Rip and Tear

Writing prompt: “Sir the Human is confirmed Unconscious, that Machine is on autopilot” “Protocol 3, Protect the Pilot, Maximizing Chest Shields to protect Pilot, removing restrictions and safeties on remaining limbs and weapon systems, RIP. AND. TEAR.”

The attack was overwhelming and all focused on ‘Lady Galadriel’ a Doomstalker class battlemech. Her shields held up to the majority of the incoming damage, and what got past them, was stopped by her thick armor plating. Until a small tactical nuke missile came swooping in to hit her dead in the torso. There was not a lot of radiation from the missile and her shields stopped the majority of the energy released, but it staggered her.

What she couldn’t stop was the sheer brute force being transmitted through her shields and armor from the impacts of the attack. That series of impacts were overwhelming the shock absorbers and padding around the pilot cage deep in her heart.

’WARNING WARNING: Tactical nuclear weapon use detected. Pilot life signs dropping. Pilot Andrew has fallen unconscious. Scanning pilot. Pilot injury not life threatening, pilot is unconscious, suspected head trauma/concussion. Protocol 3 initiated: ‘Bring them Home’ program running. Restrictions and safeties on weapons has been lifted, power plant safeties lifted to emergency levels. Shields reinforced with maximum power. Secondary power supply brought on line. Protocol: Rip and Tear initiated. Communications: “Rip and tear, let slip the dogs of war”.’

The enemy forces looking as the human battlemech was knocked down, cheered and shouted in joy at seeing the warmachine brought low with their attack.

But their cheers and shouts were silenced as the warmachine struggled to stand and then the glow of its shields brightened and a long, low bray started to echo from the machine. A message was broadcast across the whole battlefield, bringing most combatants to a halt as the message was translated and then rebroadcast by other human machines.

“Rip and Tear, let slip the dogs of war.”

The human warmachines all seemed to stand even taller and then appear to become more threatening and dangerous without doing a single thing. And then each one started to glow as their shields were brought up to protocol 3 levels.

The limits on the human forces had just been lifted by the use of tactical nuclear weapons. They had broadcast the rules and limitations to the enemy before any battle was commenced. The enemy knew of the limitations. They broke the rules. What was going to happen was now all on them.

Lady Galadriel would bring her pilot home safe and sound while her sisters would make sure the enemy would never break the rules again. The horrors of human warmachines being used to their utmost would be left imprinted on the souls of the enemy for the rest of their existence.

RIP AND TEAR.