The Forgehub Cumulative Stories Thread.

well stop waiting for me, guys, i can't continue my own bit!

 

Brains on overload at work, Great dark gritty story like I like 'em. Hope to get some downtown were I can rest my brain.

 

The four stood behind the corner, planning their escape. Suddenly a wave a shock came over Jernigan's face.

"You're a dumbass! I'M a dumbass! CRAP!!!" he yelled.

"What's wrong, what's wrong??" shouted the boys and Henderson, confused.

"LOYALTY TAGS!!" shouted Jernigan in response, and the same look of panic fell over Scott's face, as a flash of orange light filled the streets. The boys had no idea what was happening.

"****, they took effect! Stay on your toes!" The boys raised their weapons, not knowing what was about to transpire. Suddenly the large Harbingers materialized behind them and bound them so they couldn't move in any way.

"Not as comfortable as the disarming array, hmm?" said the hierarch, materializing before them. All of their weapons detached from their bodies and floated into a harbinger engineer's hand and then materialized back to it's cruiser.

"Typical human foolishness..." said the hierarch as he turned around and began to pace. As he turned, a scar on the back of his neck became visible, and Jernigan gasped as he began to struggle. "Oh, so you DO remember me..."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sergeant David Jernigan sprinted through the burning IF facility with his squad close behind, as he held on tightly to the harbinger artifact. The roof was threatening to cave in at any second.

"There! Head for that window!" shouted Jernigan to his squad, pointing to a window at the end of the room. Jernigan whipped out his pistol and perforated the thick glass. He kissed the cross hanging from his neck and dived into it, breaking the glass and rolling onto the dirt below. His squad followed and took defensive positions as an opposing team of harbingers materialized around them.

"Well well, we have found who they call 'Jernigan'" said the harbinger squad commander as he approached the group of frightened soldiers. "Relaaax, let me get those of your hands." He held up a device and all the weapons flew off the soldiers and stuck to it. "You won't be needing your crew for the plans we have for you, Sergeant Jernigan" said the commander, waving his hand.

A remote controlled harbinger dropship flew in from the waiting flagship above, and Jernigan's squad was forced aboard. Jernigan tried to follow but was met with a stern kick to the face. He tried three times more, but to no avail. The harbingers bound him in a subduing energy field and set his eyes on the dropship as he struggled.

"Don't worry, they'll be FINE" the commander said to Jernigan. "Well they'll be fine when they're wallowing in the human afterlife, I should mention. Jernigan continued to struggle and attempt to break free as the dropship took off. The commander waved a hand and a beam of the deadly harbinger energy engulfed the dropship, melting it as Jernigan listened to his squad scream.

"NOOOOO!!!" Jernigan yelled, bursting from his constraints and grabbing what weapons he could. He quickly took down 4 of the harbingers in rage and dashed for the commander. He caught the commander in the neck with his knife, leaving a large gash. His lead was short lived, as the commander turned and punched him in the chest, sending him reeling through the air, at least 20 feet.

"Get up and continue to fight, coward!" the commander yelled as Jernigan pulled himself to his feet. Jernigan looked at the waiting alien, and threw the artifact at the aliens as it exploded, blinding them. He dived from a cliff, plummeting to the hard alien ground below. Suddenly, and IF tactical bird swooped in sideways, smoothly catching Jernigan in it's side and taking off for the waiting cruiser.

Jernigan stomped about the ship, throwing his knife into the wall and spiking Jupiter into the ground. He let out a long cry of despair which rang through the bird. Lieutenant Henderson turned around from his seat in the cockpit to face Jernigan.

"They did their jobs, sergeant. Now it's time to finish yours.

The IF general spoke.

"Sergeant Jernigan, you've done amazing work. Regardless, your history cannot make up for losing an entire squad, destroying a mission objective, and attempting to flee from the mission. I heard all about your "flashbang artifact" and your epic dive from that cliff. Therefore, I have no choice but to purge you from the IF military forces under these causes. You're a good man, David, I hate to lose you. Gather your things. Your shuttle is in hangar 17B.

Jernigan arrived back on Earth, with no possessions, no family, and no home.

 

Spoiler

Jernigan and his crew slowly floated one-by-one into a nearby chamber unable to control their actions. Jernigan eyeballed the chamber as he entered. He had never seen a room like this before. The chambers walls shone with a light illuminating the room with a purple hue of color. As the squad helplessly was lined up against the far wall of the room the hue genteelly changed to a grey. Chambers slowly opened inside of the wall. Simultaneously Harbinger-like creatures entered the room, they seemed more human. They were less bulky with less armor and a lot less ugly. They stood in front of the humans and cackled as if someone had spoken a funny joke. The hatches closed by themselves and each of the harbinger-like creatures began dialing on a pad next to each pod. A slit appeared in the glass that covered the front of the pods as the creatures took a tube and rigged it to the small opening. Green goo exploded from the hole.


The hierarch approached the pods as the creatures scuttled away. Now, pacing in front of the pods he spoke softly “In all of your history-- in all of your wars—your greed to consume everyt-h-i-n-g has caused so much pa-a-a-ain, so much suffering.” Now, pacing faster he spoke more quickly with a malicious tone, the hierarch said” You wish to end this pain and suffering, do you not?” Sympathetically shaking his head up and down as if answering his own question. “You destructive little bugs could be useful for later, especially you Jernigan or perhaps I should end your puny lives.” The hierarch lifted his arm up to the glass pod and phased his blade through the glass next to Jernigan’s throat. A decorated red blade materialized and grew next to Jernigan’s throat. Jernigan starred at the hierarch with a menacing glare. A few loud thuds drew Jernigan’s attention from the hierarch. Could it be a rescue team? Did anyone even know where they were?

Perplexed by the sounds coming from outside the room the hierarch spun around to be met with nothing, but air. The sounds stopped and although the hierarch was being wary he looked both ways hesitantly. Jernigan picked it up first, seconds later the hierarch did too. A swooshing sound as if something was flying overhead over and over again. Then, it happened a harbinger appeared in mid air, ramming the hierarch into the control board for the pods. This harbinger was different, he had a green glowing leaf on his shoulder and his legs were covered with a hardened yellow substance. The pods opened and green goo splashed out onto the floor, Jernigan emerged first covered in green goo. After some deliberation Jernigan reached into his sock and pulled out a green goo covered knife. He sprinted to where the hierarch landed and lunged at him with his knife. With much disappoint the knife met with the hard purple floor, the hierarch had vanished. With his blade in hand, Jernigan rose from the ground and started eyeing up the new harbinger. Calculated he threw his knife hand to hand and charged…

 

The harbinger stood still, as if waiting for death. An instant before Jernigan's knife made contact with the creature's neck, the harbinger reacted, and with one swift movement from his hand, he and the knife had disappeared.

"What the hell..?" Scott said, pulling himself from the ooze. The harbinger suddenly reappeared behind them, and tossed the knife to Jernigan's feet, bent in half and rendered useless.

"That was my best knife, asshole" Jernigan muttered as he shrugged and kicked the knife across the room. "So you aren't here to kill me? What a pleasant surprise." The harbinger said nothing, as the hierarch reappeared behind him. "Watch out!" Jernigan shouted to the harbinger, pointing at the hierarch. The hierarch laughed.

"Hmm, I don't know what YOU'RE talking about..." he sarcastically said to Jernigan. The hierarch stepped in front of the new harbinger and spoke. You've played directly into our hands, human." Jernigan and the others glanced at eachother, confused. "Go ahead, show them your wrathAUUGHH--"

His voice was cut off as red-orange, even more thickly decorated blade burst through his chest. The harbinger pulled the struggling hierarch to where they met face to face.

"I'm glad to see you remember the face of your true master, though we are no longer fighting for the same team. Look into my eyes well, as they will be the last thing you will ever see." The harbinger thrust the blade deeper through his chest, and dropped to dead hierarch to the floor. The four men stepped back, confused.

"Jernigan. Listen." he said, taking a step towards the men. "I am the harbinger overlord." Jernigan raised and eyebrow at him. "Well, used to be."

"That's what I was lookin' for" replied Jernigan.

"Well, the current overlord and I were generated from the same code, making us 'twins' as you you say. I was chosen initially for my innate intelligence, but i was expelled when I showed mercy to your race. I recognized your strong will and courage and attempted to back down. The other overlord took my place, and I was banished." He dropped on one knee before Jernigan. "I am yours to command." Jernigan was taken aback. He realized the overlord wasn't joking, and snapped into action.

"Scott, get your communicator, have an XV wrangler dropped on our position. We need to get moving. Boys, gather our gear and anything else you may need. Overlord, grab that hierarch's tag and follow me. I know a place." The squad ran outside into the night, to their waiting vehicle and piled in, Jernigan in the driver's seat, and they sped off to Jernigan's undisclosed location. Suddenly the communicator clicked on and the general's face appeared on the monitor.

"Jernigan, Jernigan, Jernigan. I hear you've been givin' old Scott some assistance out there. I'll cut all the pleasantries, consider this a reinstatement and field promotion. Welcome back, Colonel Jernigan. Boys! I see you've been doing some work as well, good job, we need more soldiers like you. Two sergeant first class positions are yours' for the taking. And you, overlord...erm...good to have you, keep up the good work. Over 'n' out." The communicator clicked off, and they rode in silence for about a minute.

"Sweet" Jernigan said. "We're comin' up on the place, safety check your weapons." They all hopped out and approached the massive warehouse. Jernigan knocked on the door, and they heard footsteps then a rustling of clothes and metal. A magnified
eye appeared in the small peephole.

"Ah Jernigan, you crazy ol' mon!" responded to person behind the door, sporting a thick Jamaican accent. "Give me a few seconds to unlock this stupid ol' door, my friend..."

 

Jamal was not a burly fellow nor did he wear the cliché green, yellow and red hats that most people would imagine a Jamaican person would wear. As they entered the new room, Jamal had to bend down to avoid hitting his head on the door frame. He bent down to the floor and picked up what looked like a modified M16 assault rifle and stood in front of Scott. “Ya gonna be takin’ dis? Or ya just gonna be starrin’’? Not waiting for an answer Jamal pushed the gun to Scott’s chest and walked off. The M16 was all black, three burst round, modified scope for better accuracy, and best of all it had a shiny silver grenade launcher mounted on it. Scott’s eyes lit up as he turned towards Jernigan for his approval. Jamal’s voice trailed from another room “Ya brothers, move ya barrels over here”. Jamal was leaning next to two oval windows that had a matching cover flipped above them.


“This side of da cover is were we lost Eli.” Jamal said while pointing outside of the window at a half singed large corpse. Jernigan chuckled half-heartily “At least he went out with a bang!” Scott almost spit his gum out and let out a small smile, then looked at Jamal for a response. Jamal still had his gaze fixed on Eli’s body and raised his hand and said “Flower boy, that m16 is all out of grenades and ya see dat crate out there, that’s were dey be” Harbingers were materializing and then disappearing trying to get a jump on Jamal’s squad members firing at them. A very nimble burly man was fighting three Harbingers at once in hand-to-hand combat. Try as they might to sneak attack them, he was just too fast for them. One reappeared behind him, as he already grabbed it by chest followed by a punch to the face. The harbinger’s body flew through the air striking the window Jamal and the other’s were looking at. The harbinger’s blade sliced through the armored windows making Scott jump back. While Jernigan stood his ground unfazed, as the upon overlord lingered over the harbinger corpse with disgust.



Scott, Jernigan, and Jamal looked on as the Overlord cut the harbingers blade off and made a few cuts here and there. He handed Jernigan a knife that resembled closely a harbinger blade. The overlord spoke with compassion “So many lives could have been saved, on both sides of this conflict. Yet I was unable, persuade them to stop this foolish war. They took my spawn from me, they denied me to procreate. I will have every single one of their heads for this. “The overlord began shaking violently.”What the hell is he doin?" asked Jernigan. The overlord’s body began to phase in and out every time he shook. Orange-red blades appeared in both hands. “He he, yam on, he’s pullin’ some wolverine ****, right tha.” The overlord raised his hands and sliced through the armored windows and charged his former allied harbingers. Jamal’s voice rang over the loud speaker “Ya mons, don’t **** wit da wolverine” as the overlord teleported from one harbinger to the next ripping through them mercilessly. Jernigan and the rest of the crew charged as well. Jernigan ran over to the burly fellow and stabbed one of the harbingers in the neck with his new blade. “This works like a charm!” Jernigan said excitedly. The fellow grabbed the remaining harbinger, threw it on the ground and stomped on its head. “I never thought I’d be dealing with more of this **** again! Sorry we don’t really have time for formalities , but the names Bart…..”

 

OFFTOPIC: HOLY ****!
ON TOPIC:
"My crew and I just got back from dealing with some crazy **** and one of the IF moons. These are my soldiers, Mohammed, Sam, and Eric," said Bart, waving over two other men. I was in the Harbinger wars as well, i never thought this **** would actually come to Earth."

"Yeah, well it's great to have ya here. Me, Scott, and the boys have seen enough of these today, it's really startin' to piss me off..." Jernigan muttered, kicking the dirt. Eric stepped forward.

"Yup I know what ya mean. You seen any big **** today? We tore up a few royal guards today, or at least that's what the ****** here said, hehe"

"Ay mon, I'm standin' right here, watch what ya say!" Jamal yelled at him.

"ANYWAYS, royal guards are weenies compared to what we've killed today," Scott said. "We came across a hierarch, apparently looking for revenge against Jernigan. Our new friend got us out of that one easy," he said, looking at the Overlord.

"REVENGE? Ay mon, i thought ya would know, if they want revenge, ya gotta give it to 'em or they'll be'a throwin attack platoons at ya all day," Jamal snapped back. "They'll bring in artillery that'll make ya **** a brick, mon."

"Well we brought some pretty scary **** too," replied Bart.

"Ya mon, I'll believe that when i see it, it had'a better be some good **** like you've been sayin all day," Jamal complained.

"We won't bring it out till we need it, it'll stir up the Harbinger forces too much right now. It's reserved for special situations ONLY, Tri-erm...the WEAPON'll make the Harbingers bring put all they have, which we don't need right now."

"Does that count as a special situation?" asked Jason, pointing up into the clouds behind him.

A group of Harbinger gunships broke through the cloud cover, each carrying heaving ground artillery.

"Get back the base! Damn harbies are'a bringin in the CW walka' tanks!" shouted Jamal, as he sprinted back to the warehouse. Everyone else followed him.

"What's a CW walker?" asked Cory as they ran.

"Look behind you!" shouted Scott. As Cory and Jason looked back, a beam shot of orange energy cracked past their heads, knocking a hole in the warehouse wall.

"GET DOWN!" yelled Jernigan as he tackled both boys, knocking them away from the next blast and into the warehouse.

"Take defensive positions and give suppressive fire! I'll bring in our heavy artillery!" shouted Bart, as the rest of them fired at the tanks.

"Rail howitza armed, watch ya ears mon!" Shouted Jamal as he operated the giant Howitzer cannon and took out the three gunships. "The howitza aint touchin them walkas, I think it's time to bring in ya secret weapon, Bart!"

Bart hesitated, then nodded and pulled out his communicator.

"Red alert, red alert! Sergeant Major to Tritton II, assistance is needed immediately!" Bart shouted into his radio.

A figured fired up over the horizon, followed by a trail of thick smoke. It set it's course towards the walkers and raised it's weapons.

"Tritton II incoming, targets acquired" the robot said. It streaked in, firing at the walkers. The walkers turned around and fired back, missing every shot.

"Get down!" shouted Bart. The entire crew dived behind the wreckage of the warehouse walls as the robot hurled himself in all three walkers. Explosion rang out, all the men could here was gunfire and twisting metal. The noise died down after about two minutes, and a light started beeping on Bart's uniform.

"All clear!" shouted Bart. "Move up to Tritton II's location!"

All the men followed Bart to the feet of the massive matte gold robot, as it nodded in greeting. The men were all dumbfound, minus Eric, Sam, and Bart.

"Men, this is Tritton II, OUR heavy artillery...."

 

Spoiler

The warehouse had seen better days than this. It looked like someone had taken a giant can opener and ran it across one side of it, the metal sharp from being just opened. The equipment that was thought to be safe was scattered over the parking lot as if someone had gutted someone’s internal organs out. They laid there lifeless and broken. The large group of familiar faces were all reveling at the easy victory they had achieved. “Damn tin can, ruined the fight. I woulda climbed up one of those damn Walkas and shot the **** outta them.” Jernigan said as he walked away from the group and leaned onto a pine tree in the middle of a grassy hill. Tritton II foot opened and up rose a metallic chest. Once it rose a bit more it opened, shooting white smoke into the air. Bewildered, but curious the new group of friends took a step closer. Nicole looked at, Bart as he smiled back her way. As the smoke cleared a bottle of Grey Goose could be seen, followed by some no name Tequila and other various liquors. The front of the box opened and revealed shot glasses.



Excitedly, everyone grabbed the liquor and started partying away. Sam offered Nicole a shot of Tequila and she did not hesitate to accept. Bart poured two shots of Vodka and approached the Overlord. “It’s good to have you on our side, you really did a lot of damage out there today” Bart said with enthusiasm. Rather quickly the Overlord said “You approach me as if I am your friend, and yet we only have a common enemy. Although I do recognize your species as one worth saving, I will not revel in the fact that we have just one a mere battle and the outcome of whatever trials and tribulations is yet to become clear to me. You wish to share a drink with me, do you not to celebrate our “win”? Well I cannot, your alcohol is poisonous to me and will quickly render me useless. “ Bart frowned and said “ Well, **** happens Harbinger, what else can I tell ya? ” “Your species has yet to learn it’s place in this Universe. Your species future truly depends on what this group of people does next” The overlord spoke calmly. “Bottoms up” Bart said as he downed both shots. “So what do we call you? Bart said as the overlord started to walk away. The overlord looked over his shoulder and said “You can call me Keeper. The clouds above the group first turned grey, then slowly changed to bright purple. Jernigan was now in the tree watching the sky intensely. “ Yo, Scott you see this ****, this can’t be good”. Normally clouds push apart when an object goes through them. The clouds seemed to get lighter and lighter until they vanished revealing a massive carrier.


The center of the ship was aimed on their location as it became white in color. Moments later a loud crack could be heard as the white color disappeared as a giant greenish purple orb hurled quickly to the groups location. It exploded in mid air putting a million tiny black specs in the air. These specs started to disappear and re-appear; they became more and more clustered and eventually balled up into a giant ball. While everyone stood in horror Jernigan was already lining up a shot on this thing. Tritton II spoke “No known lifeform in current database. DNA similar to standard Harbinger DNA, except it’s different. Mohammad ran down the grassy hill and took refuge in the warehouse. Nicole and Sam followed closely. Scott and Bart took cover under Jernigan’s tree. The giant black ball disappeared in an instant. Voices whispered “ We’re here, we’re here, we’ve come for you” Keeper turned his head and disappeared quickly. The black ball appeared in front of Tritton II, up close it looked like if you took a ball of ants and put them into a ball together. Tritton II raised his arm ready to fire, but then the unexplainable happened. The black ball grew appendages and eventually a head. Mohammad honed in onto the newly formed body. Nicole said “ What the **** is that?” To which Mohammad replied “How the hell am I supposed to know?”




Moments later, the ball resembled a giant harbinger and exploded into a bunch of tiny harbingers as they swarmed Tritton II. Jernigan, went to fire his rifle as Bart lowered it and said” You don’t want to hit Tritton II. Metal tearing sounds could be heard in rapid succession and then the Harbingers disappeared leaving what looked like gold scrap metal. Bart fell out of the tree and punched the ground repeatedly, Tritton II was gone. The giant Harbinger reappeared hovering above the Warehouse as Sam ran out and started spraying his gun at it. Multiple Harbingers fell as bullets connected with them. Mohammad, for fear of his life starting shooting while Jernigan, Scott took up position on the hill. Jernigan spoke excitedly “ Now, this is what I’m talking about, can’t wait to kill these bastards as he shot a round dropping a single Harbinger from the group. The swarm began to descend onto the Warehouse destroying what was left of it. These harbingers were different; they were smaller, than the normal ones. Keeper appeared next to Jernigan and spoke “ Divide and Conquer” and then disappeared and reappeared next to the swarm with his blades at the ready.......

 

The Keeper dived into the swarm, flailing his blades and tearing the them to pieces. For five minutes he killed the harbingers, though it seemed that for every alien he killed, another seemed to appear.

Scott raised his gun as he watched, ready to help, though Jernigan grabbed his barrel and lowered it. "Let him work. I'm sure he has a plan."

The Keeper continued to fight, until he began to get overrun. The harbingers swarmed over the keeper, trapping him from view and bringing him to the ground. Jason suddenly broke out and began to run to him, screaming for him. Jernigan chased him down the hill, and then the next instant a blinding white light filled the air, taking all the men to the ground.

The light cleared, and all the men looked up to see what happened. The looked up to see The Keeper floating 50 feet above the ground, with all the dead harbingers floating in orbit around him. The keeper looked completely serene.

"What's he doing?" Scott whispered to Bart.

"I have no ****ing clue" he replied.....

OFFTOPIC: sorry for the really short bit, kinda busy so i had to leave out a few details