The tunnel emerges into an ancient substructure whose concrete walls and lofty ceiling are propped up by massive buttresses and columns. The scene is dimly illuminated by a pair of lit braziers which flank a large concrete altar at the far end of the cavern. Lying on the alter is a naked and bound Judge Steel. 15 civilians armed with an array of firearms are spread about the cavern whilst a figure armed with a sacrificial knife addresses them from the altar.
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| Thatcher Towers - Basement Temple |
Wallace issues an arrest phrase which goes unheeded as a foolish perp (#1) raises his stubgun in their general direction and he answers with a burst of 3 GP rounds. The other Judges do not wait for further instruction. Que fires a single shot into perp #2, Hiro a burst of GP at a third and Holmes fires a GP burst at perp #2. In the confusion Steele manages to wrestle his hands free unnoticed.
The perps return fire Holmes takes a shot in the left arm, a bullet ricochets off Hiro's helmet and Que takes two rounds to the left arm. The hooded cult leader drops the knife onto the altar as he ducks for cover.
Wallace's radio buzzes with static as he calls Sector Control for backup. He launches a Grenade round at perp #3 which blows him to pieces and showers perp #7 in shrapnel. Que fires a 3 shot burst of AP at perp #4 who goes down clutching at the bloody stump of what used to be his leg. Hiro fires 2 AP at the center of mass of a fifth perp who slumps to the ground instantly and a third shot wings perp #8 in the right arm. Holmes hits perp #6 with a close grouping to the chest. Steele grabs the sacrificial dagger lying on the altar beside him and he cuts his legs free whilst rolling off the altar.
Perp #9 gets a lucky head hit on Wallace, perp #6 returns fire and hits Holmes in the left arm and leg. Perp #7 wildly strafes Hiro with his stub gun hitting him in the left leg and right arm. A new assailant, perp #11, also targets Hiro but misses.
Wallaces gets off a burst of 3 Grenades at #11 who explosively surrenders. Que shoots 3 grenades at perp #7 killing him. Hiro fires 3 AP rounds at perps #8 and #10 hitting them both. Holmes runs back to the pillar nearest the exit in order to get a better signal. Steele rolls over to the pile of clothes and reunites himself with his lawgiver "Doris".
The cultists strafe the area with stub gun fire but their lack of training and accuracy is telling and no rounds find a target.
Wallace fires a burst of 3 Grenades at perp #6 but misses. Que downs both #8 and #10, Hiro blows up #14 with 3 Grenade rounds as Holmes makes it to the tunnel. As naked as the day he popped out of the cloning tank, Steele leaps to his feet and kills the Cult Leader with a single GP round remarking"Nobody puts Judge Steele on a sacrificial altar!"His periferal vision spots two more cultists #12 and #13 on the other side of the altar and he snaps off a round at each but misses.
#12 and #13 return fire at Steele hitting him in the torso and left arm.
Wallace cuts down perps #12 and #13 with 3 grenades. Hiro rushes at perp #6 who is frantically trying to reload and shoots him in the leg blowing off his kneecap. He drops his gun, clutching at his mangaled leg and surrenders. Holmes gets to the stairwell at the entrance to the tunnel and calls in backup from Sector Control. Wallace shoots #15 in the head with a burst of GP rounds and he drops to the floor with a face that resembles swiss cheese. Running to the leftmost pillar Que yells at the remaining cultist #9.
"Drop your weapon, you're outnumbered!"Stiffling the pain and screwing a hypo round into his lawgiver, Hiro chimes in
"Throw down your weapon"
Considering that the offence of Judge Homicide (Code: 101, 30 Years to Life) carries a lengthy sentence the perp retorts
"You'll never take me alive coppas!" and shoots himself in the head. Que mumbles to himself "You just saved me a heap of paperwork".
Surveyng the aftermath, Steele is stabilised but his serious wounds need urgent medical attention. They cuff the two cultists, #4 and #6 who surrendered and stop them from bleeding out. They take some robes and a stretcher and carry the pair out sealing off the scene for CSI by a team of Tech Judges. They leave by the nearest exit and are met by a Med Wagon 30 minutes later.
NEXT PROG -> Confronting Nigel Faraway
Back Issues
- Prog 6 - Vive La Resistance
- Prog 7 - Mitterand Maisons
- Prog 8 - Royal Rumble at Le Teeny Eiffel Tower
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