LaBrie, in his usual state of near-falling reclination on board the docked Metropolis, opened up the file that Petrucci had sent him. It was a video record of what had taken place on board the Terkalahkan drone. LaBrie plugged the datacrystal into his terminal and accessed Petrucci's records. The recording had been taken from an small camera mounted on one of the HazMat® suits that one of the newer Bandits had been wearing. It also had a life-signs recorder built-in. LaBrie ducked an arbitrary object that was flung at him, and pressed PLAY.
Quote:The sound of heavy breathing can be be heard.
"Naw, we'll take care if it Overlord. We'll see you shortly", says a very shaky voice.
The camera turns away from Petrucci's grim visage and into the back cargo hold of the Terkalahkan.
"Hey Dave, whad'daya think's in there?", says a voice off to his right.
"I dunno, I suppose we'll find out..", mumbles 'Dave'.
As the two Bandits slowly walk into the bowels of the ship, they pass and nod to the Hellfire operatives waiting inside, crouching behind a lead barrier. The breathing becomes more and more rapid, and the video image begins to flicker. The other Bandit opens up the large, sealed door leading to the reactor room. A blinding, green light is seen, when the camera flickers out. LaBrie quickly switches to the optical camera buried in the Bandit's retinas. He sees an extremely blurred image. Then the audio comes in.
The most horrible, wretched, blood curtling screaming can be heard. The reinforced plastic viewscreen of the HazMat® suit melts like butter. 'Dave' collapses to the ground, falling on his side, still screaming. LaBrie can clearly see a puddle oozing out onto the floor. Dave is drowning in his own bodily fluids. LaBrie watches the video until the camera melts, then shuts off his viewscreen.
"Radiation that can eat through HazMat® suits like that?", LaBrie said rhetorically, "I've never heard of such a thing.. This Hellfire probe, whatever it is, is not like anything I've ever seen before. Except..." LaBrie trails off. LaBrie quickly accesses the Metropolis' database. He is looking for a specific entry, which occured approximately three months ago.
"EUREKA! I'VE GOT IT!", shouts LaBrie, as he topples over backwards in his chair. Crawling to his feet he reads the report.
"Well I'll be damned..", says LaBrie.
His original thought had been correct.
The Vagrant Raiders had in fact encountered radiation like that before. In one place.
It's all over the news, but I'm not really paying attention. I was there myself, after all. It was the Corsairs. Just one, first, but then...
I mean, I'm not really all that concerned about the Zoners in particular. They're kinda weird, and they attacked the Armed Forces. It's not like they're especially nice all the time, then. But... just so many people dead.
So here I am, sitting back and staring up at the sky. You can barely see the stars here on the night side of Manhattan, though. There are just so many lights... it's really busy, but kinda soothing in a way, too, I guess. I had to try not to think about it, but... I mean, on a station as big as Freeport 9, there have to be a ton of people. Or had, I guess.
Why'd the Corsairs bombard it like that? And why'd the shoot at us!? We weren't doing anything... just sitting there. We tried to leave when they told us to, but they chased us! I'm really amazed we got away, actually...
So here I am now. I'm alive. That's something, I guess. Things've been going pretty poorly, though.
BMM still hasn't responded. I hope they haven't forgotten about me... but then again, those big corporate meeting take forever, so I guess it could take some time. It's only been a week. Still, I really don't want to delay any more than I have to. But I guess I'd better be patient; it's a big decision they have to make, anyways.
I just wish these things didn't take so long. I haven't heard anything, and I'm worried. Once I can go public... I mean, at least I'll know then. Maybe. Sorta.
I don't know, though. Right now, though... right now I'm just scared.
