The Scarman Enigma

[|Scarecrow|]

Marcus ducked and rolled as a volley of laser fire tore into the decking next to him. He swung his carbine up to face the turret and fired, his barrage of steel bolts skittering off the metal hide of the defensive weapon. It swiveled on its axis, targeting him. He rolled again as another blast tore up the floor.
Break and cover! He yelled, diving for the protection of a pile of empty energy cells. More fire rent the air as Marcus team of marines sought out cover. Scarecrow winced as screams and yells of pain echoed around the wide hangar bay. He stole a glance out of cover and noted six dead or wounded laying on the decking, their horrific burn marks smoldering gently.

Marcus leaned back into as one of the turrets spotted him. He held onto his carbine tightly as laser fire ripped into the back of the empty canisters he was using as cover. The energy cells moved several inches under the impact, pushing Marcus closer to the wall.
Marcus! A voice yelled from somewhere to Scarecrows left. He turned around and saw Jayce Wilder stood in the doorway, a carbine resting in his arms.
Marcus turned and adjusted himself so that he was crouched low behind his cover. He nodded at Wilder, gesturing to the control room opposite before standing up and firing from the hip. Marcus laid down a barrage of fire, diverting the attention of the turrets as Jayce entered the hangar at a sprint.

When Marcus clip ran dry, he had no choice but to duck back into cover. Weapons fire sounded as Marcus retreated into cover. He rammed another clip into his carbine and looked back over his cover. Connors was firing at Jayce as he made for the control room access point. Marcus aimed down his weapon and fired at Connors, narrowly missing the Black Flag Brawler. The big man ducked back down behind cover inside the Thunderhawk, dodging Marcus onslaught.

Jayce finally reached the entrance to the control room and began hauling himself up the wall instead of going through the doorway. Using his fingertips to keep a hold on the metal support beams, Jayce swiftly reached the ceiling. He grabbed onto a cluster of dangling cables and tugged hard. The cables came out of the ceiling with a crackle as their severed ends sparked. As soon as the cables were out, the first turret fell silent. Marcus glanced across at the second, which was rotating rapidly to face Wilder. He caught a glimpse of movement in the control room behind the Admiral.
Jayce watch your back! Marcus yelled. Jayce didnt hear him however as he fired a blast at the second turret. It detonated with an angry fireball, scrap metal and debris falling loudly to the deck beneath.

Two more turrets swung loose from their berths in the ceiling further along the hangar and swiveled to target Marcus and the rest of his marines. He swore and ducked back beneath cover. He briefly saw Jayce smash one of the control room windows with the butt of his carbine and duck, ready to jump in. There was a dull thump and a cracking sound. Scarecrow chanced a glance around his cover and saw Jayce slowly pulling himself up on the decking below the control room. Confused, Marcus looked up to the window. His alternate self stood there, glaring down at the broken form of Admiral Wilder.

Horror gripped Admiral Scarman as he turned to see one of the new turrets rotating to focus on the downed Admiral.
JAYCE! Marcus bellowed at the top of his voice. But it was too late. The turret opened fire and the deadly stream of white hot laser fire ripped into the Admirals body, flinging him back against the wall. Marcus broke cover and began to sprint, firing his carbine as he did so. As he ran, several of the explosive rounds from his new clip hit the turret. A small string of explosions circled the turret before it exploded with one large boom and crashed to the deck.

Marcus quickly cleared the distance of the hangar bay and skidded to a halt beside the prone form of Jayce Wilder. He knelt beside his fallen comrade, reaching out to check his pulse. Wilder was alive, barely. His torso had been riddled with shots, smoking gently as his skin boiled.

Another detonation sounded from behind Marcus. He glanced around to see the still form of the fourth turret, his remaining marines slowly moving out of cover. Before he could turn back around however, something struck him from behind. His carbine went skittering across the deck, out of his grasp. He turned around, frantically trying to unloop his RPL from around his neck. A man towered above him, pressing a smart, black business shoe into the hem of the strap, trapping Marcus fingers beneath the fabric and pinning him to the floor.

Scarecrow stared up into the crazed eyes of his alternate self, his heart beginning to beat ten times its normal pace.
Hello, Tyrant Scarman hissed, I was wondering when Id be meeting you.

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| S C A R E C R O W |

"See you space cowboy..."