Short storys writen by PeekAboo [Archive]

Celtic Warrior

12-01-2004, 03:58 PM

hunting the hunter

by peekaboochiken (junior)

Submitted on Sun, 09/05/2004 - 20:56, 153 reads
Flash Fiction - SciFi - 15/PG-13

…..Incoming…multiple attack vectors…the soft voice chimed. Bartek, call sign Lazy growled under his breath and pushed the throttle of his 70-ton war machine to the maximum. The twin AMS auto cannon mounted on the shoulders of the 13-meter high mech, turned as one, tracking the incoming missiles. The spent uranium shells roared from the revolving barrels, streaking towards their targets. The impacts shredding the fragile missile housings, igniting the solid fuel compartments. Lazy felt the concussion waves from the explosions through the thick armour as he raced for more substantial cover. He pinged his active radar; the telltale red marker glowed briefly on the light green targeting screen, showing his enemy 900 metres to his left. Damn, he thought, still out of range of the weapon load out his mech carried. His intended destination, a deep impact crater loomed large on the forward view screen. The cover provided would give him the valuable seconds needed to formulate his attack plan.

He crouched the heavy chassis in the mud and rubble of the crater, the torso rotated from left to right continually scanning the lip of his hideaway. “I need to get that bastard within 800 metres” He scowled at his light reflection on the view screen. Cautiously he raised the mech up to its full height allowing him to see the deserted battlefield in front of him.

Again his radar went active for a second, showing the missile support mech to still be out of range of the heavy beam weapons he carried. He’s smart enough to stay outta my range, he thought to himself, but with a top speed of 75 kph, the distance could be cut in a matter of seconds, allowing him to bring his weapons to bear. Surveying the ground he had to cover, he decided the low hills to his right would provide sufficient cover and narrow the distance from his opponent. Again he pushed the throttle to its limit, coaxing every last joule of energy from the engine buried deep within the mech. Like a grey hound from the traps the mech exploded from the crater, its heavy feet crushing the rubble as it raced across the open ground rushing for the cover he needed.

The torso twisted to the left as Lazy scanned the killing ground, searching for his target. As he reached the hills, he throttled back to quarter speed. An evil grin spread across his angular face, now the hunter was the hunted. The hills provided excellent cover and after a few seconds, sure that the support mech would be in range, for the last time he went active. As the red dot glowed on his screen, Lazy threw the mech into a 90-degree turn, pushing the mech to maximum speed. The enemy showed at 750 metres slightly to his left, the torso twisted smoothly to meet his nemesis; the targeting reticule glowed red as it settled on the plasglass of the opposing mechs cockpit. “Time to die” laughed Lazy as he pressed the firing stud that activated the six heavy lasers his mech carried.

The light recon mech, built for speed had sat powered down in the empty shell of an old factory building, the crumbling walls providing deep cover and a good view of the battlefield. Tracking the Novacat, he waited until its back was turned and the distance had grown to an estimated 300 metres, then hitting the start-up sequence, the pilot targeted the weak rear armour of Lazy’s mech. Using the built in jump jets, the cougar punched through the ruined roof of the factory and fired.

As his thumb pressed the activation stud, the mech tilted backwards slightly with the force of a rear hit, warning lights flashed deep red on his damage display showing his rear armour had been buckled. His shot throw from its intended target by the hit impacted on the missile pod carried on the shoulder of the catapult, a 65-ton fire support mech that also carried the ability to arm itself with heavy lasers. The six beams of green light energy burrowed through the mechs armour like a hot knife through frozen butter. The heat ignited both the warheads and the solid rocket propellant in a blaze of intense white light. Seeing the catapult forced several metres backwards and on one knee, Lazy turned to the new threat behind him. Falling debris from the roof gave away this unexpected enemies position. Knowing that the new threat would be able to fire a split second before he could, Lazy watched intently for movement. A glint of reflected light gave Lazy the target he desperately sought.

The catapult pilot, his cockpit a cacophony of flashing lights and high-pitched klaxons, hit the kill button. Now the only sound was the ringing in his ears. His damage display showed the entire left side of his mech had been destroyed. He thanked his God that his weapons system was still active. Shaking his head in a vain attempt to clear it, he turned his damaged mech to face the black scorched rear of the Novacat. Sit still for 3 seconds he pleaded and I’ll show you how payback can be a bitch.

The cougar pilot aware he was outgunned and out-tonned sat still. His place of safety was now a trap as he watched the novacat stalk slowly in his direction. The only exit, an open loading bay to his left provided no cover if he ran that way. The pop-up sniping technique had served him once maybe it would serve him again. He hit the jets again, with a roar the mech leaped upwards.

Lazy fired a full alpha strike as the enemy mech started to rise. His vectoring was pinpoint as the six lasers found their target at the weakest point on the cougar. The heavy beam weapons punched through the plasglass of the cockpit, vaporising the pilot inside and pushing through into the reactor driven engine. As the mech continued to rise it became an expanding fireball consuming the mech from within turning it into a pyrotechnic display that would have shamed the greatest of celebrations for the fourth of July.

The catapult pilot cursed loudly as the novacat disappeared behind the hill. His choices were limited so throwing caution to the wind he charged to the spot were the novacat had disappeared from view, maybe he could take the novacat with him, if he got close enough. Unaware he was holding his breath he reached the brow of the hill.

Slamming his machine into reverse Lazy turned the heavy mech 180 degrees and backed away from the brow of the hill. The heat display showed he had one more shot before the mighty machine would shut down from the excessive heat generated by the heavy lasers.

As the catapult cleared the hilltop, he targeted and fired without a lock in one smooth motion as Lazy fired his last alpha strike. The catapult pilot never knew if his missiles hit as the beam weapons tore through the damaged left side of his mech, the internal workings were exposed and like greedy children at the breast they fed well devouring the mech systems, searching for the sweetest milk at the heart of the mighty war machine. The catapult pilot managed to utter one curse as his world became as hot as the Sol sun and nearly as bright.

Lazy braced himself as he watched the incoming missiles. The damage would not be terminal. Just as the missiles were about to impact, the world went black.