Darkest Night

by Macross84

Reunions.

the two girls stared at one another for a moment. Twilight could hardly believe her own eyes. The relief she felt was overwhelming and nearly left her in tears, but still she fought it off to maintain her composure. For Sunset though, she felt something else. Something akin to shock, and disappointment.

"What are you doing here!?" She barked at the curled up Alicorn. However, Twilight's response was not what was expected.

In a flash of purple, and Lavender, Sunset was glomped upon by an overly emotional Twilight. She started to sob into Sunset's shoulder, and muttered about how close she came to being killed. The others watched for a moment but Sunset glared at them. "Go watch for more Red Eyes!" She growled as she tried to calm Twilight down.

The older girl held onto Twilight and patted her back gently as she continued sobbing. It made Sunset almost start crying herself, but she had already run out of tears long ago. She had shed enough tears to make a river.

For Twilight, she faced many dangers, but there was something about that automaton that terrified her to her core. Perhaps it was the fact that it lacked any kind of consciousness, or the fact that she knew it would pursue her relentlessly. Whatever the reason, that encounter will always send chills deep into Twilight's soul.

After a couple of minutes, Twilight managed to get a hold of herself. She pulled herself back from Sunset, and took a couple of deep breaths. Her heart still felt like it was thundering in her chest like the drums at a massive party, and her muscles were tight from her "Fight, or Flight" instincts.

"Sorry, I uh...um...yeah." Twilight muttered with a noticeable dose of embarrassment.

"That doesn't matter. What are you doing here?" Sunset stated with more edge in her voice than she intended.

"Well, I was doing research, OH! We got the Library from the castle of the Two sisters, and transporting the works there to my Palace where we're restoring, and cataloging all the neat books, and such. However, Spike thought I should take a vacation, and reminded me that it's been a awhile since the concert with the Dazzlings, and that I have not heard from you, and the others in a long time. So i thought it would be a nice surprise if I popped in to see how you all were doing." Twilight explained before looking at the unamused look on Sunset's face. "Um...Surprise!" Twilight said with mock enthusiasm.

Sunset could only facepalm at the situation. Twilight was a close friend, but with the situation at hand, She was a huge liability. She was about ask how Twilight got back when a large man poked his head in. "L.T. we need to move. More "Redeyes" may be coming this way." He stated with urgency in his voice while using one of the many nicknames for the machine combatants.

"Okay, Radio the commander and see if we can get a lift out of here." Sunset stated before turning to Twilight. "You're going to have to come with me. It is not safe here." She explained before taking Twilight's hand, and leading her out of the room.

"O-Okay." Twilight stated as she let Sunset take her hand. Though the moment that happened, Twilight immediately noticed something was amiss. Looking down, she saw that Sunset's left hand had been disfigured. The fourth finger, which Twilight had learned was called the 'ring finger', was completely missing along with half of her middle finger. "Um...Sunset, about your hand..." She started to say.

"Not right now." Sunset snapped back. She wasn't trying to be mean or anything to Twilight, it was just that stuff happened, and Sunset wasn't ready to talk about it yet. And certainly not when they might be pursued by more combat terminators.

The two came out on the other side of the partially collapsed building, and Twilight was met with just over a half dozen exhausted faces. She swallowed hard as it was difficult to see any spark of life within their eyes.

"Sargent Hard Knocks, what is the word on that evac?" Sunset asked as she kept Twilight close at hand. This was not a safe place, and she didn't want Twilight wandering off.

The same large man from before approached the two women.; "No can do. Spotters are saying that the skies are riddled with aerial HKs. The Commander does not want to risk the few Helicopters we have as well as Rainbow Dash." He explained.

Twilight heard the familiar name, and her face lit up. It would appear another of her friends was around. She was about to ask, but was cut off by Sunset.

"Wrong Way, get your butt up here." Sunset called out to her squad. From the back, a scrawny young man quickly moved up. He wore thick glasses, and his clothes looked a couple of sizes too big for him.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" He asked.

"Where are we?" Sunset asked as she stood right next to the young man.

Contrary to his name, Private Wrong Way had a very good sense of direction, and an affinity for maps. Which was good cause Sunset couldn't read a map to save her life. Pvt. Wrong Way unzipped a panel on the front of his vest, and pulled out a map along with a tiny compass the size of a penny. Using a red filter on his flashlight, he illuminated the area they were in.

"We're on the South side of the old Filthy Rich office building. So that puts us about one, and half clicks north, north east of the refuge. So we need to be heading...that way!" He stated as he pointed in a seemingly random direction.

"Good job. Okay everyone, lets get back to base." Sunset stated. "We have someone that needs to meet the Commander."

However, that plan was instantly curtailed as Sargent Knocks cleared his throat as he held the handset from the Radio that was strapped to Corporal Short Wave's back. Sunset bristled at that sound, and let out a exhausted sigh. Slowly she turned, and looked at her Sargent. "What else?" She asked.

"The Commander has new orders for us. An HK tank is getting dangerously close to the refuge, and the Commander wants us to lead it away to sector Z-12 for an artillery ambush." He explained.

Sunset quickly walked over to a young woman with a large pack on her back, and took hold of the handset. "Shimmer here, we have a VIP that the Commander will want to meet. We have to get her back to base ASAP." Sunset stated.

Twilight watched, and listened. She wondered what that thing Sunset was talking into. It looked fascinating. However, Sunset's conversation didn't sound too happy. She watched her friend growl lowly before letting out a long exhausted sigh.

"Yes Commander, I understand. You can count on that tank good as gone." Sunset stated before handing the headset back to Corporal Shortwave. Though before She walked off, Sunset gave Shortwave a pat on the shoulder, and a soft smile. "Good job." She told the young woman.

Sunset moved to where everyone could see her. "Okay, I know we're all sore, tired as hell, and want for nothing more than a hot meal and shower. However, that is going have to be put off for a while. We have a Hunter-Killer Tank getting dangerously close to the refuge. The civilians, and command staff are counting on us to lure it away to an ambush where Lieutenant Pinkie Pie's cannons will destroy it." Sunset explained. The thought that Pinkie of all people had gotten to such a rank still made Sunset nervous.

The looks upon the men, and women's faces were exhaustion mixed with grim determination. The mission would be completed, even if they had to die trying Twilight could see them all pushing down their fear, and exhaustion to set themselves to the task at hand and preparing themselves to move out. Sunset nodded with a sense of pride in her squad.

"We're going to have to move fast, but careful. You need to follow me, and stay right on my ass." Sunset said Twilight before she grabbed the Princess's hand, and they started to move with Sunset Constantly making sure that Twilight was close to her and safe.

While Sunset said they had to move fast it felt like they were moving at a snail's pace. Always ducking from one shadow to another. There was this oppressive aura hanging over the group. Like the Boogiemare was going pop out at them at any second. Course, thinking back to that machine that tried to kill her, Twilight couldn't blame them.

As the group moved, Twilight's curiosity continued to grow, and grow. The last time she was here the world was so fresh, and alive with so much technology that it was like an Engineer pony's heaven. So many people moving about in their own lives full of love and happiness. But now? Now the world was a torched, scarred, husk of its former self. It defied Twilight's ability to fathom how such a thing could happened. She wasn't gone that long, she knew that.

She watched the others as they moved, but staying right next to Sunset, just like she told her to. Looking at them, many of their faces were so young, and yet held the edges, and lines of weariness, and stress of much older pon...,er people. How could the world come to this!? Before too long, the need to know was unbearable.

"Um, Sunset?" Twilight spoke in a strained whisper that sounded much louder than she expected, or wanted.

The column instantly came to a stop as everyone ducked behind some debris. Several of the soldiers took defensive positions, and kept an eye out for any of the machines. Sunset took a couple of breathes to calm down before she turned to face Twilight.

"Yes, what is it?" She asked back, trying to be as calm, and even keeled as possible. However, The amount of stress she was under was easily seen.

"What happened? To the world, I mean." Twilight asked with her large eyes. "It's all so.... dead." Twilight stated as she looked at Sunset with a need to know in her eyes.

Sunset was silent for a moment as she noticed several of the others turning their heads to look at Twilight. She knew what they were thinking. How could she not know? Sunset let out a long exhale as she gave her Sargent a glance. The older man nodded, and made some funny gestures to the others with his hands. Apparently it was a form of communication as the squad began to shift around the two with their eyes constantly scanning the horizon and their ears listening for a familiar metallic clanking.

"I'm not exactly sure what happened." Sunset stated as she sat down, and leaned against a fallen wall. "It was just a normal day. Then suddenly, "Boom". The World ended in a nuclear holocaust. We launched ours, They launched theirs. So many people died in such a short time." Sunset stated as she clung to her rifle, her grip tightening till her knuckles turned white. "It was so hot that day." She shuddered. "Then after the bombs fell, the machines came. Came to finish what the bombs left behind." Sunset Shimmer seemed to be staring off into the distance. To a place that Twilight couldn't see.

"How long ago was this?" Twilight asked, not daring to touch Sunset lest something unspeakable happen.

This seemed to snap Sunset out of her thousand yard stare. She turned to one of the others. "How long ago did this war start?" She asked.

The young man turned and looked at her. "months, years maybe. I don't know. Who has time to keep track of Time? I'm too busy trying not to get my ass shot off." He replied.

"Keep up that attitude, and I'll be the one to shoot you." Sunset threatened. Though the others knew it was in jest.

Sunset slumped back against the collapsed wall as a couple of others rotated so that the ones were resting could give the ones on guard a chance to do the same.

"You should have never come back, Twilight. This isn't the world you know of anymore. That world is a memory." Sunset before she pushed herself up with her rifle, and made a funny move with her hand. Summoning the squad to form up. "Come on, we have a tank to take down." She told Twilight while she extended her hand to help the other up.

----------

It was very easy to tell that they were getting close to the HK tank. The sound of its engine was loud, as well as the crunching of the stones, and human remains beneath its large bulk as it echoed off the shattered remains of the surrounding buildings. The group fell in behind an over turned bus, and hid from the lumbering behemoth that was steadily approaching them. The tank was slowly making its way down the street. The Intel was right, it was less than a block from the resistance base. Those inside could probably could feel the tremors from its passing and see dust falling form the ceiling.

Situated on struts on either side of the Main body were twin laser cannons. The cannons constantly traversed slowly in a forward arc, searching for any Human survivors to reduce to ashes. Perched on top of the body, its large rectangular head followed the cannons in their sweep. Electronic eyes, ears, and various other sensors constantly scanning, and searching. Picking apart its surroundings. Looking for any sign of the machine's mortal enemy, Man. Four sets of meter wide tracks pulled it along the uneven terrain.

Sunset peeked her head up to look at the metal monstrosity. Just behind her Twilight looked up, and over as well. When she did all the color drained from her face. The machine was huge, and exuded an aura of callus malicious intent. It stood about twenty feet tall. A human would have had about 4 feet from to top of their head to the upper track bar. At tall as it was, it was even longer, over 30 feet. Twilight had no idea how Sunset and her crew were going to destroy this monster!?

'It just isn't possible.' Twilight thought.

The mechanical head started its sweep back, and Sunset pulled Twilight down before they could be spotted. The others looked to Sunset for the plan. She took on somber expression.

"We're going to lure, and bait it." She told them. Almost instantly, the other soldiers expressions fell.

To "Lure, and Bait" was to have one soldier get the Tank's attention, and immediately proceed in the direction of the desired location. That soldier is to run, while dodging both machine gun fire, laser cannon fire, and whatever else the Tank was willing to throw at him. The runner was to run till he could get out of the Machine's line of sight, or killed. Then another one would run. They would continue this tactic until they either all died, or were able to get the tank to the ambush point. Despite the machine's vast array of weaponry and tactics, they were all very predictable, one of the few advantages Humans had over them.

"Silver Shield, you and Short Wave are to escort Twilight Sparkle to the rendezvous point. If we're not there in 30 minutes, bug out, and get her back to the refuge. The Commander is going to want to talk with her. Consider her a top VIP." Sunset told to two of her best soldiers.

"Wait a minute!?" Twilight yelped before shushing herself. "What about you!?" She hissed at Sunset.

"I'm the squad leader. I can not abandon my people. You will go with Shield, and Wave. You will follow their orders. That is the only way you're going to live long enough to maybe make it back home." Sunset stated with a stern tone that broach no disobedience. She looked to the two, and gave them a stern look that had them stiffening up. "Protect her with your lives. She is more valuable than you can imagine. You will go once we start leading the tank away." She ordered.

Both Soldiers nodded and came to Twilight's side.

"Tunnel Rat, you're up!" Sunset called out to the team.

From the assembled group, a lanky short young man seemed to appear from the dust. He had beady eyes, and narrow rodent like features. His clothes, and face looked like he had been rolling in the dirt, and in this group that was saying something. He approached Sunset, and he gave her a caviler smile.

"Better to be dead, than old." Tunnel Rat joked as he quickly got into position. Hunkering down as he gave Sunset a thumbs up.

"Go!" Sunset hissed as she, and the others started to move.

Upon her signal, Tunnel Rat stepped out of the shadows, and put an object to his shoulder. It was a L.A.W. anti-tank weapon. Rat took careful aim before he pressed the trigger. A loud whoosh could be heard as the rocket streaked from the tube, and towards the HK tank. The rocket would hit just below the left shoulder strut. Rat had no illusions that this would do anything more than to simply piss the tank off, and he was right.

Instantly the tank reacted as it performed a slow arcing turn towards Tunnel Rat as its twin laser cannons swiveled, and started to lay down fire. Nearly blinding spears of light flew out of the cannons and straight at the human rebel. However, Rat was already moving in the direction he wanted the Tank to go. Knowing full well that it would pursue him doggedly until he was killed, or another target of greater importance appeared.

As comical as they sounded, the two twin laser cannons of the HK's weapons continued to "zap" at Tunnel Rat as he scrambled over the debris. The Tanks's head ceasing its swivel, and focused on the lone human that was running for his life. the super heated beams sizzled through the air, and striking at where the young man was just a scant second ago.

As the tank passed by their concealed position, both Short Wave, and Silver Shield threw themselves over Twilight to protect her, and conceal her from the tank should it just happen to look their way. Both soldiers prayed as hard as they could that they would go unnoticed, and that the others will survive the mission. Twilight prayed that her friend Sunset Shimmer would survive as she felt like she was the only familiar person in this new world, the only one she could hold on to.

The noise of the tank's passing was near deafening at this point, and felt like someone was screaming right into Twilight's ears. She wanted to cry out loudly in pain but instead she chomped down on her hand to prevent any screams from slipping past her lips. The ground trembled as she felt the two soldiers holding her tighter. Both of them gritting their teeth, and had their eyes jammed shut, the anxious fear that the tank would turn one of its turrets and turn them all to dust was only growing by the minute. But luckily the tank would pass by them without incident, too focused on the other resistance members and the two let out a long exhale in relief. However, their reprieve would be brief however.

"Come on, we got to go." Short wave stated as she grabbed Twilight's hand, and they darted through the shadows.

----------

Several Miles away was a group of three M198 155mm Howitzers set up, and ready to fire. Their commander already had the three guns lined up on the area of the map that was going to be used for the Ambush of the tank. They were some of the last remaining field artillery pieces left. Mostly cobbled together from the destroyed remains of others and one museum piece. They were hidden from aerial HKs by camo netting with a reflective surface so thermal scans would not be able to pick the group from a distance. Though the closer the HKs came, the more, and more the camouflage dissipates and the sensors would be likely to pick them up.

The officer in command was standing with a foot propped on a rock, looking like a famous sea captain that appears on a bottle of rum. Her patience was wearing thin, and that could be equally dangerous for her own people as it was to the machines.

"Can we fire the howitzers now?" She asked with bubbling excitement. It was like she would burst with energy at any second.

"No, we can not. We have not received the word from Shimmer's squad, Lt. Pie." Sargent Short Fuse replied with a slightly frustrated tone as he just answered this question for the umpteenth time in the last ten minutes.

"Awww~" Pinkie whined as she crossed her arms across her breasts. "This sucks." she grumped and kicked a rock while pouting.

----------

Sunset was huffing, and puffing as she ran for her life, while doing her best not to cut her legs on any rusty pipes or pieces of metal that happened to be sticking out of the rubble. So far they were getting the Tank where they wanted, but it wasn't without cost. Tunnel Rat bought it when he tripped over a piece of piping that was sticking out from a collapsed building that he didn't see. It was always hard to lose members of her squad, but that was the reality that they were in. This was a War of survival, and the Humans were at a huge disadvantage.

Sunset didn't dare look back. The sound of the wide tracks crunching on the ground, and the slight tremors from its weight were enough to tell her that it was right on her ass. The bright purple beams continued to streak her head, and making her instantly change direction. Her pony mentality actually giving Sunset an advantage with her "Flight, or Fight" responses.

"That pink haired ditz better be paying attention." Sunset huffed as she hurdled over a low wall. "Cause my ass is too pretty to die." She panted as she turned the last corner.

The area of the planned ambush was once a small playground. The mostly cleared out area making it less likely that the HK would inadvertently be shielded by any debris from the coming artillery. But Sunset wasn't in the clear, there was still a 150 yard distance between her, and the playground. Sunset ran as fast, and as hard as she could. Just behind her, she could hear the masonry crack, crunch, and crumble as the Tank clipped the side of the building.

"Shitshitshitshit!" Sunset hissed as machine gun tracer fire came dangerously close to her left side. Stitching a line into the cracked asphalt. Giving the young girl a "subtle" hint to keep running.

Inside a blown out Slushie-King, Twilight, Silver Shield, and Short Wave waited for the others to arrive. As each minute passed, the three grew more, and more worried. Yes, their orders were to bug out after thirty minutes but would they? Would they abandon their friends? Not if Twilight had anything to say about it. The three continued to scan the streets. In the distance, they could hear the electric zaps of the tank's laser cannons, and the "ratatatat" of the machine guns.

"They're here! Short Wave, get on that radio, and get ready to call it in." Silver Shield stated as he looked through a 3x zoom hand held scope that had once been used for golfing. He tried to find who it was leading the tank into the clearing.

The three would get their answer soon enough as a flash of Red, and yellow could be seen coming from between two buildings. Twilight gasped as she recognized Sunset Shimmer instantly. Twilight's face paled at the sight of seeing Sunset running for her life. Her breathing started to quicken, almost to the point of hyperventilation. Twilight wanted to do something, but she was powerless in this form. What could she do!?

"RUN SUNSET! RUN!" She screamed suddenly. "You have to run!" Twilight encouraged her friend before someone put a hand on her mouth to keep her from exposing their hiding spot.

Both Short Wave, and Silver Shield looked at each other, sharing the thought of how crazy this all was. However, they soon joined in, deciding it was worth it.

"Run, you have to run! That bastard is right behind you boss!" Short wave shrieked.

"you can do it! Just a little bit further!" Silver shield added.

'Shut the hell up dumbasses! I freaking know that its behind me!' Sunset thought as her anger helped fuel her flight from the tank. She could see the store where the others were waiting, it was so close. She could also hear their shouting much more clearly, and it allowed her to dig that much deeper. To find that last well of strength to run that much faster. She gritted her teeth, and dug her feet into the grass, and dirt. However, she could also hear something else too. The deep demonic howl of the turbines that powered HK tank. It was spooling up as it cleared the buildings, and gaining speed. Trying to run Sunset down, literally.

"Oh God!" Silver Shield gasped as his body began to move without his prompting.

With grace, and finesse, he vaulted over the Counter, and started to run towards Sunset. His left arm grabbing a tube strapped to his backpack. Silver Shield had the only other L.A.W. Anti-Tank weapon in the squad, and now was his time to use it. He ran about a dozen yards or so from the store front before taking a kneeling position behind a bench. Silver shield swallowed thickly as his heart was pounding into his chest. He tried to will himself calm so he could keep the launcher steady. He had to wait till just the right time.

"SHIMMER, DOWN!" He shouted.

Sunset dove for the deck and rolled as Silver Shield pulled the lever that fired the L.A.W., and was rewarded instantly by the weapon firing. The Rocket streaked across the ground, and over Sunset. The missile flew straight, and true, and struck the HK's front left track. The tracks were destroyed as metal shrapnel flew in all directions. The half blown apart drive sprocket, and bogey wheels dug into the soft ground, and caused the entire tank to skid to a halt. However, the torso was still trying to track its's targets as its laser cannons, and machine guns were firing almost wildly, the concussion from the blast messing up the tank's visual sensors for just enough time to make its shots miss.

Sunset was back up, and running, not giving the tank a chance to correct its aim. Adrenaline pumping through her veins even now. She easily hurdled the last obstacle. The bench that Silver Shield was using as a rest for the LAW.

"CALL IT IN! CALL IT IN!" Sunset shouted to Short Wave

----------

"Can we pleasssse fire the howitzers?" Pinkie pleaded with a whine that seemed to stab into Sargent Short Fuse's eardrums.

The Sargent was at his wits ends end, and was about to show why he lived up to his name. However, before he could, the radio crackled to life.

This is scout team 223, Fire for effect! Fire for effect!

"Well El Tee, it would appear there's your answer." Short Fuse replied as he sighed in relief. Thankful that Pinkie will now stop bugging him.

Pinkie's face instantly lit up with an audible squee of delight. She was almost dancing in place knowing that she could play again.

"All batteries, LET'EM RIP!" Pinkie declared as she threw her arms into the air.

All at once, the air around the howitzers erupted in fire, and thunder as the three cannons lobbed their 155mm high explosive ordinance. For Pinkie, it was an euphoric experience every time. She could feel the concussive force ripple through her body. It was almost like a drug that she could not get enough of. As the cannons sounded, her laughs were approaching maniacal proportions.

Every time Pinkie got like this, Sargent Short Fuse always got a bit nervous. It was widely accepted that Pinkie's switch board had a few wires crossed.

"Ma'am, I think we need to get you to a psychiatrist." Short Fuse stated as he was making sure there was enough space between the psycho officer.

"Less talk, more explosions!" Pinkie commanded, and was quickly answered with another resounding "BOOM" From the three field artillery pieces.
----------

Sunset, and Silver Shield dove over the counter as they heard the tell-tale thunder in the distance. Though Twilight kept her head up watching as the tank activated its self repair protocol.

"Get down you idiot! You want to have your head taken off from shrapnel!?" Sunset hissed as she grabbed Twilight's arm to yank her down behind the counter.

"Is it about to storm or something?" Twilight asked in confusion

"You could say that. For sure the rain's a coming." Short Wave laughed with a hiss even as the high pitch whistle from the large rounds could just start being heard.

However, Sunset didn't want to stay around to see if the rounds hit just in case Pinkie's aim was off. “Stay low, eyes on me. We have to meet Hard Knocks, and the others at the rendezvous point.” Sunset said as she quickly moved through the rubble as the artillery began firing. The explosions and whistles from the distant cannons were almost louder than the actual HK tank rolling ahead. An explosion blew off the right turret arm of the HK tank and another decapitated the machine, leaving it unable to move ahead. The ambush was working with artillery cannons tearing the large tank apart.

“Wasp drones!” Short Wave shouted and Twilight looked up to see small black shapes flying through the buildings in search of the Human rebels. But soon larger shapes began flying through the clouds.

“Shush. Aerial H.K.s, get the blankets out.” Sunset ordered before putting her strange binoculars away. Twilight wondered just what Sunset was talking about while several strange looking blankets were being pulled from the large bag Silver Shield carried on his back. He passed them around to the others, and Sunset quickly wrapped hers around Twilight while Silver Shield wrapped his around Short Wave. Everything was happening so fast that it was hard for Twilight to keep up. She couldn't help the dizzying sensation causing the world to spin around her. Not even the Changeling attack on Canterlot during Cadence's wedding was like this.

Shimmer motioned for her to be quiet before whispering. “Don’t move, just watch and listen.” She said as she pointed an injured left hand to the sky. The dark clouds remained overhead, preventing Twilight form seeing the stars or the moon, and yet it didn't rain. Twilight could hear a faint rumble and a horrible scream. Soon she saw lights breaking through the darkness as a large metal airship flew down form the clouds. She wanted to run, terrified to see what such a thing could do after seeing the previous ‘terminators’.

Shimmer held on to twilight tightly. “Stop, it wants you to run, don’t worry these blankets hide us. Its...a kind of magic.” She told Twilight with a half smile. The blankets weren't actually magic, but she wasn't sure how they worked. They hid the human body heat from the HKs sensors and made them look just like another patch of land, but the thing was still able to notice movement so when they hid form the HKs eyes they had to remain still as well.

The large VTOL craft flew overhead, searchlights dashed all around, illuminating countless long dead corpses and bleached bones. They also illuminated several other aerial HKs and HK tanks the resistance had blown up when the Machines had tried a major push in this region a while back.

‘That’s right red eye. Take a good look, cause soon enough you’ll be scrap metal too.” She thought. Then as if by divine intervention, a flaming spear flew through the air out of long destroyed bank about two blocks from Shimmer and her team’s current positions. “No one move!" she hissed to the others.

The four watched as the HK popped flares but the rocket was an RPG, and did not require a heat signature. The rocket slammed into the HK’s side and caused it to falter in mid air as soon two more RPGs followed after it, aiming for the HKs guns but the aerial drone fired its plasma guns with the precision of a machine and detonated them before starting to open up on the humans who had dared to attack it.

“Stupid bastards,” She thought. Hoping they had the good sense to run after they fired their shots. But before she could think further another rocket soared into the sky form the other side of the street where the HK was not looking. This one seemed to be a guided missile as it went directly for the HKs left turbine and detonated. The HK screamed as it fought to regain control but soon slammed into the ground with a miniature mushroom cloud signifying an overload in its power cells.

“That’s gotta be Gilda’s talons.” Shimmer said, knowing the biker girl had an amazing skill in taking out aerial terminators. She held a predatory grin, and couldn't help the large feeling of satisfaction as the once mighty war machine lay burning in the street. "Come on, we have to go meet up with the others." Shimmer stated as she pulled the blanket away.