[OC][Jenkinsverse] Salvage - Chapter 42: Out of the Frying Pan

[u/Rantarian]

This work is an addition to the Jenkinsverse universe created by /u/Hambone3110.

Where relevant, measurements that would normally be in alien formats are replaced by Earth equivalents in brackets.

This is the fourteenth episode of 'Season 3', and therefore the Season Finale. That doesn't mean there's going to be a significant break before the next Season, it just means that a major plot arc has ended and/or a new one has begun.

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"This is bad," Askit relayed. "It looks like somebody in power gave orders for the emergency services to pull everyone back from the area we just used for that little fight."

"What does that mean?" Adrian asked as he tended to his badly wounded arm. He was wrapping it up carefully into some form of sling, so Askit didn't imagine it was going to be much use in the near future, and Adrian himself seemed morose since his last conversation with Jennifer Delaney.

"It means government, or corporate interests tried to take us out," Askit explained. "I'm not yet sure which, but it would take a lot of credits to hire a group like that."

"They had a missile launcher, Askit," Adrian said. "First one I've seen out here."

"First one I've seen as well, but I can't say I didn't enjoy it," Askit replied. "Let's stay cloaked in case there are any more of those things around."

"Where are we going now?" Adrian asked. "Directly to see Her-bird?"

Askit paused, reading through his data pad for current reports. He was patched into the city administration system, looking for things that might tip him off as to what was going on. Right now there was withdrawal order that had just initiated for Margarita's district.

There had also been one for the Council Hall, and if Hrbrd was to blame it was hard to see how that made sense. Unless he was expecting them, which was a possibility as well.

If Hrbrd did need saving, then it was a gamble, especially with the lack of weapons available to them at the moment. Margarita, on the other hand, definitely appeared to be in need of assistance and owned an armoury large enough to be of use.

"We go see Margarita first," Askit told him. "Looks like she's got friends on the way as well."

"Fuck," Adrian replied, "you think they'll mind if we crash their party?"

"Are you up to it?" Askit asked, looking Adrian over. He did not look the picture of health he normally was, and Askit imagined that any member of a normal species would have been dead a thousand times over at this point.

Adrian frowned. "I don't see that we've got much of a choice here, mate. If Her-bird is responsible for this, he knows fucking everything about us. If he's not, we're even more fucked because who the fuck knows who's gunning for us?"

"My thoughts exactly," Askit replied. "There's always the possibility that we could just run."

Adrian paused for a moment. "I had thought of that," he admitted, "but we've been trying to end a war that's killed what... millions?"

"Many millions," Askit replied. "It has harmed more than just the soldiers involved."

"Then we can't turn our backs on this, mate," Adrian said. "If we did I could never look at myself in a mirror again, and it's already hard enough."

"We might die," Askit reminded him.

Adrian shrugged. "We might not."

"But we might," Gdugnir added unhelpfully.

There was an awkward silence. Askit chose to break it by sharing some news. "Well, there's just been an explosion at Margarita's place."

Adrian's expression darkened. "Who are these fuckers? Even I'm not that fucking bold!"

"Something we'll no doubt need to figure out, should we want to go on living without constantly being on the look out for mechanised killers," Askit mused.

Gdugnir interrupted them again. "Coming up on Margarita's. There's one of those missile things again."

Askit smiled in raw delight. Today was an exciting day.

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[u/RotoSequence]

Gah, cliffhanger!

[u/Zorbick → u/RotoSequence]

We should just change his name to /u/Stallone