Re: Intense Struggle Season 2! (Round 1: Training Facility ONX)
09-18-2010, 07:45 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by Pinary.
Not knowing about the worms, Lloyd was left with just Marcus to think about. He could do it, here and now- one squeeze and the mercenary would drop, sending the rest of them on their way. Of course, Marcus would probably be able to shoot back before he died. Maybe if he dodged to one side or something, Lloyd could avoid being killed as well.
Marcus had been in this situation before, but that didn't help him much. He knew next to nothing about Lloyd, and he had no idea whether he'd actually even be able to pull the trigger. Would he kill a man just to save his own neck? Would he do it for the sake of the others?
He's a mercenary, killing is his business. If I give him the chance, he'd shoot me dead just to stay alive a little longer. No, wait- if he'd been solely interested in survival, he would've just started killing when he arrived. He can't be all bad.
Hang on, though- I don't have to kill him. Maybe I could just shoot him in the leg or something, then kill one of the others. Not Karen, probably, and not that bird-woman either. The girl's right out, and I probably couldn't even do anything to that bush or the robot. That leaves Dekowin, then- assuming I can take her out.
Marcus could tell Lloyd had made a decision. The bookworm had straightened his shoulders and shifted his feet a bit, clearly preparing for some action or another. Marcus just held his stance, waiting.
It was over in a split second. Lloyd fired, grazing Marcus' thigh. Marcus responded, sending a shot straight through the other man's chest.
There was no subtle feeling of remorse as Lloyd's soul faded from existence, no moment when time seemed to slow as he breathed his last, shuddering breath. He just... died.
Sarika blinked. They would survive, then. As it was, Lloyd would die, and they would be safe. This was a good result. The smart thing to do would be to stand here for another minute or so and let things play out. The smart thing.
That didn't mean it was right. It hadn't been five minutes since he'd stopped her from throwing her life away, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to live with herself if she didn't do the same.
The girl's right out, Lloyd thought, and I probably couldn't even do anything to that bush or the robot. That leaves-
"Lloyd, Marcus, stop!"
Lloyd whipped his head around to see Sarika striding towards them, Lillian in tow. A split second later, he realized that looking away was exactly the sort of thing not to do when you've got a gun pointed at you. Fortunately, Marcus hadn't fired. Lloyd supposed he was either surprised by Sarika's interruption or willing to listen to her advice.
"We don't have time for this," she continued, "if someone doesn't do something, we're not going to make it!"
"We were just doing something," Lloyd pointed out.
"It wasn't an effective something," she snapped.
Lloyd frowned. "But you said-"
"She's right," Marcus said, lowering his gun a bit and stepping forward. "A standoff isn't exactly a quick way to end things, and we don't have much time left." He turned to Sarika. "Did you have any particular plan in mind?"
"No," she replied, "but I'm sure you have a few ideas."
"That's true," he replied. "At this point, Charlie and Reudic would probably be too difficult to easily dispatch, leaving Karen and Dekowin. Karen's proven herself extremely useful, but Dekowin is too unpredictable for my liking."
After a few moments' silence, Sarika nodded. "There's no explosion," she said. "But whether it's her or you, I can't tell."
"That's a risk we have to take," Marcus said, starting off. "Come on, Conrad, make yourself useful."
Lloyd moved after him, giving Sarika a sideways look as he went, leaving her and Lillian standing there.
If you can't do something smart, she thought to herself, you should at least do something right.
She put a wing around Lillian and held her close.
I just wish I could tell what right was.
Not knowing about the worms, Lloyd was left with just Marcus to think about. He could do it, here and now- one squeeze and the mercenary would drop, sending the rest of them on their way. Of course, Marcus would probably be able to shoot back before he died. Maybe if he dodged to one side or something, Lloyd could avoid being killed as well.
Marcus had been in this situation before, but that didn't help him much. He knew next to nothing about Lloyd, and he had no idea whether he'd actually even be able to pull the trigger. Would he kill a man just to save his own neck? Would he do it for the sake of the others?
He's a mercenary, killing is his business. If I give him the chance, he'd shoot me dead just to stay alive a little longer. No, wait- if he'd been solely interested in survival, he would've just started killing when he arrived. He can't be all bad.
Hang on, though- I don't have to kill him. Maybe I could just shoot him in the leg or something, then kill one of the others. Not Karen, probably, and not that bird-woman either. The girl's right out, and I probably couldn't even do anything to that bush or the robot. That leaves Dekowin, then- assuming I can take her out.
Marcus could tell Lloyd had made a decision. The bookworm had straightened his shoulders and shifted his feet a bit, clearly preparing for some action or another. Marcus just held his stance, waiting.
It was over in a split second. Lloyd fired, grazing Marcus' thigh. Marcus responded, sending a shot straight through the other man's chest.
There was no subtle feeling of remorse as Lloyd's soul faded from existence, no moment when time seemed to slow as he breathed his last, shuddering breath. He just... died.
Sarika blinked. They would survive, then. As it was, Lloyd would die, and they would be safe. This was a good result. The smart thing to do would be to stand here for another minute or so and let things play out. The smart thing.
That didn't mean it was right. It hadn't been five minutes since he'd stopped her from throwing her life away, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to live with herself if she didn't do the same.
The girl's right out, Lloyd thought, and I probably couldn't even do anything to that bush or the robot. That leaves-
"Lloyd, Marcus, stop!"
Lloyd whipped his head around to see Sarika striding towards them, Lillian in tow. A split second later, he realized that looking away was exactly the sort of thing not to do when you've got a gun pointed at you. Fortunately, Marcus hadn't fired. Lloyd supposed he was either surprised by Sarika's interruption or willing to listen to her advice.
"We don't have time for this," she continued, "if someone doesn't do something, we're not going to make it!"
"We were just doing something," Lloyd pointed out.
"It wasn't an effective something," she snapped.
Lloyd frowned. "But you said-"
"She's right," Marcus said, lowering his gun a bit and stepping forward. "A standoff isn't exactly a quick way to end things, and we don't have much time left." He turned to Sarika. "Did you have any particular plan in mind?"
"No," she replied, "but I'm sure you have a few ideas."
"That's true," he replied. "At this point, Charlie and Reudic would probably be too difficult to easily dispatch, leaving Karen and Dekowin. Karen's proven herself extremely useful, but Dekowin is too unpredictable for my liking."
After a few moments' silence, Sarika nodded. "There's no explosion," she said. "But whether it's her or you, I can't tell."
"That's a risk we have to take," Marcus said, starting off. "Come on, Conrad, make yourself useful."
Lloyd moved after him, giving Sarika a sideways look as he went, leaving her and Lillian standing there.
If you can't do something smart, she thought to herself, you should at least do something right.
She put a wing around Lillian and held her close.
I just wish I could tell what right was.