Sabotage

[Flameseeker]

Chapter 1: A Long Road
NC Sanctuary
FC Base

Searo was bored, horribly bored. The doctor wouldn't let him fight for another two weeks. How would he pass the time? Also, Shimmer was gone on a mission, and he wouldn't see her for a while. The base was practically deserted, everyone was out attacking. Searo decided to train in the VR sims for the whole time, so his skills wouldn't get rusty. He clicked on AGN,
"In other news, a Vanu base was ransacked by New Dawn, rescuing Lt. Colonel AztecWarrior. We'll go to war expert Bob Murphy on the invasion of Searhus two days ago."
"Thanks Linda. The Terran Republic forces mobilized to take control of the warpgates, and block off the New Conglomerate troops from leaving. But, a massive NC force HART dropped from the air, saving the cut off forces of New Dawn and Freedom Corp.
The New Conglomerates then began to withdraw, when a massive quake on the Riechter scale shook the continent. The lull in the battle prompted the Terrans to flee, although nothing happened."
"That's very odd, Bob."
"Indeed Linda. Now to Greg-"
Click, he turned it off. Aztec had been captured? He hadn't known that. Maybe that's why Shiver had to leave so soon. The earthquake was strange as well, he had left before it happened. Searo shook his head and wheeled himself into the VR room.

==============================================

The Galaxy hurtled towards the tiny base, and Shimmer glanced back at the passenger bay, loaded with explosives. She pushed the dead pilot out of the way, and opened the teal and purple cargo bay doors. Shimmer jumped out, dampeners flaring behind her, as she controlled her descent. She watched the Galaxy smash into the bunker lab, totally destroying it. Recon had gathered that there were no less than three Vanu crystal artifacts in there, meaning there was now only three left.
Gorilla would fail, and she was the 1 woman army to stop it.

==============================================

The man cursed, another three down. He watched the global readout showing the furiously burning research base. He turned to a high-ranking soldier.
"Make sure you stop her next time, we can't afford to lose any more crystals. We must be re-united with our teachers."
"Yes sir."
The soldier strode out, his teal uniform clanking with medals.

==============================================

Shimmer approached the base carefully, by now they would have grown more cautious. Spotlights blanketed the ground, guards were everywhere. Only the main door wasn't unlocked, and to go in there would be madness. But Shimmer had a plan...

Spider was bored, this guard duty sucked. He wanted to go attack, go kill. He glanced at his watch, another hour of this. A teal and purple ANT was approaching the base. Idlely, he waved it by, without checking for ID. Who cared?

Shimmer kept going, speeding by the guards, and parking the ANT in the shadows. She slowly got out, and cat-like, crept to the door. It opened automatically, and she stepped inside. Shimmer had not gone more than five steps down the hallway, when she felt a Force-Blade to her throat.
"Going somewhere?"
She tensed, drawing her Cutter.
"Drop the knife, or I'll cut you a second mouth."
It clanged to the floor. She heard the other infiltrator's Darklight vision whirring, and then it stopped. He pulled out a commlink,
"Security, we have an NC spy in Sector 2, can I have some guards over here to escort her?"
"Roger that, they'll be there in 15 seconds."
Shimmer went for her Scatter, the knife dug deeper.
"Try it."
She tried to laugh, the knife jabbing at her windpipe,
"You won't...kill me. I'm too valuable."
He kicked her Scatter out of the holster, and chuckled,
"Maybe you're right, but I can make life for you an endless hell."
Shimmer knew he wasn't lying. The Guards clanked into view.
"Good work Dharkbayne, we'll take 'er from here."
The infiltrator saluted, smiling, and stepped away. He faded into the shadows, and Shimmer heard the whirrr of Darklight going again. The guard disabled her suit, and handcuffed her.
"Search her."
The other guard began searching the suit for lockpicks and suicide pills, he found around 20 of the former, and 5 of the latter.
"Holy, look at this."
The other guard peered at it, a tiny nuclear bomb, powerful enough to kill everything within 30 feet. They took the suit off, and searched the civilian dress underneath as well.
"OK, I think we got everything."
They roughly threw her into the cell, and flipped a switch. Lasers formed a grid-work of impenetrable bars. They closed the steel door, laughing.
Shimmer slumped over, spitting out the lockpick she kept in a false tooth. It wouldn't help her here. Her jammers had been taken, suicide pills, explosives, everything.
She was trapped.

[Phantom]

do like u and aztec and other people talk to eachother and c who will right the next part of the story cause i noticed that alot of ur stories intwine with others

[Flameseeker]

Sorta. You have to be careful to line up all the little facts, which can be difficult when two people write different sides of the story at the same place.

[Flameseeker]

Chapter 2: Interrogation

Shimmer edged the tiny mirror towards the beam, trying to deflect the laser into the power grid. The shard of glass hissed, and the laser burnt a hole right through it.
Damn.
She ripped her thumbnail off, barely feeling the pain. A tiny transmitter was underneath. She pressed it, nothing. The room was obviously transmission proof. Surrounded by lasers on four sides, that left the floor and ceiling.
Both impenetrable steel plates, no rivets or fissures visible, god knows how thick. The dark was oppressive, only somewhat fixed by the glare of concentrated light forming her jail bars.
She touched one, maybe she could suicide on it. Pain, so intense, so excruciating shot through her hand. She yanked it back instantly. It was untouched, if slightly red. (Note: Pain beams have been invented, maximum time a person can stand one before jerking out of the way: a couple seconds.)
She stood up, and attempted to walk through, her body was tortured, she couldn't do it.
It was like a thousand burning irons pressed to her skin, and then being punctured by endless needles.
The steel door clanged open, and five heavily armed guards stepped in. One lightly armored officer followed, and clicked off the beams. She sprang.
Something smashed into her head, driving her into the ground. A foam chunk, leaving no damage. Tensed, she jumped at the officer again. More soft bullets slammed into her body, pressing her into the wall. The officer laughed.
"There is no escape."
Shimmer relaxed, it was true, no use wasting energy.
"I think you know what's in store for you."
She nodded.
"Do these lasers hurt?"
He flicked them back on, and Shimmer back away.
The officer stuck his hand into the beam, holding it there, breaking several lasers. He barked,
"You, try it."
A guard blanched,
"Me?"
"Yes you, nincompoop."
The guard put his hand out, unsteadily. His wavering gloved hand touched the beam, it penetrated the glove and he screamed.
"He has not recieved counter-torture training as you have. You obviously haven't had the training I have."
"Pathetic, inferior, you call yourself a spy? The best you rebels have?"
Shimmer did not acknowledge that he was there.
Psychological torture, interesting...
The officer smirked, as though he had read her mind.
"Guards, take her to the Rec Room."
They were puzzled, and he chuckled.
"I meant, the Wreck Room."
Still confused, they sat there.
"You idiots, the torture chamber. Grease the iron maiden!"
They glanced at each other, and then began to follow orders, unsure of what was going on. Who the hell was the Iron Maiden?

[AztecWarrior]

Iron Maiden?

Oh, shit.

[Sando138]

Iron Maiden:
In this case, i'd bet that it's like the medival version, but instead of spikes, it has those 'pain beams'.

[Flameseeker]

I meant for that to be used as an expression, but what the hey. High-tech iron maiden gogogo!

[Flameseeker]

NOOOO! I erased the chapter accidently. Coming soon...

[Flameseeker]

Stupid storm, lost the satellite connection.

Chapter 3: Iron Maiden
Unconfirmed Vanu Location

Shimmer was being marched down the hall, hands cuffed behind her, guards escorting. The officer was behind them, and he was giving directions. They had blindfolded her before she left her room, so Shimmer had no idea where in the base she was now.
"Here we are, the Torture Chamber."
They whipped off the blindfold, jerking at her long brown hair. She scanned the room, wary. The room was bare, save an 8 foot tall monstrosity. It was made of cold iron, with a crude drawing of a female on the front. The door swung open, and Shimmer realized the primitive materials masked a high-tech function. She was shoved inside, and the door slammed shut.
It was dark as pitch, and she fully expected to feel iron spikes enter her back. She waited, and a device clamped onto her head, and the blackness faded.

She was back at the Freedom Corp Base, in the cafeteria. Wait, something wasn't right... She spotted Searo standing at the other end of the room,
"Searo!"
He began to turn, smiling, when he fell. A bloody knife was lodged between his shoulder blades, and the sadistic Vanu officer stood above him, grinning. She ran out the door, screaming.
A squad of New Conglomerate soldiers were marching, and she caught up to them.
"Help! A Vanu officer...he killed Searo..."
Immense sadness was on their faces, fatigue weighing down on them. One spoke wearily,
"We can't help ma'am."
"You have to! The officer, he'll take the base."
The soldier shook his head,
"Didn't you hear?"
Shimmer was confused,
"What? Hear what?"
"War's over, we lost."
Shimmer backed away, horrified. She kept running, to the spawn tubes, to revive Searo and leave this madness. The officer was there, tapping at a terminal.
"You! What...What are you doing?"
He flashed his evil smile, and laughed. A bonechilling laugh, as though it had issued from the pits of hell.
"Erasing files."
She looked at the computer, it was the DNA records terminal.
"Nooo...You ca...n't..."
The Terminal beeped,
"File Erased: Major Searo, DNA."
Her mouth hung open, and she backed against the wall, stunned.
"It's over girl. Give us the info. A spy knows lots of valuable info."
She was too shocked to speak, or look up. Beamer shots racked her body, burning holes in her flesh. She didn't care, the pain didn't matter.
She looked up, the Beamer leveled at her head, it fired.

Blackness again. The door swung open, and she fell out, numb. The officer approached,
"Had enough?"
She backed away, eyes fearful.
"If you weren't so terrified right now, you may have discerned this machine's function."
He paused.
"It reads your memories, turning them against you. The most vicious torture I've discovered yet. You will talk in a few hours."
They led Shimmer back to her lasers, blindfolded. She huddled in the safety of the pain beam, seeing the bloody knife, again and again, until she collapsed from terror-induced exhaustion.

[Masurao]

yiks! Looks like we need a FC liberation force!

[AztecWarrior]

Now THAT torture sucks...

[Sando138]

that would be DISTURBING to experience... seems that theres major need for Searo to get in there and get her out.

[Flameseeker]

I tried to think of the worst torture possible, yes I'm sick.

[Flameseeker]

Chapter 4: A Cry For Help
Unconfirmed Vanu Base

Her prison's steel door swung open, and Shimmer stared at the officer with her bloodshot eyes. She felt like she hadn't slept at all, nightmares destroying any rest. No guards entered this time. Before the officer noticed, she picked up the lockpick that she had dropped on the floor in her handcuffed hand. He switched off the lasers, and pointed to a table with two chairs.
"Sit."
She got up slowly, and trudged to the chair, plopping down. Behind her back, Shimmer furiously picked at the key hole. The officer smiled,
"Tell me what the New Conglomerate High Council is planning."
She stared at him, deep bags under her eyes enhancing her listless expression.
"Where are they going to attack?"
She continued staring, and his smile faded. He reached down, and drew a bloody forceblade.
The lock clicked, she sobbed loudly.
"Remember this, girl?"
He waved it around, turning on the laser sheathing for effect.
"I think you do. Tell me, or maybe the Iron Maiden would enjoy your company again? I'm sure there are more memories to....uncover."
He turned the laser sheath off, and put the blade away. She saw her chance, whipping the cuffs around and smashing his temple in.
"Bastard."
The lifeless officer slumped to the ground, blood flowing from the dent in his head. She donned the light officer dress uniform, and opened the door. She kept one hand on the force blade, with a Cutter she was accurate at about 10 feet. Shimmer only met one guard, and she nodded at him as he saluted. Following the directions on the wall, she made her way to the commroom. Two technicians were tapping away at terminals.
"Out."
"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."
They hurried out, and she locked the door. She hailed the FC Base.

===================
Freedom Corp Base |
NC Sanctuary |
===================

Searo gunned down another loaded Terran Galaxy, almost absent-mindedly. He had used all his missiles picking off the simulated wildlife about an hour ago, and now was just waiting for the chaingun to run out.
"Four Vanu Reavers Approaching, Major."
He banked, strafing at the teal and purple ships. They returned fire, and thee rockets streaked towards him. These were easily evaded, and his chaingun ate into the cockpit of one that had lagged behind.
"Incoming Transmission."
He cursed, and then was glad. Finally something to relieve this boredom.
Searo exited the program, and quickly wheeled himself to the commroom. He took the call.
"Freedom Corp Base, Major Searo Ficha speaking. Who is this?"
"Searo, it's me, Shimmer."
"Shimmer! How are ya?"
"Not now, I need help."
"OK, where are you?"
A pause.
"Horus Bio Lab, that's on..."
"Errr, it's on Solsar."
"That's where I am, I've been captured, and I only briefly escaped to send this."
Searo heard poundings, and someone yelled "Open up in there!"
"I'll mobilize everything I got."
"Thanks, and Searo..."
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
Click. The transmission ended. Searo jumped out of the chair, screaming when his bandaged legs smashed into the floor. He climbed into his chair, how he hated that damned chair...
He heard someone enter the FC compound.
"Yo! Flame! We're back man, everything OK?"
Masurao entered the comm room, his face grimy from combat.
"What's wrong?"
"Get the men ready, we're heading to Solstar."
"Hey man, you and me combined don't have the authority to pull that."
"I don't care, I'm going."
He wheeled past Masurao, and went to find MrVulcan. He spotted him, polishing a Phoenix Launcher.
"Sir! Request permission to launch a full-scale assault on Horus Bio Lab in Solstar, sir."
MrVulcan thought for a moment, and the replied slowly,
"What's our reason for attack? That base is controlled by Vanu the last time I checked."
Searo smiled for a brief moment at the General's computer-like memory.
"Shimmer, she's captured sir."
MrVulcan's commlink beeped, and he answered it.
"General MrVulcan speaking."
He listened for a while.
"Yes sir."
Searo knew it was an important person if a General called them sir.
"Right away sir, mobilizing the troops. Will we recieve aid?"
Another pause.
"Alright, let me know when you do, sir. Over and out."
MrVulcan looked up,
"The High Council just informed me, we're going to Solstar. Some top agent's captured there."
"Shimmer."
"Yes, I know, but High Council never mentioned her name."
"Information leak."
"I KNOW! Do you think me retarded, Major?"
"No sir, sorry sir."
"Good, now mobilize the 10-11th."
"Let's roll."
MrVulcan glared.
"Let's roll, sir."

[Destroyeron]

That sounds exactly like Mr. Vulcan to me...