Did pretty well in one of my test papers.Decided to reward myself
and the Unreal fans with another chapter! Enjoy! Read and review
please! : )
CHAPTER 20: GHOSTS FROM THE PAST
Even from within the secured helmet he wore, he could still hear the deafening roar outside. His metallic boots newly shined and painted, Edmund, together with his four other team members, stepped up to the teleportation platform. Steven waved his hand excitedly and threw flying kisses at the ladies who were screaming for his autograph. Edmund thought he saw a few faint. Aaron and Rita were also waving at their fans. A slight commotion at the far left of the stadium made him glance there. A huge group of about a few hundred women was waving banners that read 'We love you Edmund!' Edmund could not help but smile a little. The Truthsayers had come so far in the tournaments. He could get used to this.
The announcer's voice rang out loudly, trying to match the roar of the crowd. "The stadium is full today ladies and gentlemen, but more are trying to push their way in as the highly anticipated match will commence shortly! The Truthsayers, will be taking part in the Invasion!" The cheering of the crowd reached to a feverish level.
"Incredibly difficult, the Invasion, which only the elite can take part in for the sheer difficulty of the match, will be attempted by Edmund and his team, with a target of five waves!!"
The entire stadium virtually erupted when they were told that their idol would be attempting to defeat Malcolm's and Xan Kriegor's record.
"For those who do not know what the Invasion match is, the Truthsayers would be sent to a very defensible position to repel a maximum of four waves of monsters, with each wave getting more NUMEROUS and POWERFUL! At least on member must survive a wave for the whole team to be respawned and proceed to the next wave! And now, ladies and gentlemen, the random map generator is running...." The was a sudden silence of anticipation from the audience. Even the Truthsayers were silent as they listened for their destination. "...the place where this match will happen is...the city of ALPHA OMEGA!!"
The crowd roared and cheered again. Edmund could not believe he was hearing. Steven's voice came over the communication link. "Hah, that doesn't sound so bad." He laughed. Rita and Aaron agreed. Edmund fought to keep himself from shaking. Sud was furious. "The bastards! It's a bloody set up! They know!" Rita, Steven and Aaron immediately asked Sud what was going on. Edmund's mind was already recollecting the event that had ruined his career...Voices from the past returned to him...
Case IA 260787. Edmund Ross. You and your team of marines are accused of insubordination. On the third of January, you and your men were ordered to protect the civilians at the monorail station in the city Alpha Omega...
"George! Behind you!"
"Aaarrrggghhhh..."
"Man down, man down-"
"Frag him! Frag that bastard!"
"More Izarians coming down Path B and C. They don't look too happy."
"Shoot at those bastards at Path B and try to slow them down for god's sake!"
"Oh god. I'm shooting, I'm shooting sir, but they ain't stopping!"
"Captain! Help meeeeeee!"
Captain...captain...
"CAPTAIN!" Rita's sharp voice snapped him out of his reverie. She was shaking him roughly, her two hands gripping both his shoulders. "Captain...It's allright..." Only then did Edmund realized there were silent tears streaming down his cheeks. Sud's voice rang in his head. "Leave him Rita, the bastard's feeling guilty. Eh, Captain?" Rita turned to him, fist clenched. Edmund's own shot out and caught her wrist. He shook his head, then nodded to the roaring fans. Rita let out an acquiescent sigh.
"...and here come the Teleporters ladies and gentlemen. Lay down your bets...!"
Edmund steadied himself.
"AND THERE THEY GO!!!!"
The warping field surrounded him with a nimbus of light. All of sudden, Edmund found himself lost in a empty darkness with a familiar presence in his mind. The only difference was, Edmund was no longer afraid.
Edmund...
"I hear you High Templar."
A matter of grave importance has come to my attention. The Kulgans have arrived and are currently hiding in the shadow of your planet's moon. They have arrived with a great fleet. Bigger than any I have ever seen.
"What? Already?"
Yes. They are here. They now await for the tournament finals to be over and then they'll send their five of their best champions to battle you. I cannot stress how important it is now, that you emerge as champion in the tournaments, and ultimately defeat the Kulgans. If you fail to succeed, it would spell the end for your entire race.
"Why don't we just warn the New Earth Government? The NEGs, the Axons, the Izanagi, the Liandri, surely they would be enough to send the Kulgans packing?"
It is not. Even if your government was not torn by petty rivalry as it is now, it would not have the strength or means to repel the Kulgans. Their fleet has grown more than three times bigger when they first invaded my home. They have enough troops on their ships to take every single colony world your race has. Or, if they prefer, they can bombard it from orbit with plasma and leave behind a molten rock. That I fear, is the fate of this planet, should you fail.
"Then I must not."
You must not...You must win this Invasion match Edmund. It will immediately put you in the semi finals. The first wave approaches. Good luck warrior.
Edmund and the rest of the Truthsayers exited the teleportation field in the ghost town of Alpha Omega. Most of the city were nothing more than ruins now, empty, but for the ghosts of the past.
Steven looked around bewildered. "I've never been here before. Where the hell are we?"
Aaron gestured happily at the pile of stacked weapons. "In heaven as far as I'm concerned."
Rita, Steven, Aaron and Sud began to pick up their weapons and load up with as much ammo as they could. Edmund took in their surroundings. They were in a huge building, a military installation of some kind. Then he saw the half peeled of but recognizable poster on the wall. The TCA marines.
"This was our last operation theatre...before we were forced to abandon the city to the Skaarj."
Steven was laughing. "Their loss, our gain. They left quite a bit of arsenal behind here. Some of these weapons are military grade, stuff you don't see in the tournaments! Here, catch!" Steven tossed to each one a vibrasword, a special blade that vibrated when activated, and could cut through armor as if it were soft butter.
Sud was hefting his old flame thrower. "It's good to be holding something familiar and trustworthy." Edmund ignored Sud's obvious insult and pretended he didn't care.
Aaron was loading up on as much supplies as possible. He too, held a flame thrower identical to Sud's. He tucked a Dispersion Pistol in his holster, and slung a military grade M32 Duster Combat Assault Rifle on his shoulder. Rita held a powerful sniper rifle and tucked some ammo into her back pack. Holstered at her hip was a military Magnum Pistol.
"I'm just taking a M32 Duster and a dispersion pistol...and lots and lots of ammo." Steven muttered as he greedily stuffed all compartments of his suit with clips of ammo. Edmund decided to follow Steven's example, selected a few grenades, and picked up a Spider Mine Launcher. The Mines would when launched would lie still on the ground, but the moment its sophisticated sensor array detects an enemy presence, it would pick itself up, scurry to the enemy and explode. "We'll be needing this." Edmund muttered.
He turned to his teammates. "Let's get out of here. Into the city itself."
Aaron could not hide the astonishment in his voice. "But why? This place is easily defended and all the weapons we need are here. Why into the city?"
"Because it's the first mistake every team that took part in the Invasion events did. Defending a stationary position gives the enemy a chance to encircle you and cut of any means of retreat. They can also take their time and plan their attack. We're not going to give them that opportunity. We remain a moving target."
Steven nodded. "Let's go then."
The team jogged out of the base, weapons drawn. Rita nodded to the incoming disorganized wave of Izarians and critters. "Looks like the party has started."
Edmund nodded. "Remember, we fight our way into the city, and take advantage of the alleys and buildings." The Truthsayers brought their weapons up to their shoulders, then, like the knights of old, charged the wall of alien flesh.
