----- Chapter 22 : The Ghost and the Darkness ------
Kireek bore down on Ash's crouched form, he seemed to be taking no action. With a final burst of acceleration at the end Kireek swung low fully intending to try and cut him in half. Ash sprung into the air with a reaction speed that impressed Kireek, his blade finding only empty space.
Mid-air Ash twisted to face the earthbound android below and fired off his tentacles in retaliation. Kireek leapt backwards in time to see them arc down and impact into the floor plating, each one sufficiently strong enough to punch a crater there. Ash retracted them again before landing softly at the opposite end of the room.
"Most impressive. Killing you will be very satisfying to me."
Once more Kireek closed in on Ash, this time his pace more measured. He had now seen first-hand what Ash was capable of and had no wish to incur a hefty repair bill afterwards. Ash made the first move, launching a tentacle, Kireek parrying it effortlessly with the scythe's handle before launching an attack of his own.
It soon became clear that there was a stalemate here. Ash kept dodging, forever remaining just outside Kireek's reach. Kireek in turn stood his ground as Ash danced around him, deflecting Ash's counter-attacks. Then Ash made a sudden jump upwards and disappeared among the network of pipes running overhead.
"Keep still! You are only prolonging your death!" Kireek called out after him.
The interweaving pipes plus steam afforded Ash the perfect hiding place from which to launch an ambush. Kireek made note that the next time he was 'hunting' in the Ruins to try it out. As it was, tracking Ash was troublesome enough.
The biological changes he was undergoing rendered his body temperature no more than one or two degrees above ambient, the steam not aiding thermal vision. He also moved relatively silently, again the environment in this case the mechanical din working against Kireek. Kireek's enhancements above those of even standard military androids included multiple vision modes and the best chassis blood money could buy.
If someone had suggested to Kireek that there was an organic deemed his equal in combat he would have laughed in their face, then ripped it off. Now he conceded that Ash might be that equal, but definitely not his superior.
"Get down here!" Kireek shouted impatiently.
He had barely uttered those words when Ash dropped on to him from above. Kireek reacted at lightning speed, moving his scythe upward in a devastating uppercut. Ash was unable to avoid the attack, his left arm tumbling to the ground separated with almost surgical precision at the shoulder.
Despite the seriousness of the injury, Ash neither looked at it nor expressed any pain at the loss, dark burgundy blood oozing very slowly from the wound. Indeed, other than the slight loss of balance he was completely unfazed by it and proceeded to flail at the android close range with his many 'limbs'. Kireek did his utmost to block the flurry of attacks, many of them glancing blows but still powerful enough to make him glad of the protection of his Laconium alloy plating.
Ash increased the pressure forcing Kireek on the defensive, one strike lucky enough to disarm him. Kireek stepped into Ash and clasped his right shoulder while throwing punches at him. The android expressed surprise at how solid Ash felt, like he no longer had bones, each hit absorbed like it was nothing.
The close proximity of the two meant that Ash's tentacles were totally ineffective till he started bringing them round in large circles to slam into Kireek's back. Kireek would have been more worried if he had been programmed for such a thing but he knew well enough that he could not endure this level of punishment for much longer before he would suffer injury. His fears proved correct when one tentacle successfully penetrated a joint on his lower back.
Damage detected. Lower torso mobility reduced 40%.
Kireek grabbed Ash's chin with his right hand and began to force it back while trying to ignore the pounding he was receiving. Ash started gurgling and resisted the motion, Kireek once more marvelled at Ash's seemingly limitless strength, but it was not to be. A flick of his wrist and he sharply twisted Ash's head to one side. There was an audible crack, Ash spasmed a couple of times then finally went limp.
"How was it for you?" Kireek Asked.
Kireek bore down on Ash's crouched form, he seemed to be taking no action. With a final burst of acceleration at the end Kireek swung low fully intending to try and cut him in half. Ash sprung into the air with a reaction speed that impressed Kireek, his blade finding only empty space.
Mid-air Ash twisted to face the earthbound android below and fired off his tentacles in retaliation. Kireek leapt backwards in time to see them arc down and impact into the floor plating, each one sufficiently strong enough to punch a crater there. Ash retracted them again before landing softly at the opposite end of the room.
"Most impressive. Killing you will be very satisfying to me."
Once more Kireek closed in on Ash, this time his pace more measured. He had now seen first-hand what Ash was capable of and had no wish to incur a hefty repair bill afterwards. Ash made the first move, launching a tentacle, Kireek parrying it effortlessly with the scythe's handle before launching an attack of his own.
It soon became clear that there was a stalemate here. Ash kept dodging, forever remaining just outside Kireek's reach. Kireek in turn stood his ground as Ash danced around him, deflecting Ash's counter-attacks. Then Ash made a sudden jump upwards and disappeared among the network of pipes running overhead.
"Keep still! You are only prolonging your death!" Kireek called out after him.
The interweaving pipes plus steam afforded Ash the perfect hiding place from which to launch an ambush. Kireek made note that the next time he was 'hunting' in the Ruins to try it out. As it was, tracking Ash was troublesome enough.
The biological changes he was undergoing rendered his body temperature no more than one or two degrees above ambient, the steam not aiding thermal vision. He also moved relatively silently, again the environment in this case the mechanical din working against Kireek. Kireek's enhancements above those of even standard military androids included multiple vision modes and the best chassis blood money could buy.
If someone had suggested to Kireek that there was an organic deemed his equal in combat he would have laughed in their face, then ripped it off. Now he conceded that Ash might be that equal, but definitely not his superior.
"Get down here!" Kireek shouted impatiently.
He had barely uttered those words when Ash dropped on to him from above. Kireek reacted at lightning speed, moving his scythe upward in a devastating uppercut. Ash was unable to avoid the attack, his left arm tumbling to the ground separated with almost surgical precision at the shoulder.
Despite the seriousness of the injury, Ash neither looked at it nor expressed any pain at the loss, dark burgundy blood oozing very slowly from the wound. Indeed, other than the slight loss of balance he was completely unfazed by it and proceeded to flail at the android close range with his many 'limbs'. Kireek did his utmost to block the flurry of attacks, many of them glancing blows but still powerful enough to make him glad of the protection of his Laconium alloy plating.
Ash increased the pressure forcing Kireek on the defensive, one strike lucky enough to disarm him. Kireek stepped into Ash and clasped his right shoulder while throwing punches at him. The android expressed surprise at how solid Ash felt, like he no longer had bones, each hit absorbed like it was nothing.
The close proximity of the two meant that Ash's tentacles were totally ineffective till he started bringing them round in large circles to slam into Kireek's back. Kireek would have been more worried if he had been programmed for such a thing but he knew well enough that he could not endure this level of punishment for much longer before he would suffer injury. His fears proved correct when one tentacle successfully penetrated a joint on his lower back.
Damage detected. Lower torso mobility reduced 40%.
Kireek grabbed Ash's chin with his right hand and began to force it back while trying to ignore the pounding he was receiving. Ash started gurgling and resisted the motion, Kireek once more marvelled at Ash's seemingly limitless strength, but it was not to be. A flick of his wrist and he sharply twisted Ash's head to one side. There was an audible crack, Ash spasmed a couple of times then finally went limp.
"How was it for you?" Kireek Asked.