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STALKER: War for the Zone (MLP fanfic)

By spinner
Created: 2023-01-16 05:02:47
Updated: 2023-02-06 06:05:16
Expiry: Never
gildastalkermlp fimwar for the zonegilly

  1. >you are anon
  2. >and you are a STALKER
  3. >you thought you had seen everything the zone had to throw at you, at least for the most part
  4. >the zone is always changing
  5. >but you never expected to see a griffon
  6. >6 days ago you ran into a couple of mercenaries transporting a rare artifact
  7. >the griffon was among them
  8. >you joined as an extra gun hoping for some easy cash, boy were you wrong
  9.  
  10. >the second day travelling through the wastes you stumbled into boar territory
  11. >three of the hulking monsters attack while the others fled to a safe distance, one charged your way
  12. >your group of five encircled the griffon
  13. >wanting to take the first shot you aim your crap sawed off and pulled the trigger
  14. >it jammed
  15. >as you struggled to open the barrel Ivan came up from behind you and nearly deafened you with his own boomstick
  16. >the beast fell and kicked wildly before going still
  17. >frantically cleaning your weapon of the residue you hear Ivan say something, probably scolding you
  18. >that's what you get for taking a gun off a bandit
  19.  
  20. >a few emissions later and the path was blocked, it took two days to figure a way around
  21. >you also had to enter the forest to your disdain and encounter a pack pseudodgogs
  22. >Dimitri was lost in the first night, he had panicked and ran away from the group
  23. >you saw two dogs chase after him in the firelight
  24. >he wasn't seen again
  25. >after an uneasy night in the trees the group moved quicker
  26. >Cutting through the forest along a more dangerous path saved you some daylight
  27. >everything was fine until you reached the edge
  28. >the dogs literally came out of nowhere
  29. >The griffon took to the air without a word
  30. >out in the grasslands again everyone fired with more confidence
  31. >you resorted to your 9mm
  32. >it looked like the whole forest was out to get you
  33. >nobody paid attention to the griffon, not after the first few pseudodogs dissapeared into ethereal mist
  34. >everyone came to the realization of a psydogs and became edgier
  35. >desperate potshots and frenzied automatic fire filled the air
  36. >without realizing it a member of your group got singled out
  37. >you only noticed when you saw one of the dogs make a beeline for him
  38. >pulling back the hammer on your gun and taking aim you only registered an empty click
  39. >digging the shotgun out of your pack you try again
  40. >aiming down the sights you trace the dog until it jumps
  41. >suddenly a large mass of feathers and claws swooped out of the sky and tackled it
  42. >the two came rolling in a tangled ball right up to you
  43. >you were treated to the killing blow up close as the griffon used her beak to pierce the dogs skull
  44. >half the creatures disappeared instantly from the field
  45. >giving you a cold stare as she came back up
  46. >you awkwardly lower the weapon you unconsciously aimed at her
  47. >turning around she took a deep breath and let out a thunderous roar
  48. >the rest of the dogs dissapeared but one remained
  49. >it stumbled about stunned and disoriented until the whole company opened up on it
  50. >they didn't stop until all that was left was a bloody pulp
  51. >Ivan strolled up to her with a big grin on his face
  52. >"Cheeki breeki iv damke. We could use a guerilla like you."
  53.  
  54. >now you were staring across the fire at her eating a can of meat
  55. >she hardly noticed you, or anyone else for that matter
  56. >Ivan had taken to calling her Guerilla, or Gilly for short
  57. >he was the only one who could get a word out of her
  58. >regardless of the past week's events you were safe at the clear sky camp
  59. >your pocket was lined with money and you had a warm meal sitting in your belly
  60. >laying back on your mat you look up at the stars
  61. "How do you like that? Clear sky."
  62.  
  63.  
  64.  
  65. >The ground shook beneath as you snapped awaked
  66. >You barely have time to register figures running around you before-
  67. >Boom!
  68. >The world is a swirling mess around you as pick yourself up
  69. >You hear a warped whistle overhead as you fall back down
  70. >DOOOM!!
  71. >The shockwave from the explosions knocks your hoody off
  72. >Bewildered a strange force overturns you and a familiar beaked face frowns down on you
  73. >"wake up"
  74. >You force yourself to blink trying to do just that
  75. >"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME!!"
  76. >You push her off as you take another look around
  77. >Stalkers were either dead, dying, or fighting back against the enemy
  78. >Exactly who it was became clear when a helicopter flew overhead and rained fire on the supply shed
  79. >Sharp clawed hands dug into your shoulder
  80. >Snatching your pack you follow behind her
  81. >"Come on! We have to find Ivan!"
  82. >Your legs moved swiftly from years of experience
  83. >One of the scientists came flying out of his window holding a covered object
  84. >"Stalker!"
  85. >He called out to you from behind his laboratory, over an open stretch of road
  86. >Looking from the griffon to the scientist you take the stupid chance to run over to him
  87. >Artifacts were valuable after all
  88. >As you run several cracks sound at your feet but thankfully nothing hits you
  89. >You dive towards him at the last second
  90. >Not wasting any time he shoves object into your pack
  91. >"Take it! Far away from here! Go to Freedom Base, my friend Anatoly will help you! GO!"
  92. >The man of science pulls a gun from his holster and makes a break for the swamps
  93. >He's not so fortunate as you as he is gunned down before he even makes it to the fence
  94. >Cursing another day in the zone you adjust your pack and ready your 9mm
  95. >A quick peek reveals two soldiers who immediately open fire on you
  96. >Splinters sting your face as the bullets split the wood with ease
  97. >Gritting your teeth you kneel down and try to defend yourself
  98. >"Here's a grenade for you fuckers!"
  99. >Ivan's voice sounded like an angel to your ears
  100. >As promised a grenade landed at their feet and they ran back for cover
  101. >Taking the chance you run back to the other side of the street to join his crew
  102. >As the grenade explodes you feel a hard impact followed sharp pain in your shoulders
  103. >You close your eyes in agony and open your mouth in a silent scream, another thing the zone taught you
  104. >For a moment you're sure that grenade was closer than you thought
  105. >But as the pain got worse you realize your feet are no longer touching the ground
  106. >"Damn, you're heavier than you look!"
  107. >Kicking your feet uselessly you open your eyes again and find yourself disoriented once again as the ground continues to disappear
  108. >You spot Ivan on the ground coming out of cover and take a bullet
  109. >Struggling painfully you witness the military take the camp with overwhelming numbers
  110. >The last thing you see is Ivan twisting on the ground before the mists swallow them from your sight
  111.  
  112. >Setting down atop an abandoned watchtower Gilly catches her breath as you nurse your talon wounds
  113. "Ouch, oof. You have sharp claws."
  114. >Gilly pounces on you nearly knocking you both off the roof
  115. >Your head and shoulders over the edge as it is
  116. >"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"
  117. >She shakes so hard you become lightheaded
  118. "W-what are you saying? I didn't do anything."
  119. >Again Gilly becomes violent with you and tosses you behind her
  120. >"Why did you stay behind? Ivan's dead because of you!"
  121. >Shaking your head your mind goes back there
  122. "N-No!"
  123. >"You killed him!"
  124. >Gilly unfurls her wings and stands on her hind legs, claws at the ready
  125. >"I'm going to make you pay!"
  126. >You hold out your hands desperate to make a plea with the vicious griffon
  127. "No, wait. He's not dead!"
  128. >"You're lying!"
  129. "No, i saw him moving. After he got shot, i saw him get surrounded."
  130. >"And?"
  131. >You lower your gaze
  132. "I don't know."
  133. >"You don't know!?"
  134. >Gilly started to come down on you
  135. "No, but wait! He was alive, a-and they didn't shoot him. At least i didn't hear any shots."
  136. >That wasn't helping, Gilly still had that look you saw on her face the other day
  137. "No, I'm sure he's alive. I mean, the reason i went back was for this."
  138. >You nervously unshoulder your pack and pull out the wrapped object
  139. >Your shaky hands force you to drop the artifact as you present it
  140. >A hard clang sounds as the orange crystal hits the tin roof and rolls away
  141. >Gilly jumps after it spreading her wings
  142. >Unknown to you she catches it just before it reaches the ground
  143. >You swallow hard wondering if you should look over the edge when she zooms back up and lands in front of you
  144. >Her beaked face inches from yours
  145. >"You went back for this?"
  146. "Yeah, but i didn't know what it was. That's the same artifact you had with you when Ivan found you right?"
  147. >She doesn't reply but gazes into the crystal ball
  148. "Listen...I'm sorry for what happened. Ivan was a good man, and you're right, it's my fault he got hurt."
  149. >Gilly glares at you
  150. "But, but...i don't think he's dead. The military came for us for a reason, and i bet that artifact is the reason why."
  151. >Gilly took a deep breath and responded more calmly
  152. >"How do you know?"
  153. "Because, the scientist that gave it to me told me to take it to Freedom Base. He said a friend of his would help us, he wouldn't have said that if he didn't think it was important."
  154. >"I thought all artifacts were important to those brainiacs."
  155. "Yes, but until now the military hasn't set foot in the zone besides to set up a camp. And they've never outright attacked a faction in their own hometurf."
  156. >Gilly shook her head becoming agitated
  157. >"So what? How do you know Ivan's not dead!?"
  158. >You hold up your hands premeditavely
  159. "Uh, i don't think he's dead because he knows you. He's the one that brought back the artifact, and you. If the military really wants that artifact, they're going to need him alive to find it."
  160. >"You sure about that?"
  161. >You nod
  162. "Yes, they've done it before when looking for deserters. They'll strike up a deal with a STALKER if they know they need help."
  163. >Gilly looked at the crystal then stared back at you
  164. >"What if i don't believe you?"
  165. >You reeled your head back in fear
  166. "Y-you'll still need to get to Freedom. If i'm wrong and Ivan's dead, they'll still be looking for you and that."
  167. >Gilly stuffed the crystal in your pack and held it close to her chest as she spread her wings again
  168. "Wait! You can't go alone!"
  169. >"Why not?"
  170. "Because you don't know where it is."
  171. >"Big whoop, I can fly remember? I'll find it eventually."
  172. "Not if the military finds you first. They have helicopters and they always use them."
  173. >A faint thumping sound was heard in the distance confirming your statement
  174. "They're already looking. If i take you there, walking through the zone, we can hid a lot easier than you could in the sky."
  175. >"Hmph, i don't need your help."
  176. "Yes, you do. Nobody knows how the zone works, not even veterans like Ivan. We don't know if you'll run into an anomaly up there either, and the emissions also. You'll need shelter from the radiation when they hit."
  177. >The thumping came louder this time
  178. >Gilly scrunched up your pack before giving up
  179. >"Fine. Ivan told me to look after you anyway."
  180. "He did?"
  181. >"Why do you think you're alive?"
  182.  
  183. >The thick early morning swamp mist allowed you to move quickly and safely
  184. >The trails were clear of any bandits and the creatures seemed to still be sleeping
  185. >You reached the Machine Yard come mid-morning, seemingly clear of danger
  186. >You wander around the yard a bit expecting to run into Clear Sky members
  187. >Or maybe Renegades
  188. >Your hand instinctively reaches for your holster, but only and empty wind blows through the structures
  189. >A rusty creaking can be heard somewhere on the grounds, but besides that all is quiet
  190. >Breathing a sigh contempt you decide you're safe enough
  191. >Looking back for the first time in nearly four hours you see the same empty wasteland you always have
  192. >Except for some movement at the far end all seemed quiet
  193. >Feeling a pang of fear in the pit of your stomach you pull out your binoculars to have a look
  194. >"They just found our trail."
  195. >Gilly had spoken before you even raised them to your eyes
  196. >"The watchtower we came from, there's a couple soldiers at the bottom."
  197. >You peek through your visor just to make sure
  198. >After a few seconds of scanning the horizon you finally spot them
  199. >They were too far away, even for the optics to pick up what they were doing
  200. "I'm guessing they're going to call it in, a full search party will be looking for us before nightfall."
  201. >"Then let's keep moving."
  202. >Gilly's voice seemed far away
  203. >Dropping the binoculars you find her walking halfway across the yard
  204. >Cursing silently you store the binoculars again and rush after her
  205. >You at least wanted to check up on the stash you had nearby
  206. >A murder of crows flew up from the fields below as you caught up with Gilly
  207. >You speak in a hushed tone
  208. "Wait."
  209. >A dull beep makes you reach into your pocket
  210. >Several other PDA's were popping up ahead
  211. >Turning yours off you grab hold of Gilly's wing and drag her behind you
  212. >"Let go of me you-"
  213. "Shh. Quiet, we got company."
  214.  
  215. >Black and Red clad stalkers emerge from the tall grass and enter the yard, some just hopped over the broken fence
  216. >They walk in like they own the place
  217. >Gilly is crouched beside you
  218. >The both of you took refuge in the loft of the nearest building
  219. >You watched from a crack in the roof as they walked away and towards Clear Sky
  220. >You didn't dare speak
  221. >"who are they?"
  222. >Gilly on the other hand didn't know any better, but at least she had the presence of mind to whisper
  223. >You raise a finger to your lips
  224. >A voice came up behind you
  225. >"Hey look at all these goodies I found!"
  226. >You cursed silently, they had found your stash
  227. >Another voice rose up from the yard asking him what it was
  228. >"It's an SMG and a couple of cans of food. Hey! There's even two grenades here!"
  229. >"We're soldiers not thieves. Leave it for the poor soul to come back."
  230. >"Hey, you're a soldier but I'm a mercenary. Besides what if he doesn't come back? It would sure be a waste."
  231. >"I said no. But on second thought bring the grenades and ammo at least, the military might be stingy with supplies."
  232. >You hear a metallic clang as the door on your powerbox stash is closed
  233. >At least they left you the food, and maybe even the smg
  234. >You felt a twinge a hope before you saw the mercenary walk by with a can in his hand
  235. >Before you could drool over your lost treasure a shockwave hits the area
  236. >"EMISSION! FIND COVER!"
  237. >Duty troops rushed the building you were hiding in
  238. >You couldn't chance one of them spotting you
  239. "Gilly, run."
  240. >You jump down from your hiding place and roll when you hit the ground
  241. >Several Duty members jump in surprise as you land
  242. >Looking up over your shoulder you still see the Griffon in the loft and wave at her
  243. >"Come on!"
  244. >One of the duty men calls out to you
  245. >"No, wait! You'll be killed!"
  246. >The man ran inside as Gilly landed behind you
  247. >Several other brave men went back outside to watch you run away
  248. >"Come back Stalker! We have an emission!"
  249. >Gilly floated next to you
  250. >"Where are we going?
  251. >You spoke between breaths as you pumped your legs
  252. "A farmstead...just north...renegades. I don't think they'll mind."
  253. >Ahead of you the sky began to catch fire
  254. >You ran as quickly as your legs could carry with Gilly at your side
  255. >A sudden quake made you stumble and fall over yourself
  256. >Gilly too took a spill and dropped her artifact
  257. >The world became red and you knew you had run out of time
  258. "Gilly! Gilly you have to fly to that farm! Save yourself!"
  259. >Gilly looked at you scared and confused
  260. "GO!"
  261. >Gilly took off without another word
  262. >She must've known you'd be fine
  263. >The last blowout caught you all outside as well, it was you who led everyone to safety
  264. >You produced a bottle of Vodka from your pack and started downing it
  265. >As you walked towards the nearest pond you nearly trip over the artifact
  266. >Not wanting to leave it behind you bend over in a semi drunken stupor to retrieve it
  267. >You held it up to the sun to inspect more closely
  268. >Through hazy eyes you see Gilly just reaching the farmhouse and diving inside an attic window just before the emission hit
  269. >You yourself jump into the nearest lake to avoid the worst from the attack
  270. >The bottle never leaving your lips
  271. >You watch it wash over your radioactive pool as the heat from the water comforts you
  272. >As the bottle empties you continue to hold your breath
  273. >Just another day in the zone
  274.  
  275.  
  276.  
  277. >You emerged after you were sure the emission had passed
  278. >Unfortunately for you it hadn't
  279. >The amount of alcohol you had taken to the head dulled the pain in your brain though
  280. >Enough to the point that you didn't immediately black out
  281. >Whatever the matter if you didn't move now you'd die of radiation poisoning before you went crazy
  282. >Stumbling onto the muddy bank you craw back onto the path, you blink once and find yourself in front of the farm
  283. >Your groggy, addled mind can't comprehend the time skip
  284. >All this seemed fine to you, even the renegades passing by seem natural
  285. >Their moaning and wailing left you all too soon and you really only noticed when you bumped into a wall
  286. >A flurry of feathers enravel you before you wake up for the second time that morning
  287. >Someone called your name
  288. >Opening your eyes only serves to drive a sharp pain through your head, temple to temple
  289. >You close them again and offer another silent scream accompanied by an abated breath
  290. >You press your hands against your head hoping to counteract the headache
  291. >Rough talons wrap around your own hands and squeeze slightly
  292. >It helps get you together enough to take a peek at your helper
  293. >Gilly breaks her usually cool demeanor by seeming worried
  294. >"Are you okay?"
  295. >You grit your teeth and try to nod
  296. >Gilly backs away from you as the pain begins to dull
  297. >Staring at the floor you find the softball sized artifact between your legs
  298. >Secretly you were happy you didn't let go of it
  299. >Even if it meant your life, which it usually did, you wanted to resell it to Freedom
  300. >Your sopping wet clothes were the next thing to draw your attention
  301. "Stand back Gilly, I am beings of radioactive."
  302. >Vodka brought out the Slav in you
  303. >"What do you mean?"
  304. "Lookit."
  305. >You reach out with your PDA and show her the Geiger counter
  306. >She peers into it
  307. >"Look at what?"
  308. >You wave it around drunkenly and present it to her again
  309. >"There's nothing there."
  310. >Feeling pissed off you bring it up to your face to read it
  311. >A drunk man reading radiation measurements to a griffon, nothing could go wrong there
  312. >AHA! Just as thought, it read nothing
  313. >No radiation in the present area
  314. >You smile stupidly as you tap it
  315. >Your smile is wiped away as another wave of pain washes away
  316. >Sure you were drunk, but you never misread the geiger counter
  317. >Hell half the times you read it you were already drunk
  318. >So why now?
  319. >"You're not radioactive. Wouldn't that thing be clicking if you were?"
  320. >You waved it all over your body but again registered nothing
  321. "How is this of happening?"
  322. >"I don't know, but we better keep moving."
  323. >Gilly turned for the door but stopped
  324. >"The, uh, "blowout"? It should be over now, r-right?"
  325. >You stare at the counter until you hear faint shots being fired
  326. >"That should be them. I saw them leaving for that other place before you came in."
  327. >Snapping out of your confusion you pick up the artifact and run for the door in a drunken stupor
  328. "Da, blowout is over now. We move, to Agororoprom."
  329. >Coming out the back of the building you rush for the railroad tracks
  330. >"Wait for me you idiot. Where are we going?"
  331. "Agrapronom. Agara-Agro. We are movings to research institute and base of Duty."
  332. >"I thought they were the enemy!?"
  333. >You trip as you reach the base of the hill and start clambering up the side
  334. "But Duty is of leavings their base. Must be working with military's to kill us both. Do not worry, Stalker base is also nearby. They can be of helping."
  335. >Reaching the summit you struggle with the barbed wire while Gilly soars overhead
  336. >Looking back as jump over you find the Machine yard under siege, both of them
  337. >You rub your eyes and look away for fear of going crosseyed
  338. >"Is the Freedom base nearby too?"
  339. >You wait until roll unwittingly to the bottom of the hill to respond
  340. >"Oof! Freedom is not nearby, but next to garbage. Garbage is on the main road, the military will pass through. We go through Agoroprom, get help, then we move behind garbage in hidings of the military. Then we reach the Dark Valley, and Freedom. FREEDOM!!!"
  341. >You scream the word at the top of your lungs for no apparent reason other than Vodka
  342. >"Will you keep it down!? Why'd you drink that stuff anyways?"
  343. "For kuring of radiation."
  344. >"But you're not radioactive."
  345. >You stop in your tracks before entering the woods
  346. >The exercise helped you clear your head a bit
  347. >And now that you thought about it, it really didn't make any sense
  348. >Vodka cleans radiation from the body, but certainly not clothes
  349. >The only other explanation would be an artifact protecting you
  350. >It suddenly clicks in your head and you pull out the crystal from your pocket
  351. >Looking at it through blurry, semi sober eyes you definitely saw a faint glow it didn't have before
  352. >But what did you know? You were drunk
  353. >Still you peered at it incessantly until Gilly floated back to you again and snatched up her artifact, hovering in midair
  354. >"I'll carry this if it keeps you moving, Stalker."
  355. >She flew ahead again forcing you to jog to catch up to her
  356. >You've seen anti radiation artifacts before so it wasn't too surprising
  357. >Still none of them were crystallized
  358. >You put the notion out of your head, you needed what little brainpower you had to find your way to Agroprom
  359.  
  360. >Coming out on the other side you spot the walls of the institute far off in the distance
  361. >The biggest problem you had in the forest was a pack of blind dogs
  362. >They were dispatched quickly by Gilly who said she wanted to keep in hunting shape
  363. >There were no quarrels with you
  364. >Just as you thought, as you approached the facility it lay barren in your path
  365. >The plains around it were completely silent
  366. "Here is where we tread careful. The underground was cleared recently but that only means more mutants will kome."
  367. >"Underground?"
  368. >You point to the hills
  369. "Tunnels and bunkers, built by Soviet cold war dickheads of great glory and poor thinkings."
  370. >You motion Gilly to keep moving, the Stalker base seemed busy as usual
  371. "Tunnels stretch underground, pop up everywhere, and that is why mutants are everywhere."
  372. >Gilly scanned the area
  373. "No mutants now, the kome later...maybe tonight."
  374. >"When were the tunnels cleared?"
  375. >You scratch your greasy matted hair
  376. "Perhaps one, no two. Yes, two days before we met. Duty pays well."
  377. >Gilly went silent for ten full meters
  378. >"What do you mean they pay well?"
  379. >Her feathers, along with her fur began to ruffle up and her wings spread out a bit
  380. "They were not of wanting to lose any of their boys, so they pay me and couple other crazy stalkers for to do their dirty work."
  381. >You shake your head
  382. "Not easy work. Two men die but three men live, they still pay us the same. No bigger cut like promised."
  383. >You spit on the ground
  384. >"I do not like being cheated, but at least i get job."
  385. >Gilly paused behind you
  386. >"You worked for Duty? You said they were the enemy!"
  387. >You stop only when your drunken mind notices her absence
  388. >Turning you spot her in attack mode
  389. "Gilly, in the zone enemy means whoever is wanting to kill you. Not all the time, just sometimes. Now is one of those times."
  390. >Gilly calms down when she hears you explanation
  391. >"So then, are the stalkers..?"
  392. "Nyet. Stalkers only enemy with Bandits, lazy punks steal from others for not wanting of job. Come, we are almost home."
  393. >You walk ahead expecting to hear her footfalls and maybe a bit of grumbling
  394. >That's not the case as approach two nervous looking guards
  395. >Gilly watches you talk them into lowering their weapons
  396. >Making some hand gestures she collects that you shared information about the artifact
  397. >She gripped it tightly in her claws
  398. >Finally one of them nods his head in approval and you motion for her to come over
  399. >You watch as Gilly approaches slowly, almost awkwardly, towards your location
  400. >The guards are equally as uneasy
  401. >You understood their disposition
  402. >Gilly was a large creature after all
  403. >Her head came to chest level and was tipped with a beak you knew to be deadly
  404. >Each of her 'hands' could easily wrap around a human head and tipped razor sharp talons
  405. >And not that you thought of her as heavy but her lion body was almost certainly more than 100 kilos
  406. >Yes, Gilly was a dangerous creature from the zone, anybody would be wary of her
  407. >She stared coldly at the three of you as she reached you, not saying a word
  408. >An eerily clear memory rushed your mind as you remembered the day you met her a week ago
  409. >She didn't want to speak then either
  410. "Uh. Ah. Fellas, this is my favorite creature of the zone. She's a griffon, i don't know her name, but she lets me call her Gilly."
  411. >The guard looked at you funny
  412. >"She lets you call her?"
  413. "Yeah?"
  414. >The other guard chimed in
  415. >"How do you know it's a she?"
  416. >"Shut up Igorov. Are you saying she can talk?"
  417. "Yes. Right Gilly?"
  418. >You turn to her but she only stares back
  419. >Laughing it off you face the guard again
  420. "She's a little shy. But listen guys, I'd love to stay and chat but Duty is all over my ass right now. Is general Krylov here?"
  421. >"Sure, he is upstairs as usual. But what is happening with Duty? They just up and left this morning."
  422. "I'll tell you later, after i talk with the general, if he doesn't tell you himself. But Clear Sky camp is gone."
  423. >"What do you mean? Did the Renegades finally win?"
  424. >You shook your head
  425. "This was the military."
  426. >"But the military doesn't move into the zone. They even abandoned their warehouses."
  427. "That's why i want to talk to Krylov."
  428. >"Then quit wasting your time here Stalker, get moving."
  429. >The guard motioned you inside
  430. >You made sure to have a hand around Gilly's shoulder to let others know she was harmless, mostly
  431. >Either way you still garnered the attention of every pair of eyes around you
  432.  
  433.  
  434. >Back at the door the two guards were talking amongst themselves
  435. >"What do you mean is she a she?"
  436. >"I just wanted to make sure."
  437. >"Why?"
  438. >"Trachenko, it's been five years since i've been with a woman."
  439. >"So you want to have sex with a creature from the zone!?"
  440. >"What!? No! That's disgusting! Come on, man!"
  441. >"Well then?"
  442. >The guard shrugged
  443. >"I just wanted to hear a girl's voice. That's all."
  444.  
  445.  
  446.  
  447. >"So, the military is finally making it's move. To think it took them this long."
  448. >The general looked out the window at a rapidly darkening sky
  449. >"It will rain before too long."
  450. >You and Gilly sat at his desk enjoying your first meal of the day
  451. >Sausages, cheese, and bread. A Stalker's delight
  452. >Krylov insisted you gorged yourselves as he proclaimed you would have a long journey ahead of you
  453. >An old wiry man in a lab coat entered the room
  454. >"Anatoly? How is it coming?"
  455. >The old man beamed at the question
  456. >"Marvelous! I've never seen anything like it! Come, come."
  457. >Gilly shovels down her food and follows behind Krylov with you in tow
  458. >You carried your food intent on enjoying it
  459. >Anatoly had set up the artifact in a sort of containment sphere with various bulbs and coils sticking up around it
  460. >Several wires led to an outdated computer running some sort of simulation
  461. >Three graphs in dimming green light on the screen seemed to measure distinct measurements
  462. >Gilly looked at the container apprehensively
  463. >"Now, we all know the artifact absorbs radiation. What is astounding is how it neutralizes the radiation. Here..."
  464. >He pointed to a seemingly straight line that hardly wavered
  465. "This is the amount of radiation it absorbed from the pool you jumped in. As you can see it barely registers as a reading."
  466. >Krylov studied the line
  467. >"You're saying it has room for much more correct?"
  468. >"Exactly! Those pools have enough concentrated radiation to kill a man in a matter of seconds, but to this artifact it is hardly anything. Now see here?"
  469. >Again he pointed at a line that vibrated constantly and produced the occasional bump
  470. >"This is the energy output of the artifact."
  471. "Energy output?"
  472. >The scientists smiled brightly
  473. >"Yes! This artifact is converting the active half-life of the radiation into pure energy!"
  474. >"How doctor?"
  475. >"I have no idea!"
  476. >He laughed heartily as you pointed at the third graph
  477. "What's that one?"
  478. >His grin faded slowly when you mentioned it
  479. "Well, that is the one small problem with the artifact."
  480. >The third graph spiked wildly every 3 seconds or so
  481. >"How shall i put this? Because of the energy output the artifact also creates a weak radio signal, the less energy it produces the weaker the signal. Think of it as a sort of beacon that anyone can hone in on with the right equipment."
  482. >Krylov frowned
  483. >"I imagine the military has such equipment."
  484. >The doctor turned off the computer and disconnected the container
  485. >"I would imagine so, but as it stands now the signal is too weak for anyone outside this room to detect it."
  486. >Both you and Krylov breathe a sigh of relief
  487. >"Young man, did Mikhail tell you anything else about this artifact? Any detail would be helpful"
  488. >You shake your head no
  489. >"He just shoved it in my hand and told me to come to you. He died two seconds later."
  490. >You pull out the rag he gave you and spread it before you
  491. >It looked like an old stained labcoat torn half to shit
  492. "He wrapped it in this and told me to talk to you. Sorry doc."
  493. >Anatoly stopped unplugging cables to look at you
  494. >"What is that?"
  495. >He stretched his hand out to the breast pocket when a Krylov's radio burst to life
  496. >"General, the army has been spotted moving out of the swamp, they're headed down the main road towards the garbage."
  497. >"This is Krylov, acknowledged. Stay out of sight. Well Stalker, it sounds like your friends are dying to catch up with you and your little songbird."
  498. >Gilly turns her eyes to Krylov then immeditately lowers her head
  499. >Her feathers ruffle a bit in what you think is the griffon equivalent of a blush
  500. >Still her sight turns back to the containment sphere sitting on the scientist's desk
  501. >"Doctor, return the artifact. We have no need for it."
  502. "Whoa, wait. What are you saying?"
  503. >You nearly choke on the food in your mouth as you speak
  504. >"What I am saying is, i don't want that troublesome thing in my base. Take it somewhere else, bury it, i don't care what you do with it, just get it away from my men."
  505. "Hold on. What about a reward? I almost died twice getting this thing here."
  506. >"Is money all you think about Stalker?"
  507. >Krylov spoke as the scientist tentatively handed back the artifact, enclosed in the sphere, to Gilly
  508. "Well...no...but..."
  509. >"Even if i wanted to pay you I don't think you'd be able to get it away from her."
  510. >Following his gaze you found Gilly staring daggers at you
  511. >Reeling from her voiceless threat you find yourself take a step back
  512. >You already knew she'd have no problem dismembering you
  513. "...Fine. I won't ask for any money. But, well, you were fine with it the first time they took it away from you!"
  514. >Gilly maintained her cold stare
  515. >"I am afraid i may be to blame for that little misunderstanding. You see Mikhail was only, er, renting the artifact from your friend. He communicated with me and we talked about passing it back and forth, for research purposes of course."
  516. >Anatoly sighed before he turned around and opened a locker to pull out a pair of yellow lead pajamas
  517. >He continued to speak as he put them on
  518. >"However the situation is different now. The military has caught wind of his first notes on the artifact, again it was most likely my fault. I insisted that we communicate via a CB radio last night, how foolish i acted. I intend to make good for my faults though as i will accompany you to the center of the zone."
  519. "What? The center? Why?"
  520. >"There is a mobile research lab in yantar. Another colleague of mine is there, no doubt he will want to investigate this matter a little further."
  521. >You were just about to open your mouth in protest when he held up a finger
  522. >"Before you say anything Stalker, I will pay you for your services. Double, in fact, for your troubles getting here. I assume that is alright with you?"
  523. "Can you pay 8,000 rubles so easily?"
  524. >The doctor cinched his body suit up
  525. >"Of course, we are a big organization. But only if we leave now."
  526. "No problem. Gilly, we move."
  527.  
  528. >Outside you load up your sawn off shotgun and pray it doesn't jam anymore
  529. >Your party was just leaving the base when Krylov stopped you
  530. >"Stalker, wait up."
  531. >He handed you a Molle belt with a noticeably large pouched attached
  532. >"For your friend, to help her carry her burdens."
  533. "Thank you general."
  534. >"Is that all you're carrying?"
  535. >You turn the weapon in your hand
  536. "I lost my rifle in the woods. Bloodsucker scared the shit out of me."
  537. >Krylov nodded in understanding
  538. >"Well, it won't do."
  539. >He looked between the two guards guarding the entrance
  540. >"You two, go with the Stalker and provide him protection."
  541. >"But sir, what about the military? We want to help protect the base just in case."
  542. >Krylov put his hand on the guards shoulder
  543. >"This is a more important mission. Besides we've put out an APB for all Stalkers in the area to convene on our location. We will have enough arms to defend ourselves if necessary."
  544. >The two guards looked at each other and shrugged.
  545. >"Yes, sir."
  546. >Thunder rolled over the fields around you
  547. >"Go, now. The storm will offer cover for you."
  548.  
  549. What the hell were you doing here anyway? I thought your lab was set up in Freedom?
  550. >"Oh, the Stalkers have started to bring in more artifacts in the past few days."
  551. You mean about a week ago?
  552. >"Yes, though not all of them have a friendly status with Freedom so i decided to move in with them."
  553. >Trachenko shouldered his weapon as a flock of crows scattered ahead
  554. >Oleg, the second guard, took a bolt out of his pocket and tossed it as hard as he could
  555. >You watched it toss and tumble and then finally shoot off in a random direction as the air rejected it
  556. >Oleg spat on the ground
  557. >"That anomaly wasn't there before. This whole area should've been clean
  558. >A loud thunderclap exploded above you sending Gilly into your arms
  559. >Her talons wrap around your neck and dig into your shoulder
  560. >Gilly's eyes narrow and turn up to the rapidly darkening sky
  561. >The clouds had gathered and thickened in the time since you left the Stalkers' base
  562. >Now a powerful wind began to blow from the west shaking leaves from the trees and sending waves across the long grass in the fields around you
  563. >The sun's rays were a fading memory as they attempted to wrap around the thunderhead
  564. >Gilly was heavier than you thought and you were losing your grip
  565. >You clear throat softly
  566. >Her gaze falls on you quickly
  567. >You catch a hint of fright on her face before she leaps off, purposely pushing off harder than she had to
  568. >She turned away from you as a smile creeps onto your face
  569. >None of the others noticed
  570. >They were too busy arguing which way would be best to go, they were practically screaming in each other's face
  571. >It was hard to hear over the howling wind
  572. >Trachenko and Anatoly were pushing for Yantar
  573. >We're going to need help from people with guns! Not labcoats! The military is after us!
  574. >Trachenko shot his hand out north
  575. >"If we get to Yantar on time they won't be able to follow us in the rain! Our tracks will be wiped out!"
  576. >"I must agree with Trachenko, we have to get the artifact somewhere safe."
  577. >You decide to throw in your two rubles worth
  578. "That won't matter doctor!"
  579. >You point towards the garbage
  580. "Freedom is the only one that can help us now! If we move to Yantar now we'll be caught out in the open, with no backup and no other option but to fight!"
  581. >You wave Gilly over who reluctantly obeys
  582. >"We have the artifact with us! And the military knows it! But if we go towards Freedom, they'll have to go through the bandits base to get to us and then face off against Freedom! That might buy us some time because they're going to have to gear up for a fight!"
  583. >You look at Gilly
  584. "What do you say? Want to go to Freedom?"
  585. >Gilly glared silently at all the faces looking at her
  586. >Thunder rolled over the plains and she looked back at the sky
  587. >Lightning webbed itself among the clouds like a great skeletal hand
  588. >She looked back down to you and swished her tail nervously as she nodded
  589. "Good. It's three against two! We move to Freedom."
  590. >"We won't make it in time! The storm will catch us before we get Freedom! In case you've forgotten storms in the zone are a little deadlier than back home!"
  591. "We might not make it Freedom, but we'll at least reach the Flea market! That's good enough!"
  592. >Gilly immediately started on her way, you only noticed when her tail brushed against your leg
  593. >Reaching out, out of instinct, you grab her by the belt and pull her back
  594. "Wait!"
  595. >Gilly swiped at your hand
  596. >Surprised and a little shocked you let go and fall backwards on your ass
  597. >Gilly stared you down
  598. >Oleg came to your defense
  599. >"Listen, uh, Gi-Lee? Why don't you let us lead!? It'll be safer for everyone!"
  600.  
  601. >All too often the blown out building offered more than just guidance and reprieve for the weary traveler
  602. >The flea market stood as a monolith at gullet of the zone
  603. >Those who wished to exchange their goods for fair prices met here before moving on either way
  604. >It was a place to lighten your burden, and perhaps even your mood
  605. >Even now its beckoning call offered you a bit of relief
  606. >The rain had begun as a torrent and did not let up
  607. >Occasionally the lightning blinded you all and forced the world to disappear around you
  608. >None of you could see farther than a few meters in the near white out
  609. >Gilly propped her wings over her head to cover herself
  610. >Anatoly too had pulled over the full face visor of his suit, though since it fogged up he had to hold onto Oleg's shoulder
  611. >The rest of you Stalkers just had to just grin and bear it
  612. >Except for Trachenko, he was wearing a face mask, so maybe he was frowning
  613. >Still you had all made it, with the howling wind at your back you made it before the worst of the storm hit
  614. >Oleg tapped your shoulder
  615. >"Don't forget to introduce your friend! I'll spread the word!"
  616. >He and the doctor went ahead, Trachenko stayed at your side
  617. >You shout her name but a thunderbolt crashed a few dozen meters away drowning you out
  618. >Again Gilly jumped in your general direction but missed you and instead knocked against Trachenko's knees
  619. >She folded her wings and looked up at him with wild eyes
  620. >Her once proud tuft of neck feathers were soaked and clung to her skin in pitiful clumps
  621. >You swore you heard him chuckle but in the rain who knew what was going on
  622. >Trying to reach out to her again seemed like a bad idea so instead you step into view, next to Trachenko
  623. "We're here! Let's get inside and out of this rain huh!?"
  624. >Gilly looked between the two of you and walked over to your side
  625. >She gave you a sneer but waited for you to accompany her inside
  626. >It struck you that she acted the same way around Ivan
  627. >"Okay! Let's go!"
  628. >Trachenko laughed one more time before walking ahead of you two
  629.  
  630.  
  631. >A few moments later you found yourself hunkered down and cozied up next to Gillie
  632. >For warmth of course
  633. >Even though you and Oleg explained that she was essentially harmless the others still left you alone
  634. >Some had even decided to go down into the leaky basement claiming to want to sleep even though the evening was
  635. just coming on
  636. >At least that was what the clock said
  637. >All around you impenetrable darkness cloaked the zone
  638. >The fire in the corner could only do so much to keep the immediate vicinity lit
  639. >Lightning helped give everyone a quick glimpse of the surrounding area
  640. >Each time afforded the group a mixture of fear and relief
  641. >Though uncommon, Bloodsuckers would often be seen around the garbage
  642. >When the next flash assures your safety you take the time to inspect your new pre-owned rifle
  643. >You had carried one of these before, the AS Val, it was really accurate and quiet
  644. >Then you ran out of ammo and had to do without
  645. >It wasn't as great as an AK, and you had to shell out for it, but it would do its job well enough
  646. >Another invisible bolt struck nearby and illuminated the hills
  647. >By the sound of it the lightning had struck real close by
  648. >Your ears were still ringing when you noticed a pain in your lower thigh
  649. >The dim light was enough for you to spot Gilly's yellow talons digging into your skin
  650. >One of her claws raked your knee pad and brought her to your attention
  651. >She was quick to remove her 'hand' in a huff
  652. >Gilly faced off in a new direction to avoid your gaze
  653. >Though the light was flickering you could see she was shaking, again
  654. >You felt her shake that morning as well when you introduced her to the Stalkers
  655. >The walls of the market blocked the worst of the storm but a few drops of rain still managed to wrap their way
  656. around towards its inhabitants
  657. >Gilly did her best to shake off the water earlier but she wasn't any drier
  658. >Making up your mind you set your gun off to one side and stand up
  659. >Two seconds later you're draping your jacket over her shoulders
  660. >She doesn't resist but casts an accusatory glance your way
  661. >Taking it in stride you pull out the old lab coat from your pack and put it on
  662. >It was dirty and stinky, but it was dry
  663. >Across from you the other Stalkers began whispering to each other
  664. >Some didn't even hide the fact they were talking about you as they pointed your way
  665. >Gilly pulled the jacket tighter around herself
  666. >A few chuckles were had, money exchanged hands, and even a few dirty looks
  667. >But soon after the excitement died down and everyone was back to their grim stalemate with the zone
  668. >The pain in your leg was gone but you rubbed it just feel the holes she left in your pants
  669. >Mysteriously Gilly rests her tail's tassel on the back of your hand
  670. >You barely hear her
  671. >"Sorry about that..."
  672. >She wasn't even looking at you
  673. "N-Not like it hurt or anything."
  674. >You settle back against the rubble to try and get some sleep
  675.  
  676. >The day's events had left you drained
  677. >That much was evident when you woke up feeling tired
  678. >A fond warmth caressed your shoulder and you found Gilly leaning her head on you
  679. >You felt it would be prudent to move now while you had the time and energy
  680. >Sure it would be dangerous but you've done it before, and so have the others
  681. >The rain had long since stopped, now only darkness and a strange quiet remained
  682. >You had put in fresh batteries in your flashlight the night before
  683. >Moving at night would be no problem
  684. >In the distance you heard the storm rumbling
  685. >The thunder grew to a crescendo as it reverberated in the hills around you before washing away to the Dark Valley
  686. >You preferred to watch lightning dance in the sky than listening to thu-
  687. >Boom! Boom! Boom!
  688. >For a moment you question what you heard
  689. >Your groggy mind must be playing tricks on you
  690. >Again the thunder rumbles in the distance
  691. >Again the crescendo grows but this time you notice something else
  692. >Shadows move in the darkness that you hadn't noticed before
  693. >Boom! Boom! Boom!
  694. >You sit up harshly waking Gilly from her dreams
  695. >Across from you the other Stalkers point up at the sky
  696. >"Hey, whad's da big deal?"
  697. >Gilly yawns as you stand up and run over to them
  698. "What's happening?"
  699. >You ask as you turn your head upwards
  700. >"Fire, Stalker. Fire in the sky."
  701. >The rumble returns
  702. >You run out the side of the dilapidated building with a group of soaked hulking bodies moving behind you to the closest slope
  703. >Gilly watches you run and flies up to a jagged corner jutting out the roof
  704. >Following your gaze she finds the source of the light
  705. >Just like the old man said, fire in the sky
  706.  
  707. >Up in the air, three short range missiles flew over the terrain
  708. >The fires that shot out of their ass shone brightly
  709. >Shadows moved briskly beneath them as though they were moving out of the way
  710. >After their short flight they began to sink until they reached their destination
  711. >"Santa Susanna..."
  712. >The Stalker Base erupted in flames
  713. >Air raid sirens pined helplessly in the distance
  714. >There was nothing anyone could do
  715. >Buildings exploded, ejecting fire, brick, and mortar all over the people below
  716. >Stalkers gallantly rushed to set up defensive positions only to be cut down by machine gunners and snipers
  717. >More muffled explosions were heard and three more missiles were away
  718. >You heard them zoom in even from this far away
  719. >A gut wrenching roar that announced the firestorm
  720. >"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
  721. >"HEY! HEY! WHAT IS GOING ON!"
  722. >The straggles from the basement came out to join the witnessing of the end
  723. >Everything went quiet again and the darkness grew back thicker than before
  724. >No one dared to make a sound as they held their breath
  725. >Just when the first was about to walk away you heard it
  726. >The defiant Rat-tat-tat of return fire
  727. >Hope began to well up in your chest but the fight was over
  728. >It was over before it began
  729. >The last of the Stalkers was dead
  730. >...
  731. >"...Stalker?..Stalker! There you are!"
  732. >Anatoly came by to shake you out of your daze
  733. >"You were right Anon Stalker. I'm sorry i didn't believe you."
  734. >A flurry of movement out the corner of your eye caught your attention more
  735. >You spoke with confidence
  736. >"We move, NOW. To the Dark Valley, and to Freedom."
  737. >Oleg and Trachenko came up behind him
  738. >"Yes, Stalker! If the Military wants a war, we'll give it to them! The Zone is our home! IF THEY WANT IT, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE IT!"
  739. >Trachenko fired up the crowd causing them to lift their weapons over their heads and chant
  740. >"Aroo! Aroo! Aroo!"
  741. >Trachenko was right, a war had begun
  742. >But not for the Zone, and not for your home
  743. >You stared over at Gilly, she just stared straight back
  744.  
  745. >Somewhere across the zone a lone death truck crawled through the wilderness
  746. >Its cargo no more dead than alive
  747. >The Dark Valley was a long walk from the garbage and it was even longer at night
  748. >The group at the flea market split off into different directions
  749. >Those that wanted to live, those that wanted to fight, and those that wanted to live just long enough
  750. >You were one such individual, dragging the scientist and your two guards behind you
  751. >Gilly and her artifact were the reason why
  752. >Some of the younger crowd opted out of fighting, they claimed to only want to risk their lives for artifacts
  753. >Many of the others, including old war veterans agreed to head to the depot and alert the Stalkers there
  754. >They promised to give the military a better fight than the one in Yantar
  755. >Only four others followed you
  756. >Mercenaries in employment of Freedom who needed to alert their own leader of the trouble
  757. >The entire trip was touch and go from the start
  758. >No moonlight meant no visibility, the military meant no flashlights, in the end you had to rely on Oleg and his mercenary counterpart's NVG's
  759. >Both of whom could not agree on a single thing all night, from where to go, to which weapon would attract less attention, and even which faction was strongest
  760. >You were interested in the latter argument when a frantic scuttle in the undergrowth urged them to stop their bickering
  761. >The truck squealed to a halt, everyone hopped out expecting a fight
  762. >A blind dog turned out to be the culprit but nobody wanted to shoot it
  763. >As it got closer you realize your weapon's unique ability and decide to use it
  764. >Unfortunately not fast enough as Gilly hopped forward and split the animal's side open with her large claws
  765. >Another instant kill for the griffon, she seemed to like coming out of nowhere
  766. >Gilly gave you another icy stare again as the group marched on
  767.  
  768. >Back in the truck you look over at her sleeping form curled up on the truckbed
  769. >Oleg, Trachenko and Anatoly across from you were also fast asleep
  770. >You just happened to smack yourself awake against the cab when the truck jolted
  771. >The way the military was advancing Chekhov decided it best for you and your group to borrow a truck of his and get a head start
  772. >Dawn had broken already and the sun's position suggested you had awoken at midmorning
  773. >Yawning and stretching you try to avoid waking Gilly
  774. >"You awake?"
  775. >Retracting quickly you wondered if you had accidentally nudged her
  776. "Da, just now thanks to this shitty truck driver we got."
  777. >Gilly sat up, not even bothering to stretch
  778. >"I couldn't sleep a wink."
  779. >She looked at you with bloodshot eyes
  780. >"Just kept seeing those fireballs."
  781. >Gilly took the seat next to you
  782. "I've never seen the military use missiles in the zone before. Things must be getting pretty serious."
  783. >A warm humid wind blew through the loose canvas flaps and caressed your face
  784. >Summer was coming to the zone, and to all of Russia as well
  785. >Gilly shoved something into your arm
  786. >"Take your coat back."
  787. "Oh, sure."
  788. >You let the coat rest on your thigh as you change out off the old moth eaten labcoat and throw it on the ground without a second thought
  789. >You happily redress in your own heavy coat as Gilly reaches for the discarded one
  790. >While she looks it over you sort through your pack looking for breakfast
  791. >"Didn't that old guy say something about this coat?"
  792. >You pull out an old plastic shopping bag wrapped around something warm
  793. >Bringing up to your nose you take a deep whiff
  794. >The entirety of Freedom's base smelled like a bakery earlier
  795. >Not blind to the attack at Yantar, Chekhov ordered production of bread to go into overtime, for rations
  796. >He gave you and the others some of the freshest loaves for your journey to the center
  797. >"Hey dimwit I'm talking to you."
  798. "Huh?"
  799. >The old man stirred at her remark
  800. >"You should pay more attention to your friend, Stalker."
  801. >Gilly drew back into herself at the sound of his voice but made eye contact
  802. >Anatoly mustered a kind smile as he continued
  803. >"That old bit of scrap has quite the story behind it."
  804. >You open the bag and break the bread handing it to Gilly
  805. "Oh, yeah. What kind of story? Like the kind we see from Hollywood, USA?"
  806. >Gilly didn't take it
  807. "Not hungry?"
  808. >Gilly scolds you again but after your second offer takes the bread anyway
  809. >"Actually Stalker, yes, it kind of is."
  810. >Gilly takes one bite of the bread and grimaces
  811. "Well is it or isn't it? What's so important about a dumb old piece of fabric?"
  812. >Anatoly boldly reaches across from him to take the coat from Gilly
  813. >She responds by increasing her grip on the collar of the thing and again Anatoly smiles
  814. >"Come vnuchka, I won't hurt you."
  815. >After a quick glimpse to you she lets go
  816. >Anatoly turns the coat over in his hands until he finds what he's looking for
  817. >"Yes, i thought he would. That old crow always enjoyed mystery novels..."
  818. >As he gets lost in thought you take note of Gilly's sour expression
  819. "Keep eating, it will keep you alive."
  820. >Gilly doesn't change her expression but forces herself to keep going
  821. "Well Doc? The suspense is killing me. Are you going to tell us what the big deal is or what?"
  822. >Anatoly shows you the stitching on the breast pocket
  823. >"Tell me something Stalker, have you ever heard of 3rd Energy?"
  824.  
  825. >"Several years ago a prominent scientist named Edward Kirk developed a new way of creating clean energy literally out of thin air
  826. >He began work on it secretly after his supposed death on a secluded island with aid from the Borginian government in exchange for weaponizing his energy source
  827. >However when tests were being conducted a rather unusual side effect was discovered when overloading the core energy source
  828. >When stabilized at low power it could create an infinite amount of energy releasing ozone as a byproduct, at exponentially high power levels the effects were less subtle
  829. >Depending on the energy output of the system two events could potentially unfold
  830. >Either the core would create a chain reaction that disintegrates the air around it and result in a large explosion similar to a hydrogen bomb vaporizing everything around it
  831. >Or, when substantially higher levels are achieved, it could create a massive geographical time shift wherein the resulting explosion would transfer its surroundings to a different point in time rather than reduce them to dust
  832. >Edward Kirk and his team stumbled onto these results by mistake as they became too greedy for their own good
  833. >The resulting time shift brought creatures from another time into our own and unfortunately into his compound
  834. >A task force was sent in to recover Kirk, apprehending both him and his research for use by their own government
  835. >In the end the facility was destroyed along with the dinosaurs and any surviving scientist's
  836. >Since then the name third energy is only whispered by those brave enough to dwell into the archives
  837. >One such man exiled himself to the zone."
  838. >Anatoly reached into the breast pocket and pulled out a name tag encased in yellowing plastic
  839. >"That man became my friend."
  840. >Finishing off the last bite you dust your hands off and lean forward
  841. "Thanks for the story doc, but i don't see how a third energy is going to help us in the zone. If you haven't noticed we've got worse things here than some tooty fruity dinosaurs."
  842. >You swear you heard a snicker from Gilly
  843. >Anatoly stuffs the id tag into his pocket and pulls out a knife
  844. >"You don't understand Stalker, what I'm saying is two government's are aware of the Third Energy. Only one has it."
  845. >Anatoly began scraping off the stitching
  846. >"Borginia is just over the border from us, they lost their man, their money, and their research. What they do have is the zone. They have us, Stalker. And now they want your artifact."
  847. >The truck rolled to a stop before you could respond
  848. >The driver opened up the back window
  849. >"Alright folks we're going to take a moment here to stretch our legs and wake up a bit."
  850. "What's the problem?"
  851. >"We're near the military warehouses..."
  852. "So? Keep going, are you crazy?"
  853. >"Let me finish. I said we're near the military warehouses but it sure as hell doesn't sound like it."
  854. >He held up a ham radio and turned up the volume
  855. >All you heard was static
  856. >Anatoly shifted in his seat
  857. >"What does this mean?"
  858. >Shaking his head the driver dropped the radio in his lap
  859. >"The military is never quiet, they always have chatter on so they sound busy. I think we better check it out."
  860.  
  861.  
  862. >The old farm buildings, home to several burner anomaly's, stood a good distance away from the road but in a pinch it was good cover
  863. >The air wavered with heat and a few embers loosed themselves every time a leaf or some poor insect wandered too close to them
  864. >The road stood as empty as ever, desolate, but seemingly clear of danger
  865. >Since the last emission though you wondered if that was true anymore
  866. >Making your way carefully to the top of a nearby hill you cast your gaze to the warehouses hoping to see some activity around the compound
  867. >There was none
  868. >The fields too were devoid of mutants and stalkers alike
  869. >Things were starting to get eerie
  870. >Below you the Freedom members instinctively set up a haphazard perimeter around the truck while Anatoly and Oleg peered at a map
  871. >Trachenko joined them only a moment later with his compass after he finished pissing
  872. >"What are you looking for?"
  873. >You start as you turn to find Gilly sitting beside you
  874. >She didn't seem to notice
  875. >"Well?"
  876. >You take a breath pulling your finger away from the trigger
  877. "I just wanted a look. See those buildings?"
  878. >You point needlessly as you notice her studying them already
  879. >"They're empty. Is that good?"
  880. "...empty...?"
  881. >"Yeah, i don't see anyone outside, or walking past the windows inside? Don't you stalkers usually have patrols?"
  882. >Ivan told you she was good but you never saw for yourself
  883. "Uh, yes. Freedom is usually stationed here, it's their main base. Are you sure there's no one here?"
  884. >"Positive."
  885. "Fuck. That is not good."
  886. >Gilly swished her tail in wide deliberate arcs across the grass
  887. >You could only guess she was pissed as well, and maybe like you a little bit scared
  888. >Holding your breath you force yourself to calm down
  889. >The road led right past the warehouses
  890. >If you were alone you might chance it, since you weren't you could only hope the others would agree to cut through the field
  891. >Right as you were about to break the bad news to your companions Gilly nudged you
  892. >"Down there."
  893. >You do your best to follow her gaze
  894. >"Where exactly?"
  895. >"By that old tree stump next to that pond
  896. >You spot the pond and raise the rifle's scope to your eye
  897. >The only thing you managed to spot was movement heading into the bushes
  898. "Shit, what did it look like? Two legs or four?"
  899. >"Four..."
  900. >You were back to panicking, but thankfully before you could even think to ask how many heads it had she continues
  901. >"I think..."
  902. "What do you mean?"
  903. >She seemed a little freaked out
  904. >"I mean, it used both."
  905. "Could you tell if it was man or beast?"
  906. >She shook her head no
  907. >"It was covered in mud."
  908. >You breathe deeply again and lower your rifle
  909. "I wouldn't worry too much about it then, none of the mutants in the zone that I know of have eyes as sharp as yours."
  910. >A cigarette was still called for you thought
  911. >"But what was it?"
  912. >You shrug as you light a half tattered Marlboro
  913. "If it switched between four and two legs it was probably human at one point."
  914. >Gilly's eyes went wide
  915. >"It...was human?"
  916. >Nodding your head you confirm your answer
  917. "Some stalkers just run into bad luck."
  918. >Gilly shot a look between you and the pond then back to you
  919. >"That's not going to happen to you is it?"
  920. >Concern riddle her voice
  921. >Looking in her eyes youre about to explain the nuances that came with psi storms, emissions, fractures, and snorks when a commotion back at the truck catcher your attention
  922. >The radio seemed to spark back to life in the Freedom merc's hand and Anatoly waved you back frantically
  923. >This news seemed rather important, but not important enough to distract you from Gilly
  924. >Turning to her you assure her adamantly
  925. "No, Gilly. That will NEVER happen to me."
  926.  
  927. >Radio chatter meant the military was trying to hide their true intentions
  928. >”It looks like maybe they’re taking their time moving into the zone. They don’t know it like we do.”
  929. >Oleg twisted the dial until the chatter faded into a murmur only barely audible over the wind
  930. >”What does this mean? Has Duty abandoned them?”
  931. >Anatoly clutched the hood of his suit around his neck as it started to drizzle again
  932. >Oleg shook his head as he stared at the Freedom members
  933. >Soft flashes of light pulsed in the distance as he spoke
  934. >”Our friends here would’ve been called to action if that were the case, but no such thing has happened... yet.”
  935. “Maybe it won’t happen at all.”
  936. >You speak nodding over the hill
  937. “Freedom has abandoned it’s base.”
  938. >Two of the Freedom members pulled out their PDA’s and began searching through messages
  939. >The other two went to climb the hill
  940. >”There is nothing here about leaving.”
  941. >”Maybe it was analog.”
  942. >Anatoly couldn’t help but ask what he meant by analog
  943. >”Freedom has a motorcycle they keep for running messages back and forth during emergencies so our enemies can’t eavesdrop on our communications. It’s very effective except when you’re not in the loop.”
  944. >”Hey guys! What do you see!?”
  945. >From up top the answer came short and quick
  946. >”Nothing!”
  947. >The wind started to pick up as they came rushing back down
  948. >”Nobody’s home, I think they packed up and moved to our defensive position in the Dark Valley.”
  949. >”Any mutants there?”
  950. >”Usually its safe enough to walk through, but with this new batch of emissions I doubt it will be the same as before.”
  951. >Thunder rumbled again as the drizzle turned into a steady rain
  952. >The wind whipping it into your faces
  953. >Trachenko threw his hands up into the air
  954. >”Well let’s get moving then, it’s not like we’re going to get any drier just standing here.”
  955. >The world flashed white and not a second later a deafening crash nearly blew out your eardrums
  956. “Fuck that shit! Let’s move to that farm up there!”
  957. >You felt a familiar sting in your leg and you reached out to wrap your arm around her neck
  958. >Gilly’s wings were doing a good job of catching the wind and nearly lifting her off the ground
  959. >Letting go of her neck you half hug has squeeze her as best you can before you were both tossed around like rag dolls
  960. >Trachenko led the way slipping his way up the steep muddy hill before giving up and started to crawl on his hands and knees
  961. >His fingers clawing at the dirt leaving deep gouges in the soft mud
  962. >You passed him with relative ease as Gilly helped to steady you
  963. >”STALKER!”
  964. >Oleg tossed a rope bundle up to you before you even make it
  965. >On reaching the top you sit down and wrap one end of the rope around your waist before tossing the rest down to your comrades
  966. >Trachenko intercepted the rope and gave you a tug before seemingly being satisfied and tossing the rest behind him
  967. >Gilly’s claws dig into your shoulders as the weight of the other men became a burden
  968. >Your ass had already started to slide with just Trachenko pulling at you
  969. >Speaking of which he patted you on the shoulder as he passed by and stared at the invisible anomaly in front of him
  970. >He turned quickly and unceremoniously reached for your crotch
  971. >”Stalker let me take over! You find us a way in!”
  972. >You were surprised how loud he had to speak even though he was next to you
  973. >It still took you a moment to understand as he freed you
  974. >You figured he just wussed out until you turned around and saw for yourself
  975. >The nearest burner was hardly visible sputtering steam just a few meters in
  976. >”Go stalker! We will follow your footprints!”
  977. >Lightning flashed from somewhere up above just as you mulled it over
  978. >”Go stalker! Don’t worry about your friend! I will look after her!”
  979. >You couldn’t see too well with all the rain but Gilly’s claws digging into your thigh was the only response you needed
  980. >Again you wrap your arm around her and dig into your coat pocket for a bolt
  981. >It was empty
  982. >Thinking quick you reach into your pants for some old ammo you were left holding back at the flea market
  983. >Pulling your hand out you find three old grime covered bullets
  984. >Tossing one ahead of you only served to remind you how strong the wind was as it flew away to your right and set off a burner further down
  985. “Fuck.”
  986. This next time you position yourself into an awkward half crouch against the wind and throw the second bullet as hard as you can
  987. >It disappeared into the rain but set off another burner up aways and to your left
  988. >Progress you hoped
  989. >If your luck held you might pull off a decent path through the anomaly field with as little turns as possible
  990. >One burner every three or so meters
  991. >An anomaly field of roughly eight to ten meters in width
  992. >You just might make it
  993. >Squeezing her gently you urge Gilly forward
  994. >The ground beneath was sodden and water logged so that your boots sank with every footstep
  995. >Thankfully Gilly served as a ballast while keeping pace with you
  996. >When you felt you had gone in as far as you could go safely you stop and again position yourself to throw the bullet into the wind
  997. >Nothing happened
  998. >”What do you think you’re doing!?”
  999. >All thought had left your mind
  1000. >You had no idea how to respond
  1001. >Gilly tugged you leg but you paid her no attention
  1002. >What the hell were you going to do now?
  1003. >Gilly dug her claws into you finally gathering your attention
  1004. >”This way!”
  1005. >She nodded over to your right
  1006. “How do you know?”
  1007. >Tugging your leg until you turned fully in her direction she said
  1008. >”It doesn’t feel as hot.”
  1009. >Gilly lead you a meter or so into the new direction and stopped
  1010. >”Now left!”
  1011. >You turn again nearly toppling over her as she rushed you into position
  1012. >She led the rest of the way confident in her stride until the farmhouse came into view then she stopped
  1013. “And now!?”
  1014. >She looked to both directions repeatedly and answered honestly
  1015. >”I don’t know!”
  1016. >The two of you stood together alone in the wind and rain trying to figure out your next move when a sharp pain spreads down the length of your arm
  1017. >You nearly let go of Gilly as you instinctively try to clutch your arm to inspect it
  1018. >You do however look over to try and see what exactly that was when the burners further away start going off in rapid succession encroaching on your position
  1019. >Another unexpected turn as Gilly’s claws release their grip on your leg and dig into your thick leather jacket as she pushes you to the ground
  1020. >A moment later you’re on your back watching a trussed shape zoom past you in the blink of an eye
  1021. >Before you could gather your thoughts she lifted you to your feet again
  1022. >The whole thing left you a bit disoriented
  1023. >”Let’s move! We should’ve backtracked sooner!”
  1024. >Gilly leads you down one more corridor before turning right again and delivering you to the wooden frame of the old farmhouse
  1025. >It took a moment before you realized she quite possibly saved your life
  1026. “Thank you, Gilly!”
  1027. >”Shut up and open the door!”
  1028.  
  1029. >The house was drafty, at first
  1030. >To say it was musty was an understated if not impertinent observation
  1031. >Soot and grime stained the ceiling, walls and windows
  1032. >Mold grew on plaster where the wallpaper peeled away from age and moisture
  1033. >The ceiling caved in some time before and the loose beams and trusses littered the back wall
  1034. >Water leaked from somewhere above
  1035. >The floorboards were pulled out exposing the dirt floor below which was somewhat disheveled with pits dug irregularly and the soil piled next to them
  1036. >In the middle a fire pit surrounded by scrap metal and brick was laden with a hardened ash mound
  1037. >And it was dark
  1038. >The kind of dinge that spelled safety in the zone
  1039. >Now the fire pit was crackling with new life
  1040. >The shadows playing along the walls made you think that the mold and mildew picked certain spots to flourish
  1041. >Everyone picked either a pit or a pile to settle in whether it was to sit or lay down
  1042. >You chose to sit against the wall thanks to Gilly’s insistence
  1043. >Not to rest but to keep you safe
  1044. >The two of you had an argument which she ultimately won by grasping your arm and pulling you down
  1045. >Spots took over your vision and you were left gasping for air
  1046. >The others joined you soon after looking either exasperated or pissed
  1047. >They took one look at Gilly, you, and the blood pouring from your arm and calmed down
  1048. >Anatoly had to explain he lost sight of you in the anomaly and practically they had to feel their way along your path
  1049. >Bricklayer, one of the Freedom members had a burner go off in his face where Gilly tackled you
  1050. >Thank God he had a good gas mask
  1051. >His brother Ditchdigger still had to put out the fire and the mask was now useless
  1052. >The other two were Misfit and Arab, they introduced themselves once you were lucid again
  1053. >Oleg suggested taking a look at your arm since a simple gash shouldn’t have almost knocked you out
  1054. >You agreed, it wasn’t the first time you were cut so deep, your mind going back to run ins with swamp cats
  1055. >Taking off your jacket and with Gilly’s help holding the flashlight you started inspecting the cut
  1056. >Pouring some water on it gave you a better look at what you were dealing with
  1057. >The gash was about 3 inches long and deep considering it was still bleeding
  1058. >Pulling it apart with you thumb and forefinger revealed something strange
  1059. >There was a dull black spot at on one end of the cut that sat below the skin flaps
  1060. >Curious you close the cut and move your fingers for a better grip
  1061. >In the small moment when you closed it a tingling sensation ran down your arm before you opened it again
  1062. “What the hell is that?”
  1063. >You peer at it curiously for a while, admittedly you were afraid to close the cut again
  1064. >Gilly pulled your head back as she took a look
  1065. >”It looks like it’s...rusty.”
  1066. >Rust wasn’t good, from the corner of your eye you even see Anatoly pick his head up
  1067. >Alright, something rusty was in your arm, now how do you take it out?
  1068. >You and Gilly exchange looks and fall into a silent agreement
  1069. >Holding your breath you pull back the skin a bit more and let Gilly have a go at it
  1070. >Gilly shifts herself on the ground and pulls her sodden claws into view
  1071. >To your surprise she actually stops herself when she sees how dirty her talons are
  1072. >Shooting you a glance before scowling she says
  1073. >”Don’t say I never did anything for you.”
  1074. >Slowly she leaned her face closer to your arm
  1075. >You watch as she opens her mouth and with surgical precision locked her beak around it
  1076. >A moment later you feel a shooting pain erupt through your body as she lifts her head in one smooth fluid motion
  1077. >Gasping for air as the pain subsided you see Gilly spit a broken nail onto the floorboards
  1078. >”You’re welcome. Again.”
  1079. >You try to thank her but the words just wouldn’t come out so instead you grunt in acknowledgment
  1080. >”Damn Stalker” you hear someone say “That looked like it hurt.”

Sunset Imouto

by spinner

STALKER: War for the Zone (MLP fanfic)

by spinner