the group moves relatively quietly (some stumbling, a few people who need carrying). They almost get caught, but fortunately Dexter and Quibbick catch them unaware, and deal with them before they can raise the alarm.
Eventually, they get up the elevator, and almost run headlong into Sona. Sona, Mon châtelaine, ma belle dame! it is lovely to see you! He smiles, while Quibbick gives him an "Are you seriously hitting on the cyborg?" look.
Listen, we need to get these guys out of here, and then take the bridge. Retzy and Bunker will keep em off us for now, but that window won't last forever. what should we do?
Sona puts out a hand, and at first it looks like she's offering it in response to the line Dexter's feeding her. Then, she shakes the proffered hand, palm up. "You didn't lose my equipment did you? You can keep it if you still need it, but 0ne would think a survivor like you would be bristling with... spoils."
There's a plaintive look to Sona's posture as Dexter explains the crew's plans. "If we must delay, we might as well disable weapons... Let's get the the target to the Sixes. Everything else is damage control."
Dexter flips the handle around, showing it to Sona to reassure her he still has it. You know, before this mission, I was always a fan of old school knives, but this things pretty good. You may have turned me over to the cyber-side, Circuits! he winks before going forward.
Dexter rushes on, leading the flock behind him, and practically pushes them through the airlock. Captain Feathers, where can I put these guys?
as soon as the prisoners are safe, he turns back to Sona. Two questions. First, can we move the sixes above the bridge? and 2, on an unrelated note, what are the odds that fancy sword can slice through exoglass?
As Dexter's posse races towards the Sixes, they find Captain Bucanero impatiently waiting for them. Git yer asses aboard and hang tight. Jamee, we got em! He calls into a communicator.
The Capn glances over the group. Where be 2BR and t' gerblin?
After you briefly explain the situation, the Capn visibly slumps. Shame. 2BR's rare these days. Can't be easily replaced. Jamee, git us out o' here! As the hatch shuts behind you the ship shudders as it disengages from the Hierophant.
What do you do?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2BR and Retzack, the weapons fire has no effect on the bulkhead, but you hear the footsteps coming closer.
The voice coming from the elevator shifts to a deep baritone.
You should run.
2BR, you feel the bulkhead vibrate as one of the androids crashes into it. The android shatters. (I assume you are bracing with the immovable rod). However its companions run past you a very short distance, swivel, and begin firing from a better angle.
Retzack, all the weapons fire is directed at 2BR. They don't seem to notice you.
What do you do?
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Hold up there feathers. We aren't abandoning those two just yet. 2BR is an incredible asset in any combative mission, and Retzac... well, he distracts the guys from shooting at us sometimes. Dexter moves toward the view-screen, where the Heirophant is (Probably) still shown, and indicates the bridge I need you to get me a clear shot from the airlock to there before sweeping out.
He takes the long route to the airlock, stopping by where he left Sona and Quibbick. Gears, Suzy Q, Get some exosuits on and follow me. I have a plan.
Sona rolls her eyes. "Exosuit... I can get you a clear shot to anywhere on their ship."
>Haephestus, have you finished those modifications we discussed?
There's a pause.
>n- Uh... Sure. Yes. They're, uh... they should work. It's just...
>Power them up, this 0ne will be there shortly.
|
Retzack whispers to the armored robot, "Let us do as the voice says and get in the elevator. Just circle around and we'll be safe. Even if we crushed these androids, what is left in this corridor that we would want?"
Retzack stays glued to the rear of the 'bot, drinking deeply of the shadows therein.
Muffet.ms issues a series of agressive tones at the bat invading what is clearly her home. She's been collecting and hoarding loot and she's pretty sure if she reinforces that flange she can get another few cc's of osmium in before the whole metastructure caves.
> Agreed
2BR unhooks the Immovable Rod and drags the bulkhead backwards towards the elevator, providing cover for the vampire.
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Sona lasers a hole through the Heirophant, launching the elevator cabin into the cargo hold of the Sixes. When they return to Grellick (Sona kills Delshick again) she is adamant about taking BunkR BustR back to Theta headquarters.
Once at headquarters, Sona presents the shardmind with Jamee as heir apparent. The shardmind goes all GladOS, 2BR is sent to be scrapped- it’s a whole thing. Anyway, once RAB is instated as stuart of Theta industries, and 2BR is recovered and repaired, Sona will continue working for Grellick until he’s corrupted by power, and then murder him like she does with everyone she supports. Sona continues to protect space by strategically supporting and destroying galactic forces, unfettered by her base programming.
A’gatha Thorne becomes captain of the Sixes after Ron retires.
Yaelin Mochi eventually catches up on her many, many child support payments.
Daerol Heaphestus graduates with honors from Theta Tech, but dies in a space-car accident a year later.
Don’t do space-drugs.
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Once 2BR is recovered and repaired for the second (third?) time, he undergoes an serious existential crisis. What will remain after his eventual permanent termination? Nothing lasts forever, especially when he is around, and what kind of legacy is destruction? A really great one, but not sustainable. Only occasionally does destruction begat more destruction of the same type. It's a dead end, evolutionarily. Hence, after "requisitioning" a shuttle and a micro-factory for spare parts, he crash-lands it onto the world of the orcs, he began his life's work: Gardening.
That is to say, attempting to conquer a significant portion of the planet / biosphere. Last Sona checked, he was still going, trusty plasma shovel by his side. No doubt, if he's needed some time in the future and is still in one or two pieces, he'll get scooped up and pointed at something irritating, but until then, he is at peace. Ish.
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His plan went better than was expected... that is to say, getting shot out of the airlock at another spaceship didn't end with him being immediately killed. Unlike the version of the story he would spend the better part of the next decade, he wasn't the deciding factor, nor did he singlehandedly take the bridge. he did, however, distract, harrass, and otherwise disable the enemy, and set them up to be slaughtered by the murderbot.
afterwards, he considered staying, either with the sixes, or with Quibbick, but neither took. he was too unpredicatble for the new sixes, under Aggy and Gears, but after she stabbed Grellick in the back, it started getting too... real? Dunno, but he didn't much like it.
after that, he and Suzy Q tried to settle down on a far away planet, but discovered that neither of them were in a place where they could settle down, so they parted, on amicable terms.
Ironically, he met another merc 4 years later, a half elf who was a lot like him (Flippant, violent, sentimental, and ultimately a goodguy). the two began working together until an injury crippled the girl. Rather than go back to working solo, Dexter left the business altogether. the two pooled together their "Rainy day" funds, and bought a bar on a stable asteroid. became something of a notorious smugglers den and Merc joint, great place to post a job.
the two never had kids, never wanted them, but they did have a happy (well, as happy as life gets in this galaxy anyway), quiet life. Somehow, it wasn't the high risk lifestyle, traumatic memories, or numerous enemies that got to Dexter in the end, it was simple time.