Chapter 15…
Ashley was glad her armor was painted in dark tones. Wet-work had never been her forte and having bright red and white armor would make her current objective considerably harder.
The dark haired woman was currently crouching in the brush on the outskirts of the communications outpost that she and Cain had spotted. She had been careful to shut off her helmet visor before approaching the installation. While the visor made it fairly easy to see in the dark the bright red light that emanated from the technology would compromise her position.
Twin eyes as dark as the night sky above carefully scanned the catwalks of the installation. The slightest hint of movement caught Ashley's attention and she quickly focused on a lone individual. The lone individual - presumably a guard - was casually pacing back and forth on the metal catwalk.
So they were bored then? That worked in Ashley's favor, they wouldn't see her coming…
"Cain?" Ashley whispered into her helmet radio as she slowly crept out of the brush. "Signatures?"
"I have detected two body signatures," Cain responded. "Thermal readings indicate one individual on the western catwalk- they appear to be armed. Another signature was detected in the adjacent building- there are no signs of movement."
"Two only?" Ashley muttered. "Are you sure?"
"Affirmative."
Ashley gently shook her head and found a point of entry. Said point of entry was a rickety looking staircase that led up to the catwalks.
The layout of the installation was a little strange. Directly in the center sat the base of the dish- a large tower that stretched upwards one-hundred meters. Atop the tower sat a massive communications dish and transmitter. The tower and dish were surrounded by a square ring of rickety looking catwalks. At each corner of the catwalk there was a small, square building on metal stilts.
Ashley reached the top of the staircase. The western catwalk and it's lone guard was on her left. In order to reach it she would need to travel through one of the corner buildings.
Turning to her left, Ashley found the door and very slowly pushed it open. She stayed low to the ground as she slowly padded inside, gently closing the door behind her. The air felt cool and still as she peered around the small room. It was occupied by a cramped assortment of shelves, which presumably held spare parts for the communication towers electronics.
To her right sat the door that would lead to the western catwalk. Just like the first door, Ashley quietly crept through it and closed it gently behind her.
At the end of the catwalk the lone guard stood with his back turned to Ashley. He was leaning on the metal railing and peering out at the treeline of the alien forest.
Ashley slowly and carefully approached the man from behind. She drew her data-knife from it's sheath gently and slowly, not wanting the guard to hear the rasp of metal against leather. Deep down Ashley felt a small pang of pity for the guard. Chances were that the guy hadn't seen much in the way of action… and now he was going to be killed in the night without so much as a shot fired.
Ashley prepared herself to spring forwards and sink the knife into his throat; but she paused when a ray of moonlight shone down on the man's face.
Man wasn't the proper way to describe him… a more apt description was boy.
The guard couldn't have been older than eighteen, Ashley was sure of it. His face still had some spots on it…
For a moment Ashley tensed. What was the right thing to do in this scenario?
She had killed plenty of times before… but those killings had been done in the heat of battle. There was nothing personal about it, she had a job to do and they were in the way… they were shooting at her.
The boy was an enemy, no doubt- he was dressed in the typical Militia greens and yellows. He was armed, Ashley could make out the shape of a rifle clinging to his back.
So why was she hesitating? Was it because he was young? Maybe… or perhaps it was because she just didn't want to be like…
Cozbi… who had willingly murdered two terrified men in cold blood.
Ashley didn't want to be like her… not in that sense.
Her mind was made up...
Her grip on her knife loosened a little and she slowly slid the weapon back into its sheath. She wouldn't kill the guy… in fact, keeping him alive was probably the better option… it would open a door of opportunity for her.
Ashley silently approached from behind and grabbed the unsuspecting boy. She maneuvered the crook of her elbow around his throat and pulled him down into a chokehold. He thrashed around for a long while until he finally fell still. Ashley released her tight grip on his windpipe and gently laid the unconscious guard onto the catwalk.
Ashley took a moment to pat him down and remove all of his weapons. She stripped his rifle and pistol of ammunition and tossed them off the side of the catwalk. The guard's knife was treated the same way- confiscated off his person and then chucked deep into the treeline of the nearby forest.
"Cain?" Ashley whispered as she grabbed the unconscious guard around his legs. "What does the next room look like?"
"Readings indicate a lone heat signature, they have not moved," Cain crackled back into her radio.
Ashley grunted in exertion as she slowly dragged the guard along the catwalk, approaching the adjacent building where the one other hostile was situated. She reached the door and stopped dragging the guard behind her; she quietly laid his feet down on the ground.
With the grace of a ninja… Ashley drew her data knife and pushed the door open, closing it gently behind her.
She had entered another small, cramped room; it had the same wall-to-wall dimensions as the first. However, whereas the first room was clearly meant for storage, this one was the master control room.
Ashley had entered the room from it's southern door; the door to the eastern catwalk stood directly to her left. The western side of the room was dominated by a dingy looking window, which was flanked by two tall control stations; both of said stations were being tended to by a MRVN droid. The northern side of the room was dominated by a giant master control board.
That's where the other heat signature could be located. It's source was a chubby man in a lab coat. He had his feet kicked up to rest on the sensitive dials of the control board and his hands folded behind his head.
He was asleep… which certainly explained the lack of movement.
"Cain, come to me and approach from the west. Try to keep a low profile," Ashley muttered as she stood up straight.
"Affirmative."
Ashley walked almost casually to the chubby man at the control console. She tucked her data-knife into her left hand and reared up her right behind her head.
One quick backhand to the chubby guy's ear was all it took to wake him up.
"Wha-" The large man spat as he tilted forwards, his legs sliding off the control board. "Edwards, what the fu-"
The words died on his lips when he turned his head, his beady eyes meeting the dull red visor of Ashley's helmet.
"Who are you?" The main demanded, the slightest quiver of fear entering his voice.
Ashley wordlessly moved her left hand, pressing the edge of the knife against the soft skin of his throat. "Shut up… I ask the questions, not you."
The chubby man drew in a sharp intake of breath and squirmed uncomfortably in his chair.
"First question," Ashley muttered, her fingers tapping on the handle of her knife. "Is this place capable of sending messages?"
"Y- yes," the man stuttered. "B- but-"
"But what?" Ashley snapped, pressing the knife a little closer to his neck. "Tell me!"
"T- this place has been out of commission for years!" He cried.
"Years?" Ashley relaxed her grip and pulled her knife back an inch. "It's not working?"
"No, we only use it to bounce local communications," the man shook his head. "I just keep watch! Me and Edw-" The man trailed off again. "You- you didn't… hurt Edwards, did you?"
"He's outside," Ashley jerked her helmeted head towards the door she came from. "He's alive… do you want him to stay that way?"
The man nodded slowly.
"Good," Ashley pulled her knife away and slipped it back into her sheath. "I need to send a message to some people… I'm sure you know who?"
"The IMC, I'm guessing…"
"Correct," Ashley nodded. "What's your name?"
"J-jeremiah," the man stuttered.
"Jeremiah," Ashley slowly repeated. The female pilot stood up and pivoted so that she was leaning against the master control board. She folded her arms across her chest and tilted her head. "Can you get this station up and running?"
"Can?" Jeremiah shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I mean- I don't…"
"Jeremiah," Ashley spoke in a low tone. "You are going to get this station up and running again… right?"
Jeremiah audibly gulped. "Yes… yes I will."
"Good," Ashley nodded. "Can I be honest with you?"
"S-sure?"
"The only reason you're still alive is because I need you that way, you're useful to me," Ashley muttered, her fingers tapping on her pistol holster. "But if you or your friend 'Edwards' start making my life harder… well…"
"We- we won't be a problem!" Jeremiah held up his hands. "I swear!"
"Good," Ashley nodded. "Help me send a quick message and I'll let you both live. But, if either of you try something stupid… or try to call for help?" Ashley leaned in so close her visor was nearly touching Jeremiah's sweaty face. "I'll kill you both…"
"O-okay," Jeremiah fiddled with the armrests of his chair. "I get you…"
"Good," Ashley straightened her back again. "Cain! Get in here!"
"Who-" Jeremiah began, but his question devolved into a squeal of terror.
The red light of Cain's seer kit shone through the dingy class of the western window. With a shatter and a crash his massive metallic hand destroyed the window, knocking glass fragments all over the floor. With the window pane destroyed Cain pressed his chassis forwards so that his optic could peer directly into the room.
"Hello, Ashley," Cain growled.
"Cain, I need you to watch our… new friends," Ashley got off the control console and jerked her thumb towards the door. "The other ones outside, I'll drag him in."
"Affirmative," Cain responded.
Ashley turned to Jeremiah, who looked as white as a sheet. "You're okay with him keeping an eye on you, right?"
"Do I have a choice?" Jeremiah's beady eyes flicked between Cain and Ashley.
Ashley chuckled to herself and turned to the door. "You know my answer…"
