On the move

[remindmeof_me]

Corporal Shephard's had plenty of time to think over the course of his hours on sentry duty. That patch of skyglow in the northwest looks pretty real to him; it might just be their only crack at finding a population center. He hasn't seen any signs of industrialization during his travels up until now, either human or Combine. Fair Chance was a

Comments

[subject_lj_here]

Chell wakes up slowly, from one of those silent nightmares that chills you so much that you go into a cold sweat. It's one of the least pleasant feelings in the world, that cold morning air on her skin, but it makes her alert, if anything else. She sits up and looks around, not quiet sure where she is or what's going on--wasn't she just back in Milliways? But no, no. That place was taken away from her.

Eventually, she shakes off enough of the nightmare to sit up on the burlap and crawl out. "Morning, Adrian." It's groggy, and slow, but it's a greeting.

[remindmeof_me]

"You're up," says Shephard through his mask. He's used to it enough that he doesn't think about it any more. "Mornin', Chell. Got us some breakfast, more or less." Breakfast would be the plucked bird (or mostly plucked; it's hard to tell just by looking at the blown heap of black feathers) he's got roasting over a tiny fire. "Eat what you can. We're gonna be foraging before we move out today."

Only then does he look over at the woman and add, "Hard time sleeping?"

[subject_lj_here]

"Thank you for that." She rubs the back of her head; she must have bumped it during the night. "I... I guess so, maybe." She stands up, and begins to take down the lean-to. "How was the watch?"

[remindmeof_me]

"It ain't much, but it was the best I could do without leavin' you alone," says Shephard. "Had t'make up a sling an' take it down with a stone.... Watch wasn't too bad. Coupla oogieboogies tried makin' trouble, but nothin' I couldn't handle."

There were noises from down below that he didn't like the sound of, but they didn't come close enough to their ridge for him to take action yet.

"Once we've stocked up, we're headin' northwest. Near as I can tell, there might be people that way."

[subject_lj_here]

She's got the burlap folded up, and lays it down near the fire.

"Sounds like a good plan. These Combine really aren't hard... obviously those designing the modifications were not very well informed about how humans work."

[remindmeof_me]

"Wasn't Combine," says Shephard. "Just more of the Xen shit. Man, when I was growin' up you heard noises in the undergrowth, you thought it was a rabbit. Not somethin' comin' to suck off your face."

He pauses.

"I get the feelin' you've seen more Combine than me. The folks in Fair Chance told me some, but it wasn't much."

[subject_lj_here]

"I've killed a few," she says with a shrug. "Plus, I know what Gordon put in factsheets for those going into the central city. City 17, if you've heard of it. It seems rather impractical for helmets to be made with the poor construction that is typical of their uniform." Her lips quirk a little in a wry smile.

[remindmeof_me]

"They told me none of the cities were named any more," says Shephard thoughtfully. "They couldn't even say for sure we were in the States, but I'll eat my helmet if this's anywhere else. I think most of Fair Chance was from somewheres like City 23 originally. Dunno how they got to where they are now."

[subject_lj_here]

Chell thinks for a second. "I don't know about that, actually, but it sounds like something that the Combine would do."

She glances at the bird for a second, making sure it's not burning.

[remindmeof_me]

It's doing all right. It's not much of a bird, but it's better than nothing.

Shephard grunts and settles down cross-legged on the bare rock. "Fact sheets, huh?" he says. "Got any copies of 'em? I could use the intel."

[subject_lj_here]

"No," Chell replies, shaking her head. "But I have perfect memory and recall. Or... nearly so. I could tell you what they said. Or write it down in dirt."

[remindmeof_me]

"nice trick," says Shephard. "Don't bother writin' it. Just fill me in, if y'don't mind."

He'll keep an eye on the bird while she's talking. It shouldn't be much longer.

[subject_lj_here]

She begins by talking about the more basic enemies: the Civil Protection, the Overwatch, and the Manhacks. She also mentions the Scanners and the Choppers briefly; she has no idea how heavy the Combine's defenses are this far away from the city.

"Oh, and before I forget... do you know about the space barnacles?"

[[Does he know about the barnacles. XD]]

[remindmeof_me]

"They make good grapples," says Adrian, who is taking a break from running through his favorite curses as he listens. "The scientists at Black Mesa had one I wound up usin' to swing across all kinds of gaps 'n shit. Had to work real hard not to think about havin' my hand up a space alien's ass 'n danglin' from the ceiling by its tongue."

[subject_lj_here]

Chell shudders, visibly.

"I... can only imagine."

[remindmeof_me]

Shephard grins crookedly. "'n on that note- breakfast?" He holds up the staked bird.