SPRECTRES ACT 4 : Loss
09 Jun 2020Maggie Oz
Be sure to have read the amazing Act 3 by the crazy talented J_Dog first! The rest of that night was subdued. We were both frightened beyond reason.
I was messaging Roy every hour or so to be sure he was OK. I think I began to annoy him so I eased off after he'd assured me he was safe and not leaving the palace on Baal.
Later on that night Jamie and I made love like there was no tomorrow .........
The next morning we were a still a little tense, however, no new attacks had gone on overnight so we began to breathe a little easier.
"Stay at home today love, if you need anything just let me know and I'll collect it on my way home tonight," said James
"Yes OK, what time will you be home?"
"Should be about 18:30 I think. I'm spending the day at the Celestial Surveillance Hub over in Cemiess, trying to see if we can spot any patterns in the traffic around the areas where the hits were made. "
"OK, well you be careful too, we still don't know what this is all about," I said as we walked to the door
"Yes no problem, I'll come home via Facece rather than jumping direct, the permit lock should shake off anyone following me."
We kissed and as I watched him walk away, he stopped and looked back, I felt a thrill in my tummy, we waved .... and then he was gone.
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It was 18:45 I was preparing dinner and waiting for James to come home.
Two things happened at once.
The comm chimed and there was knock at the door.
A pang of anxiety shot through me and I ran to the door. I opened it.
It was Jock, I saw the look on his face
"No"
I backed away in horror, tears flowing
"Maggie .. " He started
"NO ! NO! Shut your mouth, Jock MacGovern you shut your fucking mouth. No I ... I won't, oh my fucking God, NO"
I started to collapse, Jock leapt and caught me, I couldn't breath
I buried my face in Jock's chest
"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaahhhhaaaaa" I screamed with all my might.
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I lay on the couch. It was night ... late.
I was empty.
Every single emotion, sorrow, pain, anger, hate, RAGE, loneliness, sadness, hopelessness; they were all gone, I had nothing left, no tears, no thoughts
I was catatonic.
......
"Madam?" said DAC
"What is it DAC?" I said with disinterest.
"Madam. Lie very still and do not sit up under any circumstances. Be prepared for gunfire and explosion" as DAC said this a hiterto unnoticed panel in the ceiling opened and from it descended a turret mounted small calibre multicannon
"Jesus Christ DAC, what the fuck is going on?"
"I have detected 6 intruders on the palace grounds moving towards the palace in assault formation. I estimate they will breach the wall of your bedroom in 30 seconds. I have alerted the Ready Reaction Section of Marines who will be on site in 60 seconds. They will be too late. I must defend you."
"Holy shit," I said and rolled off the couch and onto the floor, putting my hands over my head and curling into a ball.
A deafening CHA-BANG and the rear wall of my bedroom disappeared as the breaching charge blew it to atoms.
pa-ching, -that's a grenade- I put my hands over my ears.
BAWANNNNNNNGGGG, the reverberating blast and blinding flash of a concussion grenade
I heard the footfalls as the Mercs clambered into my bedroom I could see the lancing beams of their laser targeters glittering off the dust that now filled the room.
One of the beams briefly played on the multi cannon
"Look o.." BRRRRT.BRRRRRT.BRRRRRT.BRRRRRT. four short sharp bursts of fire, stabs of flame leaping from the muzzles of the cannon creating a blinding strobe effect in the room and DAC precisely riddled each attacker tearing them to shreds.
From outside I heard a more sedate exchange of gunfire as the remaining mercenaries were cut down by the Marines.
"Winnie, Tosh, Pete and Alice, do a sweep oft' grounds and see if there are any more o't' buggers" I heard the distinctive voice of Corporal Bell call "Taff and Mohammed, clear 'tother buildin'."
"M'Lady?" he called, I was still in shock "Maggie, are ya there?"
I slowly sat up, raising my hands as I rose up from behind the couch
"Are ya ok M'um?" he asked, I nodded and walked towards him.
He looked around at the carnage that was once my home.
"T'it's quite an 'ouse computer you 'ave there M'um"
"Quite ... " I said shaking my head still trying to understand what had just happened.
The other members of the section returned from their sweeps just as CSM Cloverdale arrived. She had not been on standby, more likely at home asleep, but somehow she managed to be at the scene within minutes, fully decked in patrol kit and armed.
"Everything sorted, Jerry?" she asked in her characteristic calm and confident tone
"Aye, Sar'Major, patrols 't reportin' back now"
"Grounds are clear Corp," said one of the Marines who had swept the grounds
"How's Pris and the wee bairn?" CSM Clovedale asked of the other group.
They sadly shook their heads.
"What!" I cried "What's happened, oh, they didn't hurt anyone, not them too oh my fucking God. This is a nightmare."
"Looks like the Mercs where 'oled up in their 'ouse while they waited to make their attack. Rather than just tie them up or sommat they just ... well single shot to the back of the 'ead"
I went to run to them, but the Corporal grabbed me.
"Ya can't do nowt for 'em now Maggie. You don't want to see them, that's all you'll ever remember o't them" he said in kind tone "We'll take care o't them, make sure they are treated wit' respect."
"Why don't you come home with me Mar'm" said the CSM "I've a spare room. Till we get things cleaned up"
In a daze I let them lead me away.
Jordanna begins to wonder what all this is about in Act 5