2096 SFS VI Green Light

This was meant to be part VI of the 2021 SFS but I never got around to releasing it. For various reasons that I don’t want to go into at the moment. But here it is. I figure I will at least put some shorts up occasional. Only somewhat edited if that. So I am sure there are mistakes in punctuation and wording, so don’t be to judgmental. I just want to share my world with you.

All of the stories are based on a post-apocalyptic sci-fi table top role-playing game I made a long time ago. The world is set in the year 2096 and it is far from what we have now. I will include the backstory at some point as well as stories based on the games we play. Of which there are many.

Green light, Part I

She didn’t flinch as she pushed the sharp blade into her left wrist piercing her skin. She slowly ran it up her arm cutting a long slit. She watched as the tendons gave way and bioluminescent blood trickle out. The fluid rolled off of her fingertips onto the sand. Even though she couldn’t feel it, the sight of opening up her arm sent shivers down her spine and turned her stomach.

Her arm was augmented.

It wasn’t the first time she had to repair one of her augmentations. Her body being mostly augmented. She still had some human parts and wasn’t considered a true full aug as they call them. Her epidermal layer looked and felt like real skin, although it was much tougher and resilient. It was soft and warm to the touch. Not cold and artificial like some lower levels of augmentations.

Her arm was supposed to be top notch. The best corporate tech available. But the fact she had to perform field repairs on it proved it was anything but. It did however take a round from a Magnetic Particle Rifle, known simple as an MPR.

The MPR’s magnetic rounds were indiscriminate rounds that didn’t differentiate friend from foe. Rounds that could travel through meters of hardened armor over great distances. Rounds that were followed by blue energy tendrils that spiraled behind as it coursed through the air. Tendrils that quickly disappear and seemingly absorb into the air itself. It was quite breath taken to witness, although quite deadly.

She sighed as she finished cutting her arm open and looked at the damage.

“You’re going to give away our position.” A voice said. She placed the blade on her lap not saying anything in reply. Sitting nearby with his back pressed against the same dune was a man in sleek black corporate armor. He was hard to make out and appeared as little more than a shadow. His armor seemingly absorbing the little bit of light that her open wound gave off. The Magnetic Particle Rifle he was holding however was more defined.

She finally looked up over at the man. Her face subtly lit up from the bioluminescent blood.

“I think if that was going to happen we would already be dead. Your also the one who shot me so it would be your fault now wouldn’t it.” Excuses wouldn’t cut it as it was his fault. He grumbled and looked around the desert surrounding them. There was no moon and to the regular person it would be very dark. However with there advanced augmentations it was anything but.

Everything was as bright as day. All be it a ruby red day. Both of them could see everything quite clearly as there intelligent augmented eyes enhanced every detail of the surrounding desert around them. He was also linked to a drone pod. A series of small micro drones that extended his visual range dramatically. Each drone utilizing detection algorithms to insure that they would not be ambushed. At least hopefully. Something that neither of them needed at the moment. The drop not having gone the way it should have at all. The mission having had its setbacks. In addition to her arm being blown apart.

“Is it fixable?” He asked. There was a crunching sound as she pulled out a bad tendon. She examined it for a few moments then shook her head throwing it to the side.

“No. Its shot. Literally, thanks to you.” She replied and took out a stim patch. She placed it on one side of the cut, squeezed the opening together and pressed the pad against it. Smoothing it out as she did. A moment later the patch started to dissolve, and the cut quickly sealed. Leaving no sign of her attempt at fixing it or the damage from the MPR. She had previously cut the sleeve of her tech suit so she could get to the damaged area on her arm, and she now ripped the sleeve completely off at the shoulder and wiped the luminescent blood off of her arm. She buried the sleeve and covered it up along with as much of the glowing sand as she could. “Happy?” She asked giving the sand a good pat.

“Sure am. By the way we have some company.” He said and waved his hand towards her, sending his drone view to her wirelessly. Her augmented eyes making the image appear as though there was a holo screen right in front of her.

Sure enough there were four objects moving quickly towards them. Four objects about five meters apart from each other in a single row. Even with the enhanced imaging the objects were hard to make out. She zoomed in to get a better look. They appeared to be similar to generation one robots. Bipedal things that were never mistaken for anything other than what they were. Robots. These four were different, however. Things she had never seen before.

There proportions were skewed. There legs and arms longer than normal. Their heads sunk into their armored torsos. They moved like some kind of ghostly apparition taking long strides. There lengthy arms tightly clenching large caliber munitions. Similar to the MPR in shape but larger. So large that a regular person wouldn’t be able to carry them. They continued and swiftly moved towards them.

“Do they see us?” She asked silently through her internal communications suite.

“I don’t know.” He replied. They both sunk down against the sand dune. He clenched his weapon tightly against his chest and waited.

“The drones?” She asked. Maybe they saw the drones. As small as they were.

“I don’t know. Stay off the com.” He was right. Maybe they could intercept the transmission somehow. She went silent and waited. The air was still and there were no sounds whatsoever. She hesitated to draw breath as they got closer and closer. With each long stride bearing down on them. She drew the only weapon she had on her. A fusion blade. The blade usually being her backup weapon. Since she lost her rifle it was now all she had. She held it tightly, waiting to activate it if needed. The blade could cut through light armor and even shear through augmentations. It would surly be able to cut the limbs off of the approaching robots.

She waited. Drawing another breath. When the sand above her head shifted. A tall shadow suddenly appeared against the blackened sky blocking the stars above. She felt sand hit her and the air move around her as a long leg came down nearby. One of the shadows loomed directly over her. Out of the corners of her eyes she saw the others crest the dune. She tightened her grip on the blade ready for what was to come.

The next moment there was more movement, and the shadow was gone. They continued on their paths over them. They waited as the shadowy figured grew further and further away. What seemed like an eternity passed before she was startled by his voice.

“Guess they didn’t see us.”

“Are you sure?” She asked. There was hesitation before he answered.

“Hell no. But that may give us enough time.” He replied. She sheathed her blade nodded. He jumped to his feet and started up the dune. She followed behind looking back at the spot they were just at. There she saw a glowing patch of sand. She must have missed a spot she thought. “You coming?” He asked from the top of the dune. She turned back towards him and followed. Time. They were almost out of time.