A/N: The song for this chapter is The Warpath by Conner Youngblood.
CombatEngineer - Patience, my friend, ALL SHALL BE REVEALED! But, if you want a sneak-peak...
My distraught rumblings can be found at the end of this chapter.
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Judy was someone who followed her own principles. And one who lead by example. The situation she found herself in was just another test to the strength of her conviction, and the doe was not going to allow something to break it, not even a threat to her life. It was a sad truth that to become a hero, one had to die. So, even if she had to die tonight for upholding her beliefs, maybe it would inspire others to follow in her footsteps?
The bunny was firing off single shots in the direction of her assailants, keeping them at bay. Her personal recorder was on and transferring the video and audio information to the local server. Judy was unsure whether it will be used by other police officers to understand the circumstances of her demise, or by the internal investigations unit to assess her actions in dealing with civilians. As long as they didn't shoot, she was not allowed to deal any serious lethal damage. And the doe, no matter how sure she was of her own abilities, didn't fancy a brawl with three bunnies and a larger mammal. She really needed to have someone larger as a deputy. Or anyone for that matter, since two officers on duty were less restricted in the means they had at their disposal than just one.
Judy had around seven shots left, when she heard a voice from down below. At first, she was relieved, thinking it was finally the time for the help to arrive. But glancing at her watches, the doe realized that it couldn't be so. Exactly seven minutes and twenty four seconds has elapsed since the time she sent request for backup, and the fastest ETA she was given was eighteen minutes. Who was it then? And how did they know the names of the assailants? But, since she doubted she would be able to help much, Judy did as she was told and just stayed back. Even when her ears picked up the unmistakable sounds of discharged coils and catapulted disks, she tried to suppress the oppressive fear within her chest for the newcomer. His voice sounded calm and collected, unperturbed by the barrage that was undoubtedly being sent his way. She wished she could help, but for now her best course of action was to sit back and not to present herself as a target. Whoever was helping, was doing so in order to help an officer of the law, and was probably competent enough.
Or so she thought until the word Alistaja was mentioned. Her eyes grew wide and ears went limp back. The bunny was extremely prideful of the fact she was able to keep up with any and every happenings within both the legal and criminal worlds. And the recent unveiling of a secret government program, labeled Project Alistaja, which meant "oppressor" in Old World language, had her spending nearly a week without sleep, trying to read up all the documents available. And when she heard the thunderous roaring of Magnum Cilinder pattern bolt-throwers, she knew exactly what stood in the hall of the sheriff's HQ.
A being from a picture. A monster from a tale that probably was told to little children these days. Something that was not supposed to ever walk the face of Animalia. A bred warrior. Someone whose only purpose in life was to take up arms and kill mammals. Project Alistaja was started twenty six years ago as a countermeasure to the rising tensions between United Species Federation and Mammal Republics Union after the Second Interspecies War. Small children, no older than eight, were kitnapped from their families by a secret government agency. They were trained and brought up in a messed up way, that was summed up in a simple statement - they lived to kill. No regrets, no remorse. And as if that wasn't enough, they were turned into something even more abhorrent. The documents didn't state specifically on how far, but from the indirect evidence Judy was able to put together, she knew that they were nearly completely changed and cybernized. Their skeleton structure - replaced with carbon-based material and hydraulic support mechanisms. Muscles and other tissues, aside from skin, - replaced with synthetic high density fibers. Their brains - dedicated computing units with artificial intelligence support implanted. All in all, they were turned from mammal beings into something closer to robots. Judy was not even sure whether there was a trace of soul left in them, judging from the list of extensive augmentations conducted on the Alistaja.
The silence from below was deafening after the tundercracks caused by bolt-throwers. With a shiver down her spine, her SMD held at the ready, and her innate insatiable curiosity pushing her ever forward, the doe descended to the first floor...
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Distraught Rumblings: Ahem. I KNEW IT. I KNEW I fucked up somwhere, just couldn't comprehend where exactly. That's what I get for writing during a ride and wanting to sleep. Thanks to some people for pointing the idiotic thing on the disks needing distance to achieve more potent speeds out. I was initially thinking on basing the weaponry on the hydrojet aka boltgun tech, but then changed it. And somehow both techs mixed up in my head. So no, I AM NOT A RETARD, SO SILENCE ALL OF THE ALERTS. I was just a bit retarded while writing that chapter, and later when proofing it, lol.
I made adjustments in the previous chapter, but nothing worth wasting your time on rereading it.
More coments on the tech touched in this chapter are welcome. Loosely based on the process used to create SPARTAN-IIs from Halo universe. You can also try and guess what number Nick got while in the program. Though I doubt anyone of you even read the Fall of Reach novel. Regardless.
We move on with suffering.
Howleys.
