Rachnid

"Oi! Rise 'n shine!"

You snort awake.

""—minute to Brisbane,"" states LOCCENT.

A flooffy ginger cat streaks across your peripheral.

Shake your head clear. What /**is** it with—

"Have a nice nap?"

Sigh, resist your desire to flip him the bird, give him a Look instead.

Jack chuckles.

""Standard formation,"" orders the Marshal. ""WJ-03, take point. VS-04, off their left flank. Hold the five-mile line. SE-05, wait at the Miracle Mile. Don't move up without orders. Estimate five minutes to contact. Happy hunting.""

"Yes, sir," says everybody.

First time on the frontline since Newcastle, since Jack last went over the fence.

""WJ-03, drop when you're ready,"" says LOCCENT.

""WJ-03 disengaging transport,"" says Bubbles.

""VS-04, drop when you're ready,"" says LOCCENT.

Jack's gold quavers.

""WJ-03 ready and waiting at the five-mile line,"" says Bubbles.

Set your teeth.

Lock the comm 'open'.

"VS-04 disengaging transport."

Key in the command.

A /*ka-chunk* you feel in your jaw and—

""SE-05, drop when you're ready,"" says LOCCENT.

—your feet slam into the ocean and your teeth rattle again.

""SE-05 disengaging transport,"" says Old Hansen.

"VS-04 ready and waiting at the five-mile line." Trudge into position, feel your legs go to standby.

""Just like old times, ey, Buttercup? You watching my back?""

You huff.

""SE-05 ready and waiting at the Miracle Mile,"" says Old Hansen.

""Why d'you always call him 'Buttercup', anyway?"" says Chuckles.

She tells him and you'll let the Kaiju smack her a good one, you swear.

""Long story there, Chuckling. Me and Buttercup go way—""

"Incoming. Eleven o'clock."

Thank god.

""We're not showing it, Jack,"" says Bubbles.

That's one big tracking echo.

""VS's sensors were upgraded last month,"" explains LOCCENT. ""'s got Eagle Eyes now.""

Only two months after the other scouts.

""Handy.""

Damn Kaiju's fast, too.

"Four hundred meters."

""Everybody ready?""

Got a bad feeling about this.

"Ready."

Jack mutes the comm. "'Bad' doesn't cover it. The three of us can't—"

"Relax, Little Miss Sunshine. We've got this."

"Hope you're right."

Turn the mics back on.

You're right.

Shift your feet, wake up your engines.

Sludgy bottom sucks at your boots.

Kaiju surfaces like a submarine, right fuckin' in front of /*Whisky*, maybe thirty meters out.

Long, long, /**long** tail curled up over its back and ginormous claws on its forelimbs.

It's a gorram scorpion.

Chuckles'll scream like a little girl when he sees it.

Jack snorts a laugh (or maybe that's you).

Well, hopefully, you'll kill it before it gets to him.

Kaiju's got reach on all of you—from both ends.

This is gonna /**suck**.

""Gun up, Buttercup!"" orders Bubbles.

Good call, Pigtails.

"Copy that."

Twist the controller, feel the charge sizzle along the nerves of your arm.

""Backing off to missile ra—""

Kaiju whips around, levels its tail, smacks /*Whisky* onto her ass and she skids back almost into /**perfect** position.

"That'll save you some time!"

Circle 'round, hold the distance open.

C'monc'monc'cmonchargeyoustupidfuckinthing

""Stuff it, smartarse, and shoot the damn thing!""

/*Whisky*'s first shot whistles past your shoulder, grazes the Kaiju's back, explodes in the water on the far side.

Ready, aim—

Fire.

Miss.

Grit teeth.

Recharge.

Kaiju scuttles toward you, tail snaking back and forth over its head.

Keep circling, keep your distance.

Kaiju rushes you, full speed, claws open.

Fire.

Hit a leg.

No effect.

Recharge.

/*Whisky*'s shot rips off a midleg.

Still coming, still fast.

Fire.

Take off a leg.

Kaiju staggers.

Recharge.

How many legs can this thing lose before it slows down?

Pincers bite your knee, snapping girders, shredding cables.

Lurch away best you can, knee folding, dropping you to your hands.

/*Whisky* amputates another midleg.

Kaiju shrieks—sounds like a cackle—whips 'round.

Tail catches you full in the chest and you're tumbling.

Land stupid and something pops in your wrist.

Ow.

Water closes over your head and you hit bottom.

The cold feels sooooo good against the burn in your leg.

Push yourself up anyway, engines whining, frame rattling.

Break the surface, waterfall in front—that was one big-ass shark—of the glass, flick your head to clear the sight.

Your knee won't straighten, can't hold you.

Great. Just great.

Taste blood on your tongue.

Fine. Whatever.

""Backup would be nice!"" yells Bubbles.

Kaiju whacks away at /*Whisky* with its tail, sparks flying.

Time to be a hero.

Twist the controller.

A fizzle; barely tickles.

Crap.

Take it, Jack—

Twists the controller, feel the charge sizzle along the nerves of your other arm.

Fire.

Midline.

Lots of Blue, squealing, flailing.

Recharge.

/*Whisky* steps into the pause, grabs a forelimb just behind the claw.

""Thanks, Buttercup!""

"Wasn't me!"

/*Whisky* flings the Kaiju away, quicksteps to you.

""Then thanks, Jack.""

"You're very welcome."

""Can you move?""

"Can't even stand right."

Kaiju pivots and charges you and /*Whisky*.

At least the damn thing is at half-speed now.

""LOCCENT! Backup! /**NOW!**""

""/**Hansens!** Get in there!"" snaps the Marshal.

""Copy!""

""Don't you guys dare d—""

"Not rid of me that easily, Chu—"

Kaiju aims a knife-edged claw right for the sight.

Oh fuck no.

Not like this.

Lunge—

/*Whisky* digs her fingers into your shoulder and pitches you aside.

Roll with it, somersault, come up on one knee, panting, blood spattered on your visor.

The inside.

Yours.

Shit.

""Don't say I never did anything for you, Buttercup!"" yells Bubbles. ""We're eve—""

The tail smashes down on the crown of /*Whisky*'s head.

She drops.

"/***Whisky*!**"

Static.

/**Shit.**

Fire.

Left claw shatters.

Recharge.

"Where the fuck are you, Hansen?!"

""Twenty seconds!""

Tail crashes upside the Conn-pod.

Jack's side caves in a meter; deep down /*Vulcan* groans—

Aaaand there goes another cat.

Wonderful.

Fire.

Miss.

Recharge.

Another blow to the head.

A /*crack* like breaking bone—

Jack screams blue murder, dropping.

Sympathetic jerk nearly dislocates your shoulder.

Jack's does.

Head's filling with static.

And /*Vulcan*'s dead in the water.

Kaiju spins, locks your knee in its claw.

You whack at its face.

Kaiju squeezes.

Titanium splinters.

Keep punching.

Damn, your arm is heavy.

Can'thelpsorrysorrysosorry

Claw grinds your knee's last steel.

""Can't get a bead on it!""

Hansens need a clear shot.

If any of us wanna survive—

Nononononologandon'tdoitdon'tpleasedon'tPLEA—

Shut up, Jack. This's all the chance we've got.

"Hansen! Fire!"

""/**What?!**"" squeaks Chuckles.

"/**Just** do it!"

Wrench your leg harder against the edge.

Claw twists against the motion (Kaiju moves—rises!—with it), ridges shearing though metal like cardboard.

—knee's agony, foot's numb, whole body's tilting—thank fucking /**god**—to your side—

Kaiju sounds kinda frustrated with only half your leg.

—water swallows you, one of Hansen's missiles skips off Jack's wrist without blowing, a /*boom* rattles your teeth, and everything goes peaceful dim and Jack's asking something but he's too far away to hear.