Tales of Rimworld

A Dreamer's Death (Timur colony)

What was supposed to be one of those slow evening turned for the worse. While the Spa Resort was slowly closing shops, with its guests returning to their room for the night, the colonists were finishing their tasks for the day. Jennifer was washing the transport truck and doing some minor repair when she heard distant metallic screeching, and like most colonists, she shrugged and went on her current task, thinking that she would have some time before the threat would be near the resort. But her eyes widened as she heard the echo of a dreadful noise. The sound of a charge lance being fired. The sound of charged plasma being fired resonated in the evening sky, followed by a deafening silence.

In an instant, Jennifer jumped into the combat car nearby, which had already a driver waiting for a gunner. When getting inside the vehicle, she found Starry, who had always been shunned for her repulsive appearance because of her xeno heritage, but she was always the first to react whenever there was an urgency. Jennifer was glad that the steadfast Starry was with her, and without wasting a second, they drove towards the mechanoid threat up north. Colonists had to jump out of the way of the speedy vehicle, with Jennifer furrowing her brows with worry. Her heart was beating as fast as the motor of the combat car. She knew but wouldn't accept the implication of the gunshot.

Sadly, her fears came true as the vehicle approached the resort, with Timur's corpse lying not far away, his torso having been torn. Without any hesitation, Jennifer opened fire on the approaching mechanoids, trying to protect what she and her husband have been building together. While holding her tears, she fought so that their dream wouldn't get destroyed by the metallic threat.

As the combat became more serious than anticipated, more colonists came to repel the enemy, fighting from fortified positions, on recently built wooden bridges, and in the foundations of new living quarters for the future guests of the resort. Every defender gave their all, trying to protect their home and the guests who were unaware of the battle that was unfolding. Timur's father, Trumpet, was the closest to the firefight, as he was trying to avenge his only child. Despite having a strained relation with his son, the alcoholic father still fought to protect the project of his son and his wife. Amidst the deafening gunfire, the stench of blood and burnt metal, the Spa Resort still remained intact.

As the fight slowly came to an end, the colonists pressed on, making sure that the mechanoid threat was no more. Once over, they tended to their wounds. The were casualties, with some requiring urgent medical care. Jennifer only had time to carry her adopted son, Victor, to the hospital bed that he breathed his last breath. Her face winced as she witnessed her adopted son's arm going limp as a pool of blood stained the sheets of the hospital bed. But despite all the hardship, she still pressed on, carrying more wounded and helping the doctors to treat the patients as best as she could.

As she tended the wounded, she couldn't help but remember when her husband had convinced her to open a spa resort, as a way to strengthen their bond. At first, she was a bit reluctant, finding the idea absurd, but she kept entertaining the idea, and Timur's passion was hard to ignore. With a laugh, she eventually accepted, making him promise that they would paint their bedroom with her favorite color. She also remembered when she and Timur stumbled upon an abandoned child that they adopted and treated like one of their own. Even when Jennifer got pregnant with Konny, she still treated Victor with the same care and love.

Some cold drops woke her from her reminiscing, realizing that tears were rolling down her cheeks and falling on her bloodstained hands. But as always, she never allowed herself a moment to cry and continued working. She knew she had to be strong, for herself, for Konny, for her and her husband's dream. Wiping off the tears with her hand, she steeled herself, as she knew that the next few days were going to be busy.

As the moral guide of the colony, she was the one who will have to hold the burials. But like always, Jennifer will act strong; for the colony; for their dream. Though, that won't stop her from looking for resurrector mech serums.