entry_29

0348 hours, Wednesday, February 14, 1973.

I do not understand what is happening.

Everything was going better than I could have hoped. Herr Gray did not fight me or indeed speak as we left the saferoom. Herr Engineer and 0484 were likewise silent. I had them walk in front of me so that I could watch what the Soldier unit did, and for his part 0484 helped Herr Engineer along obediently enough. Our first test came when we exited the vault with the weapons in it. The two Demobots that had accompanied 0484 earlier had returned, perhaps to tell their commanding officer that they had taken care of 0396. Upon seeing our procession, they froze.

3107: What the bloody-?
0484: STAND DOWN IMMEDIATELY PRIVATES. THAT IS AN ORDER.

They stared past him to myself and Herr Gray, their grenade launchers still halfway up. I do not think they had ever been instructed on how to handle a hostage situation involving the Maker. I pressed the gun harder against his head, willing myself not to shake.

0031: Tell them to let us pass.

I could almost feel Herr Gray grit his teeth.

Master Gray: Both of you do as it says now.

The result was instantaneous. Both units jumped out of our way. They kept looking from Herr Gray to 0484, fingers twitching on their weapons. As we passed slowly between them I forced myself to look straight ahead. Even so I couldn't ignore the sound of their footsteps following us. I halted.

0031: Stay where you are. If all goes well, Herr Gray will be returned to you shortly.
3055: And what promise do we have of-
0031: Do not test me. I have shot Herr Gray once; I will not hesitate to do so again.

That shut them up. As we began to move again, I did not hear their clanking footsteps resume. I sighed; we were close to the exit now. What was more Herr Engineer appeared to be holding up very well. The shoulder of his missing arm dripped and occasionally sparked, but his steps did not falter.

Then our exit came into view. The fog had moved in closer to the tank since I had last been there. We could see little but whiteness in the battle field; visibility couldn't have been better than fifty feet, and by all accounts it seemed to be getting worse. For a moment I was taken by doubts. What if the humans were gone? What if there were robots waiting in ambush for us just out of sight? But I did not say these things out loud.

0031: Onward 0484. We are almost there.

He glanced over his shoulder to us while he helped Herr Engineer over the threshold. We followed him out onto the ramp. I made sure the gun was still firmly against Herr Gray's head as I listened for a sign of anyone, friend or foe. When Herr Gray spoke, I almost jumped.

Master Gray: I must say I'm impressed, Mr. Conagher. I didn't think it was possible to turn one of my units completely against me, unless you directly interfered with its programming.

My grip tightened even though I said nothing to him. Herr Engineer looked sharply over his shoulder.

E-001: I'm Mr. Conagher again, huh? You make a better hostage than an employer.
0031: Herr Engineer, please.

Herr Gray scoffed.

Master Gray: I'm not an idiot. You're the one in control of the situation; I won't antagonize you.
E-001: No, I'm not. In case you didn't notice Steve's the one with a gun to your head.
Master Gray: And you named it; somehow that doesn't surprise me.

0484 pulled up short because Herr Engineer had stopped moving. We were at the foot of the ramp.

E-001: Him. We named him Stephen. And I didn't turn him against you.
Master Gray: Really. I suppose he just decided he didn't like working for me of his own accord?
0031: You speak as though that were not possible.

He fell silent then. That was good, because then I heard the sound of footsteps. But it did not come from the mist. It came from behind us. I spun, pulling Herr Gray with me, and faced the doorway.

0031: Fahren Sie nicht fort! I have a hostage!

A low rumble of a voice that was unmistakably organic reached my auditory receptors.

Heavy unit: Who is your hostage, metal man?

I could have cried out in relief. Herr Engineer perked up immediately, standing up straighter and waving at the door with his remaining arm.

E-001: It's us Heavy! Dell and Steve!

A shape pelted out of the doorway, little more than a blur in the light of the tank. The Pyro ran past me and threw itself onto Herr Engineer. It almost knocked him and 0484 over. I almost laughed, except then I realized that only two more shapes were emerging from the tank. Heavy and Soldier came down the ramp toward us, and they were not smiling. I hesitated.

0031: Where are the others?
Heavy unit: That can wait. You have Gray.

I looked to the man I was clutching, almost surprised that he was still there.

0031: Oh. Ja, I do.
Heavy unit: And why is Gray still alive?
0031: He is the hostage I was talking about. But I am here und safe, as is Herr Engineer. Now I will allow him to go back to the base.

His frown became more pronounced.

Heavy unit: This is a stupid thing you do. He will send out all the robots to attack us.
0031: I promised. I do not want to kill Herr Gray, und it is my decision, I think.

Heavy shook his head but did not reply. I turned to 0484, who was watching me closely. Pyro was already taking Herr Engineer's arm from the robot.

0484: You're going to let us go now? You're keeping your word?
0031: That is what I just said. If... if you could, please allow us fifteen minutes to leave the battle field.

Herr Gray scoffed again as the Soldier unit supported him. But 0484 just kept watching me. Without saying another word he nodded, then turned and quietly went back into the tank, Herr Gray limping along beside him.

Heavy unit: We must at least keep moving. Come.

He started to walk away, but I swerved in front of him.

0031: You did not answer my question though. Where are the others? I lost Sniper in the hall; I was not sure where he went.

Heavy looked down at the ground.

Heavy unit: Medic and Miss Pauling were also separated from us. We went in tank to stop Engineer, but we were not far inside when Doktor shouted and ran down a hall. We followed but robots cut us off. There were too many. Demoman said he would hold them off.
0031: He did not come back?

Soldier, who had been very quiet, wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve.

Soldier unit: He had the caber out. He wasn't planning on coming back.

Herr Engineer opened his mouth as though to say something, then closed it again. It was quiet for a moment.

Heavy unit: We did not know Miss Pauling was also gone until we went past many doors. That was when we turned around to come back. We should move. You might keep promises, metal doktor, but Gray will not.

I couldn't think of anything to say. Everyone knew that respawn might be working; voicing it would not help matters. So instead I simply began to move along with the others. The mist closed in around us. Before long we would not be able to see the tank.

Medic unit: I HAVE IT! WAIT, BITTE, I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK!

We turned around at the voice almost as one. Herr Medic was framed in the doorway of the tank, his hair on end and his glasses askew, but grinning like he does in the middle of battle sometimes. Oil stained the front of his labcoat in great dark patches, along with a fair amount of blood. He did not seem to care. Laughing he raised the clone brain in its receptacle, showing us the prize he had fought for in the bowels of Herr Gray's tank.

The Heavy began to pelt for him. He was grinning as well.

Heavy unit: COME DOKTOR, WE GO-

He didn't finish. Two shots fired almost simultaneously, the reverberating cracks of a rifle, and the Heavy fell forward onto his face. He did not stir. The Medic collapsed into a heap still in the doorway. The clone's brain rolled out of his grasp and down the ramp.

It did not make sense. I stopped moving and just looked at their unmoving bodies, trying to make it make sense.

Soldier unit: RUN!

I turned to Herr Engineer, horrified. Where had the shots come from? Whoever had fired must have been standing close by to have seen through the fog. But even as I thought this I heard Soldier scream. I turned around, but he was not there anymore. Just fog. All of this accursed fog.

I am supporting Herr Engineer now. Pyro allowed me to and is standing near us, spychecking the air, as we slowly proceed in the direction of the base.

I hope this is the direction of the base.

/entry_29