Operation Black Dawn
Mission 19 - City Warfare
October 2 - 1995/December 1096
Reunion Uprising in Lungmen
"Not. One. Step. Back!"
- Iosif Jugashvilli, 1951
Potpukovnik Đavo 1 [Yugoslav Socialist Republic - RV i PVO] - Skies of... Terra? - Dated December, 1096.
My squadron had been called in to reinforce the rest of the men stuck in the middle of this... mobile city. Yeah. A mobile city. Ain't that fucked up? The only reason we know this is because of the guys in, uh, Chernobog combined with the two civilian VIPs we managed to rescue from that village just two days ago.
Turns out, the Black Hand's operation got fucked when they not only pissed off the police - but also provoked Reunion into starting a fire way earlier than their predicted estimate.
Now, we here in the Yugoslav Air Force would've gone first - but AA guns blocked the way.
Though, thanks to Reunion's unwitting idiocy - they're not blocked anymore. And that's where we enter.
They never expect Apaches.
"Instruments check, Đavo 1," My squadmate - Đavo 2, an asshole - told me. "Wouldn't want to end up fucking up the flight just when it's about to get started... right?" He repeated, a smarmy voice echoing through the microphone. I sighed and felt like choking the man out for being so smarmy all the time, but that being said - he's a Croat, and I'm a Serb - that'd go against the principles of Yugoslavia.
God knows what would've happened if Yugoslavia fell into ethnic infighting.
"Ten seconds to arrival." The same squadmate replied.
"Instruments are... working." With a few flipped switches, I knew that. "Hopefully."
"Fucking storms. Do they ever stop?"
"No. And it gets worse. It's Tiberium rain over here. It... fucking sucks."
I sighed and pinched my nose. "Damnit."
The radio spoke up with the voice of the Tactical Operations Officer. "Alright, squadron. Need I remind you of our objectives as soon as we get to Lungmen?"
"Yeah, so that Đavo 4's copilot can finally wake up after sleeping on the gunner seat." I retorted.
"Oh fuck you!" That was the response I earned on the radio.
"Alright, I guess that warrants a reminder." The TOO noted. The TV screen on the cockpit changed to display a map of the area scanned through the GPS Satellite that survived the journey and served as the GPS Coordinate marker. "This is Lungmen, the Hong Kong of Terra," The map zoomed in to display flashing strobes and 3D silhouettes of Nod soldiers fighting against Reunion and what I presumed to be the local military. "We have three squadrons in Lungmen. Long Unit, Midnight Unit, and the Crna Ruka."
"With all due respect, TOO," Đavo 2 interrupted. "Why those names?"
"Because the intelligence center is full of assholes," TOO responded, with frustration in his voice. "As I was saying - we have three squads in the area, and we've been sent to reinforce them. We have no idea how long they have. Just try not to kill anyone on our side, okay?"
The screen displayed a list of combatants in the region arranged in three rows. The Brotherhood occupied the left row, with said row having a 'FRIENDLY FORCES' header. The other two rows popped up, displaying the symbols of the Lungmen Guard Department and Reunion. Their rows were marked with a 'HOSTILE' title. "L.G.D. and Reunion forces are designated hostile. Neutralize if possible, but focus on Reunion first."
The screen zoomed out of the map to display markers of the three units. It then added an arrow on top of those markers, with names appearing on those markers. Those were the names of the flight members of the squadrons.
"Đavo 4, go assist the Black Hand."
"Roger."
"Đavo 2, Đavo 3. Assist Long Unit in clearing out Reunion positions."
"Wilco."
"And Đavo 1..." The radio stopped for a beat. "You're needed to assist an infantry squad fighting against the local police."
"On it." I responded, watching as the TV screen in my cockpit changed to a marker displaying the Midnight Unit.
"Good luck out there. We've got reports of drone swarms entering Lungmen, out."
"Noted, TOO. Out."
The radio went dead silent following that.
The Apache crossed the deserts between Camp Tiber and Lungmen. I looked outside of my window to take a look at the outside area around the helicopter. I saw a wasteland full of crystals and spikes... some bigger than the Apache.
"You see this, Prez?" I ask my co-pilot.
"Y'know, boss, I don't think we're on Earth no more..." She replied, dejectedly.
"Hang in there, Prez," I noted. "We can talk about this later. Just finish the mission."
Prez nodded.
The squadron moved past the crystals, and chatter opened up.
"Holy shit, you see the size of that crystal?"
"I know! Shit was the size of a fucking superweapon!"
"What in Kane's name have we gotten to..."
I sighed and soldiered on, even as my squadmates gawked at the crystals. I agreed, but at the same time - Not now.
"This is Đavo 1 to Đavo Squadron, we're approaching the wall now," I spoke. "Split up and go assist friendly forces."
We flew over the AA guns, making it inside Lungmen. When Prez got a look at them, they were torn to pieces. Probably through sabotage, given Reunion's penchant for that.
"Alright, we'll be all assisting friendly forces. Prez," I tapped my copilot on the shoulder.
"Roger that, boss."
After moving through the airspace of Lungmen, we finally get a communications signal from the people we're supposed to reinforce.
"This is Midnight Unit, we are under attack! We're being pinned down by the Local Police- I think Anton just got knocked over!"
"This is Đavo 1," I responded. "We're on our way to you now."
"Đavo 1, you air support?" The voice responded, shaking as gunfire rang in the background.
"Yes, Midnight Unit. We're in Apache."
"Thank God!"
"Midnight Unit, can you designate targets with a laser marker?" I asked, before repeating. "I repeat - can you designate targets with a laser marker?"
"Uhh... Ibrahim's got one!" A beat, then later; "Ibrahim! Hand me the designator!"
The sounds of closer gunfire and explosions occupied the radio before the voice of Midnight Unit's radioman came back.
"A-Alright! I've got it! Designating targets immediately!"
"Copy that, we're Oscar Mike."
"Hurry! They've still got us pinned!"
The radio went silent, but my urge to do a barrel roll was not.
I moved the helicopter through the network of skyscrapers dominating the city. All of them were burning. The atmosphere of this burning city reminded me more of postwar Birmingham.
"Boss, this place..."
"A city upon a shining hill..."
"Yeah..."
My face curled into an expression of shock as I saw the events upward on the skyscraper floors.
They made me sick to my stomach.
"What the fuck..."
It took me a moment to recount what I saw, but... I shook my head. I didn't need to be reminded of how barbaric humans could be when filled with hate.
"Let's go."
I banked the helicopter right and made it turn a hard right corner, with it nearly colliding against a skyscraper.
The helicopter stabilized and found itself just on top of the Midnight Unit.
Directly facing the guys suppressing them.
My grin expanded.
"Midnight," I opened up. "This is Đavo 1. You still got the laser designator?"
"Y-yeah! Still locked on!"
"Alright. Standby for firing, incoming," I tapped my copilot's shoulder. "Rifle."
Prez complied.
"Rifle, rifle!" I shouted into the radio.
An AGM-114 Hellfire missile was launched off the pylons of the helicopter and went after the enemy.
"Are those mercs?" Prez muttered, looking straight back at me. "Because I don't see the cops wearing blue."
"Only one way to find out..." I responded. "Guns, guns, guns!"
The autocannon opened fire in conjunction with the missile launch. The dispersion got them scattered around like ants.
I moved the helicopter to flank them, turning around near-instantly to face the scattering ants.
"Guns, guns, guns!" I shouted, with my copilot engaging the local police section. The autocannons forced them to disperse, but some grouped up and formed shield walls. The autocannon fire managed to cut them down, with one attempt at a Phalanx formation getting decimated.
I was met with massive amounts of small-arms fire when an arrow bounced off the Apache's airframe. Then another. And then yet another one. Arrows kept coming at us. Prez kept hosing them down with the autocannon.
But another Phalanx formation was tried.
"Hydra, Hydra, Hydra!" I shouted, moving the helicopter away from the anti-air fire, and Prez hit the police's Phalanx formation with three rockets, blowing away many of the people in it.
"Yo, Boss, you see this shit? One of those mercs' got a riot shield, and another one's got a fucking staff! I think I see an umbrella there, too!"
"Yes, yes, Prez, now keep hosi-"
I heard an impact on the Apache airframe, and it sounded like it hit the rear rotor too. The helicopter spun for two seconds, with the autocannon flailing wildly, before it was restored to a stable position.
"What the fuck was that?!" I asked, barely struggling to keep the helicopter stable. I got my answer when I narrowly dodged a black projectile that would have disabled the autocannon. "Oh fuck me! It's Arts!"
"The hell-" She was interrupted as the helicopter jerked backwards, and hit her head. "THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN, BOSS?! ARTS AND CRAFTS?!"
"NO, FUCKING MAGIC!"
"WHAT?!"
"KEEP FIRING! KEEP FIRING! DAMNIT!" I had to yell into the radio. "MIDNIGHT! WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM! A REALLY BIG ONE!"
"What is it?!"
"Helicopter's getting hit by Arts! Can you suppress them?!"
"I-I'll try!"
"Jeez," Prez said. "I think they're gonna-"
A bullet pierced the Apache's cockpit and hit Prez in the chest, coming from in front of the Apache. Those same bullets narrowly missed me, but I jerked the helicopter left, just barely missing more. Who the fuck attacked us with an air-to-air attack?!
The radar answered me, as painful as that sounded. Eighteen unknown air contacts swarmed the area. I grit my teeth. Apparently, these terrorists had combat fucking drones.
With my gunner out of action, I had no other option but to seize control of the fire control system. Yeah, Apaches could do that. Never used it myself, but this time, I've had to use it. What better way to learn a new skill than to have it forced on you!
"Prez! You alright?!"
"Boss... I think I've got a fucking hole in my chest... Christ, the pain!"
"Hang on tight! I'll eliminate the drones!" I then turned my radio on. "Midnight! We've got to evacuate! Copilot's injured, and I don't think I can stay too long!"
"GODDAMNIT! Alright, stay safe, Đavo!"
"WILL DO!"
I had to wrestle control of the FCS from the system, and well - I was successful.
The laser designator broke off, which meant I could use the Hellfires for other purposes. Like anti-air.
I mean - GDI uses TOWs as anti-air sometimes. Why couldn't I?
It was balls trying to handle both the flight stick and controlling the FCS.
"Boss..."
"HANG ON!'
I managed to find myself watching drones weave and zigzag.
I managed to use the Autocannon to open fire on the drones, while also trying to fly with a goddamn control stick. My efforts weren't in vain as some drones - approximately four - were caught in the gunfire, and were rightfully destroyed. The impromptu usage of the Apache as an AA gun was something better when done with more pilots than one being combat-capable.
But I guess I have to do everything myself.
I let out another burst from the Apache autocannon, decimating eight of the drones. The remaining six changed formations and tried to directly attack my Apache. In response, I jerked the helicopter forwards and then ran the flight stick right, essentially drifting the helicopter. This wasn't entirely a poor decision, as the remaining six drones suddenly disappeared off the radar, but...
"I AM NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN!" I shout.
As I try to move the helicopter out of the area, I get one last request.
"Đavo 1, I have one last fire support request!"
"What is it?"
"Can you hit that pillar? We need it to create a gap between me and the people you just attacked! I'm marking it on laser!"
"Alright, but I gotta get out of here after that."
"Acknowledged, Đavo. Stay safe out there."
"You too, Midnight."
I let one missile loose, seeing it streak towards an almost-collapsing-pillar that held up a large part of a skyscraper.
The missile took its effect, and the skyscraper was falling down.
I turned around and called it a tactical retreat. I didn't even bother to see the effects.
I wasn't sure if Prez was going to make it, though.
Fuck me. I don't think that serving as a helicopter pilot everywhere else can compare to the shitstorm that is Terra.
Just hang on...
Captain Emir Yılmaz [Islamic Revolutionary Treaty Pact - Turkish Armed Forces] - Streets of Lungmen - Dated October 2, 1097
"Go, go!" I shouted, ordering the Radioman as the Apache turned around to evacuate the area. "Get out of here!" I shouted, firing my MP7 back at them as the rest of Midnight Unit retreated to the rear line.
"Captain! It's not safe! Don't leave us, damnit!" the Radioman - who had helped us get support - begged as he narrowly dodged another arrow pelting.
"JUST GO!" I retorted. I pushed him away. The Radioman didn't deserve to go out with me. I would have loved it if I didn't have to say that, but with my enemies... they're still up. And I knew I couldn't let them die. "DON'T WAIT FOR ME! JUST GET OUT OF THERE!"
"WHAT ABOUT YOU, CAPTAIN?!" One of the soldiers shouted, firing his G3 with one hand as he carried a teammate and walked backward. "YOU'LL DIE OUT THERE!"
"I DON'T WANT THEM TO FOLLOW US! JUST GO, FUCK'S SAKE!" I retorted.
"Goddamnit! Fine!" The Radioman shouted, taking off.
With them out of the way - and hopefully safe - I turned back and opened fire. "COME ON, COME ON! YOU WANT TO PURSUE MY MEN, DON'T YOU?! COME AFTER ME! ME!" I repeated, with submachine gun shots scattering the enemy forces.
How I got into this situation is something I can only summarize as 'poor private pre-emptively shoots at target' and the rest is history. What I could remember is how it went down. With the woman shouting in - weirdly pronounced - English telling them to drop their weapons. They instead opted to back away to de-escalate. The woman didn't like that and raised her sword.
The private that took the shoot made it out, but by Kane, I wish I didn't need to sacrifice my life for it. I was the Captain of the team for... give or take about six years, when I graduated from the Sword of Nod, I expected to sit this one out until my contract of eight years expired and hopefully stay in contact with my team. But given that I'm fighting out in fucking Hong Kong, that's not going to happen any time soon.
At least I'll make for a good Action movie. That is if I can even make it out of here alive.
Fuck it.
I pulled my magazine out and inserted another one. I still had a lot more to burn through.
"COME ON!" I let out another burst from the submachine gun. "DO IT!"
Earlier, I wished I could look at my enemies before I bit the dust. I originally had the idea of charging at them. But given that I'm trying to keep my men away from combat...
Still, fuck. I wish I was able to go with them, but when you're about to die... Maybe some sacrifices have to be made for someone else's sake.
The skyscraper that I ordered destroyed to create a gap fell just behind me, with the collapse blasting smoke and dust forward as the burning structure crumbled. I moved my arms to cover my eyes, shielding myself from dust and smoke. When I opened my eyes, there was thick, dusty smoke obscuring the area between me and the police plus their associates.
Without thinking twice, I bolted to an alleyway that was the right of me. The smoke and dust irritated my eyes.
"Ow, ow, ow-" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes with one free hand while holding my submachine gun in the other.
When I stopped rubbing my eyes, I was further in the alleyway. And I didn't hear anyone following me, for one. So that's good.
I took a moment to stop by a wall and catch my breath.
"By Kane, this..." I mumbled before I shook my head. "No, I shouldn't be negative. I have to keep moving."
"In the name of Kane..." I finished.
I took a left on a corner and made it to a wide alleyway.
I immediately hid when I saw a glimpse of a white uniform. I couldn't afford to engage. Not now.
"Have you found the kid?" I hear a voice - in English - say.
"No, not yet."
"Skullshatterer's going to be pissed at us, then..."
"We'll find her, and bring her to him."
"I hope."
I stood there shocked for at least a split second. Why the hell were they looking for a girl? Who the hell is this... Skullshatterer? I took a moment to peek, and I swear my eyes bulged upon seeing a sight that I wish never entered my eyes. At all.
"Oh my God..." I muttered, covering my mouth as the urge to open fire with my submachine gun only increased.
A family lay dead near the walls. A man bisected in half. A child being executed with a crossbow shot to the head.
My heart sank as I took these images in. My mind flashed to fifteen years ago when I wasn't in the Sword of Nod... Back when my family had to live in Turkey.
I closed my eyes and flashed back to those days.
The grip on my submachine gun grew ever tighter.
"Emir! Stay inside!"
"Ma...? What's-"
"Stay! Don't go outside until I tell you so!"
"W-why?"
The memories were halted as I heard a scream.
I looked to my Officer Sword sheathed to my left.
I cringed hearing another scream.
Fuck! I...
My mind flashed with the memories of the post-coup martial law. The same coup by the Turkish Armed Forces attempted to instill sanity in the nation once more.
Executions...
Purges...
Wanton anarchy...
I shook my head, and holstered my submachine gun. There'd be time for memories later.
I unsheathed my sword, and contemplated my own reflection.
When I peeked, I saw two remaining kids about to be shortly executed.
I asked my reflection on what to do.
It answered to fight.
Normally, going against this many people would be insane, but...
"I'm dead to my own unit anyway..." I reflected. "For Kane."
I sprinted and cut the corner, officer sword in one hand.
If I was going to die, I might as well go out with style.
"HEY, SUCKERS!" I shouted in English. "DIE!"
My target didn't have enough time to turn and face me before I sliced his arm off. His delayed reaction brought a smile to my face.
"WHAT THE FUCK-"
"HOLY SHIT!"
"VANGUARD! WE GOT A VANGUARD!"
"DIE, DIE, DIE!" I repeated - in Turkish - as I stabbed the man through the vest. After immediately pulling out the sword, I felt pain in my chest as Reunion fired crossbows at me, with most of them aiming for center-of-mass. Most were actually strong enough to penetrate the vest, but that being said - they should have gone for the head.
Not that they would've done anything if they aimed for the head.
"IS HE-"
"What are you waiting for?! Kill him!"
I responded by rushing towards the source of those last few words - a man with a shield and a sword - and kicked him to the wall before stabbing my sword through his left eye, then immediately rushing for a chest stab.
Arrows pelted my back as I took my sweet time twisting the sword in his chest, just to show him how fucked he was.
I felt a splitting headache as I tried to turn around, and immediately felt like something had just been lodged in my head. I moved my free hand to the source and pulled it off my head, revealing... Why, surprise surprise - a bloodied arrow.
As if they were opening an opportunity for me to taunt them, they stopped firing at me. Though the ones with swords prepared to rush.
So, I decided to finally respond to that opportunity to taunt them.
I crushed the bloodied arrow with my hand.
My hand got cut and bled, but...
I'm still standing.
"The hell?!"
"This fucker just took an arrow to the head! How the hell is he still alive?!"
"I've heard stories about men in Chernobog being shot in the head," one with a sword mentioned. "And they survived!"
"Could he be of the same group?!"
The Reunion Commander - I could pick him out by orange tips on his gloves, probably for higher ranked officers - stepped forward.
"He's only human! Just get him!"
I sprinted and plunged the sword through a crossbowman, before slicing through him and cutting through a sword soldier instead.
I look to my right and I see a shield soldier about to downward-strike me.
A split-second was all I had to block it. And with me tilting the sword to the left while grasping the blade with my left hand, well... The downward strike halted in its tracks.
I let my left hand unholster the submachine gun, and pilfered his face with bullets. He dropped dead, slumping to the floor.
"Don't move!" I hear.
My eyes widened as I saw the Reunion men had the two children from earlier hostage. They were just about to be executed - for reasons unknown to I, fortunately - and now had their necks threatened by crossbows and arms wrapped around their throats.
"Make one step, and die!"
I stopped in my tracks, looking at the situation.
A child was crying as the remaining men - about five, give or take - held them hostage, ready to fire off at any moment's notice.
I almost wanted to satisfy the urge to shoot them. But...
"Hey, you! Monster!"
I had to respond.
Maybe I could do something about it.
"Yes?" I responded.
"How about I give you this?"
"Negotiating with terrorists? Pfft." I muttered in response.
"Do you want to see these kids outta here or not?!"
A beat.
I have no idea what to say. Just... Fuck. These kids are at threat and I'm here being an ideological fanatic.
Kane, please give me a sign.
"I'll tell you what - if you lay down your arms and give up... we'll let these kids go!"
"No! Don't listen!" One of the kids responded in broken English. Another one struggled, and was frantically yelling. I wasn't exactly, err, good at Russian or whatever equivalent there was, but I could tell that he was trying to warn me.
I knew that, given their penchant for brutality.
"Shut it, brat!" One of the crossbowmen responded. "You've got ten seconds to pick, monster! It's your life or theirs!"
Kane, please give me a sign...
Fuck... I don't care what kind, just give me a fucking sign, o Great Prophet!
I closed my eyes and recited my Sword of Nod chant book mentally.
"Ten..."
I opened my eyes, and checked my surroundings.
"Nine..."
I scanned what was around me.
"Eight..."
Crates...
"Seven..."
Broken glass...
"Six..."
Rebar...
"Five..."
Sharp sticks...
"Four..."
There wasn't anything else.
"Three..."
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
"Two..."
I...
"One-"
"I have an answer!" I interrupted.
"Oh, what is it? More bodies to your name?"
I stayed silent...
"What're you gonna do? Report us to the LGD?"
That Rebar looked very sharp...
"We've come to a decision, monster..."
And that Broken Glass...
"These kids can go right to hell!"
"NOT ON MY WATCH!"
I dropped my Captain's Sword and grabbed a rebar stick - surprisingly light for Rebar - and stabbed it forward to the head of the man who held a crossbow to a child's neck. He didn't have any words to get out before the rebar pierced his eye and made him scream in unbridled terror.
"WHAT THE FU-"
I cut off the other one holding the second kid hostage by pressing the trigger on my MP7. The man couldn't react fast enough and his facemask was riddled with bullets.
I panted as I took aim at the officer - the one with orange glovetips - and spoke to him.
"By the name of Kane," I responded.
"HE'S CHANELLING ARTS!"
"SHIT!"
I knew what they were talking about. And no, I don't have Arts.
Though I wish I did.
"I banish you heathens from the physical world!" I shout at the remaining three Reunion soldiers.
"IN THE NAME OF KANE!" I shouted. "KANE LIVES!"
"What the fu-"
I grab the Captain's Sword from the floor and slash a Reunion soldier in the face. His face fell off cleanly.
Tungsten was not a joke.
And they learned that pretty gruesomely.
The last crossbowman tried to take aim at me.
One of the kids grabbed a piece of broken glass and plunged it in his leg, stumbling him. And in combination with that, I shot him in the chest. He staggered, and fell to the wall.
The bleeding from his back suggested there were never armor plates.
Idiot.
I turned to the last man.
"W-What the HELL are you?! A fucking Sarkaz?! Demon?! Lateran?!"
I sighed as I lowered my sword to answer. The heathen needs a correction.
"I am none of those," I correct the heathen. "I am but a cog in Kane's Army!"
"WHO THE FUCK IS KANE?!"
"Silence, heretic!" I inch forward and stab him straight in the chest. "By the order of the Sword of Nod, the punishment for taking the great Messiah Kane's name in vain..."
The sword twists, before I pull it out, and aim at his neck.
"Death."
A slice to the neck decapitates him before he can say a word.
The Reunion around me are dead. Killed by a mere officer who didn't even dabble in the arts of the Technology of Peace.
I actually stopped for a moment to look around me. Bodies lay around, and blood cakes the alleyway. Had this city been at peace, this would make great news.
But...
"What the fuck did I do..." I mutter, putting my sword down.
Someone tugs at my uniform, and I move my head around to answer them.
"Mister..." One of the children say.
"...You saved us. From the bad men."
I stopped and my heart sank for a moment. To think that I, condemned as a terrorist by the world on Earth - would be welcomed by two Children.
Two children.
None of whom know me, nor do I know them.
And yet they treat me with gratefulness, as if I was the shining hero.
What the fuck.
"They-" One of them said, stopping between sniffles and sobs. "They killed them!" He cried out, hugging my leg and crying into it as loud as possible. In response, I crouch and try to comfort him.
"It's alright," I mutter, looking at the hypocrisy on my blade. "They can't hurt you anymore. They won't."
"The... The..."
"Take a deep breath," I explain. "And speak calmly."
"The men... Reunion, I think... they rounded us up while we were trying to play... Say that it's our parent's fault we have to... have to..."
"Have to... what?" I ask, cautious.
"...Have to die."
My eyes widened as I heard that.
There's no way-
"They... they say that we're complicit in... opre-shunm..." Sobbing muffles the young man's tone.
His partner added. "I... I didn't know what was going on..." He answers in Cantonese. I trained in Cantonese as a joke. Never knew it'd be useful. "So... I..."
"It's alright. None of this is your fault..." I try to help him.
"But..."
"You're okay, you're okay."
This silences both of them... and they're on the verge of tears. They rush forward and hug me, sobbing onto my uniform all the way.
If my unit were here...
"Captain. You've saved lives today."
"Just what the Messiah would have wanted."
"Charity and Peace for all."
My thoughts are drowned out by several distant explosions.
Must be the Yugoslavs.
I look at the two kids, and ruffle their hairs. Giving a big goofy smile while doing so. Not everyday I get to save kids.
Even if it meant I had to look at dead bodies...
"Come on. Let's get out of here." I say, standing up as they let go.
"But... Mom..."
"Dad..."
"Take your time." I respond to the both of them, crouching down to pat their heads. "We just have to go later. It's not safe here, and I'll try to get you out. Got it?"
Both of them nodded.
"Good. Now..." I scan the alleyways. Nobody was coming. "Do it quick."
"...Okay, sir."
Makes me wish I was a parent.
...You did have a chance, Emir.
But that was years ago.
You would've died for her...
I let my palm touch my face.
I couldn't deal with this.
Captain Emir Yılmaz [Islamic Revolutionary Treaty Pact - Turkish Armed Forces] - Streets of Lungmen - Dated December, 1096
After the memorial session was wrapped up - with me burying them in tarpaulin in lieu of a coffin -me and those two kids got out of that alleyway, and had since been walking the streets.
"Keep an eye out," I note, waving my submachine gun around. "There might be Reunion."
"Mister..."
"Yes?"
"...Are you a Sankta?"
"No, why?"
"...You have a gun, right?"
"Yes?"
"Is it... a Guardian Gun?"
"...No?"
"What do you mean?"
I answer by pointing to the Nod patch on my shoulder.
"It's just a standard-issue firearm of my, err, organization."
"...Guns are standard?"
"Seems so," I shrug. "But some are equipped with other weapons."
The two kids look at each other in surprise.
"So you're... Sarkaz then?"
I take a moment to think and answer.
"Ehh, no."
The conversation strangely died after that. They just looked at each other, and continued holding onto my hand while I walked with them.
I decided to take a look at them, and I... was weirded out when I actually took the moment to examine them.
"Are those animal parts?" I ask one with bear ears.
"Yes, they're real... I'm... Ursine..."
Ursine? He did kick and scream in Russian...
Oh fuck's sake.
I didn't bring this up, but I just nodded. "I... alright."
"What's with it, mister?"
"Sorry- just... most people where I come from... They don't have animal parts."
"I-"
"No, it's nothing," I shake my head. "Let's just go."
The conversation died a second time.
Well, that leaves me a lot of questions to ask. And none of them are answered. God, I wish they were. The first kid was an Ursine, and spoke Russian... There was a joke here. The other person had, err, dragon parts. And spoke in Cantonese and English. That echoed Hong Kong so much.
So many questions...
Maybe I could ask them if I rejoined Camp Tiber.
As I walk, I have to say this about the part of the city I'm walking through: These streets seem safe.
Though, I did wonder something. I didn't bring it up in the briefing, but;
What good did Reunion have to assault Lungmen?
I remember it's Hong Kong of Terra, but still-
A shrill scream silences my thoughts.
"HELP! PLEASE!" I hear a young girl's voice to my right. An alleyway obscured by smoke is what meets my eye.
"Is there somebody or-"
The sight of a young girl - Ursine, based on the bear parts - running away from the smoke was something I never expected to see. And that's understating it.
I had to act.
"Kids, stay here!" I shout. "I've got to get her out!"
I rush forward, grabbing the kid.
"Hey, hey!"
"Please, just... help!"
"Take it easy now..." I say. "What's going on?!"
"They're after me!"
"Who-"
An arrow narrowly misses my head.
REUNION!
I step forward and let the kid stay behind me. Footsteps behind me suggest the two other kids ran with me.
I had my hands on my submachine gun, ready to open up on the smoke.
The smoke fizzled out, dissipating into the city, and revealed what just awaited me on the other side of the smoke wall.
A child-sized individual clad in a hoodie, gas mask, and vest holding two grenade launchers.
"Woah-" I pull out my submachine gun. This guy looked too much like a threat to laugh off.
He approached me, and held his grenade launchers. Following him...
...Was an army of Reunion.
Oh shit.
"Misha," He says. "I've found you... We can-"
"SHUT UP!" She responds. "I DON'T KNOW YOU!"
I look at her and back to the man.
That must be -
Skullshatterer!
"You."
I didn't respond.
"Hand Misha back to me, and I promise I will let you go."
The two kids who came with me peeked behind my legs.
"And your oppressor children too."
I look at Misha...
"Don't do it..." She responds.
Of course, I wasn't going to.
"No."
"No?"
"No. You can fuck right off and die."
There was a beat.
Then a chuckle.
"Oh, how foolish the oppressor is," He points the grenade launcher towards me.
I look back at the kids with me.
"STAY BEHIND ME!"
"You can die with your system too."
He pulled the trigger.
And I screamed.
Author's Notes:
Have another rushed chapter! I just realized that the dates are inconsistent and the original drafts aren't on me anymore, so I'll just have to retcon the dates! The Reunion Crisis is in 1096, so I... missed the mark. A lot.
I also missed the mark about in-game story. That being said, because there's no Doctor, there's a rushed Reunion Uprising, and there's Nod intervention - the story of Lungmen ends up getting derailed beyond recognition.
Well, that's all the time I have. I hope this is good enough.
See you.
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