Escape from the Unknown

[Ignorant Bliss]

Another story from Exigo. This is my last one for two months, after which ill probably write them bi-weekly. Anyway, here it is

Escape from the Unknown

I awoke on a cold, metal floor in a dimly lit room. A single beam of light was entering from what I assumed was a small window on the door. I could barely see my surroundings; I had been lying in the small square of light emanating from the door for who knows how long. I attempted to rise to my feet, only to be brought down by a searing pain in my left knee; I fell to the ground with a resounding “thud�. Outside the room I heard a voice, very metallic, as if it was spoken through a hollow steel tube, it said “Captain, I believe our ‘guest’ is awake�, in return I heard another voice, much more deep and commanding: “well go, check on him!� followed by some muttering. The clanging sound of metal feet approaching the door could be heard outside. The door swung open with the bright light almost blinding me, when my vision adjusted to the light, I saw a fully robed, (I loathe to say) “man� standing above me. He grabbed the collar of my worn jacket and lifted me to my feet with ease. Seeing him face to face, much of his body was replaced with bionics and augmentation. My knee was burning in pain and I was trying, and failing, to conceal my pain.

“Come with me� said the machine-man “the Captain wishes to see you� he put me down and again, I fell over. He sighed and grabbed my non-broken leg, and began to pull me to my destination. My captors obviously had no sense of compassion for me. As I passed across a hallway, I could see there were other rooms like mine. The “man� who was dragging me stopped and let go of my leg, then another man, I assumed he was the Captain, jabbed me with a cane and said “get up, scum�. I pushed myself up and in a very slow, painful action, lifted myself to my feet. The Captain was much more of a human than the machine-man was; my height, with a grey goatee and wearing a blue cap with a matching uniform and a sabre. He said “so, do you know where you are?� I answered “no, care to explain?� he gave me a grin, “don’t get lippy boy, you’re gonna be here a while, wouldn’t want to piss off your new landlords� I said “alright, where am I?� “You’re aboard the Split Fang, a weapons smuggling ship outta Necromunda� he said in response, “and how did I get here?� I asked “curious one aren’t you? We attacked your little ship, scuttled it, stole your stuff and took your crew hostage. You don’t remember it because we gave you an anti-memory drug, or, a hit to the head with this fellow’s arm� “well that explains everything, thanks� I saw him nod to the machine-man, and then everything went black.

I awoke again in my cell with a new pain, and a bump of the back of my head. I muttered “****� to myself. This time I knew better than to alert my captors to my awakening. Having fought as a mercenary for a number of years, I knew about stealth and distraction. I made my way to the door as quietly as I could, and tossed my shoe to the back of the cell. The same metallic voice said, unnecessarily: “he has awoken again, I shall check his status� and the same clanging feet could be heard approaching. The last time I saw the metal-man, I noticed one of the few flesh parts of his body to be on the side of his neck, I decided to strike there. He door swung open again, and in he walked. Looking to either side he couldn’t see me behind the door, when he was inside, I swung the door shut and struck him with my knuckles on the neck. It worked and he slumped over with a clang. I drew the pistol from his holster and went around to the door. Still with a limp I set out to find a med-bay where I could fix myself up and may be find a way out.

Entering the bright light of the hallway outside, I noticed a distinct lack of guards, and sound altogether. With the heavily modified autopistol in hand, I walked down the hall as quietly as I could. I reached a small monitor on the wall and accessed the map and located the med-bay; as well as the armory. Both were on a level below my current one, and on either side of the quarters and barracks. It would be difficult but it had to be done. I checked where we were in space, and we were in orbit around the planet of Necromunda. Also on the monitor was a map of the ventilation shafts, I thought that would be the safest way to reach my destination. I still had to reach the elevator however, which was at the end of the hallway, as the nearest opening was right next to it. I heard footsteps coming from the direction I was supposed to go, and ducked into a dark corner to avoid being seen, the figure who was walking past was a thin man with a brown uniform on, I pointed the pistol at his head and said “hey kid� he turned and with a loud crack, a bullet hit him in the forehead. I picked up his Lasgun and pocketed the pistol; he was also wearing a flak jacket, so I took that as well. Continuing my way down the hall I encountered no resistance luckily. Standing in front of the elevator, I approached the ventilation shaft to the left of the door, and as I was opening it, I heard someone shout behind me, I hastened my entry and replaced the grate. I made my way down the vent with some difficulty, and reached the next floor down. I had made it this far…

Crawling to the grate, I looked out to see that there were soldiers everywhere, the elevator opened and I heard someone yell “I NEED SOME HELP, A SOLDIER’S DEAD UPSTAIRS!� I thought to myself: “this is my chance� almost half of the soldiers went up the elevator. I went backwards to find another opening, I remembered the vents went directly to the med-bay. I made my way to my destination and found two soldiers inside, although they didn’t look ready for combat, their weapons were on a rack and they were drinking what looked like moonshine. I reached the grate and pointed the Lasgun at one of their heads, letting loose a shot, he fell, I quickly switched to rapid fire as the other went to the gun rack, and proceeded to take him down in a hail of las-bolts. Opening the grate, I went to the door and locked it. I was safe, for now.

After making myself a splint and using some of the medical gear to stop the pain, I went to the computer and again accessed the map, I needed to somehow reach the escape pods without being found, and I figured that opening all the cells would create enough of a distraction for me to escape. I searched through all the programs, and eventually found one to unlock the cells. I activated the program and over the loudspeakers said “all prisoners, your cells are now open, you are free to go� with that I opened to door a crack and saw more soldiers running for the elevator. Once they had left, with the Lasgun in hand, I walked through the door and slowly made my way to the armory. There was only one man left in it, the quartermaster, I reached the door and he immediately saw me “YOU!!!� he shouted, and raised a shotgun, I ducked back behind the door to avoid being sprayed with a hail of shrapnel, I turned the door crouching and fired on him, I missed but hit his vox-unit, stopping him calling reinforcements. He stood up and readied to fire again, but I fired just before he did, and hit him three times, once in the arm and twice in the chest. He missed utterly and I walked towards him, taking the shotgun out of his quivering hands, I felt sorry for him, so I kicked him in the face, knocking him out. Grabbing a suit of carapace armor, a few grenades and a Boltgun, I left to get to the escape pods. They were on the other end of the lowest level, quite a trek, but one that had to be made.

I went to the elevator first, but as I was right in front of it, a small group of soldiers, headed by the Captain I had met earlier came down, I had no cover other than a table and some chairs, so I kicked the table into some cover and readied myself. When the door opened, the Captain said “I knew you had something to do with this� then signaled to his men to move in. I propped the bolter up on the table with one hand, pointing towards the door. I pulled the trigger and let loose a hail of shells, I heard screams and yells of pain. I raised myself up just so I could see over the top, I had brought down four out of nine soldiers, I fired at one who was ducking out of cover; the volley hit him dead on and knocked him backwards with fair sized holes in his chest. The Captain fired his pistol and skimmed my ear; I fired another volley in return and brought him down. I moved out towards the elevator, firing backwards towards the other soldiers as I moved. I entered and hit the “level 2� button. Done…

I picked up the wounded Captain and held my pistol to his throat; I had put the Boltgun over my back because it would come in handy on the planet below. When the door opened there were soldiers all pointing their weapons at me, I had never felt so vulnerable in my life, one wrong move and I’d be dead. As I walked through I was yelling, “Fire at me and your boss gets it!� I made it to about ten feet of the escape pod, and pushed the Captain forward with the gun pointing at his neck. I quickly shoved him into another escape pod and threw a krak grenade in, simultaneously jumping into the other and hitting the “launch� button. I heard gunfire and felt the escape pod lurch out of the bay, I looked out of the window and saw the other escape pod explode. A hole was blown in the side of the ship and the vacuum created began sucking soldiers out into space. Even though my ear was still in blinding pain, I let out a sigh of relief and awaited the hard crash into the planet’s surface.

I was lucky, this time.

[Schmeag]

I like ploy involving the shoe to get the guard in, although personally he sounded a bit hasty Also at the end when the protagonist makes his escape, does he destroy the entire ship including his own crewmates that were taken hostage?

[Yraen]

Good job once again! Cant wait till you get back and write some more! :yes:

[Ignorant Bliss]

Also at the end when the protagonist makes his escape, does he destroy the entire ship including his own crewmates that were taken hostage?

He doesn't destroy the ship, just the escape pod hangar where all those men were waiting for him, taking them all out MWAHHAAH.

[Schmeag]

But wouldn't everyone else get sucked out as well?

[The_Ghost]

Dude, thats what bulkheads are for. One part of the ship gets exposed to hard vacume then the bulkheads slam shut sealing the frozen area away from the rest of the ship.