Clash of Millenia in Sanity's Drowning Pool

The Black Void - Episode 1246

Rita falls to her knees in panic. "Go away!" she shrieks. You grab her and head toward the hole - when you realize the automated demolition vehicle is closer - and much larger - than you originally estimated. Through the dust and ever-growing damage to the walls you see it stretches for several floors in both directions. Rubble is raining down from the ceiling. The whine from the hundreds of saws and drills creates a sickening, inhuman shriek outside, and you're struck with a profound sense of despair.

Then the floor beneath your feet falls out and you and Rita plunge screaming into the darkness.


You're awakened by someone splashing water in your face. "Get up, you two," says a gruff male voice. "We don't have time for slackers on my shift!"

You and Rita sit up to see a human male dressed in a military uniform - and he's holding a very sci-fi rifle, you decide. Neither you nor Rita seem worse for the wear, although Rita has apparently lost her high heels in the fall. "How did we survive?" she asks.

"Well, I was just sitting around, minding my own business, when you fair wenches just dropped out of the sky and crashed into my tent supplies," the man says. "Fortunate for you they were partially inflated. I'm Hunter, by the way - a Merc from the 24th century. Those children over there claim to be from the 29th."

He points to a group of children wearing odd clothing. "Hello," one of them says in a refined accent. "How do you do?"

"I'm Alice, from the 21st century and this is Rita," you say.

"Hi," Rita says. "Same. Century, I mean."

Looking around, you determine that you're still in the same massive building, although the walls are slightly more rusted and the ceiling is so high its lost in darkness. The air reeks of ash and superheated metal.

"I think we're trapped in a time-space anomaly of some sort," Hunter says. "I've been here for the past two weeks, protecting these weird kids from the goddamn robots. It's been a tough fight, let me tell ya. They're vicious bastards, those AI's. The mind tricks they use at night - I swear, no man could have invented something so diabolical. If not for the Children of the Corn here..."

"Aye," another one of the children smiles, his completely-blue eyes thinning into lizard-like slits. "We have been able to hold off the mechanical men's psychological warfare, while Hunter destroyed their ground shock-troops. Just so you know, I have been translating the speech between Hunter and you two directly to your brain's audio receptors. Otherwise, the differing dialects between your centuries would have rendered you incomprehensible to each other."

"Thank you," Rita says. "Is anyone injured? I'm a nurse. Perhaps me and Alice can help. I will use whatever healing power the Queen Mother bestows upon me."

Before you have time to digest that last one, Hunter laughs. "Then its decided. With this added firepower, we'll launch a breakout attack at 0500 hours. Those robot sons of bitches will rue the day they messed with Hunter! Bwahahaha!!"

"A-attack?" Rita says, looking startled.

"Now wait a minute," you say. "What do you mean, attack? Have you done proper recon? Do we really have enough weaponry? What do the enemy have deployed right now?"

"All valid questions," Hunter spits. "But its either attack or die holed up here like dogs! Can you think of a better plan?!"

"Now look, I might not be a McGyver, but I was a Special Forces commander back when I was 17, before I got into the detective business," you say. "And I can tell you I would never have risked the lives of my soldiers in such a heedless gamble! And these are women and children you're talking about, you psycho!"

"Stand down, private!!" Hunter yells, a mad glint in his steely-gray eyes. "I'm in command here! Not you!"

  1. Induce some sense into Hunter.
  2. Go along with his plan for now.
  3. Appeal for a democratic resolution.

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Ryu

7/29/2006 11:58:58 AM

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