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STORY
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I'm writing my memories as fast as I care to recall them. Currently, that isn't a very fast pace.
Let me briefly tell you a bit about how I am doing, now that this mess is over. Since the incident (I have yet to think up a proper title) I've been... different.
It's a pain writing this, because I haven't even connected the story for myself yet. That's one reason why I'm still undergoing psychological rehabilitation.
Now with that out of the way, I can continue. Let's recap for a minute.
First, we board the vessel.
(Oh, another thing to note: we referred to the ship as the "classy." During tactical rundown before boarding, the ship's name was marked as "classified." I still haven't any idea what that ship's name really was. Even if I did, I've signed an agreement forbidding me to publish such information.)
After boarding and re-powering the lights to the docking command station, we scout out through the ship and lock down everything in site, including two hives. After a short while, we discover that we have not encountered any Kharaa because they are all on another part of the ship. The only currently functional passage to this half of the ship is a maintenance tunnel in the atmospheric processor.
Also, the commander seems to be locked out of a lot of ship functions because of the AI onboard the station, known as the Youkja.
Being the only qualified individual, I get sent to interface with the BrainTech. I discover that a crewmember named Caron instigated the lockdown, and that the Youkja herself is not the one to blame for the commander's lockout. I also obtained generally complete maps of the station.
In the mean time, the inept commander finally listened to Mr. Samsa's suggestion to lock down the atmospheric processor. He sent team 2 to repair the emergency filtration system there, which once activated would filter out the atmosphere 100%, effectively blocking any large life form from passing through.
They almost completed their task. Just before hand, a group of skulks lying in wait attacked and slaughtered Mystery-Matt and Quiver. They appeared to have somehow been cloaked.
The Kharaa then proceeded through the last unfiltered vent passage, towards Cold Storage. They passed by Tony, who hid in a side alcove. Pseudo tried to make it to Cold storage, but was killed just as he reached the final turn through the vent.
The marines knew this was coming, and prepared for the Kharaa to round the corner. Yet, somehow, one of them gathered enough tact to use Pseudo's body as a cover for getting close. Once close enough, it sprung out, scattering the marines around the vent. The rest then followed behind.
All of this I have already told you. Here is what I have not:
During this battle, Seph and Altezo were both killed.
During this battle, one of the skulks managed to use our own phase gate at cold storage. Every other Kharaa was killed.
This is where we are.
I stood in cold storage over the carcass of the freshly killed Lerk. It reminded me of a dead dog, its tongue-equivalent dangling out from the corner of its mouth. The rest of its body was spattered around the floor; on my legs; on my face. I was stiff as a board.
There was a lot going on around me I'm sure, but I wasn't aware of it. All I remember is looking over to my side, along the path of suspended mutton.
A skulk dangling from a chain. Pseudo's limp corpse at the base of the vent. Seph's booted foot visible from behind a strung carcass. Bullet holes. Steam from the bullet holes. Steam from the sudden heat against the frozen walls and floor.
Darkens, short a leg, his body shaking on the ground.
I walked over to him. He was caught in the Lerk's spores for too long. It seemed if I were to run my hand across his face, it would come off on my fingers. However, he wasn't dead. I dropped down beside him.
Darkens: "My nose tickles."
"Commander, drop a medpack."
The best I could do was a whisper. I was too incoherent to notice there was no commander.
A great deal took place in that instant that I was unaware. Ashura Demon had panicked during the attack, and basically went bonkers when a skulk started chewing on the command chair. This skulk had escaped the battle at cold storage through the phase gate, and had phased into our main base.
Ashura spammed turrets around the command chair, which was useless since no one was around to build them. The skulk ate the first person to respawn; Ate the infantry portal; Ate the command chair. The entire time, Ashura had said nothing. He didn't know what to do. The entire time, the rest of the team defended the station while our main base was being destroyed.
Ashura jumped out of the command chair just as it collapsed, firing wildly at the skulk. It redemptioned away.
Mr. Samsa found Ashura sitting in the corner of our base, staring off into the wall.
At the moment, I was aware of none of this. All I knew was Darkens, and the cold.
Darkens: "You're a boom-stick, you know. A nice boom-stick. I'll call you boom, Jacket. That's a good name. Boom Jacket."
"Drop a fucking medpack."
He grabbed my arm. The room was cold, but his hand was colder. I began feeling numb, like in the morning after staying up all night.
Darkens: "I can't see anything, man. Get this fucking helmet off of me."
His voice shook. His body was in shock. He was dying.
I tried to carefully remove his helmet. It seemed to be burned onto his flesh, which dragged along like the caramel on a candy bar. He didn't seem to notice.
His head was shaved. I didn't expect it to be, for whatever dumb reason. His eyes were hazel. He looked at me, unwavering, sweat caked across his brow.
Darkens: "What's my name?"
"Darkens."
Darkens: "Damn straight it is. Darkens, the man with the record. Nice to meet you, uh..."
"Jack."
Darkens: "Jack's a pussy. You're not a pussy, Boom Jacket."
Darkens: "My name's Jack, Darkens."
Darkens: "You colorful bastard. I am saying your fucking name. It is Boom Jacket. Remember. Boom Jacket."
"...Boom Jacket."
I fought the nauseous feeling climbing through my stomach. Darkens seemed to be comfortable. Heck, he was even smerking.
Darkens: "Damn straight, Boom Jacket. I think... I'm going to sleep."
"No."
Darkens: "I like to dream about girls. Fucking girls rock."
"Stay here."
"I'm not here, Boom Jacket... This isn't happening..."
I am Boom Jacket, the last request of Darkens, the Frontiersman with the record.
Amen.
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Disclaimer
Monster is © Edan Koch. The Universe in which it takes place is based upon Natural-Selection. All characters and locations are fictional. Any association with actual persons or places is coincidental.
Natural-Selection and all artwork, screenshots, text and code associated with it are © Charles G. Cleveland, 2001.