Chapter XCVIII: The Voice of Storm

 The wilderness between Jupiter and Forester's tower is as vast and dangerous as that of the infamous Red Forest, but during wintertime it slumbers. Boars, dogs and cats hide in their nests for most of the day, while larger mutants may even hibernate to conserve energy for weeks at time. Stalkers used to utilize this short, peaceful period to sneak into the cornucopia of artefacts that was the northern Zone when the psi-emitters were still active. Today, however, the silence was disturbed by a low flying helicopter, sending flocks of crows and ravens into chaotic flight.

The MI-2 helicopter floored it towards the perilous forest, its pilot gunning the engines. The ecologist helicopter came equipped with an emission detector, which of course was never pin-point accurate. The pilot however had seen enough of his comrades get disintegrated in the skies due to emissions and would not join them today, a promise he had made to himself the second the device started to beep and flash red. The familiar sight of Forester's mining tower came in sight, and he slowly touched down on the yard, as Redemption forces had secured the area from Monolith troops.

As the rotors lazily came to a halt, the crew dismounted and ran into the building. There was already a small Redemption group sitting there, and their faces lit up when they spotted their leader, now fully rejuvenated and healed. Boris gave them a warm smile and shook hands with Dimuha, Vityukha, Sanyok, Stepukha and Micha.

• Man it is good to see you alive, we were absolutely certain you were done for, Sanyok cheered.

• I was pretty sure I'd die there too, but the ecologists really saved my ass there. But what about Orlov? And the battle in general? Did we suffer losses?, Boris answered, going straight to the questions that had bothered him. Dimuha's face darkened a bit, but Vityukha replied first:

• Orlov is alive and well, Grishka found him and carried him to safety. We'll explain the battle in detail later, but honestly, you gotta go upstairs, Dima has been anxious like all hell all day long, and who can blame him.

• Good to know the old jester has a heart too, Boris said with a grin and the Redeemed laughed heartily at this.

Boris rose up the stairs and could hear his second-in-command talk with Forester over some details about the northern Zone. Dima was surprised throughly when his old companion now entered the room.

• Jesus man, you had us shook pretty bad out there, and now you return looking like you had some sort of a spa weekend and pampering, what the hell!, Dima complained loudly, but Boris could see he was relieved.

• Something like that actually. You really worried for me? Touching, Dima, touching, Boris said teasingly.

• Nah, I just don't want to take command of Redemption if you croak, that's all. Now, since you've returned from your vacation, how about we get to work.

• Fine by me, although an emission is coming in a minute or two...

• Actually, it's on top of us in seconds, Kruglov said while entering the room. He nodded to Forester and continued:

• But yes, Dima, you said that a plan was being formed. Care to give us a briefing?

• Okay. Strap in, gentlemen. The Sin force has been decimated, the battle for Limansk drained them almost completely. Still, there is still Chernobog and some of his Castigators out there. We've killed four so far, and God knows how many of those are still around. We have a Sin prisoner though, and I'd like you to interrogate him since you've got a way with words. We had a bunch of others as well, but they performed mass suicide. This one guy was a fresh initiate and thus not as deep into the whole ooga-booga so he resisted the call to off himself.

• Sure, I'll ask him a few key questions, but what's this plan you speak of?, Boris asked.

• I'm getting to it, patience is a virtue, buddy. So, Sin currently still controls the Deserted Hospital and the way into the Generators. Strelok suspects that they may now resort to their plan B, which is the expansion of the Zone by the means of making a cataclysmic mega-emission, which could spread even to Kiev and beyond. The plan, in all its simplicity, is to push north to the Generators and shut them down.

• And what of the Alliance? Will Duty, Freedom and Clear Sky help?

• Njet. Freedom is pushing north, they already moved past Red Forest and are trying to lift the siege on Yanov. Duty returned to Rostok, apparently the bandit civil war ended and the new bandit leader is consolidating his power, so there's a massive turf war between Duty and Bandits over Garbage. Loners started Operation Fuck Military, and Agroprom is under siege, the jarheads are apparently getting battered real bad. And get this, our blueberry friends from Dead City are helping them out. I contacted Dushman for help, but he replied that they're showing the military that fucking with mercs has its consequences.

• What about Clear Sky?

• Chyort Boris, I'm GETTING TO IT, calm down. So Clear Sky is the only allied faction that remains with us. And Kruglov's commandos plus Strelok's entourage. We'll get it done though, as long as you don't pull of another suicide run.

• I won't, I promise. At Duga I thought I was beyond repair. I did it all because I genuinely thought I would die anyway. This has changed, and I will battle through what is to come to survive. Redemption is a faction, not a penal battalion.

• Shtraftbat Iskuplenije does have a nice ring to it, but yeah, let's not issue Order 227 out for this, Dima said with a dry smile. All seemed forgiven, except for Boris' nickname.

• In that case, shall we get started?, Boris asked.

• Not quite. I propose we take a break. The upcoming emission will not be big according to our sensors, and it will take them time to recharge the machine up for their big bang. We need to strike soon, but taking a break for one evening might do good for the men's morale, Kruglov commented and Dima nodded, continuing himself:

• I agree. Clear Sky took a beating and they're sending reinforcements in. We're also waiting for some guys from Meadow to arrive, Polymer among them. And then there's Orlov, he was anxious to join us once Stitch allows him to.

• Good to hear, I never thought I'd be fond of a Dutyer but that guy fought with me like a lion, I'll be happy to have him on board. Unless Dima gets jealous, Boris added, Kruglov and Forester chuckling a bit.

• Fuck off with the jokes again, or I start throwing puns around once more, Dima protested.

• Absolutely not going to happen!!, Hip shouted from the lower floor, followed by a burst of laughter.

The three commanders left Forester to his work and went downstairs as the emission begun. The old building wailed and screeched as the immense psychic and physical waves of energy struck its dilapidated walls, but hold it did. The thunderous roaring outside made everyone huddle to their small corners of the room. And then it appeared. Whispers had begun in the limits of everyone's hearing, just out of reach to hear exactly what they meant, just outside of strength to know exactly if it was real or imaginary. But the banging on the tower door? It could not be imaginary, could it? Boris looked at the door in horror, then at his companions. What ghostly abomination could be waiting outside, he thought to himself.

• Don't open the door!, Forester boomed from the other room.

• What the hell is it?, Dimuha asked, his voice thick with fear.

• The Lost and the Damned. The Wanderers. Death, to put it simply. Do not..., Forester yelled but was cut off.

• OPEN!, came a raspy voice from the outside. Thousands of others followed it, in a cacophonous choir that bombarded their ears, pleading, threatening, commanding.

But none moved. Everyone crouched over and held their ears, slumped over and trembling. The emission began to dissipate, slowly, and when the final wave passed, the voices were gone. Very slowly, Boris raised his head and looked around. Everyone was still alive, the building had held on. They would live to fight another day.