Once again, you had to wait. Lily had even ordered the engine off to save on fuel. It was agonizing seeing these giants close in. They looked wounded. As if they had crawled up from the deepest depths of hell, bringing death and fire with them. Technically that wasn't their fault, as the gates of hell had been opened above them. And now whatever commanded them, whatever gave them orders, told them to walk straight into their death. Or maybe they weren't given orders? Maybe they had some kind of hivemind. These matters concerned Lily little. She was thinking about how the heat and blast compromised their armor. Metal would harden after being heated and cooled. Their armor wasn't metal. There was a good chance it would be more brittle, or otherwise weakened. The important question was if it weak enough for the heavy armor piercing rounds to go through. If that was the case, it might be over quicker than expected. >Help from the air, can we count on it? “Let’s see” The radio was again tuned to a frequency Eric the pilot would pick you up on. But even after repeated attempts at communications, the radio was silent. “I don’t get anything…” >Look at that, flyboys being useless. Who’d have thunk? “I didn’t think you would actually turn away help in a situation like this >Whatever, if they are here, great. Lily really didn’t like planes, and kept looking just a little grumpy as a class 5 approached. Gunfire had started erupting around the, class 4s falling like flies in front of them. More worrying was the two gargantuan creatures that moved oh so slowly behind the smaller and swifter beasts. The soldiers in the fighting pits around the tanks did a good job cutting down anything of the smaller classes. 7.62 was truly something to cherish. “Okay, we have to deal with this class 5 now. Twenty two hundred” >Yeah… Lily thinks for a second as she watches the Class 5 in the gunsight >Loader? ‘Yes?’ Two men in the back of the fighting compartment replied immediately >I need you to lapload the next round. We need that out in under ten seconds ‘Miss Nibelung, i’m not sure-’ >Did anything i say sound like a question? ‘No mam’ >There we are. Lapload, two high explosive rounds in a row. Second as fast as the breech comes back. And get clear of it as soon as it’s ready to fire She lowered her tone to a barely audible whisper >We can probably do two as she does three “You have it in sight?” >Yes sir. But I’d like to hold fire for a little while “Sure” She followed a precise spot where the leg attached to the body. The gun moved in miniscule increments as it swayed from side to side. Lily didn’t flinch as much as a millimeter as the IS-7 standing not 10 meters away fired. She waited two seconds and then pulled the trigger and let the hammer fall. The gun recoiled back and spat out a considerable amount of high explosives in the other direction. The beast roared in pain as the first round struck, and was hit immediately afterwards by a second. Four loaders in two tanks worked frantically to get a new round in. Due to the loading system, the IS-7 fired first. The beast on the other end of the gun barrel had taken 5 large HE rounds, on the same spot in under 30 seconds. The next round that impacted was a 10 pound tungsten rod flying at over three times the sound of speed. The beast’s armor was flaking up from the explosive bombardement, and the tungsten rod went straight through, making a 2 inch hole and shattering on the inside. The beast stumbled, probably in deep pain. This made Natalya very happy, even more so when 70 lbs worth of 130mm solid AP shell hit the beast, just next to the little hole. The heavier, full caliber shells didn’t cut through armor like a hot knife through butter, like the sabots did. It relied on brute force. The hole from the latter shell was bigger, even more so after the bursting charge detonated. Flaked armor was throw out of the wound with the blastwave, and created a cavity in the beasts shoulder. Lily had watched this whole spectacle through her gunsight, as she physically felt the 128mm N-stoff canister being pushed into the gun breech. She felt the lighter of the two powder bags being inserted after the projectile. She felt the breech slam shut, and she heard the loader shout ‘Up!’. She has a hole, about 3 times 3 feet to hit at a range she estimated at 1850 meters. Even if her aim was perfect, she estimated it would still only be a ~70% chance of a clean hit, into that wound. Straight into it. 58 pounds of projectile leaves the barrel at just under under 800 meters per second, and spends about three seconds in the air, hurling over the vast flats. It drifts just slightly to the right of where Lily aimed it, and hits the flaking armor rather than entering the wound. The canister is smashed to bits, spraying all it’s flammable, toxic and hellish contents into the open wound. It reacted immediately with the steel, causing white-hot metal fluorine fire. The N-Stoff set fire to everything it touched. The armor, the flesh, the air itself. Twenty feet flames stood like a jet exhaust from the wound. The sound was a scream of tissue being torn to shreds, armor breaking up, and the air rushing in to the fire to feed it even more Lily watched as the fire gripped anything it could, ignited it and threw it out as thick, black smoke. Lily had been excited ever since the round struck, and when she realized that the fire didn’t stop when all the N-stoff had burned away, her eyes lit up like dresden. The fire didn’t stop, it didn’t show any signs of slowing down either. It wasn’t even the normal orange and yellow fire, this was a bright red affair The beast fell soon after. Lily didn’t know if it was from lacking structural integrity from the heat, burned up muscles or poisoning from the toxic gases, but she didn’t let it out of her sight until the fire caused it’s eyes to pop out from the overpressure. You couldn’t take your eyes of it either. You had seen what the chemical could do against a much, much smaller beast, but seeing it on this scale was surreal. Two well coordinated vehicles, with good crews and a plan could decimate even the mightiest of beasts. You were woken up from the daydreaming by a radio message from Natalya ¤ What have you done… Lily picked the radio up but didn't manage to say anything. She laughed. A low, worried laughter. If that would have been humans, Lily would be second guessing herself now. Nut she had spent enough of her free time to see these creatures as things. Creatures from hell, the sky. Anything as long as she felt they stood below her. And you knew it worked as she didn’t hesitate a tenth of a second as another round left the barrel and pained the salt flats a mile in front of her with the insides of another beast. As they came closer for all of the vehicles to guarantee a hit, Lily switched fire from whatever was closest to whatever was the most dangerous. While she was doing this, two things appeared on the horizon about simultaneously. A few miles west-northwest, the vessel the creatures had come in split in half. The parts started moving, shaking, and stood up. Towering far, far above a class 5 these would be class 6 when they came into visual range of the tanks . And from the south, aircraft. Seven old birds flying in two groups. Closest to the earth was the anachronistic rumble of radial engines and very short exhaust stacks. The AD-7 was the final evolution of the Douglas Skyraider, and they were built with nothing but ground attack missions in mind, and now they were given a new life and a new chance. They were loaded heavy with rockets, bombs and cannons. Lily shuddered at the sound of their engines. She despised attack aircraft, especially american ones, especially the radial engined ones. She has had more than her fair share of run ins with P-47s, and wanted nothing at all to do with such aircraft. But seeing the skyraiders dive down, drop their bombs and then bank away to get out of the blast was a little beautiful. Of course, Lily would never admit to thinking that. They scattered, to split fire between them, and to realign for a new attack. Lily took this opportunity to catch a class 5 in the side, just where the head meets the neck. You couldn’t see if the round went in ir not, but something inside the beast must had broken. The neck twisted and moved, and the head started leaning down. As soon as it did, the thin top was exposed to cannon fire, lots of cannon fire. Guns kept firing, fires kept burning. Beasts and men fell. One of the skyraiders got too close to the ground. The pilot had no chance to get out. Jet aircraft would arrive later as well. Eric piloted one one. His planes alone would bring down one of the class 6s with a supersonic dive and a very large armor piercing bomb. But it seemed like no matter what you fired, it didn’t matter. Lily had ran out of N-stoff fairly quickly, there was nothing left. Ammunition all around was running low. Both M103s and the Conqueror had exhausted their ammunition supplies. You had five rounds left, and the loaders had to dig further into the tank to feed the gun, and that would last only another few minutes. There was only one thing left to do ~ ~ ~ Present time, Early-mid September Something still wasn’t right. You had been hit in the head too much. You slowed you thoughts down to a halt. The war had been going on for a few years. But you hadn’t actually played much of a part of it since about July last year. It started with a piqued interest for a big box of metal. Someone inside it. Lily. She had become you friend. Friend? She probably wouldn’t be happy if you said that. Lover? That sounded better, but she was more. There had been fights, but that was past now. Then the battle, at the salt flats. Now that you’ve had it retold to you, it makes a little more sense. That first bomb, the gunfire. It was a complete slaughter. And for once, people were on the winning side. But there was that beast that wouldn't die. Lily needed the second bomb. But you were much too close to the blast, the radiation was no problem, not behind ten inches of steel. But the blast. You were hurt. Then the helicopter. To a hospital, or so you thought. Some kind of prison? They said you were bad, had stolen. That said all your stories were lies. Then they came to help you. Your friends. Natalya, Miranda, Helen. They were your friends. You thought so. But then, out of the blue, something was wrong with you. They stared at you like you were ghost, a demon. Or as if you were becoming one. As your eyes slowly come back to life you can begin examining the room. It’s just a normal room. Not a hospital, it has paintings on the wall, a cupboard. a closet. And a window, where the trees outside have started to get a touch of yellow. You’ve been in this place before. You were laying just where Lily was. She was in this bed. Your neck works, and despite examining the room you couldn’t find anyone else. After a few minutes, you noticed your whole body was feeling weird. It was a numbness, like when you fall asleep on an arm. But much less than that. Or was it something else? The cloth of the sheets felt less than what they should, your hair, the same, short, coarse hair you’ve always had. You ran your hand through it, and it didn’t feel different, just less. Seeing nothing was broken, you headed out into the kitchen, wearing little else but the thick blanket you brought from bed. Miranda was still up playing video games. Some racing game this time. The big LED screen displayed some sports car racing up a snowy mountain. Half of you wanted to sit down and play too, but mostly you wanted to cure the headache you had. As the fridge opens, and pours cold air on your feet you stand with the choice of either “topical nectar” or normal milk. The tropic nectar did have passion fruit in it, which was a bit of a weak point of yours. You pour yourself a big glass and sit down by the table. Sadly, the juice was a bit of a disappointment, it simply didn’t taste much + Hey Florian “What?” + That’s what Lily says we should call you now “She said that?” + Yep. Anon isn’t a real name anyway, is it? “Pff. What happened anyway? I sat down here yesterday, something happened and i’ve been sleeping for…” You look up at the clock, saying it’s a little before 3am. “Five hours” + No. That was thursday. It’s mond- no wait after 12, tuesday now. You’ve been out for fice days “...what” + Natalya told me that you- Miranda halts herself mid sentence + Wait here a minute She sneaks away in the silent house, leaving you alone with the glass of juice. You take another chug, and curse it again for not tasting anything. Not much anyway. You went through the line of decisions taken to make this juice. Someone must have wanted it. Someone cut the fruits of the trees, sent them to a factory, where they were crushed, squeeze and the juice bottled. Someone drove it to the store, someone bought it, for no use whatsoever. You chuckle a little to yourself, and don’t really know what’s going on as Miranda returns. She was dressed in a white doctor’s coat, and had little red U-shaped glasses, and a green scarf. “Uhh… and what is going on here, exactly?” + First off, i never got to do this as a kid. And i’m actually a doctor “You’re a doctor?” + Yep. I don’t have a degree as such, but you’d be amazed what you can get on the internet. Anyway… She was holding a single sheet of paper in front of her. The kitchen light didn’t let you see much of what was written, but t wasn’t much + RIght. I will ask questions, and you will answer them. Okay? “For when you get your own reception, don’t make it sound like an interrogation” + B-but i just want to help you… Just that one sentence made her lower lip tremble and her forest green eyes were darkening as if someone had kicked her “Whoa, nonono, didn’t mean like that. Just don’t take lines from action movies. And i’ll answer you” + T-thanks… She took her glasses off, rubbed here eyes with tha back of her hands and started the interview + Do you experience any of the following: Nausea? “A little, but it’s 3am” + Headache? “Yep. Definitely” + Dizziness? “Yeah, a little” + Okay. She writes a little on her slip of paper for every answer you give + Next part, your hands. Do they feel a little different? “Yeah, a little cold” + That is very interesting! This time, she writes down something on her paper excitedly and then skips to a cupboard. + Could you close your eyes for a minute? “Augh. Okay…” You’re told to smell various things, but it doesn’t seem like much. Miranda finishes up on her paper, puts it down on the table and proudly exclaims: + Just one more thing, please wait warmly! This time, Miranda comes back with a stopwatch and a cellphone + Okay, for now. I will start the stopwatch. Every time you feel something unexpected, something new, unusual or something that shouldn’t be while you’re just sitting down, write down the number on the stopwatch when you do. Got it? “Yeah, i got it” Miranda clicked her phone camera to record exactly the same time she started the stopwatch, and then ran outside. You expected to sit by the table for five minutes, having Miranda play doctor, and then go to bed again. However, just after 2 minutes, you did feel something. It was just below your throat, or just over your chest something deep down, but yet high up. Very unlike anything you had felt before. Same place again, a stinging feeling, nothing that hurt much, but it was definitely there. You had written that down, and as you set the pen down, you heard footsteps in the hallway. In your somewhat compromised state, you didn’t notice how they were much heavier than what Miranda could do. Lily enters the room with an assault rifle. “Hi Lily” >Wha- She takes two fast step forwards, puts the rifle down on the table and rushes over to you. She is in your lap, tightly wrapped around you in a second “Lily, I-” >Shhh She sits still, in silence, holding you still. You wanted to say something, she wanted to as well. But it was silent. Until Miranda burst into the room. Lily quickly got off your lap, and helped you get back into the blanket which worked as most of your clothing. >What are you doing up? + S-sorry, if i i-inter- >Answer me + I was playing video games, but he woke up, and i did the tests >Tests? Miranda points the the paper and Lily picks it up. Her eyes narrow as she reads it >Nausea, dizziness, headache.... huh. Temporary sensory deprivation… + Yes, he said his hands are cold, but they aren't. Because heat receptors in the skin are closer to the surface than the ones that detect cold “What’s going on?” >Put your hand on my neck “What?” Lily sits down next to you and tilts her head away a little. Slightly confused, you put your hand on her neck. It felt cold “It feels cold” Miranda walks over to Lily as well, putting her own hand on the neck. She looks to Lily and shakes her neck. >Doesn’t it sound strange to you, that i would be cold, coming straight from bed? “Yeah, that does sound strange” >And your hand felt cold to me as well. That means one of us is wrong. And since you can’t smell neither Cinnamon nor cardamom. Usually things that you could easily identify by smell. “So...where are you going with this?” >Just what i said before. You have lowered senses. You drank that juice, didn’t you? “I did” >It didn’t taste much, did it?” “No…?” + Lily… >Yes? + Look at the numbers, and then this video She picks the phone up scrolls a little. She pauses just after some metallic noise >Augh… Miranda, repeat the same thing again She nods and dashed out as Lily sits down on a chair next to you, holding out a hand for you to hold. You accept it, taking it in your own. >You felt something in you sting just now? “Yeah?” >Okay. Close your eyes. And squeeze my hand when if you feel that again, okay? “Just tell me what’s going on…” >Yeah, soon. Just bare with me a little more. You were a little too tired to argue with her. The stinging in your chest again, and you squeezed her hand. It happened another two times before Miranda returned in again. Lily looks over at her embraces you, and says, with a tone you’ve never heard her use before says: >I need three minutes. You have clothes in the room. I’d suggest getting dressed You shrug, walk back into the room and get some clothes. Lily is waiting outside by that dreadful little Mercury Lynx. “How come that survived. There is no justice in the world” >You say that… She gets into the drivers with a smirk and sets off as soon as you get seated. >You’re wearing that ring “Yeah, i thought-” >I can see your train of thought. Reasonable. A woman like me would have a connection to a ring of steel rather than gold. And a correct thought as well. You probably saved my life with that. Thank you You couldn’t really answer that >However. Her tone immediately got a lot more serious >Thought you were going to get me out? Free my soul, stuff like that? “They said you were turning grey…” >And i was. Once again, i’d probably have died if you didn’t do what you did. But, you touched me “Uhhh, yes? In the room, you were knocked out, and it felt like static electricity or something” >So, i’ll skip the technical explanation. Imagine for a second, my jagdtiger is a river, with me in it “This sounds a little weird, but i’m following so far” >Good The little car stop outside a big barn. Lily doesn’t waste a second getting out, engine still running. The headlights illuminate several steel beasts inside, the Jagdtiger standing in the front row. She walks around to the side, bringing back a very big, 30lbs track tool. >You’re standing on a pier, seeing me in the water, what have you tried to do? “With your metaphors, pull you out of the water?” She points your finger at you >Yes! Exactly! But, problem is i have a very strong connection to my machine, as you know. So when you put that ring on, my metaphor says you took my hand. But… She raises the track tool above her hand, as if she was preparing to strike. >I was a little heavier than you anticipated. When you pulled, you didn’t pull me out of the water. She slams the tool into the upper glacis of her Jagdtiger. And to your great surprise, you feel that stinging in your chest again. >You made yourself fall in