Fic: In All This Blood and Thunder (8/?)
Title: In All This Blood and Thunder (8/?)
Author: MustInvestigate
Disclaimer: I only own action figures
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: none
Warning(s): advanced geekery, WIP
Summary: Rorschach unwittingly enters the Fallout universe. Probably won't make much sense unless you've played at least the main storyline. Possibly not even then.
Note: Set in 1976. Thanks to Doctor Manhattan's random technological phlebotinum, gaming technology leapt directly from 1972's Pong to...this, why not.
8. GNR
Their righteous reign of carnage is cut to an abrupt halt by a Brotherhood of Steel squad, who cower behind concrete as he and Jericho pick off the muties surrounding them.
“What the hell are you savages doing out here?” their leader demands, expression as tight as her no-nonsense bun. “Are you trying to commit suicide?”
Rorschach and Jericho share an old-fashioned look.
“Have dispatched 28 mutants since morning.”
“Including the ones right there who nearly popped your freshness seal.”
“We’re retaking the GNR plaza,” she continues blithely, “and because my father would kill me for leaving you to die, you can tag along. But stay the hell out of our way. Move out!”
The armoured paladins clomp deeper into the ruins.
“Hurm.”
“You said it.”
Rorschach knows he must follow. He has put off his search for too long. “Will be more mutants en route.”
Jericho shrugs. “Ten caps, G. I. Jane is mutant chow before we reach that plaza.”
She reminds Rorschach of someone. Amata? No. A woman who punches recreationally, one who doesn't go down easily. “Perhaps.”
There are more mutants on the way, a veritable hive infesting the ruins of a school. Jericho and Rorschach sprint ahead and pick them off together. Brotherhood bullets graze them, but after so many battles with Jericho covering his back he barely notices the sting. The troop’s slow pace gives them ample time to scavenge the bodies of mutants and Brotherhood alike. Jericho pulls a set of dog tags from a fallen Knight and drops them over his own head.
“Doesn’t feel right to be in combat without ‘em!” he answers Rorschach’s interrogative gesture.
Surprisingly, the Brotherhood troops take no offence at the looting of their dead. Rorschach shrugs off this oddity and creeps into the ruined plaza, sidling toward another body by the dry fountain. On her, he finds a strange gun, nearly as large as himself and more frame than barrel. He shows it to Jericho, who shrugs.
“Search me, I’ve never seen anything like it. There any ammo? Maybe that’ll…Jeeeeeesus Christ!”
It should be a lizard, a giant green lizard, Rorschach thinks inanely, watching the giant mutant shoulder a building into rubble, roaring at the sky.
“Will you look at that,” Jericho chuckles breathlessly, raising his assault rifle. “Agnew, old buddy, over here!”
“Behemoth!” the squad leader screams. “Fall back!”
Her troops scramble to obey, diving behind sandbag fortifications that the beast could demolish by stubbing its toe. Jericho ignores her, reloading and running straight at it.
She points at the monstrous gun in Rorschach’s nerveless hands. “You know how to use that thing?”
He can now make out the words “Fat Boy” scratched on the side, which tickles an unreachable part of his brain enough to bring the alien vase-shaped thing in the dead woman’s hand into focus. That, it can’t be, but it’s…
“By Maxson’s blessed balls!” she snarls. “Shoot it, you useless slagheap!”
He snatches up the heavy object - the warhead - and drops it into the frame. It settles into place with a cheerful ding!.
“Jericho!” he yells, but knows the other man can’t hear the warning over his own jubilant war cries. All he can do it aim and fire quickly, before his partner reaches the blast radius.
But he’s never been a good shot.
He points the end of the gun at the thing’s head. The warhead is heavy and trundles out not straight like a bullet but in a short arc. It’s only dumb luck that the behemoth is charging forward and dashes into the miniature maelstrom; only ill fortune that Jericho does the same.
part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4 - part 5 - part 6 - part 7
This entry was originally posted at http://mustinvestigate.dreamwidth.org/26090.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Author: MustInvestigate
Disclaimer: I only own action figures
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: none
Warning(s): advanced geekery, WIP
Summary: Rorschach unwittingly enters the Fallout universe. Probably won't make much sense unless you've played at least the main storyline. Possibly not even then.
Note: Set in 1976. Thanks to Doctor Manhattan's random technological phlebotinum, gaming technology leapt directly from 1972's Pong to...this, why not.
8. GNR
Their righteous reign of carnage is cut to an abrupt halt by a Brotherhood of Steel squad, who cower behind concrete as he and Jericho pick off the muties surrounding them.
“What the hell are you savages doing out here?” their leader demands, expression as tight as her no-nonsense bun. “Are you trying to commit suicide?”
Rorschach and Jericho share an old-fashioned look.
“Have dispatched 28 mutants since morning.”
“Including the ones right there who nearly popped your freshness seal.”
“We’re retaking the GNR plaza,” she continues blithely, “and because my father would kill me for leaving you to die, you can tag along. But stay the hell out of our way. Move out!”
The armoured paladins clomp deeper into the ruins.
“Hurm.”
“You said it.”
Rorschach knows he must follow. He has put off his search for too long. “Will be more mutants en route.”
Jericho shrugs. “Ten caps, G. I. Jane is mutant chow before we reach that plaza.”
She reminds Rorschach of someone. Amata? No. A woman who punches recreationally, one who doesn't go down easily. “Perhaps.”
There are more mutants on the way, a veritable hive infesting the ruins of a school. Jericho and Rorschach sprint ahead and pick them off together. Brotherhood bullets graze them, but after so many battles with Jericho covering his back he barely notices the sting. The troop’s slow pace gives them ample time to scavenge the bodies of mutants and Brotherhood alike. Jericho pulls a set of dog tags from a fallen Knight and drops them over his own head.
“Doesn’t feel right to be in combat without ‘em!” he answers Rorschach’s interrogative gesture.
Surprisingly, the Brotherhood troops take no offence at the looting of their dead. Rorschach shrugs off this oddity and creeps into the ruined plaza, sidling toward another body by the dry fountain. On her, he finds a strange gun, nearly as large as himself and more frame than barrel. He shows it to Jericho, who shrugs.
“Search me, I’ve never seen anything like it. There any ammo? Maybe that’ll…Jeeeeeesus Christ!”
It should be a lizard, a giant green lizard, Rorschach thinks inanely, watching the giant mutant shoulder a building into rubble, roaring at the sky.
“Will you look at that,” Jericho chuckles breathlessly, raising his assault rifle. “Agnew, old buddy, over here!”
“Behemoth!” the squad leader screams. “Fall back!”
Her troops scramble to obey, diving behind sandbag fortifications that the beast could demolish by stubbing its toe. Jericho ignores her, reloading and running straight at it.
She points at the monstrous gun in Rorschach’s nerveless hands. “You know how to use that thing?”
He can now make out the words “Fat Boy” scratched on the side, which tickles an unreachable part of his brain enough to bring the alien vase-shaped thing in the dead woman’s hand into focus. That, it can’t be, but it’s…
“By Maxson’s blessed balls!” she snarls. “Shoot it, you useless slagheap!”
He snatches up the heavy object - the warhead - and drops it into the frame. It settles into place with a cheerful ding!.
“Jericho!” he yells, but knows the other man can’t hear the warning over his own jubilant war cries. All he can do it aim and fire quickly, before his partner reaches the blast radius.
But he’s never been a good shot.
He points the end of the gun at the thing’s head. The warhead is heavy and trundles out not straight like a bullet but in a short arc. It’s only dumb luck that the behemoth is charging forward and dashes into the miniature maelstrom; only ill fortune that Jericho does the same.
part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4 - part 5 - part 6 - part 7
This entry was originally posted at http://mustinvestigate.dreamwidth.org/26090.html. Please comment there using OpenID.