[Project Lensflare] Squad introduction

[tha_rami]

As another exercise, I'm writing up the player squad for the game through a story. This story will involve a few key players, crafts and locations from the game, although it's still in early production.

[tha_rami]

“That’s all there’s to it.�

The conversation completely halted at that. There was no denying that it was an insane idea, suicidal even, yet for some reason noone had tried to protest the conclusion. Four men stared at eachother in a silence that heavily contrasted with the constant noise from all the other tables in the crowded Vuurian bar. One of them, the last to speak, grabbed his drink and threw back its last contents before rising from his chair, throwing a small amount of credits on the table, tipping his hat and quitely leaving.

Three conspirators remained. The guys knew they were skilled pilots, valiant and resourceful. They had fought often before, survived battles against all odds. This time, however, things were different. This time, the battle wouldn’t be against all odds, there were no odds. There was certain death and there was no way it would end otherwise.

“That’s all there’s to it, huh?�, grunted the biggest of the three, gesturing wildly. “Suicidal fool has nothing to lose. It’s gonna be a huge slaughterhouse “ - he spread his arms and slammed one of his mighty limbs into an unfortunate passerby. They exchanged looks, but the passerby quickly hurried on seeing the posture of the man he was dealing with. The man huffed and continued. “I’m telling ya, a huge slaughterhouse an’ nothin’ but scraps afterwards�

“Are you kidding, Skulls? We’ve done this thing a thousand times before. Remember that one time we tried to pull that heist on the Caberra? We didn’t get killed then, we won’t get killed now.�
Scrawny had earned his nickname through the scientist stereotype. Although he wasn’t as wide as Skulls, he wasn’t thin by any method of measurement available. Main difference between the two men was Skulls got his posture through muscle, and Scrawny got it through food, booze and general abuse of any substance he could get his hands on. When the raiders recruited him, they had fully expected a scrawny labcoat with thick glasses and a notepad to enter the room. Despite his usual state of mind, however, Scrawny was softspoken and the most reliable ship engineer they could find in the entire sector.

“Yeah, I remember that and picking your sorry ass up in an escape pod before we even got close to anything resembling a entry point. An’ that were the Caberra, a tiny freighter compared to the Gimbal. That thing would crash through the Caberra without a scratch, man.�
The last of the three chuckled, dropping his schmolly on the table. “He’s right, Scrawny - I mean, I told my brothers kid about the Gimbal when he was just a kiddo - if he didn’t eat his veggies, the Gimbal would come and blow up the city�. The other two stared in disbelief.
“Hah, you told the kid that? Poor thing�, Skulls bellowed. “My brother told his boy that if he didn’t eat his food, good ol’ uncle Skulls would come for ‘m. How ‘bout that, huh?�
“Hell, I’m a good third along my life-expectancy now and I’d still eat my food if someone told me that�, grinned Scrawny, “don’t you, Eyes?�

Eyes wasn’t listening anymore. He had grabbed a new schmolly and stuck it in his mouth, the white stick firmly between his teeth. These darn things always left a sour taste in his mouth. Taste of death, some would warn him, but heck, if that were so - he liked the taste of death. If they were really going to do what Doc was saying, this was going to be an interesting week.
Skulls shrugged at the silence. “We do this, I say ya in the last week before ya expectancy runs out.“
“Fellows, I think I’m going to turn in and get some rest as well. We’ve got some travelling to do. Don’t get yourself all drunk again, eh, Scrawny?�
“Come on, Eyes, I wasn’t drunk, man, you know that.�
“Yea, yea, sure thin’. You took that pretty granny back to your ship cuz’ you was sober� - laughed Skulls. “I’ll make sure he won’t make no fool of himself.�
Eyes paid the bill for Skulls and Scrawny, added a few credits for the few drinks he’d guessed Scrawny would consume and left the bar.

It was a short walk to the nearest transit point and he mused on about the plan. The Gimbal was a formidable foe, but they were a formidable squad. Skulls had joined in early after the entire sector had gone to hell - he always found the man a bit odd with his accent, but he was a formidable pilot and according to his wild and fantastic stories, a former commando for the Company.
Scrawny was the only replacement on the team, recruited after their old tech guy was shot down when he went against Doc advise. He had proven to be a most valuable asset to the team in the past five years, going as far as to repair a ships radiation shield coolant using two metal pipes and a spray-can of something he bought at a local pharmacy. Eyes felt safe in the squad - Spotters are usually the primary targets for their foes, he barely ever had had to take evasive maneouvres while spotting. The other three would cover him until he got his readings right for the real assault.

When his train of thought took him to the leader of the bunch, Doc, he felt a tingle of doubt. He had known Doc for as long as he can remember and completely trusted his judgement and tactical insight. There was a brain under the hat that could process things at a speed that, if they hadn’t been born thieves, would have had Doc declared the greatest thinker of his time. This plan, however, made Eyes doubt Docs’ sanity. As he reached the transit point to the space port, he sat down on a little bench and stared at the stars. Maybe Doc would have some new wisdom to share by tomorrow.

[Edited on 19-7-2010 by tha_rami]

[Edited on 19-7-2010 by tha_rami]

[Maarschalk]

Well written Intro.....cool...