| From: | Erik S Jameson <esj@***.UUG.ARIZONA.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Aerich's rescue (my tale) |
| Date: | Fri, 21 Oct 1994 16:45:45 -0700 |
went down on me. First off, let me just say that Chicago is, shall we say,
different. I had spent some time there several years ago, and had to
leave rather hastily. So I was not entirely looking forward to going
back. But as most of you probably know, I had to help out Aerich. So
here is my version of the story. I figure Kovak will likely have a
different version, but then again he IS an ex-cop...
+++++OPTICAL CHIP UPLOAD
+++++AUDIO AND VIDEO (y/n)? Y
[The view is crystal clear, despite the fact it is obviously very late at
night. Directly to the front is a large warehouse, strangely free of
graphiti. The view swivels to take in the rest of the neighborhood of
an older business park. The only light is from several armored street
lights. From the way the camera moves, you can already guess it must be
a sim-rig or a helmet camera. The camera slowly moves its way toward the
main warehouse, taking cover inside abandoned buildings at every chance.
As the camera nears to 50m from the warehouse, a red heads-up tactical
display comes into view. A scrawny gray cat darts across the street, and
the display marks the stray animal, giving speed, distance, and a
recommended response of "DO NOT FIRE". +++++DELETE 4Mp+++++ The camera
now shows a view of the top of the warehouse. It's dirty, with pieces of
stray trash and pieces of old roof. The camera looks down, and for the
first time you can see part of the person with the camera. A grapple gun
is held by two heavily armored hands. It looks very much like Heavy
Security grade armor, but it is bulkier than it should be. There is also
a raised keypad and a small viewscreen on the left forearm. The small
screen is echoing the same data displayed on the heads-up display that
obscures the camera's view. "Whiskey Hotel to Kilo Oscar. I'm 10-97.
10-20?"
You hear another voice come over the comm-link. "Kilo Oscar to
Whiskey Hotel, 20 is position Alpha."
"10-4 Kilo Oscar. 10-87 position Zulu Zulu Zulu. I say again 10-19
position Zulu Zulu Zulu."
"Kilo Oscar to Whiskey Hotel, I'm 10-49 Zulu Zulu Zulu. Do you have
visual on Alpha Echo?"
"Negative Kilo Oscar. Stand-by for my signal, then proceed with
Delta India."
"Affirmitive Whiskey Hotel. I'm 10-97 Zulu Zulu Zulu, standing by
for Delta India. Lima Romeo 1 and 2, stand-by."
By this time the grapple hook has been securely set into a piece of
exposed steel. The camera moves back, then looks down and you can see
the person is standing on the very edge of the roof, over two stories
above the ground.
"Whiskey Hotel to Kilo Oscar, I'm on the bubble. Proceed with Delta
India. Come back."
"Kilo Oscar to Whiskey Hotel, I read Delta India. Again, I read
Delta India."
"Confirmed. Proceed and maintain radio silence."
Somewhere uncomfortably close you hear a rather loud explosion, but
the wearer of the camera does not lose his concentration by turning to look.
With a sudden blur, the camera drops several meters, downward and out. A
broken window appears suddenly, and the camera swings towards it, then
with a crash of glass and wooden crossbars, the camera is through.
Inside the warehouse you can see several humans rushing to put on partial
heavy armor as they are rushing towards the door, towards where the
explosion occured. Of to one side, partially walled in, you can see
several figures. Three humans with Colt-23's surround a figure you
recognize as Aerich. He is tied to a chair, his head lolling to one
side. The camera sees an Ares Alpha combat gun being unslung from the
shoulder harness and pointed at the three figures. The heads-up display
has the figures all marked, 7.2 meters away, recommending "BURST FIRE".
There heads snap around just in time to see the Alpha spit a burst of
lead at the figure closest to Aerich. He falls backwards without a
sound. The Alpha spits another burst, in synchi with the closest of the
Humanis soldiers. The bullets lace into his chest, and he falls with a
wet gurgle. The bullets ricochet of the armor, and then the camera goes
dead. +++++3Mp DELETED+++++
"Whiskey Hotel to Kilo Oscar, I have Alpha Echo. Begin retreat."
Silence.
"Whiskey Hotel to Kilo Oscar, I say again, I have Alpha Echo. Begin
retreat." +++++END OPTICAL CHIP UPLOAD+++++
Unfortunately for you, on that first burst my camera link was shot out.
I was unhurt, but I'm going to have a little talk with my armorer about
the unarmored camera link. What ended up happening was that I took out
the other guard, then Althea manifested and untied Aerich. She then
carried him back out the window I came in (she's slightly strong!), as I
covered them both. I didn't even have to cast any spells! Kovak's
distraction worked pretty well, but not long enough for. A couple more
goons came back, with the partial heavy, and I had to shoot a few
grenades at them to discourage any further pursuit. I am now back in
Seattle, with Aerich, who, by the way, is recovering quite nicely from
the mind-benders they had him on to keep him from casting spells. He
should have no permanent effects what so ever. As far as Kovak goes, I
haven't received word from him yet. Rumor is the slag is still alive,
but I haven't heard from him personally. But that's all for now
folks.]<<<<<
--the Whistler<12:34:55/10-21-55>
