Since I have ter go very quickly, I'll post up this lil' bit..
GUARDIANS, THIEVES, AND INDUSTRY--The battle for Last Legs (cont.)
Stranger growled thoughtfully, a smile beginning to widen on his face. He made an affirmative hum, then turned to Umi, her jaw low down near here neck.
“You ready, Umi?” he leaned up to her shoulder. She flinched from the timbre of his voice, then turned around.
“Huh?” she said, still a little stunned. He gave a low chuckle.
“Yer crack me up, kid,” he smiled, then rowed up to a ramp leading up to a small water dock. The dock was further away from the two water bases, and far enough for the Wolvarks to not see them. They both jumped out of the boat, careful no to make any loud noises to alert the Wolvarks, and walked up the top. He squinted hard to get a better view of the Wolvarks.
“Hang on…” he pushed an arm back to Umi to stop her, then crouched down with his eye close to his snooper device on his Steef bow. Five rounds of Snuzi darts was all he had. Using them wisely would be a tough thing to do. There were at least seven Wolvarks per base. Only five would lose their lives. He took aim directly on the leader Wolvark’s head on the first base. He grinned devilishly, then shot the Snuzi right at it. He could hear all the way from where he was, the loud shrill of the Wolvark that had a hole in its head now. The Wolvark slammed down on the fresh snow that led down in to the water, twitching its arm before it didn’t move again. It was a silent kill, so no one noticed, not even the shout the Wolvark let out. “Good…” he growled in satisfaction, then zoomed in on the other head Wolvark on base two. Four Snuzis left. He homed on the Wolvarks’ chest this time. Knocking the wind out of it while killing it quickly wouldn’t alert the closer ones. He got a view of the Wolvarks’ ribs under its arms. He paused a moment not to lose this sight, then shot. The Wolvark let out a quick gasp, then fell near the shore to the water. Only a handful left of the Wolvarks, with only three Snuzis left. He turned back to the first water base, watching closely, then smiled as if he had a plan. One Wolvark stood, while another was about to walk passed it. He held his finger on the trigger tightly. This would have to be perfect. If not, he’d miss one and he’d be caught. Right when they were horizontally aligned, he shot quickly without thinking. His prediction came right. The Snuzi passed right through the first blocking Wolvark, then swiped through and got the second Wolvark just barely. The Snuzi slightly stuck out of the second’s ribs, but deep enough to kill quickly. That only left a small amount on base one. He began to ignore the first base, moving right over to the Wolvarks of second base. All of them were still alive except the leader. He checked to see if he could do the same thing with the two Wolvarks that he got with one, but they didn’t stand out. Killing two birds with one stone was what he liked to do. Then, he heard a loud, upsetting yell from base one. He zoomed in on the shouting Wolvark. It had found the two bodies shot down. But before he could get the others attention, he shot it in the head, the corpse flopped upon the two bodies. Umi chuckled with Stranger. One dart left. This would be a challenge. And silence wouldn’t really be the essence of his plan. The Wolvarks were too close together to make a quick and silent kill. So he’d just put one out of its miserable life, then take down to ground zero. He locked on to the farthest Wolvark from the group, then kept on its strutting head with its walking pattern. It was tough to keep a lock on its head while it strutted around like a moron, so he might miss and cause an uproar. And the thing didn’t seem to stop moving.
“Damn it…” he growled annoyingly. Before he could even shoot, the Wolvark emerged in to the group. But that wasn’t bad. It was good. Moving in on with the group would mean another two-kill shot with one dart. Of course, one Wolvark stood still, while the walking one nearly passed it. He kept a lock on the standing one, then waited for the Wolvark to pass in front of it. Sure, it would cause an uproar, but it was worth it. The Wolvark was now passing. Hiis eye glinted, then shot. He was one second too late. The Wolvark that passed only got the hit, while the first one only got winded by the Wolvarks’ flinching body.
“What the hell!” it shouted, throwing the corpse off of its back. The others ran up around the dead body, then darted around suspiciously.
“Sniper! Sniper, we got’s a sniper, boys! Activate the rocket turrets!” a Wolvark shouted. The other ones across from them heard the shout, and ran up to the keypads that locked the gates. They typed in to it quickly, then two bulbous turrets with the same red eye from the shock tank came to life, right above the gate doors.
“Keep on high alert, boys! That sniper can’t be too far,” the Wolvark shouted. Stranger grunted in anger, dropping his arm right next to his legs.
“We can’t go on boat. They’ll notice us right away,” Stranger turned to Umi. She blinked at him blankly for a second, wondering what he was getting to. He nodded back behind her, and she spun her head around. She furrowed her brows confusingly, then turned around to him again. Her jaw dropped then. He nodded in agreement.
“No way,” she shook her head. But Stranger only nodded. “Uh-uh! I ain’t doin’ it!” her brows gone down angrily. Stranger only nodded his head, keeping a grin at the corner of his lip. “Stranger! Get it through yer head! That water’s below the god-damned freezing point! No way I’m goin’ in to that bowl of ice cubes!” she raised her arms. Stranger only nodded. He would do that just to annoy her, and to change her mind. She folded her arms across her chest, keeping her eyes off of him. She’d occasionally dart her eye to him, only he looking at her with a deceivable grin. Eventually, she’d give up. After nearly ten minutes, she gave a grieving sigh, dropping her arms heavily to her sides.
“Fine…” she grumbled. “You win,” she turned to him.
“Dun’ you worry, lil’ one. You won’t touch the water while I’m ‘ere,” he nodded.
“What about you? You’ll freeze ter death in that water!” she said.
We’ve been out in the cold fer the last three hours, Umi. And I ain’t even shiverin’. I don’t think a bunch of cold water will bring me down,” he nodded.
“I ain’t worried ‘bout that! I’m sayin’ hypothermia! When you can’t get warm, and you die from that!” she said. He let out a quick laugh.
“You worry too much ‘bout me, kid! You ain’t my mother!” he swiped her up in to his arm. She ci\limbed up on his shoulders, and sat with legs hanging over his chest.
“Not too close to the water, ok? I don’t mind my legs, but not deep to go to my waist,” she patted his head of hair. He nodded, then turned to the ramp, and walked down it. He slowly stepped a foot in, then the other, then completely submerged in to the water. Umi gasped at the water that soaked in to her bottom of her jeans.
“Christ, this water’s cold!” she faintly said. He mumbled an agreement, stroking his arms through the near-frozen water to the second water base. The beach led right directly under the Wolvark's feet, which made a perfect ambush point. Umi's legs were completely submerged under the arctic water, along with nearly her waist. Stranger's arm was popping out of the water, he loading on Howler Punks and viscious Bola Blasts galring at him with diamond-red eyes. He placed himself belly-flat on the beach, watching the first Wolvark close to him carefully. The Bola spider rubbed together its two hairy pinchers together, intent on getting the Wolvark right and fast. He waited for the right moment, when the Wolvark was going to turn right to him. It turned nearly to him, and his neon-green eyes glinted brightly. The Bola Blast was shot, a flurry of webbing spreaded over the Wolvark's entire body. Only its outline through the pure-white wrapping was all they saw of the Wolvark. He quickly bountied the Wolvark so it wouldn't make any noise to upset the others. They both stayed low, crawling on their stomachs over to the behind of a crane. The Wolvarks didn't notice a thing. But it would be a contraption to get through both the Wolvarks and the rocket turrets that homed in on familiar heat signatures, except the Wolvarks. The Howler Punks were first to come. He kept the little critter under the crane, knowing that the crane wouldn't activate, because it was under intense cold. The Howler began to curse out to the Wolvarks, Stranger watching them strut quickly over to the rodent. The last three began trying to stomp the Howler down in to the cold, cold snow. But unfortunetely, they had butter-legs. Quickly after the Wolvarks began to stomp over the Howler Punk, another flurry of white webbing swiped over their bodies in a blink of an eye. The Wolvarks began to mumble through the thick webs that covered their mouths, watching the Steef stand up to their legs. He looked over to the keypads to the gates, but grumbled at the fact of the rocket turrets. He slowly stepped up closer to the ramp. The mechanical eye spun around, then darted on to Stranger. He froze a second, then even slower, kept moving up. The turret made loud, pulsating beeps as he got closer. The closer he got, the beeps began to get quicker. Right when it was near to a hum, the turret's reticule homed in only to the Steef, and the rocket launcher whirred around.
"Crap..." he grunted, holding out his arms. The turret took a quick three second delay, then began to shoot rockets by the second out to the Steef. He jumped back, noticing the rockets couldn't get to his present position, but back behind the crane. However, Umi stayed where she was, wondering what Stranger was doing, since she was behind him while the turret locked on to him. She stared at the rocket turret, noticing it only moving with Stranger, and not locking on to her. She took a few steps forward, but the turret didn't hum to her. She squinted an eye, then grinned craftily, turning her head behind to Stranger.
"Don't worry, Stranger! I'm goin' fer the keypad!" she shouted.
"No, you will NOT!" he roared, walking out from behind the crane. The turret whirred again, and shot out rockets near the crane. He cringed back behind the crane, then bared his teeth to the turret.
"See? It goes after you, but not me. Watch!" she turned back around, then began to walk forward. The turret didn't watch Umi, but kept its red eye on the crane Stranger hid behind. She was at the head of the ramp, and the turret didn't do a thing. Stranger stared at it awkwardly. She then ran up to the keypad, watching the turret, then began to type to it. The lock groaned low, then twisted oppositely it originally went when it went to lockdown. The right gate door slid back in to its coupling again. She then ran back down the ramp to Stranger.
"How the hell..." he said absent-minded.
"The turret uses significant heat signatures, like Wolvarks, outlaws...Oddworldian things. Me, I'm a human. It doesn't recognize human's heat signature. So, I can unlock the doors," Umi explained. He began to grin widely.
"You lil' nerd," he chuckled, then glanced at the turrets. "Still need ter get rid of the lil' varmins..." he growled.
"Boom-bat Seekers..." she said in a reminder tone. He growled affirmatively, unlcoking his bow, and loading on the obnoxious 'bats. "Ready? Yer gonna have to get the turrets on yer own. My rifle's range of fire ain't that far to reach that bloody thing," she nodded to him. He nodded to her as well. "Ok...let's go..." she peeked over the crane's base. She then ran out near the water's beach, waiting for Stranger patiently. He poked his arm out over the crane's base, closing an eye tightly with one eye open on the turret. The turret's reticule hummed again, clicking its turret loudly and reloading its ammo chamber with another rocket. Stranger ran out, and shot the two Seekers off his bow. The Boom-bats fluttered in a small cluster with their drones, ticking like a time bomb towards the turrets. Stranger turned around to Umi, stampeding quickly up to the beach without looking back to see if the Boom-bats got the turret. He skidded to a stop in the snowy dirt, spinning around to the turret. It was only a smoldering black dot on the cemented dam. That only left one more. Back in to the water again, Stranger swam as quickly as possible towards the second water base. Umi gripped tightly to Stranger's chest as possible, but that didn't stop her from slipping off his half-frozen armor, and splashing in to the icy water. She screamed a frightful squeal when she resurfaced. Stranger spun back around, pulling Umi's arm up as she sank down. He rolled her close to his chest, and continued to swim through to the beach. He jumped on the fresh-powdered snowy ground, shaking off the dripping water on his armor and his luke-warm skin. Umi was crawling off the snow to the cement-based ground, shivering heavily as the drips of water coming off her hair turned to icicles.
"S-s-so....c-c-cold..." she huddled her limbs together near her chest, lowering her head between her knees. Stranger knelt in front of her, looking under her shabby, wet self, searching for her eyes.
"You ok?" he asked. She lifted her head up. She nodded shakily, then bent back down. He grumbled in concern, then darted to the turret. It didn't even detect him yet, which was good because nothing would bother him. He looked back down to Umi. She hasn't stopped shivering, but he noticed it got worse. "Umi?" he lifted her head. Her face was a flushed pale-white, with no hint of color. Something definitely wasn't right. "C'mon," he lifted her up in a tight bundle in his arms. Being in the wind wouldn't help her warm up. He rested her between two large crates. He unstrapped his armor covering his chest, and placed it over Umi. All he wore was his blue stretchy tunic. And by how that kept him more than warm, it should warm Umi up like a thermostat. He put his helmet right by Umi, then blinked at her.
"Where...y-you goin'-n?" she looked up to him.
"Shh...You stay put. I'ma put that turret out fer its own good," he glared quickly at the turret.
"B-b-but...it'll get you..." she shuffled uneasily.
"I ain't lettin' you go out in yer condition. Stay 'ere, and warm up," he said firmly.
"Stranger..." she reached an arm out, but he didn't tjurn around. His bow unlocked with both barrels loaded with Boom-bat Seekers. He began to take steps forward, watching the turret carefully. The eye whirred around, then darted to the approaching Steef. Stranger didn't stop, taking bigger steps forward, and increasing his pace faster. The eye made the same beeping noise as a proximity mine, as the Steef came closer, the beeping got faster. Stranger's arm was lifting. He knew the turret would reload then shoot at him, so he'd be ready for anything the turreet shot. He wasn't in range yet to shoot the Seekers. But as he got closer, time would run out before it'd shoot. He stopped right near the head of the ramp, hearing the beeping near to a close hum. He let out a heavy sigh, closing his eyes, and bowing his head down. He focused carefully on the beeping of the turret. His eyes suddenly popped open, then ran up the ramp to the keypad. The turret made a clicking noise, reloading its chamber with a rocket. That would give some time to Stranger to get the turret. He peeked out behind a pillar near the keypad, holding out his arm, and shot both barrels to the turret. But as the 'bats got closer, so did the rocket get closer to his present position. He began to run back from the rocket's range, hearing the quick explosion of the turret coming in to impact with the Boom-bat Seekers and its drones. He looked back, seeing another smoldering black spot on the dam's wall. Now all he had to worry about was the fast-approaching rocket. As his speed was doubled since in his bounty hunter state, the rocket was dropping faster than him. He was down the ramp, and the rocket was still on his tail. It didn't hit the ground, but followed him as he ran.
"Huh?" he growled, looking behind him. Umi's head popped out between the crates, watching Stranger stampede right by her, then the rocket.
"THEY'RE HEAT-SEEKING!" Umi screamed. "IT'LL FOLLOW YOU UNTIL IT'S GOT YOU!" Stranger growled angrily. One turret was basic, but the other was advanced? How stupid could the Wolvarks get? Why didn't they make them BOTH heat seeking, not that he'd want those. He was quickly approaching the water, his dead end point. He glanced back, seeing the rocket not stopping to him. He grunted uneasily, then leaped in to the air. He flew barely over the metal base, over top the glassy surface of the water. It seemed he was moving in slow motion, the rocket's flaring sound echoing loudly through his hollow mind. He watched as he slowly got closer to the water. He shut his eyes tightly, then felt the cool splash of the water break all over his face. His body felt the tingle overwhelm him, until he was totally under water. The rocket passed over the splash, leaving a thick river of smoke overhead of the water. it jettosened up in to the air, wildly twisting and turning until it vertically winded up in to the air. Stranger kept himself under the surface until he though it was safe to come up. He looked up from underneath, watching the smokey tail of the rocket continue to go up. He could hear faint, but loud screaming of a small voice screech overtop him
"STRANGER!" Umi screamed to the top of her voice. She coughed quickly, then continued to scream. "STRANGER, YOU CRAZY BASTARD! WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?" she cried loud. He resurfaced, taking in the cold air deeply. He could hear sobs coming off the top of the water base, knowing immediately it was Umi.
"I'm...I'm ok, Umi. You can stop yer bawling..." he panted. She crawled to the edge of the base, gripping tightly to the metal edge.
"Yer crazy, Stranger! Going in to that water without your armor! You'll be like me within a second, now get yer ass out'a that water, NOW!" she cried. Stranger heaved a heavy laugh.
"Would you stop actin' like yer my mother? Yer only thirteen!' he swam to the beach quickly. He grappled deeply in to the stone-cold ground of the beach, and dragged himself out of the water. He stood straight, then shook off the water streaming off his water-proof tunic. Umi was crawling up to him with all her remaining strength that she exerted, up to his legs.
"Yer crazy, you bastard, you're crazy..." she supported herself up with Stranger's arms.
"I though I told you to stay put," he grinned. She slightly smiled up to him.
"Now don't you start actin' like my dad, Stranger," she whispered. She pulled off his armor piece, giving it to him with a heavy grunt. "This time, you put this on," she said.
"Oh no. You put that back on. Yer supposed ter warm up," he firmly declined. She grinned.
"Stranger, this thing warmed me up faster than that rocket chased you. I don't want to get too hot so that I'd get Hyperthermia, rather than Hypothermia..." she said. He chuckled deep in his throat.
"Fine, but if yer still cold...Just, tell me," he nodded, slipping over his poncho again. Umi ran back over and grabbed his helmet, which was half as heavy as his poncho, and raised it up to his head. He knelt down to her level, and she carefully put it on without tugging his hair in the wrong way.
"Thank yeh, kindly," he raised back up, straightening his helmet out properly. His hair stuck out in thick strands, raising up near the curling horns of his golden-brass helmet, making it look like the horns were actually attatched to his head. And still, the blue armor he wore made him look lighter, more likely he's changed more ever since they'd met, and since the de-pantsing trial with D. Caste Raider, and the Grubb's attack. And she's also changed, phisically and mentally. She's recognized she was stronger than the times she'd been on Halo and the Master Chief. Plus, her strong attatchment to Stranger. It was totally unbreakable, no matter the dangers or the possibility of a dramatic change in life. Nothing would break their bond. Stranger looked awkwardly to Umi's eyes.
"You ok?" he cocked his head sideways to her face. It took her a moment for Stranger's words to sink in to her shallow mind. She blinked out of her thoughts.
"Huh?" she said, looking in to Stranger's eyes.
"I think the cold is gettin' ter yer brain, kiddo. Let's get in to the dam," he nodded, then turned to the ramp. She hesitated to move, then proceeded forward. She touched the cold keys of the keypad, nearly frozen to the touch. She began to press hardly down on the half-frozen keys, remembering the buttons she used for the first gate door. She struck the enter key, and stood back. The lock shuddered loudly, then twisted oppositely from whence it locked. The lock slid back up to unlocked position, and the left gate door slid back in to its coupling again. The gates were wide open for their invasion, which was going in to action, right now.
Last edited by Dark Elite_H2; 11-26-2005 at 06:56 AM..
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To add insult to injury I had to use that p.o.s. throughout highschool.
So I know how it feels to be dissapointed when it comes to computer promises
. Everything will turn out alright in the end I bet so keep your chin up!
:cheers:
Good grief, alright, alright, I'll update, I'll update! Happy now? 
....sorry about the umm...rambling. I just get a little carried away with the biology and medical aspects of things sometimes. 
Keep up with the fantastic work Dark Elite!
Am I evil? oh yes. 