2311

[Verin]

The magnets start creating a deep thrumming as they continue to prepare themselves. When it becomes apparent they can spin no faster, Alex fires the cannon. The noise is horrendous, rounds firing out at speeds that make the five shots already fired look downright tame in comparison. However, as rounds are launched at the creature, the magnets begin slowing, and the rounds also slow and lose some of their massive power. Finally, emptying the twenty round clip for the cannon, Alex slowly stands the Mech normally, and looks at the place where the creature had been. All he can see is a smoke cloud for the moment, the rock around the creature disintegrating into the massive white cloud currently obscuring anything from sight.

Keying the com, Alex looks to where Helga was by the tree "Glad you weren't onboard for that? From inside, it felt like an orbital drop!" He laughs, before following with "You seeing any movement on there?"

 

[Gulliver]

"Nope, not a thing," she replied calmly. She wasn't going to openly admit it, but Helga was impressed. Such firepower. When the smoke cleared, there was nothing but a tattered carcass, riddled with enough holes, the ribcage collapsed in on itself with not enough support. Meat and blood had been sprayed everywhere, staining the foliage, the trees and the moss that covered the ground. Soil oozed red.

"I thought you said you wanted it's hide?" Helga asked, slinging her riffle over her shoulder as she walked back up to the machine, with her new partner inside.

 

[Verin]

Alex laughs, looking over his handiwork as the smoke clears "Well, there can always be DNA workups. And I think there might be an intact piece in there, if you want to go get it. Least thisway we don't need to check for a pulse." He drops the Mech into a crouch, the shoulder rungs within reach if one jumped.

"Well, least I got an idea how destructive this thing can get. Never actually got to try it, and now I see why." Turning the Mech's sensor suite, he begins looking for the convoy again. '"Uh... There they are. Looks like we get to play some catch up."

 

[Gulliver]

"Well then, let's go," Helga said, jumping up and catching the bottom rung of the ladder with her left hand. The appendage whirred quietly as she pulled herself up, securing her place on the mech almost effortlessly.

Before they left, she turned and gave the last, tattered remains of the beast one last glance. It had been massive, mighty, with those powerful jaws filled with sharp-as-knives teeth. Now, however, it was reduced to a pile of steaming flesh, some sunlight beating down on it through the smallest gaps in the canopy. Smoke flowed up through those beams, casting wispy, transparent shadows on the forest floor, shading the green moss that covered the soil in a single, carpeting layer. It occurred to her that it was almost sad, how they had come to the world, with their caravan of moving, metal creatures, and then had completely annihilated such a specimen of power and supremacy.

 

[Verin]

Standing as she finishes securing herself on the hull, Alex turns the Mech around and settles it into a ground eating lope. Moving along the path the convoy had taken moments before, it wasn't long before the two were once more among the familiar grays and silvers of the human machines. Retaking his place behind and to the right of the convoy, he brings down the speed to match pace with the craft. Relaxing a bit as they find themselves among friendlies once more, Alex sighs as he resumes scanning the area.

Reflecting on the encounter with the beast, he couldn't help but wonder why he'd done what he did. He knew damn well what spinning the gun up could do for the first several shots, so why? It'd been more than necessary, he could've incapacitated it... No, two things could've happened from that. Either he got the Mech damaged in close quarters, or he left the creature so maimed anything could kill it, which would cause the same result. Now if only he could shake the knot of dread forming in his gut...