat down anyway grinning like a dope.
The soldier was a young Keronian with light magenta skin; he wore standard Keronian headgear that was deep orange. A symbol that vaguely resembled a flower embellished both his belly and forehead. His wide, onyx eyes sparkled with youthful innocence. He was sitting with his back leaning against the wall, his arms and legs crossed. He was looking at Mokiki with what he thought was a suave smile, but in actuality, it was more of a goofy grin. The soldier was also tiny despite the fact that he lacked his tadpole tail. Mokiki didn't think it possible that there were adult Keronians even smaller than her.
For a few awkward moments, the newcomer sat in silence, simply grinning at Mokiki. It was obvious that he wanted her to say something, but the jacker continued to stubbornly ignore him. Finally, the young soldier couldn't hold his silence any longer. "Hi! What's your name?" he burst out excitedly. Apparently more excited than he meant to be. "Ah, I mean…*ahem*…Hello, my name is Kododo. What is your name?"
Mokiki cast an appraising eye over the soldier known as Kododo. He was trying to act all cool, yet he somehow bore a striking resemblance to an overexcited puppy. He was now leaning closer to her, apparently unaware that he was violating her personal space, as he awaited the jacker's response. Mokiki tsked in annoyance and turned away from the grinning soldier. Kododo couldn't take a hint.
"Ohhh. Are you nervous? I understand." Kododo chuckled. "Combat can be a bit terrifying, but don't worry 'cause I'll protect you!" the young soldier struck a heroic pose (which was really just a wink and a double thumbs up).
Mokiki snorted as she tried to contain her laughter. "Who's protecting who, now?" the jacker thought glancing at the scrawny soldier who was clearly attempting to be macho. On top of that, this wasn't actually a combat mission, just reconnaissance, but Mokiki wasn't about to humor the overenthusiastic frog by talking to him.
"Must be pretty lonely over here—being the only girl and all. But, hey," Kododo gave a sly grin and scooted even closer to the irritated jacker, "I can keep you company if you want."
"Oh… my… frog." Mokiki thought to herself. "Is he serious?" The young soldier looked as though he had barely outgrown his tadpole tail, yet he was trying to act all sexy or something. The goofy smiles and heroic gestures Mokiki could handle- those were actually kind of cute—but, she had to draw the line somewhere. And this obvious attempt to hit on her had pushed her over the edge.
She reached around to the back of her helmet, grasped the cables that were attached to its base, and pulled them around to her front. She held up one of the wires so that Kododo could see it clearly.
"You know what this is?" Mokiki inquired directly her full attention to the eager soldier.
"No. What is it?" Kododo replied elated that he finally got a verbal response out of the jacker.
"Here, let me show you." Mokiki squinted in concentration. Bright, blue sparks soon appeared bouncing around the wire's tip. Kododo was awestruck.
"Woooah! How are you doing that?" the soldier asked practically buzzing with excitement. Mokiki couldn't help but smirk.
"I'm a jacker." Mokiki explained. "It's my job to eliminate enemy computer weapons. I use my chi to create an electrical charge and channel it into a machine using these wires. I can stop a tank dead in its tracks, disable its weapons, or just make it go 'boom'." The jacker emphasized this point by throwing her hands up and making an explosion noise.
"Oh, man! Would I like to see that!" Kododo stated half-hoping that a tank would somehow appear in the shuttle so Mokiki could take it down.
"I could demonstrate if you want." The jacker offered cheerfully.
"Really?!" the excited soldier exclaimed.
"Sure." Mokiki nodded. Then quite suddenly she dropped cheerful act and got right up in Kododo's face. She pumped more power into her cables using her anger to fuel the electric. The lazy, blue sparks began crackling violently before turning a furious shade of red. "You're the target, buddy." The jacker threatened leaning in closer to her victim, "and if you don't get your flirtatious butt outta my face in two seconds- I'll light you up like a firework."
Kododo squeaked in surprise before falling off his seat. Mokiki narrowed her eyes. Her sparking equipment highlighted the fury dancing across her features. The soldier tried to swallow a startled scream as he scrambled to the other side of the shuttle.
A handful of soldiers laughed as they watched Kododo's frantic retreat; others shot Mokiki a disapproving glare. The jacker shrugged and sat back of her bench, not caring what the others thought of her. She did what she thought was right in her eyes, and hey, if they had a soldier that looked to be half their age trying to hit on them, she was sure that they would have done the same thing.
Now that the previous bit of excitement was over, Mokiki was occupying herself by bouncing sparks back and forth between her jacker wires. She had six of them, each tipped with a unique adapter plug which enabled her to hook up to just about anything in the universe.
Despite how mediocre the day had been so far, playing with deadly charges of electricity always managed to cheer her up. Mokiki tweaked the energy a bet changing the spark's color from blue to red as well as green and yellow. The jacker could summon a whole spectrum of charges each with their own specific purpose. All she had to do was concentrate, think about what she wanted to do, and the appropriate spark would appear.
Her favorites were both the red and the blue. She even named them. The red sparks were dubbed 'Overcharge'; their purpose simply to overload a computer circuit causing it to shut down and spontaneously combust. She called the blue sparks 'Time Bomb' which was one of her most devastating attacks. Instead of an immediate reaction, the electricity pumped into a weapon travels the computer's circuit for a few rounds giving the jacker time to get clear of the resulting explosion. The attack essentially turns your enemy's weapon into a deadly bomb.
It was these powerful techniques that earned Mokiki a position in Keron's mobile military unit. Against all odds, she had become a powerful jacker.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
When she had shown interest in trying out for the position of jacker, her superiors had expressed their doubts. Nevertheless, they had allowed her to try the application test just to see if she was capable of preforming strong resonance technique. The test was relatively simple: disarm a small drone tank in less than two minutes without taking a direct hit from the machine's slime bullets.
Quite a few Keronians both veterans and new recruits had participated in the examination eager to join the ranks of the Keron Army's up-and-coming military branch. Unfortunately, more than half of them ended up covered in gooey, pink slime. Most of those who did manage to disarm the tank couldn't do it in less than two minutes. Only a couple of soldiers passed successfully. Mokiki was not encouraged by these results. She could feel the anticipation within her rising up until it felt like a solid rock in her gut. She tried on the jacker headgear and listened to the quick tutorial on how to use it. Turns out, there was really no trick to using it. All that was needed to be done was to channel one's resonance energy through the helmet's long, black wires and into the enemy's machine rendering it paralyzed. Simple enough. The real problem was having the skill and speed necessary to plug into the hostile weapon.
A few moments later, Mokiki had tiptoed into the testing arena. Her helmet's wires dangled close to the floor. The timer buzzed and the test began. Turns out, the tank was big and slow; however, its aim was pretty accurate. However, Mokiki was light and quick on her feet. She easily dodged her opponent's slimy projectiles. Mokiki had reached the tank and jacked into its system in less than a minute—shocking the examiners. Literally. Mokiki had delivered an electric shock so powerful that it not only blew the tank's hardrive to smithereens, but also fried everything within a 20-meter radius. The examiners, now a crispy shade of black, stood with their mouths agape, little puffs of smoke drifting off their bodies. Mokiki made an 'oops' face thoroughly expecting to be flunked. Instead, she was enlisted immediately.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Mokiki smiled at the memory. That powerful electric burst has become what the jacker was known for. Nowadays, she had much better control over her spark, but it by no means lost its potency.
It had been a few months since then, but the jacker was already losing count of the battles she had been in. She had definitely lost count of all the enemy weapons she had reduced to smoldering husks. Her superiors were becoming increasingly impressed with her performance. The examiner in the last check-up meeting had strongly hinted a promotion.
Mokiki sat back on her bench, leaning against the cold, gray wall. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined herself in the army risking her life from day to day, travelling to the farthest reaches of the universe. It would be a lie to say that she didn't enjoy it. This lifestyle was well-suited to her adventurous spirit. But as much as Mokiki enjoyed her new position, she didn't join the army for thrills. Something completely different was on her mind when she enlisted in the army.
The mysterious jacker grinned with satisfaction allowing herself to fantasize about the opportunities this next mission would provide her.
She was one step closer to her goal.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The transport shuttle rattled as it entered the planet's atmosphere. Mokiki gazed out the window as the landscape zoomed by. It was a mountainous plant complete with towering peaks, broad valleys, and tiny, twisting canyons. Mokiki wished she had her camera.
Due some new military regulation, the spacecraft couldn't land directly at their destination and were forced to fly their shuttle along the planet's jet streams until they received clearance. Estimated arrival time: ten minutes.
As Mokiki took in the view, she began to wonder what they would be up against. Local bandits, perhaps? She did hear that there were pirates in the area. What a pain. Hopefully, it would be something minor such as invasion protestor or better yet, nothing at all.
"Sure would be nice to get off easy, for once." Mokiki thought. The last few missions had ended with laser bullets, explosions, or both. It wasn't likely, but the jacker couldn't help but think of the worst case scenario: Vipers. Like any self-respecting Keronian, Mokiki couldn't stand Vipers. The great purple menace, also known as the Viper fleet, had been causing a stir lately. None were sure what was going on, but it couldn't be anything good. Mokiki found herself scowling once again as she thought about Keron's long- time rival, but then a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"If you keep making that face, it will stick; that would be a darn shame since you're so pretty and all." Said a smooth voice.
Mokiki whirled around to see who was talking to her. Kododo nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Uh… er… I-I mean…" the soldier stuttered, all smoothness vanishing from his voice. His eyes shifted anxiously as he tried to keep Mokiki's jacker cables in view in case he needed to dodge.
"The kid's got guts talking to me after the stunt he pulled." Mokiki thought while glaring at the young soldier. "That, or just plain stupid."
"L-look. I think we kinda got off on the wrong foot." Kododo tried to keep his voice even, but nervousness got the better of him. "Um, a-about before. Well, I guess I was being really bold, huh? And, um, I'm really sorry if I offended you."
Mokiki blinked. "He's… apologizing?" the jacker thought slightly dumbfounded. Kododo looked at her expectantly, anxiously awaiting an answer. Mokiki turned to him and looked him in the eye. Kododo flinched and prepared to either duck or run if Mokiki got hostile. "You really mean that?" the jacker inquired. "Uh, y-yes? I-I mean, yes, I am truly very sorry." Kododo answered his confidence slowly returning.
Men have tried to lie to her before, so Mokiki knew what it looked like, but Kododo's apology was completely sincere. She could tell by the way he looked her in the eye. "Great." Mokiki thought, "Now, I feel like a big jerk." Kododo wasn't really the creep she thought he was. She had completely misread his intentions. Hopefully, it wasn't too late to start over.
"Apology accepted." Mokiki said giving the nervous soldier a friendly smile.
Kododo visibly relaxed and sighed in relief. Mokiki giggled. Now that she thought about it, Kododo might just be a really awkward person who meant no harm. "I owe you an apology, as well." Said the jacker. "I shouldn't have judged you so harshly. You were just trying to be friendly, right?"
Kododo nodded fervently. "Yeah. I just saw you sitting over there by yourself and thought you might like some company. I went a little overboard didn't I?"
"Just a little." Mokiki replied. "Anyway, sorry for being such a jerk about it. You're right; being the only girl is tough. I got a little cranky about it and took it out on you. Let me start over, kay?"
"Alright, sure!" Kododo agreed. He looked the happiest Mokiki had seen him yet. "My name's Mokiki, by the way." The jacker informed the excited soldier.
"Mokiki? Wow, even your name is pretty. Heh heh." The soldier paled as he realized what he said and immediately tried to correct it. "Ah! I-I didn't mean it like that! Y-your name isn't pretty! Agh! I-I mean, um, it is but isn't! I—"
"Alright! Chill out, kid. You're gonna hurt yourself." Mokiki chuckled. "I appreciate the compliment."
"S-sorry." Kododo said rubbing the back of his head nervously. "It's just; I don't want to leave any bad feelings between us. That's why I came over to apologize."
"Oh, really?" the jacker smiled. "In that case, you're a lot like me. You see, I have a kind of policy that I like to live by: if you take, you have to give back. I don't believe in owing people anything, so I make it a priority to pay my debts. It works the other my around too. If someone kind, I repay that kindness. If someone is cruel, they pay in full." Mokiki explained. She was very serious when she dealt with this topic. "It's these kind of trade-offs that make the universe go round, right?"
"Wow. That's deep," Kododo said, "but it makes sense."
"Yup." Mokiki nodded. "That's why I'm glad that you came over to apologize. I never would have known that I have wronged you otherwise. I'll make it up to you; I promise."
"Aww." Kododo blushed a little. "Can't we just be friend?"
Mokiki smiled. "Sure thing, buddy!"
"Cool! That makes us even." Kododo beamed.
Mokiki laughed. Friends, huh? Now that she thought about it, she hadn't really talked to anyone since joining the army. She was so focused on reaching her goal; everything else just got brushed to the side. Not to mention the fact that no one was brave enough to talk to her until now. Her mother always told her that she had an intimidating presence; the jacker hadn't believed her until now. Mokiki finally realized just how lonely she had been.
"So," Mokiki said, eager to make small talk with her new friend, "what's a little pipsqueak like you doing in the army?"
"Heh. Oh yeah, about that," that young soldier began his face turning deeper shade of magenta, "well, it's a bet silly."
"Try me."
"Well, back home I was looking for a girlfriend, but had no luck because nobody was interested. They all considered me as 'adorable' rather than 'attractive', but I heard that chicks dig a military man. So was hoping that when I go home, I can be, you know- stronger, tougher—people won't treat me like a little kid anymore. And, maybe… I don't know… maybe find my dream girl?" Kododo was blushing as he confessed his reason for joining the army. Mokiki listened with her mouth slightly agape
"So you joined the army because of love?" the jacker asked dumbfoundly.
"Well, yeah. I guess you can say that." The soldier replied nervously.
Mokiki smiled broadly and punched the young frog playfully on the shoulder. "You and I have more in common than you think." The jacker said cheerfully. "I like you, cassanova. No wonder you got so excited when you saw me."
"Y-Yeah." The soldier agreed. "To meet such a beautiful girl on my first mission; I thought my luck was finally turning around."
Mokiki laughed. "Well sorry to break it to ya, short stuff, but you're not really my type."
"Heh heh. I kinda figured that out already." Kododo chuckled nervously.
"But, hey." Mokiki looked over to her friend. "For the record, I think the way you came to apologize even after I threatened you was pretty tough, manly even." She said in complete honesty.
"You really think so?" Kododo asked his eyes sparkling.
"Yup." Mokiki nodded. 'He really is cute.' The jacker thought to herself, 'but his real charm comes from within.'
"You'll find your dream girl, Kododo, no prob—"
Mokiki left her sentence hanging when a bright flash of light from outside the window distracted her. An unidentified object seemed to be hurtling towards the shuttle at high speed. Mokiki's breath caught in her throat and her blood ran cold as realization struck her.
"GET DOWN!" she shrieked just before a heat-seeking missile slammed into the side of the spacecraft. The vessel shook violently as wind rushed in through the newly created gash in the ship's hull. The shouts of panicked soldiers clamored above the howl of rushing air and emergency sirens chorused their distress.
"What on Keron was th—"Kododo asked in a shaky voice just as another missile struck the shuttle.
The ship began losing altitude, it's decrepit engines not able to cope with multiple impacts. "We're going down!" the pilot shouted as he struggled with the control panel. "Emergency landing protocol! Everyone grab onto something!"
Butterflies fluttered in Mokiki's stomach as she felt the ship beginning to drop from the sky. Mokiki clung to the metal bench beside her and braced herself for impact. Kododo had flung his arms around her waist. The jacker could feel him shaking in terror as he clung to her. His eyes were squeezed shut as he whispered little prayers.
"Brace yourselves!" the pilot shouted "Impact in 3… 2… 1…"
*CRASH!*
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The battered spacecraft skidded to a stop leaving a long deep furrow in the rocky prairie. A foul mixture of smoke and dust clouded the air while bits of metallic debris covered the ground. No help came from the planet's inhabitants. The barren valley was uninhabited.
The soldiers who were unharmed in the crash wasted no time hauling the injured comrades out of the wreck. Whatever remained of the faithful, old shuttle was soon engulfed in flames. Who had survived and who had perished had yet to be confirmed.
Mokiki sat up slowly. Groaning painfully, she rubbed the aching spot on the back of her head. The jacker had been flung out of the shuttle upon impact bringing Kododo along with her. Mokiki looked around for her magenta friend and saw him lying face down on the ground a couple meters away. She sighed in relief when she saw him stir, straining to peel himself off the ground.
Mokiki struggled to her feet and started inspecting herself for injuries. Urgent shouts echoed across the uneven valley as the soldiers tried to pull themselves together. From the looks of things, not many of the shuttle's passengers were injured, and thankfully, none dead. As for the unit's jacker, she escaped with only a painful bump on the back of her head. Besides the fact that she was just in a fiery shuttle crash, Mokiki's luck was holding up pretty good, but events were about to take a terrifying turn for the worse.
Birds squawked in alarm and took to the skies in a panicked rush. A low rumble penetrated the still air. Puddles from a recent rainstorm began to ripple Jurassic Park-style. A loud roar resonated from the nearest hilltop. Mokiki ground her teeth together as she recognized Keron's adversary.
A squadron of Vipers stampeded down the rocky hillside; their battle cry made the air itself tremble. The reptilian legion charged forward raining laser fire down on the Keronians.
The startled soldiers scrambled for cover, the confusion from the crash had left them very much exposed. Mokiki grabbed Kododo and yanked him behind a cluster of boulders mere seconds before a shower of laser bullets tore up the ground he had been standing on.
The two Keronians hunched behind their earthen barricade listening to the deadly projectiles glance off the rocks. Poor Kododo was quaking in fear, his hands over his head and eyes his eyes wide. "Vipers?!" he exclaimed, his voice squeaking in terror. "What are they doing here?!"
Mokiki shared her friend's confusion. There had been multiple pirate sightings in the area, however, there had been no Viper squadrons reported within a 4-quadrant radius. The Keron Army kept tabs on their adversary's movements so that their forces would be prepared in case of an encounter. Nobody expected this.
By now, the soldiers of Keron had recovered from the surprise attack and were returning fire—the exchange of lasers and bullets a dazzling but deadly display.
Mokiki tried in vain to summon a gun via super-space. An officer had run her through the basics of dimensional transfer, but she had neglected to practice and instead focused her attention on her jacker abilities. Which, at the moment, weren't doing her any good.
Kododo, on the other hand, had managed to summon a small assault rifle and had joined his fellow soldiers in their attack. Mokiki made herself useful by gripping the younger frog's shoulders; otherwise the weapon's kickback would send him flying. A bullet whizzed by, dangerously close to her ear.
The battling races had reached a stalemate. Gunfire continued to echo across the valley with neither party gaining ground.
"This actually isn't so bad!" Kododo shouted over the roar of combat, his Keronian warrior instincts beginning to overpower his fear. Mokiki couldn't help but smile. "You shouldn't say things like that! That's when everything gets worse!"
Then things got worse.
A high-pitched whistle trilled above the raging battle. Fire and metal struck the earth in a deafening crash. A geyser of dirt and flames erupted on impact, sending the nearest Keronians flying. Similar explosions penetrated Keron's defensive line searing ground, gun, and flesh.
Mokiki's ears rang as another missile struck a boulder to her right. The shockwave sent her tumbling from her hiding place. Kododo was sent flying after her, his gun knocked from his grip. The jacker tasted earth and blood as her jaw hit the ground. "What on Keron?!" she thought franticly as she scrambled for more cover.
An earsplitting screech split the atmosphere, forcing all the Keronians to their knees. The horrid sound was deafening yet vaguely familiar. It took Mokiki a second to realize it was laughter.
A giant figure stood at the peak of the opposite hill. Mokiki's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. A 30-foot tall, metal Viper towered above the battlefield casting a massive shadow across the gorge. The giant construct resembled a regular-sized Viper in every way- from its huge arm-cannon to its oversized, red jumpsuit. It was even painted purple, but the job was hastily completed. A fact made obvious by the patches of gleaming gray, the only indication that the Viper was actually a massive machine. The purple mecha threw back his head and guffawed just like a real Viper; the pitch of its laughter nearly broke the sound barrier. Mecha-Viper's dwarfish counterparts soon joined him. The volume of maniacal laughter and bombshell explosions forced the Keronians to cover their ears.
"Me and my big mouth." Kododo whimpered. Normally Mokiki would tell him it wasn't his fault, but she was not in the consoling mood. The jacker's mind was focused elsewhere.
Mokiki bolted from her hiding place leaving Kododo behind to scramble for his missing gun. He called after her, but she pretended not to hear. She hated to abandon him on the battlefield like this, but her mission was now clear. She had to disarm the mecha.
Mokiki sprinted across the battlefield towards her massive target. All around her the conditions on the battlefield had gone from bad to worse. Many of her comrades now lay motionless on the ground, slumped against boulders, or otherwise blown to pieces by Mecha-Viper's missiles. Everyone else was engaged in mortal combat, either hand-to-hand or by exchanging gunfire. The remaining Keronians had divided themselves into groups of five each one taking on a single Viper.
The jacker continued sprinting through the chaos, ignoring the cannon and lasers fire that pierced the air around her. She was unarmed, but that didn't stop her. She had no intention of engaging anyone in combat. Her only goal was to reach that mecha.
Five Keronians broke away from the surrounding battle and ran alongside her forming a protective V around the jacker. Having been informed of her special training, the soldiers knew that Mokiki was the only one who could prevent the Viper-Mecha from eliminating each and every one of them. Mokiki swallowed, a look of determination spread across her features, and she ran even faster. Her fellow Keronians were counting on her. She wouldn't let them down.
The explosions intensified the further she went up the hill, closer into the mecha's firing range. Halfway up the steep incline, Mokiki's legs were screaming with exhaustion. She almost screamed for real when her little group was jumped by three Vipers, each of their arm cannons aimed at them.
The soldier in front of her glanced back, looking her in the eyes. He nodded to her and gestured for her to go around. Mokiki nodded back and dashed away without hesitation. The other soldiers had already started firing at the Viper trio. Mokiki ran with her head down. She couldn't look them in the eye—she knew they were dead men. But her whole unit would be dead men if she didn't stop that mecha!
The jacker continued her climb alone. The opposing Vipers were too busy to chase stragglers. "Almost there." Mokiki panted. The top of the rise came into view. The mecha was even more terrifying this close up. Mokiki could hardly see the top from where she was standing, but she doubted she would have to climb that high. Most of the mecha's essential wiring would be in either its chest or torso.
The deadly machine continued to launch missiles down the hillside completely oblivious to the threat directly at its feet.
"Now all I gotta do is—"
*pew! pew!* *BOOM!*
Laser fire and Viper cannon beams showered her from both sides. Mokiki hit the ground as fast as gravity would allow. The deadly projectiles zoomed just above her head singeing the top of her headgear.
"Son of a—" Mokiki spluttered through yet another mouthful of dust. But she never got to finish her sentence since she needed to concentrate on not being pulverized by lasers.
Mokiki tripped and skidded across open ground desperately seeking a place to dive for cover. Two Vipers were firing at her as if she were a target in a shooting gallery; their faces twisted into sick, demented grins.
Cannon fire peppered the ground around the jacker's feet. The surrounding air was heated by the speeding plasma. Mokiki began sustaining burns as the shots brushed her on either side, however, the blasts hadn't hit their mark. Either the Vipers were very poor shots or they were just toying with her – a vicious game of cat and mouse. The second option seemed likely. The helpless jacker had a hard time not screaming in terror.
Mokiki finally found shelter behind a small cluster of rocks not far from the mecha's left foot. The jacker could feel herself trembling as the gunfire ceased. With their prey no longer visible, the Vipers stopped shooting. They slowly approached their quarry, cackling evilly, but Mokiki could barely hear them over the pounding of her own heart.
Ever hear someone say that their life flashed before their eyes? Mokiki was having one of those moments. Those Vipers were coming closer and closer. In a matter of moments, they would corner her in her hiding place and end her. In a brief few seconds, several years worth of thought flashed through Mokiki's mind. A single question in particular was repeated over and over.
What am I doing here?
The jacker began trembling as the gravity of the question struck her. Cold sweat dripped down her face as she began to shiver violently, her teeth chattering loudly.
"Oh frog. What am I doing here?" Mokiki thought in horror. The reality of the risks she took and the danger she was in, was like a harsh slap to the face.
She shouldn't be here! She should be back on Keron for frog's sake! Finishing college, finding a career, starting a family like all the other women her age. Not gallivanting across the galaxy like some starry-eyed idiot! What madness had possessed her when she signed up to join the Keron Army? What insanity compelled her to risk her life in battle when, at this very moment, she could have been comfortable at home, a bright future ahead of her?
Love.
Mokiki stopped trembling when she finally managed to remember. She had a perfectly good reason to be here. She had followed her heart into the heat of battle. Since joining the army, she had struggled and toiled everyday within a goal in mind. A certain person in her heart.
But it wasn't supposed to end like this! Helplessly cowering before impending doom. Before she had a chance to see his face once again.
Mokiki began trembling again. Not with fear, but with rage.
"How dare they?!" the jacker seethed, her anger flaring like an active volcano. How dare they ruin all her hard work? She was finally making progress, now this happens?
It's not supposed to be this way.
"Stupid Vipers." Mokiki hissed. It's all their fault! They're not supposed to be there in the first place. This was supposed to be an easy mission. A mission that was meant to propel her forward, not stop her dead… literally!
Those Vipers were almost upon her. She could hear the crunching of their boots on the brittle ground. Any second, they would spring around her hiding place and gleefully pulverize her to bits. The jacker scowled and drew back her lips allowing all her teeth to show. She let a low growl escape her throat as if she was an infuriated beast. She heard the Vipers snicker, amused by their prey's antics.
"Laugh while you can, you filthy purple vermin!" Mokiki thought angrily. "If I'm going down, I'm taking a least one of you down with me!"
The Vipers turned the corner, poised to strike. Mokiki was ready. Red sparks flew from each of her wires as she prepared to fling herself at the closest Viper. Ready to fight the death, the jacker opened her mouth to let out a battle roar only to discover someone else was already roaring.
Confused, the Vipers turned to find the source of the unexpected noise. One was instantly flung backward by a sudden impact. The second Viper uttered a brief cry of shock before having to defend against a shower of fiery plasma.
Mokiki blinked twice. Once again, she had a hard time believing what she was seeing.
Kododo was sprinting up the hillside screaming like a maniac. On his shoulder, the biggest, baddest looking gun Mokiki had ever seen. He was firing as he ran, unleashing torrents of laser bullets from the gun's oversized barrel. A few more rounds and second Viper was sent hurtling back landing on top of his partner. It was the coolest thing Mokiki had ever seen – especially since it saved her life.
Kododo finally made it to the top. Besides a few cuts, bruises and an obvious side-cramp, the soldier was unharmed. His crazed screams were replaced by sporadic wheezing as he tried to catch his breath. How Kododo managed to make it up here without being blown to bits, she had no idea. It was probably just dumb luck.
"S-sorry *huff* I-I'm so *huff* late." The soldier gasped in between breaths. Sweat was pouring down his face leaving little trails in the grime that covered him from head to toe. He was wobbling under the weight of his massive weapon. His eyes, however, gleamed with a fierce light that Mokiki didn't expect to see in such a little guy.
"Idiot." Mokiki smiled. "Ya got here just on time." The soldier gave a weak smile in return along with a little wink.
"Where the heck didja get that?" the jacker gestured to Kododo's oversized weapon.
"Oh, this?" the soldier smiled giving the gun a pat. "Its PLZ-21 laser assault cannon." Kododo explained. "It's a hybrid gun; a bit of a cross between a gatling gun and a bazooka."
The jacker arched an eyebrow. "A gatling-bazooka?"
"It's also self-sustaining!" Kododo added excitedly. "It has its own nuclear core, so no need to reload! This baby is capable of firing 250 laser bullets per minute." The soldier smirked. "It's more commonly known as the 'Pulverizer'."
Mokiki whistled. "How'd ya manage that? I know that our unit wasn't packing that kind of artillery."
"Oh! Heh. Well, about that." Kododo rubbed the back of his head. "It's actually the shuttle's cannon. It was knocked loose in the crash. Some cheapskate decided to mount a handheld model onto the shuttle's prow instead of buying the proper space combat version. When I came across it, the trigger mechanism still worked! It even has a shoulder strap!" the young soldier's face turned serious. "I figured you may need some extra help getting to the mecha. You can stop it, right?" tears swam in his eyes and his voice started to crack. "Everyone down there is going to die!"
"Don't worry, Kododo." Mokiki smirked. "I know how to stop that oversized tin can." Then the jacker heard groaning. The Viper duo was getting back on their feet. The Vipers had think shin so laser blasts never kept them down for long. Mokiki scowled, "And your right. I could definitely use some extra help."
Kododo stepped forward, his finger already on the trigger. "I'll keep them busy. You concentrate on the mecha." The young frog tried his best to look ferocious, but his knocking knees betrayed his true emotions. Mokiki smiled. She knew how to fix that.
"Thanks, Kododo. You're really brave." The jacker leaned forward and smooched the soldier right on the cheek. Kododo stared at her—mouth agape. His legs stopped trembling. "If you're still alive when I get back down here," Mokiki smiled seductively, "I'll give you another kiss."
That did it. The love-struck soldier charged off, firing bullets like a madman—his battle-cry an odd mixture of a joyful shout, a roar of fury, and a squeak of terror. Mokiki could swear that she saw a fiery aura burning passionately around the determined young frog. The jacker chuckled. If you give a man the proper motivation, he can accomplish anything. Those Vipers wouldn't know what hit 'em. She almost felt sorry for them. Almost.
Mokiki took the opportunity to dash off toward the mecha. She hopped onto the construct's giant foot and began to scale its jumpsuit clad leg. The fabric provided decent footholds as she ascended onward and upward. Climbing was no problem for the jacker. When she was a tadpole, her parents would often have her participate in extreme sports such as sky-diving, bungee jumping, and rock climbing. She was grateful for her parent's eccentric tastes in family activities. As a result, she no fear of heights and could climb like a lemur (Thanks Mom and Dad! ;D).
From this height, Mokiki had a pretty clear view of the battlefield bellow. She wished that she hadn't of looked. The valley was reduced to a smoldering crater. The mecha had been ceaselessly launching missiles down the slope—the very same missiles that shot down their shuttle—targeting the Keronians who were stubbornly resisting defeat. Their numbers were dwindling. Through the billowing smoke, Mokiki could recognize the motionless forms of her fallen comrades. Too many to count.
The jacker hissed in fury. It had taken her far too long to get up here. At this point, it was no longer a matter of victory or loss—it was a matter of survival. The Keronians were on the verge of being completely wiped out! Mokiki scowled. Even if the Vipers had bested them in battle, she wasn't about to let them keep their massive death-toy.
From her vantage point, the jacker could see the defiant flashing of the remaining Keronians' pistols. While they lived, surrender was not an option. For their sakes, Mokiki would destroy this thing!
Mokiki managed to get up pretty high; she now clung to one of the mecha's shoulders. The jacker was desperately searching for some kind of access panel, a control board, or even some loose wiring. But there was nothing. Not even a freakin' USB port!
Mokiki pounded her fist in frustration. She heard an odd clanging sound as her fists struck the metal surface. A hollow metallic sound from beneath the crimson fabric covering the machine. "The main circuitry must be under this ridiculous jumpsuit!" the jacker realized. She gripped the fabric tightly – clinging on with one hand, tugging with the other. Mokiki marveled at her preparation skills, or rather, serious lack thereof. She should really carry a knife or something for situations like this!
Finally, the red fabric ripped away, and the jacker found herself staring into a camera lense. A security drone… shoot!
Fast as she could, Mokiki shoved a wire into the drones adapter port and sent torrents of pulsing, red sparks in to the machine's apparatus. The camera's lense blew out with a satisfying 'pop' as the rest of the machine burst into flames. But it was too late.
A screeching alarm was triggered and the mecha began to swaying. Mokiki squeaked as she was swung back and forth; she clutched the machine in an unbreakable death-grip. The mecha was alerted to her presence.
The machine stopped shooting missiles and began to buck violently. (Well, a least she got it to stop shooting!)
Mecha-Viper continued to convulse and sway, attempting to dislodge the tiny intruder, but Mokiki had locked her hands and knuckles and had thrown away the key. With a twenty-foot drop between her and the ground, there was no way on Keron she was letting go.
When the mecha realized his Keronian 'parasite' wasn't letting go, it decided to change tactics. The machine's swaying motion gradually stopped and the world ceased spinning. Mokiki realized that she had been holding her breath the entire time and started gasping for air. She willed herself not to vomit.
The mecha began slowly reaching its massive hand behind its head aiming for the spot where the jacker was clinging. It's huge digits blotted out the sun as the metallic appendage came swinging towards the jacker, attempting to strike her off his back.
"Oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap…" was all the jacker could think.
It all happened in slow-motion. Having no other choice, Mokiki released her grip and allowed herself to fall, praying that the mecha's fingers would avoid squashing her. Mecha-Viper struck its own shoulder, the sound of metal on metal like a thunderclap.
The jacker managed to avoid the hit; however, the blow generated a gust of wind that altered the path of Mokiki's free fall. The blast of air slammed Mokiki into the giant's torso. She rolled all the way down the construct's thigh before managing to grasp its knee. The fall had the poor girl aching all over, but she held on like moss on a stone. She couldn't risk falling to the ground where she could get stepped on.
Mokiki thought she was seeing stars as shining specks of something flew through her vision. It took her a second to realize that she was actually seeing bits and pieces of metal. Metal was falling from the sky, or rather, Mecha-Vipers shoulder. When the construct struck his own shoulder, it managed to knock some paneling loose, revealing the mass of wires beneath. Bingo.
Mecha-Viper once again swung its hand; this time, it intended to strike its knee. Mokiki was ready this time.
This time, instead of dropping out of its path, the jacker launched herself from her perch and onto the Viper's swinging hand. Mokiki flattened herself to the metal surface, hoping to go unnoticed by the oversized machine. It worked.
The Mecha-Viper lost track of its undersized prey. The machine's eyes sparked with a look that could only be interpreted as surprise. Unable to comprehend how its victim could so suddenly vanish, the mecha raised his hand to scratch its head in confusion, just like its organic counterparts would have done. Mokiki had counted on this.
"You can change the size and material, but when all is said and done, Vipers are just dim." The jacker thought gleefully. The very second Viper-Mecha's fingers contacted his titanium cranium (=D), Mokiki leaped from the back of the mecha's hand onto its shoulder. The jacker did her best to ignore the horrid screeching sound created when the construct scratched its metal head with its metal fingers.
The jacker made her way over to where the machine innards were exposed. A few wires jutted out from underneath a few shattered iron panels, fully visible because of a huge tear in the jumpsuit. Perfect.
She rushed over, crawling on all fours to insure that she wouldn't fall. The jacker grasped a wire in both hands proceeded to yank the cable apart. The girl strained and grunted for a few seconds before the wire separated with a loud 'snap'.
The mecha must have felt that. Mecha-Viper turned his head towards its damaged shoulder and spotted the elusive jacker once again. Enormous yellow eyes glared at the girl. Surprisingly expressive eyes for a machine. Filled with malice and hate. Unafraid, Mokiki glared back, a mischievous glint in her eyes; the mecha's own severed wire in one hand, and her jacker cables in the other.
Mecha-Viper drew back its arm, preparing to once again attempt smashing the jacker, but it was far too late. It just didn't know it yet.
It was time to end this.
Mokiki connected her cable to the vulnerable wire. A frenzy of yellow sparks buzzed down into the mecha, travelling through the surface cables and into the inner mechanism. The effects were immediate.
The yellow sparks were 'stunner' energy. A powerful pulse that halted all of a mechanism's movement and froze all system functions. Mecha-Viper began to shut down.
Its massive hand was still reaching for Mokiki. The jacker didn't budge. There was no need to move. The jacker's energy was alive—a part of her. The machine was now under her control, with her power raging inside it. The hand stopped mere inches away from her face. Just as she predicted it would.
Mokiki smirked; her power gave her confidence. There was an evil glint in her eye. She could have ended it there, but that wouldn't have been good enough. Not after the way those Vipers made her people suffer. Time for a bit of revenge.
With a devilish grin, Mokiki changed her sparks from yellow to blue. She sent the blazing power down the wire and flooded the construct's system, sealing Mecha-Vipers fate.
Now it was only a matter of time.
Mecha-Viper's knees buckled and the machine began to tilt forward. With the combination of both blue and yellow sparks coursing through its system, the colossus could no longer remain upright.
The battling soldiers below noticed the swaying entity and shouted in alarm. The remaining Keronians broke from their fights and bolted for cover. The remaining Vipers started running up the hill, hoping to find way of saving their mighty weapon. Idiots.
The mecha finally toppled forward and hit the ground with a deafening 'thud'. A few unfortunate Vipers screamed as they were crushed under the weight of their giant, metal comrade.
Mokiki had jumped off the felled machine and landed with a painful 'thwack' on the dusty ground—in a graceless belly-flop style. She hoped nobody saw that.
The jacker rolled onto her back with an agonized groan. The horrified wails of the Vipers, however, distracted her from her pain. Mecha-Viper was skidding down the slope crushing all Vipers in its path. Mokiki smirked. She began the countdown.
3…
Those Vipers thought they would get off this easy? Fools.
2…
If they still thought that they were the superior species after this, there was no hope for them.
1…
Today, the Vipers struck down many of her comrades.
Time to pay them back in full.
*BOOM!*
A concussive blast of wind rushed up the slope leveling everything in its path. The burning air nearly knocked the jacker flat on her butt. An enormous mushroom cloud rose up from the wreckage that was once Mecha-Viper. Shards of metallic debris rained down from a soot-filled sky. It was Mokiki's greatest masterpiece. Simply beautiful.
The jacker stood on the hill admiring her explosive handiwork when she was suddenly glomped from behind. Mokiki let out a girlish squeak thinking someone had attacked behind. She relaxed when she realized she was being embraced by a pair of magenta arms.
"Kododo! Let go! You scared me half ta' death!" the jacker scolded—half infuriated, half embarrassed.
The tiny frog bounced up and down, his weapon still hoisted on his shoulder. "You did it! You did it!" he repeated excitedly. Mokiki smiled. "Not so bad yourself, kid." Kododo gave her a thumbs up. "I took care of those Vipers for ya! No sweat!" He didn't appear to be injured, but he was coated from head to toe in soot. The soldier looked like he could use a nap and a bath. Mokiki felt the same. It's been a long day, but now, it was finally over.
The few remaining Vipers retreated, scattering in different directions. Mokiki watched them flee. Kododo stood beside her, a goofy grin plastered on his face. "So, the danger has passed and we live to fight another day. Is this the part when the hero kisses the girl?"
"Dream on, short stuff." Mokiki laughed. Kododo laughed along with her. It was a feel-good moment. "Although," Mokiki thought to herself, "I do owe him another kiss for earlier." The soldier fought like a champ. He definitely earned it.
"Hey. Kododo." The jacker leaned in close to the young soldier, about to give him his reward, but Kododo was staring at something behind her. Something that had him completely terrified.
A single Viper had ambushed them from behind. One of the Vipers that Kododo had shot down had gotten back up. He fired at the two Keronians which they had their back turned. Or so he thought. Kododo saw him coming. The young soldier shoved Mokiki aside.
"MOKIKI! LOOK OU-!" *BLAM!*
It all happened so fast. Mokiki had a hard time believing it was real.
Kododo fell backwards, a large burn mark on his chest. His gun clattered to the ground. Mokiki caught him as he fell and gently lowered him to the ground. "Kododo! Are you all right? KODODO!" the little frog didn't hear her. He couldn't hear anything anymore. The blast had killed him on impact.
Mokiki stared in disbelief. Her hands began to tremble. She wanted nothing more than for Kododo to open his eyes—than for him to show her that goofy smile, give her that obnoxious, little wink. He was completely still. His face was expressionless; his eyes closed. He appeared as though he could have been sleeping, but he was gone… gone.
"You can't go yet." Mokiki whispered. "I still have to give you something." She leaned down over Kododo's still form and tenderly kissed him on the cheek—fulfilling her promise to him.
A small part of her hoped a miracle would occur. Like in the fairytale's she read as a child, she wished that a kiss would awaken the fallen hero. But this was a small fantasy in a harsh reality.
Mokiki's shoulders began shaking as she started sobbing. Her tears spilled over and splashed onto the little soldier's face. The jacker choked on her words when she gasped out, "Thank you. Kododo."
Harsh laughter yanked her from mourning her fallen comrade and back into the cruel world. She spotted the source of the laughter a few meters away—the retreating form of a Viper foot soldier
"You." Mokiki breathed. Her sorrow slowly evaporated, leaving a dark void within her soul, unlike anything she had ever felt before. And just as quickly as it had been emptied, it was being filled again. Filled with a hate so intense, the pure and shining stars above had to turn away.
Mokiki snarled like a furious beast. She didn't think as she got back on her feet. All reasonable thought had fled from her mind. The jacker snatched up Kododo's weapon. The weight of the gun nearly threw out her shoulder. She couldn't lift it above her waist, so she flung the gun's strap over her shoulder allowing the gun barrel to rest against her hip. The gun was positioned upside-down; the gun's stock jutted upwards so she could still easily reach the trigger.
Weapon at the ready, Mokiki sped off after the fleeing Viper. It had managed to run quite far already. As she ran, Mokiki glanced back at Kododo's body one last time. She didn't know it at the time, but that would be the last time she ever saw the little soldier. She would later regret never having the chance to say good bye, but at the moment, that didn't matter. Right then, all she cared about was catching that Viper.
It wasn't fair!
Why did he have to die? The battle had ended. It was over! Yet that Viper had the audacity to gun down a soldier that he was no longer in combat with? It was a cheap shot! The way Mokiki saw it; Kododo didn't die an honorable soldier's death. He was a victim. Murdered. It could have easily been her, but he took the hit. And now he lay dead on this frog-forsaken plant.
It wasn't fair!
It was a death that needed to be avenged.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Mokiki's wheezing breaths echoes off the walls. She had chased the Viper across the open prairie towards the valley's rocky canyons. The jacker saw him vanish into a narrow gulley. She had followed in pursuit.
The earthen tunnel chilled her to the bone. She was soaked. Many puddles dotted the path. Stumbling under the weight of the gun, she had tripped and fallen several times already; twice she landed face- first in a muddy puddle.
The gun was slowing her down. It bounced against her hip as she ran, bruising her and agitating her burns. But she couldn't cast it aside. It was her only chance of defeating that Viper.
In the darkness ahead, she could barely make out the Viper's retreating silhouette. His footsteps clumped loudly against the stone. The strange markings on its hood stood out in the murky blackness. It was getting away.
"Stop, you coward!" Mokiki shouted down the canyon. "Stop and fight me!" In response, the Viper's signature cackle came echoing down the gulley, mocking the pursuing soldier. He did not slow down.
Mokiki snarled in fury, letting her rage consume her. "So he doesn't want to stop, eh?" the jacker thought bitterly. "He thinks he can just kill my friend and get away with it?!" She reached for her trigger. "He's dead wrong!"
With the slightest squeeze of the trigger, 'Pulverizer' let loose a rapid stream of plasma bullets. The gun's kickback took her by surprise, and she was almost sent tumbling yet again to the canyon floor. However, she managed to stay upright. She couldn't afford to lose any more time.
The lasers zipped down the canyon, decimating everything in its path. Pieces of the earthen walls crumpled and crashed to the floor. Everything began to shake and tremble. Great clouds of dust flew into the air, limiting visibility; but Mokiki ran right through them, not caring about the danger. If she was having a hard time, then so was the Viper.
Mokiki left a trail of destruction behind her as she continued her pursuit. She was constantly firing bullets ahead of her, making escape as difficult as possible for the Viper. Slowly but surely, the jacker was catching up to the purple scoundrel.
The gulley suddenly widened into a small chamber. The sudden change in terrain momentarily confused the Viper, giving Mokiki the opportunity to strike.
The Viper spotted the exit and rushed toward it, but Mokiki saw it first. She fired at the wall above the craggy opening, sealing off the route of escape and forcing the Viper to stop.
Mokiki stood by the entrance, blocking the way out. She stopped firing and stood panting, staring at the Viper, trying to collect herself. The Viper stared back; its reptilian tongue flicked in and out. An intense silence engulfed the gorge for a few moments. Viper, of course, was the first to break the silence.
"You're a persistent little devil." He sneered. "Are you that eager for death?"
"Are you?" the jacker retorted. "Do you realize what you've done?!"
"You'll have to be more specific." The Viper cackled.
"You shot at me when my back was turned! My partner took the hit for me! Because of you, some poor girl will never meet her prince charming!" Mokiki's voice was the very definition of rage. "Then you have the gall to just run away?! Coward! How dare you?!"
"What are you prattling about?" Viper smirked. "'How dare I?' You two frogs were dumb enough to have your backs turned! Of course I shot at you! What did you expect! Bwa ha ha!"
"The battle was over!" Mokiki yelled. "We weren't shooting at you anymore!"
"So?" the Viper answered "Bwa ha ha! You think there are rules in war? Grow up! Or just stick to fighting on the playground!"
"If that's what you think, then yo—"
*BLAM!*
The Viper shot at her before she could finish her sentence. Mokiki barely had time to duck. "Stupid." She scolded herself. "Trying to reason with a Viper? I should have shot first."
Mokiki returned fire. The dim chamber was lit up by laser fire. The bullets ricocheted off the walls of the tiny gulley. Mokiki dived for cover. Deadly beams of light whizzed by, barely missing.
The chamber was soon in shambles. The suffocating clouds of dust weren't improving her aim, which was very poor in the first place. The jacker could count the times she ever handled a gun on one hand, let alone one of this size.
She heard the Viper laugh. Mokiki lost sight of him during the chaos. He had hidden himself somewhere in the chamber. The Viper started to mock her. "Who taught you how to shoot? Your little friend? No wonder he died so easily! Bwa ha ha ha!" The Viper cackled loudly, his voice echoing across the chamber.
"Don't you dare talk about him! I'LL KILL YOU!" the furious jacker lunged toward the hideous laughter. It was coming from behind a boulder across the gulley. Mokiki rounded the obstruction and unleashed a deadly shower of plasma. Nothing was there. She had followed an echo. The Viper had counted on that.
The Viper attacked her from behind, firing a single cannon blast. Mokiki didn't have the strength to swing her gun around to respond to the sudden attack. All she could do was raise her gun as a shield in defense against the blast. It was the dumbest thing she had ever done.
Mokiki successfully blocked the shot, but the energy was absorbed by the gun's barrel, the part that housed the weapon's nuclear core. The blast interfered with the carefully balanced reaction; the gun's power source quickly grew unstable.
The weapon smoked and burned as the power spiraled out of control. It was too late before Mokiki realized what was happening. She tossed the gun aside, hoping to avoid what followed. It was much too late.
*KA-BOOM!*
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The last thing Mokiki remembered seeing was a flash of blinding light. She also remembered being hurled through the air and slamming into the canyon wall. After that, pain like nothing she had ever felt had ever felt before. Agony enveloped her and stole away her senses. She didn't even feel herself hit the canyon floor.
Her ears rang, and world was muted. She could hear the Viper mocking her and her race, but sound was muffled as if he were speaking into a pillow.
Everything was fading away—the canyon, the Viper, the pain. All that remained was a nagging voice in the back of her head.
'Moron!' the voice shouted. 'Completely stupid. You went chasing after a Viper by yourself? You expected to win? Completely dense! You risk your life to avenge the death of a person you barely knew?! Were you too proud to accept that you were completely out of your league?!
"I know…" Mokiki responded sadly. "I shouldn't have followed him down here…"
"Don't realize that you'll probably never see him again?" the voice continued. "The one that you love?"
"But… he killed my friend… I had to try!"
"…."
Despite the seriousness of the situation, it was sort of remarkable that was arguing with herself inside her own head. The jacker presumed she was having a moment of self-revelation, probably because she was dying.
Mokiki was scared. She couldn't see, hear, or feel anything outside her own mind. Now even the voice she had argued with had fallen silent. Everything was slowly slipping away. She was dying. It was the only possible explanation.
"Oh, frog." Mokiki thought. "I really am never going to see him again, am I?"
Mokiki tried desperately to think of a way out of this mess. She had to see him again, that was the sole reason why she was there in the first place!"
She began to franticly call his name. The jacker tried over and over, tried to raise her voice loud enough to be heard across the galaxy. Little did she know that beyond her subconscious, she managed to say his name. Just a whisper. Just enough to be heard out loud.
Mokiki wanted him to come and carry her away from this nightmare. To pick her up in his arms and take her to a place where they could be together.
Was it just her imagination, or was she being lifted? Mokiki could feel someone put their arms around her and lift her from the canyon floor.
No… If couldn't be! Did he really hear her voice? Did he really come to rescue her. Whoever it was, he was holding her close. She felt less afraid.
Yes. It had to be him! Who else could make her feel so safe.
She tried to open her eyes, to see if he was real. But she couldn't.
This is the part when she always woke up.
How'd I do? You like? I'll get the next chapter out as soon as I can. It's not going to be as long as this one so it should be out faster, so yay! Happy New Year and see you next time!