The Phantom came down hard on the Lowman Assault trooper. From a general physiological understanding he knew something would break – just not what – so the crunching sound upon his landing was one he didn't dwell on. He didn't have the time either. Chaos reigned everywhere, all adversaries on edge and the trooper next to him was already mid-swivel with his blaster raised, barrel glowing.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ylujzuvwy
He caught the wrong end of Layla's thrum-staff however, which smashed his helm in and knocked him backwards to the ground. The surprised trooper let go some stray shots from his automatic blaster as he went down. One of them took out a class one vector drone. Standard issue--for all League frigates.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDDvBJygoS
Well that was just wonderful. If the League had brought a whole entire frigate then this wasn't a regular run off the mill such as had been implied by his client. He would claim an extra fee later but first...559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2y2gKSbUD
“Layla, how'd you miss an entire frigate?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7x1m23g2LI
“Oh come on they have shields most people can only dream of. Besides it probably arrived after we made land fall and I won't pick up anything from down here, what with all the signal jamming. Now quit your whining and watch your back.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZYqFvYeDp
“Why, when I know you've always got it covered” he pulled out his sonar disrupter and shot two League paratroopers in rapid succession that had sought to intercept them. They went flying into the heap of rubble that was once a building. He finally got his bearings and headed left along a back alley whilst she took the right. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡia56U0pCsq
He was headed towards the yawning cavernous entrance where the main event was taking place. Hopefully he would get there without much hindrance. His combat gear had a cloaking mechanism for sound, visibility and heat, but it wasn't so effective when one was running through an active war zone. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyO4ASwrTRD
It bought him a little time though. Enough to zip by or take out a threat before it registered and reacted. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrhto5O2xr
The chaos and carnage was for now working in his favour, but clarity as to who fought who, was somewhat obscure. There seemed to be 4 different adversaries, including the actual defenders, and they were all shooting and blowing each other up. The details of their objectives were unclear. Everyone here was here for the same target, that was clear.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACbGYNJRrD
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdT1X0wlDdN
Gorann Kalenko had joined forces with the mercenary from Valguard. Together they had managed to recruit a small contingent of militia from the local inhabitants of Clato. Unfortunately things went downhill after that. Half of them were either lost, dead or quit while tracking the two targets up this blasted, too cold for sanity, mountain range.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHZ8ZIsTTx
In fact, with the way the mission had so far progressed, he had been glad when they had caught up with the target and seen him crest the ridge, vanishing beyond. All hell broke loose later on, however. One of the broadcaster droids had followed them up and survived the trip long enough for federal ships to get a lock on their position and movements, after they made it over the ridge bordering the hanging valley. Just long enough for a hidden gun turret to pick out the droid. The droid's cloaking device was fully functional. Heck, he didn't even know it was there until it's burning parts and shards struck three of their party. If the town hadn’t already been warned of their approach now they were. It was easier to shoot a cloaked droid when you were looking for it.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LrolQ2jo2
The first problem with hiring amateurs is that they panic under fire. They fled in all directions like Paria hens and the combined cloaking failed. That's when he realised the entire valley was a death trap. Gun turrets along the entire vale picked them out from all directions. If it hadn't been for the frag class assaulters that flew into the scene, he would have been lying charred, back there in the dirt. They made for an excellent diversion, and together with Mirza and the operative from Valguard, they harried what few they still could and made it to the town proper.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTui5MNMNA3
By then the sky was filled with all kinds of aircraft. Some were firing at the turrets, some dropping troops, some doing bombing runs, plenty were burning out of the sky but a lot more were coming. Then the League came into the picture and the entire battlefield turned upside down.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60i6i4aJCw
The second problem with hiring amateurs is the emotional attachment. Kalenko realised this the moment his exile militia crossed paths with federal assault troopers. Exiles were one of two . They were either born on the Four Brethren or fled to them. Both had a personal score to settle with the Federation. The two were firing at each other before he could even formulate a counter measure. To make it worse the commanding officer's orders were most likely to apprehend, and eliminate where necessary, any and all exiles. No amount of badge flashing would get him out of this situation fast enough. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEnBC3T9Wd
Mirsa had already come to the same conclusion and more. The League troopers, which Kalenko had only come across in Dosiers, weren't actually there to aid the federal host. When it seemed witnesses were few enough, they fired at federal and exile units alike. The result; everyone was fighting everyone.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7TqwlT6Y8
The home team had still not made an appearance but drones were pouring out of the huge cavernous opening at the far end from whence the town seemed to sprawl out from. Also, from this distance, it seemed all units there were facing heavier resistance than most. League units hadn't made it that far. He couldn't tell from what, but as yet the laser turrets and GTA cannons were doing plenty of damage everywhere. It was there, that he was certain he would find the target.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacWGaIQ7zK
He shot an assault trooper in the back and rolled to take cover next to the mercenary. The heavily armoured league trooper near him was a little too preoccupied with the ion cannons pelting him. Another distraction and a little more time.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0tCIZqEzK
“Still alive, Mr Discreet?” She shouted over the din of nearby explosions.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡid0aUZJ7pV
He grinned “What? Me die and leave a fine lady such as yourself in all this fun alone? Not gonna happen.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgb2TgZskd
“Glad to hear that. So what new game had you in mind seeing as we're fresh out of 'toy soldiers'?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52C9jR4lkc
“Who needs toys to play soldier?” He winked. “This one is called 'duck duck go'! The target is the cave on the other side of town. Just ten blocks away. Are you game?” 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5B2G2be97
She finished checking her newly acquired weaponry, courtesy of the bombed League trooper a few feet away, and slung out a compact mine launcher. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8a73UX2Yz
“Ready when you are.” She smiled seductively. He returned her smile and crawled over to the dead trooper to relieve him of the few hand grenades Mirsa hadn't already done so. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejPQOJRaud
“Ready” he declared when he got back and threw the plasma grenade back into the street. As the Astral class League trooper was lifted of the ground, Mirsa turned and stepped out onto the street. In the two seconds before he followed she had already planted mines on four turrets, their motions already setting the charges off. The lady made guns seem alive, she did. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4qcfT3pZq
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCk30YeeK6e
Layla was the first to reach the cave. Unlike the others she had opted for the roofs. The turrets there were designed mainly for airborne and large enemy units. They had difficulty with fast targets that scaled walls and kept low. Her cloaking device was an added advantage but as an added insurance policy she left timed charges on every turret she passed.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjW7Dt6Ni4
She lay back against the low, slanted roof and calmly surveyed the scene before her.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIVuu0aItT
The mouth of the cave was littered with corpses. Some Nebulon troopers had managed to erect barricades and were returning some fire, but theirs was a hopeless cause without heavy artillery, she didn't even think they knew what they were firing at.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtS3IWexMAu
She pulled out a pair of scopes and zoomed in into the dark cave.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALtTSodr4u
“Where are you?” She spoke calmly. Her ear piece crackled to life with a lot off background noise.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07KMi8irrG
“Not far.” Another explosion went off nearby that fed back through the comm-link.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FRZIyAAeR
“Having fun, I see.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHv04J9omh0
“Well, I guess that's one way of putting it.” the Phantom replied, “What you got?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvKvjkeRJT
“Blast doors 500 paces in and open. Some kind of heavy artillery gun. I'm counting ten of those and manned.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHZo8vGLaR
“I can't tell whether those are battle suits or droids. I've never seen anything like them. There are dozens of them and that's what's been using the assault troopers as target practice.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIuK7Lonr2
“Great!” He shouted as another chorus of explosions rocked a few buildings closer now. "We need a decoy. Any chance you can borrow a few rides for us?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBwzA2jkGZ
“Already on it boss.” She had already unclipped a slender case off her back and was in the midst of assembling a rather long rifle. She spied a retinue of some League Crawlers coming into the foray from her right “Decoys coming up. EMP override in 20 seconds. Infiltration in 60. Be ready for your ride then. I'll be right behind you Ghost.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMJrBlNKOS
“Roger that Psycho” and another explosion went off 2 buildings down from a different direction. She eyed it for a moment, thinking, then went back to her business of setting up her rifle. Which she finished a few seconds later and loaded the cartridge with the ammunition.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiUR0DpKOg
She propped herself up a bit and took aim. “Here goes”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7E85j48fds
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZoWtiR1Fv
Mirsa saw the three crawlers veer suddenly towards the cave and accelerate just as they cleared the streets and came to the large open space in front of the cave. Their Shields were at full power and visible from their distance. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVnNlp1AjE
She acted out of pure instinct and ran towards them. Barely managing to scream for Kalenko to follow. It took him a split second to realise what was happening, and he was soon beside her sprinting across the battlefield under heavy fire.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEG9NHzctsx
They sprang on to one of the crawlers as it veered left to right and held on for dear life. The impact at those speeds was jarring. He thought it wondrous he hadn't been thrown off or crushed as the crawlers swept into the cave with a rush. He was exhilarated and, for some reason, glad to see Mirsa was in her element.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3rBuG03h2
His moment of euphoria was abruptly cut off as he heard the whine of thrusters behind them. They both turned to see 4 drones from the defence, fly in right behind them and open fire. His blood went cold and he thought his time had finally come.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDjnlFEGx1
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nZvrc0Xdu
“Dammit Layla, can't you fly these things nicely. You'll throw me off”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtPze0qDci
“Give me some credit here!” She screamed back. “ I'm controlling seven alien military units with one hand whilst holding on for sanity. What more do you want from a girl?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8HsdSOvVR
“That she fly straight!” He grit his teeth.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRjUhXDbN3
“You whine too much.” she said as the drones did another evasive manuever and fired at the battle suits and manned gun turrets.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavPi5cQUnS
"Remind me again why I finally let you tag along for a field mission?" He yelled559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgpZFI3T0b
"Because I'm bored and I might die before I step out of that tin can ship of ours!"559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslrgqQp9kN
"Then why do I have the feeling I'm the one who should be worried about dying!?"559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWJmuxjd02
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTO8LQESQ9
The bulldozing crawlers didn't fare so well. One veered straight into the strange ray the turrets were shooting. The shields saved it but they also failed, whilst it lost control and veered left and right to crash into the other crawlers. They too swerved about, but at those speeds and that distance, there wasn't much the defenders could do to stop it.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFIuk1bzLF
They made to retreat and abandon their stations, but that too was too little too late. Turrets were torn, battlesuits were either swatted aside or crushed as the crawlers bulldozed, flipped and careened through the tunnel and the drones flew in tow ,where they crashed past the blast doors. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbI4OsLC39n
Kalenko and the mercenary let go when the ride got choppy, rolling as they hit the ground. They quickly came to a stop thanks to all the wreckage. They had to duck, though, as the drones flew by low and fired another hail. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3V6Ma8ZB8T
A few shots must have finally hit the spot because one of the crawlers exploded and the drones flew into the blast a second later. They too exploded taking with them more battlesuits and infantry.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwd7ftTMGwZ
Kalenko and Mirsa got up slowly, shakily and painfully. The blast doors were still open, and for a moment he could see both worlds, disoriented and trying to make heads or tails out of what just happened. Even Mirsa's confusion was apparent.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqI9t8yhBB7
They decided to ask questions later and get a move on before everyone else recovered. They slowly began to limp and walk off the pain , onwards through the carnage of broken turrets and mangled battlesuits, towards that ever elusive target.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxK5jVRfV3T
The aggressors recovered first, and advanced into the cavernous tunnel when they were just a few paces from crossing over. Their front line made up of ATS disrupter vehicles, accompanied by those ever imposing League Astral class battlesuits, and covering ground at a rapid pace.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgHF7r413I
Another blast went off inside. It must have been another one of those drones. It had started a fire, the inferno spreading to all the wreckages and making a small barrier. Then the huge blast door started to slide down and close. Someone on the defence had their head back in gear. They certainly understood the meaning of haste and urgency.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFRqCRdK2T
They ran but didn't stop when they got through, those disrupter vehicles were fast on their heels. Quite a few units would make it through but that blast door was simply too vast to hold up. It would have been almost akin to holding the mountain itself and any that got in would be cut off from the outside. Either way they didn't want to be caught in the cross fire. So on they ran.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBQv0EzscH
Onwards, jumping headlong through the fire, where they came out on the other side in two identical rolls, and got up running. They stopped themselves short however, as they took in the scene before them.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88LQU243aF
Behind them they heard the steady whines and thrummings of moving military vehicles and personnel, as they came rolling over and around the burning wreckage. The two had to backpedal further into the gigantic cavern, for fear of being run over. The assailants stopped short as well, as they took in their adversaries.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgyt9HQ7o9
A long silence fell across the cavern broken only by the sound of more marching as more units made it into the cavern. The attackers from Nebulon and the League were staring at every gun and every able body that yet remained in battlegear. At every drone and droid remaining in Ode. The defenders were still outnumbered but no-one looked inclined to give any quarter. Behind them the rest of the town was holed up behind another closed blast door.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5ZCA48oob
With deafening finality the blast door closed, echoing throughout the cavern, then silence fell. Both sides roared and surged forward to clash. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnX0fyKVjxi
Then a searing bright white light from the podium off the left The Phantom came down hard on the Lowman Assault trooper. From a general physiological understanding he knew something would break – just not what – so the crunching sound upon his landing was one he didn't dwell on. He didn't have the time either. Chaos reigned everywhere, all adversaries on edge and the trooper next to him was already mid-swivel with his blaster raised, barrel glowing.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAnGGKmxdg
He caught the wrong end of Layla's thrum-staff however, which smashed his helm in and knocked him backwards to the ground. The surprised trooper let go some stray shots from his automatic blaster as he went down. One of them took out a class one vector drone. Standard issue--for all League frigates.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12tk0W1FVT
Well that was just wonderful. If the League had brought a whole entire frigate then this wasn't a regular run off the mill such as had been implied by his client. He would claim an extra fee later but first...559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepeAgfuERi
“Layla, how'd you miss an entire frigate?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2rISXSyfQ
“Oh come on they have shields most people can only dream of. Besides it probably arrived after we made land fall and I won't pick up anything from down here, what with all the signal jamming. Now quit your whining and watch your back.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQJclgOrQz
“Why, when I know you've always got it covered” he pulled out his sonar disrupter and shot two League paratroopers in rapid succession that had sought to intercept them. They went flying into the heap of rubble that was once a building. He finally got his bearings and headed left along a back alley whilst she took the right. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLlBxfPiSn
He was headed towards the yawning cavernous entrance where the main event was taking place. Hopefully he would get there without much hindrance. His combat gear had a cloaking mechanism for sound, visibility and heat, but it wasn't so effective when one was running through an active war zone. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqzVmqk1vQ
It bought him a little time though. Enough to zip by or take out a threat before it registered and reacted. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zuVCfi7jw
The chaos and carnage was for now working in his favour, but clarity as to who fought who, was somewhat obscure. There seemed to be 4 different adversaries, including the actual defenders, and they were all shooting and blowing each other up. The details of their objectives were unclear. Everyone here was here for the same target, that was clear.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvacIkTihuj
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rAIMfxgWQ
Gorann Kalenko had joined forces with the mercenary from Valguard. Together they had managed to recruit a small contingent of militia from the local inhabitants of Clato. Unfortunately things went downhill after that. Half of them were either lost, dead or quit while tracking the two targets up this blasted, too cold for sanity, mountain range.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5k4uhw7uf
In fact, with the way the mission had so far progressed, he had been glad when they had caught up with the target and seen him crest the ridge, vanishing beyond. All hell broke loose later on, however. One of the broadcaster droids had followed them up and survived the trip long enough for federal ships to get a lock on their position and movements, after they made it over the ridge bordering the hanging valley. Just long enough for a hidden gun turret to pick out the droid. The droid's cloaking device was fully functional. Heck, he didn't even know it was there until it's burning parts and shards struck three of their party. If the town hadn’t already been warned of their approach now they were. It was easier to shoot a cloaked droid when you were looking for it.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBUCznh20l
The first problem with hiring amateurs is that they panic under fire. They fled in all directions like Paria hens and the combined cloaking failed. That's when he realised the entire valley was a death trap. Gun turrets along the entire vale picked them out from all directions. If it hadn't been for the frag class assaulters that flew into the scene, he would have been lying charred, back there in the dirt. They made for an excellent diversion, and together with Mirza and the operative from Valguard, they harried what few they still could and made it to the town proper.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgmzkDqJn0
By then the sky was filled with all kinds of aircraft. Some were firing at the turrets, some dropping troops, some doing bombing runs, plenty were burning out of the sky but a lot more were coming. Then the League came into the picture and the entire battlefield turned upside down.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipSHFoR3xV
The second problem with hiring amateurs is the emotional attachment. Kalenko realised this the moment his exile militia crossed paths with federal assault troopers. Exiles were one of two . They were either born on the Four Brethren or fled to them. Both had a personal score to settle with the Federation. The two were firing at each other before he could even formulate a counter measure. To make it worse the commanding officer's orders were most likely to apprehend, and eliminate where necessary, any and all exiles. No amount of badge flashing would get him out of this situation fast enough. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRrdUdDMse
Mirsa had already come to the same conclusion and more. The League troopers, which Kalenko had only come across in Dosiers, weren't actually there to aid the federal host. When it seemed witnesses were few enough, they fired at federal and exile units alike. The result; everyone was fighting everyone.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXL61ya6seF
The home team had still not made an appearance but drones were pouring out of the huge cavernous opening at the far end from whence the town seemed to sprawl out from. Also, from this distance, it seemed all units there were facing heavier resistance than most. League units hadn't made it that far. He couldn't tell from what, but as yet the laser turrets and GTA cannons were doing plenty of damage everywhere. It was there, that he was certain he would find the target.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnv9dSxDCc4
He shot an assault trooper in the back and rolled to take cover next to the mercenary. The heavily armoured league trooper near him was a little too preoccupied with the ion cannons pelting him. Another distraction and a little more time.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCvM8chFU9
“Still alive, Mr Discreet?” She shouted over the din of nearby explosions.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mLHQd18un
He grinned “What? Me die and leave a fine lady such as yourself in all this fun alone? Not gonna happen.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYTDQopBdH
“Glad to hear that. So what new game had you in mind seeing as we're fresh out of 'toy soldiers'?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEvnbPKeoO
“Who needs toys to play soldier?” He winked. “This one is called 'duck duck go'! The target is the cave on the other side of town. Just ten blocks away. Are you game?” 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmIgdnogGf
She finished checking her newly acquired weaponry, courtesy of the bombed League trooper a few feet away, and slung out a compact mine launcher. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqd6ifvYQLq
“Ready when you are.” She smiled seductively. He returned her smile and crawled over to the dead trooper to relieve him of the few hand grenades Mirsa hadn't already done so. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkTZ7cpyic
“Ready” he declared when he got back and threw the plasma grenade back into the street. As the Astral class League trooper was lifted of the ground, Mirsa turned and stepped out onto the street. In the two seconds before he followed she had already planted mines on four turrets, their motions already setting the charges off. The lady made guns seem alive, she did. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWTuML4rWj
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8i0X46Q6G
Layla was the first to reach the cave. Unlike the others she had opted for the roofs. The turrets there were designed mainly for airborne and large enemy units. They had difficulty with fast targets that scaled walls and kept low. Her cloaking device was an added advantage but as an added insurance policy she left timed charges on every turret she passed.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MiSKCgQCy
She lay back against the low, slanted roof and calmly surveyed the scene before her.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRiOc0mG78
The mouth of the cave was littered with corpses. Some Nebulon troopers had managed to erect barricades and were returning some fire, but theirs was a hopeless cause without heavy artillery, she didn't even think they knew what they were firing at.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy42UXqXRNU
She pulled out a pair of scopes and zoomed in into the dark cave.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJDe1Q6pDY
“Where are you?” She spoke calmly. Her ear piece crackled to life with a lot off background noise.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wjJql8EDr
“Not far.” Another explosion went off nearby that fed back through the comm-link.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIhrAwi8hg
“Having fun, I see.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCIM2BPnEN
“Well, I guess that's one way of putting it.” the Phantom replied, “What you got?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnY3QSzuART
“Blast doors 500 paces in and open. Some kind of heavy artillery gun. I'm counting ten of those and manned.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkieA5l6a3v
“I can't tell whether those are battle suits or droids. I've never seen anything like them. There are dozens of them and that's what's been using the assault troopers as target practice.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFAe97gJbS
“Great!” He shouted as another chorus of explosions rocked a few buildings closer now. "We need a decoy. Any chance you can borrow a few rides for us?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfbn7Sggnt
“Already on it boss.” She had already unclipped a slender case off her back and was in the midst of assembling a rather long rifle. She spied a retinue of some League Crawlers coming into the foray from her right “Decoys coming up. EMP override in 20 seconds. Infiltration in 60. Be ready for your ride then. I'll be right behind you Ghost.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RyoL0cHgU
“Roger that Psycho” and another explosion went off 2 buildings down from a different direction. She eyed it for a moment, thinking, then went back to her business of setting up her rifle. Which she finished a few seconds later and loaded the cartridge with the ammunition.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYOreZHEEX
She propped herself up a bit and took aim. “Here goes”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oEMZtKrEE
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjao6sLlEYV
Mirsa saw the three crawlers veer suddenly towards the cave and accelerate just as they cleared the streets and came to the large open space in front of the cave. Their Shields were at full power and visible from their distance. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePljNZzPmo
She acted out of pure instinct and ran towards them. Barely managing to scream for Kalenko to follow. It took him a split second to realise what was happening, and he was soon beside her sprinting across the battlefield under heavy fire.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPT246EW1G
They sprang on to one of the crawlers as it veered left to right and held on for dear life. The impact at those speeds was jarring. He thought it wondrous he hadn't been thrown off or crushed as the crawlers swept into the cave with a rush. He was exhilarated and, for some reason, glad to see Mirsa was in her element.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99MSnlYhqf
His moment of euphoria was abruptly cut off as he heard the whine of thrusters behind them. They both turned to see 4 drones from the defence, fly in right behind them and open fire. His blood went cold and he thought his time had finally come.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYi8N3DswE
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe23UvlOab2
“Dammit Layla, can't you fly these things nicely. You'll throw me off”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzFJCE9fKs
“Give me some credit here!” She screamed back. “ I'm controlling seven alien military units with one hand whilst holding on for sanity. What more do you want from a girl?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFJo1PoAv6
“That she fly straight!” He grit his teeth.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeRiakuTSC
“You whine too much.” she said as the drones did another evasive manuever and fired at the battle suits and manned gun turrets.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSd8cIUuLfM
"Remind me again why I finally let you tag along for a field mission?" He yelled559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57iAk4YJ46
"Because I'm bored and I might die before I step out of that tin can ship of ours!"559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycSqc9vEvl
"Then why do I have the feeling I'm the one who should be worried about dying!?"559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWOZUTpjzl
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0kkmszeZj
The bulldozing crawlers didn't fare so well. One veered straight into the strange ray the turrets were shooting. The shields saved it but they also failed, whilst it lost control and veered left and right to crash into the other crawlers. They too swerved about, but at those speeds and that distance, there wasn't much the defenders could do to stop it.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrRMkdrZlu
They made to retreat and abandon their stations, but that too was too little too late. Turrets were torn, battlesuits were either swatted aside or crushed as the crawlers bulldozed, flipped and careened through the tunnel and the drones flew in tow ,where they crashed past the blast doors. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDVgDtliPi
Kalenko and the mercenary let go when the ride got choppy, rolling as they hit the ground. They quickly came to a stop thanks to all the wreckage. They had to duck, though, as the drones flew by low and fired another hail. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sRqWnzWbe
A few shots must have finally hit the spot because one of the crawlers exploded and the drones flew into the blast a second later. They too exploded taking with them more battlesuits and infantry.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOf38c6edaF
Kalenko and Mirsa got up slowly, shakily and painfully. The blast doors were still open, and for a moment he could see both worlds, disoriented and trying to make heads or tails out of what just happened. Even Mirsa's confusion was apparent.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiEIRWnflt
They decided to ask questions later and get a move on before everyone else recovered. They slowly began to limp and walk off the pain , onwards through the carnage of broken turrets and mangled battlesuits, towards that ever elusive target.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9ZYkGNR8w
The aggressors recovered first, and advanced into the cavernous tunnel when they were just a few paces from crossing over. Their front line made up of ATS disrupter vehicles, accompanied by those ever imposing League Astral class battlesuits, and covering ground at a rapid pace.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAhrmjPtB1
Another blast went off inside. It must have been another one of those drones. It had started a fire, the inferno spreading to all the wreckages and making a small barrier. Then the huge blast door started to slide down and close. Someone on the defence had their head back in gear. They certainly understood the meaning of haste and urgency.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8iz8om7S9S
They ran but didn't stop when they got through, those disrupter vehicles were fast on their heels. Quite a few units would make it through but that blast door was simply too vast to hold up. It would have been almost akin to holding the mountain itself and any that got in would be cut off from the outside. Either way they didn't want to be caught in the cross fire. So on they ran.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmr2sM7SMH
Onwards, jumping headlong through the fire, where they came out on the other side in two identical rolls, and got up running. They stopped themselves short however, as they took in the scene before them.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXE6HuT5rN
Behind them they heard the steady whines and thrummings of moving military vehicles and personnel, as they came rolling over and around the burning wreckage. The two had to backpedal further into the gigantic cavern, for fear of being run over. The assailants stopped short as well, as they took in their adversaries.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8eOcuHLDh
A long silence fell across the cavern broken only by the sound of more marching as more units made it into the cavern. The attackers from Nebulon and the League were staring at every gun and every able body that yet remained in battlegear. At every drone and droid remaining in Ode. The defenders were still outnumbered but no-one looked inclined to give any quarter. Behind them the rest of the town was holed up behind another closed blast door.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSTLmU0yLU
With deafening finality the blast door closed, echoing throughout the cavern, then silence fell. Both sides roared and surged forward to clash. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbEvwvrqeX
Then a searing bright white light from the podium off the left wall lit up the entire cavern.
He caught the wrong end of Layla's thrum-staff however, which smashed his helm in and knocked him backwards to the ground. The surprised trooper let go some stray shots from his automatic blaster as he went down. One of them took out a class one vector drone. Standard issue--for all League frigates.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDDvBJygoS
Well that was just wonderful. If the League had brought a whole entire frigate then this wasn't a regular run off the mill such as had been implied by his client. He would claim an extra fee later but first...559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2y2gKSbUD
“Layla, how'd you miss an entire frigate?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7x1m23g2LI
“Oh come on they have shields most people can only dream of. Besides it probably arrived after we made land fall and I won't pick up anything from down here, what with all the signal jamming. Now quit your whining and watch your back.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZYqFvYeDp
“Why, when I know you've always got it covered” he pulled out his sonar disrupter and shot two League paratroopers in rapid succession that had sought to intercept them. They went flying into the heap of rubble that was once a building. He finally got his bearings and headed left along a back alley whilst she took the right. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡia56U0pCsq
He was headed towards the yawning cavernous entrance where the main event was taking place. Hopefully he would get there without much hindrance. His combat gear had a cloaking mechanism for sound, visibility and heat, but it wasn't so effective when one was running through an active war zone. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyO4ASwrTRD
It bought him a little time though. Enough to zip by or take out a threat before it registered and reacted. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrhto5O2xr
The chaos and carnage was for now working in his favour, but clarity as to who fought who, was somewhat obscure. There seemed to be 4 different adversaries, including the actual defenders, and they were all shooting and blowing each other up. The details of their objectives were unclear. Everyone here was here for the same target, that was clear.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACbGYNJRrD
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdT1X0wlDdN
Gorann Kalenko had joined forces with the mercenary from Valguard. Together they had managed to recruit a small contingent of militia from the local inhabitants of Clato. Unfortunately things went downhill after that. Half of them were either lost, dead or quit while tracking the two targets up this blasted, too cold for sanity, mountain range.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHZ8ZIsTTx
In fact, with the way the mission had so far progressed, he had been glad when they had caught up with the target and seen him crest the ridge, vanishing beyond. All hell broke loose later on, however. One of the broadcaster droids had followed them up and survived the trip long enough for federal ships to get a lock on their position and movements, after they made it over the ridge bordering the hanging valley. Just long enough for a hidden gun turret to pick out the droid. The droid's cloaking device was fully functional. Heck, he didn't even know it was there until it's burning parts and shards struck three of their party. If the town hadn’t already been warned of their approach now they were. It was easier to shoot a cloaked droid when you were looking for it.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LrolQ2jo2
The first problem with hiring amateurs is that they panic under fire. They fled in all directions like Paria hens and the combined cloaking failed. That's when he realised the entire valley was a death trap. Gun turrets along the entire vale picked them out from all directions. If it hadn't been for the frag class assaulters that flew into the scene, he would have been lying charred, back there in the dirt. They made for an excellent diversion, and together with Mirza and the operative from Valguard, they harried what few they still could and made it to the town proper.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTui5MNMNA3
By then the sky was filled with all kinds of aircraft. Some were firing at the turrets, some dropping troops, some doing bombing runs, plenty were burning out of the sky but a lot more were coming. Then the League came into the picture and the entire battlefield turned upside down.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60i6i4aJCw
The second problem with hiring amateurs is the emotional attachment. Kalenko realised this the moment his exile militia crossed paths with federal assault troopers. Exiles were one of two . They were either born on the Four Brethren or fled to them. Both had a personal score to settle with the Federation. The two were firing at each other before he could even formulate a counter measure. To make it worse the commanding officer's orders were most likely to apprehend, and eliminate where necessary, any and all exiles. No amount of badge flashing would get him out of this situation fast enough. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEnBC3T9Wd
Mirsa had already come to the same conclusion and more. The League troopers, which Kalenko had only come across in Dosiers, weren't actually there to aid the federal host. When it seemed witnesses were few enough, they fired at federal and exile units alike. The result; everyone was fighting everyone.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7TqwlT6Y8
The home team had still not made an appearance but drones were pouring out of the huge cavernous opening at the far end from whence the town seemed to sprawl out from. Also, from this distance, it seemed all units there were facing heavier resistance than most. League units hadn't made it that far. He couldn't tell from what, but as yet the laser turrets and GTA cannons were doing plenty of damage everywhere. It was there, that he was certain he would find the target.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacWGaIQ7zK
He shot an assault trooper in the back and rolled to take cover next to the mercenary. The heavily armoured league trooper near him was a little too preoccupied with the ion cannons pelting him. Another distraction and a little more time.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0tCIZqEzK
“Still alive, Mr Discreet?” She shouted over the din of nearby explosions.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡid0aUZJ7pV
He grinned “What? Me die and leave a fine lady such as yourself in all this fun alone? Not gonna happen.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgb2TgZskd
“Glad to hear that. So what new game had you in mind seeing as we're fresh out of 'toy soldiers'?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52C9jR4lkc
“Who needs toys to play soldier?” He winked. “This one is called 'duck duck go'! The target is the cave on the other side of town. Just ten blocks away. Are you game?” 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5B2G2be97
She finished checking her newly acquired weaponry, courtesy of the bombed League trooper a few feet away, and slung out a compact mine launcher. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8a73UX2Yz
“Ready when you are.” She smiled seductively. He returned her smile and crawled over to the dead trooper to relieve him of the few hand grenades Mirsa hadn't already done so. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejPQOJRaud
“Ready” he declared when he got back and threw the plasma grenade back into the street. As the Astral class League trooper was lifted of the ground, Mirsa turned and stepped out onto the street. In the two seconds before he followed she had already planted mines on four turrets, their motions already setting the charges off. The lady made guns seem alive, she did. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4qcfT3pZq
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCk30YeeK6e
Layla was the first to reach the cave. Unlike the others she had opted for the roofs. The turrets there were designed mainly for airborne and large enemy units. They had difficulty with fast targets that scaled walls and kept low. Her cloaking device was an added advantage but as an added insurance policy she left timed charges on every turret she passed.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjW7Dt6Ni4
She lay back against the low, slanted roof and calmly surveyed the scene before her.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIVuu0aItT
The mouth of the cave was littered with corpses. Some Nebulon troopers had managed to erect barricades and were returning some fire, but theirs was a hopeless cause without heavy artillery, she didn't even think they knew what they were firing at.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtS3IWexMAu
She pulled out a pair of scopes and zoomed in into the dark cave.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALtTSodr4u
“Where are you?” She spoke calmly. Her ear piece crackled to life with a lot off background noise.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07KMi8irrG
“Not far.” Another explosion went off nearby that fed back through the comm-link.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FRZIyAAeR
“Having fun, I see.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHv04J9omh0
“Well, I guess that's one way of putting it.” the Phantom replied, “What you got?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvKvjkeRJT
“Blast doors 500 paces in and open. Some kind of heavy artillery gun. I'm counting ten of those and manned.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHZo8vGLaR
“I can't tell whether those are battle suits or droids. I've never seen anything like them. There are dozens of them and that's what's been using the assault troopers as target practice.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIuK7Lonr2
“Great!” He shouted as another chorus of explosions rocked a few buildings closer now. "We need a decoy. Any chance you can borrow a few rides for us?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBwzA2jkGZ
“Already on it boss.” She had already unclipped a slender case off her back and was in the midst of assembling a rather long rifle. She spied a retinue of some League Crawlers coming into the foray from her right “Decoys coming up. EMP override in 20 seconds. Infiltration in 60. Be ready for your ride then. I'll be right behind you Ghost.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMJrBlNKOS
“Roger that Psycho” and another explosion went off 2 buildings down from a different direction. She eyed it for a moment, thinking, then went back to her business of setting up her rifle. Which she finished a few seconds later and loaded the cartridge with the ammunition.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiUR0DpKOg
She propped herself up a bit and took aim. “Here goes”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7E85j48fds
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZoWtiR1Fv
Mirsa saw the three crawlers veer suddenly towards the cave and accelerate just as they cleared the streets and came to the large open space in front of the cave. Their Shields were at full power and visible from their distance. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVnNlp1AjE
She acted out of pure instinct and ran towards them. Barely managing to scream for Kalenko to follow. It took him a split second to realise what was happening, and he was soon beside her sprinting across the battlefield under heavy fire.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEG9NHzctsx
They sprang on to one of the crawlers as it veered left to right and held on for dear life. The impact at those speeds was jarring. He thought it wondrous he hadn't been thrown off or crushed as the crawlers swept into the cave with a rush. He was exhilarated and, for some reason, glad to see Mirsa was in her element.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3rBuG03h2
His moment of euphoria was abruptly cut off as he heard the whine of thrusters behind them. They both turned to see 4 drones from the defence, fly in right behind them and open fire. His blood went cold and he thought his time had finally come.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDjnlFEGx1
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nZvrc0Xdu
“Dammit Layla, can't you fly these things nicely. You'll throw me off”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtPze0qDci
“Give me some credit here!” She screamed back. “ I'm controlling seven alien military units with one hand whilst holding on for sanity. What more do you want from a girl?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8HsdSOvVR
“That she fly straight!” He grit his teeth.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRjUhXDbN3
“You whine too much.” she said as the drones did another evasive manuever and fired at the battle suits and manned gun turrets.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavPi5cQUnS
"Remind me again why I finally let you tag along for a field mission?" He yelled559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgpZFI3T0b
"Because I'm bored and I might die before I step out of that tin can ship of ours!"559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslrgqQp9kN
"Then why do I have the feeling I'm the one who should be worried about dying!?"559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWJmuxjd02
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTO8LQESQ9
The bulldozing crawlers didn't fare so well. One veered straight into the strange ray the turrets were shooting. The shields saved it but they also failed, whilst it lost control and veered left and right to crash into the other crawlers. They too swerved about, but at those speeds and that distance, there wasn't much the defenders could do to stop it.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFIuk1bzLF
They made to retreat and abandon their stations, but that too was too little too late. Turrets were torn, battlesuits were either swatted aside or crushed as the crawlers bulldozed, flipped and careened through the tunnel and the drones flew in tow ,where they crashed past the blast doors. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbI4OsLC39n
Kalenko and the mercenary let go when the ride got choppy, rolling as they hit the ground. They quickly came to a stop thanks to all the wreckage. They had to duck, though, as the drones flew by low and fired another hail. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3V6Ma8ZB8T
A few shots must have finally hit the spot because one of the crawlers exploded and the drones flew into the blast a second later. They too exploded taking with them more battlesuits and infantry.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwd7ftTMGwZ
Kalenko and Mirsa got up slowly, shakily and painfully. The blast doors were still open, and for a moment he could see both worlds, disoriented and trying to make heads or tails out of what just happened. Even Mirsa's confusion was apparent.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqI9t8yhBB7
They decided to ask questions later and get a move on before everyone else recovered. They slowly began to limp and walk off the pain , onwards through the carnage of broken turrets and mangled battlesuits, towards that ever elusive target.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxK5jVRfV3T
The aggressors recovered first, and advanced into the cavernous tunnel when they were just a few paces from crossing over. Their front line made up of ATS disrupter vehicles, accompanied by those ever imposing League Astral class battlesuits, and covering ground at a rapid pace.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgHF7r413I
Another blast went off inside. It must have been another one of those drones. It had started a fire, the inferno spreading to all the wreckages and making a small barrier. Then the huge blast door started to slide down and close. Someone on the defence had their head back in gear. They certainly understood the meaning of haste and urgency.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFRqCRdK2T
They ran but didn't stop when they got through, those disrupter vehicles were fast on their heels. Quite a few units would make it through but that blast door was simply too vast to hold up. It would have been almost akin to holding the mountain itself and any that got in would be cut off from the outside. Either way they didn't want to be caught in the cross fire. So on they ran.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBQv0EzscH
Onwards, jumping headlong through the fire, where they came out on the other side in two identical rolls, and got up running. They stopped themselves short however, as they took in the scene before them.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88LQU243aF
Behind them they heard the steady whines and thrummings of moving military vehicles and personnel, as they came rolling over and around the burning wreckage. The two had to backpedal further into the gigantic cavern, for fear of being run over. The assailants stopped short as well, as they took in their adversaries.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgyt9HQ7o9
A long silence fell across the cavern broken only by the sound of more marching as more units made it into the cavern. The attackers from Nebulon and the League were staring at every gun and every able body that yet remained in battlegear. At every drone and droid remaining in Ode. The defenders were still outnumbered but no-one looked inclined to give any quarter. Behind them the rest of the town was holed up behind another closed blast door.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5ZCA48oob
With deafening finality the blast door closed, echoing throughout the cavern, then silence fell. Both sides roared and surged forward to clash. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnX0fyKVjxi
Then a searing bright white light from the podium off the left The Phantom came down hard on the Lowman Assault trooper. From a general physiological understanding he knew something would break – just not what – so the crunching sound upon his landing was one he didn't dwell on. He didn't have the time either. Chaos reigned everywhere, all adversaries on edge and the trooper next to him was already mid-swivel with his blaster raised, barrel glowing.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAnGGKmxdg
He caught the wrong end of Layla's thrum-staff however, which smashed his helm in and knocked him backwards to the ground. The surprised trooper let go some stray shots from his automatic blaster as he went down. One of them took out a class one vector drone. Standard issue--for all League frigates.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12tk0W1FVT
Well that was just wonderful. If the League had brought a whole entire frigate then this wasn't a regular run off the mill such as had been implied by his client. He would claim an extra fee later but first...559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepeAgfuERi
“Layla, how'd you miss an entire frigate?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2rISXSyfQ
“Oh come on they have shields most people can only dream of. Besides it probably arrived after we made land fall and I won't pick up anything from down here, what with all the signal jamming. Now quit your whining and watch your back.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQJclgOrQz
“Why, when I know you've always got it covered” he pulled out his sonar disrupter and shot two League paratroopers in rapid succession that had sought to intercept them. They went flying into the heap of rubble that was once a building. He finally got his bearings and headed left along a back alley whilst she took the right. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLlBxfPiSn
He was headed towards the yawning cavernous entrance where the main event was taking place. Hopefully he would get there without much hindrance. His combat gear had a cloaking mechanism for sound, visibility and heat, but it wasn't so effective when one was running through an active war zone. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqzVmqk1vQ
It bought him a little time though. Enough to zip by or take out a threat before it registered and reacted. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zuVCfi7jw
The chaos and carnage was for now working in his favour, but clarity as to who fought who, was somewhat obscure. There seemed to be 4 different adversaries, including the actual defenders, and they were all shooting and blowing each other up. The details of their objectives were unclear. Everyone here was here for the same target, that was clear.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvacIkTihuj
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rAIMfxgWQ
Gorann Kalenko had joined forces with the mercenary from Valguard. Together they had managed to recruit a small contingent of militia from the local inhabitants of Clato. Unfortunately things went downhill after that. Half of them were either lost, dead or quit while tracking the two targets up this blasted, too cold for sanity, mountain range.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5k4uhw7uf
In fact, with the way the mission had so far progressed, he had been glad when they had caught up with the target and seen him crest the ridge, vanishing beyond. All hell broke loose later on, however. One of the broadcaster droids had followed them up and survived the trip long enough for federal ships to get a lock on their position and movements, after they made it over the ridge bordering the hanging valley. Just long enough for a hidden gun turret to pick out the droid. The droid's cloaking device was fully functional. Heck, he didn't even know it was there until it's burning parts and shards struck three of their party. If the town hadn’t already been warned of their approach now they were. It was easier to shoot a cloaked droid when you were looking for it.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBUCznh20l
The first problem with hiring amateurs is that they panic under fire. They fled in all directions like Paria hens and the combined cloaking failed. That's when he realised the entire valley was a death trap. Gun turrets along the entire vale picked them out from all directions. If it hadn't been for the frag class assaulters that flew into the scene, he would have been lying charred, back there in the dirt. They made for an excellent diversion, and together with Mirza and the operative from Valguard, they harried what few they still could and made it to the town proper.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgmzkDqJn0
By then the sky was filled with all kinds of aircraft. Some were firing at the turrets, some dropping troops, some doing bombing runs, plenty were burning out of the sky but a lot more were coming. Then the League came into the picture and the entire battlefield turned upside down.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipSHFoR3xV
The second problem with hiring amateurs is the emotional attachment. Kalenko realised this the moment his exile militia crossed paths with federal assault troopers. Exiles were one of two . They were either born on the Four Brethren or fled to them. Both had a personal score to settle with the Federation. The two were firing at each other before he could even formulate a counter measure. To make it worse the commanding officer's orders were most likely to apprehend, and eliminate where necessary, any and all exiles. No amount of badge flashing would get him out of this situation fast enough. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRrdUdDMse
Mirsa had already come to the same conclusion and more. The League troopers, which Kalenko had only come across in Dosiers, weren't actually there to aid the federal host. When it seemed witnesses were few enough, they fired at federal and exile units alike. The result; everyone was fighting everyone.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXL61ya6seF
The home team had still not made an appearance but drones were pouring out of the huge cavernous opening at the far end from whence the town seemed to sprawl out from. Also, from this distance, it seemed all units there were facing heavier resistance than most. League units hadn't made it that far. He couldn't tell from what, but as yet the laser turrets and GTA cannons were doing plenty of damage everywhere. It was there, that he was certain he would find the target.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnv9dSxDCc4
He shot an assault trooper in the back and rolled to take cover next to the mercenary. The heavily armoured league trooper near him was a little too preoccupied with the ion cannons pelting him. Another distraction and a little more time.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCvM8chFU9
“Still alive, Mr Discreet?” She shouted over the din of nearby explosions.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mLHQd18un
He grinned “What? Me die and leave a fine lady such as yourself in all this fun alone? Not gonna happen.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYTDQopBdH
“Glad to hear that. So what new game had you in mind seeing as we're fresh out of 'toy soldiers'?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEvnbPKeoO
“Who needs toys to play soldier?” He winked. “This one is called 'duck duck go'! The target is the cave on the other side of town. Just ten blocks away. Are you game?” 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmIgdnogGf
She finished checking her newly acquired weaponry, courtesy of the bombed League trooper a few feet away, and slung out a compact mine launcher. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqd6ifvYQLq
“Ready when you are.” She smiled seductively. He returned her smile and crawled over to the dead trooper to relieve him of the few hand grenades Mirsa hadn't already done so. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkTZ7cpyic
“Ready” he declared when he got back and threw the plasma grenade back into the street. As the Astral class League trooper was lifted of the ground, Mirsa turned and stepped out onto the street. In the two seconds before he followed she had already planted mines on four turrets, their motions already setting the charges off. The lady made guns seem alive, she did. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWTuML4rWj
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Layla was the first to reach the cave. Unlike the others she had opted for the roofs. The turrets there were designed mainly for airborne and large enemy units. They had difficulty with fast targets that scaled walls and kept low. Her cloaking device was an added advantage but as an added insurance policy she left timed charges on every turret she passed.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MiSKCgQCy
She lay back against the low, slanted roof and calmly surveyed the scene before her.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRiOc0mG78
The mouth of the cave was littered with corpses. Some Nebulon troopers had managed to erect barricades and were returning some fire, but theirs was a hopeless cause without heavy artillery, she didn't even think they knew what they were firing at.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy42UXqXRNU
She pulled out a pair of scopes and zoomed in into the dark cave.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJDe1Q6pDY
“Where are you?” She spoke calmly. Her ear piece crackled to life with a lot off background noise.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wjJql8EDr
“Not far.” Another explosion went off nearby that fed back through the comm-link.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIhrAwi8hg
“Having fun, I see.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCIM2BPnEN
“Well, I guess that's one way of putting it.” the Phantom replied, “What you got?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnY3QSzuART
“Blast doors 500 paces in and open. Some kind of heavy artillery gun. I'm counting ten of those and manned.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkieA5l6a3v
“I can't tell whether those are battle suits or droids. I've never seen anything like them. There are dozens of them and that's what's been using the assault troopers as target practice.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFAe97gJbS
“Great!” He shouted as another chorus of explosions rocked a few buildings closer now. "We need a decoy. Any chance you can borrow a few rides for us?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfbn7Sggnt
“Already on it boss.” She had already unclipped a slender case off her back and was in the midst of assembling a rather long rifle. She spied a retinue of some League Crawlers coming into the foray from her right “Decoys coming up. EMP override in 20 seconds. Infiltration in 60. Be ready for your ride then. I'll be right behind you Ghost.”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RyoL0cHgU
“Roger that Psycho” and another explosion went off 2 buildings down from a different direction. She eyed it for a moment, thinking, then went back to her business of setting up her rifle. Which she finished a few seconds later and loaded the cartridge with the ammunition.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYOreZHEEX
She propped herself up a bit and took aim. “Here goes”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oEMZtKrEE
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjao6sLlEYV
Mirsa saw the three crawlers veer suddenly towards the cave and accelerate just as they cleared the streets and came to the large open space in front of the cave. Their Shields were at full power and visible from their distance. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePljNZzPmo
She acted out of pure instinct and ran towards them. Barely managing to scream for Kalenko to follow. It took him a split second to realise what was happening, and he was soon beside her sprinting across the battlefield under heavy fire.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPT246EW1G
They sprang on to one of the crawlers as it veered left to right and held on for dear life. The impact at those speeds was jarring. He thought it wondrous he hadn't been thrown off or crushed as the crawlers swept into the cave with a rush. He was exhilarated and, for some reason, glad to see Mirsa was in her element.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99MSnlYhqf
His moment of euphoria was abruptly cut off as he heard the whine of thrusters behind them. They both turned to see 4 drones from the defence, fly in right behind them and open fire. His blood went cold and he thought his time had finally come.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYi8N3DswE
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“Dammit Layla, can't you fly these things nicely. You'll throw me off”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzFJCE9fKs
“Give me some credit here!” She screamed back. “ I'm controlling seven alien military units with one hand whilst holding on for sanity. What more do you want from a girl?”559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFJo1PoAv6
“That she fly straight!” He grit his teeth.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeRiakuTSC
“You whine too much.” she said as the drones did another evasive manuever and fired at the battle suits and manned gun turrets.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSd8cIUuLfM
"Remind me again why I finally let you tag along for a field mission?" He yelled559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57iAk4YJ46
"Because I'm bored and I might die before I step out of that tin can ship of ours!"559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycSqc9vEvl
"Then why do I have the feeling I'm the one who should be worried about dying!?"559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWOZUTpjzl
#559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0kkmszeZj
The bulldozing crawlers didn't fare so well. One veered straight into the strange ray the turrets were shooting. The shields saved it but they also failed, whilst it lost control and veered left and right to crash into the other crawlers. They too swerved about, but at those speeds and that distance, there wasn't much the defenders could do to stop it.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrRMkdrZlu
They made to retreat and abandon their stations, but that too was too little too late. Turrets were torn, battlesuits were either swatted aside or crushed as the crawlers bulldozed, flipped and careened through the tunnel and the drones flew in tow ,where they crashed past the blast doors. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDVgDtliPi
Kalenko and the mercenary let go when the ride got choppy, rolling as they hit the ground. They quickly came to a stop thanks to all the wreckage. They had to duck, though, as the drones flew by low and fired another hail. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sRqWnzWbe
A few shots must have finally hit the spot because one of the crawlers exploded and the drones flew into the blast a second later. They too exploded taking with them more battlesuits and infantry.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOf38c6edaF
Kalenko and Mirsa got up slowly, shakily and painfully. The blast doors were still open, and for a moment he could see both worlds, disoriented and trying to make heads or tails out of what just happened. Even Mirsa's confusion was apparent.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiEIRWnflt
They decided to ask questions later and get a move on before everyone else recovered. They slowly began to limp and walk off the pain , onwards through the carnage of broken turrets and mangled battlesuits, towards that ever elusive target.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9ZYkGNR8w
The aggressors recovered first, and advanced into the cavernous tunnel when they were just a few paces from crossing over. Their front line made up of ATS disrupter vehicles, accompanied by those ever imposing League Astral class battlesuits, and covering ground at a rapid pace.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAhrmjPtB1
Another blast went off inside. It must have been another one of those drones. It had started a fire, the inferno spreading to all the wreckages and making a small barrier. Then the huge blast door started to slide down and close. Someone on the defence had their head back in gear. They certainly understood the meaning of haste and urgency.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8iz8om7S9S
They ran but didn't stop when they got through, those disrupter vehicles were fast on their heels. Quite a few units would make it through but that blast door was simply too vast to hold up. It would have been almost akin to holding the mountain itself and any that got in would be cut off from the outside. Either way they didn't want to be caught in the cross fire. So on they ran.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmr2sM7SMH
Onwards, jumping headlong through the fire, where they came out on the other side in two identical rolls, and got up running. They stopped themselves short however, as they took in the scene before them.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXE6HuT5rN
Behind them they heard the steady whines and thrummings of moving military vehicles and personnel, as they came rolling over and around the burning wreckage. The two had to backpedal further into the gigantic cavern, for fear of being run over. The assailants stopped short as well, as they took in their adversaries.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8eOcuHLDh
A long silence fell across the cavern broken only by the sound of more marching as more units made it into the cavern. The attackers from Nebulon and the League were staring at every gun and every able body that yet remained in battlegear. At every drone and droid remaining in Ode. The defenders were still outnumbered but no-one looked inclined to give any quarter. Behind them the rest of the town was holed up behind another closed blast door.559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSTLmU0yLU
With deafening finality the blast door closed, echoing throughout the cavern, then silence fell. Both sides roared and surged forward to clash. 559Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbEvwvrqeX
Then a searing bright white light from the podium off the left wall lit up the entire cavern.
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