Rowdy Dead Productions

By David C. Daoust

“Well I think we got a minute…” Craiden muttered slumping in his seat.

Mari heard her son’s muttering… She even felt bad for evading his questions, though still, she pretended to concentrate on the controls of the land speeder instead, as they rocketed towards the gates of Grady.

Honestly, she wasn’t sure how to explain that the voice in her ear, a voice that she had not heard since… since before she joined Fleet really, was completely normal and not some form of madness.  A voice that left her, those many years ago, when she refused to take her place as a Royal and instead joined those fighting in the stars.

Noreen was her name, the light, electronic voice that only she, and other Royals like her, could hear. Noreen was, in fact, the AI of the Ark Ship, Rhea Epsilon. It was customary for those born of the Royals to be implanted with the device, a device in which they could communicate with the Ark Ships directly when necessary.

Mari left that life behind when she joined the military. Ark Ships would not communicate with those that fight in wars, not directly anyway. Mari was cut off. So when the voice returned, abruptly, so early in the morning after a night of drinking and reminiscing… even Mari thought she might be going mad.

Under the circumstances Mari was the only person on Twin Crown that the Ark Ship could talk to. Given the Ark Ships dislike for Drone tech, Mari was not surprised that Noreen was taking such a hands-on approach.

Once Noreen was sure Mari understood what she need do, the voice had fallen silent.

The torrent of sands bellowed out behind the hovering speeder as they raced through the desert. Her hands only tightened on the controls as the explosions began in the distance, as if the tension in her grip may hasten the already maxed out machine to its destination.

Mari could make out the smoke and debris rising out of the Port town. She could see the metal forms of the Battle Drones; they looked like giant metal spiders for the most part, though squat and more solid, with thick iron limbs, the rocket boosters within their abdomen gave them the added ability to fly. Some launched missiles; others crawled over the squat buildings, crushing all they could with their massive arachnid like legs. They were programmed to demolish the town, and this is what they were doing as Mari and her son finally made it into the fray.

The gates were already gone, blown to high hell, much of the main road that led into the town center, was a scorched mess, buildings toppled, vehicles destroyed -all this damage in a matter of moments. Mari didn’t see a soul, dead or otherwise. She could only hope that meant the townsfolk managed to make it to safety, away from the danger.

Mari’s heart raced, she couldn’t believe how fast things could change. It was but the day before that she was wallowing in despair, considered letting the black mucus within her lungs take her, all for the loss of her husband. She was prone to bouts of depression ever since she left the military behind. Whether it was the over stimulation of battle, or under stimulation of her new life, maybe just the haunted images of those she’d lost, or those she’d taken, she’d never know. It was often her husband would say to her, ‘depression is not a feeling at all, it is an absence of feeling, get up and do, fill the absence, it does not matter with what. A little bit of chaos goes a long way.’

She almost laughed out loud at the thought as she witnessed the carnage around her.

“Get up and do,” Mari said aloud, as the building to their left suddenly toppled into itself as the massive form of the Battle Drone tore out its guts. Mari held steady at the controls, not allowing the sudden appearance of danger, rattle her from her mission.

“Holy!” Craiden exclaimed as the massive form suddenly launched directly over the pair, to crash into the building on the opposite side of the road. “I guess I didn’t consider actually being in the town for this part…”

“Like I need the reminder that this is all your doing…”Mari seethed, “Do you realize how many people could be killed?”

“They killed plenty of ours!” Craiden answered back, the excitement on his face suddenly replaced by a dark cloud as he detected his mother’s anger towards him.

“No,” Mari disagreed, “No they didn’t… they just chose to live differently from us. There are just as many townsfolk with the infection as the first wave. More so I’d bet. You don’t have the right to place blame…”

“These people aren’t innocent.” Craiden said halfheartedly.

“Well neither are you,” Mari stated.

“I wasn’t going to do it…” Craiden said, his side of the argument gone.

As they approached the city center, more and more people could be seen, many being ushered away by droids. Many of the people were frightened, general chaos seemed to follow, as many seemed to be looting what they could. Fights were breaking out everywhere. Weapon fire could be heard from soldiers fighting off what drones they could. While still more droids were busy trying to take down the Drones, to disastrous effect.

“What I wouldn’t give for a weapon…” Mari said aloud as she continued to race towards the town center.

Craiden was way ahead of her however, as he turned and knelt in his seat fumbling with a latch under the back panel behind them. She heard a snap as he lifted up the hatch of a rather spacious hidden compartment, all to reveal a stash of rifles…

“Why do we even have those?” Mari questioned as Craiden loaded the weapon.

“Seriously?” Craiden asked as he set the first rifle at her side, and got one for himself, “Have you ever met Grandpa Haul??”

“Good thing I set aside my war-like ways to live peacefully in the desert…” Mari muttered to herself.

“A little bit of chaos…” Craiden began to say before the speeder suddenly flipped as one of the battle drones tore up, out of the sewers under the road. Mari thought her heart may explode as the vehicle flipped sideways into the debris…