Hunting Drive Event Lore - Part 1

“Let’s make these monsters pay.” Targe slapped a hand down on the table next to him and smiled as people cheered in response. The group made their way across the camp, which had been hastily constructed after they’d caught wind of the beasts’ location, and got ready to fire up the neural links to their Mechs.

Targe rubbed his hands together as the familiar pre-battle sensation settled over him. Then, he was seeing the thick forest through the camera of his Dreadnought. He flexed his arms, smiling as the weapons moved in front of him. Poised. Around, the others in his Squad flickered to life until the whirring and stomping of robotic limbs filled the air.

“Follow them.” Targe instructed, taking a deep breath until his mind felt quiet. On his screen were highlighted tracks, deep scratch marks etched into the ground. Targe almost laughed as he pictured the claws on the beast responsible. Abominations. This was going to be a satisfying hunt. He could feel the anticipation in the rest of his group. After weeks of attacks in remote and wild locations, they’d finally been cleared by the MAL to ship out and fix the problem using their specialist equipment.

Other Pilots, like Chimera, had been vocal in wanting to pin down the culprit first. 

“Don’t forget who the real monsters are here,” he’d said to Targe in one particularly heated argument. But his words hadn’t mattered. Sure, it seemed likely to be Everlife. They had tried and failed to genetically engineer dangerous creatures before. After reports of monsters had started to trickle in, it didn’t take a genius to connect the dots. But Targe didn’t care which corporation was responsible. He was just there to clean up the mess.

Targe mowed through the thicket, cutting down any branches in his way. If the creatures heard him coming, good. He was about to knock them from the top spot on the food chain. 

SNAP.

Targe whirled. His sight trained on the undergrowth. 

He signalled the others to stop behind him.

The leaves rustled.

Two red eyes blinked.

A low growl.

Then the creature pounced. 

“FIRE!”

Shots exploded from the line of Mechs as the forest floor became a mess of teeth, claws and steel. 

More monsters emerged into the clearing, foaming at the mouth. Targe welcomed them.

One by one, the beasts were taken out, their snarls fading into whispers.

Back at the camp, Targe wiped the sweat from his brow.

“Good job, everyone. Now, pick them up and let’s get out of here.”

They laid the monsters down in a pile outside Targe’s tent, where scientists fluttered around taking samples. Suddenly Targe heard a commotion outside and a loud roar. He looked up just as the fabric in front of him ripped open…

To be continued…

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