North Bellsford, Super-Centre
As William lines up his shot and squeezes the trigger, the last of the stealth-scouts dives for cover. His bullets only manage to taste the air, as behind him, Phillipe and Libero take to the rappel line. It was free for himself and Sergeant Max to use now, but with signs of further reinforcements approaching, it was unlikely they would leave the rappel line alone should both of them use it. Realizing this as he finishes off the last Hunter-Killer, he motions silently for William to take the rappel line alone. William then takes to the best cover he can, kneels down, and starts providing covering fire, to prevent the enemy from moving up until the police officer could make it out of the scene.
He was a soldier. It was simply duty that compelled him to do this, and perhaps nothing else. Regardless, it was brave.
North Bellsford, Zinc Road
As Morgan reaches the ground, Bao finally starts to calm down. Taking cover by a wall near the entrance, she notices the clear path down the long set of marble steps to a group of people fighting at ground level. A group of militia was trying to hold the line? Was it all for the admiral? Morgan glances over to Ariston, who had reached the ground as well. Uncertainty filled her eyes, but there was no time to doubt the chain of command now. She holds her position for half a minute as Phillipe and Libero reach ground level, then glances out into the sky, as the all too familiar sound of aircraft came into focus.
In the distance, visible to everyone fighting on the ground, three aircraft were on their way. A VTOL troop transport, and a pair of hover-jet escort craft. Nikolai's radio crackles to life, and he turns up the volume on it so it can be heard over the fighting.
"Help is a little early!" The voice of the liaison officer was bright and cheery, and the militia momentarily cheer before one of their fellows is struck down by a wraith's plasma rifle. They had managed to set up their shields before any response from the group could hit them.
"Three."
Nonetheless, one of the wraith at the edge drops his plasma rifle and grabs his head in pain, as a result of Ariel's psychic assault. Yet, in spite of that, he remained on his feet, not succumbing to the pain: It seemed as though they were more mentally stalwart than the stealth-scouts were, as after a few moments, he reached for his rifle, and started to aim for them once again.
Norb's plasma grenade sails through the air and lands behind the vehicle where the two stealth-scouts were taking refuge. They seemed to fail to understand what it was however, as they didn't move until the explosive plasma sent one tumbling backward and out of cover. He screeched in pain briefly, as some of the militia turned on him and opened fire. The other one simply seemed to die instantly.
"Four."
Prosper's subroutines seemed poorly designed to maintain accuracy, and as he attempts to hit the wraiths, most of his shots miss. Those that do hit, only hit the shields, and appear to cause no damage to them.
Leonie's holographic distraction doesn't seem to have much effect. In fact, one could almost be forgiven for thinking that the Wraiths simply didn't see it, as they opened fire, their plasma ripping into vehicles and slowly consuming them, releasing noxious fumes and plentiful smoke. They seemed to be intentionally aiming for the vehicles, but all it did was create a smokescreen. As the smoke rose up, Ariel could swear she
heard something, a voice, similar to that of the one on the radio. It was perhaps an order, but she couldn't comprehend it. To her, it just sounded like some sort of noise, akin to a musical note in some ways.
Nikolai, noticing the VTOL aircraft approaching, dives behind his vehicle and starts reloading, taking advantage of the smoke. His suit was filtering the noxious gasses, preventing him from even noticing as the militia around him were coughing heavily. A couple were even vomiting, as the scent of burning metal infiltrated their noses. It wasn't toxic, but it was certainly an overpowering smell. As he finishes reloading, he sets back up on the truck he was hiding behind, and aims down the sights, ready to open fire on anything that would come through the smoke.
"When the Troop Transport lands, everyone get on board. I'll cover you, and board last." Nikolai stated into his radio, though uncertainty was in his voice.
"That means you too, Ariel. Stay out of my skull, though. Nasty things in there, even for a tough chick like you."
Further gunfire is heard in the left building as three militia emerge from it. Two of them were dragging a third, who appeared to have an injured leg: It had a plasma burn on it.
"I HIT THE FUCKER!" The injured militia man raises his rifle in the air and cheers.
"He didn't die though! He's still out there! I think he's running back to those bastards on the road!" He coughs heavily, as the noxious gasses hit his lungs. Behind the trio of survivors, smoke starts to filter out of the building: It was on fire.
The VTOL aircraft slows overhead of the group, in the middle of the three-way intersection. It gradually descends, a large doorway opening in the back. It was large enough to fit a hundred men and two small tanks, and judging by the armoured plating, it was one of the few retrofitted aircraft on Colony Galileo, meaning it had plasma-resistant armour.
In the distance, at the entrance to the Super-Centre mall, Morgan's eyes widen as the VTOL craft comes down for a landing. A liaison officer contacts her by radio. Phillipe, Libero, and the Admiral could all overhear it.
"Get Ariston and Phillipe aboard. Now. Everyone else is expendable." Morgan's breath catches in her throat as she looks to the others, pulling out the radio slowly.
"Yes, sir." Putting it away, she motions for everyone to move toward the troop transport.
"Move quickly, keep your heads down! I'll cover you from here and wait for the Sergeant and the Police Officer." She hesitates, then looks at the admiral.
"For you, that's obviously a suggestion. Sir. Yeah."
East Bellsford, Red Line/Convoy #4
As power is restored to the subway station, in the distance, the sound of a subway train could be heard approaching. As the emergency lights go out and the regular lights come back on, the wraiths seem momentarily blinded, covering their helmet visors as they flinch instead of opening fire. Kephart's rail gun then fires, and two of the shields it impacts with fail, shredding the wraiths behind them. The other three shield troopers however remain intact, standing together, and their shield emplacements block the machine gun that followed. Though, as they start to quickly recover from the momentary blindness, Gilan's flanking attack rips through another Wraith, though it takes him an entire clip to finally ensure the Wraith's demise. The other two, seeing that they couldn't push the line forward, start to retreat without their shields. Marcus' Gun-Drone riddles one in the back with several bullets, causing him to fall to the ground and drop his weapon. He was still alive, but bleeding profusely, and feebly attempting to get back on his feet, though it seemed quickly apparent that he was too injured to stand anymore.
Of the two hunter-killers, one is killed by Marcus with ease, as it was in close range with no cover. Bullets shred through its meaty torso, leaving it unable to respond. The other hunter-killer however bounds behind Kephart and attacks the two militia hiding behind him for cover. One is immediately taken down, dropping his rifle without having fired a shot. The other unloads his entire clip at point blank, killing the creature as it rips into his friend's throat.
"Fuck this shit! I want to go home!" He yells as he starts reloading his rifle, his hands were shaking enough to make it a near-impossible task.
Meanwhile, outside, Ralph nodded in appreciation with everyone going along with his plan. He hops onto Tharvax's back as he charged forth from out of cover. The two guards turn to engage Tharvax, only to duck for cover behind their shields as Caitlin and Quentin fire at them. Unfortunately, neither of them land any substantial hits on the wraiths. The plasma tank turns and aims its main gun down into the subway, charging to fire. However, as Tharvax had gotten him close enough, Ralph throws his second nanite canister. It shatters against the tank, releasing the nanites which cover it and swarm inside it. The plasma tank's charge fails, and it remains subdued--at least, momentarily, as Ralph falls off Tharvax's back, as his concentration was now on keeping the nanites working on the tank.
During this, Gwen and the civilians start moving for the subway. Those with rifles, with great fear, move out to the edges, attempting to protect their fellows. However, the sound of a sniper shot from a high calibre rifle echoes through the area, and hits one of the armed men in the head, sending his headless corpse to the ground. A voice comes out on their radios, masculine in nature, though distinctly not human.
"One."
Tharvax, as he planned, immediately turns on and attacks one of the wraiths. With effortless ease, he smashes the wraith into the ground, the unpleasant noise of several bones breaking underneath the sheer pressure would likely be a delight to his ears. The second one kneels out of cover and aims up at Tharvax, taking a shot with his plasma rifle and connecting, though only with Tharvax's shoulder: He lived, though it burned and took away most of the use of his left arm. Before the Wraith could get a second shot, a series of bullets ricochet past him, and one finally connects with his neck, sending him falling to the ground, dropping his rifle and grasping for his throat. Either Quentin or Caitlin landed the shot, though neither could be certain.
A second sniper shot rings through and hits another armed civilian, this time in the chest.
"Two... For now."
Out of the corner of his eyes, Quentin notices someone fleeting away from the windows, in the building behind the tank. The sniper was either re-positioning, or leaving altogether. Either way was likely a blessing.
As Gwen reaches the entrance to the subway, she bumps into the retreating Wraith from within the subway. The Wraith punches her in the gut, but with her plasma cutter already out, she manages to jam it into his left leg and ignite it. The wraith shoves her back, then limps backward a step and raises his rifle to finish her off. Several bullets ring overhead from the remaining armed civilians, and though most miss, enough hit the wraith so as to send him falling backward, presumably dead from his lack of movement. It's very possible he didn't even feel the pain of the plasma cutter. It's very possible that they didn't even have pain nerves to feel such things with.
Back inside the subway station, the subway train comes to a slow halt, and opens its doors. It was automated, and as such, the feminine voice of the computer came onto the speaker system, both outside and inside the subway.
"Now, boarding, for: Central, Station. Please watch your step." Berry grins, and motions to the veteran militia.
"Get everyone on board!" He then glances to Kephart, then Gilan.
"I mean everyone! Go, get on that subway train now!" A few of the civilians from outside start descending down the steps, along with the civilians from the cafeteria.
"I hope we have enough space..." Berry mutters to himself.
