Chapter 115 – Battle Interrupt

Talia gripped the command dais as the Slim Girl shook violently, vibrations resonating through the thick plates of her exo-suit. The low hum of the vehicle’s energy systems kicking up to a high level created a constant thrum.

[Alert: Sub-sections 23A and 24B hit by fusion-boosted fission warhead. CBRN protocols now in effect.]

“Damn it,” Talia muttered, her jaw clenched. “I’m already buttoned up. Where’d the attack come from?”

[Informative: Artillery shells originated from enemy primary base.]

Talia’s stomach churned. They couldn’t risk retaliating with their own fusion shells at that location, not with the prisoners in harm’s way. She scanned the tactical map, looking for a solution.

“Neo, what’s our anti-munition capability looking like?”

[Warning: Shortage of anti-munition capability in majority of assault units.]

“Keep them concentrated around the units advancing with the Tch’Llik’yzz’Lrr,” Talia ordered, her eyes never leaving the map. “Any idea how the radiation will affect the spiders? Or any signs of chemical or biological attacks targeting them?”

[Negative: Most Tch’Llik engagements were transitory. Insufficient data on long-term effects of fallout exposure. Enemy nuclear munitions producing large amounts of short-term contamination and moderate amounts of long-term.]

Talia nodded, her mind churning through the implications. They needed to act decisively to avoid the direct effects, but she had no idea what an irradiated wasteland would look like, and didn’t want to find out. “We need to get the Tch’Llik’yzz’Lrr as close as possible before deploying them and the assault IRUs.”

[Caution: Enemy defensive line continues to harden despite applied pressure. Operational resources being expended faster than replenishment rate.]

The Slim Girl rocked steadily as the main heavy artillery guns unleashed a barrage. Talia watched the tactical display, her eyes scanning the targeted location. Dozens of white lines flashed out to meet the barrage, eliminating over half their artillery shots, but that didn’t matter. Two large circles radiated outward as the barrage landed target.

[Report: Retaliatory fusion strike delivered to quadrant 28F. Heavy enemy column eliminated.]

“How many shells did we use?” Talia asked, her voice tight.

[Analysis: Eight of ten intercepted. Saturation bombardment by regular and fusion artillery successful.]

Talia studied the map intently, her finger tracing a line on the backside of the enemy forces. “Neo, have our automated forces in the west dig in and fortify. We need to conserve resources there and focus our push on this flank with the Slim Girl and Tch’Llik’yzz’Lrr.”

As she issued the order, Talia couldn’t shake the gnawing worry in her gut. The enemy’s use of nuclear weapons had escalated the conflict beyond her worst fears. She glanced at the deck section housing the spiders on the desert crawler, hoping their trust in her wasn’t misplaced.

Almost as if sensing her worry, the video feed lit up as Dapple and Hot Pink poked at the camera for a call. Her lips quirking into a small smile despite the tension.

“Is everyone okay?” she asked, concern lacing her voice.

Dapple’s legs twitched nervously. “Big-explosions-scary. When-rescue-start?”

Talia’s heart clenched. She hated keeping them waiting, but rushing in blindly would be disastrous. “We have to be patient. The enemy army is blocking us and we are doing our best to fight through it now.”

Hot Pink bounced excitedly. “Ready-smash-destroy-takers!”

Talia smiled weakly. “Yeah, we are. Just before we can see them.”

[Report: Operational command to fortify western flank is underway. Full advance across eastern axis will begin shortly.]

“Just be careful not to bomb the prisoners,” Talia muttered, her brow furrowing.

[Query: Clarification required on protocol if hostile forces commence execution of Tch’Llik’yzz”Lrr.]

The question hit Talia like a punch to the gut. She stammered, shock and panic flooding her system. How had she overlooked such a crucial possibility?

“We... we need to keep the spider units close to the front line,” she managed. “If they start executing, we’ll have to deploy everything at once. Push hard and try to stop it in time.”

[Notice: Highlighting sectors of enemy main base with lower risk to friendly units if targeted.]

The screen highlighted multiple locations on the tactical map, settling on some buildings and vehicles, forming a semi-circle away from the detected prison cages.

Talia nodded, her throat tight. “If they start killing prisoners, begin bombardment on those locations immediately. But for now, keep the pressure off the base if possible. Maybe it’ll lower the chance of them reacting that way.”

[Confirmation: Full force application on enemy front line to secure breach and breakthrough.]

Neo highlighted several desert hill routes in green, then marked artillery positions on elevated areas.

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[Analysis: Enemy sighting of our artillery limited to counter-battery fire, indicating a lack of reconnaissance. However, all units with Tch’Llik’yzz’Lrr repeatedly targeted. Suggests enemy device detecting their location, similar to Tch’Llik nest artifact. Detection appears limited to robotic units of a certain size and power level. LIRU and light units unaffected.]

Talia leaned forward. “If we know the limits to their detection thing, we can exploit that. But we’ll need more ‘light’ units, and we’ve been pumping out heavy vehicles.”

[Affirmative: Reconfiguration of unit composition would result in short-term decrease in throughput inconsistent with current campaign objective.]

There seemed to be nothing for her to do other than watch as the tactical screen updated with the shifting forces. Detect, target, destroy. All the units automated by Neo with minimal input required from her—even if she wanted to direct, she would have been way to slow on the reflexes for how many engagements were occurring across the front line.

It all started to feel so very much out of control and out of her hands.

The line began to etch itself into the terrain, artillery exchanges growing more intense and frequent. Talia’s fingers tapped out a nervous rhythm on the command dais.

The Blues clung to a ridgeline position that made direct fire difficult, and their anti-munition defenses grew more effective as her forces clamped them down.

A warning chime pierced the air, followed by the sudden, vise-like compression of her exo-suit locking into place.

“Neo!” she shouted, panic rising in her throat.

[Alert: Munition net penetration detected. Slim Girl defensive net breached. Shield barrier impact imminent.]

The command dais, the control module, the entire vehicle shook heavily. That was bad. Anything that would shake the vehicle like that was bad if—

The suit’s pressure lock released, and Talia’s fingers flew across her controls, switching to the external view on her HUD. Her breath caught at the sight that greeted her.

A massive fireball bloomed in the sky above the desert crawler, radiant light bathing everything in a orange-yellow glow challenging the sun. Between the vehicle and the destruction, a shimmering dome of blue plasma crackled with arcing electricity. The nuclear inferno washed over the barrier, vaporizing rock and air in its wake.

The Slim Girl shuddered violently a second time as an implosion sucked debris back toward the blast epicenter. She glanced at the exterior feed, it was still operational, the Tch’Llik had were all laying flat on the deck, their legs holding them firmly to the durasteel.

“Neo, report!” she barked, her voice hoarse.

[Analysis: No structural damage detected. Shield integrity at 78% following direct impact.]

Talia exhaled shakily. They needed to prevent the Blues from landing another hit like that. She stared at the fading glow of the nuclear blast. “Neo, are more incoming?”

[Negative: No additional shells detected. Analysis suggests possible stealth missile deployment.]

“Stealth missile?” Talia’s brow furrowed. “But the enemy doesn’t use flying things!”

[Notice: Situation unknown. Insufficient data for conclusive analysis.]

Talia gritted her teeth, frustration mounting. The chime on her comm system rang frantically. Dapple and Hot Pink’s faces filled the screen, their mandibles clicking with agitation.

“Neo, did the radiation breach the shield?” Talia asked, concern etched on her face.

[Report: Magnetic containment intact. Low dosage of high-energy particles within tolerable range for organics and electronic systems. No significant damage projected.]

Talia exhaled sharply, tension draining from her shoulders. “Thank goodness.”

“Fire-fire-big-fire! Wrong-place!” Hot Pink chirped, her legs waving wildly.

“That was an enemy attack,” Talia explained, her voice steady despite the churning in her gut. “There might be more, so stay on the Slim Girl until it’s time to go.”

“Big-fire-like-eat-worm,” Dapple observed. “But-Moving-Nest-not-big-as-worm!”

Talia frowned, turning her attention to the tactical map. The enemy’s defensive line seemed to have solidified. “Neo, how can we dislodge them?”

[Analysis: Evolving situation unlikely to yield further progress quickly. Additional combat units from back line required. Estimated deployment time: several days.]

“We don’t have that long,” Talia muttered. The clock was ticking, and with every passing moment, the chances of rescuing the captured spiders dwindled.

A warning chime pierced the air, sending a jolt through Talia’s body. Another nuclear strike? Her muscles tensed, bracing for the suit’s lockdown, but it never came.

“Neo, what was that?” she asked, her voice tight.

[Alert: Unknown telemetry detected. High-speed object in low orbit.]

Talia’s eyes widened. “What? Show me.”

The main screen flickered to life, displaying a view of the sky above. Pulses of light flashed across the inky blackness, followed by streaks of burning debris plummeting through the atmosphere.

[Notice: Enhancing image.]

The footage zoomed in, revealing a vast swath of twisted metal and fractured hull plating. Talia’s breath caught in her throat.

[Report: Heavy magnetic storm detected. Consistent with possible planetary super-weapon activation.]

“That’s... that’s a ship,” Talia whispered. Pieces of the vessel broke off, leaving fiery trails as they hurtled towards the planet’s surface. A big ship. Surely dwarfing her small exploration corvette. A cargo freighter…? Or a UFE military vessel?

“Neo, get me the trajectories of that debris,” she ordered.

The battle with the Blues had already reached a stalemate, and now this? Who could be up there? Not Blues, or at least not likely considering what she had learned from Raxion.

Could it be someone looking for her?

A cold knot formed in her stomach. She’d never planned to stay in the Sigma system long term. She hadn’t spent much effort in covering her tracks, either. It was entirely possible someone had managed to trace her.

The question was, who?