//Another report from the pilot of SLUG Des Icebreaker.//
I met Vetr today. I finally met the creature I had been fighting against for months.
The light was green and Icebreaker had been brought out to one of the ice-skating rinks where they play hockey. I'm not exactly sure where it was -- they only tell us the locations when it's relevant and it wasn't relevant right now -- but I could see the stadium seating and the ice that had been just recently cleaned.
Through the SLUGs speakers, I could hear singing. Someone, a young boy, was singing "Winter Wonderland." The speakers cut out after a few seconds, however, and a warning light appeared. My phantom leg throbbed.
I took two steps forward in the SLUG and there he was. He was wearing a gray hoodie and doing figure eights in a pair of ice skates. I could tell from the way his mouth moved that he was still singing, but I couldn't hear it. I thought his eyes would be black like those children he remade, but they weren't. They were the bluest of blue.
He stopped doing his figure eights and looked at the SLUG called Icebreaker and then waved. The camera made it seem like his motions were shaky, pixellated -- but perhaps that wasn't the camera, perhaps that was how he simply looked. If I had been there in person, would he have looked unreal, like he was simply an image projected into the air? Was he real at all?
At that moment, I didn't care. This was my target. This was my chance.
The saw blades on the edges of Icebreaker's arms were already in motion. I pushed him forward, ready to take a run at Vetr, when another warning light appeared and the motion of the SLUG's legs stopped.
I felt my phantom leg grow cold. Something was wrong. The others hadn't been like this. They hadn't controlled the cold like this. Icebreaker was trapped, its heat quickly draining away from it. I watched the internal temperature gauge. The legs had already frozen in place. The sawblades started chipping away at the ice, but it would take too long.
The cameras caught Vetr skating towards the SLUG. He was still smiling, but the distortion was worse on his face now and his smile seemed grotesque.
I activate the grenades. The ice around Icebreaker's arms is too much, I know, the grenades have no chance of being let out. They jam in their launchers. And then they explode, causing Icebreaker's arms to be destroyed, shrapnel from them raining down on the rink. All of this only causes Vetr to laugh.
Icebreaker's arms are gone, but not it's electrical charges. I fire two at Vetr and he catches them, 200 joules of electricity running through his body. He convulses and I watch as his face distorts even more, his skin cracking.
Then it stops. He holds the charges and then drops them. They had done nothing.
My phantom leg feels so cold now, I can hardly stand it. The feedback is too much. This needs to end. I break the glass over a button I hoped I would never use. The pilots call it the "Star Trek" button, but it goes by another name: self-destruct.
The arms of Icebreaker are already destroyed. The charges in his legs go off first and then it's torso, scattering shrapnel throughout the rink, but never hitting Vetr. He stands there, in the middle of the destruction, like the Devil frozen in ice.
The head blows last and then the feed and signal are over. My leg is gone and I don't know if I will ever truly feel it again.
I don't know if I want to, not when the last thing I saw was that monster on the ice, his pale grin making my blood run cold.
//They have retrieved the SLUGs parts and are currently rebuilding it. The pilot has not yet stated whether he wishes to continue piloting, although he still attends to mandatory therapy sessions.//
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Goddamn Snakes!
My name's Runno Yumiko, Japanese pilot of the SLUG DES Mongoose, a SLUG designed to fight EMF Naga, which are lesser versions of EMF Medusa. They may not be as powerful as actual EMF's but someone has to take them down since they are plenty in number and a nuisance.
The other pilots are too busy to deal with these, hence why they send me in and my class 2 SLUG. On my first day there was already a drill, which frankly didn't surprise me. I mean Naga's are pretty vicious things and like stated are everywhere like the snakes they are.
Naga's are sort of half-snake, half-human creatures, like the ones that I studied in history when talking about ancient Greek mythology.
"This is Central Command. We have confirmation of EMF activity. Code Naga."
That was the first time in my entire life that I literally sprung out of bed. I went to the gear chamber as fast as I could and it didn't take me long until I was ready for action.
"SLUG DES: Mongoose is in play. The Gears are turning. Please enter the Chamber. Good luck."
I enter my suit and am really pumped for this. Growing up in Japan, all I really felt like doing with my life was being a SLUG pilot. It just seemed like the most noble thing one could do, fighting the EMF to protect humanity.
It didn't take long for Mongoose to be on the scene, where several Naga's were waiting for me. I couldn't properly see them but I think they were at least 60 there. It was in the middle of a desert and the Naga's were already hissing at me. Once I manage to get a good viewpoint I start beating them one by one, killing some of them. A few think it to be a good idea to try to inject Mongoose with poison, which of course doesn't work...idiots.
I look around and see one of those big cacti, it looks steady enough to withstand a bit of pressure. So I simply pick it up from the ground and start beating them with it which seems pretty effective.
My SLUG is about the size of a tall human, which is the perfect height for the things I'm dealing with. One of them managed to damage my arm a little which hurt like hell. I simply took it and became even angrier at them for being so god damn annoying. I activated my sword and started slashing through them one by one which worked until one of them took around the sword and broke it with its tail, then proceeded to push it through Mongoose's shoulder.
It had already been like 55 minutes and the system was warning me to get out of the chamber. But I took this personally. I wanted this bitch to suffer, so I took the sword piece out and threw it as fast as I could in the Naga's direction which sliced it in half. Then I walked up to it and slowly started to take it's skin off in one continuous motion, enjoying watching it squirm on the ground...in pain in it's final moment's alive.
But this was the last one and it had been 59 minutes, so I stopped and got out of the chambers.
Freaking Naga's
I swear to god, I want to kill each and everyone of them and that's exactly what I intend to do.
The other pilots are too busy to deal with these, hence why they send me in and my class 2 SLUG. On my first day there was already a drill, which frankly didn't surprise me. I mean Naga's are pretty vicious things and like stated are everywhere like the snakes they are.
Naga's are sort of half-snake, half-human creatures, like the ones that I studied in history when talking about ancient Greek mythology.
"This is Central Command. We have confirmation of EMF activity. Code Naga."
That was the first time in my entire life that I literally sprung out of bed. I went to the gear chamber as fast as I could and it didn't take me long until I was ready for action.
"SLUG DES: Mongoose is in play. The Gears are turning. Please enter the Chamber. Good luck."
I enter my suit and am really pumped for this. Growing up in Japan, all I really felt like doing with my life was being a SLUG pilot. It just seemed like the most noble thing one could do, fighting the EMF to protect humanity.
It didn't take long for Mongoose to be on the scene, where several Naga's were waiting for me. I couldn't properly see them but I think they were at least 60 there. It was in the middle of a desert and the Naga's were already hissing at me. Once I manage to get a good viewpoint I start beating them one by one, killing some of them. A few think it to be a good idea to try to inject Mongoose with poison, which of course doesn't work...idiots.
I look around and see one of those big cacti, it looks steady enough to withstand a bit of pressure. So I simply pick it up from the ground and start beating them with it which seems pretty effective.
My SLUG is about the size of a tall human, which is the perfect height for the things I'm dealing with. One of them managed to damage my arm a little which hurt like hell. I simply took it and became even angrier at them for being so god damn annoying. I activated my sword and started slashing through them one by one which worked until one of them took around the sword and broke it with its tail, then proceeded to push it through Mongoose's shoulder.
It had already been like 55 minutes and the system was warning me to get out of the chamber. But I took this personally. I wanted this bitch to suffer, so I took the sword piece out and threw it as fast as I could in the Naga's direction which sliced it in half. Then I walked up to it and slowly started to take it's skin off in one continuous motion, enjoying watching it squirm on the ground...in pain in it's final moment's alive.
But this was the last one and it had been 59 minutes, so I stopped and got out of the chambers.
Freaking Naga's
I swear to god, I want to kill each and everyone of them and that's exactly what I intend to do.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Munroe Incident Investigation File #01
INTERNAL AFFAIRS INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT FORM
DATE OF INTERVIEW: July 6th, 2023
NAME OF AGENT: Gillock, Allan
NAME OF SUBJECT: Cordwood, Phillip
SUBJECT RANK: Lieutenant Colonel
SUBJECT DEPARTMENT: EMF Incubus Response Unit Utterson
SUBJECT OF INTERVIEW: Investigation into events occurring on May 5th, 2023, in Munroe, South Carolina.
TRANSCRIPT:
AG: Colonel.
PC: Agent.
AG: Has the General told you why I'm here?
PC: He doesn't have to. I've known IA would get wrapped up in this since it happened. Somebody's got to take the blame for it.
AG: I'm just here to gather facts.
PC: Right. The blame game comes later.
AG: Colonel, please. Just let me ask some questions.
PC: Ask away. I've got nothing to hide.
AG: If you say so. The first question: what was your relationship with Sergeant Lanyon?
PC: The same as it was with any other soldier under my command.
AG: There was nothing out of the norm about your relationship whatsoever? Despite the fact that he was the pilot for SLUG Unit Utterson?
PC: Not unless you count some extra attention. Lanyon was a soldier like all the rest. I had to make sure that he was in perfect condition at all times, which meant that I was almost constantly referring him to medical for minor issues. But he didn't get any sort of special treatment, any more than anyone else in the unit did.
AG: Then how would you describe his attitude towards his role within the unit?
PC: He was a soldier. That's about all there is to say.
AG: I'm going to need more information than that, Colonel.
PC: [Sound of a sigh.] He would talk about how much he hated the work, and how much he wanted to go home, how horrible the conditions were, and how he despised his co-workers. But when things came down to the wire, he loved the life, and he wouldn't have traded it for anything.
AG: And how do you know that?
PC: Because that's the way it is for all of us, Agent. When you come down to it, we're all here because we can't imagine not being here. Because we know that we're here defending people who can't do it for themselves. It's a calling.
AG: Right. That's enough, I think.
[A grunt, followed by the sound of papers shuffling.]
AG: Were you involved in the screening process which selected Sergeant Lanyon as the pilot for the Utterson unit?
PC: Of course I was.
AG: Why did you select him over the other candidates?
PC: He had the experience. He was a policeman and a SWAT officer.
AG: And why did this make him an ideal pilot for a SLUG unit?
PC: It wouldn't have, if it were any other SLUG. But we're talking about Utterson here, Agent. You have to know the specifications.
AG: Assume that I don't.
PC: [Another sigh.] Utterson's a caliber one, Agent. Human size. Human shape, in fact. It's not a bipedal tank like the rest. It's designed for... finesse, I guess you could call it. Specifically, city use. Urban pacification. Lanyon was a SWAT officer. He knew the job.
[Sound of papers shuffling.]
AG: I have here the hardware specifications for the Utterson unit, Colonel. The full specifications.
PC: Mm.
AG: They took quite some digging to find.
PC: I'd imagine.
AG: Were you aware of the full specifications of the Utterson unit prior to these events?
PC: No.
AG: I find that highly unlikely, seeing as you are the officer in charge of the Utterson response unit.
PC: I'm not an engineer, Gillock. I didn't go down there and demand that they made it to order. It's gear tech. It might as well be magic to me. They made it, I used it, I didn't ask how it worked because I didn't care and wouldn't understand it if I did.
AG: You never suspected?
PC: No.
[Ten seconds of silence.]
AG: Did Sergeant Lanyon exhibit any unusual behavior prior to the events? Signs of stress or mental trauma, related to use of the Utterson unit or otherwise?
PC: Nothing. Nothing outside of the parameters set by medical, at least, or I'd have heard about it. You'd have to talk to them for more information.
AG: You didn't monitor-
PC: Agent, I run a unit of over three hundred people, encompassing everything from foot soldiers to forensics to engineers to quartermasters. I do not have the time to monitor everything that happens in this unit, even if it does involve our SLUG pilot. Medical was instructed to inform me if Lanyon was starting to crack, but otherwise to handle it themselves. Talk to the chief medical officer.
AG: I'll do that.
PC: Right. Now, did you have any other questions, or can I get back to work?
AG: There are more questions, Colonel, but I'll need to speak to the rest of the staff involved first. Be ready to meet with me again.
[Recording ends.]
PC: Agent.
AG: Has the General told you why I'm here?
PC: He doesn't have to. I've known IA would get wrapped up in this since it happened. Somebody's got to take the blame for it.
AG: I'm just here to gather facts.
PC: Right. The blame game comes later.
AG: Colonel, please. Just let me ask some questions.
PC: Ask away. I've got nothing to hide.
AG: If you say so. The first question: what was your relationship with Sergeant Lanyon?
PC: The same as it was with any other soldier under my command.
AG: There was nothing out of the norm about your relationship whatsoever? Despite the fact that he was the pilot for SLUG Unit Utterson?
PC: Not unless you count some extra attention. Lanyon was a soldier like all the rest. I had to make sure that he was in perfect condition at all times, which meant that I was almost constantly referring him to medical for minor issues. But he didn't get any sort of special treatment, any more than anyone else in the unit did.
AG: Then how would you describe his attitude towards his role within the unit?
PC: He was a soldier. That's about all there is to say.
AG: I'm going to need more information than that, Colonel.
PC: [Sound of a sigh.] He would talk about how much he hated the work, and how much he wanted to go home, how horrible the conditions were, and how he despised his co-workers. But when things came down to the wire, he loved the life, and he wouldn't have traded it for anything.
AG: And how do you know that?
PC: Because that's the way it is for all of us, Agent. When you come down to it, we're all here because we can't imagine not being here. Because we know that we're here defending people who can't do it for themselves. It's a calling.
AG: Right. That's enough, I think.
[A grunt, followed by the sound of papers shuffling.]
AG: Were you involved in the screening process which selected Sergeant Lanyon as the pilot for the Utterson unit?
PC: Of course I was.
AG: Why did you select him over the other candidates?
PC: He had the experience. He was a policeman and a SWAT officer.
AG: And why did this make him an ideal pilot for a SLUG unit?
PC: It wouldn't have, if it were any other SLUG. But we're talking about Utterson here, Agent. You have to know the specifications.
AG: Assume that I don't.
PC: [Another sigh.] Utterson's a caliber one, Agent. Human size. Human shape, in fact. It's not a bipedal tank like the rest. It's designed for... finesse, I guess you could call it. Specifically, city use. Urban pacification. Lanyon was a SWAT officer. He knew the job.
[Sound of papers shuffling.]
AG: I have here the hardware specifications for the Utterson unit, Colonel. The full specifications.
PC: Mm.
AG: They took quite some digging to find.
PC: I'd imagine.
AG: Were you aware of the full specifications of the Utterson unit prior to these events?
PC: No.
AG: I find that highly unlikely, seeing as you are the officer in charge of the Utterson response unit.
PC: I'm not an engineer, Gillock. I didn't go down there and demand that they made it to order. It's gear tech. It might as well be magic to me. They made it, I used it, I didn't ask how it worked because I didn't care and wouldn't understand it if I did.
AG: You never suspected?
PC: No.
[Ten seconds of silence.]
AG: Did Sergeant Lanyon exhibit any unusual behavior prior to the events? Signs of stress or mental trauma, related to use of the Utterson unit or otherwise?
PC: Nothing. Nothing outside of the parameters set by medical, at least, or I'd have heard about it. You'd have to talk to them for more information.
AG: You didn't monitor-
PC: Agent, I run a unit of over three hundred people, encompassing everything from foot soldiers to forensics to engineers to quartermasters. I do not have the time to monitor everything that happens in this unit, even if it does involve our SLUG pilot. Medical was instructed to inform me if Lanyon was starting to crack, but otherwise to handle it themselves. Talk to the chief medical officer.
AG: I'll do that.
PC: Right. Now, did you have any other questions, or can I get back to work?
AG: There are more questions, Colonel, but I'll need to speak to the rest of the staff involved first. Be ready to meet with me again.
[Recording ends.]
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