The Rebel [KurtH6355]

[Lorsh]

March 25th, Year 10




Boldburn city is located in the Governorate of Tenbanners, which is one of Miria's north-central districts. The army used to maintain a heavy presence the city, mainly due to the Ration Riots of Year 4. Nowadays, the city is demilitarized, but that doesn't mean the regular police (the "Watchmen") are any less brutal when it comes to enforcing the Resurgency's laws and doctrines.


The streets are clean and peaceful, for the most part. Surveillance cameras keep a close eye on things, while security policemen patrol important government facilities and factories, armed with automatic weapons.

The slums are where the government's eyes don't always reach. Street rubbish and derelict structures become more common, and the types of people you can run into tend to become shadier.


You are a rebel of the Boldburn Chapter. You are attached to a small group of rebels, and have been assigned to take in a contraband shipment from outside of the city. This will mean using the underground tunnels.


You are waiting near the entrance to the caverns, where your comrades will presumably be showing up in a few moments.



​

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Francis stands awkwardly outside the cavern, trying to stay clean and not touch anything. He wasn't used to being in such dirty environments, he usually kept to the cleaner, more heavily enforced areas of Boldburn, and looked very out of place in the slums - He considered spending a few certs on changing his attire. However, it was his duty as a rebel to go where he is needed. He keeps an eye out for any activity around him, and reaches into his pocket, grabbing his phone. He takes it out, and checks for any messages from his fellow malcontents.

 

[Lorsh]

Before long, two rebels show up. One of them is a rather lanky brunette woman with, with a tired and consistently irritated look about her. She has a GPP tucked in the waistband of her workpants. The other a shorter man (shorter than the woman), with balding hair and a rather pronounced red stubble. What looks to be a Shotpistol is kept in a leather holster at his belt. "How's it going?" he asks, stepping forward and offering a fist-bump. The woman remains silent, glancing around the cavern.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Francis looks down at the fist, then up at the man, declining the gesture. "I didn't see any Watchmen on the way here, and they don't go in the tunnels. I'd stay ready, though - Certain individuals who we don't tend to mingle with consider the undergrounds a home." Francis said eloquently to the man, and he put his phone away. "I'm assuming we all want to get this done as quickly as we can." Francis continued, peering at the woman. "So let's start moving..." He ended, and he slowly crept into the cavern, beginning to peruse the tunnels toward the designated point. Since the tunnels gave him the creeps, he unholstered his swingmaster revolver, holding it by his side, his finger away from the trigger, the weapon not primed. In the darkness of the tunnels, it was concealed.

 

[Lorsh]

The man shrugs and places his hands in his pockets after you turn down his fist-bump.


Both of them nod, and begin to follow along behind you. They don't seem to be in as much of a heightened state of readiness as you are, as they both keep their weapons tucked away. The cavern is dark, and the woman flicks on her flashlight, peering around at the dusty walls and cobwebs.


Eventually, you all come to a lit portion of the tunnel. You don't remember being told it was here before.


"What the hell is this?" the woman asks, withdrawing her pistol cautiously. "There might be people around," the man says, producing his weapon as well. "I guess we should keep goin'."

 

[Lord Bradorian]

"You see anyone, demand their surrender. If they don't surrender, shoot 'em. If they scream, shoot 'em again, cus they're not dead yet." Francis tells the two other rebels, before continuing to walk toward the shipment location, his gun to waist height. He hoped they didn't run into trouble, but if they did, he'd be prepared. He moved more slowly and warily, now, his finger very close to the trigger, and his revolver cocked.

 

[Lorsh]

"Thanks, buddy. I'd have no clue what to do, if you weren't here," mutters the woman, clearly not liking how you're attempting to assume control of a mere trio. She suspiciously looks into the lit portion of the caverns, but the three of you manage to walk past it without anybody coming out to meet you.


"Maybe that was just a place where some homeless folks were hiding out," suggests the man. "By the way, I'm Travis. That's Marley," he says introducing himself as well as his partner.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

"Francis." Francis replies absent-mindedly, continuing to walk ahead of Travis and Marley, weapon still asserted in front of him. He was slightly disgusted at even the thought of homeless people. They were such...Savages. No dignity, always begging. Why not just get a frickin' job? He cleared his mind, and focused on navigating through the tunnels.

 

[Lorsh]

The three of you continue to make your way down the dark, gloomy tunnel. Marley has to switch her flashlight back on, as the light from the homeless outpost soon fades into the distance. More and more rats scurry to and fro, the deeper you all get. Marley manages to stamp on one of their tails, and proceeds to crush the rodent's head with her heel. "Damn things," she mutters as she scrapes some brains off of her shoe.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Francis doesn't acknowledge the killing of the small animal, instead of continuing to walk. He now lowers his revolver, however keeping it handy. He has to slump his shoulders a bit due to his height and the clausterphobic size of the underground tunnels. In truth, he was becoming sick of the walking through this shithole. "How much farther to where we're going?"

 

[Lorsh]

"A little ways longer," Travis tells you. Eventually, he deposits his shotpistol back into its place in the brown leather holster at his hip.


And you walk on.


And on.


It takes awhile, actually. You continue to navigate the caverns, making turns whenever Marley's map says to. A little over an hour, you see the light at the end of the tunnel. You're already out of city limits. If all went according to plan, the smugglers should be waiting at the other side. You remember being told that the tunnel ultimately lead to the swamps, and the stench in the air confirms this.


"Hey, we're almost there. C'mon," Travis says. He puts his hand on his holstered gun, just in case anything went awry on the other side.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Francis nods to Travis, before walking with renewed vigor and effort. His legs hurt like crazy and were significantly fatigued, but he did not let that stop him nor let either feeling shoe. He just kept walking. Soon, bugs started showing up. He itched frequently, and just wished to be out of this soon.

 

[Lorsh]

When the three of you get to the end of the tunnel, a few rattily-clothed gentlemen seem to be waiting on the other side. A pickup has been parked just outside the entrance, a crate of supplies sitting the bed.


A swamper with a Liberator at his hip steps forward, pointing it at your trio. "Hey! You the rebels?" he asks, his voice sounding as if he came from the backwoods.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

"Yes, sir, we are. Would you please lower the weapon?" Francis asks him, quickly moving behind a stone so that his lower body was concealed, unless this guy got gun happy. He did not unholster his revolver, instead held his hands up diplomatically. "We wish you no harm. We simply want to collect the goods."

 

[Lorsh]

The nervous man lowers the assault rifles and simply cocks his head in the direction of the truck. "Get 'um, then," he tells you. A man in overalls, also with a Liberator slung over his shoulder, drops the crate of supplies down from the truck and beckons you and your companions over. Marley and Travis bend down and take off their backpacks, beginning to stuff them full of supplies. It's mainly food, medicine and ammunition.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Francis tosses his own pack to Travis, motioning for him to fill it, and crosses his arms, secretly reaching one arm into the interior of his coat, and wrapping his cold fingers around the grip of his revolver. He watched the swampers as his comrades filled up the bags, ready to draw and fire whenever need be. He was shocked at how heavily armed these guys were. He suspected GPPs, nothing more. He decided he'd invest in a GPSMG when he got back into Boldburn.

 

[Lorsh]

Travis doesn't appear to appreciate being treated like your servant. Although you're only keeping watch, it doesn't seem like your companions see you as doing anything other than getting out of helping. Travis tosses the backpack back over to you, and proceeds to finish filling up his own, zipping it closed. "That's not my bag," he simply states.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

"You'd rather have us all gathering the shit while two strangers have assault rifles and could waste us any moment!?" Francis harshly whispers to Travis. "How smart do you think that is? Do you really trust them?" He continues. "I'm just trying to get us all home, Trav. Would you fill the bag?" He asks, still holding the bag out toward him.

 

[Lorsh]

"You don't stand a chance against these guys, bud," Travis whispers back. "None of us do. If they wanted us dead, we'd be dead." He slings his backpack over his shoulder and rises to his feet. Marley finishes filling up hers and does the same. Travis just leaves your bag on the ground, not bothering to fill it.


One of the swampers glances at the three of you as you whisper among one another, but he doesn't say anything.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

Francis sighs. "Yeah, you're right." He says to Travis, before crouching down, swiftly filling his bag up, and then beginning to backtrack through the tunnels, feeling shaken from the danger they were just in. "I'm sorry, Travis. I just figured it'd be better to have some defensive ability rather than none at all. I coulda' been better about it." Francis says in a sincere tone.

 

[Lorsh]

Your two companions follow behind you, leaving the smugglers behind without a word. You see tunnel exit's light fade away behind you as the swampers close it up. "It's alright," Travis tells you with a shrug. "Let's just get back and get paid, eh?" he says as he continues walking down the dark corridors with you and Marley.


After some time walking, you all hear a strange creaking in the walls and ceiling, which startles your companions. "The hell is that?" asks Marley, worriedly glancing around.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

"The tunnels may be weakening...Maybe we should quicken the pace?" Francis asks his companions. "Or maybe some vehicles are just rolling overhead, putting stress on the supports." He figures. He continues walking, with a slightly faster and longer strut, wanting to simply get back into the open air again. He never thought he'd want to return to the slums so desperately, but here he was. He then pondered what was in his pack - Lots, and lots of ammo. Probably some for his swingmaster, too. He debated weather or not he could get away with swiping some.

 

[Lorsh]

"Maybe that's the case," Travis says with a shrug. He keeps his hand on the butt of his shotpistol, glancing around.


"No. It sounds weirder than that," Marley says, her finger nervously tapping on her knee. She quickens up her pace, moreso than you and Travis. You hear a strange, indescribable groan from within the walls, and suddenly strange, viscous fluid begins to drip from a crack in the ceiling just ahead of you.


"What the fuck?" Marley seems to be getting really nervous at this point.

 

[Lord Bradorian]

"I think we should go. Now." Francis says in worry, before beginning to nearly run toward the exit, bringing his revolver out of his coat aswell. His breathing quickened, and not only due to his exertion. The nervousness of Marley unsettled him, aswell. "Let's get the FUCK out of here."

 

[Lorsh]

You and your companions book it, in an attempt to get out of there as quickly as possible.


You are nearing an three-way "intersection" in the tunnel. There's an addtional passageway leading off the right, but you're supposed to go straight. However, Marley shines her flashlight ahead, and you suddenly see that there is a great wall of sludge blocking the way. It's slowly sliding forward, as if it were alive and animate.


"Shit!" Travis doesn't waste time and quickly rushes forward, in an attempt to go down the passage on the right, while Marley steps backwards and simply screams, making an echo in the tunnel.