Difference between revisions of "Atlantis: chapter 9"

Revision as of 08:31, 3 May 2008

"Glad to see you guys are alive." Tom said truthfully.

"Yeah. We've been pinned down here at least half an hour." Mitchell responded.

"Well, 50, when pinned down like this and under fire, what's your first tactic if nobody comes to the rescue?" Tom asked him quizzically. When battling a technically superior enemy it was best not to use names.

"Mount an energetic and enthusiastic counter attack." Mitchell replied with a slight smile. His sandy hair somehow seemed darker when coupled with his serious, grimy face. "And we have. But we've been under so much fire we couldn't do very much. P- er, 49 and I have been switching off on branch duty. We got a couple of them. I estimate about six left, with the ones you killed."

"Uh, Sarge, I think there are a few more than six..." One of them called, and Tom looked up to see multiple of the Russians' APCs rolling to stops around their position.

"Quick! Get out while there's time!" Tom screamed. Too late.

The first APC opened and dropped down the first of its men. They opened fire, and along with the APC's built in .45 cal machine gun, it sent a sheet of bullets racing for the opening, effectively trapping Tom and his men.

"Guess we'll stay a while." Mitchell said from his position on the side of a ruined seat.

"We'll be fine as long as they don't bring out explosives." Tom said reassuringly. Just then an explosion rocked the destroyed craft, sending men spilling to the floor. Tom was knocked onto his side. "I thought that only happened in movies."

"Maybe not, but it looks like they only got one launcher." One of the soldiers said, climbing to his feet. "Otherwise we woulda' heard another one right now."

"Alright. One launcher. Simple, we take him out." Mitchell said.

"But how do we get out to shoot?" Another of the soldiers asked.

"We don't need to see them to get them." Mitchell answered, sitting down in a secure position. He mentally accessed his Other and began to search. One advantage of using the Other was that, in addition to being able to control supernatural forces, the Other saw in a different light. The Other's vision was based less on objects than on brainwaves and links. Mainly, it was used for telepathic images and messages, mostly by the newer psi-agents. An experienced psi-agent would know the links between brains are there, and he wouldn't have to see to link up and send a thought. But in the hands of a skilled psi-warrior like Mitchell, it could also be used to detect life and its whereabouts. It could also be used in conjunction with another psi power, like, say, telekenesis.

Mitchell latched onto a rock and threw it at one of the APCs. The gunner must have been warned of their powers, though, because he swiveled the turret around and blasted the rock to pieces using his machine gun.

Next Mitchell latched onto a log, hooking it between the APC's treadwheels. He found a goodly sized rock and placed it as the fulcrum for his lever. Then he called, "Need a little extra force over here. Can anybody lend a brain?", and immediately two minds who had been throwing random stuff at men jumped to and started to help. Just then another explosion rocked the Osprey, disrupting everyone's concentration. Mitchell jumped right back into the Other and said, "I see his vapor trail! Quick! 48, get on him!"

Then the three others went back to their lever. Mitchell stoned a Russian who was trying to dig the rock out, then pushed downwards. With the help of the other two, he managed to flip the APC on its side, and it rolled over onto its top and smashed its own gun. Then Mitchell grabbed a large boulder and dropped it from up high onto the exposed, weak underbelly. It penetrated through and hit a fuel tank, causing the APC to blow up into fragments.

Wild cheering broke out through the Osprey as they saw the APC go down, leaving Tom feeling even more helpless. He couldn't access his psi energy, and so couldn't help with the counterattack. Here he was, coming to save them, and they were saving him!

He decided to mount a counterattack of his own. Calling to one of the soldiers, he said, "Cover me on the way out!" and started climbing to the top. The soldier obediently turned and dredged up two pieces of bulletproof steel and metal from the broken APC to cover Tom as he came out. Tom popped through the door, opening up a few rounds from the opening between the two pieces of metal. He dropped the the jungle floor and dove through a cloud of lead and into the safety of the jungle. The safety of the dark, mysterious, incredibly scary, Dino infested, thick, tangled jungle.