in the deep sky's Abyss

_9_

Solutions(9)

A/N: yep, i updated after like, a week.

Anyways.
_______________.

The blood splatter looked like stardust on Callum's boots.

They were at an abandonned hangar. The was remains of synthetics, and of some people. One of the synthetics had self destructed.

"look at this, whoever they were they were disentigrated. Wow, amazing"one of the youngsters said.

"there is not many amazing things in war"

"you're no fun" another kid responded.

"Nor is it fun to get kneecapped by a lasergun" Callum cut in.

That shut them up pretty quickly. The kids hadn't seen almost any frontline combat, and were afraid to their bones. They just diddn't wish to show it.

___________.
(Alex POV)

Why were skirts so damn comfortable? One of lifes greatest questions.

Wearing a trenchcoat wasn't the same as wearing a skirt, but close enough. Atleast Alex didn't get wet.

The jungle was not comfortable. It was wet, and cold and warn at the same time. Plus the wet socks squished water between your toes. the bucket helmets weren't making it any more enjoyable.

Alex was sitting on a massive tree root, which was mossy and slightly slimy. The machine soldiers in the distance were ominiously approaching them from the distance.

They were safe in the trees. Atleast the other were, Alex couldn't climb up the slippery bark. He decided to hide under the roots, throw a flare, and hope for the best.

The part for the second engine had been stolen from crashed troopcarriers. Those wrecks had a good amount of food in them too; mushy bean & mushroom soup from a can was not the most delicious, but it was better than starving.

The bots were getting closer by the second. The flare disoriented them minimally.

Alex buried himself deeper in the mud under the roots.

As the machine soldiers got closer their 'faces' were more visible. They had fronts of human skulls on their metallic heads. The red eyes of them were shining trough the empty eye sockets. Some of the bone even had rotting flesh still attached to it.

Alex started breathing shallowly. He remembered the same machines from his home planet. 7 billion had been exterminated by those killing robots. Alex felt a tear rolling down his face. The world stopped existing around him. For a moment here was nothing but the horrifying feeling in his stomach and chest.

Then it just the dark night and him.
___________________________.
POV change.

Callum was heading back to the trenches to report finding nothing. The 4 remaining soldiers that were with him were covered in mud and blood. They were all almost unrecongnisable under the dried dirt.

Being back in the trenches was nice, it felt safer. The countless meters of sheet metal, wood planks, and barbwire had grown into a mess. There were more open areas with artillery or AAA. The small burrows had become the size of big cellars.

Massive pyres were being used to burn everything from naked corpses to other trash of the imperium. The soldiers were sitting around them to stay warm in the freezing cold.

A slightly more open roofed area in the trenches was used to pile the equipment stripped from the dead; helmets, boots, armor, weapons, belts. It was depressing to see that they were just gears in the machine of warfare.

The commander was sitting in his usual place, behind a desk staring down at a map.

Time for a talk like all the previous ones.
_____________________,
The only problem was the lack of armor neutralizing equipment. An armored assault had made a heavy dent in the ranks of their forces.

"last night was a slaughter, i never thought i'd see someone getting crushed by a tank." one of the young inquisitorys said exitedly.

"exited?"  Callum asked playfully.

"to get crushed? No, never. To do that to some bots? Yes."

A shell shook the ground. Someone screamed. Then another, and another, and another.

Gas started to flow into the living quarters. All the food and water was sealed away. Every inquisitionary put on their helmets as the door seal melted away from the gas.

Everyone ran away from the wall of deadly gas. Their helmets wouldn't save them from long exposure, the helmet seal would melt away.

Then automatized murder machines started to make their way trough the trenh system. Soldiers screamed. Some coughed wetly, their helmet seals had given out. The soldiers were coughing up their own lungs.

The new inquisitionarys were going to be babtized in fire and blood. The fear of death lingered in the air.

A blaster bolt broke Callums shoulder, he changed his laser-rifle to his left hand and continued firing.

Brain matter and blood splattered on him. One of the bots was destroyed. Then a sensation of burning covered him, tgen he realised that it was because he was burning.

Then a rocket strike stuck the ground around Callum. It was terrifying, his ears were ringing, his teammates were falling around him, the ground shook and turned. Then, silence. Nothing was moving for hundreds of meters around the strike zone. Callum could only cry silently, no one would hears him.

Broken, fractured legs. Concussion, and ringing ears. Breathing was painful. A searing pain all around his body. Then...

.... Darkness, nothingness.
... Some other place.
.. the pain was gone.

___________________________.
Pov change.

It was already dawn. Alex was still steadying his breath. Still hiding in the mud. The engine parts were crucial for the survival of the others. That was all he was able to think at the moment.

The helmet felt so constricting. The wet suit and trenchcoat felt slimy against his skin. He had broken a rib in his hurry, so blood was soaking his side even more than the mud.

A destroyed bot was laying on the ground. It's flaming red eyes were now dimmed down and weak.

Walkimg up the mountainous path was hard. Everyone had to carry heavy metal parts or wounded comrades.

The morning was just as cold as the night had been. Frost was forming on the small helmet visor. In the distance thick black smoke was rising  to the clear sky.

Having made it to the hideout cave Alex finally collapsed from the exhaustion.
_____________________________.

Max rushed to her boyfriends side, helping him up and inside the ship.

"you need a bath" she stated.

"and a kiss" he smiled weakly.

They kissed in their quarters. And took a shared shower afterwards.

Max had been worried that Alex wouldn't return. Now she was sketching him sitting on his knees on the floor.

"you're cute when you are like that" she said to him "you can stand up now, if you want to. I'm all finished"

Alex started to put on some clothes.

"thanks, i guess?" he anwered.

"you're always cute to me, no matter what"(M)

__________________________.
A/N:
Tell me what is your favourite quote from the book so far.

I have no excuse to be this late, sorry.

Vote if you liked, comment if you have got something to say, drink some water.