The Dig

[VaevictisAsmadi]

30-5-834
Med Bay

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The patients eyes were locked on the rifle, while the barrel danced nerveously. "Please, s-stop." Arthur begged, as his feet shuffled backwards. Medical machine beeps went silent, the agonizing screams of the nurse subsided. A loud clang was heard as his back hit the wall. One of the patients had sneaked to the lights controller, her hand moved slowly to the switched. "God, no..." sanity gave way to darkness. Only flashes of violence dripped into view.

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For Arthur reality dripped in flashes. First being dragged to the citadel. The profane nausea of the Holy Room. Chants within the Citadel, glorifying their defeat of evil, each cultists honoured in his capture. Arthur was thrown into a common cage deep down. His body being searched for valuables, first from the guards, then from the prisoners with a kick and a fist to the gut and head for good measure. Moments of groans and hurt started to form into godless minutes, only for Arthur to be hurled back into the void. The world turned and disapeared. He tried to stand up in a haze, only to fall and start again, all while a chorus of cheers and jeers came from the other prisoners.

Then hope came. He shuddered in fear, and cowered as the door was burst open. The prisoners hurled to the cell bars begging to be freed, as militia screamed for attention. Before chaos escalated into a slaughter, a cool collected shout put everyone at attention. "Attention, Commander Blaine!" a seargent near the door called, as Chillworth walked with sure steps as the soldiers stood at attention "Prisoners, you are to be escorted and debriefed by the Pygar Militia!". The prisoners shouts stopped as his cold glare turned to them. "Militiamen are authorized to enforce order as needed. This is by _any_ means necessary. Give them your full support and attention!". A calm silence spread across the room. Situation under control. "Sergeant Samuel?". "Sir! Yes sir!" saluted a man by the entrance. "You are in control. Help these people and report back to me.". As Arthur's mind faded a smile cracked and peace took him.

He awoke to a soft bed. Cold patches like felt like cool ocean breeze on his bruises. His torso was hugged thigtly with bandages. His sanity and mind finaly in his own grip, for a moment he was back on Erie, awake in the sweet morning dew near the lumbering pine forests. As he looked around, he was greeted by a scene of white cloth and the sleepy beeping of the medical machines around him. On his right a cold steel wall, which continued for a few meters. In the middle of it, the door guarded by two young men. On his left a white sheet with a show of shadows behind it. A patient in bed, while someone attended to him.

Arthur stood up and tried to speak with a feeble voice. "Are you with the NCC?" he muttered "Please, are you with the Church?" When he tried to stood up, a slight sharp clinch found him, as if he overslept. "Settle down mister!" a light pout from an angels face. "I will be with you in a moment." the nurse promised with a smile. Arthur could only mutter a shy "Yes ma'am". She turned back to one of the guards "Notify the agent, we have one of his men.". The guards at the door infront smirked, and shared a mocking look. The riffles looked silly on the boys, as if they couldn't fill out their shoes. One of them turned to the comm by the door and started speaking to the operator, while looking at Arthur.

"Finally!" Arthur thought, "Maybe things will work out for the best.". If the Administration was here, then the NCC took care of the artifact. He had only seen good things from both organizations. As he laid down in bed, he couldn't help the crack a grin. The medical facility was a retrofitted cargo container. Although the medical machinery was connected to the various jacks and cables, it could easily be changed when needed. The patients were laid out in beds, seperated by rows of thin white sheet. A comforting murmur ruled the room, as two nurses were checking vitals and getting basic information.

The sweet face peeked behind the curtain at Arthur. "Knock knock, sleepy head!" she said, as she approached him warmly. "You were out for a long time. Poor guy, what did they do to you?". He wracked his brain, about how and where to start, words started and ended while thoughts raced. She gave him mercy by shushing him "Hush now. Let me check your vitals, before we continue.". With her eyes glued to the pad, Arthur stole a look at his salvation. She had dark brown hair and warm hazel eyes. Shallow laugh lines embelisshed her lips, and she couldn't keep one shaggy lock of hair behind her ears.

She poked, jabbed and pinched. As she mumbled to herself, she scratched her pad, pausing only when waiting asking a question. Arthur managed only a series of "yes", "no" and "maybe", always ending on a pollite "ma'am". She pulled up a chair next to him, and a peaceful silence was shared between them.

She sent riffled the pages looking for something and readied her pen "Okay soldier, time for your interview.". Arthur stood up a little "I'm no soldier, ma'am. Just a drifter.". "Oh? And what name does this drifter have?" she put on a sly smile "And drop the ma'am." He introduced himself "Gaehan, Arthur Gaehan, ma'am."

An warm friendly hand leapt at Arthur. "I'm Lucy. And I said drop the madam! Or I will hurt you.". He had forgotten the last time he held a friendly arm. Since Canaria he shared fleeting passions and desperate nights with stranges as himself, always as distant as they were close. "Thank you, ma... Lucy. What happened?". She looked at their silent neighbor and leaned in, with a conspiring whisper "The NCC sent a team to neutralize the artifact. Then they called us. Are you working for them? Are you one of them agents?". Arthurs tongue stumbled "Oh, t-there must be a mist-ake. I'm a nobody".

"You are important!" a choir of voices responded. Shadows moved behind white curtains, the other patients stood up in unison. The other nurse screamed, as Lucy moved to the center to see what was happening. "You are important!". The guards jaws dropped, as the patients moved against them. As the first shouldered his riffle a slammed with him into the wall. "You are important!" the scream continued, as some of the singers gurgled with blood. The other guard started shooting, as one of the patients fell, two bodies slammed into the guard.

Arthur tried to stand, as his feet went numb he crashed to the floor. His bed fell beside him, saving him from the horrific view. Lucy screamed, the other nurse was dead silent. "You are important, Arthur!" he saw the barrel of a gun a few meters. He started crawling, Lucy was laying on the floor her hands clutching her neck. The patients were split, each one biting and scratching it's victim, one of the patients was bleeding out on the floor. Everyhing stopped, as their eyes looked at Arthur. "You are important, Arthur!". In a flash they continued their unholy work.

Slowly, as he crawled, realization came to him. They were the healed, the saved, the blessed. All people who were in the Holy Room, all people who the Reverend chose. He took the gun, their eyes locked on him. Lucy was begging, while the guards laid motionless on the floor. Their heads shot up at him "Take us back to The Holy, Arthur!", the patients moved simultaneously like fingers of an alien hand. Even the one bleeding on the floor, mouthed the words, with a bloody dry gargle.

He pushed himself off the floor, one hand supported on the gun, the other gripping at the wall. All the patients stood up, turning to him. Cuts and bleeding, the white aprons defiled in dark crimson. "H-help." Lucy barely muttered with white lips. Arthur rifled the gun and slowly started to shuffle into his corner. Screams for help were in vain.

The patients eyes were locked on the rifle, while the barrel danced nerveously. "Please, s-stop." Arthur begged, as his feet shuffled backwards. Medical machine beeps went silent, the agonizing screams of the nurse subsided. A loud clang was heard as his back hit the wall. One of the patients had sneaked to the lights controller, her hand moved slowly to the switched. "God, no..." sanity gave way to darkness. Only flashes of violence dripped into view.

"You are all important to me!"

---

---

Garcia and Mackintosh moved through the field hospitals. Large cargo containers were delivered and turned into medical rooms, supply storages or simple interview stations to debrief the locals. Each cargo container was marked on the side with it's numerical designation. All of the prisoners, casualties or civilians which were found in the Amber Citadel, went to the "GOL" section. Mackintosh turned to him "Boss, who is this Arthur guy, again?"

That was the same question on Garcias mind. "I know as much as you, agent. Agent Schroeder and him scoped the compound before our operation. As far as I know he is a free agent.". Mackintosh looked confused, while Garcia maintained a stone face. "Sir, if I may ask? Why?". Garcia replied softly "Deux's plan is beyound human understanding.".

As they approached their destination "GOL-13", shots and screams were heard. Both of the agents jumped into a sprint. Both Garcia and Mackintosh were at the door, before the milita could arrive. They positioned themselves at sides of the door, each ready with a handgun and flashlight. Screams and shots echoed from the container. An unholy screech was thrown in unison by several voices. "Agent, use extreme prejudice!" Garcia commanded.

Mackintosh punched the prompt and the door flung open. Garcia turned to face the darkness inside. The flashlight showed six bed, two on each side seperated by sheets. The bright flashlight accented the dark red spots on them. In the middle one nurse and one patient both had lost too much blood to be alive. Mackintosh turned to the right, discharging his gun at a hostile. The patient was biting down the guards neck. Unlike a wild animal the bites were precise.

Garcia turned left. A patient with a riffle was fighting off one of the raving lunatics. In front of them a nurse was bleeding profusly, another puncture wound on the neck. Both of ther hands tried to stop the bleeding, her feet were fighting off another patient. "Femoral artery" Garcia thought, as both foes turned to him. "We know you, Garcia!" both patients took up in a single voice.

Mackintosh started firing at a second hostile, as Garcia send the one by the nurse to hell. Before he could turn, a body slammed into him and pushed him to the ground, sending his gun away. A woman wearing a crimson-stained white apron stood over him. "We know you, Garcia!" she smiled "You've seen it!"

Blood splattered over his face, as a riffle shot burst her chest. The nasty confident look on her face lingered for a moment. Then her eyes changed - confusion and panic took over, as she slumped to the ground. An evil spirit leaving her body to die.

Arthur dropped the gun and crawled towards the nurse. Garcia picked his gun as he stood up. His eyes scanning the room for more combatants. "Macintosh, status!". The operative was checking the corners as he shouted"All clear. All hostiles have been dispatched". Garcia went to the nurse and tried to stop the bleeding, he looked at the poor young man crawling to them, desperate to help. Militia men flooded the room. "Are you Arthur?". Without leaving his eyes off girl, the man noded "H-Help her. Please.". Agent Garcia whispered "Only Deux can help us now.".