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Shadows of JiangXi - Vince Piccio - 01-04-2011
On Iscariot's HUD were two notable readings. One was the radiation of the surrounding area, and the other was the radiation inside the suit. They were in the upper-right hand corner of his vision. The first one read that long-term exposure without the suit would prove lethal, though it was within acceptable ranges (in most places) for short-term stints. The second indicator showed the same thing Iscariot had seen while wearing this suit 98% of the time: no radiation. The air was ran through three different heavy-duty purifiers, and not only was radiation shielding added, but the materials used in the construction of the power armor also reflected radiation. It was a HAZMAT suit, a spacesuit, and full battle gear all in one.
If it were to be on the open market of Sirius, it could easily go for billions of credits for just one suit, let alone equipping an entire squad. In one of these suits, one man was worth an entire squad. More. Half of the Phantom's reputations rested in the power armor, as it allowed their relatively small numbers to be amplified many times over.
"Iscariot, c..[static].. you ...[static].. ee?" It was Mobius Paradox.
"Barely. I think the radiation and storm are really messing things up around here. I'll place a beacon when I'm ready to be picked up." He hoped at least that last part got through.
"Roger."
He left the area of the escape pod crash, alert and ready for anything. He didn't want to have to kill anyone, but he would if he had to. He set off southward, wondering what secrets this desolate landscape would reveal.
Shadows of JiangXi - Akura - 01-04-2011
![[Image: TheHunter.png]](http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww260/AkuraKalevra/TheHunter.png)
The grenade trap in the farm house was a neat trick, one that bought The Hunter's prey time enough to escape. It was no matter, for the area surrounding him seemed to be rich with Coalition activity.
He had heard the distant sound of gunfire, along with the roar of a vehicle, then a crash, and finally he spotted a Gunboat, spinning violently across some fields towards a large building in the distance.
"Interesting..." the Hunter breathed, judging the distance down the cliff ahead of him.
A rustling caused the Hunter to turn on the spot, raising his stolen AK-74 to the bushes, an unfortunate ray of moonlight highlighted a shape. This shape was Petko Dimitrov, the Coalition Soldier whose curiosity had gotten the better of him.
Dimitrov froze for a second, even at seventy feet, he recognised the figure of the Hunter, familiarity playing in his mind. The Hunter was once a very handsome individual, his face now pale and scarred in a few places, a familiar smile but unfamiliar eyes. Something was odd about the figure, he didn't look like people should, something about him was strange, almost alien.
The Hunter raised his rifle as Dimitrov did, each squeezing the trigger.
Shadows of JiangXi - mtjsmith - 01-04-2011
![[Image: 132uc.png]](http://img291.imageshack.us/i/132uc.png/)
Chun hobbled and stumbled across the road, his legs failing him, his mind betraying him. A pack of wild dogs were up ahead, so Chun unholstered his weapon and fired two rounds into each. However, when he ran to their position to check if they were still alive - There was nothing there. Nothing. Was he losing his mind? Maybe he missed and they ran off.. Yes.. Yes that's likely. Maybe.
"Father, Mother, Home, Cold, Wet..."
He kept walking until he saw another mutant black bear.
"Not this time, I can't waste ammo."
The Bear was real. It growled, screamed and swung at Ling. He instinctively ducked and the bear ripped into his right arm. Ling screamed in pain, the bear had gouged into his arm and had smashed his radiation meter off it.
Chun staggered to his left and with his left hand unholstered his pistol and shot wildly at the bear. The first two shots missed, the third struck it in the mouth as it growled. The fourth and fifth shots struck the bear in the arm and leg respectively. Chun's aim was all off, the sixth and final seventh rounds struck the beast in the chest. None of them were kill shots however, and the beast slumped to the floor. Overcome in pain it screamed and howled. Chun pulled the trigger to a click, and another click. Putting the pistol back in its holder. He tried to grab his Jian. With it on his right side, he was in agnoy as he had to instead - use his left arm. Unsheathing the blade, he ploughed it into the bear's skull and slumped down next to it.
"Hmmerrgh... Ow.... "
He looked down at his right arm. He had three tears in his suit from the bears claws. All three had ripped into his arm. Blood was pouring out, an artery must have been hit.
"Why were you real, you were not meant to be real."
He began to feel dizzy and sickly. He struggled to get the bear skin off his back and backpack. He sliced the fur into a strip and covered his wound, he then placed his arm around the strip and tied a one ended knot above it and prepared himself for the anguish his next step would take. He yanked at the knot and it tore downwards just above the wound and into his arm.
"ARRRGGGHHHH!" - He screamed at the top of his lungs.
The strip seemed to have worked, the bleeding slowed. He cut another strip, and this time did the same below the wound. He screamed again. He checked the first aid kit. He had only a couple of bandages. He tried to dress it as best he could, but it took him several attempts as he felt more and more woozy. The makeshift dressing seemed to hold. He placed what was left of the bearskin over his arm and tied it above his left shoulder - effectively making a sling. He had one injection needle, he was unsure of what was in it - but now was as good a time as any to make use of it.
Finishing his repairs to himself, he looked at the radiation meter. It was in at least 3 bits - unrepairable. Now Chun had no way of knowing what was going to kill him first, his superiors, beasts, radiation or bleeding out. He allowed himself a small laugh, this was not turning into the trip he expected.
He looked at his assault rifle, it would require two arms to fire - but he had exhausted his pistol ammo. He still needed it, that and his Jian and he still had that one grenade. Sipping from his water bottle, he ate a ration bar.
"The capital is normally an hours walk away from home, I've been walking.. well.. 50 minutes maybe.. It should just..."
Chun walked a few hundred yards and he saw it. New HangZhou. The road he was walking on was one of the old highways. It would take a half a day to walk across the city, under normal circumstances. In his condition, it might as well be weeks. He stumbled over to a burnt out bus taking up part of the highway. The road onwards entered a tunnel. Considering the monsters of the jungle, Chun did not want to venture in there during the night. He set his watch for two hours. He would try and rest if the pain would allow.
All of his worst nightmares, were coming true.
"Father, Mother, Home, Cold, Wet..."
He kept walking until he saw another mutant black bear.
"Not this time, I can't waste ammo."
The Bear was real. It growled, screamed and swung at Ling. He instinctively ducked and the bear ripped into his right arm. Ling screamed in pain, the bear had gouged into his arm and had smashed his radiation meter off it.
Chun staggered to his left and with his left hand unholstered his pistol and shot wildly at the bear. The first two shots missed, the third struck it in the mouth as it growled. The fourth and fifth shots struck the bear in the arm and leg respectively. Chun's aim was all off, the sixth and final seventh rounds struck the beast in the chest. None of them were kill shots however, and the beast slumped to the floor. Overcome in pain it screamed and howled. Chun pulled the trigger to a click, and another click. Putting the pistol back in its holder. He tried to grab his Jian. With it on his right side, he was in agnoy as he had to instead - use his left arm. Unsheathing the blade, he ploughed it into the bear's skull and slumped down next to it.
"Hmmerrgh... Ow.... "
He looked down at his right arm. He had three tears in his suit from the bears claws. All three had ripped into his arm. Blood was pouring out, an artery must have been hit.
"Why were you real, you were not meant to be real."
He began to feel dizzy and sickly. He struggled to get the bear skin off his back and backpack. He sliced the fur into a strip and covered his wound, he then placed his arm around the strip and tied a one ended knot above it and prepared himself for the anguish his next step would take. He yanked at the knot and it tore downwards just above the wound and into his arm.
"ARRRGGGHHHH!" - He screamed at the top of his lungs.
The strip seemed to have worked, the bleeding slowed. He cut another strip, and this time did the same below the wound. He screamed again. He checked the first aid kit. He had only a couple of bandages. He tried to dress it as best he could, but it took him several attempts as he felt more and more woozy. The makeshift dressing seemed to hold. He placed what was left of the bearskin over his arm and tied it above his left shoulder - effectively making a sling. He had one injection needle, he was unsure of what was in it - but now was as good a time as any to make use of it.
Finishing his repairs to himself, he looked at the radiation meter. It was in at least 3 bits - unrepairable. Now Chun had no way of knowing what was going to kill him first, his superiors, beasts, radiation or bleeding out. He allowed himself a small laugh, this was not turning into the trip he expected.
He looked at his assault rifle, it would require two arms to fire - but he had exhausted his pistol ammo. He still needed it, that and his Jian and he still had that one grenade. Sipping from his water bottle, he ate a ration bar.
"The capital is normally an hours walk away from home, I've been walking.. well.. 50 minutes maybe.. It should just..."
Chun walked a few hundred yards and he saw it. New HangZhou. The road he was walking on was one of the old highways. It would take a half a day to walk across the city, under normal circumstances. In his condition, it might as well be weeks. He stumbled over to a burnt out bus taking up part of the highway. The road onwards entered a tunnel. Considering the monsters of the jungle, Chun did not want to venture in there during the night. He set his watch for two hours. He would try and rest if the pain would allow.
All of his worst nightmares, were coming true.
Shadows of JiangXi - arvg - 01-04-2011
![[Image: stalker.png]](http://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad103/cplydon/stalker.png)
He trudged up the rain sodden road, the asphalt cracked by disuse, grasses pushing up here and there, as he passed blackened and burnt out cars. The main highway into New HangZhou, weaving through the low hills it carved eight lanes straight into the heart of the city.
He could vaguely see it ahead, shattered and disused office towers, inter-speresed with a Taoist or Bhuddist temple, gaping holes where the orbital bombardment had ripped through half of the city, leaving it a massive gaping crater of dust. The Radiation in the dust-bowl was still at dangerously high levels, meaning transit through the city had to stay to the East, through what had once been the shopping districts.
The storm was passing, as dawn began to turn the sky a sickly shade of taupe. The rain still falling, but pleasent now, gentle, as if it tickled the surrounding trees. Soon he would need the gasmask again, but for now the shemagh doing the filtration for him as he kept back into his flektarn hood, his heavy AKM clutched in his hands as his boots walked along the road.
In its hey day, New HangZhou had been a metropolis of raised highways, glittering office towers, and prosperity. One of the key manufacturing areas of the Coalition, it had boasted a population of nearly five million people, and was arguably the largest city ever destroyed in Sirius.
![[Image: 340x_Ameyoko_Ruin.jpg]](http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/8/2008/12/340x_Ameyoko_Ruin.jpg)
He stepped off of the highway, pulling out a carefully laminated map book, flipping through pages. It had been printed before the destruction of the world, and the street map was now riddled with his permanent marker marks, indicating obstacles and hurdles that lay ahead.
![[Image: medium_3122245463_b8a6008907_o.jpg]](http://cache-02.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/gallery/8/2008/12/medium_3122245463_b8a6008907_o.jpg)
The Nuggets were heading South, meaning they were going to need transportation. The more adventurous of them would try to find land transportation in and around the city, while others would try HangZhou canal, and some of the old Chinese style junks, or military skiffs that lay down there, head down the Canal to the shore a good two days away.
There was, of course, the third option. Working their way through what used to be the traitorous Commander Yue Fei's command bunker, where there were rumored to be some skimmers that might be airworthy... but that lay close to the radiation zone... and after Commissar-Captain Katz had crushed the Fei uprizing before his ascension to Premiership... it was a mess in that sector of the city, the bunkers only accessible through the underground reservoir system... and any one worth his salt, knew that there were monsters down there...
![[Image: medium_3122245643_71eb3079d3_o.jpg]](http://cache-02.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/gallery/8/2008/12/medium_3122245643_71eb3079d3_o.jpg)
He swung Easterly, heading for the surrounding villages. He needed food, and the chances of finding something non-contaminated in a basement somewhere was all the more likely.
Shadows of JiangXi - Pacific - 01-04-2011
![[Image: 127v.png]](http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/7251/127v.png)
Petko saw the figure of the hunter and was shocked when he saw the hunter and he knew that this creature killed the coalitioner in the farm house. When they both raised their rifles the Hunter dint know that petko had his strongest caliber leaded in the gun the 54 mm. As he was aiming his sights he the aim came directly at the head of the Hunter. They Shoot at the same time. The Hunter's bullet pass threw Petkos head on Inches wile petko Hit the Hunter by the arm. Petkos large caliber made the hunter fall down to the cliff bottom to be swallowed by darkness. Petko Sighted and figured hell was finally over. He lookd down towards the cliff bottom and sighted he told to himself.
" Nice job petko the figure is no more"
He proceed moving towards the Military Base he had planned to
Shadows of JiangXi - Jansen - 01-05-2011
![[Image: 126.png]](http://b.imagehost.org/0886/126.png)
The rain didnt stop, it was raining since she arrived at the planet, it felt like she was here for more then a week already. The lightning revealed a large tree which was lying on a narrow part of the canyon. "So thats the second line... doesnt look too trustworthy" Most of the tree was covered by moss, which would make it dangerous to go on the tree. Marcia looked at the map again, the other line over the canyon was far away and there didnt seem to be any other option to get over the ravine. She checked the radiation meter once more, still not dangerous.
Marcia decided that she would need a little break and sat down under one of the bigger trees nearby to have at least some protection from the rain. It would have been good to drink something, but she wasnt sure if the water was really clean, could as well be contaminated, she thought the same about the few food rations she had.
Seven minutes of break had to be enough, she pulled the knife out of its bracket and rammed it into the tree, then she sat on it and tried to slide step by step, always having the knife as some kind of security. Reaching the middle of it she nearly lost her balance, but everything went well and she arrived at the other side of the canyon. Moving over the tree took her twenty minutes and a lot of strength. Now she had to eat and drink something.
She opened the food rations under another big tree, so that at least the rain couldnt reach them. This time the break took nearly forty-five minutes, but she felt a tad bit better after it. She was able to see the roofs of many higher buildings in the next valley, something that might have been the capital or at least another big city before the attack. Looking at her map she didnt find any remarks about those buildings.
"The guy that made this for sure wasnt an artist or cartographer..." Another check of the radiation meter and she walked nearly ten more kilometers into southern direction without any other traces of life crossing her path.
And again it was time to sleep, the second night in this hell. Searching for a hideout was a lot harder here, the forest wasnt as dense as on the other side of the canyon and even though there were a few isolated houses here, she didnt want to go into them. She didnt want to meet another 'friendly' citizen. She walked for another hour and then she found a small house with a separated basement. The flashlight was turned on as she opened the door slowly. It was filled with shelves, where people had stored their vegetables, which were now not much more then soil.
The previous owners also had some tools in the cellar, Marcia used one of them, the crowbar to keep the door closed. And yet agains she checked every corner to be sure that there was no other entrance then the steel door she came through, so she could be sure, that if something would want to enter the basement it would have to break through the door. She laid down a bit away from the door, the AK ready, just in case she would need it. "Good night wonderful place..."
Shadows of JiangXi - Vince Piccio - 01-05-2011
"Dear God," Iscariot whispered to whatever deity may still listen to his prayers. He stood on a rise, looking down on what had once obviously been a major metropolitan area. It looked like half of it was nothing but a crater, now. The other half looked desolated and unwelcoming, as if the stones themselves could feel the presence of one of those who had consigned the entire planet to this fate. The radiation was rather high in this area, and he imagined it would be high closer to the crater as well. He had to see that closer up, it was an urge he couldn't deny.
The figure that might as well be a walking shadow slid down the hill and walked briskly towards the crater. Iscariot noticed the radiation meter outside rising, but inside the suit there was no change. It was starting to get a lot hotter, though, and this armor weighed quite a lot. About an hour later, he was standing at the lip of the crater. Radiation was going crazy, and the readings were showing that a little bit was penetrating the armor now. It would be even worse in the crater itself.
Iscariot shook his head and made for the east side of the city, looking to view the destruction closer.
Shadows of JiangXi - Shryke - 01-05-2011
Ulrich's arms swayed back and forth, perfectly in sync with the symphony filling his quarters. His eyes were shut, and as the music picked up intensity so did his conducting. For the moment, he was not board the International, staying in high orbit around Jiang Xi. He was in front of a grand orchestra, conducting his favourite masterpiece - Beethoven's symphony number 9. That is, until the chime rang.
And then, back to reality.
"Pause," he said, and the recording oblidged.
He straightened out his uniform and allowed his visitor to enter. As the door opened, a Fedaykin entered the room. He was of Arabic descent, and had a rather featureless face, something highly valuble for a man of his position. His height was average, as was his build. Everything about this man was seemed to suggest he was an ordinary man, but nothing could be further from the truth.
"Commissar, I apologize if I'm interrupting," the Fedaykin said.
Ulrich smiled and said, "of course not. I trust you are here to give me a status update."
"Yes commissar. Our guests have arrived," the man replied
Ulrich's smile widened. "Ah, good! Everything is going as planned. Tell me, how are our," he trailed off, making a gesture with his arms as if thinking hard about what to call the men undergoing survival training. "Our... comrades in arms doing?"
"Only one casualty so far."
"Only one," Ulrich asked, seeming geniunely surprised at the answer. "Maybe there is potential for this group after all. And to think I wanted them to die on this abomination that we call Jiang Xi for being so inept during Scott's escapade." He chuckled to himself. "Excellent."
Ulrich turned away from the man. "See you in an hour."
The Fedaykin placed a hand on his heart and bowed slightly, the same gesture that Ulrich frequently uses, before walking out of the quarters. Indeed, it was this Fedaykin that introduced Ulrich to the humble gesture, but he never did it to his Fedaykin. To do so would undermine his poisition and his very precise command style.
"Play," Ulrich said.
The symphony continued with a deafening volume. He went back to conducting his symphony, as if the distraction of the status update never happened.
Shadows of JiangXi - Akura - 01-05-2011
The Hunter rose from the waters of the river, groaning a little in pain. It was fortunate that his fall from the top of the cliff ended with a deep river. He was bleeding a little, miscoloured blood to match his unnatural DNA, from a wound that would quickly heal itself. The bullet had passed right through his shoulder, an inch or so above his heart.
He trunged out of the water, emptying his hood and pockets of water, finding only a combat knife and a cigarette lighter in his possession, it seems the gun he had aquired was lost in the deep waters that had saved him.
Ahead, he could see across a few fields, the silhouette of a large, broken city ahead of him, the moonlight highlighting some of the larger and more obvious features.
The Hunter stretched, flexing his injured shoulder and choosing the city as his next destination. He was going to New HangZhou.
Shadows of JiangXi - arvg - 01-05-2011
He'd been following the nugget for a while now, watching the young man staggering along the Highway and into what had been one of the main boulevards of the city. The shops were dark, shattered windows and rags that had once been high fashion hanging on half melted mannequins. The tea shops that New HangZhou had been famous for, with their rotting rattan chairs, the desolation lay everywhere around him.
He tried, as usual, to not let it affect him. He had come to JiangXi aboard one of the IND refugee convoys, dropped in the relative paradise of New Hong Kong, and granted an opportunity to build a new life for himself in the Idyllic, modern city. Of course he'd chosen to forsake all that, enlisting in the army and look where that had gotten him...
![[Image: neo_ruins_2.jpg]](http://www.pinktentacle.com/images/neo_ruins_2.jpg)
The man ahead of him seemed to be having problems, limping and occasionally jumping at shadows. While it was healthy to have a certain amount of paranoia on JiangXi... almost a requirement for survival... there was something feverish about this man's movements.
Early stages of Radiation poisoning? But he was wearing protective gear...
Elias' eyes strayed down to the ankle. An injury.
He was going to regret this.
"Hey!" he called out.
The answer was a hail of bullets clumsily shot back in his general direction. Sending Elias diving for cover behind what had once been a bus shelter. The bullets drilling through a bicycle rack, pinging and ricocheting into silence.
"HEY!" Elias called again, "Nuggets aren't really supposed to have mush for brains you know!"
Silence.
Elias poked his head up, keeping his AKM ready in case he needed to do some shooting. Staring at the crumpled body lying in the middle of the boulevard.
"Great..." he murmured, getting up and cautiously walking across to the prone Coalition recruit. Chinese by the looks of him.
Elias did the only thing he could do, picked the boy up, carrying him towards one of the shop fronts, pushing past the old sports equipment and rotting clothes, through to the back room. Stripping off the boys boot and cutting the trousers to get a closer look at the injured ankle, noting that there was another injury on the upper arm.
"You've made one hell of a mess out of yourself," Elias murmured, digging through his pack and pulling out his medical kit, selecting anti-radiation drugs, precious in this kind of emergency, and in critically short supply... he administered it, before setting to work patching up the wounds. Having little choice but to cut the uniform to get at the wounds.
Once he was done with his basic field treatments, he glanced around at the sports shop he was in, digging through some of the boxes, finding some rubberized sailing gear, garishly coloured, but would do the job of offering some modest radiation protection. He left it on the boys chest.
"Now if you don't get eaten by rats," Elias murmured to the boy. "You should stand a fighting chance..." Taking his permanent marker out, he scrawled on the wall opposite the youth. 'River boat'.
Figuring that was enough help, he got up, closed the outer door and set off back into the city.