Vultures in Hades; Chapter Three.

[Bad Luck Ranger]

Doom: Vultures of Hades.
Chapter Three.

The terminal barely functioned but Browning gave it a try anyway. He wanted to know whether or not the UAC were there or not and if they were then they were in for a whole lot of trouble. The UAC craft would literally run rings round their Dreadnought class vessel making escape near impossible. If only he could get the internal sensors online maybe he could find out how many of them there were.
He slammed the keyboard, just like everything in the facility was either broken or running on reserve power.
Diving through the maintenance hatch and into the room residing Dawson and McKinley, Browning warningly woke them up.
“Hey, Christ what the bloody hell are you playing at?” Exclaimed Dawson.
McKinley was beginning to stir just as Browning was explaining himself. “The UAC might possibly be here… there’s a craft out on one of the landing pads.”
This immediately shook Dawson out of his slumber, “How do you know?”
“What’s happening?” Said McKinley, drowsily.
The two newly woken Scavengers followed Browning’s lead into the adjoining room where the monitor clearly showed the UAC craft. Dawson recognised that this ships variant was only instated last year and he immediately knew the implications. He strapped on his helmet and took lead towards the shuttle.
“We leave… forget this Scavenge run. That ship wouldn’t even have to bother chasing us because whatever damned escape we try it will only be futile. They can search us all they want but he haven’t taken anything yet and how are they to know if we’re Scavengers?”
Browning and McKinley nodded in recognition and followed Dawson’s lead but as they reached the entrance door an unfamiliar snarl echoed from the ceiling. The troupe looked up just as a globule of viscous saliva dropped onto McKinley’s helmet visor. She screamed and jumped back as the lanky and muscular spiked demon leapt from the ceiling and onto a nearby wall. Dawson traced it’s flight and let loose a barrage of super heated Plasma energy at the creature. McKinley though shocked attempted a reopening of the entrance door but she was maladjusted by a flaming ball of fire directed from the north corridor, the ball slammed into the door mere inches from the shaken female. The first Imp leapt at Browning bringing him down to the floor and in an outcry slashed at his face, Browning yelled in agony as the Imp hacked large lacerations at his face though he mainly slashed at the helmets durable textile, the Imp had penetrated the visor. Dawson steadied himself as he fired a continuos battery at a group of half a dozen other hell spawn that were emerging from the maintenance hatch near the north corridor door. He clipped two or three and hindered the emergence of at least a further six Imps as their entrance was blocked. McKinley pulled out her pistol and pot aimed at the beast that was attacking Browning. She fired three then four shots before the creature succumbed to the wounds.
Dawson on the other hand took down the remaining three Imps and was miraculously able to close the maintenance hatch and locked it before darting back to the first commotion. Browning was barely conscious, he had taken a severe throttling and it is hadn’t been for his helmet he may have been dead.
“Get that door open!” Snapped Dawson as he clutched at Browning’s body lying motionless on the floor.
He then took note at the outside as a whole host of hell spawn made up of mainly Imps and large gorilla sized pink monstrosities began clambering at the two large double windows.
Exhausted Dawson explained, “They can’t breach that window… its damn bullet proof!” But he was seemingly proved right at the horned pink creatures began lunging at the glass in vain attempt to rapture the thick glass. Dawson gazed over to the maintenance hatch that had now stopped pounding.
“How about those UAC guys?” He cried quickly.
Breathing heavily due to fear McKinley responded. “Huh? What about them? I wish they’d stop!” She cried directing to the tormenting demon outside. The pounding on the windows resembled deep bellowing shell explosions. McKinley reached over to the nearby console and endeavoured to bring the blast shield down, after a few attempts a layered sheet of industrial thick steel built downwards from the top of the windows blocking the view of the hideous beasts. The pounding now slightly muffled still continued.
“That’ll hold them for now but we have to get out of this room and if there are UAC forces here then I’d rather take my chances with them!” He said assertively.
“But what about him,” McKinley pointed at the incapacitated body of Browning. “We just can’t leave him here?”
The pair dragged Browning into the room containing all the security read outs, a corridor ran parallel on the opposite side of the room though the end of the corridor was obstructed by debris there was a large gaping hole in the side. The nearby snarls and growls of the demons could easily be heard and if they didn’t want to direct any attention to themselves they would have to be very quiet.
Dawson slowly and quietly wrenched a side panel revealing a ventilation shaft junction where condensation formed water droplets that rained onto Dawson, McKinley and the unconscious Browning. McKinley then in turn replaced the ventilation cover. They crept for what seemed like miles of wall cavity until they reached what appeared to be a large mess room in total disarray. The place hadn’t been used for a very long time and it showed. Dawson could almost hear the metallic clutter of knives and forks colliding with plates and the happy chatter of employees, the galaxy it seemed had never felt the same since. Humanity had been broken apart due to war. Humans had colonised Stroggos; humans were failing miserably to rebuild Earth and who knows how many space-bound human-based civilisations there were.
McKinley cleared a space on one of the tables and the two Scavengers propped Browning onto it. He was slowly regaining consciousness albeit in agony.
“He’s coming over.” Stated McKinley as Dawson sealed up their entrance. He clambered over to the table where Browning and McKinley were.
“Can you hear me?” Asked Dawson.
Almost incoherently Browning answered. “What… happened?” The sentence was elongated through concussion.
“We were attacked… demons attacked us, Browning.” Dawson said guiltily.
“And you said it was safe!” Snapped McKinley as she paced the room.
Dawson sighed, “It wasn’t my fault… we haven’t got time for this. Now listen to me, I’ve got a plan.”
McKinley calmed down as she listened to Dawson’s proposal.
Dawson sat down on the opposite table, “In Browning’s condition we won’t get past those things out there…” McKinley cut in aggressively.
“We just can’t leave him here!” But Dawson just closed his eyes in deep thought and exhaled.
“Shut up!” He shouted, which she promptly did. “Listen! I go out… I’ll get to the shuttle by myself if anyone can do it I can. You tend to Browning while I’ll get back to the ship then Myers, McKintyre and myself will rescue the two of you.” He sighed as he plugged another energy cartridge into the base of his Plasma Rifle.

[dsm]

The story certainly is getting more exciting - well done.

[Bad Luck Ranger]

Thank you, this is creeping up the point where the premise of Doom plays a major role. The lone avenger faces off against the demons.

[nightmare imp]

Awsome work!

[Bad Luck Ranger]

Thank you too, be sure to read the previous two chapters if you haven't done so already. They're easy to find is dsm's index thread.
The fourth installment is nearing completion.