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                          Next Dawn Comics Present 
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                       A Soljo Publishing Production 
                               www.soljo.org

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                                 CRUSADE  

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                                SEASON ONE                                  

                                   -=-

                          PART FOUR: - Yoshimi.

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The robots are destroying buildings. The robots are twice the size of an a
verage human. They are concentrating their efforts on one building, a big city 
bank. They are smashing through the front windows as people scatter. High 
above them, floating in his exo-suit, is Milton. He watches his robots as 
they destroy the bank.

The robots gather the last of the money from the safe. They open compartments 
in their chest cavities and load the money in. As they step out through the 
shattered windows they are met by a group of uniformed men and women, armed 
with large weapons. At the front of the group stands their leader, a small 
Japanese looking woman.

"Stop," shouts Yoshimi. "You are in breach of law 22a. I insist you halt."

The robots ignore her and keep walking.

Yoshimi loads her weapon and fires at one of the robots, blasting a hole in 
it's back. The robot topples on to a car, crushing it. The other robots 
stop walking and turn on the men and women. The robots have lasers on their 
arms and begin to use them. One by one Yoshimi's troops fall. But Yoshimi 
fights bravely, dodging laser fire and getting occasional shots away. One of 
the robots shots hits a parked car blowing it up, the shrapnel hitting 
Yoshimi in the leg. She falls to the ground. One of the robots stands over 
her. As it is about to fire it is hit from behind and falls to the ground. 
Sabre stands ready for the robot to get up. When it does, Sabre delivers a 
drop kick to its head knocking the robot down. Sabre helps Yoshimi up. 
Behind them the robot is to its feet. Suddenly the robot is propelled across 
the street, thudding in to a wall at high speed. Steve helps Yoshimi and 
Sabre. They scramble for cover.

"I am Steve, this is Sabre."

"I'm Yoshimi. That was my team. We are a response unit to any dangerous 
activity within the city."
Yoshimi grimaces and clutches her leg.

"We have a friend who can help you."

"I must get back."

"You must wait for help. We'll deal with the robots."

Yoshimi nods and stays sat. Sabre and Steve leave her to do battle with 
the robots. 

The robots are laying waste to the remnants of Yoshimi's team. As one 
fires upon one of the men it starts to shake. It shakes increasingly 
violently and bits start to fall off. The robot crumbles in to a pile 
of parts on the floor. Steve stands over his handywork and seeing the 
robots control panel flicks the switch to off. His attention is caught 
by Sabre, who is dodging shots from another of the robots. Sabre rolls 
over the bonnet of a car, taking cover behind it. One of the team is 
slumped behind the car, severely wounded. Sabre takes his gun and waits.

Saviour is healing Yoshimi's leg. His hands glow brightly and Yoshimi 
winces. He takes his hands from her leg and the wound has gone.

"How can you do that?" asks Yoshimi.

A robot approaches their previously safe position.

"I'll explain later."

They start to run for a better position, with the robot following all 
the time. A river blocks their route.

"I'm going to have to pick you up."

"What? I can swim."

"We aren't going to swim."   

Saviour scoops up Yoshimi and steps on to the river. The water is like 
concrete under his feet. Saviour begins to run across the river. The 
robot tries to follow, but becomes submerged in the water. It fires off 
a shot in vain and then sinks into oblivion. Saviour and Yoshimi reach 
the riverbank on the other side. Saviour lets Yoshimi down to her feet. 
She looks in to the distance at the carnage beyond the river.

Sabre is crouched behind the car, gun in hand. He pops up and fires a 
couple of shots at the advancing robot, then ducks back down. Steve has 
levitated himself in to the air above the battlefield. Like a conductor 
he picks three lampposts from the ground and spears them through the 
back of the robot. The robot collapses to the ground. Sabre pops up from 
behind the car to fire shots, but the robot has gone and the only 
potential target is a landing Steve.

Milton has been watching the warfare from on high. He shakes his 
head and stands up from his perch atop a building. He begins to arm his 
weapon, then stops and flies away.

Yoshimi is surveying the battlefield. Stood behind her are Steve, Sabre 
and Saviour they watch her as she moves from stricken team mate to 
stricken team mate, shedding a tear for each. As Sabre and Saviour follow 
Yoshimi on her morbid trail. Steve stops and waits. The Ghost arrives 
besides him. She points to the kerb, Steve and Ghost sit down.

"You're thinking of asking her to join," says Ghost.

"I am."

"What do you think she'll do?"

"I don't know yet. I haven't learnt enough. I didn't want to intrude."

Yoshimi has one of her team in her arms. She is crying.

"She would be a fine addition to any team. Any team without a leader. 
She would not follow you Steve. She would expect you to follow her."

"It won't hurt to ask."

"Don't be too disappointed if she turns you down."

Sabre and Saviour are walking around the battlefield. They come across 
one of the felled robots. They open up the chest cavity and money falls 
out. Steve and Yoshimi are away from the carnage, on the edge of the 
battlefield.

"I know you're going to say no. But I thought I'd give you the chance 
to say it," says Steve, "would you join us?"

Yoshimi sits silently thinking.

"I can't."

Steve begins to speak but Yoshimi cuts him off.

"You don't need to give me your pitch. I know about your little team. 
You have good intentions but..."

"But?"

"You are mercenaries. You do not have the direction, the ideology. You 
are renegades looking for any cause, but without a goal."

"You could give that to us."

"No you can't be given that. You have to find it. When you do, I will 
find you."

Yoshimi gets up and walks away from Steve, Sabre, Saviour, the battlefield 
and her downed colleagues.

"She will be a fine addition," The Ghost tells Steve. 

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Crusade.

Written By ChickenSoup.
Characters By ChickenSoup & PaRiS.
Cover Art By PaRiS.
New Dawn Comics (www.soljo.org/ndc/) part of Soljo Publishing (www.soljo.org).

All Storylines, Contents & Characters Copyright Next Dawn Comics & Soljo
Publishing 2004.

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