[Occam's Razor] [Occam's Razor] Occam's Razor: The Colorado Incident

[Morridan]

Jace made his way through all of the doors that would let him through, knowing that it would lead him to wherever the other male had directed him to. His movements was swift, powerwalking through much of the distance as he needed, jogging the rest. And as he decided to conserve his energy and walk the rest of the way, he would see one of the doors open and the man's voice echoing from within. He'd slowly slip himself into the doorway. As the two of them were inside 'suiting up' Malcom and getting as fully loaded as possible, they would see a human-shaped shadow slip into the entrance. Jace didn't say much at first, actually sizing the man up as though he were comparing their builds. He noted that the man before him was taller, though only by a few inches. And also that he was leaner. But he also looked to be on guard even as Jace first entered the door. "Well well, Mister Devontess. It seems you take care of yourself. From the ceiling, you seemed smaller." He'd slowly take a step towards him. Then another. Then another. Almost as if he were seeing at what distance the man would react. Jace held his hands out on both sides of himself, though as if he were showing that he meant no harm. But if Malcom could see past the wrinkling of the corners of his eyes that were caused by such a faked friendly grin, his pupils were sharp and focused on Malcom's lower abdominals. Almost like he were waiting to react to Malcom's reactions, if any. "What are you... Left? Or Right handed?" He stopped just short of eight inches from him. A bit too close in the man's personal space to be sure. And so he reached his own left hand outwards as if to shake. Jace's footing was wide. Flat-footed, but knees bent. To be frank, his current footing was like the roots of a tree. And his bent knees would inform him that even with each step he took, he expected to shift his weight to avoid being shanked. It was second nature driven into him by the 'system'.

 

[Nidelia]

Nidelia had already loaded an arrow into the bow and aimed it at Jace. "Get away from him now," she snarls. From her range she wasn't going to miss either. Whether it just maimed him or killed him.


"I said NOW," she shouted at him and glared at him coldly. She wasn't going to risk him murdering Malcolm at all. Also wasn't going to let him.

 

[Aryel]

"There's others?!" She asked excitedly. Bianca let out a low chuckle at this. "Yes.. There are others." She said, smiling. She turned around to find the woman fully clothed. "Huh.. Mal's not responding.. Wonder what's keeping him.." She murmured, as her eyes trailed upward to the woman. She was a beauty, Bianca was jealous. 'Petty jealousy..' She thought to herself. "So, what's your name? I believe I told you mine already." She said, a smile forming on her lips.

 

[Nidelia]

"Oh, Rys(Rees), Rys Rinnel," she says smiling and looks around. "What happened to them?" She asks with a frown as she looked up and down the halls. She pulled one of the remotes out of her pack and turned it on updating the software on it. Then once it was updated she pulled up a full 360 plan of the complex. She saw three dots in the armory.


"Hmm, there's three dots in the armory, green for an officer of the military, grey for an experimental convict. And blue for a citizen," she tells Bianca.


She then frowned as she looked at another location. "And a red dot... right below us," she says gravely.

 

[Morridan]

With her sudden movement, even when she was in his peripheral vision, he had tensed for just a split second before her voice reached him. And as he stopped being overly tense, his thoughts went back to normal. He had almost reacted to her even spinning around, his eyes never leaving Malcom's body. Of course he didn't do anything about her spinning and aiming at him. Maybe the thought would cross Malcom's mind that Jace had NOT moved on purpose, and was fully capable of doing so. Or maybe Jace truly was tired from all of his actions previous. "That's no way to speak to your guest..." From this close, if she let it sink in, his face was not very pretty. In fact, It was below average. Scarred, potted in a few places, scruffy with five o'clock shadow and his jaw was honestly thick from one side to the other. And if she knew just how close he was to Malcom, she would slowly realize that he was close enough to pull him between the two of them, even for a SPLIT second before her fingers released that string. Her previous feelings would hold true. This man was an animal through and through. And survival was the very foundation. Even if he had to use a 'human shield'.


Of course he never made that action, and instead actively chose not to act. He knew even if he did, he'd be severely wounded anyways. So it wouldn't matter too much in the long haul. And to top it all off, the man before him did not seem like a push over either. So chances were, Jace would have died in any resulting fight. Himself having no guns, and Malcom having one already in hand. Of course they could both see the 'Billy-Club" as well as the make-shift knife he was packing held in either the tied arm-sleeves of his prison uniform around his belly, or the thick belts he had around his waist. But that would do him no good in a 'gun-fight'.

 

[Aryel]

Bianca was surprised at Rys. "You.. how do you know that? And wait.. What?! A red dot below us?!" She yelled, looking to her remote, accessing the map and a grim expression appeared on her face. "Oh no.." She murmured, looking rather pale all of a sudden. "We have to get out of here.." She muttered, looking back to Rys, and grabbed her wrist. "We have to go. Like, now." She told her, wishing the red dot wouldn't move in its place.

 

[Nidelia]

She actually grabbed Bianca's wrist back and looked at her shaking her head. She put a finger to signal to be quiet.


She then moved close to Bianca and whispered into her ear. "The thing below us is a hunter, if we run it will be on us. We need to sit and wait for that Mal guy. Can I have your comm please?" She whispered into Bianca's bear very quietly.

 

[Aryel]

Bianca tensed at what Rys said. How did she know so much? It was actually sort of scary. She quietly gave Rys her comm, her heart beating erratically. "B-but.. Malcom hasn't responded to me yet.. I.. I hope he's ok.." she said, trying to calm herself. "He should be in the control room. But.. You said you saw his dot in the armory?" She asked her, a puzzled look to her face.

 

[Nidelia]

She took the comm and spoke into itm. "Hey people, Bianca and I are standing right on top of somethin' nasty. Officer, would you mind come helpin' us please?" She asked in a quiet whisper. Her story would be told in due time. Bianca would just have to wait.

 

[RandomBomb]

He started thinking about what he did before cryo, and then went into what he thought about this whole situation. He eventually realized that, from Major and Nidelia, that they were f***ed if they stayed in here. Len decided to wander the armory.

 

[Kazanna]

Malcom considered the situation quickly, he glanced over at Jace and said, "Hang on just... one second..." He slid the blade server into place that armed the micro-warhead, "I am... So immensely glad... that I was trained on this... just before the freeze..." He pulled his hands back slowly and then reattached the armor shell and tapped the securing pins into place. He pulled a pair of straps over the warhead and nodded at it, then turned to Jace, taking the extended hand, "Ambidextrous actually." He shook the man's hand firmly, and if Jace took notice, he'd notice the man's stance had shifted, into an L, as though taking defence. He released the man's hand after a moment, his muscle form would have expanded to almost twice it's size during the handshake, would then relax again. He smiled, and nodded at him, then motioned to the walls, "Gear up, the armor takes a hit, Trust me, I know." He stepped past the man, and knocked the quarrel out of Nidelia's bow with a flick as he went past her, "Dull the head down below the tip, Our archers were useless because they didn't score it with a knife if you can." Malcom made his way through the room grabbing a second kukiri from the melle weapons he slid it into his waistband. Pausing, he glanced at Len, "You, Out, Now, Follow the blinking lights." He shook his head, cursing under his breath, "I do not need a god damn kid in a weapons lockup." He moved back to the rifles, pulling open an experimental gun case open, he slid out the big weapon, muttering, "Let's hope they fixed it..." He hit the charge switch on it and the weapon spooled up, an arc of electricity running down it's length, He tapped his Comm, then grabbed a case of the weapons ammunition and slung it over his shoulder, the hook catching on his armor, he said, "And who is this speaking?" He nodded to Jace, "Suit up, follow after us. We'll talk more later." Malcom moved, as his training required him to, with a purpose, he pulled a shell out of the ammo feed on his shoulder and slid it into the experimental weapon, then clicked the read switch on it. The weapon whined as it spun up a charge in it's power cell, a green light on it's casing signaled it was ready. He grinned slightly, "I've got a primed rail gun ready for service, Let's just see about that friend you've made."

 

[Nidelia]

Rys sighed. "Mah name, sweetpeach, is Rys Rinnel," she says. "And as far as I am aware, lead scientist of this facility," she says looking at Bianca since she should have just answered the woman's question.


Nidelia sighed and just followed after him. What he just said had not made a lick of sense. But she stayed quiet and merely followed after him.

 

[Aryel]

So she's a scientist huh..' Bianca thought to herself. She took the remote from Rys and keyed into the comm. "Mal. We've got a big baddie below us. And I'm with the person you assigned me to pick up." She said, her voice somewhat shakey. "Where the hell are you? And who the hell is with you?" She asked him, getting nervous by the second.

 

[Morridan]

Jace had waited until he turned around and went to accept the hand-shake. And as he said that he could use both hands equally well, Jace's other hand grasped Malcom's in a crisscrossed fashion. "Oh, who really cares, right?" His firm grip with both hands was pretty intense. Almost as if he were testing to see if the man before him was a wussy, or if he had any slow reaction time. But as he saw the man's muscles tense, his grin would spread even further over his 'fugly' mug. But none of this really seemed to be the point of this. Jace was waiting to see which hand had the slightest bit more 'squeeze' to it. His eyes immediately tracking Malcom's legs to see which one he moved first from the little stance he had set up as well. Was a convict giving him a... lie detector test? If so, that thought of him knowing how to tell lies from truth was also pretty frightening.


Jace's left foot moved first, taking him left and over to the back side of the armory, his eyes still on Malcom's feet as if he were waiting for some kind of 'slip-up'. Jace's own grip was stronger in his left hand, though if Malcom had an inkling as to what Jace was 'looking for' he may end up figuring out that Jace could have also given false info as to which was his 'strong side'. Of course to figure all of this out in that very instant as well as formulate any kind of hypothesis on what Jace was really searching for, was probably impossible. For all Malcom knew, this guy could just be a regular old psychopath with a 'parent-like' outlook when it came to children.


Of course all of this didn't really matter much at the moment, but if its one thing Jace knows its that information can be just as vital as a lifeline as a gun sometimes. And so he'd tilt his head. "My, my... You've got a lot more than just guns here." He'd say this with a coy grin. It was here that he bothered to take his eyes off of the both of them, turning his back completely in fact. "So where's mine? You have that new toy-..." He said this as he heard the electrical whining the magnets running along the length made and chuckled. "Let's hope that thing doesn't cause cancer. But again-" He'd pause, peering over his left shoulder at the two from his position in the back. "Where is mine? I'd prefer if it were a little old-school." His eyes wandered over to a belt-fed chain gun (A-la Minigun), then over to what seemed to be a carbon steel, blue-tempered version of the same one. Obviously butt-loads lighter. He'd grasp ahold of the handle, hefting it up and straight outwards with one hand. His entire arm practically 'popped' to life as the veins bulged outwards. "... And bad-ass." Of course this weapon was meant to sit in a tripod. Not to be wielded with just one hand. As such, the full bulk of even the lighter version was a whopping 130 lbs, showing just how staggering this 'convict's strength really was. "I think its a bit too heavy to go everywhere with me." He'd set it down, going over to one of the hand-guns and picked himself up a handgun with a label that would read, and would get read out loud by Jace himself "Smith and Wesson model four-sixty ex-vee-are. (XVR) Haven't seen one of these in a while." He'd hold the gun up, giving it a little 'wiggle' for them to see. "I'll claim this one as my own. If that's fine..." Of course he didn't wait for an answer before he started loading the .460 caliber ammunition. Just short of being a fifty caliber round. Something that would tear through multiple people for sure. And after loading the five bullets into it, he'd empty out HALF of the entire stock of said bullets into a little 'ammo belt' that held each box of bullets and slid it onto his waist. and then soon after slid the 'hand-cannon'-esque pistol into the tightly tied arm-sleeves of his orange prison overalls. Of course he would stow away as many bullets in a pull-on armor top as possible as well, slipping it on and giving a secure tug downwards to make sure it would stay put.


After that was done, and he had loaded himself up with nearly half of all of the bullets available (which hinted at his own future plans) and filled all of the armor's pockets to boot, he'd walk back over to that ghostly blue minigun. "May I?" He'd ask, spinning the revolving portion of his gun at his side. His ugly face curling into a sly smile.

 

[Wreck]

Emerson felt relieved to be back in his clothes and out of that weird suit. He felt normal, or as normal as possible.


He found himself left alone with a stranger, and after a few seconds of covertly studying the other young man decided to leave him for a moment, and maybe find the older man that was here earlier. At least he was slightly helpful, and he felt like helpfulness is a commodity now.


A slight adjustment of his jacket and Emerson was off, starting down a hallway of sorts carefully and with hesitation. "Hello? Malcom where are you? Is anyone else alive?," his tight voice echoed.

 

[Nidelia]

Rys snapped to attention as she heard a voice from down the hallway. "Psst," she called in a quiet manner towards the direction of whoever had called out. Last thing they needed was for the beast to hear this guy. The guy must not have known about the beast, otherwise he would not be just gallivanting around.

 

[Wreck]

"Psst.."


The whisper startled a creeping Emerson and made him snap his attention in the direction of the feminine voice. "Who's that? Can you help me, I'm terribly confused," he replied into mystery. Why was everyone being hidden, now of all times? "Is there a reason why everyone is nowhere to be found?"

 

[Kazanna]

When Jace had tested him, he hadn't budged an inch, both of his hands would show the same power evenly. Malcom knew this drill, he'd done it before with his CO, and he'd failed the first two times, but his CO had pounded him into being a weapon, beaten him until he was perfect, made him really work for his promotions. He adjusted the strength in his arms to feign a weaker grasp then he actually had and flinched his right leg, as if adjusting to compensate for the mans grip.


"Easy there Jace, Let's not dance quite yet." He would have said.


When Jace commented on the armory, he shrugged, "Six full squads used to gear up out of here, Your using their guns, holding their memories... The men and women that held them were my family..."

Malcom sighed as he looked throughout the armory, watching Jace move about throughout it. Malcom moved to one of the gun racks, and pulled a case down, then popped it open, pulling the pistols inside it out, he slid them into holsters on his hips.

"Sorry Lieutenant..." Malcom muttered.



He'd stepped out a moment later...


(Just so you know, I don't want anyone to do this past tense bullshit again, I did it because I needed Malcom to reply to Jace's test.)


Malcom paused, then snorted, "Doctor Rys, I seem to recall meeting you briefly as you were brought into the facility. Let me bring you up to speed while I walk. Were in the Long Walk Scenario. So until that scenario is resolved, which, your mandates would observe, Unfortunately, I have tenure."

He tapped his comm, waiting for her to reply. He made his way to a lift and waited for his other companions he stood there, adjusting his weight, he checked the gun again as the lift arrived. It was a cargo lift, and would hold all of them and their weapons easily, the extra weight from the body armor, Jace's minigun, and Malcom's rail gun ammunition. He shifted the weight on his shoulder, knowing what he was carrying left a hollow feeling inside him, knowing he was handling a weapon that had only been tested twice before it's use at the Colorado engagement.

-Flashback-

​

The smell of burning flesh, the clicking and clinking of firearms discharging thousands of rounds as Civilian scientists were hurried through the front doors. Malcom's CO nodding at him as he raised the exparimental gun up, he fired a round off at the closest of the large monsters, the humanoid monsters around them swarming forward, thousands falling per second as millions of rounds were discharged into them, The round erupted from the gun, but Malcom didn't even feel a kick. Time seemed to slow down as the weapons slug raced forward, entering the flesh of the beast before him, It made it's way through the creatures outer armor, past it's three inch thick skull, through an epidural layer, and deep into the monsters mutated brain. Malcom watched as it's skull erupted into a fine pink mist, coalesced with radioactive fire. He slid another slug into the rail gun, and hit the charge button as another one of the behmoths reared it's hideous head and bellowed. Malcom didn't wait, he didn't calculate, he took the shot, Right into the monsters throat, and a second later, that beast too erupted in radioactive hellfire. Malcom was nearly sick as he hefted the weapon. A second later, a spike two feet long seemed to appear in the weapons housing. Malcom frowned and tore it out, but found the weapon inoperable. Cursing, he shouldered it and took up his rifle, unloading shells into the advancing enemies. It had been nice while it lasted...

-End Flashback-

​

Malcom looked down at the gun, rolling his shoulders again.

"Let's just hope the shells didn't deplete too badly..." He muttered.

The case on his back was marked with the classic Radioactive symbol. He never had been told if the things leaked or not.

 

[RandomBomb]

Len looked over at Major. Jeez, guy needed to loosen up. Len decided it wasn't to his benefit to argue, and so he left, although unsatisfied with his place. He had to do something, even if it wasn't very important. Len wasn't used to just wasting time... There wasn't much to do around here.


Len returned into another room, the smell of stale food filling his senses... Where was all the food? Must be behind something else. Must be the cafeteria. He looked around. Where was Emery? Must be off somewhere. Len hoped Emery didn't get hurt; he had grown fond of the other guy here who wasn't really in charge. Nidelia seemed nice, and Major just seemed detached. Maybe it was pressure. And Jace... That psychopath. He could get us all killed, goddammit! Len sat down, and began to think. He had a couple questions about life outside all he knew right now. Eh, if the world sent him in here, there must be something really f***ed up outside. At least in the station, there were other humans. Maybe a little crazy, in terms of whoever Major was talking to. And what was with the animals the others kept talking about? Were they dangerous for just the civilians, or on an entirely new scale.

 

[Morridan]

Jace peered over to Nidelia with an almost sneaky look in his eyes. His hand patted the bottom of the revolver's handle contently, eying over her bow. "Neat." would be the only thing he'd say in regards to it, assuming that she still had her aim focused on him. He'd heft the large Chain-Gun up in his left hand before whirling the backpack-like canister over his right shoulder. "Ladies first..." His right hand made a wave off to the side as he gave a sarcastic 1/4th of a gentlemanly-bow at her. His eyes watching the bottom area of her ribs as if he were looking for something or waiting to see if he could see something happen at the conjoining point where her abs met her sternum. His dark grey eyes, of course creepily followed her movements and as soon as she would enter onto the lift, he would walk forward (more like stomping due to the weight of what he was carrying) and took a place slightly behind and slightly beside Malcom. His free hand fully capable of grasping out that large shard of glass. But oddly enough, his hand stayed at his side. A grim smile plastered onto his below average features. And if Malcom would start the lift, he would give another tap on the back of the revolver. "I'll be sure to take REAL good care of it in their stead, Partner." The last word of course seemed sour and rang bitterly in the ears. Of course he realized his position here. And to be honest with himself, he figured he would need their help anyways. Of course they would need his own more. Especially since if what Malcom said about him not having any 'free hands' out and about, then the male would not want to destroy what little friendship he had with Jace. And Jace knew that oh too well.

 

[Nidelia]

"Be quiet!" She said in a loud whisper. She walked over to him very slowly and pulled him beside her sighing. She pushed her comms button. "Ah yes, Major Malcolm Devontess right?" She asks. Then he said the long walk scenario. Shit! What the hell happened?!


"Major... is that red dot... Is it... Please tell me it isn't..." She whispersnwith a grave frown.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The streets of Boise were in a panic as everyone ran screaming away. The ground shook viciously as she stood watching. She knew she had to run, if she didn't she would die. But where was her cousin?! Where was Cindy?! She looked around frantically. There! Cindy was hunched over holding her belly which was round and filled with life.


Rys ran as fast as she could to Cindy. "You haven't gone into labor yet have you?!" She asks frantically. Cindy wasn't due for two more weeks. Didn't matter, Cindy was in the last trimester, she could still go into.labor anytime.


Cindy shook her head grunting. "No Rys, she's just sitting in an awkward position is all," she said standing up straight. Rys nodded.


"Can you run?" She asked Cindy. Just then a man clad in military uniform ran up.


"Follow me! We've got a chopper that can get you out!" He said. Rys smiled.


"Help her! She could go into labor anytime!" She says and the officer nodded and actually picked Cindy up bridal style and went running. Rys was following. But what happened next broke her heart.


Just then as the man was running, it came out of nowhere. There was a loud crash and the ground shook. She didn't realize what had happened until the creature was standing on top of the soldier and had Cindy crushed between its jaws.


"CINDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she cried as tears started pouring from her eyes. She didn't fully realize what happened as she started to fall to her knees. A man had grabbed her and started running with her in his arms. She had crumpled like a house of cards.


Her cousin... her sister... her unborn niece... they were dead... she looked at the face of the man carrying her, only for a.minute before it all went dark.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Rys' eyes filled with fear and tears at the same time as her hands started to shake.


(Anyone want their character to have been the one who had grabbed her? *looks over at Wreck hopefully*)





Nidelia glared at Jace and shook her head. "After you," she said defiantly and simply waited for him to go first. No way was she going to put her back to this guy. That was asking to get back stabbed.

 

[Morridan]

Jace had done everything to the letter (as it was already posted that he would do), except for walking past her with his right hand out at his side and bent forwards just a tiny bit more. "As you wish, milady." He'd say with a cold stare, this time into her eyes. The first time he had made eye contact with either of them. And needless to say, it was not a very pleasant experience. Either way, he went behind Malcom, still grinning all the while.

 

[Nidelia]

Nidelia followed after him watching him carefully, keeping her bow and arrow ready in case he tried anything. They were soon on the list and she continued to watch him. She didn't like this.

 

[Kazanna]

Malcom pulled the gate for the lift shut and his hand moved onto the lever to lower them down, He tapped his comm,

"Yes Ma'am, It's the Virophage. The gas didn't work." Malcom said, his tone perfectly level.

He stood in the lift as it lowered down, a moment later, there was a click and a thud as the lift came to a stop. He reached into his chest plate, and pulled out the remote. He tapped it several times and shut the lights off in the hallway. He turned on the running lights and and then slid his remote back into his chest plate after checking to see where the creature was. It had moved down the hall towards Rys, Bianca, and Emerson. Malcom knew there were stairs at the end of the corridor, large enough for the beast the make it's way up. He primed his gun once more and reached down, sliding the gate up he stepped out into the hall, tracking the direction of the beast with his gun. It was just short of fifty meters away when it turned to look at him. Malcom had frozen, unwilling to let it track movement, He knew he could miss at this range, knew the gun wasn't accurate, but he also knew anything else they threw at it would just serve to frustrate the animal. Measuring each step Malcom slowly made his way down the hallway towards the creature, his comm was open to all open receivers.


"Forty five meters to target, Optimal firing range is between six and ten meters. Creatures estimated speed is five meters per second based on size..." Malcom muttered over his comm.


He looked down the barrel of his gun and pulled the trigger, directly towards the beasts head. The monster had been staring at him curiously when he had stood still, but when he had started moving towards it, the monster changed it's mind on where it wanted to be at that moment, it postured itself towards him, snarling, it had other ideas about Malcom shooting it though, it ducked it's body down beneath the shot, flattening itself out against the floor. It let out a barking hoot, almost like laughter before slithering along the ground towards him. The beast was titanic compared to anything he had faced so far, but with it's size did not lower it's speed in the least. Malcom's eyes bulged as the monster's claws came within inches of his face once more as he dove to the side. He'd expected this though, if his first shot missed, so as he dove aside, he rolled, and grunted, coming up with another shell in his hand, the rail gun already spooling up for another shot. Malcom slammed the shell home as soon as the beast turned to face him again, snarling viciously.

 

[Morridan]

Jace blinked as the lights went out and then squinted down the hallway as Malcom started the running lights. His left hand gripped on the top bar of the Chain-Gun as he took a step over to the side, exiting the lift and making a visible difference in it as it rose a few centimeters. All in all, around seven hundred pounds had just walked off of it; ammunition, guns, and man all. His right hand moving to the trigger as he pressed it, holding it and then let go to keep the barrels spinning. The gun making a deep whirring noise as the rotations intensified. He didn't pay Malcom any mind as to why he hesitated or stopped advancing. All he knew was that as soon as the first shot was taken, he would unleash the beast across that animal's face in the form of a hailstorm of lead. The slugs of which weighed half a pound each. Not to mention there was an entire backpack full of shots that made up the entirety of Jace's back. Which would equate to about a volume of four foot long by two and a half foot wide and two feet deep. The more ammunition he fired, the lighter he would be. And after just twenty shots, he was able to force (with extreme exertion) himself to take a quick two steps backwards as he looked over his work, keeping the 'good times rolling'. The bullets that had tore through the side of its face had left a fairly large impression on the beast. There would be absolutely no way the creature could predict where every single bullet would lead to. And not to mention the fact that Jace was man-handling the vibrating weapon with such purpose that his very neck was bulging from the strain. His eyes locked into the monsters as his mouth curled into a grinned sneer. Jace wanted to see blood. He was craving it at this point. It had been so long since he had been put up to a 'hit', and he wanted to make this one like all the others. Efficient, quick, and as messy as possible. And as he had now stepped back, he aimed for the mid to bottom of the creature to maim it. Taking out its legs and its tail would be the fastest possible way of maiming the creature. Not only would it have more trouble moving (If only for a few moments), but without its tail, it would lose function in its center of gravity and balance as it tried to continue moving as it did at the first shot.


The end of the spinning barrels were belching out yellow 'arrows' of light as the fire was thrown out of the end following each round only to introduce the next. The flashes made a strobe-light effect as the grey 'column' of barrels blurred together. He figured that after the first five seconds of constant firing (at least 300 rounds had been thrown out into the beast) that he the beast would have been fell. But either way, he continued to fire upon its shoulders, hips, spine, peppering it in lead; his grip causing his knuckles to whiten. In his mind, all he could think of is 'where is it... where is it? Show me... show me that red splatter... Sing to me those death cries. Give me a show!'.


If the beast leaped around, Jace would force himself with great pain to side-step in the direction, eyes locked in a yearning blood-thirst to keep it under fire. He knew that he needed to be careful, but he also knew he needed to keep it hit. So he'd constantly keep his distance while doing these fast-paced sidesteps, sometimes moving backwards while doing so. And only after taking just one step, would he move forwards to keep suppression fire on it and keep it from getting at Malcom's throat.