Fan Fiction ❯ Future Perfect ❯ Time to Split ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter 1

Time to Split

 

The year is two thousand four hundred and one. A war between Earth and the TimeSplitters - an evil race of creatures that has brought mankind to the brink of extinction - is well under way. Earth's last hope is a spacecraft speeding towards Earth carrying nine stolen Time Crystals. These crystals will be used to send someone back in time. Their mission: eliminate the Time Crystals at their source, ending the war before it ever began…

 

A fairly small, jet-like spacecraft was speeding towards Earth, which was a mere shadow of what it once was. It was a barren wasteland now.

The pilot was a tall, muscular man with a shaved head. You could see the veins in his neck. He had a pair of black, prosthetic eyes with red pupils that allowed the T.S.M. (Time/Space Marine Corps.) to view what he was seeing at the same time. He was wearing a gray, skin-tight T-shirt, a light gray, armored vest, a pair of dark gray combat pants, a pair of gray, armored combat boots, a gray belt with an elliptical belt buckle, and a pair of brownish gray, fingerless gloves with a yellow stripe across the knuckles.

“Entering atmosphere. Please initiate landing sequence,” announced the craft's computer. The pilot pulled a couple of levers, and the ship's wings folded in close to it. The craft began speeding towards Earth like a bullet, flames surrounding it as it sped along. He soon reached the lower atmosphere, allowing him to reopen the wings.

“An unidentified craft confirmed in immediate area. Please identify yourself,” a voice said over the ship's radio. It was Private Hicks of the T.S.M.

“This is Cortez,” said the pilot.

“Sgt. Cortez?! It's an honor to have you back, Sir! I'll patch you straight to the general!” said Private Hicks excitedly.

A few seconds later, a different voice came over the radio. “Cortez?” it said.

“General Lander, what the fuck's goin' on down there?!” asked Cortez.

“It's the Splitters! We're under siege!!” shouted the general. “It's Hell! Get your bald ass down here and give us some cover!!”

“Roger that, Sir. I'm on my way,” Cortez replied.

Just then, a lazer blast collided with his ship. “Holy shit!” Cortez barked. He tried to pull up, but it was no use. He crashed into the side of the canyon with a fairly small explosion. Cortez was hanging upside down like a roosting bat, his foot caught under the seat.

Just then, a couple of men from Cortez's squad came running to the ship. “There's Cortez!” one of them shouted. It was Private Hicks.

“What the hell's he doin' upside down?” the other one asked. It was Sgt. Jameson.

“I don't know,” Private Hicks replied. “Come on, Cortez. On your feet!” Cortez slipped free from his seat and fell to the ground, grunting when he landed. “Oh, that had to hurt!” said Private Hicks. “Come on, Cortez! The general's waitin for ya back at the base!” He gestured for Cortez to follow him. Cortez got up and obliged, following after Private Hicks and Sgt. Jameson. “Take this weapon, Cortez. You'll need it!” said Private Hicks as they were running, handing him a laser-type handgun. It was the newest model of the Scifi Handgun: The Scifi Laser Handgun Model 37A4

“Thanks, Hicks,” replied Cortez as he took the weapon. He had the suitcase with the Time Crystals strapped to the side of his belt. Just then, a plasma shot whizzed past his ear. “What the hell?! Tell your men not to shoot at me!” Cortez shouted angrily. The vein in his forehead was throbbing.

“But Sir, they would never in their right minds shoot at you! Ever!!” Private Hicks nervously replied. He then said under his breath, “I hope,” He gulped at the thought of one of the other Space/Time Marines actually firing at Cortez.

“You had better be right, Hicks, `cause I'll have your head if they fire another shot at me!” Cortez shouted. A minute or so later, another shot whizzed past them. “That is it, Hicks!” he shouted, throwing a punch at Private Hicks. He landed a direct hit in the gut, sending Private Hicks flying to the ground.

“I'm telling you! W-we didn't d-d-do it!” Private Hicks sputtered, holding his gut as he got to his feet.

“Hey, look over there! Who are those guys?” Sgt. Jameson said, pointing to two men in black, hooded uniforms with no sleeves and black masks covering the face. On each mask was a single gold “eye” with gold stripes closing in on it from all sides of the mask.

“I don't know,” Cortez replied, “but let's keep an eye on them,” As if on cue, the hooded men turned and began firing at them.

“See?! I told you it wasn't us!” said Private Hicks.

“Sorry, Hicks,”

“No need to apologize! Just shoot them!” said Private Hicks as he began returning fire.

“Right!” said Cortez, shooted both of the enemies in the head.

“Nice shot, Cortez!” said Private Hicks.

“Thanks,” replied Cortez.

“Now let's move!” With that, they started along the path that lead to the base.

“Two more, up ahead!” shouted Private Hicks. The hooded men immediately began firing at them, one having the newest addition to the Plasma Autorifle series: the AE32-B Plasma Assault Rifle.

“Cortez, take out the rifleman, we'll handle the other one,” Private Hicks ordered.

“I'm on it!” Cortez said. He then shot the one with the Plasma Autorifle with a shot to the head. The other one fell soon after as Sgt. Jameson shot him in the neck. The two hooded men defeated, they continued on.

A ways farther, four more of them attacked. “They just keep comin'!” shouted Private Hicks as he started returning fire.

“Cortez, these friends of yours?” asked Sgt. Jameson, shooting one of them in the shoulder. As the hooded man dropped to his knees, Sgt. Jameson put him out of his misery with a headshot.

“Nope,” Cortez answered, “but they sure seem to know me though!” Cortez picked up the Plasma Autorifle, dropping his Scifi Handgun, and gunned the rest of the men down.

“Nice going, Cortez! Now let's get to the base!” said Private Hicks.

As they got farther along the path, they began to see the dead corpses of fallen military soldiers, men and women alike. “This is worse than I thought!” said Cortez.

“I'm with you on that one, Sarge!” Sgt. Jameson agreed.

“Cortez, boy am I glad to see you!” shouted one of the men further up the path when he saw Cortez. It was Private John. He was with Lt. Millers. They were taking cover behind a large rock formation. Just then, Lt. Millers grabbed his Scifi Handgun and ran out into the open, aiming at the two hooded men on the natural rock bridge above the path. However, as he went into the open, he was engulfed in plasma fire, falling to the ground with a thud. Blood quickly pooled around his body. “Those sons of bitches got Millers!” Private John scowled. “Cortez, take this sniper rifle and take out those guards!”

“You got it, John,” said Cortez, setting down his Plasma Autorifle. He then picked up the newest member of the Scifi Sniper series - the ASM-34L Plasma Sniper Rifle - and peered around the corner. Seeing the two hooded men, Cortez took one of them out with a headshot. However, as the guard dropped from sight, another one took his place. They then began firing at Cortez. Cortez quickly took cover.

“There's just no end to these bastards!” shouted Private Hicks.

Suddenly, an idea struck Cortez. Taking aim, he shot one of the barrels behind the guards. Both of the barrels erupted in a fiery explosion. The guards fell to the ground below, dead. “Nice shooting, Cortez. Now let's move! The base is just a ways further!” Private Hicks said. Cortez dropped the sniper rifle and picked up his assault rifle, and they continued.

“Holy shit! TimeSplitter!!” shouted Sgt. Jameson after they had passed under the bridge-like rock formation. Just then, a large, brown monstrocity of a creature barreled headfirst down the rock wall. It was a TimeSplitter. It was very agile, and just a bit larger than an adult human. It quickly cloaked itself and began firing blue, lightning-like plasma bolts at the soldiers.

Just as the TimeSplitter was about to pounce on Cortez, he hit the creature with a spray of plasma blasts from his assault rifle. As it collapsed on the ground and reappeared, a pool of dark red blood forming around it, he kicked its corpse hard in the head. “Damn it all to Hell!” he bellowed as he kicked the TimeSplitter.

“Cortez, calm down!” said Private Hicks, placing a hand on Cortez's shoulder.

Cortez took a deep breath and said, “Ok, its just the fuckers all piss me off! I hate `em!!!”

“I know. We all do! But we have got to keep moving!” Cortez simply nodded, and they continued on.

A little further on, they reached a clearing with a cliff at the rear. “Cortez!” one of the men there greeted. It was Private Bliz. Suddenly, his eyes went wide. “Look out!” he shouted, pointing behind Cortez and his squad. Two TimeSplitters had followed them. Private Bliz killed one of them with a shot to the head, and Cortez killed the other one with several shots through the throat. “Good goin', Cortez! Now, man that gun and help us defend the base until reinforcements arive!” he ordered, pointing to a 25mm Quad Barrel Plasma Cannon behind him. He was referring to his squad, which consisted of Lt. Lava, Private Kent, and Sgt. Smith.

“I'm on it!” Cortez jumped into the quad laser cannon. Just as he did, two TimeSplitters came down the high wall in front of him. He quickly gunned them down. Three more followed. Cortez began firing, as did the others. Then, two more came down. The other three were still very much alive and well.

“They're coming out of the walls! They're coming out of the goddamn walls!!” cried Private Kent. Seven hundred four plasma rounds and fifty-nine TimeSplitters later, reinforcements finally arived. Sgt. Smith, however, was dead.

“Cortez, hold your fire! I repeat, hold your fire!! Reinforcements have arived!” Private Bliz shouted. Three men in uniform then came running up to them. They were Private Grog, Lt. Forrest, and Commander Frost. Cortez jumped out of the turret. He noticed a crate near the turret with two lone SGT-32 Type A Plasma Grenades in it. He strapped them to his belt and followed the others toward the cliff.

Sgt. Jameson ran ahead to check out the cliff, Cortez and the others not far behind him. Just then, several TimeSplitters leapt over the cliff, one of them slicing through Sgt. Jameson. “Those cocksuckers got Jameson!” shouted Private Hicks. Private Hicks and the others immediately began firing as more TimeSplitters appeared. “Cortez, make a run for the base! We'll try to hold them off here. The general's waitin' for ya, Sarge!”Not saying a word, Cortez rushed toward the razor wire fence that had been set up to protect the base's entrance.

Three Splitters blocked his path. Gunning down the one in the center, Cortez then strapped his assault rifle to his back and unhooked the plasma grenades from his belt. He then pressed the big, red button on both of their tops, and they became engulfed in pink plasma. Cortez grinned as he heard the sizzling of melting steel, which signaled that the grenades were about to blow. He ran full speed at the remaining two Splitters and stuck the plasma grenades to their faces. He then leapt backward and ducked in cover. “Grenade! Grenade!” he called out. The other men backed away from the “floating” plasma grenades immediately. A few moments later, they detonated, leaving two headless TimeSplitter corpses in their wake.

Cortez immediately ran inside the now open door of the base, dropping his assault rifle beforehand and it closed behind him. He was greeted by General Lander. He was about as tall as Cortez was with grey hair in a buzzcut and light green eyes. He was wearing a similar outfat as Cortez was, except his armored vest had metal plating on it. “Cortez, welcome back,” he said, shaking Cortez's hand. “Let's get those to the lab,” They began walking further into the base. As they went, he went on to say, “It's gotten pretty damn ugly since you left,” They stepped into a large, circular elevator, which closed and started making its way down.

“I hadn't noticed,” said Cortez sarcastically.

“Don't get smart with me, Cortez!” the general barked. “We've lost a lot of men these past few months alone! The Splitters are mulitplying! We must stop them at all costs before Earth falls prey to those bloodthirsty monsters!”

“You can count on me, General!” said Cortez with a triumphant smile on his face.

Once elevator stopped and opened, Cortez and General Lander stepped out into a large laboratory. “Cortez, I'd like you to meet Anya, our chief scientist,”

“Hello there,” Anya greeted. She was a little taller than Cortez with short, brown hair and blue eyes. She was quite attractive. This was apparent by the blush on Cortez's face. She wore a revealing, light blue lab coat and skin tight, silver pants. “Are those the Time Crystals?!” Cortez glanced at the general, making eye contact. He nodded. Cortez then unhooked the suitcase from his belt and opened it. Inside were nine large, bright green crystals. “Simply beautiful! Let's get these babies hooked up to the Time Warper, shall we?” she said, a sparkle in her eye. One of the other scientists then took the suitcase from Cortez and began hooking the crystals to the machine.

“Now, I'm gonna have to send my best man on this mission, and I'm sorry, but that's you, Cortez,” said the general.

“So, find the crystals and destroy the lot. Heh, how hard could it be?” said Cortez with a grin.

“Cortez, this will allow us to communicate with you during your mission,” said Anya, handing Cortez a small, black earbud. Cortez immediately secured the earbud to his ear. “It will allow you to hear everything around you, as well as us. It's quite the handy little gadget if I do say so myself!” she smiled. “Good luck!”

“Thanks,” replied Cortez, returning the smile. He then stepped into the center of the Time Warper. The arms around it that held the Time Crystals began circling the center platform. Then, Cortez began to rise up directly in the middle of the arms. Not a moment later, he vanished without a trace.

 

To be continued…