task, a goal, to move Theodore safely to the port. It wasn't
going to be pleasant for anyone who got in their way. Twenty minutes later the
crew's vigilance was rewarded and they safely landed at the space port.
Telmark and three other agents then escorted him down long halls and past the
busy patrons and their kiosks. They had a transport to catch and little was
going to stand in their way.
They cleared checkpoint after checkpoint and seamlessly
moved to the far end of the complex. Theodore broke into a broad grin as up
ahead he suddenly caught sight of Anna Westmore. Just as suddenly, his fur
shot on end and his armor followed: Anna wasn't smiling and the people next to
her were armed!
11
Rage is often the enemy of effective combat: it often bids
you into actions that are reckless and dangerous, not just to yourself, but to others
as well. Rage, combined with practice, experience and superior firepower,
however, can be quite remarkable!
There were screams and challenges fired back and forth as
Theodore charged straight toward Anna. His armor was fully extended and twin
swords now graced his hands and he was on a collision course. Some warning
flittered past his ears... one of the thugs ahead made some form of challenge
that should have warned him away. One of them ripped Anna's jacket clear,
revealing a bomb vest wrapped around her. What type of primitive did they take
him for? Apparently they hadn't fought a Highlander before...
Anna would have screamed if she had realized what was going
on or what was getting ready to happen. Theodore's right hand blade shimmered
and glowed as he fired a crossing blow right through the middle of Anna's
torso. All too often people see the blade of a Live Steel Weapon and
keep forgetting it is just a projection, a manifestation, into their realm.
Had this been sparring practice, the blade would have caused an electric-like
sensation of pain, but no damage. This was not sparring practice... If
he had been at his father's skill level, Theodore would have been able absorb
the bomb vest into his own Live Steel. He was nowhere near as skilled as his
father... but he was skilled enough!
As the blade painlessly raked through her torso, it
shimmered and ripped the bomb vest off and through her in the same blue glow.
Once clear of her torso, Theodore flung the sparkling sword and vest combination
clear to the far wall. He pulled her clear from the now thoroughly bewildered
thugs and his armor swelled, engulfing her just as the bomb vest detonated.
The explosion was crisp and clean, devoid of intentional shrapnel. It had been
designed to kill the wearer, not decimate a crowd and Theodore was grateful for
that: he didn't want his human escorts to suffer for his actions. The other
thugs, however...
Theodore's armor relaxed from around Anna as he quickly
stood and spun, firing his left sword into the nearest assailant. His other
sword winked back into being in his right hand, while its doppelgänger in his
left stabbed through the weapon of a second thug. Precise gunfire from behind
him let him know that Agent Telmark and the others were not standing around
idle. By the time Theodore had finished his turn and centered himself, it was
over. And none too soon.
Theodore's blades twinkled and disappeared as he spun back
around and effortlessly scooped Anna up into his arms. Just as quickly, he carried
her back toward Agent Telmark and the others. Telmark stood with him at the
ready, while the other three moved forward and secured the thugs. Local
security was quickly on hand as reinforcements.
“Don't let go of me...” came Anna's muffled voice.
“I'll hold you until the end of days, if that is what you
want.”
She grinned sheepishly up at him, “Well, not that long. But
how about long enough until someone finds me a new shirt...”
Theodore's fur stood on end as he suddenly realized the side
effects of what had
going to be pleasant for anyone who got in their way. Twenty minutes later the
crew's vigilance was rewarded and they safely landed at the space port.
Telmark and three other agents then escorted him down long halls and past the
busy patrons and their kiosks. They had a transport to catch and little was
going to stand in their way.
They cleared checkpoint after checkpoint and seamlessly
moved to the far end of the complex. Theodore broke into a broad grin as up
ahead he suddenly caught sight of Anna Westmore. Just as suddenly, his fur
shot on end and his armor followed: Anna wasn't smiling and the people next to
her were armed!
11
Rage is often the enemy of effective combat: it often bids
you into actions that are reckless and dangerous, not just to yourself, but to others
as well. Rage, combined with practice, experience and superior firepower,
however, can be quite remarkable!
There were screams and challenges fired back and forth as
Theodore charged straight toward Anna. His armor was fully extended and twin
swords now graced his hands and he was on a collision course. Some warning
flittered past his ears... one of the thugs ahead made some form of challenge
that should have warned him away. One of them ripped Anna's jacket clear,
revealing a bomb vest wrapped around her. What type of primitive did they take
him for? Apparently they hadn't fought a Highlander before...
Anna would have screamed if she had realized what was going
on or what was getting ready to happen. Theodore's right hand blade shimmered
and glowed as he fired a crossing blow right through the middle of Anna's
torso. All too often people see the blade of a Live Steel Weapon and
keep forgetting it is just a projection, a manifestation, into their realm.
Had this been sparring practice, the blade would have caused an electric-like
sensation of pain, but no damage. This was not sparring practice... If
he had been at his father's skill level, Theodore would have been able absorb
the bomb vest into his own Live Steel. He was nowhere near as skilled as his
father... but he was skilled enough!
As the blade painlessly raked through her torso, it
shimmered and ripped the bomb vest off and through her in the same blue glow.
Once clear of her torso, Theodore flung the sparkling sword and vest combination
clear to the far wall. He pulled her clear from the now thoroughly bewildered
thugs and his armor swelled, engulfing her just as the bomb vest detonated.
The explosion was crisp and clean, devoid of intentional shrapnel. It had been
designed to kill the wearer, not decimate a crowd and Theodore was grateful for
that: he didn't want his human escorts to suffer for his actions. The other
thugs, however...
Theodore's armor relaxed from around Anna as he quickly
stood and spun, firing his left sword into the nearest assailant. His other
sword winked back into being in his right hand, while its doppelgänger in his
left stabbed through the weapon of a second thug. Precise gunfire from behind
him let him know that Agent Telmark and the others were not standing around
idle. By the time Theodore had finished his turn and centered himself, it was
over. And none too soon.
Theodore's blades twinkled and disappeared as he spun back
around and effortlessly scooped Anna up into his arms. Just as quickly, he carried
her back toward Agent Telmark and the others. Telmark stood with him at the
ready, while the other three moved forward and secured the thugs. Local
security was quickly on hand as reinforcements.
“Don't let go of me...” came Anna's muffled voice.
“I'll hold you until the end of days, if that is what you
want.”
She grinned sheepishly up at him, “Well, not that long. But
how about long enough until someone finds me a new shirt...”
Theodore's fur stood on end as he suddenly realized the side
effects of what had
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