Chapter Three:
After a gruelling ten minutes Grim had finally managed to wring a coherent set of directions from the vagrant. The commandos set out with the promise that if he were lying, they would return to deal with him. Grim led Revenant Squadron down the road the hobo had indicated as leading towards the domain of Gorgotha, which Jax Caskar had supposedly passed through as a means of detouring the wreckage of the ancient and crumbling buildings that blocked the way to the North-West.
"It makes sense Caskar wasn't just fleeing in some random direction," Cram was saying. "Considering he has immensely important information on him he intended to rendezvous with the Syndicate somewhere. Somewhere not too far from where he ended up crashing, in the grand scheme of things."
"I doubt he'd head right for their meeting place though," Dex said, as they conversed over the helmet's intercom while the two teams moved down the sides of the street. The area had opened up with a much wider main road and larger more spread apart buildings dominating the landscape. An icy breeze had kicked up and rattled the commandos inside their armour as its chill sunk through to their bones, forcing them to engage the combat suit's internal temperature control systems.
"Correct," Grim replied, half paying attention to the conversation as he focused his attention on their surroundings. The way the wind whistled through the streets of ancient buildings, shrouded in darkness and devoid of life made him anxious. There was something eerie and sinister about it that he couldn't quite put his finger on. "Caskar's many things, but stupid isn't one them. Considering the nature of the terrain and his own lack of recon of the area he'll want to be keeping as simple a trajectory as possible, lest he put himself at greater risk of getting lost somewhere or endangered by some hazard or unwelcome attention," Grim said.
The conversation ceased momentarily as they continued in silence, the creepy atmosphere settling upon them like an invisible pressure they could all feel. All around them unseen things seemed to watch from the darkness, shadows danced around them as if taking on a life of their own. Unidentified sounds resonated here and there; their sources as vague and mysterious as this lost, forgotten realm.
"Did you see that guy's reaction when you mentioned following Caskar?" Jet suddenly asked, breaking the uneasy silence.
"Yeah, he was shaking in his boots," Wes replied. "Very bizarre."
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Jet continued. "This Gorgotha thing sounds like a monster of some sort," he said, the slight quiver in his voice betraying his fear as he tried to remain composed and professional.
Grim grunted in disdain.
"Silly superstitions kid. I bet these people believe all sorts of nonsense," Cash said.
"Not surprising really; just look at this place," he added.
They moved through the streets, following the directions given to them by the vagrant, when they reached a toppled high rise that had fallen across the street, blocking the way for miles around, forcing them down the side street that apparently led to where they would have to pass through Gorgotha's domain. The Revenants moved into the street and made their way along its long, winding path until it opened up into the shattered remains of an old harbour where black, polluted water lapped at the wharf that snaked its way around the port. The commandos moved into the harbour and made their way along the wharf, following it around its parameter where centuries old ruins of stores, cafes and restaurants sat silent and abandoned.
"The exit we want is at the far end of the docks," Grim reminded them, pointing to the opposite side of the bay that had been made into a small recreational and shipping harbour centuries ago. They marched in single file along the dock, looking this way and that to keep an eye out for any signs of trouble.
Wes looked out at the water, noting its black, slick, oily surface. "I wonder how far this jynx stretches out for before you get to the ocean," he mused out loud.
"A long way, by all accounts," Dex replied. "The Federation pumps a lot of crap Downtown and most of it allegedly ends up in the water. It's apparently a sewage dump for a good hundred kilometres out, but after that its clean oceans and nothing but clear skies," Dex said with a faraway tone to his voice.
Wes chuckled. "Can you imagine that? Actually seeing the real ocean?"
"Seen it," Cash replied. "Apart from a vast, dark blue, wet thing. You're not missing much."
Wes shrugged and continued to stare into the distance, across the lifeless black water. "Still, would be nice to see it; just the once," he commented.
A splash just on the horizon caught his attention, followed by another, then another as they began moving towards the group of commandos on the wharf and increased in frequency. "What the fuck?" he uttered, not quite sure what to make of what he was seeing. "Hey fellas?"
"The hell is that?" Jet commented, his confusion matching Wes's.
The commandos stopped and turned their attention to the source of the disruption in the water before the splashes became a wave and a large, shape loomed just beneath the surface of the water, rapidly advancing upon them.
Shouts of alarm echoed over comm channel as something broke the surface of the water and reached up dozens of meters into the air.
"Take cover!" Grim shouted over the comm as a giant, withering tentacle came crashing down upon the dock, almost taking the lieutenant out as he dived aside of the flailing limb. More tentacles burst from the depths and lashed out at the soldiers, the air becoming thick with blaster bolts as they instinctively returned fire. Tentacles whipped and slashed through the air, attempting to grab hold of the commandos as they fired upon it and fled for safety.
The slimy appendage struck at Grim, lunging at his face as he dodged aside and fired a volley of automatic blaster fire at it. Most of them missed, but several connected, blowing chunks of meat from the appendage, making it recoil in pain, before it thrust itself at him once more. Grim threw himself backwards onto the ground and released another volley of blaster bolts at it that chewed through flesh and muscle, spattering his armour with its foul smelling black blood as the appendage spasmed and retreated.
Elsewhere Cash fired frantically at a slippery tentacle that whipped itself at him again and again. Jumping, dodging, ducking and weaving about, thus far he had managed to stop it from getting hold of him. The flailing limb was proving difficult to get a lock on as most of his shots missed it, blasting charred holes in the ancient cement of the dock or flying off into the distance. Finally, he managed to hit it with a couple of lucky shots as it trembled and reared up like a snake ready to strike. Cash seized his opportunity and hit it with a barrage of blaster bolts, the super-heated energy blowing the tentacle to pieces and leaving it a mangled, gory mess.
Wes jumped back from a tentacle that came slithering towards him across the cement, wriggling and thrashing about like a frantic snake as it attempted to grab him. He danced about, skipping and hopping this way and that as he struggled to stay away from it, firing pot shots at the ooze covered extremity.
It suddenly shot up and wrapped itself around his helmet, making him stumble backwards as its slithering mass impeded his vision and began coiling itself around his helmet. He fired blindly in a panic, turning this way and that as he tried to dislodge it.
"Help!" he screamed.
"Roger that bud. Relax, I've got ya back!" Dex said, rushing to his aid.
Suddenly its grip slackened as it uncoiled and flung itself back at its attacker. Dex withdrew his combat blade and buried it up to the hilt in the tentacle's soft, leathery flesh. It lashed the commando like a whip, throwing all its strength into the blow. Dex stumbled; but didn't lose his grip on the knife. He clung to it as if his life depended on it and with all his strength sawed through the thick mass of the tentacle until with a slop it came free, slicing the withering limb in half.
A slick, serpentine tentacle slithered out and wrapped itself around Cram's ankle as he fought off another that kept striking at his head, lunging at him like a cobra pouncing upon its prey. It caught the commando by surprise, yanking him off his feet and sending him crashing to the ground, hard. It began dragging him towards the water as he slid across the concrete, trying to grab hold of something to stop himself, but unable to find purchase on anything.
A shower of blaster bolts from Jet landed all around it, some of them hitting the tentacle that seemed to vibrate with pain as the bolts blew scorched chunks from its flesh. It didn't relax its hold on Cram's leg, as it continued to drag the flailing commando into the water.
Cram fired blindly at it, blaster bolts peppering the cement and occasionally getting lucky and scoring a hit. He saw the edge of the dock rapidly approaching and giving up on the blaster, withdrew his combat blade and hurled himself into a sitting position as he began hacking at the limb coiled around his ankle.
Jet seeing this caught on; and leaping over a slashing tentacle and ducking under another, came running with his own blade drawn. Grabbing Cram by the arm he managed to stop his decent over the side of the wharf as he dropped his blaster and leant down and they both hacked at the tentacle that refused to let go.
The appendage shuddered with the impact of their blades, flinching in pain as they cut their way through it. It responded by wrapping itself tighter around Cram's leg and pulling with more force than ever.
Jet was hauled off his feet and came crashing down next to Cram as he was dragged over the edge, grabbing hold of Jet and almost taking him with him as he hung over the side of the wharf, the water lapping at his feet.
Jet slid towards the edge but stopped short as the Lieutenant suddenly appeared and grabbed him by his free hand, grunting with the effort to stop the two commandos from toppling into the water.
The targeting computer inside Grim's helmet flashed as the HUD display's crosshairs signalled a lock on the tentacle and he put several well placed blaster bolts into the limb, severing it as the remainder flapped about and disappeared beneath the waves. He helped Jet and Cram pull themselves to their feet. "Come on, move it!" he snapped. "Let's get the shock out of here!" he said as he jogged backwards, away from the water, covering his two subordinates as they retreated and regrouped.
Jet retrieved his weapon and turned just in time to see two tentacles explode from the water and go hurtling through the air, wrapping themselves around Wes's middle as he cursed in surprise, was hauled from his feet and lifted ten meters into the air. A string of colourful language erupted from the suspended commando over the comm channel.
Cash and Dex fired upon the tentacles, attempting to blast them apart while they tried to avoid others that whipped, swiped, and lunged at them.
Grim opened his mouth to voice a command; but stopped short as something huge burst from beneath the water, raising a dozen meters into the air and letting out an ear-piercing shriek that rattled their brains inside their helmets. The huge monstrosity uncurled two enormous pincers, each the size of a speeder, and glared down at them with a pair of huge, bulbous, black eyes.
"Fucking hell!" Cash shouted in alarm as the abomination rose out of the water, spread its claws and began flexing them, the huge crablike pincers opening and closing with loud audible clicks.
"What the fuck is that?" Dex exclaimed.
Grim hadn't had time to consider it when it had ambushed them with its tentacles. "Gorgotha," he breathed, as it dawned upon him the old vagrant hadn't been merely relating the folklore of Downtown; but trying to warn them of a very real and horrific threat.
It opened its mouth to reveal a gaping maw of dozens of razor sharp teeth as it let out a sizzling hiss. The tentacles holding a struggling Wes began to bring the commando towards its hungry mouth, the tentacles moving as if in slow motion, like Gorgotha was taunting them as it promised to make them watch as it ate their comrade.
"Revenant Squadron; form up! On me!" Grim roared, falling onto one knee as he flicked a switch on his blaster and aimed it at the hellish abomination intent on eating Wes.
The rest of the squad made a beeline for their commanding officer, Cash and Dex ducking and weaving around flailing tentacles that grabbed at them as they ran, the extremities efforts being hindered by a shower of blaster bolts from Jet and Cram that provided them with cover fire. They reground with the rest of the team and following Grim's example took up firing positions and activated their grenade launchers.
"Fire!" The lieutenant commanded, pulling the trigger at the same time. The other four commandos followed suit as five grenades rocketed from their blasters and shot towards the hideous monstrosity. A fraction of a second later they impacted and exploded with a dazzling display of flames and billowing black smoke as they smashed into the creature's cranium. The beast roared with pain and howled in fury as the smoke began to clear, revealing its thick bone skull to be charred, pockmarked and creased with its black blood. Here and there blood ran from gaping wounds and chunks of meat littered the ground before it, some entrails dangling from pits that oozed blood and slime. Enraged it hurled Wes at his comrades and they caught him awkwardly, his rough landing knocking several of them from their feet.
"Fuck me it's still alive!" Cram exclaimed.
"Orders boss?" Jet asked, stumbling back to his feet as Cash helped him up.
"Let's get the fuck out of here," Grim said. "Revenant squadron, move out!" he snapped, motioning his men forwards as they moved off and broke into a run, with him following close behind.
Gorgotha screeched with fury as it advanced on them, its pincers opening and closing ferociously as it jabbed them at the fleeing commandos, its tentacles lashing out at the soldiers as they fled. The commandos engaged in a running fight, firing at it as they ran in an attempt to hold its flailing limbs at bay as they tried their best to avoid them.
"Move it! Move it! Move it!" Grim barked, forcing them to run as fast as their legs could carry them while they ducked, dodged, weaved and jumped around the snapping tentacles, running around the edge of the harbour as they raced for the exit at the opposite end of the docks.
Its pincers shot out at the fleeing commandos, smashing into the ruins of the buildings above their heads and raining debris upon them as Gorgotha clumsily struck at them with its cumbersome claws. It jabbed the claws at them again and again, the commandos leaping aside of, or ducking under the pincers as they crashed into the buildings lining the harbour.
Cash came to an abrupt stop as a pincer smashed through storefront directly in front of him, and narrowly avoided catching himself on the ridge of deadly looking spikes that lined the claw's edge. "Whoa! Jynx that was close!" he said, ducking under the claw as it removed itself and receded for another attack.
Debris from above peppered their helmet's as Grim fought to see through the puffs of dust and bits of material that rained upon them. He stumbled and almost fell as the force of one of the pincers shattering a wall behind him knocked him forwards, managing to steady himself as he ran.
As they approached the exit he looked over his shoulder and felt a spine tingling fear slither up him as the abhorrent creature climbed onto the wharf on a number of stubby tentacles, its torso resembling that of a crocodile that ended in a long reptilian tail that disappeared into the depths of the water. Tearing his gaze away from the monstrosity Grim focused on running and was close on the heels of his men as they tore up the narrow road, none of them slowing until they were well clear of the street. They could hear the foul creature's shrieks of anger behind them as they ran, the sound gradually decreasing in volume as they widened the gap between them. It was either unable or unwilling to squeeze its way down the narrow road to follow them, much to their immense relief.
Once they were sure they had escaped the commandos came to a stop to rest and catch their breath.