RP: YSS Eucharis [Mission 25] Stolen Pride (YE 38)

Canyon

Years of training were starting to show themselves for her.

The roar of the jets overhead. The heat from the rockets. Even the sight of the Rixxikor landing behind them.

Mao didn't even have time to worry about the young naval officer she watched get hit. Not while Hime-sama was still out in the open and potentially exposed to a torrent of enemy fire. So Mao kept a healthy clip and always tried to put herself between Hanako and the Rixxikor mob . . . even if it wouldn't have done much good against a large, concentrated volley of fire. It wasn't until they were finally in the "cover" provided by the canyon that she moved slightly away from Hanako again. She drew her Type 33 and found cover behind a larger rock before taking stock of the situation.

Outnumbered. Outgunned.

Mao looked to the tarp covering two of the ship's crew and the Nepleslian war hero.

And they were being burdened by wounded.

An Eihei didn't function exactly like other NH-33 variants. Her metabolism was radically different as part of what supported her own unique abilities. Which meant that energy consumption and recuperation were different for her as well. It was with her skin turning steely gray and a grim expression that Mao came to a conclusion. It was one or two days at calm gait. Maybe an hour or two flying at full speed. And there was a small army of foul-mouthed and foul-smelling bugs chasing them with air support. Mao could run, or she could fight. She couldn't do both.

Just as she was set to announce this to Hime-sama and go charging off into an early certain death, her charge announced her plan.

She spoke to the Yamataian Admiral through telepathy in their secured link, "An excellent idea, Hime-sama. I will divert the attention of the whole to the best of my ability, and hunt out any rocketeers among them."

And with that Mao was off.

She wasn't running so much as she was flying so close to the ground that she could kick her legs for the illusion. Iaido was a school that taught restraint until the moment it was deemed necessary to act, and then acting with full lethality and purpose. So there was no flair or style or movie-esque motion when the odachi came free from its scabbard for Mao to rest the blade over one shoulder. With her "off" hand she fired of burst of fire at the nearest Rixxikor gunmen, side-stepping returning fire with the natural speed of her race, and firing until the magazine ran empty. And then it was blade work.

She moved like vapor. In one second she would be there. In the next she would be gone. And before her target could finish some anger-stirred tirade against her mother the cool metal of the blade would be driven into one ear and out the other or carved cleanly through the temple. There was no flash or pomp or style to make a movie director proud and instead there was only the crisp and clear movements to work against her foes. She could almost be accused of making it look effortless to do, or at least not very difficult. But there was an ocean of the bugs and only one Yojimbo at their front.

She could feel her breathing getting heavier and could guess that another variant of NH-33 would have started sweating by now.

She broadcast telepathically to the rest of the ship's crew in the canyon, "If anybody would be willing to start destroying those accursed jets so that we can begin a withdrawal, I would be most grateful."

Incredibly calm sounding for a woman flanked by a sea of foul bugs.

Surface

Natsumi was beside Hanake. She had no plans of leaving her Shosho's side unless she absolutly had too. She had adiquate cover, for now, and two fully charged power cells for her NSP. One in the weapon, one spare in it's storage pouch on her belt. It wasn't as much ammo as she needed, but it would have to do, she needed to make every shot count.

She held her pistol in a two handed grip, leaning out from cover, she joined the general attack on the mass of bugman invaders. While she may not have been as flashy as some of the others, she delivered well aimed, prescice shots. The first of which burned through the center of mass of a rixxicore barreling towards them, leaving a smoking hole through his chest.

"Plan sounds simple enough" Natsumi replied to Hanako as she ducked back behind cover to avoid a smattering of retaliatory fire. "Shame we don't have an anti armor gun to deal with those fighters!" she added.

Popping back out enough to bring her NSP to bear, she loosed three more shots in short order. One of the blue white blasts entered a rixxicore skull via an eye socket and proceeded to vaporize whatever it had for a brain.

There were so many of them. Even with the dent they were making, and some of them were making a serious dent in them! There were hundreds of the bugs against less than a dozen of them. The math was not good. She wished the logistics crew had forgone one of the supply crates in favor of a MINDY or DAISY instead!

Bisen Lighthouse, First Floor (Utility)

For a nekovalkyrja, flying for long periods was much like holding your arms straight outwards. Sounds easy, something you think of yourself as doing all the time, until you are actually forced to do it continuously without break for two hours straight. Tsuguka had trained in this task arduously back in her earliest days of construction, but it still always felt like a loosing battle, just waiting for that moment when your bodily fuel reserves burn to nothing, and your concentration is the only thing keeping you from plummeting to a less than soft landing...

Finally, the small outpost came into view, and they began working on getting inside the complex. Didn't seem to be any exterior signs of tampering. The soldier pumped a round into the chamber of her shotgun regardless, the metallic crunching sound reverberating foreboding along the lifeless craggy outcrop.

Taii Umeshu's news of the away team being under attack didn't change her stoic expression. It's not like their course of action had changed. Worrying about it would not make their task any more efficient. A deeper part of her psyche was already reserved to the fact that either they would be trapped here to the point of starving to death, or that things were going to result in a fight some time or another. It was still just a question of survival for now, until they had something better than pepples to throw at the unseen enemies that had orchestrated all this.

Inside now. Mitsuko's call for her taking point was immediately recognized. Tsuguka ignored the inventory and left that task to the specialists, moving room to room with her specialism, the barrel of a gun. Store room on the ground floor looked clear enough. Didn't even look that dilapidated, probably because the planet lacked any plant life to worm it's way inside the sealed environment. If anything, the silence was more off putting than anything.

"Clear. I'm moving up to the next floor, Taii." The crimson lynx briskly took the ladder, and began ascending to the next floor. The elevator was just a booby trap waiting to happen. "Tell me if anyone is going straight to the shuttle, please. I'll escort them."

Second Floor (Storage)

It was a rapid motion. If somebody else was hiding in here, they would hear the team coming. Candon would probably be trained a lot better in this sort of thing, Tsuguka realized, but she imagined that the man was probably better suited to dealing with the bigger picture at the minute, and that made her the go-to dirty worker.

The butt of her weapon was used to set off the door opening mechanisms at arm's length, pistol held ready in her left hand. Too many small, enclosed rooms. There could be a trip wire behind anyone of them. A directional mine, facing downwards from above the inside of the doorway, that's what she would do...

But so far, nothing. What gives? If the enemy just wanted to steal their technology, how much they already apparently considered useless was not boding well...

<"Clear, Taii. Moving up to the third floor."> Like a whisper in the ear, telepathic messages really did feel much too personal. But needs must. <"Try not to walk in front of anything that looks a little irregular, please.">

Bisen lighthouse


Candon could easily remember people looking down on his paranoia like it was a bad thing. It was situations like this that made him glad that he was always prepared. After flying as fast as he physically could the entire way to the Bisen station he was in no rush back. A battle didn't change a thing at their distance.

Reynolds said:

Bisen Lighthouse


While waiting her turn, she looked back the way they had come. "There's something..." She mumbled, half to herself, squinting behind her glasses as her vision zoomed as far as it could. "Ships." That was all she could determine at this distance, before she had to return to look at what was right in front of her, making her way inside after the others. She frowned as Umeshu reported in on the communication she'd received. "I assume those were the ships I spotted, although they were too far away to make out any details." Even at this distance, metal shapes in the sky were fairly easy to classify. "...they located our leader and the two civilians, but paid no attention to the only structure on the entire planet?" She shared another look with Suites, before shaking her head.

Click to expand...

"They're not looking for an empty building," Candon explained, "but they probably know we're here. Better be quick." He headed inside moving directly to floor 3. Approaching the computer terminal he kneeled down and opened the service panel. He drew his NSP and turned on the the flashlight to inspect the wiring. "Looks good," he muttered and started the system. The OS loaded and Candon logged in as 'admin' followed by a 10 digit password. The holographic screen went blank and then returned with different settings.

Opening a command prompt he began scripting an encrypted channel to another SAINT operative who owed him a favor. Once established and secured he received a video conference invite. Choosing to accept a new screen appeared showing his friend, a Neko who's features resembled something closer to a young boy. "I liked your other face better," She said with a frown, "did you really have to look like one of them?"

"Good to see you too, Kai," Candon replied sarcastically, "I'm in a spot and need some help."
"Well that's obvious, this line goes back when we killed Traize," she stated coldly, "what do you want."
"The man's money, access to all eight bil," He answered just as stiffly, "and silence. The entire sector around UX-1 needs to be blank for a while. Only word out on fifteen sixty-four, but I need data coming in with no restrictions."
"Done…," she shrugged, "what are you up to Candy?"
"Ship got jacked and I want it back," he answered quickly. Kai's face turned red and her cold voice turned to ice, "Candon, you realize that your career is over. If word gets out.. I gave too damn much to this empire to see it harmed. If you fail don't came back."
"Solid copy, over and out," he shrugged and ended the call.
'You used to trust at least me.'

Bisen Lighthouse

Umeshu nodded to Mitsuko, and let Toyoe lead the way upwards through the ladder to the second floor. As the purple skinned officer drew her NSP from its holster stalking through the rooms behind the shotgun wielding red infantrywoman, worry and doubt were also creeping through the corridors of her mind. What of the Shosho and the ensuing firefight... vulnerable and outgunned, could Hanako persevere as the legends said of her bravery? And, deeper still in her heart was an undeniable ache as an image of a certain young engineer torn apart by the Rixxikor's claws and gunfire flashed through her consciousness, those warm lips she longed to kiss again left pale and lifeless. She wasn't going to let that future come to pass. Jax-san... be strong... I'm coming for you...

The officer tried to close her eyes and will the fears and her lingering fatigue away, as the Joto Hei addressing her as 'Taii' helped to once again focus on what was in the moment before her as her martial arts discipline called for. Everything in the lighthouse so far was pristine and the storage area located here unmolested. "Hai, Tsuguka-hei. I'm right behind you. It seems clear so far..." she transmitted back securely.

As the pair ascended to the third floor where command and control was located, Umeshu stole a glance to the right across the holographic work table that was silent and dark and spied what looked like Candon at the console with the panel open. Somehow he had gotten ahead of them during their floor-by-floor search, and was apparently bypassing the normal AIES computer's security measures... but for what purpose? Was there a virus planted in the lighthouse the hacker was combating, or...? She walked over with a curious look as he seemed to be conversing with someone when the feed went blank. "Suites-hei, just what are you doing?"

No sooner had she asked the question than various crashing and rumbling sounds shook the structure, as obscenities and curses in harsh Trade filtered up through the access hatches and lifts from below. Service pistol still in hand, the operations officer quickly went over to the terminal to the left of the one the SAINT agent was using and accessed the AIES, bringing up a camera feed of level one as the airlocks were flooding with the Rixxikor raiding party. "It looks like they are here. A transport full of them..."

Umeshu remained at the console a few moments longer, trying to physically seal the entry points behind the enemies that were inside and prevent additional reinforcements, as well as quickly accessing imagery of level 6, where the shuttle bay was located... only to find nothing there.

Canyon

Whether Wazu followed or not was his business as she reach a place that was behind makeshift lines of defense or the Eucharis crew last stand of Defiance against the Rixxikors . Aikiko set her down in a semi-sitting position in a hard to find spot. She removed the Poncho and used that to cover Blackberry to make sure her exposed wound was covered. Then raised her knees a bit to slow the blood flow to her feet and found a rock to support her knees to keep the majority of the blood in the upper part of her body to leviate the symptoms of shock and keep higher functions alive.

Canyon edge

With pounding head and impaired vision, Marcus sat in the alcove he'd chosen, weapon pointed at the small entrance, and waited. No bugs had, apparently, thought to look for the culprit who created a rockslide that killed over a hundred of their comrades. Too high a risk, perhaps? Maybe they just didn't care that much? Surely Marcus couldn't be the primary target. Who outside of the Eucharis crew and a handful of Yamataian officials would even know he existed? They were, quite obviously, after someone else. The assumption as to whom that would be didn't take a grand leap to make.

So, given the lack of interest the bugs had in him, and the mandatory recovery time from using his modifications to the extent that he'd done, he listened. The sound of fighting was obvious. He heard the distinct sounds of gunfire, battle cries, sword slashes and explosions. He heard the rocket launch, and the subsequent blast as it contacted the fighter. The screaming of engines as they tried to recover, and the crash of an aircraft followed. None of these were unusual sounds to him. In fact, he felt almost comfortable with their ambiance filling the air. His part of Ayenee had become quiet lately. Battles of any sort of magnitude just didn't happen in the midst of the capitol city. The fighting continued on, and he waited. He'd be fairly well useless if he tried to get up and contribute more to the fighting now.

The problem, he noticed, was that only one rocket had been fired...and only one ship crashed. Hanako's plan mandated that all three fighters be taken out. Marcus sighed. He could hear the other two screaming above as they circled the canyon, taking quick shots at Yamataian combatants when, apparently, no Rixxicor fighters were too close.

"You're gonna regret this, Marcus." He said. "Last time you pulled a stupid stunt like this Katarina was there to bail you out. You're on your own this time. No big sister to come help. Gotta be careful about playing the hero."

A clawed arm, bullet wound across his back, acid burn on one leg, blurred vision and unbelievable headache contended with him as he stood and made his way out of the alcove and over to the pile of stones he'd created. After grabbing another fallen rifle, he winced and grimaced as he climbed, stopping near the top of the pile to rig up two more bullets with different material than he'd used before. This time, as well, he used the Rixxicor's weapon to do it.

"You're supposed to be a business executive, Marcus. They expect you to cower in fear and wait for the fighting to end. Why not oblige them?" He stuck his head out from behind the new hill of rocks and observed the scene beyond. Still hundreds of insect-like raiders swarmed around the canyon. There was minimal tactic to their movements, but it didn't make that much of a difference with the numbers they had. He saw the Eucharis crew. He saw the extreme skill of their samurai, watched the maneuvers of the crew and the leadership of Hanako. It was incredible...

...and it was useless against this size of a force.

"That's why." He answered himself.

Positioning himself in a prone position, with his arms as supported as they could be, Marcus refocused his mind. The squealing sound returned to his ears, much louder than before, and he grabbed the second Rixxicor rifle, taking aim at one of the fighters, and waiting for it to get within range. He judged the ship's velocity and lead the target as appropriately as he could, aiming for the nose. He squeezed. The gun roared as it fired, but the projectile didn't make contact. He hadn't lead enough. His aim was adjusted and he tried again. This time his effort was met with the familiar sound of a bullet striking metal. The ship began a distinctive pattern of searching for the attacker. Marcus let loose. Round after round he fired from the gun toward the ship, trying to hit the exact same spot every time. If he couldn't weaken the exterior of the vessel enough to actually have rounds penetrate, this would be a futile effort. Thankfully it wasn't a tank. Most of the rounds connected, and as he focused his vision, he could see a couple small holes had appeared on the shell of the fighter. As he ran out of ammo on that weapon, the fighter spotted him, and began soaring straight for him.

Marcus tossed the empty weapon and grabbed the one with which he'd rigged the bullets. The fighter started firing, but Marcus didn't move. He took careful aim at the same spot he'd shot before and squeezed twice. With rocks shattering from bullets shot out of the fighter, Marcus slid down part of the other side of the newly formed rock formation, reached into his pouch, and touched a small electrode inside. A signal was sent out on a frequency unknown to anyone in this universe. A command went with it. Every compressed material outside of the pouch container disengaged the compression mechanism, and the fighter suddenly found itself competing with a ton each of platinum and mystanium, a super-conductive metal found only on his home world. Nowhere else, even in Ayenee, had access to the metal.

What part of the fighter didn't simply burst from being overfilled with metals, was far too weighed down. As Marcus slid the rest of the way down the rock pile and ran for cover as quickly as he could, the fighter spun out and barreled downward, crashing into the valley, and landed amidst the bug horde, taking a couple dozen or so more with it.

Ignoring the stone shrapnel now lodged in his side, Marcus took cover behind one of the rock outcroppings he'd used on his way out to the edge of the valley before, and did, somewhat, what he did before, tucking himself away in a narrow section. This time, though, he didn't dare stop his focus. Should that happen, he wouldn't be able to move.

He knew she wouldn't be able to hear him, but he spoke, anyway. "Alright, Hanako. I've done what I can. Let's hope you and your crew can manage the rest."

Canyon

Hanako kept popping out to pistol snipe the Rixxikor hitmen as they surged forward, killing at least a dozen. The Shosho let out a scream as she took a hit in the side of her abdomen, leaving a mangled bloody mess from her side to about an inch from her navel. She ducked back behind some rocks and leaned her back on them. "I am hit!" she yelled. She tried to push the burning pain aside and think of what they could do next. "There may be too many of them to kill them all in a direct fight, but what we really need is the shuttles. Who can stealth? We need someone to invisibly flank them and take over the shuttles and bring them to us while the others hold them off until the shuttles arrive," Hanako suggested. "If we want to push forward we need to stir up a lot of dust and reduce their visibility and make a mad dash through the fog in the confusion. Marcus's explosions are doing a good job of that." Meanwhile Jax tossed Hanako a rifle, saying a greeting she didn't recognize. She set the rifle down for the moment while she stripped down, using her T-shirt as a bandage and her tights as a pressure dressing. Afterwards, she thew her bloodstained jacket back on. An admiral had to look the part! "You know those moments in military history where people overcome the odds and do something incredible? Maybe this is our moment! Keep fighting! Put a new scene on the wardroom ceiling!"

Bisen Lighthouse

Gangs of Rixxikor were now coming up the ladders from the lower parts of the lighthouse. There were at least a dozen of them, and they were rather heavily armed.

Outside, their crappy-looking shuttle waited with a single Rixxikor guard nervously looking around while holding a large chaingun.

Canyon

"!"

Wazu didn't have time to respond as Aikiko picked up Blackberry and started moving. He grabbed the tarp, and left the pack behind as he darted after Aikiko. He had just enough time tuck the tarp under his arm a bit as he placed his hand on Aikiko's shoulder, letting her guide him forward as he kept his head on a swivel, looking around and taking pot shots at any Rixxikor in eyesight.

Once Aikiko set down, Wazu would toss the tarp over them, and get setup just behind one of the rocks out of sight of the Rixxiko, taking aim with Blackberry's service pistol. The bugs were swarming, climbing over the lip of the canyon, the crew stuck with Rixxikor having an advantagous position above them as they were pinned between the remaining fighters and the bugs on the ground.

"We are going to need to leave her soon."

Wazu certainly was not happy about it, but they couldn't kite the Rixxikor if they were dragging Blackberry around.

"We should... *POP!*"

Before he was able to finish his thought, a Rixxikor would come around the rocks they were hiding behind and get his head pop'd off by the service pistol in Wazu's hand. He would then grab the Rixxikor's arm and pull the body back behind the rocks so he could search it for gear.

"Nevermind... stuck here now."

The Rixxikor's rifle had seen better days, and he did not intend to trade shots with the Rixx. Instead he checked the creature's shirt and belt, pulling what he could only hope were grenades... waiting quietly until he heard the sound of footsteps, tossing one of the spheres towards the source of the sound.

*Pfffffffftttttt......*

"OI, WHAT U DOIN?!" One of the Rixx shouted as it was sprayed with a pink gas.

Wazu quickly scrambled for another, then another... emptying the supply of Rixxikor-grenades that he had avalible.

*PFFFFFFTTT*

The second grenade released a thick cloud of black smoke,

"U FUCCCIN CAMPER!" the Rixx shouted, the small group starting to run towards their position, before getting hit by the third grenade.

*BOOM!*

*SQuish....*

Rixxikor parts rained down on the three of them.... luckily Aikiko and Blackberry were covered by the tarp, some of the Rixxikor acid causing the material to smoke up a bit as it ate through. Wazu was splashed as well, but thanks to the mix of chemcials before, he wasn't feeling the splash of acid eating away at the skin on his arm and leg, or the subtle bleeding from overexerting his already poorly put together leg.

"Aikiko, I need you over here... lets deal with the Rixx first."

Bisen Lighthouse

Tsuguka observed over Umeshu's shoulder, keeping a close eye on the lilac Taii, and sharing in her discouragement as they both found the shuttle bay to be empty. After a few moments, the crude rattling engine noise from outside then ushered her over to a window, which she then peaked out from the corner of briskly.

What they seen visibly disgusted them. Not an internal whisper. Not some atypical mysterious blank glare. Hands arcing into talons at her sides, eyes narrowed into furious slits, the blood-colored nekovalkyrja's features began to boil over with barely contained rage at the very concept of what was happening to them. It sickened her to think of her own emotions to be so shallow, but after all the time they had spent tip-toeing around the Rixxikor, after all the time they had spent dancing the bugmen's own dance, had it really come to this?...

"If there are enemies, there is a shuttle we can use, Taii Umeshu..." Tsuguka growled with hateful resolve, marching over to the ladder access point the team had entered through. That furious tone of voice, the normally hidden muscles encasing her compact frame now tensed up like a marble statue... It was like a lifetime of obsessive preparation, all set to explode in one sudden, violent action. "Simple really. We just need to give them something to focus on, whilst somebody outflanks that one guarding the shuttle outside."

A rambling racket of buggish chatter was making it's way closer and closer from the shaft below. No time to wait for confirmation. She had the biggest weapon ready. She had lost an arm on Splorfin, and kept walking. Toyoe Tsuguka was the most qualified.

It was a riproar of motion, as a crimson blur vaulted down the access shaft. She didn't just fall, but projected her gravity organ downwards to create a thunderous stomp which mangled the head of the first insect in her path. Mounted one on top of the other in the narrow breach, a secondary crunch emanated from their carapaces violently compacting together and splintering into a grotesque hail of flying shards. A tempest of swearing and gunfire immediately followed, broken remnants of bugmen firing off blindly in their death throws and sending a torrent of bullets ricocheting around into the adjacent storage chamber. Herself thrown onto her back by the impact, eyes wide with adrenaline, Tsuguka responded with a double eruption of her own weapon, the sound of the pump-action reload mechanism echoing along with it rhythmically.

The mess fell onto the heads of the Rixxikor on the bottom floor. Everything on the second now tasted of unholy insectiod bile and other unspeakable internal materials.

Tsuguka blinked, took a breath, then dragged herself to a crouch again.

The things on the bottom floor were still swearing stubbornly, sending the odd pistol round up the shaft to rebound from the ceiling a couple of floors up. Soon, one fired off a miniature rocket, and there was little Tsuguka could do but flatten out again, and watch it clatter at an angle against the second floor ceiling, skitter along it, then finally drop into the rear storage chamber and annihilate half of what was contained there with one ear-splitting thud.

These actions could definitely be classed as holding their attention.

Good. Now it was time to make some progress.

Battle

Hearing the grenade going off, kicked her into action. Aikiko, left Blackberry behind under the acid spotted tarp, searched quickly and crudely taking one of the weapons from a dead Rixxikor.

She came out of hiding and throwing caution to the wind and chased after Wazu into the swirling pink and black fog that was fading fast in the breeze. Taking well aimed shot at the Rixxikor, dropping them with head shots. Firing as fast as she could taking the time to see what she was shooting at. Pausing once to strip another dead Rixxikor of his weapon that was most familiar to her.

Two Rixxikor came out of the fog to come to a complete stop in shock at seeing what was impossible to them. The dead had risen from nothing into an avenging angel against them.

She killed one as the other fled the back the way he came, yelling to his comrades, "Oh Fuccin sweeet egg! We can't kill them! They'll just come back alive!" Spreading panic and hesitation amongst those within hearing as the Rixxikor fled and shooting those that tried to stop him from fleeing, causing panic and fratricide amongst their own.

Aikiko, either had the luck of the devil or the Deities favored the foolish and stupidily brave, as projectiles and destructive energy flew by her with angry whines and buzzes. Her hair had come loose from the poneytail and wafted around her with a life of its own from the projectile generated winds. She felt the friction heated air upon her.

She smiled as she advanced sowing panic and confusion. Coming across another that had seen her get vaporized. He froze and voided himself. Not caring where his weapon was aimed, let loose a deadly fuselodge into those close by. She helped him kill the remaining.

He broke and fled back the way he came, leaving a trail of excretement, yelling about, "These fuccin females dont fuccin die!"

She dropped the now empty Rixxikor weapon for a new one. She scooped up another weapon and did a spray and pray chest height of the Rixxikor. She started to hum 'Ride of the Valkarie' on the top of her lungs as she strode calmly forth to meet death so that Herman James Wazu, Tugs, Candy, Umeshu, Jax - Kitten Tech, The Angel that was the ship's Doctor, Even the Mouse in the walls, Mistuko would have a chance to live another day.

She felt the first tugs upon her flesh as one of the Rixxikor projectiles found it mark, ripping flesh from her arm. She swung and let a controlled burst in the direction the fire came from, not even registering the Rixxikor dying scream as she advanced.

Pausing long enough to pick up another weapon off another Dead Rixxikor. Firing rapidly as the weapon allowed her. She felt the burning of raw energy race down her back and the air filling with burnt flesh as she returned fire, taking out the Rixxikor that branded her back.

She wished she had a friggen cigarette to smoke like after a good day of demo work back in the Mines of her first employment, watching the Rock, dirt, ores and dust blossom out from the manmade cliffs of the open pit mine. She breifly saw The Shosho hiding behind a rock, before being obscured by the dust of combat, "See ya on the otherside!" she muttered as she sent another burst of weapons fire into the Rixxikor, advancing onward.

Canyon

Jackson was getting the hang of this "combat" thing. Keep your wits about you, don't get tunnel vision, and plug anything not wearing a Star Army uniform. Simple, really. So easy, cavemen could do it. Still didn't make it any less terrifying. Most of the edge had worn off, but thankfully the adrenaline still kept the technician from feeling his own injuries. Nothing as extreme as Hanako or Wazu, fortunately, but smacking his head against a boulder probably wasn't good. Aside from his massive headache, which seemed to spike with each loud noise, his vision would occasionally blur while firing. Jax had the feeling he had a concussion, but how severe he didn't know. He'd be fine for the moment.

He watched the big dude from earlier take out the second fighter, then watched Aikiko go on her suicide charge. He was impressed, but he knew she wouldn't make it unless she had some backup. He couldn't bare the thought of her getting killed. She was one of his closest friends, and he still needed someone to hang up his clothes for him.

An idea formed in his head. It was inspired by Marcus' own actions, and Hanako's orders to create a dust storm. He picked up the rocket launcher where he'd left it and ran to the dead Rixx who carried the rockets. It was a satchel, which he slung over his shoulder, praying these ghetto-bombs wouldn't go off in the bag. Aikiko's blitz had drawn off a lot of heat, so it was easy to move back to the boulder.

Once again, Jax knelt and raised the launcher. He made doubly sure no one was coming, aimed at the last fighter, and within seconds turned it into a fiery wreck that fell somewhere beyond the rim of the canyon.

'Everyone look out! KITTY'S GOT A ROCKET LAUNCHER!' He shouted telepathically, immediately regretting it as using telepathy caused the pain in his head to become so severe that his vision became black around the edges. He slumped against a rock for a moment until it became manageable. Once he'd gotten a hold of himself, he raised the rocket launcher and aimed for an area behind and to the left of Aikiko, where a sizable portion of the cliff hung out over the ground. Now was his chance. The sight of the wounded Hanako sparked something in him. Up until this point, he'd been playing it safe. He realized now that unless a few of them cowboyed up, they were all dead men.

He fired for the point where the rock wall sloped outwards. The rocket stayed on target and slammed into the cliff face. The initial explosion was drowned out by the terrible rumbling of a massive chunk of rock cracking away from the rim of the canyon, about thirty feet across, and crashing down into the canyon below, killing several Rixxikor that Aikiko had missed, and filling the "bowl" with thick, brown dust that rushed to the surface, thus giving everyone a workable smoke screen.

Jackson couldn't help but smile as he coughed from the dust he was inhaling and slumped against a boulder for support. He loved big booms...

"Jimmy!" He yelled through the impenetrable fog to Wazu. "Now would be a great time to toss some more of those grenades! Imma go check on the big guy!"

Jax jogged briskly towards the little crevice where he'd last seen Marcus. He climbed up the massive pile of rubble blocking the entrance. Two fluffy, blonde ears poked above the top, a warning that he wasn't a bug just in case Marcus had a gun aimed at him. When he was sure friendly fire wasn't an issue, he poked up the rest of his head and smiled down at the massive man.

"Sup? I'm Jax! We're gonna go steal a shuttle! Wanna come?"

The Battle

The whole world was a din of chaos and insanity as rocks came tumbling down from above and bottle-necked the advancing Rixxikor forces even further. Mao was conscious enough of her surroundings to take advantage of this and begin to move herself for that choke-point. She was only one woman - one sword - standing in their way but where the Rixxikor fought through numbers and force a Yamataian fought through skill.

And it helped that from somewhere behind her Mao could hear the tide shifting as confusion and fratricide and panic seeped into the ranks, sewn by . . . somebody. She didn't know who but if they both lived through the day then she'd be sure to thank them for such excellent work. Between the panic, the rock-slide, and one of their fighters plummeting to the ground Mao found that the massive horde was becoming sectioned off. Divided in attention.

And their shuttles were virtually undefended.

Mao didn't hesitate as an idea came to her.

Normally the yukata, hakama, and obi were all treated with some reverence and care.

They were shredded and flung free from her body.

"Yeah, babe, show them fuccin' cans!"

Mao looked to possibly the bravest bug of the swarm as he stared at her newly bare form.

And watched his eyes go wide when all but the sword she was carrying disappeared as if she had never been there. He didn't even have time to scream a warning to his nearby comrades before his head was cleaved from his body by that dark, floating blade.

And as its tip was speared into the ground, it was surrounded by perhaps ten or more angry bugs screaming obscenities and promises of violation and murder. They opened fire in one massive volley that filled the small section of space between all of them. Bullets and blasts of energy scorched and marked the ground around the blade, dirt vaporizing from the force, and rocks being blasted into tiny flecks of miniature shrapnel.

But as they waited to watch her reappear dead and blasted away, none of them noticed how one of their number had stopped firing so early on. The one to his right looked over and noticed how lax his friend's hold on his rifle was and the gargling sound he made trying to breath. Not to mention the odd angle of his neck. Then he noticed the feet lift from the ground before all he could see was the body smashing into his face.

They were bowled over and passed over. Another one turned to fire his weapon at the distorted shape of the woman coming at him but the weapon was batted aside and he found his head wrapped in the crook of what was possibly a leg before his neck was snapped like several of his close comrades before his body was used like a cheap weapon to be thrown into a pair of his allies. Rifles and energy weapons were fired sporadically, some in the hands of the Rixxikor mob, and some seeming to float in the air before being cast aside.

Mao was a living weapon. Her place wasn't at the map table or in the rear.

It was here. It was in this exact moment.

On her way through the crowd she stopped at the now trampled and shredded remains of her uniform to dig out her Type 33 and the spare ammunition. She performed a hasty reload of the empty weapon before moving on again.

The odachi was back in her hands and swinging through the masses as she made her way back to the last place she'd seen Hanako. She could have almost gotten away with leaving the bugs untouched. Some were too busy running away, others were too busy shooting the retreating ones, and others were too busy trying to keep the momentum of their charge going. But that didn't stop her from claiming limbs and heads as she went.

The next time Mao appeared it was as she bounded over the rocks that Hanako and Natsumi called their cover. She looked like some sort of a hot mess, completely bare, her hair a frazzled mess from the exertion, and her blade dripping with the ichor and other foul things that came from the inside of these bugs. But she still managed to give a polite bow of her head to the senior women.

She let out a small cough from exertion and dust before speaking, "Natsumi-Taii, would you kindly carry Hime-sama?" Mao quickly stuck a hand above the rocks to keep an eye on approaching bugs to make sure they were clear, "I can carve you a path to the shuttles, and while I could carry Hime-sama I would prefer she not be put into immediate danger." She looked at the bandaged wound and her face flashed with concern, "Anymore."

She was tense. Coiled. Waiting for the okay, so she could become the engine of death that a Samurai was meant to be.

Jackson's approach didn't catch Marcus unaware. With his mind still focused, the tall human heard him drawing nearer long before he saw any evidence. He'd readied his weapon, at first, but the sound of a humanoid insect running was much different than the sounds anyone on the ship could make, particularly on rocky ground. When the ears popped out first, it confirmed what he'd thought. It was a member of the crew. Marcus never had figured out how he was able to hear so clearly with such intense ringing in his ears. Now, though, wasn't the time to ponder the philosophy of such an event.

Marcus couldn't imagine how his appearance had changed from just a few minutes before. If nothing else, he knew the claw mark on his left arm and shrapnel scattered across that same half of his body were visible. Of course Jax didn't, exactly, look to be at 100%, either. "Nice to meet you, Jax. A shuttle sounds like a tremendous idea. Lead the way."

Marcus stood and made his way out of his hiding spot, immediately checking the surrounding area for Rixxicor fighters. What he was able to make out through the dust and smoke was a surprisingly pleasant sight. They all appeared to be preoccupied with one combat situation or another, including a few amongst themselves.

Making sure not to strike the acid burn or bullet wound as he went, he slid, carefully, down the rocks and grabbed another of the enemy rifles when he reached bottom. That gave him two Rixxicor rifles and the .45 with all but a single round still at his disposal. He preferred melee weapons, but he could manage with these. As proof of that, he took quick aim and fired twice, managing to eliminate three bugs in the process.

"Alright then, Jax, where to?"

The Sharp bang of an explosion against the cliffside and the rumble of the forming landslide, driven the thoughts of a cigarette from her mind as she sped up her charge to get out from the path of the avalanche of boulders and rocks that came crashing down to fill the area with choking dust. She laughed out loud at Jax's message. Causing more fear amongst the Rixxikors.

Aikiko bowled into Rixxikor, knocking them out her way along with the Rixxikor now more bent on survival than killing her and each other. Her skill in bar brawling came in excellent play as she now used the empty Rixxikor rifle like a quarterstaff, striking out to maim, or kill or blind these crude walking bipedal roaches to flounder in the dust.

Exertion and lack of pure air were beginning to take it toll on her as she got hit more and more, from debris, the odd stray projectile and the Rixxikor. She caught a glimpse through the wind shifting settling dust of the newcomer, The Dreaded Samurai, giving up her attack to retreat, while she pressed the attack on the Rixxikors.

She used every trick she had learned, whether it was bar brawling, Peace Keeper and SAoY and the few odd fights here and there, came into play. She wasn't as graceful as the Samurai with her blades, but she persevered, shutting down the pain of the wounds that were mounting up as she strove to protect what mattered to her. Herself and others she liked in her own weird way. The animalistic Mother's instinct that all females have encoded in their genes to protect the wounded and weak placed in their care to drive them into suicidal fights against superior foe or foes.

"AI..."

Wazu only had moments to shout at her, she had already run ahead. Intense heat singed the rocks that he and blackberry were hiding behind, a large blast pulled the last fighter from the sky, then another blast filled the canyon with dust and dirt.

But at least Wazu knew where his towel was.

He would pull it over his mouth and nose, and then start moving after Aikiko. He would take a few steps, and then fall to the ground prone. He couldn't see anything, which meant the Rixxikor were about to start firing blinding at about waist height, acid from the last dead Rixxikor was burning his leg, and he haddn't slept in nearly a day. All of these reasons contributed to him falling to the ground prone.

Then the Nepleslian pharmacy he had used earlier kicked in. Like any worthwhile drug it, the mix of Prime and Endurance snuck up on him. At no point did Wazu realize it had turned on, instead it was just the awareness that not too long ago it had started working. The desire to stop and nap was gone, the urge to do something, anything, was overpowering like he was enthusiastically awake. It had been nearly three years since he had felt like this... and for a moment he wondered why he ever stopped.

He started crawling forward, and spotted the outline of another Rixxikor just ahead of him, firing wildly into the cloud of smoke.

Wazu took aim.

*CLICK*

Blackberry's pistol had run out of charge. He couldn't help but think, ~Oh fuck... Where did that rifle go?!~

Canyon

Jax raised his eyebrows at Marcus, giving him a small smirk of approval at his display of marksmanship.

'Oh! Well doesn't he think he's special? Ha!' Jax grumbled playfully in his mind. The engineer loaded up another rocket, and began to aim into the fray. There was a pack of six moving to flank Aikiko. He also saw one near Wazu, but he didn't think it had seen the Nepleslian yet. Perhaps Aikiko could get him. Jackson had to prioritize his shots, after all.

Jackson dialed in on the flanking team, pulled the trigger, and within a second there was a large plume of dirt and bug-bits raining from the sky in that location. Jax looked back at Marcus with a smug, triumphant smirk as if to say "Ha! Beat that!".

Jax pointed to the shuttles, which lay outside the mouth of the canyon, beyond the horde that was being reduced by the second, beyond the cloud of dust, beyond the rubble from the man-made rock slide.

"To there! Right past the murderous army of bugs, mister... uh... Crap, I never got your name!" Jax replied as he slung his rocket launcher and pulled out the rifle. He pulled a mag from the stolen harness he'd picked up from the dead roach and slapped it into the gun, feeling that giddy sensation you felt when you had a fresh clip. "Oh well! Shall we away, my good man?"

Marcus hadn't intended to show off his skill with a weapon. It just happened that, when his mind was focused, anything requiring mental effort was much easier to do. He noted the joviality of Jax's demeanor, despite the danger.

He looked in the direction that Jax was pointing and nodded, then quickly chuckled at the other's way of addressing him. "I think being in combat together allows for first names. Call me Marcus."

Without another word, Marcus began heading for the shuttle, keeping the rifle at the ready, scanning for any Rixxicor that paid attention, and firing a shot at them before they could do the same to himself or Jax.

Bisen lighthouse, level 3


Oop, busted
The explosive arrival of bugs was beyond convenient. Candon pulled up additional security controls on the other two screens but there wasn't much that could be done. Tsuguka left to clear the bottom, Candon decided to keep them off of the top.

Using the controls he began opening the doors in the elevator shaft to the top floor. "I've got overwatch," he claimed as he stepped away from the terminal and began levitating toward the top.


Bisen lighthouse, Hanger


As he reached the top of the building he drew his HHG and loaded hybrid rounds the pocket sniper would give his enemies a good reason to keep their heads down, in fact it could give eight good reasons at a time. The bugs climbing up the ladders off to either side of the structure were nice targets. Having loaded half of the moon clip with FMJs it would be a walk in the park.

He pressed a button on the door control panel to open the bay doors and poked his head out. The bugs responded with a spray of bullets and plasma that made Candon pull back.
Okay, that was immediate. I'll have to be quick.
Taking a few deep breaths he leapt out the bay door in the direction of the nearest ladder and used his antigravity organ to reorient himself to land on his feet, standing on the wall. The planet's natural gravity kept him in a constant state of leaning forward as he faced the ground but his HHG could make that into an advantage.

He pointed the HHG at the bug's face, and chest being at a perpendicular angle, and fired. The primer ignited the gunpowder propelling the bullet through the active mass driver and through the first four Rixxicor. A second shot cleared the ladder but the bugs on the second ladder had taken aim by then and let loose a torrent. Candon turned his gravity in the direction of the ground and fell as he drew his NSP and sent a few bursts back before landing outside of the enemy shuttle…

"Bad move, bub," came a voice from inside the shuttle, "I'll bet you thought you coul-" BANG
The scalar shot came from under his shoulder and burned into the bug's chest.
"Cool, a machine gun," he mumbled as he holstered his pistols and hefted the chain gun. The belt dragged behind him as he came back out of the shuttle and started to light up the climbing invaders until the other bugs began coming from the other side and locked him into a shootout.

Bisen lighthouse, level 2

Tsuguka was getting ready to make her move when a sudden additional commotion was heard from down bellow, and a renewed slew of gunfire erupted along the ladder shaft. At the far end of the room, an intense barrage of lead clattered along the side of the building from the outside, and smashed on of the windows with a tremendous clattering dirge. Some kind of heavy machine gun?

She could feel the floor getting hot in places, from the bugmen trying to just shoot directly through it with plasma weapons. At least that told her they had no idea where she was standing...

Bisen lighthouse, level 3

A tiny red chibified neko suddenly popped into existence on the volumetric display of the command console. It seemed to just gaze straight ahead, through, as a pop-up visibly requested security access to use the internal camera.

"I think I pinned them down, Taii, but there is something going on the outside." The amusingly stern voice did not fit in any sense of the word. "Can you give me a status report please? I don't know what I'm running into."