08-12-2006, 12:42 AM
Security Navi #07 leaned on the railing, gazing out from the watchtower in the center of the security compound. Blocks of data with colors of a silicone rainbow were stacked in pillars, stretched outside the facility, further than his augments could see. Five yards away from them stood Security Navis #03 and #01 standing gaurd in front of the only entrance into the compound. #07 glimpsed Navi #05 patrolling the widows walks connecting the entrance into the facility, three walks in all, wide enough to fit about three Navis shoulder to shoulder. #06 stood underneath a lantern at the footwalks base. #04 gaurded the data codes that opened Mr. Pearls safe.
#07 broke away and walked to the control opt in the towers center. He unhooked the reciever, selecting NAVI #01 in the bandwith monitor. He tapped the mic once for static, wincing when the sharp crackle overwhlemed his hearing, but he spoke anyway.
"Navi #01..."
"Reporting."
"Anything interesting out there?"
"Dust and Echoes #07."
"Mr. Pearl insisted to me that his safe was in danger. Are you sure?"
"Dust and Echoes."
#07 frowned. He hung the reciever and walked to the same railing, leaned on it, scrutinizing the Navi's under control. #06 had propped against the lantern now, his head bent down, legs shanting him up. #07 whistled down to him. #06 didn't reply.
The Security Navi grapped the reciver and turned the dial. "#06 Wake up." Squealing static returned to him. "#06 you're not on your post, reply."
Nothing. Concerned, #07 gripped the railing with both hands, leaning his torso over the side. He noticed Navi #05 walking to greet #06. #05 pushed #06 to wake him, and up in the tower #07 caught the glimpse of something, something that leaddened his stomach. #06's neck, right below the helmet, bore a small hole of data. #05 backed away. #06 slumped to the ground, a cadaver.
#07 retreated to the reciever. A small green diode appeared on the bandwidth monitor, casting left ot right. He stopped. Terror gripping him, #07 turned to the origin, far out on a data block, sliding the diode across his eyes. He screamed.
The shot startled those on the ground. #05 looked up to see #07's body ragdoll from the tower onto the compound floor. More shots echoed. Two distinct screams faded into his hearing and #05 backed from them, running towards #04 still stationed at his post. The Navi regarded him with wide eyes.
"What are you doing here?"
#05 summoned his blaster. "No time. Not enough time."
"What are you-- you're not makeing sense!"
They heard it. They paused in silence, the rustic swing of the compound doors forcing them to swallow. #05 mouthed, 'They're here', to #04 and took cover behind a pillar. #04 did the same. Silence. Seconds turned into minutes, minutes to an hour, and they began growing anxious.
A boot sqeaked. Another and more. To #05's ears, it sounded like rubber thunder forcing upon the metal of the catwalks. He heard the shuffling of clothes and guns, squelching more behind his cover.
"The safe encryption sir." A voice said. "We're searching for the other Navis who are still present."
"It's no matter. Grab those chips and we'll be on our way."
"Freeze!" Boomed a familiar voice. "Drop your weapons." #05's heart spiked when he realized #04's voice. "I said drop them." #04 still ordered.
"Well count one Navi found. Trooper, do me a favor and put this butt wipe out of his misery."
Gun slides clicked. #04 screamed, shooting one blaster round before a fullisade of rounds pelted his armor. Knives ripping at tough meat. #05 recoiled in horror.
"The data is here Allistair."
'Good.' A pasue. 'Curious these business people, always making the most valuable things flashy and expensive looking. But this is the Chip blue prints. Come Auspex, my other job beckons me.'
#07 broke away and walked to the control opt in the towers center. He unhooked the reciever, selecting NAVI #01 in the bandwith monitor. He tapped the mic once for static, wincing when the sharp crackle overwhlemed his hearing, but he spoke anyway.
"Navi #01..."
"Reporting."
"Anything interesting out there?"
"Dust and Echoes #07."
"Mr. Pearl insisted to me that his safe was in danger. Are you sure?"
"Dust and Echoes."
#07 frowned. He hung the reciever and walked to the same railing, leaned on it, scrutinizing the Navi's under control. #06 had propped against the lantern now, his head bent down, legs shanting him up. #07 whistled down to him. #06 didn't reply.
The Security Navi grapped the reciver and turned the dial. "#06 Wake up." Squealing static returned to him. "#06 you're not on your post, reply."
Nothing. Concerned, #07 gripped the railing with both hands, leaning his torso over the side. He noticed Navi #05 walking to greet #06. #05 pushed #06 to wake him, and up in the tower #07 caught the glimpse of something, something that leaddened his stomach. #06's neck, right below the helmet, bore a small hole of data. #05 backed away. #06 slumped to the ground, a cadaver.
#07 retreated to the reciever. A small green diode appeared on the bandwidth monitor, casting left ot right. He stopped. Terror gripping him, #07 turned to the origin, far out on a data block, sliding the diode across his eyes. He screamed.
The shot startled those on the ground. #05 looked up to see #07's body ragdoll from the tower onto the compound floor. More shots echoed. Two distinct screams faded into his hearing and #05 backed from them, running towards #04 still stationed at his post. The Navi regarded him with wide eyes.
"What are you doing here?"
#05 summoned his blaster. "No time. Not enough time."
"What are you-- you're not makeing sense!"
They heard it. They paused in silence, the rustic swing of the compound doors forcing them to swallow. #05 mouthed, 'They're here', to #04 and took cover behind a pillar. #04 did the same. Silence. Seconds turned into minutes, minutes to an hour, and they began growing anxious.
A boot sqeaked. Another and more. To #05's ears, it sounded like rubber thunder forcing upon the metal of the catwalks. He heard the shuffling of clothes and guns, squelching more behind his cover.
"The safe encryption sir." A voice said. "We're searching for the other Navis who are still present."
"It's no matter. Grab those chips and we'll be on our way."
"Freeze!" Boomed a familiar voice. "Drop your weapons." #05's heart spiked when he realized #04's voice. "I said drop them." #04 still ordered.
"Well count one Navi found. Trooper, do me a favor and put this butt wipe out of his misery."
Gun slides clicked. #04 screamed, shooting one blaster round before a fullisade of rounds pelted his armor. Knives ripping at tough meat. #05 recoiled in horror.
"The data is here Allistair."
'Good.' A pasue. 'Curious these business people, always making the most valuable things flashy and expensive looking. But this is the Chip blue prints. Come Auspex, my other job beckons me.'