The Fire

[Dustin]

Message number 2082 in "OKILLERS"
Date: 11-30-91  02:46
From: Mark Stroud
To:   All
Subj: Re: OOII Article

        The recruit sat down by the fire, enjoying the warmth it
gave off.  It was a comfortable feeling and the recruit slowly
started to relax.  A rumble in his stomach reminded him that he
hadn't eaten all day.  Pulling out the flask of rations he was
given when he joined the HX Force, he removed the cover and
swallowed the disgusting liquid-substance, replacing the remaining
ration in his pack.  Looking up from his pack, he noticed the
stranger looking at him. "I'll give you 200 crystals for your last
ration," the stranger said.
     The recruit, without even a second thought, reached into his
pack and pulled out the ration, and tossed it across the fire
towards the stranger. The stranger caught it deftly, quickly
removing the cap and swallowing the contents.  "Keep your
crystals," the recruit said.  "It will be a sad day, when I do not
repay a favor. Perhaps I might answer  a question?" The stranger
said.
     "This you could do. Your name?"
     "Hah!  That is no question, but I am known as Hawk. And Yours?"
     "I am known as the Mad Hacker."
     "Now ask me a real question, Hacker."
     Mad Hacker taking his pack turn it upside down emptying the
contents on the ground.  "What is all this stuff used for?"
     Hawk, got up and walked around the fire to get a better view
of the items that were on the ground.  There were several items
there;  a rusty wire, a thumper, a floppy disk, a remote control,
med kit, and a hemp rope. Picking up the rusty wire, Hawk said
"Junk, sell it."  Then he picked up the Thumper, laughing to
himself and then replying, "This will take some explanation, so I
will tell you about it later."  Still smiling he picked up the
floppy disk which looked like it had seen some use.  Hawk's smile
quickly left him, when he read what was written on it. 
     "LOD!" he screamed.  Hawk's Herculean was out in a flash, it
was pointed at Hacker's head. "Boy, you better have a damn good
reason for having this!" Mad Hacker was startled at the sudden rage
that came from Hawk.  "Uh, um, uh, um," was all that would come out
of his mouth. "Talk boy or you are going to die!"  "I found it!"
shot out of Mad Hacker's mouth.  He was visibly trembling with fear
now.  "You found it!  Boy you better do better than that.  This
floppy has seen some use and your time is running short!"  Hawk's
finger was slowly tightening on the trigger of his Herculean. "Ok!
Ok! I played it a couple of times! But just a couple of times!"
     "You played it!  Now you are really going to die!"
     "Wait!  Wait!  I only played it a couple of times like I
said!  But I wanted to see what all the fuss was about!  Haven't
you played it?"
     Hawk was suddenly caught off guard by the question and
realized that he did play it once and remembered that he thought
the game was very similar to Overkill and was appalled at the
audacity of the author's of LOD.  While he played LOD, he thought
how death was to good for them, better that they be slowly
tortured, dipped in hot tar and rolled in feathers, to be ridiculed
the rest of there live's for taking someone else's ideas and
passing them off as their own.  "Are you going to play it again?"
he asked.
     "No way!  I thought it was trash, I think Overkill is the BEST!"
     "Me too."  Hawk said with a smile on his face.  "So what are
you planning on doing with the floppy?"
     Mad Hacker took the floppy, which was still in Hawk's hand and
threw it into the fire.  Hawk looked on approvingly and walked over
to his pack and took out a floppy with his own personal copy of
OOII997B.Zip and handed it to Mad Hacker.  "This is a game for a
TRUE WARRIOR!"
 
The Saga continues.....

--- QuickBBS 2.76 Ovr (Gamma-1)
 * Origin: Never let 'em see ya sweat !! (512)658-8009 (1:387/617)

[Dustin]

Message number 2998 in "OKILLERS"
Date: 12-02-91  07:20
From: Mark Stroud
To:   All
Subj: OOII Article

     Mad Hacker and Hawk watched the floppy melt in the fire.  The
smell of the burning plastic lingering in the air.  Trying to ease
the tension in the air.  Hawk returned to the items still lying on
the ground picking up the remote control, "This is junk just like
the rusted wire, you can sell it for about 50 crystals, or just
toss it.  That's what I do." He said.
     Mad Hacker had picked up the Thumper and was toying with it,
when he noticed it had a switch.  "What's this for?" he asked as he
flipped the switch.  "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" Hawk screamed but it was
too late.

Thump...Thump...Thump...Thump

     Hawk was up and moving, swiftly, slamming his body into Mad
Hacker's. The momentum from his body carried them away from the
Thumper which was now operating.  They both were still on the
ground when they turned back to look at the Thumper.

Thump...Thump...Thump...Thump.

     "What the hell!!!!!" exclaimed Hacker.  "What the hell,
nothin." Hawk grumbled.  "You just ruined my favorite camping
spot." Hawk picked up his pack and while he was putting out the
fire, he looked at Mad Hacker who was still staring at the
Thumper.  "Better get your stuff packed." Hawk said.
     "Why?" was Hacker's reply.
     "Nukem."
     "Nukem?"
     "Yes Nukem!  And if you stand there long enough you'll get a
chance to meet him!"  Hawk said. But when he saw the blank look on
Mad Hacker's face, he calmed himself long enough to say, "Look, we
got to get out of here.  When you flipped that switch, you turned
the Thumper on.  The Thumper summons a radioactive creature, called
Nukem.  He's the only monster that you can't kill!  And he's mean
as all get out, so let's get the hell out of here before he shows
up!"
     Mad Hacker, still not understanding, sensed Hawk's
apprehension and packed his things.  After he placed the last item
in his pack, they left the camp running.  Mad Hacker stayed behind
Hawk, because it was still dark and Hawk seemed to know the trail
better.  They kept running, and running, and finally slowed to a
walk when the sound of the Thumper could no longer be heard.  They
walked together for a short time trying to catch their breath,
neither trying to talk.
     It was Mad Hacker that finally spoke, "So can you tell me what
the deal is with the Thumper now?"
     "Like I said before, the Thumper when turned on summons a
radioactive creature called Nukem. He can't be killed.  But what I
was going to tell you before you turned it on was, you can't turn
it off! So once you turn it on it stays on until Nukem shows up."
     "He can't be killed!  That's nonsense!"
     "I am not kidding you!" Hawk said tersely
     "That can't be! There has to be a way to kill it!"
     "Well if there is, I don't know about it.  I all know is that
when I have come across him, the only thing that went through my
mind was, which way to run."
     "You've seen him?"
     "Yes and he's an ugly thing....Maggots crawling all over him."
Hawk shuddered at the memory of his first encounter with Nukem.  He
was running across the wastelands when all of a sudden....

Thump...Thump
Thump...Thump
Thump...Thump
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
Something grabbed his leg...  He looked down and it looked like a
monstrous claw, with squirming maggots crawling all over it!
Another claw oooozing with maggots emerged from the ground and
reached up and grabbed his face!  He SCREAMED in terror as he felt
the burning, toxic waste sliding down his body. It burned through
his skin and stunned his nerves.  He couldn't move an inch to get
away from the horrid beast! But for some reason the beast let go
and his was able to get away.

     Hawk added, "I have learned to respect his power and use him
when needed.  But his power is not something to be toyed with like
you did today. When the time comes you will also learn the lessons
that I have learned. But I will tell you this much.  You can place
a Thumper on your base and when Nukem arrives he will guard it for
you.  You can also place it on someone else's base and when Nukem
arrives he will not let them enter it.  And when a Thumper is
placed on a hole and Nukem is around, he will not let anyone use
them."

     The dawn of a new day was beginning and Hawk watched the Sun
slowly rise.  He realized that he must be going.  He still had not
heard from the Female Assassin.  Maybe Suprax might know where she
is.  He should have asked her at the Complex, but he didn't want to
bother her with it.  He said as much to Mad Hacker, leaving out his
thoughts about Suprax and the Female Assassin.  They said their
goodbyes and Hawk walked away.

     As he continued on his journey, Hawk heard Mad Hacker yell,
"One more thing!  Can Nukem be moved?"
     Hawk chuckled, and replied "Yes, but at a cost, if your
willing to pay it."

The Saga continues....

 --- QuickBBS 2.76 Ovr (Gamma-1)
 * Origin: Never let 'em see ya sweat !! (512)658-8009 (1:387/617)