Several hours earlier.
Admiral Lee cursed, "keep clear of that artillery unit's range. How did they get an artillery emplacement set up so quickly?" He looked around the room and saw one of the bridge crew looking pale in the face.
"Sir… it is a heavily modified version of one of our walker mecha. They turned it into a mobile artillery and missile launcher unit." The crew member reported.
Admiral Lee cursed again but this time he had to resist the smile that wanted to appear. It was impressive, it had been less than a week and they already found a way to use one of the mecha they took from the federation.
"Sir the Victorium are heading straight to the empire's base. We have a feed from one of our ships." The crew member pulled up the video feed. They watched as the dropships flew straight towards the base but then a missile launched and hit the front of the leading dropship.
The captain cursed in surprise, "was that a shield? How can something that small have a shield?" The blue of the shield was there blocking the shot. Then suddenly more missiles were launched but this time several rounds of high velocity heavy rounds smashed into the shields ahead of them.
There was static and then he saw something he had never seen before, the shields broke. Then the missiles landed and the drop ship veered off crashing. The dropships behind the first one immediately moved away but not before the mecha managed to disable the second dropship's shields.
"Someone make sure that recording is saved. Get our people down there and secure that dropship-" Admiral Lee started.
"Sir, the second drop ship was destroyed. The stolen mecha destroyed it with artillery shells. But its occupants managed to disembark." A crew member interrupted him.
This time Admiral Lee did not hide his smile. "Damn, whoever is piloting that mecha is impressive. Get our people on the ground. Secure one of those dropships and get it aboard a cutter. Also tell our troops to secure as much Victorium tech and biological remains as possible."
"Sir?" The captain seemed surprised.
"With the Victorium distracted by the empire it should be easier for us to get one of those ships. But it will not be a cakewalk. We will still lose people but it has now become an achievable objective." Admiral Lee responded. The empire may not know it but they saved many of his soldiers today.
"The Border of Downfall it is called?"
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Tani nodded her head in confirmation, "we should send Cadet Steel, he is a better hacker then I am. He will get the data more quickly than I could."
"Very well, call him over and then go join the others." Sergeant Kalil responded. Amusingly enough the two had gone through the academy together.
Tani clicked her comlink, contacting Steel directly. "Steel, get over here." She picked up one of the data collection devices and as Steel was running up she handed it to him and took his assault rifle, it would be difficult to navigate the hole the mining device made with the gun.
She then ran over to the sandbags where their line of defense was. She raised her gun and fired off a few shots. The Victorium had apparently gotten more aggressive after they saw Cadet Steel leave the frontline.
He was having a bit too great of an impact. But Tani wasn't made a corporal during peaceful times on luck alone. She sucked in her breath and activated her ability. The system gave a display as she saw all of the enemies in sight.
She quickly moved the rifle firing three shots at each of the enemies she saw killing a few unarmored ones. But the armored ones just backed up into cover. She continued like that for a few minutes before the aliens changed tactics.
"Shit!" She cursed as they were moving a piece of metal debris. It looked like it was from one of the federation ships. "Kalil we have a new issue-" She stopped as instead of moving slowly the moving shield ran forward. She focused her attack on it.
It ran right through the sandbag barricade tossing aside Private Feathertail like he was nothing. It then tossed its metal shield at Cadet Santez knocking him down. Presenting its red feathered form it made a dash towards the back of the base where the mining equipment had dug a hole.
"Focus on the others I got this one!" She called out as she chased it down. The Corporal of the Bird's Nest focused the others on the wave of aliens that were now trying to break through.
Tani chased it down, past the war table which was sliced in half. This alien was quick and strong. Ahead she saw it trying to cut Kalil in half but he had Steels shotgun in one hand, spitting out bursts of fire. While in Kalil's other hand was his family's old scimitar sword.
She arrived just as the creature managed to slice the shotgun in half. It then went to attack Kalil but Tani fired a few shots catching the alien off guard. The alien flinched as the bullets deflected off its armor and the shielding that was covering its body.
It looked back at her while Kalil jumped forward sweeping his blade down. The alien sidestepped and jumped towards Tani. Cutting the rifle in half and knocking her down. It moved so quickly she was caught off guard.
She rolled to the side and kicked it in what looked like its knee. Then she flipped up and pulled out her knife but before she got a chance to use it. The sword was sweeping downwards on a trajectory for her head. She instinctively knew the helmet would not do much to protect her. She was dead.
But then her body moved against her will as she was pushed to the side. Something had barreled into her side. As she flew through the air she managed to catch a glimpse as Kalil's left arm was cut clean off.
Then the alien dodged out of Kalil's own sword strike and the alien cut off his right leg with another clean cut. Causing him to collapse and to finally scream in pain. Then it disappeared but Tani could still see it moving to the hole even while it was invisible. It was slightly disturbing the sand as it moved.
Tani ran over, fighting back tears. "Kalil!" She ran up and looked down at his body. "I am sorry, I should have trusted you could handle it on your own."
"It's fine Tani," Kalil responded through gritted teeth, "Warn Cadet Steel."
That's right! Cadet Steel was still in the ship, "Cadet Steel, one got past us. He can turn invisible." She looked over at the place where the squads were fighting, they had several injured. They would not be able to hold out much longer. "We are being pushed out of the base. Contact the Border when you get out of that ship."
Tani then picked up Kalil, "Bird's Nest and Desert Dogs we are leaving. Raider-01 we need immediate extraction, we are being overrun." She carried Sargeant Kalil and when Private Wise saw her approaching she jumped over the sandbags and began firing her grenade launcher while their Osprey and its escorting Hawks flew in.
"Get the injured on the Osprey!" She called out as its rear door opened. She walked up the ramp and set Kalil down in one of the chairs. A few others, mostly the cadets were brought in as well. Most of the damage are concussions and burn wounds. She walked to the back of the Osprey and observed. Quickly counting, the only person they were missing was Steel.
She looked over at Wise who was laying down covering fire with her grenade launcher. "Wise get in the Osprey, it is time to go." Wise nodded and jumped into the back with her as the rear ramp closed. "Go Raider-01." She walked into the cockpit area and watched as they took off out of the open area.
If she thought the battle on the ground was heavy, she had not been listening to the sky. The Border of Downfall was in orbit, it had just finished shooting down a Union cutter. While one of the alien ships the size of a cruiser was flying over to their area.
The Osprey shook as it dodged blue bolts of fire coming from the alien ship. "Hold on!" The pilot called out. "This is Raider-01, I need a landing spot in the Border! What do you have for me?"
"Radier-01, the side you are closest to is too hot. Fly to the other side of the Border and land in hangar 2." The communication officer answered the pilot's request.
The ship flipped as it flew around. But below she could see the alien ship. Below the ship it looked like purple energy was covering the area just above their base. The sand was rising. "They are moving the ship." Tani quickly clicked her comlink, "Steel you should get out of there. They are going to pull the ship out of the ground and probably off the planet."
There was no response.