Post by bluesnailok on Feb 4, 2022 22:31:30 GMT
Shereza had brought the pair here to test Paskin, and she wished to see how this operation would continue independently for him.
Paskin gave Shereza a look of both agreement and scrutiny; understanding that the situation required their removal, though her quick reply was interesting to the Echo. Echo Houses often had to put down rowdy insurgents, but it was always a mournful occasion for most. Perhaps this was simply beyond his understanding.
"Then it will be done."
The Echo mounted the railing once more, overlooking in interior of the compound and positioned above the two conversing guards. If he could take out the first two silently, the rest would be far easier to eliminate. With a quick look back at Shereza, the Echo leapt from the watchtower, drawing his swords as he plummeted down.
He wanted to kill them nearly simultaneously, driving the weight of himself into the first guard and using his body as a cushion, before burying a blade into the second's throat. His sickle-like armored talons dug deep into the back of the first guard, using the movement to drag both guards out of sight and behind the nearest structure. His own movements were calculated, making as little sound as possible, while his cuts where meant to incapacitate and silence with maximum efficiency.
Slinking past the cabins within the compound, Paskin hunted for the others, using what cover he had, and stalking those who had become isolated from the central compound and away from watchful eyes. When he cornered a guard, it was swift and clean, usually beginning with a disorienting knock to the ground, followed by several slashes across the back of the neck and back.
The last guard was rounding one of the cabins to finish his round, only to be violently grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground. As he struggled to aim at the looming Echo, a blade sliced through the arm attempting to wield it. A second swing would take off the other arm, before the Paskin's massive clawed foot stamped down on the guards chest. Flourishing his weapon, he crossed the blade through the throat of the Teliran, silencing the surprised cry for help.
One by one the guards in the yard were dropped until the zone had been cleared. The regimented cleanout of the compound was aided by the very apparent fact that these men barely had the training to be holding a weapon, let alone be out in the midst of a guerrilla campaign. Soon enough, the sordid scene had been concluded with the final kill by Paskin of the last occupant to the outpost. Surely after came Shereza, who trudged across the open camp to the Echotian; her rifle slung over her shoulder as give a little chuckle before chirping to the freelancer.
“You get a job done, I'll give you that, big guy!” Shereza strolled past him and towards the radio cabin. Out from the interior emerged a confused conscript; wondering what the source of the chatter was. Almost as soon as he came into view, Shereza’s sidearm had been raised and sent the soul collapsing lifelessly to the floor before her, dispatched with a clean shot to the head. The warlord disappeared into the cabin, wherein she promptly destroyed what gadgetry she couldn’t carry and exited once more. With a grin, the Teliran looked to Paskin and commented,
It was only then that Paskin would sense a buzzing on his person. It was the tracking device from Governor Brod. It continued to vibrate several times before stopping once more. The call-back signal was now active, and Paskin’s paymasters were recalling the mercenary for an update.
“What is it?” Shereza inquired.
The Echo stood calmly, wiping the blades of the Teliran blood before sheathing them beneath his robes once more. He didn't flinch when Shereza put down the last conscript, in fact he was always interested in the form and speed in which others were able to operate. Shereza was quick, he'd give her that.
The device was unexpected, though Paskin did not seem concerned with it as he withdrew the device, letting it buzz for a moment before looking to Shereza.
"Your opposition is expecting an update on my progress. If you have any requests, I would voice them now. Do you require any medical supplies back at camp? Weapons?"
Shereza seemed to frown at the prospect of Paskin meeting once more with his contractors, staring at the device in his grip. With a moment to pause, the warlord simply shook her head as she muttered.
“You better get a move on. They’ll be waiting for you to arrive ASAP. We’ll be fine.” Slinking her equipment over her shoulder, Shereza rushed off back out of the camp with nought more than a brief wave as she rushed back into the brush for the mountains. Paskin was left to return to his paymasters.
The trip back was as dull and uneventful as it had been making it this far out into the hinterlands. It was over a week until the Echotian finished his long trek back to the glowing beacon of the colonial capital of the planet. Stomping down right down the road the way he had left, Paskin was met by the sight of Governor Brod and several guards stood with him as he waited by his car.
“Our reconnaissance gave us the heads up you were arriving. I apologise for the less prestigious welcome today compared to what I gave you last time we met.” The governor looked over his shoulder back to the city. From the city centre rose a plume of black smoke into the night sky.
“...But with the latest raid by those bloodthirsty maniacs out there, we are a little short on staff and time.”
Gesturing for Paskin to follow as he retreated in his car, Brod called out,
“So. How have you been faring in your infiltration into the Shereza’s cell of bandits?”
Paskin adjusted his cloak as he approached the vehicle, unable to know if he felt secure among these people, or if he was under suspicion since his call to return had been so sudden following the attack on the compound. How many days had he been gone? It was hard to tell.
"Shereza is hard to read, though I suspect she distrusts me as much as I do her. I don't believe this little return trip will make me seem any more reliable either."
Brod smiled as to the Echotian’s expression of concern as to his withdrawal from his mission.
“There has been a change of plans. I’ve received my orders to initiate our operation to pacify the countryside as soon as possible. There is no time for further trust-building, the success of our mission to bring an end to the banditry and destruction of the terrorists is now down to you. We will prepare a major strike against the terrorists at the New Johan Pass. It will be your job to see to it that you convince Shereza and her crony cells to turn up.”
The Governor withdrew some papers from the car detailing false government troop positionings and plans, “Many have already promised to attend on the false pretense that they are meeting to arrange a new offensive against us, getting Shereza’s gang to join will rally the last into the trap. Once they have arrived we will have captured their leadership and their reign of terror will be at an end, and your honour will be upheld by maintaining your word to our deal. Do you have any inquiries?”
Paskin listened closely as Brod described the new plan of attack, his lip curling at the mention of his honour.
What do you know of honour?
There were many doubts in his mind as he pondered his options for a moment, a sinking feeling in his stomach brought a rise of anger to his throat, yet the Echo quelled it before approaching Brod.
"This is all very sudden. You wish for me to deliver these plans to them, and hope they believe me to be trustworthy?"
Paskin looked at Brod for a moment, before shaking his head in submission.
"I will need my armour back. What they lack in power they make up for in cunning. Do not underestimate them, as I did."
“This is unfortunately looking like a case of now or never, and my superiors are quite insistent that we must bring the murderers to justice. Even if you have not yet gained their trust, you must make them trust you in this regard. The fate of our colony rests upon your shoulders now, Mr Paskin.”
With a single nod, the governor turned his attention to a pair of attendants who brought forth Paskin’s deposited belongings. Upon returning Paskin’s accouterments to his possession, Brod further noted,
“We are awaring of their sly strategies. They will manipulate, sneak and lie until this colony belongs to them. Bring Shereza’s cell to the rendezvous point, Mr. Paskin. Bring an end to this sordid chapter of our colony’s history.”
The Teliran proceeded to leave the Echotian with his gear and documents. Closing his cardoor, Brod left as quickly as he had appeared; leaving Paskin to prepare and return to Shereza.
Paskin looked down at the gear in his hands, the scaled cloth seemingly vanishing in waves as he ran it through his fingers. His hands bunched into fists as his eyes shot back up to the vehicle disappearing into the distance.
"Mercenary work doesn't suite you, Paskin'kan."
The Echo tucked the robes into his bag, careful to keep them from gathering dust while he traveled the ways back to Shereza's hideout. Weeks of walking had altered his appearance, betraying his well-kept, professional look with that of a more natural, feral state. By the time he had completed his week long return journey, he was ready with his decision.
Contrasting with the covert and deceptive welcome Paskin had originally been met with when he first arrived at the canyon, the second meeting was much warmer. As the Echotian trod down into the frontier village where once he had been met with traps and hostility, now the villagers seemed to take more curiosity at his presence than alienation.
At the end of the path into the village stood the distinctive figure of Shereza, clad in her worn-out armour and equipment from her old soldiering days. Clasping her gun, which she kept down at her side, she wandered down the road to greet the mercenary,
“How did it go?” She called out.
Paskin stopped for a moment, drawing the papers he had received from Brod from their compartment and handing them to Shereza. He seemed to be more comfortable around Shereza now, and his helm folded away so that he could speak face-to-face with her.
"Governor Brod and his superiors are planning some sort of attack. This 'New Johan Pass' seems to be their target, though I am unfamiliar with its exact significance other than perhaps a strategic trapping point."
The Echo was tired and worn out from his near two week trek, yawning widely as his lips curled back away from his fangs.
"I am no battle tactician, but I do understand that if there isn't some measure of compliance on our parts, there will be more drastic and sweeping attempts to be rid of you. What I suppose I am asking is, what do you want us to do now?"
Shereza paused, concerned by the news of the planned operation. All eyes turned to the warlord for the word on what to do; she fell into a state of thought. It was only after minutes of pacing that the tribal Teliran halted and returned her look to those around her; evidently armed with a conclusion.
“Ready our forces… We’ll attend this ambush. But we’ll be the ones doing the surprising…”
With that, the group around Shereza burst into a flurry of action and talk as they began making for the hills to rally the forces. It was several hours before the group had fully mustered their equipment, but once they were ready, they were ready. Among their crowds of forces were MANPADS, HMG’s, landmines among other equipment. They were going heavy.
“Are you ready, Paskin?” Shereza finally muttered as she walked up to the Echotian from behind him, clad in an array of combat equipment and a beret as she lugged her rifle around her shoulder, “Once we set off to the rendezvous point now, there’ll be no going back.”
Paskin smiled; his mind was telling him that he had been mistaken in siding with these Guerrillas, but in his heart he knew that this is what he was born to do. He was an honorable warrior, not because he did what he was told, but because he could see when he was on the wrong side.
The Echo turned to Shereza, slamming a fist into his breastplate in a salute almost unfamiliar to Paskin. He had used the gesture only with his King before his exile, only now did it feel proper again.
"My sword is yours, Shereza'Rhas'Vo. Any who show their hand against you shall fall."
With a nod, Shereza passed by the mercenary and ascended into an awaiting truck with several other men, watching as Paskin ascended into the vehicle as well.
“And you shall have a Sister and a family by your side all of the way, alien.” She replied with a smile.
The journey was a long and tiring one. The expedition traveled by night with vehicles, taking indirect routes, and trekking on foot through the mountains at the later stages of the mission.
Finally, the group found themselves at the spot. The canyon stretched through the landscape like an ancient scar upon the planet, it was large enough to host a town at its base. Within awaited a gathering of rebels, presumably these were the leaderships of the other cells.
Shereza came forward with her binoculars as a companion muttered to her,
“Their forces are waiting within the valley caves, the leaders have decoys down below ready to duck for cover whenever whatever comes of this trap.”
The Teliran warlord withdrew her rifle and gestured for the group to begin their descent down the rocks and into the depths below. This canyon was riddled with holes through its sides like bullet holes, forming a weaving network of caves that were either naturally, or artificially, carved to overlook the base of the opening.
“I would like you by my side, Paskin. It will be two days until the meeting is officially due, I suggest you make yourself aware of your surroundings. If they intend to take us out by aerial assault, you’ll need to be ready to make for appropriate cover… If they intend to take us down directly; you’ll also have to be conscious of where to best protect yourself.”
Shereza and her party joined with the other Teliran separatist bandits, the force through the entire valley numbered could’ve numbered into the thousands. Outer stations were established, caves were reinforced and deepened, trenches were made imbetween the rocks and, under canvas cover, implacements were prepared.
Finally the day came, as the red sun of dusk began to settle and taint the sky in its blood-red hue, Shereza and the warlords began their assembly. The campfires had all been put out now, every light stayed off as men patiently waited in their rat-tunnels, dugouts and caverns for the order to begin their scramble to the front for action.
But now the canyon exterior looked perfectly abandoned. With the exception of Shereza, the other ‘cell leaders‘ and a few dozen ‘bodyguards’, the entire place was empty.
Then came the bumbling sound. It was a muffled thumping, from far away, constant and rhythmic; ever increasing. Helicopters. As the few men left out in the open dived to their positions, Shereza kept standing. Patiently, she awaited the arrival of leaked surprise attack with her hands behind her back. She and her compatriots remained unmoved ever as her braid fluttered about as the wind flew down the canyon like a tidal wave with the helicopters landing themselves overhead.
It was about a quarter of an hour of helicopters passing around and landing that the first government troops came into view. Having entered from further down the valley, they came scrambling over rocks and checking their flanks. As more and more came crawling over rocks and from cover to cover, they kept their guns constantly trained on the bandits, including Paskin.
Finally the company of soldiers came to a halt some distance away from Shereza and her group. All silently keeping their guns trained on the leadership.
“Do not move!” One shouted calmly, they evidently were pretty confident that Paskin had lured the team out defencelessly and that they were themselves in no threatened situation. Finally from behind them rose the figure of the director of the mission: Brod.
Now clad in a combat helmet and fatigues, Brod rose to a top of a knoll behind his men with his rising to begin giving an applause, giving muffled thumps from the gloves he wore.
“Congratulations Mister Paskin! I must admit I had my doubts as to your effectiveness and sense of loyalty. But I clearly stand corrected!” The Teliran governor chuckled before turning his attention to Shereza.
“...And you madam Shereza, we’ve been chasing your gaggle of doped-up psychopaths for longer than I've been in office! Lord Reinopha will be most pleased that you’ve ben, at last, brought to justice.”
Paskin looked at Shereza, his loyalty to Brod still hanging in the air around them all. Surely he was too far gone down this road of deceit to turn on them, but did Shereze believe that? Did any of these Telirans believe in his word, or were they all using him to get back at the other. Paskin supposed it didn't matter, his opinion was all that mattered between Governor and Freedom Fighter.
When he was still under the employ of the Scar King, Rathen would often talk aloud to Paskin about the wars he had fought and the lives he had taken. They often boiled down to Rathen's regret about his lack of control, despite his status as King. Paskin had never understood how someone with such power could be manipulated into positions he did not believe in, but now...
Paskin drew one of his pistols, cleanly sliding the metal of the barrel out of its holster and giving it a twirl. He looked to Brod, then back to Shereza.
In a low voice, the Echo growled.
"The Governor has shown his hand, Shereza, but the honour of his death falls to you."
Brod’s reaction to Paskin’s revelation was remarkably neutral. It seemed almost like it left the governor unmoved as he did nothing but raise an eyebrow. Shereza on the other hand, was quick to raise her rifle, to which the governor merely raised a hand,
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
In an instant the valley echoed with the clacks and rumble of infantrymen from atop the cliff edges as a thousand silhouettes of Aphanesian footsoldiers peaked overhead; all aiming down on the canyon occupants.
“I will leave you one last chance.” Brod called out, “Surrender, and you will be peacefully put to trial. Or fight, and you will die pointlessly and futilely.”
Shereza paused, for a moment she seemed to consider the offer, but finally the warlord replied,
“There was a time I would accept that offer Brod, but I refuse to ingratiate the plans of your master Reinopha, not as I once did.” With that, she spat on the floor.
Brod stayed quiet, almost like he was mulling on the moment with an element of sadness,
“...Disappointing. Have it your way.” With that, Brod threw the hand downwards and disappeared down behind his ridge. Shereza immediately dived for cover, as did the rest of the party as the entire canyon exploded into a discordant orchestra of cracks, explosions and hisses. The troopers from above and on the canyon floor were met at once by fire from across the valley’s hiding points as rebels began pouring from every nook and cranny.
The battle had begun.
Paskin dove for cover, catching himself near Shereza as the battle flared around them. The macrys within his helm was already shouting warnings, identifying troops inbound for their location. Damn, he had overestimated his role in all of this, assuming Brod would not plan for such a strike. If this play was still to succeed, they would have to deal with Brod.
He looked to Shereza to ensure she was unharmed, before shouting over the sound of gunfire.
"We cannot allow Brod to escape! His head belongs to you, Shereza! I'm going to draw some fire, ready?!"
Shereza gave a quick nod to Paskin as bullets sent shards of rock flying past their faces in the flurry of gunfire. Observing the area up ahead, the Teliran warlord nodded with her head to follow before quickly scrambling from her position and jumping from place to place among the rubble and rocks that mounted along the side of the valley. The warlord would periodically halt to ready and fire off a shot or two to incoming assailants.
All around them the valley was being chewed up into dust and smoke by the sheer intensity of the small arms fire trying to eliminate each other. Rushing between a pair of rocks, Shereza finally halted to point down the valley tucked away from the heart of the battle. Ahead was the sight of Brod pacing around seemingly trying to speak to someone over a communications device. Around him, the governor was protected by a small fireteam armed with assault rifles.
As Shereza raised her rifle and perched it upon a nearby rock for stability, a member of the squad locked eyes with the duo. He immediately called out as the entire squad turned their attention. Brod himself twisted around while chattering away,
“They have more than we- ...Ah- Shit!” The bureaucrat hissed frantically at the sight of Paskin and the guerrilla,
“Shoot them! TAKE THEM DOWN!” He called as he practically threw a soldier in their direction and disappeared into a nearby cave with two soldiers in tow. The remaining four scrambled for cover as they began blasting at Paskin and Shereza’s position in desperation.
One quickly fell to Shereza’s first shot.
A wash of excitement came over Paskin as he followed Shereza into the fight as his heart began to race. He picked up speed as they ran, the Echotian firing off shots at potential threats to Shereza with his two pistols.
As Brod came into sight, Paskin drew a bead on the first of the guards, only to have it shot down by Shereza before he could pull the trigger. The familiar competitive feeling he remembered from his days among the House of Shadows took him for a moment as his reflexes fired at the second of the guards.
Return fire from the guards forced Paskin to advance to draw their attention, keeping low to ensure Shereza's line of sight wasn't obscured. As he moved, Paskin felt the hilts of his blades embrace his palms, and the two blades emerged from beneath the folds of his black cloak like the twin heads of some mythological, metal serpents.
As the first of the troopers went down, soon so did the second; leaving the other two to burst fire upon Paskin as he approached. The troopers were unlike the naive conscripts that the Echotian had ambushed at the station before. These two fired their assault rifles with keen precision and control as they targeted the limb joints of their approaching assailant. Each of them did what they could to increase the gap between the Echotian and buy more time for their range.
Shereza was now preoccupied with sniping troops that now surrounded the site of the firefight. They were slowly being pressed back towards the cave by reinforcements.
“Take them out, Echotian! We’re running out of time!” She called.
A terrible pain rippled through Paskin as a burst of gunfire tore through the elbow joint of his lower left arm. His teeth clamped down as he suppressed a roar, narrowing his vision at the two guards that still remained. The arm was all but destroyed, but Paskin's O'ren flooded his body with so much adrenaline that it felt only like a numbness.
Paskin's armour flickered for an instant, masking his approach as he disappeared from view.
Only a split second later, the Echo leapt from his cover, appearing in the air as two grappling-hooks launched from his wrists, impacting the remaining guards before tearing them towards him. As they stumbled forward, Paskin lunged towards them at incredible speed, sweeping the leg of the first guard, before slashing the throat of the second with his remaining sword arm.
As the first guard hit the ground, Paskin pivoted, stabbing downwards through the chest before the guard could recover.
In the moment, the feeling of overwhelming strength shook Paskin, who let out a victorious bellow before he turned towards the direction Brod had fled.
The bloody Echotian stalked boldly onwards, reaching down with one of his upper hands to rip the ruined forearm from its stump. Brod was escaping, and he had no time to bleed.
The two soldiers continued firing and fighting until they had both fallen, with the second drawing his knife to attempt a thrust at Paskin before being taken down. Shereza looked back to her comrade approaching the cave entrance. She fired off a shot over the ridge into their oncoming threats.
“Go Paskin! You’re faster than me, go and stop Brod! I’ll keep your back covered… Get a move on, brother!”
She practically screamed over the din of gunfire as clouds of dust plumed into the sky from the bullets smashing into her cover.
“Don’t worry, I'll be careful!”
There was a moment where Paskin considered returning, to not let his bloodlust drive him into taking off alone, but he could see that their window was closing. If he didn't move now, Brod would escape. Paskin gave a simple nod to Shereza, the command had been given, she was in charge. Paskin was here to ensure those orders were followed through.
The Echo took off towards the cave, kicking up dirt behind him as his clawed feet tore through soil. As he neared the cave entrance, the Echo stopped momentarily, ensuring his weapons were loaded and readying himself for the fight ahead. Paskin could hear his heartbeat pounding in his head, the swell of adrenaline coursing through his veins.
His cloak concealed him as stalked into the cave, keeping low, his senses alert for the signs of Brod and his remaining entourage.
Rushing into the caves, Paskin was followed by the reverberated cracks of gunshots and fighting from behind him. Descending further and further into the darkness, the cave became almost impossible to see in; the only light source came from faint glowing bioluminescence of small colonies of worms in the network ceiling. It seemed like the caves went on for an eternity, with eventually the sound of the battle having all but faded away; replaced with a murderous silence.
Trekking through the dark, one could’ve become overcome by the uncertainty. Perhaps they had disappeared down unseen passage? What if they had hidden and let him pass them by? Such possibilities mounted the longer the Echotian wandered into the labyrinthian passageways of rock.
His answer, fortunately, would finally come from the sound of not too distant chatter from right ahead. Skulking forward, Paskin was met with the sight of his target. Brod stood in a great, open chasm. Shards of light pierced into the space as the Governor’s two guards satellite the Teliran, one seemed to be chattering into a radio.
“Where’s that damned helicopter?” Brod hissed under his breath in panic.
“ETA 30 seconds, sir.” The soldier replied.
Paskin felt a shiver of excitement sprint up his spine, his prey within sight, his task at hand before him. The space was far too open for his armour to effectively mask his presence. Dust and other airborn debris would not be so easily missed by trained soldiers if it battered around his form. Beams of spotted light could help to mask his location, but they would pose dangerous if he found himself within one.
He crept forward, slowly at first, his splayed toes gently pressing down into the dust below. His movements were cat-like, as he weaved his way through beams of light, the noise of the encroaching aircraft weighing on him and his senses. Just a little closer. Do not spend your chances fruitlessly.
His eyes focused not just on Brod, but on his guard as well, understanding that should one of them discover him, he would not last long in an open gunfight. He had to take them all by surprise, or die in this cave.
Paskin could hear the whir of the flying machine as it neared, his internal macrys alerting him to the change in air-pressure above the rotors. It was now or never.
A twitch-- a movement so minute that Paskin himself was only vaguely aware of his action. Years of training had warped his motion to be second nature, and so, the motion came without hesitation. His final burst of speed slipping through the sieve that was his training, expending only what was needed to avoid disaster.
His sudden motion brought him within striking distance, within range to exact his wrath upon the Governor, but first, his dogs.
Paskin fired from his position first at the elbows of his foes, taking a page from their book, taking a small vengeance at the loss of his own arm. His sword readied itself as he passed it into a beam of light, directing the beam as a distraction, to draw return fire from him and onto the blade. His next shot would aim for the knees, using their shock to his advantage, and end this fight before they could retaliate. His moments crawled by as time seemed to slow before him, already feeling the exhaustion of his actions weighing him down as if he were under water.
The moment Paskin jumped from the darkness and struck, the caverns filled with the echoes of battle. The first soldier was caught off guard immediately as his radio collapsed to the floor moments before his body did too.
“Shit!” Brod growled, as he twisted around and witnessed the sight before darting away from the clearing and down from the clearing they had been standing upon.
The second of the soldiers began firing before he had even raised his gun in response to the Echotian he found immediately in front of him almost out of nowhere. As his weapon blasted upwards, each bullet set plumes of dust bursting around them and obscured his target. Almost immediately the soldier was sent collapsing to the floor thereafter..
Paskin was now left with his target. The figure of Brod was just visible as he scrambled down passageway carved by a small cave stream; stumbling among the rocks as he began to disappear from sight.
Paskin snarled as the dust settled, his muscles aching from the constant exertion. His eyes locked onto Brod as he slithered off, feeling the moment of vanquishing slipping from his fingers.
Not so fast.
The Echo planted an extra bullet in each of the guards as he passed them by, moving after Brod as he scurried from view.
Paskin did not entirely know Brod's combat skill, nor had he ever seen him do anything violent himself. The Echo was warry, but unable to let his caution get in the way of his task, moving nimbly through the passage as he pursued Brod.
"There is nowhere left to run, Brod. Surrender now, and I will not kill you."
The moment Paskin spoke out, Brod swung around and drew his pistol, firing twice in the general direction of the Echotian to keep him at bay as he rushed further downstream.
Paskin was too exhausted to attempt to avoid the shots, but Echo was warry to keep his silhouette slim as the shots echoed down the tunnel. He felt one pass him without pause, where as the other one glanced off his helmet, causing Paskin to reel in pain. His eyes shot back to Brod who was disappearing. Paskin lined up a shot as the Governer started to turn, firing a shot to incapacitate, aiming near the knee.
The echoes of the shootout reverberated through the caves. With a single clean shot Paskin landed a hit to the governor’s leg a moment before he disappeared around a corner and out of sight again. The treacherous, uncertain and tense pursuit was marked by the thrashing and splashing of Brod as he limped downstream. Puddles of blood dripped along the rocks and pebbles that filled the passageway floor. Slowly, the cave’s darkness began to illuminate with light.
They were reaching outside.
Finally, after what felt like an age of pursuit and carefully coming past corners, Paskin crossed one last corner. He was met by the sight of the tunnel ending in a grand cliff-drop that overlooked a sweeping plain that seemed to never end. As the crimson-red sun fed over the horizon, bleeding across the sky, Brod sat beside the stream at the cave’s edge; legs dangling.
The governor didn’t even look back now as Paskin approached. He simply called back.
“I know you’re there.” He turned his head, “...So is this it?”
Paskin approached, lowering his guard for a moment as he caught his breath; the pained feeling in his head still causing a ring in his ears.
The Echo did not draw a weapon at Brod, merely approached the man with the respect of a hunter coming across wounded game, but still giving the Governor some distance. Paskin looked out over the scarlet sky, the colour reminding him of the sunset on Estanix, and a lump of sadness swelled in his chest before he looked back to Brod.
"I am afraid it is, Brod'vek. Soon our sins will choose a victor, and when that happens they'll likely come looking for us..."
Paskin trailed off as he noticed the blood near Brod; the shallow pools mirroring the sky before them.
"Your wound needs tending, lest it take you for all you are."
Brod gave a wheezing chuckle as he clutched onto the calf of his leg as it trickled with blood,
“You don’t get it, do you? This is the end for me… There’s no coming back from this…” He huffed in cold, pained breaths as he clinged to his wound. He almost sounded like he was going to be sick from the shock setting in,
“...I won’t let them get their hands on me…” He sniffled, looking up to the sound of the helicopter searching for Brod, not far away, “...There’ll be fate worse than a quick death if they do. They have no sense of mercy… No sense of justice.” With that, the Governor went silent.
He didn’t speak for several moments. Instead, he just listened to the babbling of the stream pouring beside him. Then, without a single word, the governor bent over and sent himself out of the cave opening and falling down from the cliff-face to the drop below. Almost in an instant, the governor’s tumbling body disappeared into a plume of smoke upon the canyon grounds below.
There was little time to think, however, as shortly after the Selanese Military Helicopter hovered into view as it came up beside the cave passage. The gunner immediately took aim with his heavy machine gun and opened fire upon Paskin. The cave exploded into clouds of rubble and debris as the rounds chewed through the rock around the Echotian; he had to move.
There was a feeling of regret in his chest as Brod disappeared over the edge; as much as Paskin had grown to dislike the Governor, he had hoped to take him in alive. The Echo looked down at his bloody stumped arm, cursing himself at his failure on this forsaken planet. Paskin's body shook with fatigue, and his breathing had strayed from its disciplined patterns to a ragged panting.
His attention was suddenly grabbed by the sound of the Helicopter, bracing for a fight as the vehicle whirred into view. No sooner had he dove for cover did the machine gun open fire on his position, nearly tearing him in half as he cowered behind a large rock. His arms instinctively covered his head as bullets ripped through the air, throwing dust and debris from the cave floor into the air and showering the Echo in dirt.
A sudden, horrible pain shot through his shoulder as his cover exploded outwards, sending shards of rock into his cloak and through his arm. Paskin roared in pain, pinned by the torrent of bullets as he searched for a way out. He couldn't retreat without risking death, as so relented, and huddled closer to the wall of the cave, hoping to endure the barrage, his cloak concealing him from view as the dust settled on its surface.
The gunfire continued from the craft as Paskin’s position was smashed by round after round from the heavy machine gun. Finally, the hellfire relented as the helicopter tilted and disappeared from sign. The respite, however, was short-lived.
Almost immediately after, Paskin was grabbed at from the arm by the bloody silhouette of Shereza.
“We need to go, NOW. They’re swarming the caves, we need to find a way out!”
With that, the Teliran warlord took her rifle and darted through a tiny nook into a new passageway opened up by the onslaught the helicopter had unleashed. As the Echotian was readjusted to the quiet left by the absence of the helicopter, the sounds of chopper blades were replaced by the echoing gunfire of rebels from elsewhere in the caves fiercely fighting with government forces. The labyrinthian network of passages had now become a subterranean battleground from which the remnants of the guerrilla forces were being pursued and individually wiped out.
Shereza cursed in her native tongue as she waded through the pitch-black darkness of the caverns,
“Have you got a light?!”
Paskin clutched his shoulder as he tried to keep pace with Shereza, the benefits of Echotian speed weighing him down more and more.
The Mercenary had to think on it for a moment, a dazed feeling swallowing his thought process before instinctively activating a small light on his helm. It wasn't extensive, but it would provide the light needed.
"Brod escaped."
Paskin's voice was ragged, his throat was dry and clotted with dust.
"That doesn't mean alive, but I could not recover his body."
With the dim light, the pair trudged through the increasingly thin and unsecure caverns. Each rumble from explosions elsewhere made the entire place crack and quake like everything was ready to collapse and bury the pair in a moment’s notice.
They had to keep moving.
“Brod’s death is… Alright.” She grunted as clambered up an upward slope which, ahead, rapidly became vertical. Shereza worked her best with what little room-light Paskin’s helmet gave to find her way upwards.
“The question I guess now is, what’re you gonna do? Do you plan on staying here with us…?”
Paskin thought for a moment, as the pain pulsed through his body and his wounds began to clot.
"I hadn't considered what I might do. The life of a mercenary is fraught with dangers, best not to plan too far in advance."
The Echo felt a weight in his heart as he continued, ashamed to leave Shereza, but longing to return to the empire and do some good for his people.
"My destiny lies with House Wraith. Too long have I shirked my responsibilities back home. My employer is dead, to stay longer would only put me in more danger. No doubt they'll be hunting for me."
“A shame you cannot stay.” The warlord lamented as she clambered from place to place up the rockwall. Periodically she would stop with the rumble of an explosion, letting the instability subside before continuing her ascent. Slowly but surely, their rise from the belly of the maze became indicated by cracks of light from up above. They were approaching a fissure in the world above, but not before things got more and more narrow.
“We shall plan a way to get you offworld… There is no way you can vacate the way you came in… You don’t exactly blend in with the people in these parts.” Shereza chirped, concluding, “I’ll get you across the border into the Veratian colony of something… From there you’ll have a chance of getting aboard a ship offworld without questions bein’ asked.”
The Echo smiled under his helm, thankful to have allies he could count on. He wished her well on this planet.
"When I return to the Empire, I will plead your case to House Wraith. I hear they grow ever eager to test their mettle. Perhaps I may return sooner than you think."
The Echo clambered with ease, his injuries seemingly not hindering his mobility even in this confined space.
With a nod, Shereza continued her climb. She did not argue or attempt to dissuade the Echotian from his decision, his fate was for him to decide. Rising into the ever-growing light, they eventually broke free into the burning illumination of the sun; causing the female Teliran to wince and hiss at the blinding level of light.
The pair had done it, they had faced the onslaught of the Aphanesian government and lived to tell the tale. They weren’t out of danger yet though, and it took several days and nights of foraging and hiking through the barren nothingness of this prairie, microorganic planet until they had reached the colonial border.
Crossing over, Paskin had done it. Or perhaps, he had not done it? He had come for a contract and left empty-handed. But now Shereza’s band of insurgents, bandits, freedom-fighters and terrorists could reconsolidate. The Aphanesian Colony on Sano was now sure to become bandit territory herein, to be ruled by a cartel of warlords, but atleast they now had their shot at independence.
Only time would tell if the shot was wasted.
Paskin gave Shereza a look of both agreement and scrutiny; understanding that the situation required their removal, though her quick reply was interesting to the Echo. Echo Houses often had to put down rowdy insurgents, but it was always a mournful occasion for most. Perhaps this was simply beyond his understanding.
"Then it will be done."
The Echo mounted the railing once more, overlooking in interior of the compound and positioned above the two conversing guards. If he could take out the first two silently, the rest would be far easier to eliminate. With a quick look back at Shereza, the Echo leapt from the watchtower, drawing his swords as he plummeted down.
He wanted to kill them nearly simultaneously, driving the weight of himself into the first guard and using his body as a cushion, before burying a blade into the second's throat. His sickle-like armored talons dug deep into the back of the first guard, using the movement to drag both guards out of sight and behind the nearest structure. His own movements were calculated, making as little sound as possible, while his cuts where meant to incapacitate and silence with maximum efficiency.
Slinking past the cabins within the compound, Paskin hunted for the others, using what cover he had, and stalking those who had become isolated from the central compound and away from watchful eyes. When he cornered a guard, it was swift and clean, usually beginning with a disorienting knock to the ground, followed by several slashes across the back of the neck and back.
The last guard was rounding one of the cabins to finish his round, only to be violently grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground. As he struggled to aim at the looming Echo, a blade sliced through the arm attempting to wield it. A second swing would take off the other arm, before the Paskin's massive clawed foot stamped down on the guards chest. Flourishing his weapon, he crossed the blade through the throat of the Teliran, silencing the surprised cry for help.
One by one the guards in the yard were dropped until the zone had been cleared. The regimented cleanout of the compound was aided by the very apparent fact that these men barely had the training to be holding a weapon, let alone be out in the midst of a guerrilla campaign. Soon enough, the sordid scene had been concluded with the final kill by Paskin of the last occupant to the outpost. Surely after came Shereza, who trudged across the open camp to the Echotian; her rifle slung over her shoulder as give a little chuckle before chirping to the freelancer.
“You get a job done, I'll give you that, big guy!” Shereza strolled past him and towards the radio cabin. Out from the interior emerged a confused conscript; wondering what the source of the chatter was. Almost as soon as he came into view, Shereza’s sidearm had been raised and sent the soul collapsing lifelessly to the floor before her, dispatched with a clean shot to the head. The warlord disappeared into the cabin, wherein she promptly destroyed what gadgetry she couldn’t carry and exited once more. With a grin, the Teliran looked to Paskin and commented,
It was only then that Paskin would sense a buzzing on his person. It was the tracking device from Governor Brod. It continued to vibrate several times before stopping once more. The call-back signal was now active, and Paskin’s paymasters were recalling the mercenary for an update.
“What is it?” Shereza inquired.
The Echo stood calmly, wiping the blades of the Teliran blood before sheathing them beneath his robes once more. He didn't flinch when Shereza put down the last conscript, in fact he was always interested in the form and speed in which others were able to operate. Shereza was quick, he'd give her that.
The device was unexpected, though Paskin did not seem concerned with it as he withdrew the device, letting it buzz for a moment before looking to Shereza.
"Your opposition is expecting an update on my progress. If you have any requests, I would voice them now. Do you require any medical supplies back at camp? Weapons?"
Shereza seemed to frown at the prospect of Paskin meeting once more with his contractors, staring at the device in his grip. With a moment to pause, the warlord simply shook her head as she muttered.
“You better get a move on. They’ll be waiting for you to arrive ASAP. We’ll be fine.” Slinking her equipment over her shoulder, Shereza rushed off back out of the camp with nought more than a brief wave as she rushed back into the brush for the mountains. Paskin was left to return to his paymasters.
The trip back was as dull and uneventful as it had been making it this far out into the hinterlands. It was over a week until the Echotian finished his long trek back to the glowing beacon of the colonial capital of the planet. Stomping down right down the road the way he had left, Paskin was met by the sight of Governor Brod and several guards stood with him as he waited by his car.
“Our reconnaissance gave us the heads up you were arriving. I apologise for the less prestigious welcome today compared to what I gave you last time we met.” The governor looked over his shoulder back to the city. From the city centre rose a plume of black smoke into the night sky.
“...But with the latest raid by those bloodthirsty maniacs out there, we are a little short on staff and time.”
Gesturing for Paskin to follow as he retreated in his car, Brod called out,
“So. How have you been faring in your infiltration into the Shereza’s cell of bandits?”
Paskin adjusted his cloak as he approached the vehicle, unable to know if he felt secure among these people, or if he was under suspicion since his call to return had been so sudden following the attack on the compound. How many days had he been gone? It was hard to tell.
"Shereza is hard to read, though I suspect she distrusts me as much as I do her. I don't believe this little return trip will make me seem any more reliable either."
Brod smiled as to the Echotian’s expression of concern as to his withdrawal from his mission.
“There has been a change of plans. I’ve received my orders to initiate our operation to pacify the countryside as soon as possible. There is no time for further trust-building, the success of our mission to bring an end to the banditry and destruction of the terrorists is now down to you. We will prepare a major strike against the terrorists at the New Johan Pass. It will be your job to see to it that you convince Shereza and her crony cells to turn up.”
The Governor withdrew some papers from the car detailing false government troop positionings and plans, “Many have already promised to attend on the false pretense that they are meeting to arrange a new offensive against us, getting Shereza’s gang to join will rally the last into the trap. Once they have arrived we will have captured their leadership and their reign of terror will be at an end, and your honour will be upheld by maintaining your word to our deal. Do you have any inquiries?”
Paskin listened closely as Brod described the new plan of attack, his lip curling at the mention of his honour.
What do you know of honour?
There were many doubts in his mind as he pondered his options for a moment, a sinking feeling in his stomach brought a rise of anger to his throat, yet the Echo quelled it before approaching Brod.
"This is all very sudden. You wish for me to deliver these plans to them, and hope they believe me to be trustworthy?"
Paskin looked at Brod for a moment, before shaking his head in submission.
"I will need my armour back. What they lack in power they make up for in cunning. Do not underestimate them, as I did."
“This is unfortunately looking like a case of now or never, and my superiors are quite insistent that we must bring the murderers to justice. Even if you have not yet gained their trust, you must make them trust you in this regard. The fate of our colony rests upon your shoulders now, Mr Paskin.”
With a single nod, the governor turned his attention to a pair of attendants who brought forth Paskin’s deposited belongings. Upon returning Paskin’s accouterments to his possession, Brod further noted,
“We are awaring of their sly strategies. They will manipulate, sneak and lie until this colony belongs to them. Bring Shereza’s cell to the rendezvous point, Mr. Paskin. Bring an end to this sordid chapter of our colony’s history.”
The Teliran proceeded to leave the Echotian with his gear and documents. Closing his cardoor, Brod left as quickly as he had appeared; leaving Paskin to prepare and return to Shereza.
Paskin looked down at the gear in his hands, the scaled cloth seemingly vanishing in waves as he ran it through his fingers. His hands bunched into fists as his eyes shot back up to the vehicle disappearing into the distance.
"Mercenary work doesn't suite you, Paskin'kan."
The Echo tucked the robes into his bag, careful to keep them from gathering dust while he traveled the ways back to Shereza's hideout. Weeks of walking had altered his appearance, betraying his well-kept, professional look with that of a more natural, feral state. By the time he had completed his week long return journey, he was ready with his decision.
Contrasting with the covert and deceptive welcome Paskin had originally been met with when he first arrived at the canyon, the second meeting was much warmer. As the Echotian trod down into the frontier village where once he had been met with traps and hostility, now the villagers seemed to take more curiosity at his presence than alienation.
At the end of the path into the village stood the distinctive figure of Shereza, clad in her worn-out armour and equipment from her old soldiering days. Clasping her gun, which she kept down at her side, she wandered down the road to greet the mercenary,
“How did it go?” She called out.
Paskin stopped for a moment, drawing the papers he had received from Brod from their compartment and handing them to Shereza. He seemed to be more comfortable around Shereza now, and his helm folded away so that he could speak face-to-face with her.
"Governor Brod and his superiors are planning some sort of attack. This 'New Johan Pass' seems to be their target, though I am unfamiliar with its exact significance other than perhaps a strategic trapping point."
The Echo was tired and worn out from his near two week trek, yawning widely as his lips curled back away from his fangs.
"I am no battle tactician, but I do understand that if there isn't some measure of compliance on our parts, there will be more drastic and sweeping attempts to be rid of you. What I suppose I am asking is, what do you want us to do now?"
Shereza paused, concerned by the news of the planned operation. All eyes turned to the warlord for the word on what to do; she fell into a state of thought. It was only after minutes of pacing that the tribal Teliran halted and returned her look to those around her; evidently armed with a conclusion.
“Ready our forces… We’ll attend this ambush. But we’ll be the ones doing the surprising…”
With that, the group around Shereza burst into a flurry of action and talk as they began making for the hills to rally the forces. It was several hours before the group had fully mustered their equipment, but once they were ready, they were ready. Among their crowds of forces were MANPADS, HMG’s, landmines among other equipment. They were going heavy.
“Are you ready, Paskin?” Shereza finally muttered as she walked up to the Echotian from behind him, clad in an array of combat equipment and a beret as she lugged her rifle around her shoulder, “Once we set off to the rendezvous point now, there’ll be no going back.”
Paskin smiled; his mind was telling him that he had been mistaken in siding with these Guerrillas, but in his heart he knew that this is what he was born to do. He was an honorable warrior, not because he did what he was told, but because he could see when he was on the wrong side.
The Echo turned to Shereza, slamming a fist into his breastplate in a salute almost unfamiliar to Paskin. He had used the gesture only with his King before his exile, only now did it feel proper again.
"My sword is yours, Shereza'Rhas'Vo. Any who show their hand against you shall fall."
With a nod, Shereza passed by the mercenary and ascended into an awaiting truck with several other men, watching as Paskin ascended into the vehicle as well.
“And you shall have a Sister and a family by your side all of the way, alien.” She replied with a smile.
The journey was a long and tiring one. The expedition traveled by night with vehicles, taking indirect routes, and trekking on foot through the mountains at the later stages of the mission.
Finally, the group found themselves at the spot. The canyon stretched through the landscape like an ancient scar upon the planet, it was large enough to host a town at its base. Within awaited a gathering of rebels, presumably these were the leaderships of the other cells.
Shereza came forward with her binoculars as a companion muttered to her,
“Their forces are waiting within the valley caves, the leaders have decoys down below ready to duck for cover whenever whatever comes of this trap.”
The Teliran warlord withdrew her rifle and gestured for the group to begin their descent down the rocks and into the depths below. This canyon was riddled with holes through its sides like bullet holes, forming a weaving network of caves that were either naturally, or artificially, carved to overlook the base of the opening.
“I would like you by my side, Paskin. It will be two days until the meeting is officially due, I suggest you make yourself aware of your surroundings. If they intend to take us out by aerial assault, you’ll need to be ready to make for appropriate cover… If they intend to take us down directly; you’ll also have to be conscious of where to best protect yourself.”
Shereza and her party joined with the other Teliran separatist bandits, the force through the entire valley numbered could’ve numbered into the thousands. Outer stations were established, caves were reinforced and deepened, trenches were made imbetween the rocks and, under canvas cover, implacements were prepared.
Finally the day came, as the red sun of dusk began to settle and taint the sky in its blood-red hue, Shereza and the warlords began their assembly. The campfires had all been put out now, every light stayed off as men patiently waited in their rat-tunnels, dugouts and caverns for the order to begin their scramble to the front for action.
But now the canyon exterior looked perfectly abandoned. With the exception of Shereza, the other ‘cell leaders‘ and a few dozen ‘bodyguards’, the entire place was empty.
Then came the bumbling sound. It was a muffled thumping, from far away, constant and rhythmic; ever increasing. Helicopters. As the few men left out in the open dived to their positions, Shereza kept standing. Patiently, she awaited the arrival of leaked surprise attack with her hands behind her back. She and her compatriots remained unmoved ever as her braid fluttered about as the wind flew down the canyon like a tidal wave with the helicopters landing themselves overhead.
It was about a quarter of an hour of helicopters passing around and landing that the first government troops came into view. Having entered from further down the valley, they came scrambling over rocks and checking their flanks. As more and more came crawling over rocks and from cover to cover, they kept their guns constantly trained on the bandits, including Paskin.
Finally the company of soldiers came to a halt some distance away from Shereza and her group. All silently keeping their guns trained on the leadership.
“Do not move!” One shouted calmly, they evidently were pretty confident that Paskin had lured the team out defencelessly and that they were themselves in no threatened situation. Finally from behind them rose the figure of the director of the mission: Brod.
Now clad in a combat helmet and fatigues, Brod rose to a top of a knoll behind his men with his rising to begin giving an applause, giving muffled thumps from the gloves he wore.
“Congratulations Mister Paskin! I must admit I had my doubts as to your effectiveness and sense of loyalty. But I clearly stand corrected!” The Teliran governor chuckled before turning his attention to Shereza.
“...And you madam Shereza, we’ve been chasing your gaggle of doped-up psychopaths for longer than I've been in office! Lord Reinopha will be most pleased that you’ve ben, at last, brought to justice.”
Paskin looked at Shereza, his loyalty to Brod still hanging in the air around them all. Surely he was too far gone down this road of deceit to turn on them, but did Shereze believe that? Did any of these Telirans believe in his word, or were they all using him to get back at the other. Paskin supposed it didn't matter, his opinion was all that mattered between Governor and Freedom Fighter.
When he was still under the employ of the Scar King, Rathen would often talk aloud to Paskin about the wars he had fought and the lives he had taken. They often boiled down to Rathen's regret about his lack of control, despite his status as King. Paskin had never understood how someone with such power could be manipulated into positions he did not believe in, but now...
Paskin drew one of his pistols, cleanly sliding the metal of the barrel out of its holster and giving it a twirl. He looked to Brod, then back to Shereza.
In a low voice, the Echo growled.
"The Governor has shown his hand, Shereza, but the honour of his death falls to you."
Brod’s reaction to Paskin’s revelation was remarkably neutral. It seemed almost like it left the governor unmoved as he did nothing but raise an eyebrow. Shereza on the other hand, was quick to raise her rifle, to which the governor merely raised a hand,
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
In an instant the valley echoed with the clacks and rumble of infantrymen from atop the cliff edges as a thousand silhouettes of Aphanesian footsoldiers peaked overhead; all aiming down on the canyon occupants.
“I will leave you one last chance.” Brod called out, “Surrender, and you will be peacefully put to trial. Or fight, and you will die pointlessly and futilely.”
Shereza paused, for a moment she seemed to consider the offer, but finally the warlord replied,
“There was a time I would accept that offer Brod, but I refuse to ingratiate the plans of your master Reinopha, not as I once did.” With that, she spat on the floor.
Brod stayed quiet, almost like he was mulling on the moment with an element of sadness,
“...Disappointing. Have it your way.” With that, Brod threw the hand downwards and disappeared down behind his ridge. Shereza immediately dived for cover, as did the rest of the party as the entire canyon exploded into a discordant orchestra of cracks, explosions and hisses. The troopers from above and on the canyon floor were met at once by fire from across the valley’s hiding points as rebels began pouring from every nook and cranny.
The battle had begun.
Paskin dove for cover, catching himself near Shereza as the battle flared around them. The macrys within his helm was already shouting warnings, identifying troops inbound for their location. Damn, he had overestimated his role in all of this, assuming Brod would not plan for such a strike. If this play was still to succeed, they would have to deal with Brod.
He looked to Shereza to ensure she was unharmed, before shouting over the sound of gunfire.
"We cannot allow Brod to escape! His head belongs to you, Shereza! I'm going to draw some fire, ready?!"
Shereza gave a quick nod to Paskin as bullets sent shards of rock flying past their faces in the flurry of gunfire. Observing the area up ahead, the Teliran warlord nodded with her head to follow before quickly scrambling from her position and jumping from place to place among the rubble and rocks that mounted along the side of the valley. The warlord would periodically halt to ready and fire off a shot or two to incoming assailants.
All around them the valley was being chewed up into dust and smoke by the sheer intensity of the small arms fire trying to eliminate each other. Rushing between a pair of rocks, Shereza finally halted to point down the valley tucked away from the heart of the battle. Ahead was the sight of Brod pacing around seemingly trying to speak to someone over a communications device. Around him, the governor was protected by a small fireteam armed with assault rifles.
As Shereza raised her rifle and perched it upon a nearby rock for stability, a member of the squad locked eyes with the duo. He immediately called out as the entire squad turned their attention. Brod himself twisted around while chattering away,
“They have more than we- ...Ah- Shit!” The bureaucrat hissed frantically at the sight of Paskin and the guerrilla,
“Shoot them! TAKE THEM DOWN!” He called as he practically threw a soldier in their direction and disappeared into a nearby cave with two soldiers in tow. The remaining four scrambled for cover as they began blasting at Paskin and Shereza’s position in desperation.
One quickly fell to Shereza’s first shot.
A wash of excitement came over Paskin as he followed Shereza into the fight as his heart began to race. He picked up speed as they ran, the Echotian firing off shots at potential threats to Shereza with his two pistols.
As Brod came into sight, Paskin drew a bead on the first of the guards, only to have it shot down by Shereza before he could pull the trigger. The familiar competitive feeling he remembered from his days among the House of Shadows took him for a moment as his reflexes fired at the second of the guards.
Return fire from the guards forced Paskin to advance to draw their attention, keeping low to ensure Shereza's line of sight wasn't obscured. As he moved, Paskin felt the hilts of his blades embrace his palms, and the two blades emerged from beneath the folds of his black cloak like the twin heads of some mythological, metal serpents.
As the first of the troopers went down, soon so did the second; leaving the other two to burst fire upon Paskin as he approached. The troopers were unlike the naive conscripts that the Echotian had ambushed at the station before. These two fired their assault rifles with keen precision and control as they targeted the limb joints of their approaching assailant. Each of them did what they could to increase the gap between the Echotian and buy more time for their range.
Shereza was now preoccupied with sniping troops that now surrounded the site of the firefight. They were slowly being pressed back towards the cave by reinforcements.
“Take them out, Echotian! We’re running out of time!” She called.
A terrible pain rippled through Paskin as a burst of gunfire tore through the elbow joint of his lower left arm. His teeth clamped down as he suppressed a roar, narrowing his vision at the two guards that still remained. The arm was all but destroyed, but Paskin's O'ren flooded his body with so much adrenaline that it felt only like a numbness.
Paskin's armour flickered for an instant, masking his approach as he disappeared from view.
Only a split second later, the Echo leapt from his cover, appearing in the air as two grappling-hooks launched from his wrists, impacting the remaining guards before tearing them towards him. As they stumbled forward, Paskin lunged towards them at incredible speed, sweeping the leg of the first guard, before slashing the throat of the second with his remaining sword arm.
As the first guard hit the ground, Paskin pivoted, stabbing downwards through the chest before the guard could recover.
In the moment, the feeling of overwhelming strength shook Paskin, who let out a victorious bellow before he turned towards the direction Brod had fled.
The bloody Echotian stalked boldly onwards, reaching down with one of his upper hands to rip the ruined forearm from its stump. Brod was escaping, and he had no time to bleed.
The two soldiers continued firing and fighting until they had both fallen, with the second drawing his knife to attempt a thrust at Paskin before being taken down. Shereza looked back to her comrade approaching the cave entrance. She fired off a shot over the ridge into their oncoming threats.
“Go Paskin! You’re faster than me, go and stop Brod! I’ll keep your back covered… Get a move on, brother!”
She practically screamed over the din of gunfire as clouds of dust plumed into the sky from the bullets smashing into her cover.
“Don’t worry, I'll be careful!”
There was a moment where Paskin considered returning, to not let his bloodlust drive him into taking off alone, but he could see that their window was closing. If he didn't move now, Brod would escape. Paskin gave a simple nod to Shereza, the command had been given, she was in charge. Paskin was here to ensure those orders were followed through.
The Echo took off towards the cave, kicking up dirt behind him as his clawed feet tore through soil. As he neared the cave entrance, the Echo stopped momentarily, ensuring his weapons were loaded and readying himself for the fight ahead. Paskin could hear his heartbeat pounding in his head, the swell of adrenaline coursing through his veins.
His cloak concealed him as stalked into the cave, keeping low, his senses alert for the signs of Brod and his remaining entourage.
Rushing into the caves, Paskin was followed by the reverberated cracks of gunshots and fighting from behind him. Descending further and further into the darkness, the cave became almost impossible to see in; the only light source came from faint glowing bioluminescence of small colonies of worms in the network ceiling. It seemed like the caves went on for an eternity, with eventually the sound of the battle having all but faded away; replaced with a murderous silence.
Trekking through the dark, one could’ve become overcome by the uncertainty. Perhaps they had disappeared down unseen passage? What if they had hidden and let him pass them by? Such possibilities mounted the longer the Echotian wandered into the labyrinthian passageways of rock.
His answer, fortunately, would finally come from the sound of not too distant chatter from right ahead. Skulking forward, Paskin was met with the sight of his target. Brod stood in a great, open chasm. Shards of light pierced into the space as the Governor’s two guards satellite the Teliran, one seemed to be chattering into a radio.
“Where’s that damned helicopter?” Brod hissed under his breath in panic.
“ETA 30 seconds, sir.” The soldier replied.
Paskin felt a shiver of excitement sprint up his spine, his prey within sight, his task at hand before him. The space was far too open for his armour to effectively mask his presence. Dust and other airborn debris would not be so easily missed by trained soldiers if it battered around his form. Beams of spotted light could help to mask his location, but they would pose dangerous if he found himself within one.
He crept forward, slowly at first, his splayed toes gently pressing down into the dust below. His movements were cat-like, as he weaved his way through beams of light, the noise of the encroaching aircraft weighing on him and his senses. Just a little closer. Do not spend your chances fruitlessly.
His eyes focused not just on Brod, but on his guard as well, understanding that should one of them discover him, he would not last long in an open gunfight. He had to take them all by surprise, or die in this cave.
Paskin could hear the whir of the flying machine as it neared, his internal macrys alerting him to the change in air-pressure above the rotors. It was now or never.
A twitch-- a movement so minute that Paskin himself was only vaguely aware of his action. Years of training had warped his motion to be second nature, and so, the motion came without hesitation. His final burst of speed slipping through the sieve that was his training, expending only what was needed to avoid disaster.
His sudden motion brought him within striking distance, within range to exact his wrath upon the Governor, but first, his dogs.
Paskin fired from his position first at the elbows of his foes, taking a page from their book, taking a small vengeance at the loss of his own arm. His sword readied itself as he passed it into a beam of light, directing the beam as a distraction, to draw return fire from him and onto the blade. His next shot would aim for the knees, using their shock to his advantage, and end this fight before they could retaliate. His moments crawled by as time seemed to slow before him, already feeling the exhaustion of his actions weighing him down as if he were under water.
The moment Paskin jumped from the darkness and struck, the caverns filled with the echoes of battle. The first soldier was caught off guard immediately as his radio collapsed to the floor moments before his body did too.
“Shit!” Brod growled, as he twisted around and witnessed the sight before darting away from the clearing and down from the clearing they had been standing upon.
The second of the soldiers began firing before he had even raised his gun in response to the Echotian he found immediately in front of him almost out of nowhere. As his weapon blasted upwards, each bullet set plumes of dust bursting around them and obscured his target. Almost immediately the soldier was sent collapsing to the floor thereafter..
Paskin was now left with his target. The figure of Brod was just visible as he scrambled down passageway carved by a small cave stream; stumbling among the rocks as he began to disappear from sight.
Paskin snarled as the dust settled, his muscles aching from the constant exertion. His eyes locked onto Brod as he slithered off, feeling the moment of vanquishing slipping from his fingers.
Not so fast.
The Echo planted an extra bullet in each of the guards as he passed them by, moving after Brod as he scurried from view.
Paskin did not entirely know Brod's combat skill, nor had he ever seen him do anything violent himself. The Echo was warry, but unable to let his caution get in the way of his task, moving nimbly through the passage as he pursued Brod.
"There is nowhere left to run, Brod. Surrender now, and I will not kill you."
The moment Paskin spoke out, Brod swung around and drew his pistol, firing twice in the general direction of the Echotian to keep him at bay as he rushed further downstream.
Paskin was too exhausted to attempt to avoid the shots, but Echo was warry to keep his silhouette slim as the shots echoed down the tunnel. He felt one pass him without pause, where as the other one glanced off his helmet, causing Paskin to reel in pain. His eyes shot back to Brod who was disappearing. Paskin lined up a shot as the Governer started to turn, firing a shot to incapacitate, aiming near the knee.
The echoes of the shootout reverberated through the caves. With a single clean shot Paskin landed a hit to the governor’s leg a moment before he disappeared around a corner and out of sight again. The treacherous, uncertain and tense pursuit was marked by the thrashing and splashing of Brod as he limped downstream. Puddles of blood dripped along the rocks and pebbles that filled the passageway floor. Slowly, the cave’s darkness began to illuminate with light.
They were reaching outside.
Finally, after what felt like an age of pursuit and carefully coming past corners, Paskin crossed one last corner. He was met by the sight of the tunnel ending in a grand cliff-drop that overlooked a sweeping plain that seemed to never end. As the crimson-red sun fed over the horizon, bleeding across the sky, Brod sat beside the stream at the cave’s edge; legs dangling.
The governor didn’t even look back now as Paskin approached. He simply called back.
“I know you’re there.” He turned his head, “...So is this it?”
Paskin approached, lowering his guard for a moment as he caught his breath; the pained feeling in his head still causing a ring in his ears.
The Echo did not draw a weapon at Brod, merely approached the man with the respect of a hunter coming across wounded game, but still giving the Governor some distance. Paskin looked out over the scarlet sky, the colour reminding him of the sunset on Estanix, and a lump of sadness swelled in his chest before he looked back to Brod.
"I am afraid it is, Brod'vek. Soon our sins will choose a victor, and when that happens they'll likely come looking for us..."
Paskin trailed off as he noticed the blood near Brod; the shallow pools mirroring the sky before them.
"Your wound needs tending, lest it take you for all you are."
Brod gave a wheezing chuckle as he clutched onto the calf of his leg as it trickled with blood,
“You don’t get it, do you? This is the end for me… There’s no coming back from this…” He huffed in cold, pained breaths as he clinged to his wound. He almost sounded like he was going to be sick from the shock setting in,
“...I won’t let them get their hands on me…” He sniffled, looking up to the sound of the helicopter searching for Brod, not far away, “...There’ll be fate worse than a quick death if they do. They have no sense of mercy… No sense of justice.” With that, the Governor went silent.
He didn’t speak for several moments. Instead, he just listened to the babbling of the stream pouring beside him. Then, without a single word, the governor bent over and sent himself out of the cave opening and falling down from the cliff-face to the drop below. Almost in an instant, the governor’s tumbling body disappeared into a plume of smoke upon the canyon grounds below.
There was little time to think, however, as shortly after the Selanese Military Helicopter hovered into view as it came up beside the cave passage. The gunner immediately took aim with his heavy machine gun and opened fire upon Paskin. The cave exploded into clouds of rubble and debris as the rounds chewed through the rock around the Echotian; he had to move.
There was a feeling of regret in his chest as Brod disappeared over the edge; as much as Paskin had grown to dislike the Governor, he had hoped to take him in alive. The Echo looked down at his bloody stumped arm, cursing himself at his failure on this forsaken planet. Paskin's body shook with fatigue, and his breathing had strayed from its disciplined patterns to a ragged panting.
His attention was suddenly grabbed by the sound of the Helicopter, bracing for a fight as the vehicle whirred into view. No sooner had he dove for cover did the machine gun open fire on his position, nearly tearing him in half as he cowered behind a large rock. His arms instinctively covered his head as bullets ripped through the air, throwing dust and debris from the cave floor into the air and showering the Echo in dirt.
A sudden, horrible pain shot through his shoulder as his cover exploded outwards, sending shards of rock into his cloak and through his arm. Paskin roared in pain, pinned by the torrent of bullets as he searched for a way out. He couldn't retreat without risking death, as so relented, and huddled closer to the wall of the cave, hoping to endure the barrage, his cloak concealing him from view as the dust settled on its surface.
The gunfire continued from the craft as Paskin’s position was smashed by round after round from the heavy machine gun. Finally, the hellfire relented as the helicopter tilted and disappeared from sign. The respite, however, was short-lived.
Almost immediately after, Paskin was grabbed at from the arm by the bloody silhouette of Shereza.
“We need to go, NOW. They’re swarming the caves, we need to find a way out!”
With that, the Teliran warlord took her rifle and darted through a tiny nook into a new passageway opened up by the onslaught the helicopter had unleashed. As the Echotian was readjusted to the quiet left by the absence of the helicopter, the sounds of chopper blades were replaced by the echoing gunfire of rebels from elsewhere in the caves fiercely fighting with government forces. The labyrinthian network of passages had now become a subterranean battleground from which the remnants of the guerrilla forces were being pursued and individually wiped out.
Shereza cursed in her native tongue as she waded through the pitch-black darkness of the caverns,
“Have you got a light?!”
Paskin clutched his shoulder as he tried to keep pace with Shereza, the benefits of Echotian speed weighing him down more and more.
The Mercenary had to think on it for a moment, a dazed feeling swallowing his thought process before instinctively activating a small light on his helm. It wasn't extensive, but it would provide the light needed.
"Brod escaped."
Paskin's voice was ragged, his throat was dry and clotted with dust.
"That doesn't mean alive, but I could not recover his body."
With the dim light, the pair trudged through the increasingly thin and unsecure caverns. Each rumble from explosions elsewhere made the entire place crack and quake like everything was ready to collapse and bury the pair in a moment’s notice.
They had to keep moving.
“Brod’s death is… Alright.” She grunted as clambered up an upward slope which, ahead, rapidly became vertical. Shereza worked her best with what little room-light Paskin’s helmet gave to find her way upwards.
“The question I guess now is, what’re you gonna do? Do you plan on staying here with us…?”
Paskin thought for a moment, as the pain pulsed through his body and his wounds began to clot.
"I hadn't considered what I might do. The life of a mercenary is fraught with dangers, best not to plan too far in advance."
The Echo felt a weight in his heart as he continued, ashamed to leave Shereza, but longing to return to the empire and do some good for his people.
"My destiny lies with House Wraith. Too long have I shirked my responsibilities back home. My employer is dead, to stay longer would only put me in more danger. No doubt they'll be hunting for me."
“A shame you cannot stay.” The warlord lamented as she clambered from place to place up the rockwall. Periodically she would stop with the rumble of an explosion, letting the instability subside before continuing her ascent. Slowly but surely, their rise from the belly of the maze became indicated by cracks of light from up above. They were approaching a fissure in the world above, but not before things got more and more narrow.
“We shall plan a way to get you offworld… There is no way you can vacate the way you came in… You don’t exactly blend in with the people in these parts.” Shereza chirped, concluding, “I’ll get you across the border into the Veratian colony of something… From there you’ll have a chance of getting aboard a ship offworld without questions bein’ asked.”
The Echo smiled under his helm, thankful to have allies he could count on. He wished her well on this planet.
"When I return to the Empire, I will plead your case to House Wraith. I hear they grow ever eager to test their mettle. Perhaps I may return sooner than you think."
The Echo clambered with ease, his injuries seemingly not hindering his mobility even in this confined space.
With a nod, Shereza continued her climb. She did not argue or attempt to dissuade the Echotian from his decision, his fate was for him to decide. Rising into the ever-growing light, they eventually broke free into the burning illumination of the sun; causing the female Teliran to wince and hiss at the blinding level of light.
The pair had done it, they had faced the onslaught of the Aphanesian government and lived to tell the tale. They weren’t out of danger yet though, and it took several days and nights of foraging and hiking through the barren nothingness of this prairie, microorganic planet until they had reached the colonial border.
Crossing over, Paskin had done it. Or perhaps, he had not done it? He had come for a contract and left empty-handed. But now Shereza’s band of insurgents, bandits, freedom-fighters and terrorists could reconsolidate. The Aphanesian Colony on Sano was now sure to become bandit territory herein, to be ruled by a cartel of warlords, but atleast they now had their shot at independence.
Only time would tell if the shot was wasted.