Orphan Company (Sci-fi Char RP|IC|Open)

[Puranas]

Having finished stitching the wounded soldier up, Jacira was in the middle of helping his friend to get the Berdikon into a bed for recovery when one of Orphan’s human members grabbed her behind and made some lewd comments. Normally, this would have been less of an issue, but the man made sure to make a point about how she should be honored how he was so willing to ‘go slumming with the animals’. Not only did her own eyes narrow at the implication, but several other Orphans in hearing range were reacting quite angrily even as the man brushed them off. She didn’t even see the Gorial winding up, only the fist decking the man.

“Ungrateful, leech,” the Gorial grunted, shaking feeling back into his hand, “Doc is here to save lives. People like you,” he scowled, “give the rest of your race less of a chance against the Ragon.”

“That’s right!” a feminine voice called out from the gathering crowd, “Humans like you give the rest of us reason to wonder if Earth is worth saving,” the source of the voice revealed itself to be a human woman as she shouldered her way to the front, “don’t dig yourself any deeper,” she advised while crouching to reach the man’s eye level.

Sputtering with anger, the man scrambled off. Shouting, as he did, about ‘ungrateful xenos’ and how he would be reporting the unprovoked assault.

“Sorry, ma’am,” the human woman’s uniform marking her as a Private, 2nd class as she saluted Jacira, “not all human men are gutter scum like that.”

“Every species has those few individuals that would be no loss if they became a Ragon snack,” the Taiyo replied in a neutral tone, “apologies, but I….”

“Sorry, sorry!” the woman interrupted, “you were in the middle of something. Let me take over. Not only will I redeem my people,” she chuckled, “but it’ll free you up to help when that rescue team gets back.”

[Tesserach]

Cpl. Tuesaaya Sanmanee
Attached to SAR Team
Cpl.'s Risaru, Ivanovsky & Leonard(?) Present

---

Using a hand on her own knee as support, the old corporal hoisted herself to her feet as the major gave her final instructions. Standing over the trench, she towered over those within cutting an imposing figure sillouetted against the unearthly colours of the Greskian sky.

Tuesaaya didn't bother turning to face the major, her attention fixed on ensuring her Mark LVII was cleared for action, then going over her kit one last check. She did acknowledge the major's orders, albeit with the same disinterested, weary resignation that seemed to permeate everything the old corporal said and did.

"We'll take care of it Major."

There was a studious unhurriedness to Tuesaaya's movements as she checked her it. Before the rest of the group started peeling away, Tuesaaya did seem to pause from her pre-mission ritual, as though suddenly frozen in some thought as she glanced around at the people that would be accompanying her out into the field.

It was hard to say what she was thinking then, though the way she paused, it seemed as though she was remembering something. Whatever it was, after a moment it was gone and she resumed checking her kit right where she'd left off. As she did, that weary resignation about her seemed particularly pronounced.

Tuesaaya made sure she had water, in theory they'd be back shortly but she'd long since learned not to put much faith in that. She made sure she had plenty of capacitors for the Mark LVII, grenades - she even panhandled a few extra smoke rounds from a few people in the trenches - made sure they actually had a stretcher, that her med kit was stocked for trauma, that her webbing was secure. The ritual was elaborate and thorough as she worked her way, silently, through some checklist she kept somewhere in the back of her head, refusing to be hurried.

When she was ready, after the rest of the team had already headed out, Tuesaaya finally set off. Going downhill, she was awkwardly reminded, was always more challenging than going up. Keeping a jog down the uneven slope, her mechanical feet fell hard on the rocky slope and she took wary note of an unseemly clicking that seemed to develop in the actuator around fher left knee.

Ignoring it, Tuesaaya keyed the weapons squad net on her headset. "Recowski, O'Hare this is Sanmanee. OVER."

"Recowski here. OVER."

"Got tasked with something. You two cleared for action up there? Over."

"Good to go. We'll keep eyes up here."

"Shouldn't be long, Sanmanee OUT."

Releasing her thumb on the talk key, Tuesaaya called after Risaru who she'd fixed her eyes on since she'd set out. “Hey, Risaru.” Hunching over more than usual as she pulled up beside him, hefting her rifle over her shoulder by it's sling. There was a brief delay before she continued, it was clear Tuesaaya was putting effort into matching Risaru's stride despite her own long legs.

“I know I'm new to the Orphans. Major put you in charge. We'll take your lead. I just... want to be certain we're all coordinated in the field. When things are uncertain I've seen..." She paused a moment as though trying to think of how to explain what she meant. "... too many things go wrong. Now, I just always make certain."

She seemed to try and give what one assumes was meant to be a friendly smile as she produced a map from the front pocket on her webbing. Unfortunately with gnarled scraps of scar tissue where her nose had once been, tattered stubs for ears and a face and lips marred by countless injuries her smile was anything but reassuring. Up close even the portions of her face that were metal were marred by clear signs of violence so substantial deep lines had been cut into the metal itself. It hardly seemed possible she should still be alive.

Tuesaaya, though, didn't seem to notice them at all. "So, here is what I think: crash site is here.” A long metallic finger confidently tapped map, indicating a field just a little more than a mile north of their current location. A few buildings, hedges and the like clustered through the area. Her finger started tracing out the path they were heading down. “We're already heading down this path, we cross that field up there…” She gestured ahead at the grassy field plainly in sight ahead of them. “It is open, but we should still be close enough for cover from the trenches. We can cut around this route, approach the site from the southwest. Stone hedges we'll have to cross here, and here. Road here we'll have to cross. Afterward, we can use the hedgegrows to approach the site itself.

“Good chance we'll have to cover open ground to reach the pilot. That's where we're most vulnerable. I know time is tight, but I prefer we not let ourselves get sloppy, in case they are waiting for us. You and I can probably move the pilot fastest. We can take a moment to creep up, scope out the situation & try and get eyes on the pilot while Leonard and Ivanovsky find a good overwatch position. When we're ready, we pop a smokescreen, make the pickup, double-time it back." She traced a much straighter path along the map back toward the hill.

Before she could even get Risaru's reply, Tuesaaya heard Corporal Eda's voice in her ear piece. Holding a brief finger up for Risaru to let him know someone was sending her traffic she stepped momentarily away. As Eda spoke, Tuesaaya glanced back over her shoulder, looking back, she could see Eda and Mathis' teams their way forward from the trenches behind them.

Tuesaaya shot Risaru a look as she keyed her coms. She sounded calm over the radio but Risaru could tell she wasn't pleased; Major Cohen had been pretty clear what she had not wanted. “Eda this is Tuesaaya. We are ON MISSION approximately 200 meters west, north west of your position. Have you in visual. OVER.”

Releasing the talk button she looked to Risaru. "I can send them back, make the Major happy." Then, after a moment's thought. "Or, since they're out here: we could put them to work. It's only a mile. In the right spot they can cover our egress and still have position to support the Hill if the Ragon decide to make a move push there.

Your call Risaru, we can work the details as we move."

---

While the plan continued to be a work in progress, the recovery team continued forward, rapidly descending the hill and crossing over into the dense hedgegrows and farmland below. Unlike Ragon, Tuesaaya couldn't walk on all fours to stay low, but she was was methodical about keeping close to cover, making use of the vegetation and the terrain and otherwise being very aware of her profile. Even still, she felt some of Ivanovsky's obvious unease as they moved across terrain that offered such poor visibility.

The terrain favoured a slow, deliberate, creeping pace - but time, here, was of the essence. Even still Tuesaaya made a a deliberate effort to try and keep the team from rushing too much.

It was about that point that Recowski's voice chimed over her coms.

"Sanmanee, this is Recowski."

"Sanmanee here. Send traffic." When she did speak, she spoke in a hushed tones.

"HQ just called out two contacts. Armoured Ragon. On the move approximately one mile north east of the crash. Got eyes on them now. Over."

"They heading for the crash site?"

"Standby..."

"Well figure it out and get back to me. OVER."

"Negative. Don't look interested in the crash. OVER."

"Roger that. Sanmanee out."

Looking up at the rest of the team Tuesaaya, using the com net so she could keep her voice low. "Ragon either aren't interested in the crash - or they've got another team closer."

She looked up at the treeline just ahead. The plume of smoke had thinned a little, but was now looming up above them. It wouldn't be far now.

Tuesaaya's Theme

[Dyelli Beybi]

Hill 7382

Nobody else seemed to notice the advance of the main body of Ragon force though after a couple of minutes, Cohen swung her binoculars up, treating anyone near her to a torrent of invective. It lasted a few moments before she was able to compose herself again, at which point she dropped the binculars, letting them fall around her neck as she began barking out orders, "Rangefinder!" she yelled, "Set it up right there!" she pointed at the position she'd been standing in the forward bunker, "Start plotting coordinates for that main body and relaying them to the battery!"

"Mines! Who had the mines?" was the next question, "It's too late for laying those now, but make sure they're stored somewhere where they won't kill us all if a stray shell hits them."

"Sections, nominate spotters and the rest of you hunker down and prepare to receive a counter barrage," she yelled, "As soon as they figure where the artillery is and where we are calling the shots in from, you can expect this place to get plastered."

And then... then they could expect the battle to really begin.

Finally, she snatched up the radio, "Rescue team, have you reached the crash site yet? If you have not managed to locate the pilot, pull back. You are out of time."

---

The Rescue Team

As it so happened, there was a sudden buzzing nose, then a pop and shower of splinters as someone, or something fired a blaster into the side of a tree near where Tuesaaya was standing, "Get back, you devils!" came a voice from the undergrowth.

While the translators could translate Ragon, the voice was far too high pitched and lacked the typical sibilance of a Ragon. It was probably a humanoid. Possibly the pilot.

[Europa Undivided]

Ivan Ivanovich
The Crash Site

Finally, she snatched up the radio, "Rescue team, have you reached the crash site yet? If you have not managed to locate the pilot, pull back. You are out of time."

Ivan was about to call upon the rescue team to withdraw towards their defensive hillside position when the crack of a blaster coursed through the air, and then the strangely high pitched voice yelling angry curses in the Ragon tongue.

He was, at first, a little confused by the apparent Ragon telling them to get away from it, as those creatures were vicious predators that could just spring out of cover and swallow someone whole before killing the rest. It didn't more than two seconds for him to realize that the source of the warning was not actually a Ragon, but their lost quarry.

Ivan clutched the radio and relayed a message back towards Rebecca, his former colleague and now a superior officer. "Ivan here, I think we found them. We should be returning shortly."

Opening the flashlight attached to the blaster rifle, Ivan swept the light towards the thick covering of leaves and branches. No way that was a Ragon.

"Don't worry, you're among allies. You are being saved."

A light shrug followed. "Please don't resist."

[Tesserach]

Cpl. Tuesaaya Sanmanee
Attached to SAR Team
Cpl.'s Risaru, Ivanovsky & Leonard(?) Present

The tree exploded before the rapport of the blaster could even be heard, showering the side of Tuesaaya's face with a blast of wood and bark. "Contact right!" Even as she felt the words coming out of her lips, Tuesaaya was already swinging her rifle to bear in the direction of fire as she threw herself to the ground behind the tree that had just exploded.

She rolled over to a firing position on the other side of the tree, trying to spot the shooter through the scope on her rifle through the underbrush. It was about this point she heard Ivanovich trying to talk to whoever had shot at her, seemed to realize what had just happened.

Taking a breath Tuesaaya added. "Friendlies! Friendlies! Hold fire!"

Staring out the scope she felt her mechanical eye wincing closed, as she felt wetness from her brow dripping onto the sensor just as she thought she'd spotted movement. Wiping it at it, she pulled back her hand and realized it blood, not sweat, pooling into her eyes. "Got movement..." Her voice dropped quieter, loud enough for just Ivanovich and the rest of the rescue team to hear. Ignoring her injury for the moment, she just winced through the blood pooling into her eyes as she tried to read off the heading from her compass. "Heading 42 degrees, say 70 yards. Can't tell if it's the pilot..." Visibly irritated she tried to clear the blood away with a quick swipe of her left forearm which didn't help much. "Got that fucking tree right the face!"

[Bingellia]

Vylmor Risaru

"Bastard's probably delirious from blood loss, shooting at the first thing he sees like that." Risaru said as he came up behind Tuesaaya and shrugged, "But I don't think he was expecting rescue."

Looking at her face, Risaru had to wince slightly. He had seen worse, of course. Everyone in this company had seen worse too, but he knew from second-hand experience that having shrapnel rake the side of your face was far from the most pleasant thing one could experience at the front. "I'll carry him back at first if you want to try to clean up a bit while we move. Damned feddies are light."

[Dyelli Beybi]

The Pilot

There was a pause from the bushes, "Oh... thought I'd landed scale-side..." then another long pause before the speaker cleared his throat pronouncing loudly, "I am Magnificar Glod of the planet Glod. Avert your gaze mortals, lest you offend the gods by gazing upon my blessed visage and be stricken on the spot!"

Apparently 'Glod' wasn't going to make things easy.

---

[size]Meanwhile on the Hill...[/size]

"Give me that!" Cohen snarled at the trooper who had bee manning the range finder, carting the device back to the forward bunker she had set up as herself up in.

She set it up on it's tripod, pointing it down towards the Ragon forces that were advancing across a broad front. Units could be seen dashing from cover to cover. They could see some and there were definitely more that you couldn't see. The group collecting the pilot had better hurry up...

For a moment she stood transfixed, unsure which target to call down upon... but in a situation like this, hitting some Ragons was better than hitting no Ragons. So she picked a group that was moving in the general direction of the wrecked fighter and called in a ranging shot. It wasn't so close that she felt she needed to alert the battery to the position of the rescue team, but they would definitely hear it when the shell burst to their North.

Out across the valley another battery opened up and there, like distant thunder, was the sounds of others in the distance as the first shots in the battle for Saridat were fired. She called in another coordinate, walking the battery's shells towards the Ragon forces then risked a glance about the bunker, trying to gauge the faces into her memory - odds were not everyone would still be here tomorrow.

[Europa Undivided]

Ivan Ivanovich Ivanovsky
The Rescue Team
No Man's Land

There was a pause from the bushes, "Oh... thought I'd landed scale-side..." then another long pause before the speaker cleared his throat pronouncing loudly, "I am Magnificar Glod of the planet Glod. Avert your gaze mortals, lest you offend the gods by gazing upon my blessed visage and be stricken on the spot!"

"What the- ugh, nevermind." Ivan shook his head at the seemingly comical nature with which the downed pilot treated their intended rescue. Which was, by the way, already fraught with danger. They had gone through a bocage, a prime spot for an ambush, and luckily emerged unscathed, with none of their number ending up being stuffed into the gullet of a hungry Ragon. They've crossed hills and avoided blast craters from all the artillery that sang songs of destruction every now and then. And now... how could this person know that there was no Ragon in here? Surely their ponderous steps and great clanking armor, which covered them from head to toe as though they were a main battle tank, would have etched their mark in this person's mind. It wasn't that hard differentiating from the footsteps of a colossal space lizard and a fellow little humanoid... right?

Either way, they had to go, and they had to go now. "Well, Glod, I'm Corporal Ivan Ivanovich of the Sixth Light Infantry Battalion stationed here and these folk are fellow rescuers from the same unit. The Ragons will plod in here any second now and we've been sent over to rescue you sorry sod from this place. We're really short on time!"

As if in cue, the explosions of artillery shells echoed through the air. Those were coming from the Orphan Company's position, no doubt, meaning that those folk back there had found enemy activity warranting this barrage.

Grunting, Ivan took his blaster rifle and swatted away the undergrowth, shining the flashlight that had been connected on the weapon's barrel.

After a few seconds, he would find the pilot, and attempt to drag them out of the layer of vegetation. Or if, they had come forward, escort them. Either way, he'll bring that pilot out, one way or another, even if he has to carry them off towards the stretcher.

[Bingellia]

Risaru

---

The crack of distance guns sprung Risaru into action. While he had no intention on leaving even a delirious man to the Ragon, a barrage meant that the assault had truly began, and there was now a chance they would soon be dealing with some of the lizards themselves. "Damn it," he exclaimed as he ran to the bush, "I'll drag him out of there myself" God or not, he doubted the little federation could overpower him in a physical contest as he worked his way through the foliage.

[Tesserach]

Cpl. Tuesaaya Sanmanee
Attached to SAR Team
Cpl.'s Risaru & Ivanovsky Present

---

Beyond annoyance, Tuesaaya appeared unconcerned with the blood leaking down her face beyond occasionally wiping it from her eyes. She continued peering through her scope for a moment while seeming to mull Risaru's suggestion that he be the first to try and carry the pilot out.

The Pilot
"I am Magnificar Glod of the planet Glod. Avert your gaze mortals, lest you offend the gods by gazing upon my blessed visage and be stricken on the spot!"

Just listening the the pilot, Tuesaaya briefly buried her face in her palm. "Fine. He's all yours; I'm too old for this..."

Watching Risaru and Ivanovsky plough into the denser parts of the bocage, Tuesaaya stood up and began walking slowly alongside the edge of the foliage, doing 360 checks in case any Ragon did show their faces.

As she kept security over the search, Tuesaaya keyed her radio. "Search Team to HQ." She said. "Made contact with the pilot. Pilot condition appears to be... Magnificar from Glod and uncooperative. Working on it now. Will keep you updated."

[Dyelli Beybi]

When they came across the pilot, the reason for the 'Glod' nonsense was immediately clear. The pilot was a green skinned humanoid, lying prone, pistol gripped in a gloved hand. He'd lost his helmet, though underneath it seemed he had once sported the kind of elaborate rubber forehead that the writers of early earth science fiction TV shows would have drooled over. It looked like it had been remarkably realistic, though it had clearly been damaged by the crash and was now a mass of torn silicone half-obscuring the pilot's vision. The damage, along with the spattering of yellowish blood had thrown the curtain beck, revealing the wearer as, without a doubt, a berdikon... A male berdikon.

There was a reason that male berdikons didn't fight. There weren't very many of them and the berdikons, despite being the more independent minded of the two Federation races, divided their tribes into castes, like a colony of monotreme ants. Even in the midst of a war of annihilation there were some taboos that weren't broken.

He swung his head from side to side, looking up at Ivan and Risaru, "Frell," he muttered in a much less bombastic tone, having sensed the recognition on the faces of the newcomers, before clawing at some of the costume on his face, "Guess keeping this going was a bit of a long shot. My ankle is busted, want to give me a hand up?"

[Tesserach]

Cpl. Tuesaaya Sanmanee
Attached to SAR Team
Cpl.'s Risaru & Ivanovsky Present

---

Pilot mystery solved.

Tuesaaya did another visual sweep of the area before turning back to face the hill, studying the route they'd take back. As in everything she did there was a deliberate patience to her work. She took her time, was never hurried; there were no wasted movements. That was evident even in the way she effortlessly carried about her work, clearing the blood from her face instinctually between actions.

The blood was starting to slow, finally. Once upon a time it'd have sealed almost instantly and healed within a day or so without leaving a mark. Her horrifically disfigured face stood testament to the fact that nothing had healed properly in a long, long time though.

Tuesaaya knelt next to a bush, keeping it for cover, and keeping Risaru and Ivanovsky in her peripheral vision while she continued to scan the area, kept her rifle at the ready. While the other two tended to the pilot, she keyed her radio mic. "SAR team to HQ. Update: We have one survivor. Berdikon. Possible ankle fracture. Minor lacerations. Otherwise vitals look good. SAR team OUT." Most of that information was intended to be relayed to the medical team. She took care not to broadcast the part about the pilot being male over the entire comnet.

Flipping channels she keyed the mic one more time. "Tuesaaya to Eda or Mathis. We're heading back your way. Get your people to cover and setup a firing line to cover our egress; we can peel back in stages to the main force together. OVER."

Not waiting for a response she turned back to Risaru and Ivanovsky. "I'll take point heading back. Just let me know if you need to swap out." Once she was sure they were prepared to move, she started back towards Hill 7382.

[Europa Undivided]

Ivan Ivanovich Ivanovsky
The Search and Rescue Team

He swung his head from side to side, looking up at Ivan and Risaru, "Frell," he muttered in a much less bombastic tone, having sensed the recognition on the faces of the newcomers, before clawing at some of the costume on his face, "Guess keeping this going was a bit of a long shot. My ankle is busted, want to give me a hand up?"

Ivan blinked. A Berdikon man? Here? Those guys never went to battle, if they ever did. If ants and bees had one or two queens in their settlements, the greenbeans had kings. Well, not really, considering that the Federation of Civilized Worlds seemed to be quite close to being a liberal democracy as far as alien societies go. But one gets the picture. The Berdikon males stayed back in their fortresses and cities, while the women went out and did all the things that would otherwise endanger the men... exactly the opposite as humans would go for most of their history. Times have changed, though, and the women of humanity have taken a more proactive role.

And, considering that this was the Berdikon homeworld, maybe they decided that everyone has to go contribute in the war effort... or this guy was just the type that went against social norms.

"Alright, you had us worried that you have gone insane for a bit there." Ivan said to the pilot almost with a chuckle. "Well, rescuing you is why we are here. Bring in the stretcher."

Quickly enough, the stretcher that they had brought with them earlier was on the ground. Ivan, recognizing that Risaru was by far the most physically capable member of the group, beckoned at him to go and bring down the bloodied Berdikon to the stretcher for extraction.

[Dyelli Beybi]

[b][u]Ivan Ivanovich Ivanovsky
...
"Alright, you had us worried that you have gone insane for a bit there." Ivan said to the pilot almost with a chuckle. "Well, rescuing you is why we are here. Bring in the stretcher."

Quickly enough, the stretcher that they had brought with them earlier was on the ground. Ivan, recognizing that Risaru was by far the most physically capable member of the group, beckoned at him to go and bring down the bloodied Berdikon to the stretcher for extraction.

"You don't understand do you?" the pilot more stated than asked. He sighed, letting the others transfer him to the stretcher, "But I suppose that is not surprising from an alien. I will be forbidden from fighting now that my species is known. We must do what is best for the clan; freemartins fight, matriarchs command, males are rare and must be protected. But I am the last of my clan and all I can do now is seek vengeance for my children, my wives, my parents. Those with a clan will not understand," he sighed again, "Being 'Glod' allowed me to seek my revenge against that Ragon."

The way he said that made it sound like there was one right on top of the group... though he didn't point and a quick scan of the area would reveal nothing. Apparently the Berdikon had a very specific Ragon he wanted to kill...

Meanwhile in the background the comms were still picking up Cohen calling coordinates to the artillery. Each call was followed a few moments later by a massive explosion. She continued rattling off numbers, before finally stating something that, to the more observant members of the SAR team would be cause for alarm, "...Three armoured Ragons in the open. Danger closer. Over."

A few moments later there was a deafening explosion, this one close enough to leave everyone's ears ringing. While they couldn't see them yet, the Ragons were just about on top of them. had the artillery hit the target? It was hard to know. There might still be armoured Ragons within close proximity. It was time to pull back...

[Bingellia]

"You don't understand do you?" the pilot more stated than asked. He sighed, letting the others transfer him to the stretcher, "But I suppose that is not surprising from an alien. I will be forbidden from fighting now that my species is known. We must do what is best for the clan; freemartins fight, matriarchs command, males are rare and must be protected. But I am the last of my clan and all I can do now is seek vengeance for my children, my wives, my parents. Those with a clan will not understand," he sighed again, "Being 'Glod' allowed me to seek my revenge against that Ragon."

The way he said that made it sound like there was one right on top of the group... though he didn't point and a quick scan of the area would reveal nothing. Apparently the Berdikon had a very specific Ragon he wanted to kill...

Meanwhile in the background the comms were still picking up Cohen calling coordinates to the artillery. Each call was followed a few moments later by a massive explosion. She continued rattling off numbers, before finally stating something that, to the more observant members of the SAR team would be cause for alarm, "...Three armoured Ragons in the open. Danger closer. Over."

A few moments later there was a deafening explosion, this one close enough to leave everyone's ears ringing. While they couldn't see them yet, the Ragons were just about on top of them. had the artillery hit the target? It was hard to know. There might still be armoured Ragons within close proximity. It was time to pull back...

"Well, 'Glod'," Risaru said with a mix of sympathy and disbelief that he acknowledged the Berdikon's charade as he started to carry the stretcher at a relatively quick walking pace, "If we survive this, I'll try to put you in contact with a Major Cohen, you might be meeting her soon anyway. We are not your fed..."

He was cut off by the defining blast of the artillery shell and quickly speed up his pace with the stretcher. "I'd rather not be shelled to death by some uncaring god of war," he shouted over the ringing in his ears. "We'll try our luck with the Ragon advance. We should be able to make it back if we get some covering fire!""

[Tesserach]

Cpl. Tuesaaya Sanmanee
Attached to SAR Team
Cpl.'s Risaru & Ivanovsky Present

---

Meanwhile in the background the comms were still picking up Cohen calling coordinates to the artillery. Each call was followed a few moments later by a massive explosion. She continued rattling off numbers, before finally stating something that, to the more observant members of the SAR team would be cause for alarm, "...Three armoured Ragons in the open. Danger closer. Over."

Tuesaaya's was only half paying attention to the conversation occurring with the Berdikon at this point. If Risaru and Ivanovsky were dealing with the injured man, her attention was on managing their surroundings. She keyed her mic as she lead the team out. "SAR Team copies HQ. We are on the move, returning to base. Over." She kept her voice a quiet over the radio, just in case.

Not immediately certain if the others had heard the call, she gave the Federation hand signal for "Enemy close".

Notably Tuesaaya obviously tried to redouble the pace she was setting for the group, but was clearly uncomfortable with the audible whine from one left leg as she did - nor was it as much of an improvement as anyone might've liked. She did, however, try and pick a winding path that would put as much concealment between themselves and the direction the artillery had landed as she could.

[Europa Undivided]

Ivan Ivanovich Ivanovsky
The SAR Team

---

"You don't understand do you?" the pilot more stated than asked. He sighed, letting the others transfer him to the stretcher, "But I suppose that is not surprising from an alien. I will be forbidden from fighting now that my species is known. We must do what is best for the clan; freemartins fight, matriarchs command, males are rare and must be protected. But I am the last of my clan and all I can do now is seek vengeance for my children, my wives, my parents. Those with a clan will not understand," he sighed again, "Being 'Glod' allowed me to seek my revenge against that Ragon."

Ivan blinked. This guy is able to tell the reptilian beasts from one another? From that one thing alone, Ivan was sure that he must be a really perceptive, intelligent person. All the Ragons looked the same to him: huge, lumbering monsters that can swallow a fully grown man whole like monitor lizard eating a mouse. He'd seen the spectacle of someone getting devoured by those... things way too many times. And this green bean must have seen it all. Perhaps he narrowly missed dying himself.

"I'm sorry... You may get the chance of killing the beast later. But for now we have to get you out of here."

And so the team skirted back towards the line. Ivan clutched the blaster rifle tightly, peeking through every corner. Many areas on this place were prime spots for ambushes, such as that bocage from earlier. He hoped that they wouldn't have to fight any of the Ragons out here in the open, especially when the humongous creatures were about as armored as a main battle tank.

It was just like the ancient days, he thought. His ancestors had fought their fellow men upon the mud and snow of the Eastern Front. They faced the tanks of the encroaching invaders of that time with anti-tank rifles... much like the ones they used at this moment. It could perhaps poke holes in the armor of the Ragons, make swiss cheese out of them. But outright kill them? That's far harder.

[Dyelli Beybi]

Hill 7382

There was a sudden explosion from some distance behind the main line of the hill. Cohen ducked instinctively, swivelling to look back for a moment. She wasn't sure if the Ragons were trying to range in on her or the battery... but there wasn't much she could do about that either way, "Everyone who isn't doing something essential, take cover!" she yelled. For a small woman, she had a particularly loud voice that tended to come as a surprise to anyone who hadn't spent much time with her before, "But be ready, they'll be on us the moment the shells stop falling!"

A few moments later there was another explosion, this one close enough to send clods of dirt into some of the closer trenches. They were definitely ranging on them. Had one of the scalies spotted the fortifications on the hill and, correctly, assumed that that was where the Federation spotters were? Perhaps it was just general shelling intended to soften up the line. Either way, all they could do was pray or trust in the roll of the dice, depending upon whether you were spiritual or not.


The Rescue Party

It wasn't clear if the Federation artillery had hit the Ragons the hilltop defenders had spotted or not, though as they closed back on the hill, the rescue team would rapidly realise they were running into an enemy barrage. As they left the woods below, ascending the slope towards the trenches, there were a few moments to consider the wisdom of running into that... not that the rest of the Federation line looked that much better; the Ragons, it seemed were lighting it up in anticipation of a big push.

Then there was a bellow from somewhere behind them, quickly followed by a flurry of blaster bolts that tore into the earth around the party. A tail waved from behind some bushes, brandishing a weapon, the dull shape of a huge armoured muzzle just visible in front of it. One Ragon. And where there was one... "What do you humans say?" 'Glod' asked, "Something about frying pans and fires? I'd much rather our chances in those holes you've dug up ahead!"

[Western Fardelshufflestein]

Ivan Ivanovich Ivanovsky
...
"Alright, you had us worried that you have gone insane for a bit there." Ivan said to the pilot almost with a chuckle. "Well, rescuing you is why we are here. Bring in the stretcher."

Quickly enough, the stretcher that they had brought with them earlier was on the ground. Ivan, recognizing that Risaru was by far the most physically capable member of the group, beckoned at him to go and bring down the bloodied Berdikon to the stretcher for extraction.

"You don't understand do you?" the pilot more stated than asked. He sighed, letting the others transfer him to the stretcher, "But I suppose that is not surprising from an alien. I will be forbidden from fighting now that my species is known. We must do what is best for the clan; freemartins fight, matriarchs command, males are rare and must be protected. But I am the last of my clan and all I can do now is seek vengeance for my children, my wives, my parents. Those with a clan will not understand," he sighed again, "Being 'Glod' allowed me to seek my revenge against that Ragon."

The way he said that made it sound like there was one right on top of the group... though he didn't point and a quick scan of the area would reveal nothing. Apparently the Berdikon had a very specific Ragon he wanted to kill...

Meanwhile in the background the comms were still picking up Cohen calling coordinates to the artillery. Each call was followed a few moments later by a massive explosion. She continued rattling off numbers, before finally stating something that, to the more observant members of the SAR team would be cause for alarm, "...Three armoured Ragons in the open. Danger closer. Over."

A few moments later there was a deafening explosion, this one close enough to leave everyone's ears ringing. While they couldn't see them yet, the Ragons were just about on top of them. had the artillery hit the target? It was hard to know. There might still be armoured Ragons within close proximity. It was time to pull back...

[b]Corporal Mathis Alfsen

He kept his eyes peeled to the horizon, anticipating the materialization of black dots along the rim between the ground in the sky signaling the arrival of Ragon ground forces. As it was, he figured the Ragons would send in ground reinforcements only after the air force called for reinforcements.
Why waste artillery and soldiers when they were unneeded? Still, he braced himself for the worst possibilities, his body rigid and coiled with tension.

"See anything yet?" questioned Ajax.

Mathis shook his head despite knowing he could not be seen. "Not yet."

"Turning on the binocular function now." Dylan was the only member of the rank that had access to binoculars. With limited resources, there was only enough for one pair, and Dylan had taken them because she was the better scout. "Alright. I think I see...I can see the wreckage better. Can't get any details on the pilot." She kept silent for about a minute. Then, "Shit!"

"Status report?"

"They're spread from about my 12:00 to 1:00." Her voice trembled. Mathis and Dylan knew most of their division did not understand what Dylan meant, but this was one-one one communication; they did not need to skirt around colloquial phrases. "There's a ton of them--"

Rescue team, have you reached the crash site yet? If you have not managed to locate the pilot, pull back. You are out of time. Hannah's voice crackled inside Mathis's helmet. Evidently, she had spotted the Ragon front at the same time they had.

"Well then." Dylan clicked her tongue, a jarring sound when it came through a radio. "Is that our cue to retreat, or what?"

Mathis considered this for a moment. "Probably. Continue to hold your positions until further notice; we should proceed with caution. It might be best to begin our retreat when the rescue party reaches us so we can act as reinforcements, unless you'd rather return to base now."

"I'd rather wait," came Eda's flat tone. "If we're going to die either way, I'd rather die taking out one of those Ragons than fleeing like a coward."

"Would you like members of our squad to guard your position?" Mathis inquired. He squinted at the horizon, unable to overpower his curiosity, and detected a smudge just below the edge of it: the advancing Ragon offensive. "I'd rather be off the hill by the time the ground force gets here.
We might have time to hang back and defend the rescue mission, seeing as they must begin their retreat." His stomach churned at the thought of their having to leave the pilot behind, at even more of his comrades dying. Yet he suppressed the feeling for the sake of remaining levelheaded.
There was no room for mourning in the midst of war; grief would come after, when the sheer size of the fallen would warrant a list of names no human mind could ever process. He was at the precipice of battle. His emotions were irrelevant.

"We should all wait here," Eda responded. "We'll give away our location if we move. And besides, they'll need as many reinforcements as we can offer."

"Twelve of us will not defend them from a whole swarm of Ragons." Dylan sounded casual, as though she was on a stroll. "We'll try our damndest to fend them off, but we should all brace ourselves. Oh," she amended, "and Ioncio? He gets to stick with me."

"Are you serious?" Mathis snapped. "All he does is berate and abuse you. Why would you want him at your side? He's closer in proximity to me regardless, so it isn't an effective strategy." And there was something about Ioncio that kept Mathis constantly on guard, something in his eyes that was feral, predatory. A calculating hunter resided behind those ruby eyes, a hawk, or an eagle. Mathis was not sure he remembered anymore.

"It would be fitting of your punishment, since I'm a bit further down the hill than you," Dylan goaded in her annoying-little-sister voice.

"He isn't someone you should trust with your life. Anyone else with you should suffice." As in Carlisle, Adam, even Ajax, he added silently.
He was not trying to be overprotective--Dylan could more than handle adverse situations herself--but Ioncio was a loose cannon and had to be restrained. Mathis had been drafting an official report on him over the past several weeks, but increasingly spare time had delayed its completion and submission. After this battle, he resolved to hand it over to higher command and let them properly discipline him.

"Fine, then. I'll take Carlisle with me, too. But Ioncio is going with me, and you can't change my mind."

---

Corporal Eda

...Three armoured Ragons in the open. Danger closer. Over.

Eda craned her neck upon hearing Cohen's latest command, only to duck again when a dangerously near explosion tore into the organic ground.
She shielded her ears instinctively, then waited several breaths until she was sure she had reoriented herself. Her senses restored, she stuck her head out again and located the Ragon trio headed for the rescue mission.

"We're close enough to neutralize the three Ragons," she reported, "if we hurry. Let's start our descent now and hope the rescue party can hold them off."

"Roger," replied Mathis. Eda was unsure what roger meant, but she gathered it was an Earthen saying. There was no time to dwell on such trivialities, however. She beckoned to her division to accompany her in the trek downhill, and with that, the advancement toward combat began.

---

[u]Hill 7382

There was a sudden explosion from some distance behind the main line of the hill. Cohen ducked instinctively, swivelling to look back for a moment. She wasn't sure if the Ragons were trying to range in on her or the battery... but there wasn't much she could do about that either way, "Everyone who isn't doing something essential, take cover!" she yelled. For a small woman, she had a particularly loud voice that tended to come as a surprise to anyone who hadn't spent much time with her before, "But be ready, they'll be on us the moment the shells stop falling!"

A few moments later there was another explosion, this one close enough to send clods of dirt into some of the closer trenches. They were definitely ranging on them. Had one of the scalies spotted the fortifications on the hill and, correctly, assumed that that was where the Federation spotters were? Perhaps it was just general shelling intended to soften up the line. Either way, all they could do was pray or trust in the roll of the dice, depending upon whether you were spiritual or not.


The Rescue Party

It wasn't clear if the Federation artillery had hit the Ragons the hilltop defenders had spotted or not, though as they closed back on the hill, the rescue team would rapidly realise they were running into an enemy barrage. As they left the woods below, ascending the slope towards the trenches, there were a few moments to consider the wisdom of running into that... not that the rest of the Federation line looked that much better; the Ragons, it seemed were lighting it up in anticipation of a big push.

Then there was a bellow from somewhere behind them, quickly followed by a flurry of blaster bolts that tore into the earth around the party. A tail waved from behind some bushes, brandishing a weapon, the dull shape of a huge armoured muzzle just visible in front of it. One Ragon. And where there was one... "What do you humans say?" 'Glod' asked, "Something about frying pans and fires? I'd much rather our chances in those holes you've dug up ahead!"

Now

Corporal Eda

Everyone who isn't doing something essential, take cover! Cohen commanded from her position atop the hill. Eda disregarded the order; if what she was doing was nonessential, there truly was no positive correlation between military power and size in war.

The Ragon party stood about ten meters (an Earthen measurement) from where she crouched, blaster at the ready. Mathis and Dylan's squad was to her left, with Dylan at the vanguard and Mathis holding the rear, his back to the party so he could watch the backs of everyone else. She paid no attention to him. If he opted to be useless, he'd perish first if the rules of fairness had anything to say about it.

The Ragons opened fire. Chaos erupted amidst the rescue party, which was disjointed to begin with, but now was not the time to strike. "Hold your fire!" Dylan bellowed. "Not yet--"

She was cut off by a primal scream as one of the soldiers broke away.

Corporal Dylan Alfsen

As soon as the command left her lips, a fatigued blue shot past her, unleashing a battle cry. He barreled toward the Ragon, blaster at the ready, and fired into the brush. "IONCIO!" Dylan shrieked. She leapt to her feet and plowed into him, tackling him to the ground. They slammed into the grass, just as a bolt whizzed over their heads, the force enough to jar Dylan's teeth. "WHAT THE F*&K!?" she spat, her efforts to restrain him feeble. She was losing hold of him.

"You really think I'd take orders from you?" Ioncio snarled. "You're a woman, and a l--"

"That does not give you permission to deliberately disobey a DIRECT COMMAND!"

A hand squeezed her shoulder, almost painfully. She tensed, her reflexes sending her pivoting back and upward to confront the visored face of Mathis. "What do you want?"

"Stand down, Dylan." His voice was oddly calm. It made her resent him even more. "That's an order."

"I can handle him, I don't need you to fight my battles--"

"Dylan."

She sprang to her feet and got up in her brother's face. "What, you think you can control me just cause you're older and a boy? Is that it? Huh? Because I know exactly what I'm doing, and I'm more of a fighter than you ever will be." Another bolt fired, narrowly missing them both. Ioncio squirmed from underneath her boots.

"Dylan, it's not about that, you're too worked up to make rational decisions--"

"And you are? Look at this place. Is anyone here acting rationally? No. And you're an idiot if you think otherwise. You don't act rationally in a war. You act to save your own a$$. That's why you haven't died yet, isn't it? Huh, Mathis? Huh--"

He seized her armor and yanked her toward him, causing her to stagger and trip over Ioncio. "Our cover's been exposed. Dylan, he's not worth it, leave him and fight the Ragons. Another moment, and we'll all be dead."

Dylan pushed Mathis, hard. Now it was his turn to stumble. He ducked and rolled to his side, blaster pointed directly at Dylan. "Get a team together and fight a Ragon. With Ioncio or without Ioncio, I don't care. But defy me again and you'll be the one written up for insubordination." He deftly stood and dashed upward, already shouting commands at nearby squad members, leaving Dylan to loom over the traitor.

"You," she stated, her blaster loaded and pressed into his chest, "are going to approach the traitor first."

"Or what?"

"I'll shoot you myself. Oh, don't worry, I'll make sure nobody else finds out," she added flippantly. "As long as you're not Ragon food, you'll be court martialed for insubordination. That is, if you survive." She helped him to his feet, blaster still digging into him. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Eda's and Mathis's squads already surrounding two of the Ragons, leaving a third exposed. "There's our guy." She shoved him toward the fray. "Now go and make me proud unless you want to learn what getting shot with a blaster feels like."

[Europa Undivided]

Ivan Ivanovich Ivanovsky
The SAR Team

Then there was a bellow from somewhere behind them, quickly followed by a flurry of blaster bolts that tore into the earth around the party. A tail waved from behind some bushes, brandishing a weapon, the dull shape of a huge armoured muzzle just visible in front of it. One Ragon. And where there was one... "What do you humans say?" 'Glod' asked, "Something about frying pans and fires? I'd much rather our chances in those holes you've dug up ahead!"

"From the frying pan into the fires," Ivan cursed as the blaster bolts dug up burnt up holes all over the ground around them, somehow not hitting anyone. Whether it was a trick of fate or the result of a Ragon being too intoxicated with a sentient meal, one could never say. It might be that the damn creatures were playing with their food, but when that said food has guns that could poke holes into their armor, such playful behaviour might not be the smartest choice.

Ivan ducked behind the nearest piece of cover that he could find, coughing from all the dirt that had been kicked up into the air by the initial wave of bolts. "We don't have time to deal with this!", he grumbled. Putting his hand into one of the pockets on his coat, he pulled out a flash grenade. The Ragons were still a slow minded, meticulate race of giant reptiles, and did not like bright lights or really loud explosions, especially when they're being hit with those all at once.

"Extraction is our priority," he continued, priming the flash grenade for detonation. "There are sure to be more of them around here and I for one do not want to be lunch."

Peeking out of the piece of debris he used as cover, Ivan would find a Ragon, still barely visible amongst the bushes. The creature's armor and particularly loud bellows gave it away, though, and with trained precision, Ivan threw the flash grenade towards its face. Pushing himself back into the cover's safety, he called out to the rest of the SAR Team. "Flash!"

[Tesserach]

Cpl. Tuesaaya Sanmanee
Attached to SAR Team
Cpl.'s Risaru & Ivanovsky Present

---

Tuesaaya was leading the rescue team, picking what looked to be a game trail through a copse of trees in one of the hedgerows that was sparse enough in shrubs and brambles that the stretcher team would have no troubles. She scanned the treeline on the other end of the field for Matthis and Eda's teams who she was hoping would be there even though they hadn't responded but couldn't see them.

Thoughts of friendly fire drifted through her mind as she went to key her mic, but it was just that moment that Ragon blasters erupted from behind them. As she spun, "Contact rear!" came instinctively to her lips.

Tuesaaya may have been slow and her routes meandering, but one thing they group would find is that she made sure to keep them near some form of cover at all times.

For Tuesaaya herself, there was never a point - anywhere in her life really - where she wasn't aware of the nearest cover available. In this case as the burst of blaster fire began tracking directly towards her, she dove directly into a set of bushes, feeling the sting of branches and nettles raking across her face, reopening some of the wounds there. There was also a loud metallic twang as her left leg careened off a rock; none of which she paid any mind.

Instead she rolled through the brambles to a fire position at the base of a grassy knoll with a large tree-like thing growing out of it. Shifting a little to get an angle on the Ragon pursuing them she called "Contact bearing 017, approximately 200m. Smoke out!" as a hollow 'plonk' lobbed a smoke grenade on a shallow trajectory towards a position a few dozen meters behind them.

Before the grenade hit the ground however, Tuesaaya had already drawn a bead on the first Ragon following them through her scope, and wasted no time taking her first shot. Her right finger on the trigger, her left hand worked the antiquated bolt-action of the Mk. LVII far quicker than most people could - quickly enough that it was clear to anyone nearby that she wouldn't be able to keep that rate of fire up for long.

While she furiously worked the the bolt action sequence, the smoke round she'd fired bounced off the ground, up into the air, before skidding to a halt somewhere between their two positions, now billowing clouds of white smoke into the field between the SAR team and the Ragon.

"Get the pilot moving. I have rear security." She called to the rest of the team.

A spent clip of charge cartridges detached from the rifle with a soft 'twing', careening over her shoulder. Her left hand, already reaching for another, instinctively brushed the activation key on her mike as she did. "SAR Team to HQ, we have Troops In Contact, repeat we are TIC. Attempting to Disengage. Standby for Fire Mission coordinates..."

If the artillery barrage or sudden appearance of armed Ragon trying to press their position phased her, it didn't come across in her voice. The way she called in the contact report, she might as well have been reading the morning weather.

[Western Fardelshufflestein]

Corporal Mathis Alfsen

He hardly had time to escape the impact of the flash grenade. Someone behind him shouted, "FLASH!", and he instinctively dropped to the ground, rolling so he could aim his blaster at his Ragon combatant. His squadmates did the same, though Ester remained in a squatting position, one arm wielding a handheld blaster and the other brandishing a serrated knife.

The shockwave from the blast thrust him deeper into the ground, the sound muffled by his helmet, but he had no time to reel from the grenade. His Ragon had kept its footing, and it remained crouched on all fours, its tail coiled around a blaster aimed directly at Mathis.

He scrambled to the side to avoid fire, but rubble prevented him from rolling very far, so the energy singed his armor. The Ragon fired once more, he rolled again, then propelled himself upward with his weapon at the ready. He fired at the Ragon's maw, knowing the bolt would merely stun it, but the creature's grimace of pain gave Mathis a window to fire again. Simultaneously, Ester dove toward the being's tail, targeting the tip of it with the hope she could cause it to drop its blaster. She darted in and outward like a fish cutting through river water, shooting and hacking and all around being a nuisance, all the while keeping her wits about her to perpetuate survival.

The Ragon swept its tail back and forth, desperate to knock Ester off her feet, but she stood her ground. Mathis meanwhile continued to target the creature's head, though he was mindful of how much ammunition he had left, and he never stood in the same spot for more than a few seconds. Ajax, the brawler that he was, went for the torso of the thing, systematically shooting any chinks in its armor he thought he could find, and Naphri went for the limbs. Together, they fell into a sort of rhythm, with Mathis shouting orders when necessary, praying someone would watch their backs were more Ragons to sneak up on them.

Corporal Eda

"FLASH!"

Eda ceased her relentless pummeling of the Ragon long enough to dive and seek cover from the ground. Her ankle snagged a stone as she dropped, not enough to sprain or strain, but certainly enough to leave a mark.

Matalion was not so fortunate. The force flung him off his feet and smacked him against the chest of their Ragon, who was only momentarily stunned. He lay unmoving for several seconds as the beast loomed over him, too far away for Eda to reach, until the Ragon lunged to deliver a killing blow. Eda desperately seized her blaster and fired it at the Ragon, but her aim was off and she was not fully recovered from the shock of the grenade. Her bolt tore through the atmosphere and receded uselessly beyond the Ragon trio.

"Shoot the thing at will," she hissed through her radio. "Get it away from Matalion. Matalion, can you hear me?" Nothing.

She held her position and shot at the Ragon again, this time hitting its shoulder. The beast roared and snatched Matalion with a greyish, muscled arm resembling a sturdy metal band. Matalion was only a little ways off the ground, but he was limp, the screams coming through the intercom strained and faint.

Instinctively, Eda drew a grenade from her belt, the only one she had, and chucked it at the Ragon with all her might. The projectile hurtled through the air toward her target, almost colliding with another grenade thrown from somewhere off to her right--Ran. Eda gave a redundant order to take cover, this time over a wider comms system, and dropped to the ground a second time, since she had no means with which to shield herself.

Corporal Dylan Alfsen

She was charging the Ragon at full speed when the flash bomb came. It ripped her off her feet, sent her catapulting backward, tossed her right arm-first into the rubble. A sharp pain radiated throughout her arm almost instantly, so intense she gritted her teeth and felt her eyes sting from tears. Get up, she urged herself, you have to get up--

"Corporal!" A bulging figure snatched her left wrist and pulled her to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," she winced. Her shoulder probably wasn't broken. The armor was heavily padded, and, besides, she'd had worse before, had witnessed far worse. The shit they had to deal with out on the battlefield and in the med bay was astounding. "Fire now while it's stunned."

Carlisle nodded and promptly opened fire, his shots amplified by those of Adam and Ioncio. Dylan's shoulder throbbed badly enough that she doubted she hadn't fractured something, but as long as she could stand, she'd fight. She took her blaster in her left hand and gingerly placed her right on the auxiliary grip, for the first time thankful these things were ambidextrous. Her right arm tingled and burned. She raised her gun nonetheless, pointed it at the Ragon most impacted by the grenade, and let loose a single bolt.

The kickback from the gun was so intense that she screamed and dropped her weapon. Humiliated and dazed with pain, she crouched, retrieved it, and drew her pocket grenade. She only had one, and her throwing arm was out of commission, so she had to be mindful of where to throw. Oh, and not hit her fellow soldiers in the process.

"One hit and you're already useless," Ioncio taunted form behind her. She'd more than expected this behavior, but that didn't make it suck less. Didn't make her refrain from fighting back.

"You know, if you'd just shut the f*&k up and actually do your job, you'd almost make a useful soldier, Private." She had half a mind to lob the grenade at him. But she was slightly more subtle than that.

"I can triage your shoulder. Or make a sling. I've got supplies," Adam offered.

Tempting. "I need your firepower, Adam. And yours too, Ioncio." She cradled her battered right arm against her chest. The throbbing was starting to abate just a little, but God, it hurt. "Get closer to the b*tch. Bolt it. Smoke it out if you have to."

"On it." Carlisle obediently began closing the gap between himself and the Ragon. Adam and, surprisingly, Ioncio followed suit. That left Dylan standing behind them, her dominant arm somewhat regaining normal sensation and her blasted at her side. She was completely exposed.

She made her way to a nearby bush and knelt behind it. With only one grenade and a bruised shoulder, she had little purpose at the moment beyond issuing commands. And there was Ioncio. You can finally get your revenge, she reminded herself. I'm going to make him pay.

She rose a little bit, let her arm extend above the top of the bush, readied herself to throw. She was just about to send her grenade flying when something else detonated, and several bodies went airborne, Adam's scream sluicing through the atmosphere as his chest was torn apart.

[Dyelli Beybi]

The Hill

The remaining Ragon scouts fell back pretty rapidly once they had established where the front line was and the Search and Rescue team were able to scramble back into the trenches, artillery falling all around them. Cohen was nowhere to be seen, but there were plenty of other troopers hunkering down as the shells burst overhead who were able to point out that the central command bunker was also serving as a makeshift hospital.

The pilot was far from the only person in need of medical attention. The Ragon artillery was inflicting heavy casualties on the defenders and for every trooper badly injured enough to need to be evacuated to the medical centre, there were two or three others with lighter injuries who were still able to fight on.

The barrage seemed to go on forever. At one point, Cohen came racing down the trench heading for the Command centre. She stopped by the SAR team. She was covered in dust, a dark blood stain on her left sleeve, though if it was hers it didn't seem to be affecting her that badly. She paused, then nodded, "Good to see you made it back. I've been calling artillery, but it seems the Ragons have hit the battery so I'm heading back to the Command..."

The rest of what she had to say was lost as a shell hit nearby, shaking the earth and sending clods of dirt raining down atop them. Cohen was knocked from her feet, but bounced back up, shaking her head and screwing her eyes shut for a moment as is she hoped that would help clear the ringing from her ears. For a few moments her mouth moved without any apparent sound to the others deafened by the explosion, though as the ringing receded, some might make out the end of her instruction "... advancing soon, so be ready!"

Steadying herself on the wall of the trench, she carried on, heading to the Command bunker and hospital.

Some time later the shells stopped falling, an eerie silence falling across the hilltop. For those bold enough to peer out of the trenches the former country landscape had been transformed into the kind of pockmarked surface more usually seen on atmosphereless planets and moons. One of the bunkers was reduced to a pile of rubble, having apparently taken a direct hit, while the trenches had collapsed in several places though they still offered good cover, as did the innumerable craters on the hilltop and leading up to it.

Off in the distance there was a roar that seemed to come from a thousand deep reptilian throats at once. The Ragon were coming...

[Dyelli Beybi]

Some time earlier, deep space...
Cowritten by Nachfolgia and Dyelli Beybi

---

Ever since the kids got on ship, Allison has spent most of her time in the training room. She was angry and the gym was the only place where she can work off her frustrations. She was angry that what she thought was her life turned out to be a complete lie. On top of that, her real memories were flooding back to her. She was an Orphan almost from birth, living in a war torn city. A city ravaged by the giant lizard invaders. The horrors she had seen at such a young age were overwhelming.

The training center Allison was in was specifically built for those with strength surpassing most living beings, especially those like herself and Scott. She suspected that it was for Scott before she ever showed up. The large room was filled with various weights and combat training equipment designed to take a beating. In Allison's opinion it was way better than her junkyard gym back in the simulation. She had plenty of fun using every piece of equipment over the past weeks.

Allison was positioned in front of two large training dummies, standing roughly 15 feet tall. They were automated and somewhat resembled the Ragons, mimicking movement and speed the best that the could. She stretched for a few moments before getting into a combat stance.

" Start combat simulation." Allison said, glaring angrily at the dummies.

The training dummies came to life on command, jankily moving about on the tracks in the floor. The dummy to Allison's left quickly reached out to swipe at her. Allison smoothly ducked under the swipe and landed a blow onto the dummy's elbow joint. The hit caused the arm to swing back in the opposite direction with enough force to throw the dummy off balance.

At nearly the same time, the other dummy attacked, swiping at her while her back was turned. Allison turned her head to spot the attack and dodged just in the nick of time. The dummy, having missed the first swipe, followed up by bring its other hand down on top of her.

Allison grabbed its hand just before it made contact. Having control of the dummy's automated fingers, Allison used her strength to crush them and break them off of its main hand. She quickly followed up with a punch to move the hand away from her. Allison seemed to be handling the dummies well.

The action drew a comment from one of the alien spectators, Doctor Ishtar Iltani. It sounded like one of the Gorial's typically acerbic comments, though without the translators the meaning was lost until Atalia, who was sitting with the Doctor on a bench at the far side of the room supplied the meaning, "Ah..." the dark haired girl considered her words, "She said try not to break anything, it's expensive."

There was another comment in alienese and a roll of the eyes.

Tobias Scott, the huge man who had taken it upon himself to lead the rescue from the Prefeton facility completely ignored the pair. He was still a bit 'rough around the edges', though he had mellowed out considerably now that they weren't fighting to escape a barely understood enemy, "That was good," he nodded, flexing his injured hand. The cast hadn't been off for all that long, "But these dummies play to your strengths and they don't think like a real opponent. The guys you will be up against won't be able to match your strength, but they have experience and reflexes," he paused for a moment before adding, "You need to fight someone fast."

"Not me!" Atalia put in quickly, looking alarmed at the prospect. Atalia was extremely fast though not by any measure the fastest on the ship.

"Not you, fool girl," Scott shook his head dismissively, "You don't have the skills to offer Allison a challenge and besides, she could rip you in half by accident."

This was followed by a comment in alienese from Iltani.

"Not me either!" Scott replied, "I haven't forgotten what I did to my hand, or the fact that you pinned it all back together again."

Allison turned to look at Scott, dropping her hands down to her side. " I've actually been working on my speed. Running speed and agility exercises in the gravity room at times 100. My father..." She paused for a moment and sighed. Her gritted her teeth in anger. She no longer had a father, "...I mean the man who I thought was my father always said that great footwork makes for a great fighter. Anyway, who would I fight here? I don't want to hurt any of my friends."

"Sam," he replied, having apparently already considered that, "Have you ever seen her have a high speed collision? So long as you don't try to twist her arm off or something excessively violent like that, I imagine she'll bounce back from anything you manage to hit her with. I haven't asked her, but I can't see her saying no."

Newton seemed hard wired to try to help people. She was empathetic, approachable and a good listener when she wasn't busy flying the Nebuchadnezzar. It was easy to forget she was also a genetically engineered killing machine, just like Allison, Scott or Atalia.

Allison raised her eyebrow when Scott mentioned Sam's name, suggesting she fight her. If Allison remembered correctly, Sam was insanely fast during their escape, swiftly dispatching drones in manner she had never seen. According to Scott, Sam was also durable enough to take hits which would make her a adequate opponent for her.

" I'm fine with Sam being my sparing partner. Hopefully, I won't cause too much damage to her." Allison said, looking down at her fist.

"You shouldn't," Scott assured her without seeming entirely confident himself, "I'll speak to her later, unless you want to. For now let's switch those dummies back on!"

[Europa Undivided]

Ivan Ivanovich Ivanovsky
Greskia

Some time later the shells stopped falling, an eerie silence falling across the hilltop. For those bold enough to peer out of the trenches the former country landscape had been transformed into the kind of pockmarked surface more usually seen on atmosphereless planets and moons. One of the bunkers was reduced to a pile of rubble, having apparently taken a direct hit, while the trenches had collapsed in several places though they still offered good cover, as did the innumerable craters on the hilltop and leading up to it.

Ivan cursed as another of the tremors from the falling artillery shells reverberated through the earth, killing more and more of his comrades with every strike. He glanced down the hallway in which Glod the pilot had been carried away by the medics on the stretcher, all but certain that this was the last time he was going to see that particular Berdikon. He said it himself. Once the Berdikons found out that one of their men was out there fighting, they will immediately pull him back into the backlines like termites to their queens... kings?

Soon, he was walking back towards his comrades in the trenches, with one of them noticeably missing. The second in command of the squad waved at him with a solemn gaze. "Ivan, welcome back. They killed Evgeny. Blyat. He owed me money."

Ivan blinked. What? He goes to the search and rescue mission and one of his squadmates has died to the airburst shells? Damn the demon lizards. Evgeny survived scrounging through the ruins of Moscow just to get blasted by artillery in an alien world. No one's safe...

Off in the distance there was a roar that seemed to come from a thousand deep reptilian throats at once. The Ragon were coming...

Speaking of which, the roars of the beast howled through the air like a cacophony of chaos. Ivan had heard crocodiles grumble in zoos, but this was... something. Something worse, something horrible. The monsters were coming for their prey.

"Check your ammunition. Aim for their eyes, just as the drills told us," Ivan commanded. "Remember, comrades. They're not real soldiers. They're just monsters."