Post by satoh on Nov 27, 2015 4:26:14 GMT -5
Mechanical Legacy
"Scrap"
_________________
Kiva crept slowly, carefully over the rubble. It was always best not to attract too much attention, even if there was none to be seen. Crouching near the asphalt, she peered under a long since disused vehicle. It was difficult to see the other side through the brush. Leaning against the rusted frame, she slid along it to the taller end, gripping her knife and pistol tight in either hand. She lunged around the edge as quietly as possible. Clear. She relaxed slightly, standing full height. It had always been dangerous entering the cities. Too many nooks for things to hide.
Finally she made her way into the looming glass structure. These were generally the best places to find parts for circuit repairs. Most of the stuff inside was scrap, but some could be salvaged. The lower levels of the structure, like the street outside, were mostly filled with creeping vegetation, but after cautiously scaling several flights of stairs she came to a level that looked promising.
The floor was mostly bare, and even better, this level had an array of smaller rooms, each outlined by shells of what were probably temporary walls at one time. None were left intact now of course. Kiva glanced quickly over the area, spotting a few desks which hadn't collapsed from wear. Little of any use in the drawers she could open, and most of the computer boxes were too corroded to be of use.
Finally she spotted one that appeared to be relatively clean on the outside. With some effort she noisily broke free the cover and peered inside. Some of the boards looked usable. Her final intrusion had not gone without notice, however, as a loud crash indicated something landing through the hole in the ceiling. Kiva quickly pried a board free from the metal enclosure with her knife and placed it hastily in her satchel. Making for a quick exit, she leapt out the shattered glass window, gripping the reaching vines on the way out. The plants were hardly well attached enough to hold her and they tore away from the building as she fell.
She slowed enough to get a better grip at least, allowing her weave back into the gargantuan structure, but her pursuer was close behind. It's shrill scream was no comfort at all as it easily clawed its way into her level. She barely made it into the stairwell before it slammed through the door and straight into the wall behind. With precious fractions of a second gained from its dazed and enraged cry she jumped the barriers, dropping floor to floor, entire landings at a time. Finally she ducked out of the building and onto the street.
***
Mita stared intently through the dimly lit digital scope of her rifle. It had been four hours since Kiva entered the ancient city. She cycled the display modes, pausing momentarily with each to register the information she was seeing.
Various colored blobs indicated heat blooms here and there through the streets, now mostly covered with undergrowth.
Bright green images shown barely discernible, save for the shadows which now were clear.
A blue scene devoid of any yellow.
Blackness with speckles of grey.
Finally the view returned to standard color. No sign of Kiva in infrared, nightvision, radio frequency imaging, or motion differential from this vantage. She'd picked the spot with the most cover for herself, but it left her with poor visibility between two dilapidated buildings. The street ahead was mostly straight, but anything could lie around those corners. She cycled through the displays once more. This time she caught some movement. A dust plume it seemed. Switching back she spotted some increased ambient heat on the left, and finally she spotted an EMF signature which could be Kiva, showing as a small yellowish blob near the building's edge.
Silence. It was too far to detect any sound. Finally Kiva rounded the turn onto the street. Mita leaned into the rifle with anticipation.
Closer.
Just a few more steps.
There.
Mita squeezed the trigger and the atmosphere exploded.
***
Kiva's legs ached as she scrambled over the mottled brush and pavement, the freakish horror lumbering after. There was a rush of wind and a spatter of hot red fluid, followed shortly by the echoing crack of the gunshot. Kiva's knees gave out beneath her as she gasped and panted. She glared warily at the chaser, fearful its tenacity might animate it once last time. The only movement she could attribute to it was the lazy expansion of its bloody puddle. It had no discernible eyes or nose, but it certainly had teeth. Its head was wide and somewhat flat. Its body was at least three meters, with twice as many legs, each ending in a blade-like spoke.
An indeterminate number of seconds, or hours passed as she lay there staring.
"We bagged a big one this time."
It took a moment for Kiva to calculate the proper form of response her current state of mind, "Took you long enough. Were you hoping to claim me as salvage too?" Kiva nodded to her bleeding shoulder. The shot had clipped her, just through the skin it seemed.
"Anyway, we need to leave before anything else shows up. We'll come back for the carcass after we get you patched up." Mita explained, offering a hand. Kiva stood, and off they limped, back through the forest toward home.
This is part of a world building piece I'm working on right now.
"Scrap"
_________________
Kiva crept slowly, carefully over the rubble. It was always best not to attract too much attention, even if there was none to be seen. Crouching near the asphalt, she peered under a long since disused vehicle. It was difficult to see the other side through the brush. Leaning against the rusted frame, she slid along it to the taller end, gripping her knife and pistol tight in either hand. She lunged around the edge as quietly as possible. Clear. She relaxed slightly, standing full height. It had always been dangerous entering the cities. Too many nooks for things to hide.
Finally she made her way into the looming glass structure. These were generally the best places to find parts for circuit repairs. Most of the stuff inside was scrap, but some could be salvaged. The lower levels of the structure, like the street outside, were mostly filled with creeping vegetation, but after cautiously scaling several flights of stairs she came to a level that looked promising.
The floor was mostly bare, and even better, this level had an array of smaller rooms, each outlined by shells of what were probably temporary walls at one time. None were left intact now of course. Kiva glanced quickly over the area, spotting a few desks which hadn't collapsed from wear. Little of any use in the drawers she could open, and most of the computer boxes were too corroded to be of use.
Finally she spotted one that appeared to be relatively clean on the outside. With some effort she noisily broke free the cover and peered inside. Some of the boards looked usable. Her final intrusion had not gone without notice, however, as a loud crash indicated something landing through the hole in the ceiling. Kiva quickly pried a board free from the metal enclosure with her knife and placed it hastily in her satchel. Making for a quick exit, she leapt out the shattered glass window, gripping the reaching vines on the way out. The plants were hardly well attached enough to hold her and they tore away from the building as she fell.
She slowed enough to get a better grip at least, allowing her weave back into the gargantuan structure, but her pursuer was close behind. It's shrill scream was no comfort at all as it easily clawed its way into her level. She barely made it into the stairwell before it slammed through the door and straight into the wall behind. With precious fractions of a second gained from its dazed and enraged cry she jumped the barriers, dropping floor to floor, entire landings at a time. Finally she ducked out of the building and onto the street.
***
Mita stared intently through the dimly lit digital scope of her rifle. It had been four hours since Kiva entered the ancient city. She cycled the display modes, pausing momentarily with each to register the information she was seeing.
Various colored blobs indicated heat blooms here and there through the streets, now mostly covered with undergrowth.
Bright green images shown barely discernible, save for the shadows which now were clear.
A blue scene devoid of any yellow.
Blackness with speckles of grey.
Finally the view returned to standard color. No sign of Kiva in infrared, nightvision, radio frequency imaging, or motion differential from this vantage. She'd picked the spot with the most cover for herself, but it left her with poor visibility between two dilapidated buildings. The street ahead was mostly straight, but anything could lie around those corners. She cycled through the displays once more. This time she caught some movement. A dust plume it seemed. Switching back she spotted some increased ambient heat on the left, and finally she spotted an EMF signature which could be Kiva, showing as a small yellowish blob near the building's edge.
Silence. It was too far to detect any sound. Finally Kiva rounded the turn onto the street. Mita leaned into the rifle with anticipation.
Closer.
Just a few more steps.
There.
Mita squeezed the trigger and the atmosphere exploded.
***
Kiva's legs ached as she scrambled over the mottled brush and pavement, the freakish horror lumbering after. There was a rush of wind and a spatter of hot red fluid, followed shortly by the echoing crack of the gunshot. Kiva's knees gave out beneath her as she gasped and panted. She glared warily at the chaser, fearful its tenacity might animate it once last time. The only movement she could attribute to it was the lazy expansion of its bloody puddle. It had no discernible eyes or nose, but it certainly had teeth. Its head was wide and somewhat flat. Its body was at least three meters, with twice as many legs, each ending in a blade-like spoke.
An indeterminate number of seconds, or hours passed as she lay there staring.
"We bagged a big one this time."
It took a moment for Kiva to calculate the proper form of response her current state of mind, "Took you long enough. Were you hoping to claim me as salvage too?" Kiva nodded to her bleeding shoulder. The shot had clipped her, just through the skin it seemed.
"Anyway, we need to leave before anything else shows up. We'll come back for the carcass after we get you patched up." Mita explained, offering a hand. Kiva stood, and off they limped, back through the forest toward home.
This is part of a world building piece I'm working on right now.
