CHAPTER 1
The
moon in the night sky was full, but through the dark clouds it is only a blurry
circle of light. Still, enough light fell on the Washington landscape to light
up the fresh unbroken snow. It was a scene of serene beauty covering the
scorched earth and broken old world. It was also the most dangerous time to
travel. The heat signature of a figure against the snow would attract the
machines like flies to a heap of dung. The light was more than enough to make
image enhancement easy. Some one would have to have a death wish to be out on
night like this.
A
motor screamed as a single person all terrain vehicle loaded with weapons and a
lone, cloaked rider with a death wish tore through the snow. Behind him in hot
pursuit, two flying Hunter Killers give chase. Their 200-Watt phase plasma
cannons barked at their traitorous machine cousin and its living cargo. The
Earth around the ATV exploded as each hill and bump nearly threw the rider. In
the distance a large Hunter Killer tank broke from its location and began to
move to intercept the lunatic life form who would dare challenge their rule of
the Earth so blatantly. As the ATV approached a particularly steep bluff one of
the flying HK's came close enough to its mark. Rider and machine were separated
and launched by momentum over the edge of the gradient, and out of the machines
line of site. One Flying HK came in low and spun around to scan the area where
the rider went down as the other went high and hovered slowly toward the HK
tank on its way to the same location. All three generating and transmitting
data streams that their god, SkyNET combined and processed to help them
understand.
Lights
cut the darkness. The low flying HK targeted on the still hot engine of the ATV
now lying on its side half stuck out of a snowdrift. From under a quickly open
reflective tarp used to mask heat signatures, out of the darkness on the ground
near the ATV, three beams of solid light traced into the distance, hitting the
engine of the high flying HK. It spun helplessly out of control and careened
hopelessly into the HK Tank! Both machines burst into flames as the low flying
HK pulled up, spinning to find the source of the fire that killed its brethren.
Orders came across the network and the snow in the area came to life as four
Terminator who laid dormant now rose like they were spawned from the teeth of a
dragon. The reflective cover was tossed aside as it was now more of a liability
than an asset. The cloaked figure, now visible, was also holding a 200-Watt
phase plasma cannon, modified to be portable. The HK sensors sent the rough
image to SkyNET. For a microsecond there was confusion. No half-staved human
could hoist the several hundred pound weight of a 200-Watt cannon. Three more
blasts darkened the HK's sensor stream before SkyNET could decide the
appropriate reaction.
The
four Terminators began to drudge through the snow toward the lone biological.
Only one of the Terminators was armed. These were infiltration units. They
served their purpose and survived, but their human camouflage was too badly
damaged to continue as infiltrators, so they were shut down and left as
maneuverable land mines. The one that was armed still had half of its skin,
although it was now blue, frozen and rotting. A final blare from the 200 Watt
cannon dispatched the blue cadaver with weapon. The three remaining units
closed on the cloaked figure that moved just as quickly toward them. The
cannon's charge now gone, it spent its final moments as crude 275 pound club,
sending one Terminator flying into the dark before it shattered into useless
debris. The cloaked form turned toward the two endoskeletons and leaped into
the air landing a roundhouse kick squarely into the head of one and a front
kick to the chest of the other at the same time. One stumbled back off balance
while the one hit in the head now has its head on backwards. The third that was
sent into darkness now leaped back out to apprehend its target. A swift turn of
the cloaked figure's torso landed a punch directly to the skull of the
third Terminator and a startling metal clang rang out through the darkness. On
the gloved hand of the figure was now revealed an armored gauntlet reminiscent
of medieval armor. The Terminator faltered and one red eye flickered out as a
flash of light revealed a gauntlet shaped dent in its skull. Another high side
kick separates the skull from the rest of the unit, a sharp metal ring echoing
through the dark. Before the endoskeleton could fall, the cloaked figure hoisted
it into the air and at the other two. As all three sprawled on the
ground… the cloak fliped back toward the ATV, landing straddled against
the seat with enough force to straighten the unit into the upright position.
Almost with the same motion, a container opened with a light shining from its
interior. The ATV rider threw it at the three Terminators struggling back to
their feet as he peeled off into the night. The explosion sent dirt and
shrapnel in all directions.
SkyNET:Node/7FFF: 0 units available. Telemetry down. Upgrade priority on Washington State. Possible Manticore target. Deploy infiltrators.