Gaojinizer- Stage 27

Siege Of Fortress Ga’sel

The time had come for the push into the Garsalan Fortress, an invasion of it, rather than simply bombarding it from afar until it was destroyed. This was certainly a far cry from the normal operations the Machina team would be sent on, as never having left their vanguard armors. But it wasn’t completely unfounded. During their short stint of training in Wonbaek, they at least learned how to shoot a gun correctly. Takeshi was a street fighter before he was a pilot, they could at least do something with that. Though, punching a garsalan may not be nearly as effective as it would be against a human. The infantry armor the UFE used, A mesh of carbon nanotubes covered by a Graphene composite outer shell, the inner layer, a metal foam to help disperse concussive force even moreso. The exterior of the armor was snow white, the UFE’s emblem stamped onto the chest. The machina pilots were not alone, to no surprise, joining them were a large number of infantrymen, Included in which were Kyndall and Lucas, along with Ryuji and his squad. And the commanding officer of the operation, a giant of a man, with a bald head, and dark skin. Mawolo Karwary.

“Now then… We have no doubt in our minds that the roaches have spent the little time they've had preparing for our arrival. Meaning, we could very well be stepping into a meat grinder if we are not prepared. Saturating the area in Covalons to prevent them from communicating to the outside is a start, but the fortress is likely using wired communications on the inside. Not to mention the idea of traps, gun emplacement, etcetera. To that end, you will be sent in with a hacking expert, who has worked with Garalan computing systems once more. We need to get her to a terminal so she can take control of their systems…” As the briefing ended, the respective soldiers began to break into their groups, to no surprise, the Machina squad was kept together, though, strangely enough, Diederick had a curved blade on his hilt, a sidearm cutlass specific to Germany, the Dusack. Though, given its condition, it was clearly of recent make…

“Diederick… Where did you get that sword from?” Andrew questioned.

“It is a family Heirloom, a vibro-blade. We will be in close quarters, it would do us well to have melee arms… And it is Sir Hohenzollern to you, commoner.” Though, the last part of his statement seemed more of an offhand comment, than a demand, a far cry from his interactions used to go. Clearly he didn't care nearly as much about the correction as he usually would. Though, one among them, had a wide smile on his face.

“Guess we get to bust some Garsalan heads in person this time around! Sounds like a good time to me..”

“You’re damn right, Takeshi!” Soon enough, the raven haired Ryuji came to his side, and it seemed that almost immediately, the two were rattling off ideas on how to fight the Garsalan, which places would be the most effective to strike. After all, even their Chitin had to have gaps, though to those observing, they had but one thing to say.

“...They’re the same type of guy…”

The time would eventually come for the invasion to begin, troop transports were being flown toward the Fortress, who’s external weapons had since been disabled. But even with this fact, it seemed that those within had no intention of surrendering, though they only expected that from the Garsalan. The ride was quite a bumpy one, but the ships were more than safe enough, the environment was mostly silent, as helmets were placed on, guns had final checks done upon them, and they stood from their seats… Including the woman they were escorting, one of tan-skin and dirty blonde hair. Though she was only armed with a pistol, that only made sense with having to use one hand for the purpose of carrying her equipment.

“Impact in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… NOW!”

The ones piloting the ship nearly slammed into it, stopping at what looked to be metal bridges, tipped with drills, extended from the bows of the ships, beginning work at drilling through the hull… Continuing, until the process was complete, and the doors which lay upon the front of the ship opened, and charging in, were the troops of the UFE, who checked their corners immediately upon entering, and fanned out, looking for cover, a good choice, given what happened next, automated, turrets, built into the ceiling and walls, began to fire a hailstorm of Electromagnetically launched rounds.

“Shit, looks like they were ready for us!” One of the men yelled. Another took action, firing a grenade from the barrel of his weapon, which exploded upon contact with one, destroying it, another fired his own, and destroyed the next. But it seemed that they wouldn’t be facing those threats alone, the clang of boots and the sound of rustling armor and cloth was approaching them as they began to move toward what looked to be a central chamber of the base, covered in greenery that was unknown to them, from the Garsalan Homeworld. A park within a fortress… That was a thing within colonies, but to have one within a human fortress was another story, before first contact. The members of the Machina squad ducked under cover, as they began firing at the rapidly spreading Garsalan troops.

“Looks like our greeting party!” Han joked, taking a shot which took down one of the Garsalan, though he had to quickly duck to avoid a shot.

“They seem lacking in Decorum if so…” Diedrick began, however, his gaze shot over to his left, as his senses alerted him to something… Atop balconies overlooking the park, were Garsalan equipped with large tubes over their shoulders.

“Enemies above us!” As he shouted this, their allies acted immediately, some of them moving to attack these targets instead, But regardless, they’d already begun to fire. The explosive projectiles launched outward through the rails within the weapons striked the ground with force, sending out debris and dust as they exploded. Unlucky troops who did not get out of the way of time found themselves blown into pieces, a fate the Machina team only very narrowly avoided. But it seemed that some of the Garsalan were trying to take advantage of the lighter Volume of fire, A garsalan was getting close to the Machina pilots, Her sub-arms reached for her hip, taking hold of Photonic Blades. Which activated as she tapped a switch, rushing toward the Machina with Vigor. But it seemed that Sense they’d developed had taken effect once more. Almost as soon as she's gotten close, he’d already drawn his saber, Vibrations beginning as he cut across the Garsalan with practiced speed and mastery, slicing apart both armor and chitin with masterful skill, and causing verdant blood to leak from the wound as it fell, dead.

“Tsk… I can only wonder how the others are doing.”

They were not the only ones to land in the fortress, to prevent their troops from being overrun, four transports full of tris had been sent, the other three were to set up killzones and keep the Garsalan from moving freely, using the Architecture of their own fortress against them. Yet, Ryuji and his squad didn’t seem to be having any easier of a time getting in, the troops posted on either side of a corridor, with the path forward in the center, where the Garsalan had set up a barricade, and turret alike.

“It seems like they don’t intend on making this easy for us… But we must win, I must get back to my darling future husband Takeshi, After all…” Tung-Mei stated, the result was Diego’s gaze slowly moving over to her.

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“...Future husband?! You two aren’t even dating. I think that guy’s too meatheaded to understand affection in the first place. Probably thinks romance is a food item... Not to mention how jealous that Kyoko girl acts when you try something with him… I'd be careful, she might turn out to be more dangerous than these Garsalan.” Diego responded.

“The mechanic girl? The plain one? As if she'd be a threat… Besides, with how he freezes up, I’d say he’s just amazed by my beauty... Besides, he has me to teach him about the beauty of Romance." Diego rolled his eyes.

"Good luck with that... What are your plans, elope together and buy a house in the mountains? How realistic..." Diego said, sarcasm clear in his tone.

“Is this really the time for you to be talking about this?!” Elise questioned. The Khan’s son put a hand on his chin, as he thought up a solution to their problem.

“The moment we poke our heads out, we’ll get turned into swiss cheese… We need to flank them…” Temur responded.

“Sounds good to me, Let’s do it!” Ryuji and his squad began to move to a side corridor, as the rest of the troops stayed where they were. As they moved through the empty hallways, they found themselves facing a different threat, the drones flying toward them were armed as well, Laser projectiles firing from their barrels managed to clip Ryuji in the shoulder, before he fired back an instant, destroying two.

“Shit! Tung-Mei!*

“Right!” The woman launched a pulsing blue knob of metal toward the drones, which shortly exploded outward, shutting them down… an EMP pulse grenade, useful, no doubt. They continued forward, but found a Garsalan jumping out of the corner, armed with a laser sword. But it seemed Ryuji was already aware.

“Can't sneak up on me, Roach!” In a short time, he ducked under the thrust aimed at his heart, taking hold of the Garsalans head crest, lifting the alien above his head, as he began to spin..

"HORYA!" He shouted, as he flung him into a wall. Diego followed up, shooting through its chest with successive rounds.

“Let's get it moving!” With that shout, Ryuji charged forward, and soon enough, found himself facing the same squad of Garsalan behind the barricade, as the smile on his face only became wider.

Before long, he and his squad took aim, firing as they ran toward the enemy, this much seemed to break up their volume of fire immediately, allowing for their allies to get some reprieve, and fire as well, a thrown frag grenade exploded into the formation, killing many of the Garsalan. As for the one who did not die, they were hit from two different angles, and dropping like flies.

As this took place, the third squad, which contained both the commanding officer of the operation, the giant Karwary, and the expert needed to take control, had been moving much better. The direct command of the man, as well as the more experienced troops he was surrounded with, his personal squad since he began service with the forces, moved like a well oiled machine.

“We're breaching this room!” In short time, the door had already been invoked down, and a grenade was launched within, launching smoke, and a fragmentary grenade came next. As the sound of the exploding fragments came through, Karaway and his troops began to fan out within. Checking every corner, possible hiding place, and shooting what Garalan troops found… As they advanced into the next hallway, they found a large number of Garalan troops, among them, was one G’thera Zu Kalis, though this was a fact they did not know of.

In the command center, the commander of the fortress sat with a hand near his mouthparts, as he thought of what to do…

“Tha Tasselr esa reailailr duu nish ull e lluudhurn.. Tha llerra felarr.. Sasdaiulr 3, 4, eln 5.”-”The Terrans are gaining too much of a foothold… The false panels.. Sections 3, 4, and 5.”

His plans were enacted almost immediately, from beneath the troops, panels began to Slide out, and flip, before falling, Sending the UFE’s troops careening into deep pits below. While many had managed to catch their teammates in time, others hadn't, forced to leave them to their fate alone, and it seemed the UFE’s troops had begun to take advantage, launching the Garalan into their own traps when they could…

Two members in particular found themselves facing this fate, what was formerly a charge toward cover became a quick descent, when the patch of floor under Takeshi opened up, and what was formerly his footing, became the tunnels underneath the floor. Where the bases automation sent container trains across the fortress at high speeds.

“Takeshi!” Andrew made a quick attempt to jump for him, but the sound of flattering armor, most definitely, the enemy, stopped this.

“Dammit!” Han cursed with a snap.

“Well report it to the commander and keep moving, the commoner can handle himself, we know that!” Diederick shouted.

On the Garalan side, it seemed things weren't much easier… It seemed that the UFE’s troops were adapting quickly, those who were in close enough range flung their Garsalan opponents into the chambers below. And it seemed that G’thera was no exception. As he found himself shoulder charged into the cargo routes by one of those accursed furless apes… he'd need to find his way out, and quickly. As the battle continued above them, the two began to move through the cargo route. Takeshi's annoyance was building as he did so… He’d dropped his gun somewhere when he fell, and he still hadn’t found anything resembling an exit. This was an annoyance, for sure. What was at first a solo exploration turned into something entirely different, as the sound of approaching footsteps made it to Takeshi’s ears… His eyes narrowed, as they shot in that direction, his head turning. And it was there that he saw a Garsalan. One with desert Chitin.

“A Garsalan. Tch…” The garsalan he faced drew the Hilts of the blades from his side, as they ignited with the press of a button, the lasers which were projected forming the blade itself, in his main arms. While his smaller sub-arms took what looked to be small knives from his side.

"I'n sasurlaina dhed yuaisa llsun elirrwhasa... Tha rena hinel whu fairudr dhed essisran Meshaila."- "I'd recognize that voice from anywhere... The same human who pilots that accursed Machine."

Though he couldn’t understand him, not without the translator, and Vice versa, given the expression on Takeshi’s face, it was clear that he noted the similarity as well..

Takeshi’s eyes shot around as he searched for a weapon. Luckily, two discarded Photonic Blades were visible, and he rushed to grab, and activate them, a low hum emitted as he steadied himself.

“If it was a punch-out session, this’d be easy…. Don’t know about these swords… Fuck it, Let’s go!” With a war cry, Takeshi leaped forward as he ran, while his opponent did the same thing, the smell of singed hair filled his nostrils, as he just barely dodged being cut by the blade, though, what was on his head hadn’t. The second swipe coming from his left nearly severed his arm off, had he not sidestepped, and drawn back, though, he was left with a deep gash regardless.

“Dammit!”

He found himself at threat once more, as the being leaped forward, a two bladed flourish coming toward him, try as Takeshi might, the blades themselves, as well as the knives held in the Garsalan’s sub-arms, made this much a troubling affair. Cuts were being created across his body, even if he tried to halt his opponent’s strikes with his own blades, or return strike, it seemed that he was failing at every avenue.

“There’s gotta be something I can use…” As Takeshi's eyes moved around, he took note of a surprisingly loose pipe on the ceiling, and his plan came to him, when the Garsalan leaped forward once more, he took a swipe, and it came crashing down as it was severed from the ceiling. Though the Garsalan noted this and jumped back, he found his chitin burned through, as Takeshi managed to successfully land a strike… Soon enough, the Garsalan noted the faint light surrounding him, and the shine in his eyes. If that, then the rapid speed he moved at as he began to exchange swipes with the Garsalan.

"Whed'r ruailr ul waidh dhair Tassel?! Ha wer e luyaisa waidh dhed frena fallusa!"- "What's going on with this Terran?! He was a novice with that blade before!"

It seemed that their duel was not to last, however, as the sound of clanging boots upon the ground approached their shaft… This made them pause, as they questioned whose side they belonged to, but that much was answered with what was shouted.

“Inoue, where are you?!” That voice, Takeshi recognized it well, Andrew.

“Over here, I got a roach on me!” To G’thera, that was his cue to leave. He reviled the idea of running away from these primitives, but with him being outnumbered, there was little he could do… Topside, Karway’s squad had achieved their goals, control of the Garsalan systems had been switched to them, and maps of the base itself had finally been made clear, troops were already rushing into the command center, the occupants raising their arms as the firearms of the UFE were pointed at them… And it didn’t take long for the expert to begin working her magic upon the Garsalan Terminals, as the troops rounded up those in control of the base… They stood as Victorious, though not without cost. The fortress Ga’sel, now had the flag of the UFE raised above it. No doubt, it would be an asset for the oncoming war…