“…. Lightning Road transit is offline: Do not expect reinforcements. If you survived the Sunfire bombardment, and you have any luck left, you’ll need it: You’re on your own. The Empire will not forget your sacrifice. Message repeats….”
“Wh- what does that mean?”
The man’s face looked somewhat blue-ish, in the fading light from the crystalline domes atop the Lightning Road pylons. Even though the pylons’ static charge had bled off, the man’s dark hair still stood up here and there, helped along as he ran his fingers through his hair again, looking between the two uniformed men.
“It means we’re due for a very, very long walk home, Doc,” one of the soldiers said. The yellow patch on his right shoulder was slashed with three red chevrons, the bottom-most crossed by two bars.
“Through the beast man army that’s overrun the outer city,” said the other soldier. His rank insignia held a single red chevron, enclosing a stylized charging knight.
“And then its a straight shot due east to the port at Froshaven.”
“Through the beast man heartlands,” the dark-haired man moaned.
The sergeant shrugged. “Might not be much left of them, once the THRONE’s bombardment ends.”
The man swallowed, and glanced up at the ceiling.
“Relax,” the corporal said. “We’re ten deeps beneath the surface. There’s plenty of stone between us and that sky cannon.”
“Best grab that box of yours you were dead set on taking with you,” said the sergeant. He hitched his long-arm over one shoulder, then picked up his field pack and a duffel that had been lying by his feet. “It’s going to be a bit of a climb.”
Midway up the first flight of stairs, the first of the major quakes struck, hard enough that the three men bounced off the walls, as well as each other. The groaning of the stone around and above them echoed for an uncomfortably long time.
The dark-haired man straightened his spectacles, and glowered when the corporal pulled him back from where he’d leaned over the stairway’s railing to peer upward.
“Might not be the best idea, if another jolt hits.”
Brown eyes widened behind the lightly-dusted lenses, and the man took a fleeting glance up. From well away from the edge.
“Had to deal with quakes worse than these growing up around Starport,” the corporal said.
“Might be best if we put less of this facility above us,” the sergeant grumbled.
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