Deep Echoes

  ~~

  When the girl burst through a perceived gap, tried to make a battling escape, Babbage got to land the mortal blow. He had hoped to rip right through her, sate a rising need for gore and revenge, but her pained death would do. Obviously, he couldn't feel the claws sinking into her chest and tearing her internal organs, but he pretended he could.

  It was a good feeling.

  Dropping her body to the floor, he ordered the Disciples to stand over her. They would be her last living image, in punishment of the man who was certainly behind this all. All six remaining Disciples leant over her and watched her go, a sinister deathwatch.

  Then Babbage relaxed. Aureu was theirs for the taking now. His Emotional Nagging Thread actually got to tell the truth when it said he was calm, at ease. As it burbled away, he checked the girl's vital signs: dead. She was probably human, which meant Brya would be interested in her corpse. Babbage made a note to pick it up after the battle was done.

  He looked up and saw a horde of desperate people bearing down on them, frantic, screaming fanatics charging to their deaths. In his joy at killing the girl, he hadn't even noticed them crossing the swollen river.

  He laughed: the people of this land were brave. They refused to give in even when beaten, and he admired that. But he would not grant them clemency.

  Babbage ordered the Disciples to fan out and watched the charge. They reported that they had at most an hour of operation left before they'd need to power down. With the fighting to come, it would more likely be half that. But it should still be enough.

  The Disciples analysed the horde, their Group Intelligence limited by the loss of their brethren, and soon formulated a plan. One woman in particular led the charge, so Babbage would kill her personally. The rest would attack weak points, slaughter to reduce numbers and morale, then chase down the remaining soldiers. There was a high probability of a flawless victory, which suited Babbage perfectly. The Disciples would then halt and recharge before delivering the final blow tomorrow.

  “Charge.” The order was delivered with less verve and emotion than Chain's, but it carried the same weight. The Disciples started their regimented march to slaughter.

  Babbage merely walked forward, casual, relaxed. He was determined to enjoy this.

  His target jumped when she got near him, surprising him. But her axes were useless against his armour. He lashed out, using the moves stolen from the Cyrus Force user, but somehow he missed. Other soldiers then swarmed him, but they gave him no problem. Terrified, inexperienced, filled with zeal... They were useless against him. The claws of his General Suit tore through them and his arms and legs cracked bone easily.

  He was soon given more space as the soldiers circled him, no longer wanting to die. It seemed they had some sense after all.

  Their leader stepped forward again. She eyed him like a tiger. With a scream, he attacked her. Automatically, his General Suit weaved as he charged, but she dodged and sank one of her axes into a small, unguarded crack in the Disciples' design. He lost all long-range targeting capabilities, not a massive loss with a burnt-out MGD, but it indicated that she somehow had the reckoning of him.

  Elsewhere, the Disciples waded through the masses, goring and killing. Only Babbage had a problem. Well, except it was a problem he didn't have to deal with. As much as it hurt his pride, he turned away from this commander who could not harm him with such primitive weaponry and instead fought her army.

  The foot soldiers died simply and quickly. Babbage would sate his fury in their blood. And there was nothing anyone could do to stop him.