Cyberpunk III: 2856A.D. MARS

Ash and Flint make their way through the caverns. They come to the end, and there is a set of steps going up. "Damn, I was hoping we could stay underground all the way to the gate. Well, according to the map, this should be Gangston. A small farming town. There are a set of caverns on the other side that should lead us to the gate."

The two walk up the steps, their sounds echoing in the dark cavern. They come up into a office building, that was once probably use for the local government. Ash opens the door to see the small town, and fields of crops could be seen on either side of the town.

 

They rounded the corner tactically, going with Cyrus's suggestion of going for the transport. Nero had wanted to go right, to the weapon's testing facility to see if there was anything that could be of use.

In their wounded state though, the sergeant figured it would be better anyways to try to veer off from where guards could be. His chest and back wounds throbbed to solidify his decision.

"Lets talk quietly," Karasu said, "About things we are dreaming about right at the moment...for one I am dreaming about Belgium waffles."

Nero winced at the ridiculous statement that came out seemingly at random.

"Of course." Castillene sneered, "Then maybe we can sit and cry about how we didn't get little ponies for Christmas!" he added, half sarcastically and half annoyed.

"Stick to the plan Karasu." Nero ordered, levelling his gun again.

 

Charlie Squad....kind of

After hours of frustration and lift finally emerged from the numerous tunnels. About godd***ed time, Bull thought furiously. He made his way down to the transport and into the operator booth. He felt like he finally had a handle on the button configuration and operation. He spat some more and pulled the lever backwards. The transport lunged to life....in the opposite direction. His frustration spilled over. "Godd***it I said backwards you hunk of s**!" he yelled. "Not forwards, f***!"

He did everything in his power to send the transport backwards, but to no avail. It just progressed forward at reasonably high speed until it came upon the next stop and powered down. Bull ripped open the operator door and walked out. He about faced and shot a few rounds into the transport.

"Godd*** piece of s***!" he screamed.

Bull looked around the station. "Now where the fu-" he stopped as he heard whispers coming from the other direction. He crouched down and carefully made his way in their direction.

 

"Stick to the plan Karasu." Nero ordered, levelling his gun again.
Karasu kept his guard up, but sighed deeply.
"All I am saying is right now we are low of energy, we are tired, and injured," Karasu said, "If we talk about something that doesn't fit the program I would think our team would get stronger...we could boost our morale cause I don't think. Never mind continue being a bonehead keep your thoughts to yourself."
Karasu had no more energy to fight with Nero or try to convince him of anything. Karasu had no more thoughts. He just wanted to get this over and done with. How he longed for home.

 

Alpha

Jack frowned at Nero. He was back into droid mode: 'Do your duty and clear all emotion from your head. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.'

"Look, Sarge, I know we got a job to do here, but we'll all admit we're a little strained after nearly being incinerated, disemboweled, shot at, and chopped into bat bait. I know you're in charge, but seriously: give it a rest. We're human beings, not machines."

 

"Look, Sarge, I know we got a job to do here, but we'll all admit we're a little strained after nearly being incinerated, disemboweled, shot at, and chopped into bat bait. I know you're in charge, but seriously: give it a rest. We're human beings, not machines." Cyrus said, Nero seethed. He stopped walking and rotated, strolling directly toward the Jack.

"Strained? Strained." Nero snarled, "Well, i'm sorry private, that while I was falling thirty f**king feet from the air, you were getting mosquito bites trying to be the hero that your not."

"And of course maybe you think your the intelligent one here because you can type faster than the rest of us but sadly you lack the backbone to defend youself let alone Angel!" he yelled. Cyrus took a step back. Nero gave a wicked smile.

"Oh, didn't hit a nerve there did I?" Castillene taunted. Cyrus's fists clenched.

"Go ahead, private. Try me." the sergeant growled.

 

Karasu watched as Nero did it again. Snapped in front of them.
"And that is why I said we needed a change of pace," Karasu said, "I can't believe you are a commander...you don't know the true way of working with a team, you nearly kill your teammates, and you can barely control yourself."
Karasu looked at Nero with very stern eyes.
"How can you be a commander, if you can't command yourself?" Karasu said.
Karasu was at his breaking point. He had forgotten the last time that someone made his blood boil like this.

 

Alpha

Jack was beyond control now. It was a simple request, man to man. And Nero had totally freaked. This was beyond military authority. This was the corruption of power and control, and it had to stop here.

"You arrogant b******." Jack hissed. He stepped forward and twisted his torso, bringing the whole weight of his body into his fist, towards Nero's face.

 

Bull Meets Alpha

Bull hopped up from his cover. It was the other part of the platoon. Alpha or Beta? he thought. He shrugged it off, right now it looked like they were about to kill each other.

"Excuse me!" Bull shouted running up to the squad. "Sargeant! Private Bull Thompson reporting!"

 

Nero sidestepped sleekly, the flying fist of Cyrus going completely to waste as he tumbled to the ground. Castillene laughed.

"I don't think so." he said smoothly.

"And that is why I said we needed a change of pace," Karasu said, "I can't believe you are a commander...you don't know the true way of working with a team, you nearly kill your teammates, and you can barely control yourself."
"How can you be a commander, if you can't command yourself?" Karasu finished, red with anger.

Nero unsheathed his combat knife, spinning it inbetween his fingers deviously.

"You think I should listen to your opinion Karasu?" he inquired, Jack struggled off the ground, composing himself.

"All you used to do was kill, and mercilessly at that, but all this self pity, this lonliness, turned you into a weakling. I wouldv'e respected you more if you kept your mouth shut." Nero said venomously.

"Sargeant! Private Bull Thompson reporting!" another man appeared surprisingly. Nero raised an eyebrow.

"Well then, you may want to see to it that these sniffling children get the hell back in line before they get hurt." Nero ordered Bull Thompson.

 

Karasu's eyes gave Nero a cold stare.
"I may be a killer, but I have one thing you don't have," Karasu said, "And that is the experience of working with team members...I just didn't want to get involved like I did last time...last time it was."
Karasu then did something he didn't expect himself to do. He grabbed Nero's wrist holding the knife and twisted Nero's wrist.
"I know when to be a killer and know when to be a team member...you only know one of those options," Karasu said, "And I'm sick of the way you can't command yourself you're a despicable killer and for the first time you make me want to break you into tiny pieces, lets go boya and I'll teach you something."
The demon from Karasu slowly, but steadily rising.
Karasu let's go of Nero's wrist and walks back a little as he hears another voice call them. Karasu places his fingers through his hair.

 

Bull observed the seen before him. The sergeant had a knife pulled and his squad surrounded him.

"Listen," he said. "I didn't leave my homicidal Lieutenant to join up with a squad full the same people." He shook his head. "Everybody just chill the f*** out," he said bringing himself to his full height. "I've lost two squad mates already, I'm not about to lose anymore, godd***it."

 

Alpha

Jack got to his feet as Nero turned his anger on Karasu. Jack had reacted in emotion at the first, and as humiliating as it was, he knew what his first mistake was. When he got back to his feet, his face was a stone mask. Nero kept laughing.

He wanted nothing better to lash out, to cause him pain. But no. Another soldier had come, and they had a job to do. Jack let out a breath, both relieved and disappointed at once.

He almost spoke to Nero, but decided against it. He turned to the newcomer.

"I'm sorry, friend. My CO appears to be suffering from the strain of command. Which squad are you from?"

 

Bull looked at the group. They all looked worse for wear, far worse than he did. He could only imagine the stuff they went through. "I'm sure he's not the only one under strain," Bull said quietly. "Myself included....I'm from Charlie squad."

 

Karasu walked up to the new guy who had come.
"Excuse our behavior," Karasu said, "What squad are you from?"
Karasu decided to leave Nero alone and direct as much focus as he could on the new guy.

 

Jack offered his hand.

"We're Alpha. I'm Private Jack Cyrus. And you're right, we've pretty much been through hell." He looked at the others. All told, they looked pretty rough. Was it really any wonder Nero had snapped? Probably not. Still. Any commander should have a little more patience than that. In any case, they'd have another squad member to help, now. Bull Thompson seemed the straightforward, don't-take-no-for-an-answer type. Nero had officially met his physical match, too.

 

Bull shook the man's hand.

"We're Alpha. I'm Private Jack Cyrus. And you're right, we've pretty much been through hell."

"Well nice to meet you, private," Bull said as he tapped his armor markings, showing that he was a private also. He spat a wad of brown spit on the ground and got his tin of tobacco out, offering it to Alpha. "And at least your squad is still in one piece, unless there were more of you at some point."

 

"And at least your squad is still in one piece, unless there were more of you at some point."

"There is now." Nero intercepted, analyzing the new member. He had a heavy build, probably a lot bigger than his own, but judging by his rank, Nero presumed his battle experience should be little to nothing compared to his.

"Nero Castillene." he introduced himself, not extending his arm for a handshake. Both kept an icy gaze for a few seconds.

 

"Nero Castillene."

The man gave Bull a hard stare. He spat some more, a little in the sergeant's direction. Another young one, he thought meeting the young officers stare with his own. I wonder if this one is fresh from OCS like the lieutenant.

"Well hopefully you can keep us alive, sergeant," Bull said coldly. "The lieutenant was greenhorn, and you ain't lookin much different with that tough guy stare of yours."

 

"The lieutenant was greenhorn, and you ain't lookin much different with that tough guy stare of yours." the older private said, a hint of insult in his tone. He spit a wad of the drug near his boot.

"I assure you," Nero said frostily. "Iv'e been doing a better job than your lieutenant, seeing that her soldiers are running around without morale."

"And apparently, you might've failed to fulfill all of your duties yourself, seeing as I have no casualties." he added, narrowing his eyes.

 

"And apparently, you might've failed to fulfill all of your duties yourself, seeing as I have no casualties."

Bull smiled, brown tobacco covering his teeth. "I don't fail my duties," he said. "I can assure you that."

He started turn to the other two soldiers in the squad and stopped. "And correct me if I'm wrong," he said to the sergeant. "But you were two seconds from having a causality...by your own hands...don't talk to me about duty sergeant."

Bull turned to the other two soldiers and nodded at them.

 

Karasu watched as Nero and Bull greeted each other. They looked the same except Bull was a more experienced Nero. And Nero was still an inexperienced Bull.
Karasu watched as the two men had a conversation with each other. From what Karasu noticed is that they didn't have respect for each other or trust for each other.
He realized that Bull didn't know his name, but he didn't want to be rude so he said nothing until the question arose.

 

It had all happened so fast, Jack taking a swing at Nero, the unknown soldier running up to them and shouting, Jack on the ground, the spinning knife.

Angel didn't even have time to say will you two stop it before you do something stupid before it was all over and Bull and Nero were giving each other a thorough stare-down. She shook her head. It looked like Mr. Personality had hit it off big time with this new guy, too.

She let them size each other up and went to Jack. She felt Nero's nerotic authority as well as Jack's dented masculine pride too much to ask him directly if he was all right. Instead she gave him a long level look of inquiry that she knew he'd understand.

Jack wouldn't meet her eyes at first but then felt the weight of her look and saw, she hoped, her concern for him. He looked faintly surprised then nodded slightly.

He was ok. Embarassed, but ok. She gave him a tiny smile and a wink.

Then Angel turned to Bull and introduced herself.

"Private Angel Rey, Alpha," she touched his hand in greeting, "You say you were with Charley and mentioned losses...have any of them survived? We had a message from Hot D...er...Private Dumont but that was some time ago."

 

"Private Angel Rey, Alpha." Bull felt her touch his hand and he automatically shook it with a smile. "Private Bull Thompson."

"You say you were with Charley and mentioned losses...have any of them survived? We had a message from Hot D...er...Private Dumont but that was some time ago."

His joviality was short lived. Bull looked down and sighed quietly to himself, spitting some more. "Hot Dog was the first to go," he said. "Lieutenant left him behind and he got ambushed...then McShayne disappeared. She's how I ended up here, I was looking for her because that b**** was such a robot for command she didn't even give a s*** that McShayne was gone."

"Guess they don't teach 'leave no soldier behind' in OCS anymore," he muttered to himself.

 

Karasu hadn't noticed the man had nodded to him, till it was to late. Karasu walked up to the man and took out his hand for a handshake.
"Private Karasu, its a pleasure to meet you sir," Karasu said.
Karasu looked at this man, who could easily break a rock. Yet, his heart was the rock easily broken.