Chapter 107

　　The group picked their way through the burning ruins of the resort town, careful to stay out of sight from the Mechs fighting overhead. A flight of Seraphs had been systemically destroying everything in sight, their goal apparently to flatten the entire town.

　　Other Mechs and Exosuited soldiers soon joined them, adding to the devastation. Kal and his companions had witnessed them gunning down fleeing survivors, burning buildings with flamethrowers and executing anyone who tried to surrender.

　　The Imperial Guard were still fighting to protect them, travelling from all over Terra to provide support, but they were outnumbered, and the resort town wasn`t the only place under attack. From the scant information Kal had gleaned from a dead Guardsman`s communicator, the Imperial Palace was also under attack.

　　It had only been a few minutes since the attack started, and the terrain already looked like a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

　　"Kal, we won`t make it out at this rate. Call Atlas. You can carry us away from here." Talha advised, looking at the shattered ruins of the street and the burning forest beyond. They had only made it a short distance from the alley when Lasgun fire cut off their escape route, topping a building and setting fire to the tree line.

　　"He can`t. It will kill him." Mare shut down the suggestion, her tone disallowing any argument.

　　"She`s right. I could ask Atlas to arrive in orbit and descend to us. But even if it could make it through all the forces gathered here, I would only survive a few seconds before the Neural Burden killed me. It wouldn`t help you escape. It would only draw attention." Kal explained.

　　"Then we`re not going to make it." Talha replied, strangely calm. Her eyes flickered around the street, passively trying to find a way. They were huddled next to a pile of debris, sheltered by a large section of concrete pitched on an angle over their heads.

　　They could hear the sound of fighting from all directions, the screams of the dying and the occasional explosion of a Mech as it perished.

　　"We just need a Mech or even a couple Exosuits. If we could just find-" A loud roar cut off Kal, and a shadow began to pass overhead. The Assault Carrier burned as it dropped, falling toward the ground. Large holes were punctured in its sides, and fire spewed from its engines.

　　It crashed to the ground, digging a long furrow into the street and burying its front through the asphalt and deep into the soft soil beneath. It stilled after a moment, the craft lifeless and abandoned.

　　"Stay here." Kal said, looking around for anyone nearby before dashing toward the downed aircraft.

　　"What are you doing?" Mare hissed.

　　"Looking for anything we can use." Kal replied, already halfway to the wreckage. The hull was severely damaged, with jagged metal plates protruding from rents torn in its armour from scorching energy weapons.

　　Kal approached the side entryway. The ramp that would normally open and lower, allowing entry, was bent, with a large gap he could force his two hands around. Gripping it tightly, he wrenched it down. His arm muscles bulged from the strain as it slowly gave way.

　　Before the ramp could lower, it tore free of its hinges, crashing to the ground with a ringing thud. The ship`s interior was in ruins. Flashes of light from electrical arcs and damaged systems made Kal shield his eyes briefly. A haze of smoke covered the inside, and the acrid smell of burning electrical panels and plastics filled his nose.

　　Quickly entering, he found what he was looking for.

　　Mare and the others watched as Kal entered the damaged Aircraft, disappearing into the interior for a moment before dragging something out.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

　　It was a body, its Exosuit cracked and damaged.

　　"Help me with the others." Kal called out before disappearing into the interior once more. Talha understood what he was doing, going to the dead body and beginning to strip it of its armour. She had been a mercenary long enough to understand the necessity of scrounging and recovering whatever would be necessary.

　　"What are you doing!?" Cid asked, shocked at what the woman was doing. Ignoring her, Talha removed the helmet first before working on the chest piece.

　　"They won`t be needing it anymore. The suit`s exterior is damaged but functional. Exosuits can take a lot of punishment. It`s the people inside that can`t handle it." Talha explained, pulling the chest piece free as Kal carried another to them.

　　"John, there`s two more in there, along with some lasguns in a storage locker. Help me get them out." Kal asked the large man, who nodded and followed them inside.

　　"This isn`t right." Cid stated, shaking her head at their actions. They were defiling the dead on Sacred Terra. It was wrong.

　　"You want to survive? Ty`s already injured. We won`t be getting out of here otherwise." Talha asked, strapping the chest piece over her own torso as Mare and Micah worked on the other.

　　Cid turned to Ty, looking at his pale face. The debris had left a nasty gash on his head, and the white strip of cloth she tied around it was red with blood. His eyes were unfocused, and he would go in and out of awareness of their surroundings.

　　He needed medical attention, and his injuries would slow them down when they needed all the speed they could get to leave.

　　"Fine, show me what to do."

　　 Page Break

　　A squad of Imperial Guard soldiers was pinned down behind a makeshift barricade of debris. Only three of their members had Exosuits. The other half dozen people they gathered had on their dress uniforms. They had been directing guests and preventing thefts only an hour ago. Now, they were involved in a conflict that was quickly engulfing the entire plant.

　　The crack of Lasguns filled the air, a deafening cacophony accompanied by a nearly blinding array of light as both sides left glowing trails of superheated energy on the opposing side`s cover.

　　Huddled behind the Guard was a small group of guests, over two dozen people, some injured, others frightened or in shock at the events. Only a few of the more hardy amongst them gripped Lasguns and joined the fight.

　　The only thing that kept the Guard alive against the overwhelming number of attackers was their training and coordination. Clearly, the attackers were not on the same level as the Guard, from the Exosuited soldiers to the Pilots flying overhead or battling around the city.

　　The attackers were disparate groups handed weapons and equipment and thrown against the most well-trained and capable forces in the Galaxy. But after the destruction of Borealis Station, the Guard didn`t have enough numbers to defend against the onslaught being hurled against them.

　　"Pull back!" A Guard shouted, his Exosuit showing a line of Bluish-white energy against the chest plate, a grazing blow it barely held against.

　　"No good, they`re flanking!" A reply came, accompanied by another barrage of energy beams from their right. The enemy was gaining higher ground, climbing the remnants of a residential building and firing down from the shattered windows.

　　The Guard was being driven back, unable to defend against the dozens of Exosuited enemies facing them, when a shadow streaked across the ground.

　　A figure dashed from behind the enemy, their Guard issued Exosuit a blur as they entered the fray. Their right hand gripped a foot-long progressive knife, a vibrating blade that could cut through steel and powered by an Exosuit`s battery.

　　It made a keening wail as it slashed through an enemy soldier, easily parting their Exosuit and carving through the flesh within.

　　Kicking the dying soldier away. The figure spun, the Laspistol in the left hand firing rapidly. Streaks of bluish-white light stuck another soldier in the back, turning them around before a Laspitol shot pierced their helmet.

　　Not slowing, the figure leapt forward, slamming into a third soldier and taking them down, pinning their body to the ground with its knife and its large size.

　　By now, the enemy knew they were being attacked from within, and they spun to fire on the figure, only to be struck by multiple bursts of Lasrifle fire.

　　Three other suited Guards came around the corner, their Lasrifles glowing from the heat of the rapid discharges. A tall, lithe figure aimed at the enemies standing on the collapsed building, accurately sniping them through helmets and their armour`s weak points.

　　In short order, the enemy retreated, leaving over a dozen of their dead behind. The Guard relaxed for a moment before they noticed the state of the newcomer`s armour. They were in rough shape, streaked with blood, scorch marks and damaged portions.

　　In a moment, a young man and woman came around the corner where the group had approached from, the young man injured and supported by his pink-haired companion. Their leader stepped forward, removing his helmet as he did so, and the Guard was shocked to recognize him.

　　"Baron Caledon." The Guard leader stated, stepping forward with a salute.