He was sinking.
The relentless blue deep has already swallowed his damaged mech and was craving for more. The combat suit wasn't very practical when it came to swimming, all it did was stake the odds against him in this race. He swiftly removed the heavier parts and made it to the surface with the little air he had left. Luckily the propellant in his combat boots worked underwater to give him the needed boost.
That sudden sharp inhale felt like a thousand needles piercing his lungs. He frantically looked around to assess the situation. The sky was calm as if nothing happened just mere moments ago, meaning the other mech was already gone. Juto sighed with relief and made his way to the shore, which luckily wasn't that far off.
There was a cozy little beach tucked between two cliffs towering on each side. Thick lush flora surrounded it in the back, with some mountains looming in the distance - a classic picture of a no man's land. Suddenly the thought of drowning with his mobile unit seemed like a better option than being stranded on a deserted island. He quickly pushed that thought away and just focused on what's in front of him.
Finally, he reached the shore. Almost out of breath, he felt like his body was made of lead with each step leading out of the water. Not really paying attention to surroundings, he dropped on the white sand with a thud and unzipped the full body suit just enough to reach for his vape. The dog tags clattered when he moved it to his mouth, as it was attached to the same chain. He couldn’t wait to get rid of the salt water taste in his mouth, so he didn’t let it fully heat up and took a deep drag, but nothing came out. Surprised, he took another drag, shook it vigorously and took one more, before he dropped it with a groan. Not you against me too, he thought as he hid his face in his palms.
With everything going wrong, all he wanted now was to just conveniently pass out for a couple of hours.
Unfortunately that wish wasn't granted.
"Don't move!"
A young voice accompanied by a clatter of firearms picked Juto's attention. He looked up to his right, one eye obscured by the wet bangs that were still dripping with water. He swept them to the side to have a better look and sighed. Guess the island wasn't so deserted after all, and it would’ve been a good thing, if not for that rifle that was pointed at him. Being on the business end of a weapon was always bad news.
"Hands up!"
The rifle’s owner was a young man of small height, but well built and with a fierce look on his bespectacled face. Juto examined the gun he was holding and noticed something that could work in his favor. He wondered if he should take the chance or just play along and see what happens.
“I said hands up! But first, cover them up, slut.” He added with annoyed tone and waved the gun at Juto’s open chest.
Juto’s eyebrow twitched.
“Make me.” He taunted in response and reached for the knife by his belt, ready to launch at him, but the guy kicked the sand in his eyes and forced him back on the ground. When Juto rubbed the sand off, his captor was standing astride above him, aiming the barrel right at his face. He cleared his throat.
“Okay, okay, you win.”
He obediently lifted his hands somewhere to his eye level. Lifting any further was a bit of a strain, his muscles were still sore from the swim.
“Are you with the federation or empire?”
“Federation...”
Wrong answer. Of course it had to be the wrong answer.
"Then you're going with me."
The captor kneeled and reached for the knife Juto wasn’t able to unsheath in time and tossed it away deep in the bushes. He glanced over, clicked his tongue and zipped the body suit up to the collarbone. Juto could swear he saw a slight blush on his face and let out a chuckle.
“Too much for your virgin eyes? OOF!”
The guy huffed and dug his boot in his gut and stepped to the side. He waved with the weapon to his right, waiting for Juto to move. Having no other option and certainly no room for a friendly conversation, the tall man decided to just go with it. He got up and shuffled in the specified direction while the shortie followed him close behind.
Great, he thought, I had to crash into enemy territory. What a lovely roulette of choices. If it’s not drowning, then ending up on a deserted island sounded better than being held hostage. At least he'd go out in peace, maybe reflecting on all his life choices while roasting in the sun on a lovely little beach in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps with a faint hope of some vehicle passing by and noticing his SOS signs, rather than being tortured to death by an enemy. Maybe he should just start running and the guy will shoot him right here and now. But running felt like a lot of effort right now, and he wasn't sure if the shortie really wanted him dead.
They went on in awkward silence for a few more steps when a rustling in the bushes nearby drew their attention. Not a second later, the local fauna introduced itself in the form of a tiger cub leaping out. It stopped in its tracks, staring at them. Something else, much bigger, started to move through the greenery behind it.
“Oh shit… Go, go, go!”
The captor panicked and rushed Juto to move faster, but it was already too late. The cub’s mother leaped out to protect it, charging right at them. They reacted instantly, throwing themselves in opposite directions. The striped feline couldn't stop the momentum and strutted in the water before turning around. The cub has already slipped between the bushes.
This should’ve given the small man enough time to shoot at the oversized cat, but…
"Fuck, not now!"
The blasted thing got jammed in the most inconvenient moment. He shook it and smacked with his hand, not paying attention to the fact the feral animal made him her next target. It was a perfect chance for Juto to throw him under the bus… or tiger, for that matter, and save his own skin…
But he didn't take it.
His instincts took over and made him rush back, propelled by the rocket boots. Next thing he knew felt like happening in slow motion. He snatched the rifle and made use of it in the way firearms weren't supposed to be - smacking the tiger's head with it like with a baseball bat. If it were a ball, he'd surely score a home run. The tiger swayed a bit, shook its head and roared, still not letting go. But it eventually ran away once Juto pulled the trigger and the treacherous rifle spit a round of bullets in the sand. They could hear the rustle of bushes fading gradually the further the tiger ran. Soon it became quiet again.
Juto sighed with relief and ran a hand through his face. He really hoped that after five possible death scenarios the universe would give him a break. The first one being exploding in the sky before falling into the sea. At this point, his existence was equivalent to a middle finger flipping death off. It was like surviving a handful of lightning missing him by mere inches one after another.
“Before you ask - the cartridge. It wasn’t inserted prop-” He looked over his shoulder.
The tiny man was about to ambush him and once spotted, he froze mid movement in a pose that made him look like he was trying to spook a child. He immediately threw his hands in the air once the rifle was pointed at him. Juto tilted his head with a shit eating grin, his hair gently falling to the side. It seemed like the odds were in his favor now. It was now his turn to set the rules, so he spoke in a relaxed tone.
"Let's talk.”
