{"id":1142,"date":"2016-11-14T01:06:22","date_gmt":"2016-11-14T08:06:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/?p=1142"},"modified":"2016-11-14T01:11:35","modified_gmt":"2016-11-14T08:11:35","slug":"launch-sequence-chapter-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/?p=1142","title":{"rendered":"Launch Sequence – Chapter 4"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 1<\/a> | Chapter 2<\/a> | Chapter 3<\/a> | Chapter 4<\/a> | Chapter 5<\/a><\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

\n

FOUR<\/span><\/p>\n

Mom and Dad talked for a while, though not before sending me off to a corner of the room to read. I had finally calmed down enough to begin once again daydreaming of the strange, shiny ship being prepped a dozen meters down the corridor from me. I felt ashamed that I had cried like a baby, but my mother forced me to admit I\u2019d sneaked enough looks at the holos on the Wire to have a terrifying grasp of what the Kai did to their enemies. <\/span><\/p>\n

Both Mom and Dad admitted to being just as frightened. When I asked how come they didn\u2019t seem scared, my dad looked away when my mom said they had both done their share of crying over the last few years and didn\u2019t have much\u2014if any\u2014tears left in them. The thought of crying so much that I couldn\u2019t cry ever again scared me almost as much as what I\u2019d seen the Kai do to our colonies. The only thing more terrifying, according to Dad, was how once the Wire went dead, truly awful things happened. <\/span><\/p>\n

There were rumors the aliens harvested humans for food, used them in disturbing genetic experiments, even dissolving every living person in giant vats of acid. The tales that made me shiver were the ones describing how the Kai set everyone on fire. <\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019d burned myself with a nanosolder tool when I was eight. It took almost a month for the wound to completely heal, and hurt even with the pain blockers the doctor prescribed. I shivered again at the thought of that kind of pain all over my body. <\/span><\/p>\n

I tried to listen in on their conversation, but gave up after a few minutes. I could only catch a few words or phrases, and while interesting, I couldn\u2019t hear enough of the other words to fit them all together into something that made sense. <\/span>Operation Nightfall<\/span> sounded sinister, but the looks on my parents\u2019 faces seemed to be unconcerned by the name. <\/span>Genesis<\/span> sounded interesting, but I couldn\u2019t place it beyond the context of the various bibles that talked about it. I didn\u2019t think my parents or the Navy were going to create a new universe to escape the Kai, and was unable to guess at what else it might mean. For the first time in my life, I wished I had brought a dictionary instead of an old science fiction story about robot wizards battling space pirates. <\/span><\/p>\n

I eventually fell asleep, my mind too full of questions to get back into the book I held in my hands, but somehow not too busy to become bored enough to shut down for a while. I was nudged awake by Mom, who asked me if I needed to go to the bathroom before we boarded the ship. I nodded sleepily and she helped me to my feet, grinning at the imprints on my arms and face from the various edges and corners of the books I had napped on. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Denny,\u201d my father said with a smile. \u201cLet\u2019s go hit the boys\u2019 room and then we can go check out that ship.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hungry,\u201d I said, hoping it didn\u2019t sound like a whine. My stomach rumbled in displeasure as if suddenly remembering it was hungry only after I\u2019d said something. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan you wait until we get settled in on the ship?\u201d he asked me as he led me down a small corridor to the bathroom. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess,\u201d I said noncommittally. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure?\u201d he pressed. \u201cIt could be a few hours. I think I might have some snacks in my desk, but that will have to last.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, Dad,\u201d I said with surety in my voice. \u201cI promise not to be annoying about being hungry.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Dad grunted a chuckle and opened a metal door in the concrete corridor. Inside was a short row of stainless steel toilets along one wall, stainless steel sinks lining the other. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHurry up and do your business,\u201d he said before turning around and watching the door as if a crazed alien might burst through it any second. <\/span><\/p>\n

I did my business and washed up, then let my father lead me back to his office. Mom waited inside with three small travel packs. A small bag of sugar cookies sat on top of my bag. I gave her a quick hug then practically inhaled the sweet, sugary treats. Something poked at the lining of my bag. I wiped my hand on my pants then ran it over the bag. My face must have lit up when I realized my comm unit and the other items I\u2019d packed at home had finally arrived. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKeep it in the bag until we get strapped into our seats,\u201d Mom ordered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d I said, getting a growl and a smile from her. <\/span><\/p>\n

I was too excited to pull out my comm and start fooling around with it. I had a ship to board. My brain reminded me why I was boarding a ship, which stifled the excitement as I realized what was about to happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t message Dya or Lonny to say goodbye, can I?\u201d I asked dejectedly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Denny,\u201d Mom said, sweeping me up in another hug. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay,\u201d I said before bursting into tears once again. <\/span><\/p>\n

This time, the shame of being a baby rebounded off the hard shell of loss that surrounded me. My two best friends, Dya and Lonny, were going to die. They wouldn\u2019t even know what was coming until the alerts were pushed across the Wire, or worse, when the Wire went completely dead. Once that happened, Daedalus would be cut off from the Coalition in every conceivable way. The sheer terror of knowing the Kai were about to begin orbital bombardment made me glad I\u2019d gone to the bathroom a few minutes earlier. I had nothing left in me to have it scared out of me. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShhhh,\u201d my father said, once again joining our sad family hug. \u201cI know it\u2019s an ugly thing to not be able to say goodbye, to not warn them. It\u2019s even worse to know we\u2019re going to at least have a chance to escape.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt makes me feel dirty inside,\u201d I said through sobs. \u201cWhy can\u2019t we bring them?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause we don\u2019t have enough space on the ship. It\u2019s going to be full beyond capacity as it is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care!\u201d I shouted. I struggled to free myself of their arms but they held me tight. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Dennis,\u201d my father said softly, once again using his iron grip on my jaw to force me to look him in the eyes. \u201cYour mother and I\u2026 we have to leave behind everything and everyone we\u2019ve known for almost twenty years. Including your Uncle Donovan. Our home, our friends, everything and everyone but the six hundred who will be on the ship with us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not fair,\u201d I said. <\/span><\/p>\n

I felt like shouting, but the grip my father had on my jaw made me come to terms with the unfairness, the evil, ugly truth that everyone I knew other than my parents were going to die. We would get to live. I hated it, but at the same time, it was reality. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s not fair at all,\u201d my mother said gently. \u201cCome on, let\u2019s get going. We can dedicate some time to sadness and mourning once we make it to safety, but for now, we\u2019re on a tight schedule.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight,\u201d my father said, standing up and resuming his serious Admiral Shaw demeanor. \u201cIf the Kai spin down on top of us before we launch, our odds go down significantly.\u201d He looked down at me, his face as serious as I\u2019d ever seen it. \u201cWill you be okay, Dennis? Can you be a big boy for a few more hours?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDad\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay,\u201d he said through a grin that tried to be a grimace. \u201cJust checking. Let\u2019s go. We\u2019ve got to get to Level 19.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014|\u2014 <\/span><\/p>\n

The walk from Dad\u2019s office on Level 41 up to Level 19 took almost an hour. It seemed as if a huge Marine (or more often than not, a squad of five scary, huge Marines) stopped us every ten seconds to check ID\u2019s. The elevator took so long to arrive on L41 that Dad decided to take the emergency stairs. <\/span><\/p>\n

We stopped every ten minutes to give our legs a rest and remove the rubbery feeling that crept into them every third level. Most of the time we climbed the concrete steps in silence, but on L25 my father told me about my second True Responsibility. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou like to write stories, don\u2019t you?\u201d Dad said as we took a two minute break before continuing on. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d I answered, wondering if he was trying to take my mind off the cramps that were lodged so deep into my leg muscles they was ready to burst into a fit of whining. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, because you\u2019re going to be so bored for the next few hours, maybe the next two weeks if we are able to translate out of the system, I\u2019ll let you in on a secret. One you can record on your comm, sort of like a historical record.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I narrowed my eyes with interest. \u201cLike \u2018Escape From Daedalus\u2019 or something that kids would read in school?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d he laughed, then his face became hard as stone. \u201cI doubt there will be schools like you\u2019re used to where we\u2019re going, but where we\u2019re going, your record of events might be the only thing we have to link us to our past.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand,\u201d I said, feeling excited yet confused at his cryptic words.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are we going that there won\u2019t be schools?\u201d I asked, pressing for more information.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll explain later once we get on the ship. For now, think about how you want to tell the story of our \u2018Escape From Daedalus\u2019 if that\u2019s what you want to call it. It will keep your mind occupied during all of the boring wait times while the ship preps for launch.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hope it takes him longer to narrate a story than it does to finish launch preparations,\u201d my mother said, breaking her silence. \u201cHe\u2019ll drive us crazy with boredom and a million questions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot this time,\u201d Dad said, giving her a toothy grin. \u201cI\u2019m going to link his comm into the command channel for <\/span>Icarus<\/span> and let him listen in until we\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

He closed his mouth as if he were about to give away a secret. He ruffled my hair then <\/span>hupped <\/span>at us until we picked up our packs and continued up the stairs. When we finally made it to Level 19, I was tired, sore, hungry, and could feel myself about to become the cranky child I no longer wanted to be. Mom and Dad seemed to know and did their best to keep me talking while we made our way down another long corridor. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hu\u2014\u201d I started to say after almost ten minutes of nothing but a narrow concrete hallway filling my vision.<\/span><\/p>\n

My words were cut off by the sight of at least a thousand humans scurrying around a boarding platform. There were a lot of scientists and engineers, their white jumpsuits with blue armbands standing out in contrast to the dull greens and blues of the sailors and Marines who were doing any number of duties, from checking ID\u2019s to moving supply pallets into a cargo bay. The ones who held my attention though were the Marines in their CR-31 combat suits. They seemed gigantic compared to the unsuited humans around them. They looked absolutely lethal with their oversized plasma rifles and black composite armor. <\/span><\/p>\n

Mom squeezed my shoulder then peeled away from us, soon becoming lost within the knot of bodies in front of us. Dad led me along the platform until we stepped into the boarding line. A CR-31 swung toward us, its servos and gears silent in the background noise of the busy platform. My father paid it no attention, handing his ID to an unsuited Marine who looked ready to attack anyone and everyone. The soldier snapped to attention when his comm displayed my father\u2019s rank, as did almost every soldier within ten meters. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt ease,\u201d my father said, taking back his ID. <\/span><\/p>\n

He reached out and shook the soldier\u2019s hand before giving the angry-looking man a salute. The sound of at least twenty soldiers returning a salute before resuming their duties surrounded me. The Marine who checked our ID\u2019s motioned for us to step forward. A minute later, I heard feet and cloth snap to attention again. I glanced behind me, then froze in place.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cClose your mouth, Denny,\u201d Dad whispered to me. <\/span><\/p>\n

I looked away from where I\u2019d been staring in awe at the soldiers standing at attention as my mother passed through them. She looked embarrassed as she nodded at each of them. I sensed that while my father was one of the highest ranking officers on the planet, my mother was a legend who commanded respect that officers in training at the academy can only dream of. <\/span><\/p>\n

I heard and felt the click of my teeth as my jaw snapped shut. Mom winked at me when she stepped into the line beside us, then handed me a food container. I gave her a hug and a questioning look.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you can\u2019t wait, eat it while we\u2019re in line,\u201d she said. \u201cBut don\u2019t get crumbs everywhere.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

I nodded and ripped the plastic lid off. I didn\u2019t care if she\u2019d brought me boiled Kai brains on a bed of moldy straw. I grinned up at her when I saw that it was two chili dogs and a slice of chocolate cake. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014|\u2014 <\/span><\/p>\n

I popped the last of the second chili dog into my mouth when the first blast rumbled through the mountain hangar. Nervous titters were mixed with the shrill cries of a few small children as a second explosion somewhere near the mountain produced a second minor shockwave. I shuffled my feet nervously, wondering why it was taking so long for everyone in front of us to board the ship. I marked our progress by how slowly the crates near us fell behind. <\/span><\/p>\n

I even dug out my comm and opened the clock function to watch the seconds tick by. At one point, I would have sworn the digital numbers completely stopped. I held my breath, waiting for the seconds to begin ticking backward. <\/span><\/p>\n

After an eternity, I finally saw the airlock a couple of meters ahead of us. I could feel the stirrings in my body that let me know a trip to the bathroom might be necessary soon, but did my best to clamp down on that thought. Within another two minutes, we passed into the ship. I shivered on my way by the two CR-31\u2019s tracking us at the airlock entrance, but both soldiers had their visors up and both smiled and winked at me. One even made the servos in his free hand grind a little as he gave me a small wave. I\u2019d spent the last few years of my life wanting to be a combat pilot. Suddenly I wanted to be a Terran Marine. <\/span><\/p>\n

Mom nudged me forward and I finally had to turn away and pay attention to where my feet were going. It took us almost fifteen minutes to wind our way into the passenger section of the ship, though it was unlike any ship, bus, or other mode of transportation I\u2019d ever seen. The seats were strange, not really seats so much as what looked like beds, or maybe even some kind of pods. I clutched Mom\u2019s hand, my brain once again wondering if this was all a big ruse and the Kai would rip their human disguises off right before chucking me into a food storage chamber. <\/span><\/p>\n

Mom looked down at me and gave me a wink that let me know there was nothing to be afraid of. I never actually searched the Wire to find out if the Kai could wink, but decided in that instant it was a uniquely human gesture. My mind wandered into a story about how the Kai used genetically altered spies to infiltrate humanity, but they were defeated after humans found out the aliens couldn\u2019t wink or give a thumbs-up sign. <\/span><\/p>\n

We finally came to a stop in the fourth room full of pods. Dad went over to a group of officers to talk while Mom leaned down to explain what was happening. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDennis, your father and I really need you to be a big boy for just a little longer,\u201d she said from one knee in front of me. \u201cDon\u2019t interrupt,\u201d she said with a frown when I started to complain about the big boy thing again. \u201cThis is important. You\u2019re going to have to make the flight in a creche by yourself. We all do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I gave her a confused look, not understanding what a creche was, until she nodded toward the pod behind me and tapped it with her knuckles. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy can\u2019t I ride with you?\u201d I asked, hearing my voice become shrill at the end. The sudden fear of being alone while the ship tried to escape Daedalus and the attacking Kai wiped out the story I\u2019d been daydreaming about. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause that\u2019s how the ship was designed. All of us have to use a separate creche. It will form itself around you, and for a moment you\u2019ll think you are suffocating or drowning, but don\u2019t panic. It\u2019s just the gel material tailoring itself to your body so during acceleration, the pressure won\u2019t turn you into peanut butter.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

She smiled and gave me a light shove on my shoulder to let me know I shouldn\u2019t be frightened. The thought of becoming a <\/span>Dennis Butter Sandwich<\/span> was funny enough that I giggled. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s important to stay still while the program is running. Pilots have had their bones broken by the gel when it turns rigid because they were goofing off. Do you understand me?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but I still don\u2019t understand why we won\u2019t be together.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDenny\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cListen, champ,\u201d my father said, coming to a stop behind my mother. \u201cThe ship we\u2019re on is\u2026 sort of like a Wyvern that had a baby with a cruiser. It\u2019s not a combat ship, but it\u2019s not a capital ship either. It\u2019s a new design. One that you can read all about once you\u2019re sealed in your creche.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I had to debate the offer for a few seconds. I wanted to do anything but be sealed inside of some pod that would drown or suffocate me to keep me safe, but I was more curious about the ship. The fact that I would get to listen in on <\/span>Icarus\u2019<\/span> command channels made me forget most of my fear at being alone during an escape attempt that might not succeed. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay,\u201d I said. My voice barely wavered. <\/span><\/p>\n

Dad motioned for one of the techs to come to us. \u201cThis is Sgt. Valmon. He\u2019s going to get you situated. Do as he says. We\u2019ll be back before you\u2019re fully immersed.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

My parents turned and walked across the room while the soldier in a blue jumpsuit motioned for me to step up a retractable ladder and into the pod. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t sweat it, kid,\u201d he said with a smile. I was shaking enough that he could feel it when he gave me a steadying hand. \u201cI\u2019ve done this at least a hundred times. Trust me, when this baby gets going, the creche is the safest place to be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow fast?\u201d I asked as I lowered myself onto a soft couch that seemed to sink in for a few centimeters before becoming solid. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve hit nineteen g\u2019s before in a Piranha,\u201d he said, his expression grim as if it wasn\u2019t a very pleasant memory. He leaned in a little closer and whispered, \u201cRumor has it that <\/span>Icarus<\/span> can top thirty g\u2019s.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThirty g\u2019s?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

He nodded solemnly, putting a finger to his lips as if he\u2019d just revealed a dangerous secret. At that moment, a deep, ominous sound resonated through the mountain, followed by a few seconds of rumbling and shaking. More cries from the younger children filled the room but I was too interested in Sgt. Valmon\u2019s description of how the creche worked. I sat back and relaxed as he told me about how he\u2019d fought the Kai at KT-71 in a Gryphon light bomber and how he\u2019d barely made it back to his carrier with only seventeen percent hull integrity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Each time an explosion aboveground rattled the mountain and shook the ship, Sgt. Valmon would talk a little louder to keep my attention on him. When he did a test seal, I panicked for a few seconds as the gel closed around me. I\u2019d nearly drowned when I was six, and that memory flooded through me for a second until I remembered to breathe. My brain fought me for another couple of seconds before relenting and allowing my lungs to inhale. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s unnatural for humans to breathe underwater, so I wasn\u2019t surprised that I didn\u2019t want to breathe the gel in. It made me feel strange for a few seconds before feeling like I was breathing normally. My mind had a hard time accepting that I was breathing liquid instead of air, especially for the fact that the gel somehow wasn\u2019t <\/span>wet<\/span>. My clothing, comm, backpack and hair was dry, as was my skin, yet my skin knew it was submerged in liquid. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWeird, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Sgt. Valmon\u2019s voice said in my ears as if we were only inches apart. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s crazy!\u201d I said, expecting my words to come out weird and bubbly as if I were trying to talk from the bottom of a swimming pool. <\/span><\/p>\n

The sergeant laughed and pressed a button. The gel immediately retracted back into the couch. He reminded me to breathe again, and it took another moment for my brain to stop fighting me, as if it were afraid I would die without the strange gel in my lungs. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sgt. Valmon laughed again and ruffled my hair. He gave me a wink and went off to find my parents to let them know I was ready to be \u201czipped up.\u201d I felt around the couch, trying to find holes or slots or something the gel came out of, but the material was smooth like soft vinyl, cool to the touch. If I pushed my finger into it slowly, my hand would sink down to the wrist. If I pushed too quickly with too much force, the couch would give a little then become rigid around my finger. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll right, kiddo,\u201d my father said after returning with my mother and the sergeant. \u201cWe don\u2019t expect to spend more than a few hours in the tank, but it might be longer. If you have to go to the bathroom and can\u2019t hold it, just go.\u201d I made a gross-out face at him, but he kept his serious face on. \u201cI mean it. The system will take care of it, and you won\u2019t breathe or swallow any of it, so get that look off your face. If it looks like we\u2019ll be in transit for a long time, we\u2019ll hook you up to the waste system properly. But trust me, it\u2019s not a pleasant thing, especially your first time. Let me see your comm.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

I handed him my comm and he jacked something into one of the expansion slots on the side. After a few swipes on the screen, he flipped it around and handed it to me. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve logged you into <\/span>Icarus\u2019<\/span> command system. It\u2019s only one way, so don\u2019t get any ideas of commandeering the ship and becoming a hero by kicking the Kai back to their home system.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

I looked up from the screen long enough to grin at him. In the few seconds I\u2019d paid attention to the comm, I knew I\u2019d quickly forget about the gel, the rush to the base, or anything else for hours. Maybe days, even weeks. The data flowing across the comm\u2019s screen was incredible. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re on a one-way connection, so you can hear, see, and extract information from just about any system on the ship, but you can\u2019t send messages or manipulate any of the ship\u2019s systems. You\u2019re going to hear a lot of words and terms you won\u2019t understand\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014And a lot of bad words,\u201d my mother added.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you\u2019ll hear plenty of profanity, no doubt. You might also hear reports coming in from the planet and the other orbitals and platforms from within the system. They\u2019ll be very unpleasant, no doubt. Try to keep yourself busy. There\u2019s a ton of data for you to discover about <\/span>Icarus<\/span> and where we\u2019re going.\u201d He put his arm around Mom and rested his other hand on my cheek.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love you, Dennis,\u201d Mom said through tears. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love you too, Mom. Dad. I\u2019ll be all right.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see you in a few hours,\u201d Dad said.<\/span><\/p>\n

He leaned in and kissed me on the forehead, then Mom did the same before sliding my comm\u2019s companion goggles over my eyes. The pod filled with gel again, but I barely paid attention. I was already sifting through <\/span>Icarus\u2019<\/span> database.<\/span><\/p>\n

*<\/p>\n

Chapter 1<\/a> | Chapter 2<\/a> | Chapter 3<\/a> | Chapter 4<\/a> | Chapter 5<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 * FOUR Mom and Dad talked for a while, though not before sending me off to a corner of the room to read. I had finally … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6,5],"tags":[96,70,36,412,23,660,102,26,448,243,661,84,39,121,656,659,534,408,403,93,69,278,68,277,33,202,34,133,303,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1142"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1142"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1148,"href":"https:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1142\/revisions\/1148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.angrygames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}