| From: | "Paul J. Adam" <shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | The Attack |
| Date: | Sun, 9 Nov 1997 21:26:36 +0000 |
+++++begin news item
Gunfire and explosions erupted around a Tarislar nightclub, allegedly
being fought over by local crime lords for the revenues of the nearby
farm. A Lone Star spokesman said the situation was 'under control', but
had no information about casualties.
+++++end news item
Well, why would uptowners care? "Death and mayhem in the Barrens. Nobody
with a SIN got shot. We didn't get footage. Move along, people, nothing
to see here."
Though this is someone who _did_ get footage.
+++++begin trideo: Seattle's Hottest News!!!!
"Hello, Sally!" the reporter's voiceover booms. "This is Jack Mack,
reporting Hot Action live as it happens, from the crime-riddled hellhole
of Tarislar!"
The camera view dips slightly, zooming in rapidly on a street: probably
a drone. Unlike most of Tarislar, this street has power, and is fairly
free of the drifting ash: it's also flickering with muzzle flashes and
lit by several burning vehicles. The light is poor, but well over a
dozen bodies can be seen sprawled in the street, and the soundtrack is
swamped by the crackle of gunfire.
The fighting seems centred on a boxy building, with windows shuttered
and lights dimmed: shattered neon sparks and crackles across its front.
The defenders, though, are putting up a superb fight, despite massive
numbers outside: the camera lacks the resolution to make out much
outside the circles of firelight cast by the burning motorcycles, but
every shadow and every doorway seems to hide blurry movement and flashes
of gunfire: there must be scores of attackers.
"Mere minutes ago we heard reports of dozens, even hundreds, of armed
men and women converging on this area, all intent on the destruction of
this building! The notorious vice den and crime haven, the 'Easy Eight',
lies surrounded by a massive force of gang members, criminals and other
scum, who have apparently been handed assault weapons and ordered to
create mayhem and destruction in the streets!"
As the reporter speaks, flame billows from one of the alley mouths
facing the Easy Eight. Burning figures stagger out, arms flailing, into
a storm of gunfire that knocks them to the ground.
There appears to be a commotion in one building across the street, and
the drone swings around to get a better look: several gang members are
fleeing from the back, away from the Easy Eight and from the fight.
"Lawlessness and chaos rule, as they so often do, as criminals armed
with deadly weapons exchange fire with deadly effect in the streets!
Where are Lone Star? What's to stop this horde from attacking the
defenceless citizens uptown?" the reporter yammers. "Wait, what's this-"
Eight huge - larger than Troll-size - manshapes are advancing down the
street with a grace and speed that belies their bulk, in a loose
arrowhead. The leader suddenly blazes with light, searchlights spearing
the darkness, and a hugely amplified voice booms "SERENITY SECURITY!
CEASE FIRE OR BE FIRED UPON!" loudly enough that the drone's pickups
hear it clearly over the background noise.
"What the hell... those are Maxim CVR-7s!" Mack gasps.
The leader of the squad of power-armoured troops is suddenly sparkling
with the strikes of bullets, as some of the Easy Eight's attackers make
him or her their target: the only effect is to shatter several of the
searchlights, and all eight CVR-7s return the fire with what seem to be
grenade launchers and miniguns. After a dozen agonising seconds, the
street is silent, and after a few more seconds the Easy Eight's
defenders begin emerging, moving in short dashes from cover to cover.
The attackers - mostly gang members, colours indistinct - are either
downed, scattering, or in some cases staggering around half-blind and
clutching their ears. In the bright searchlights of the CVR-7 squad,
many of the casualties are splattered with vivid green paint, rather
than blood: riot control ammunition. There is a short burst of gunfire,
answered by a longer snarl of minigun fire and several concussion
grenades.
"I can safely say that was unexpected, Sally. In fact, unprecedented.
I've never seen powered armour used in Seattle before, and it begs
interesting, _fascinating_ questions about the owner of the Easy Eight,
the mysterious Julia Wolfe..."
+++++end trideo
I cut the rest of his babble. He's boring.
Anyway, final score was twelve dead, thirty-nine wounded and captured,
and twenty-three prisoners for the bad guys. One dead, nine wounded for
Easy's mob, not too much damage to the club. They'll be open for
business again in a few days.]<<<<<
-- Bungle <21:26:31/11-09-58>
