Daniel crashed through several walls on the lower levels of the building as he fired behind him. It would have looked comical to anyone watching, if it wasn’t for the fact that the entire group of main-line mechs weren’t running backwards while doing the same thing.
“Fran, we’re coming to you now!” He shouted out loud, voice confined to the general area’s communication bubble. His pulse hammered in his ears as he continued bombarding both the building and the biotics that pursued him. A Centaur shrieked loudly as he hit it with a stream of firepower that tore through its flesh and exploded out of its back messily. The ichor stream blasted the next pair of Centaur as they pushed onwards through the huge gaps left behind by the charging mech line.
“Divert! Strauss and his team are running down the road you’re about to spill out on, the defensive line is scuttled.” Fran shouted over the communications before turning her attention to another group. Daniel swore under his breath at that, before bellowing orders to the rest of his team.
The Iron Chariots were working with Daniel, as well as a few other mech pilots that had been split off from their teams. Outside they could hear the nonstop bombardment of artillery that shredded through streets and buildings further away. The Centaur that climbed up into buildings posed a new and deadly threat as their unrelenting push into the city slowed from Legion attacks. They now attacked at range in fire teams of their own, firing noxious globules of powerful acid and high speed bolts of spindle-spikes that could pierce deep into armor if it hit just right.
With the roar of their machines, the group turned their escape route slightly, though never turned away from the biotics behind them. The machines were intelligent enough to compensate for most user error, but the Centaur were mercurial as they moved around the buildings.
Daniel’s suit was barely slowed as it crashed through floors and walls, but not everyone’s mechs were able to maintain their speed. Occasionally damage would accrue enough to force a stand as the rest of the team desperately fought back to try to pull their overly damaged companions to safety.
That had worked well for a while, but the Centaur had learned to pile on harder whenever such a fighting retreat happened. It quickly wore down on them, and casualties began to pile up.
“Last Call, form up on Chariot,” Daniel heard Strauss’ voice as he crashed through into open air once more, revealing dozens of power armored Legionaries. Many of them were only temporarily counted as part of Strauss' team, a similar situation to be had with Iron Chariot’s collected people.
The mechs fell into staggered lines on the retreat, making sure to give space for their smaller armored comrades. Quickly the newly merged teams reached the intersection, a smattering of defensive emplacements already in position for them. The buildings around them bore even more turrets that were clearly new additions, affixed with bolts and broad plates that were drilled directly into the walls. As the last of the group passed the crosswalk, the turrets all around them activated and began to fire.
“Ammunition, repairs, and ready to join the defense,” Strauss called out, unperturbed by the roaring turrets that had been inactive moments ago, “This is the last outpost before we hit the red line.”
Wordlessly the others moved about, quickly collecting ammo magazines and modules to replace heavier weaponry. Daniel himself didn’t need it, possessing an abundance of ammo himself. He looked back to the crisscrossing lines of fire that devastated the encroaching lines of biotics with a complicated expression. It almost looked like they could hold here indefinitely, but the painful fact of the matter was that their ever dwindling stockpiles of ammunition extended most dramatically to their automated defenses. They were never meant to operate without Obelisk support in the long term. Against any average biotics force, they would have been sufficient a dozen times over without ever even including a Legionnaire in the defense. Unfortunately, Centaur were more durable than the lesser biotics that swarmed in around them. Each would take a second or two of sustained fire to kill, rather than the brief sweep that the others required.
Then, of course, were the more durable types of biotics like the Axiom-like creatures. The bus-sized biotics took ten seconds and more to destroy, and every major offense had several of them. They almost looked like boats amidst the sea of biotics surrounding them.
“Sensors are saying that there still aren’t more Centaur coming up.” Daniel started at the sound of Strauss’ speaking next to him.
“Guess that explains why we’re seeing so many other types now.” The big mech shrugged, “any word on that new temporary Obelisk?”
Strauss didn’t hide the sigh that came from his lips, “it’ll be several hours at the earliest…”
Neither said anything after that, both thinking the same grim thing. They doubted that they would be able to last more than another two hours as things stood. The ‘red line’ was the last defensive measure, and not even one that was intended to be used as the final defense. Unfortunately, the Lightbringer had devastated the greatest defensive measures that they’d had previously.
The energy shields kept any ranged bombardments from being effective, but they were ineffective against slower moving objects. Slower being subjective, considering the mechs could run through them at full tilt without it being a problem. That meant that the biotics could also do so, unfortunately, and the Legion couldn’t exchange fire through them.
If nothing else, at least the remaining Reaver’s had destroyed the Gen 4 biotic over the ocean. It took a long time, but after the initial bombardment the Reavers had destroyed the black spheres that allowed it to use its beam weapon. The biotic, disarmed as such, only required time to kill.
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The Reavers were running flybys of the worst locations in the city, trying to thin out the number of biotics bearing down on the defensive lines.
Everyone was tired, however. The battle had been ongoing for a day and a half, not a long time all things considered, but it had been an intense struggle for half of that time.
“All forces, pull back to the red line,” a cold-sounding voice resounded throughout everyone’s communicators.
Daniel frowned at Matthew’s order. He wondered why they weren’t going to continue mounting a fighting retreat.
Still, considering the deep ache behind his eyes and the fatigue that had long settled into his bones, he couldn’t help but to feel guiltily grateful for the order. At the same time, he felt his heart tighten at the thought that they were directly resorting to their last stand.
“Damn.” Strauss muttered aloud before turning around to the rest of the group, “You heard ‘im, pack it in and fall back.”
As he said that, they could see dozens more turrets emerge from the buildings down the street, a silent procession that would slow down the biotics advance for them. They didn’t delay any longer than necessary, stopping only long enough to rig explosives and Raijin traps while also stripping any excess ammo and supplies they might need.
The group was silent besides the hiss of damaged servos and electromagnetic pistons pumping heavy metal limbs. Shuddering footsteps rattled the windows of the buildings they passed, growing more exuberant the closer to the red line. In seconds they began to meet other teams, some they’d worked closely together with, and others they knew only by reputation. Domino and his team were among the familiar faces.
Daniel came beside him, the much shorter power armor user giving the mech user a friendly tap on the side with a finger, “Glad to see you, man.”
“You too,” Domino said earnestly, “I heard your line got overwhelmed, glad to see you got out.”
He soberly nodded at that, “Barely. We’ve damn near run dry of ammo several times.”
The academy-bred team leader, Domino, nodded grimly at that, “Sooner or later we’ll be punching and kicking the waves. I really hope Matt has a plan here.”
Others listened curiously to their conversation, secretly hoping that their leader had some grand scheme in play. If anyone would know about it, they figured that Daniel would be one of them.
Instead, they heard the big mech snort over the intercoms, “I have no idea, man. The fact that we’re pulling back to the red line tells me that whatever it is, there ain’t much left in the tank.”
He cringed internally at suddenly seeing the black mood that fell over the group.
Strauss snorted, “Well, ain’t that just rosey.”
“Hey, just because we can’t retreat anymore doesn’t mean that there isn’t some plan,” Daniel grumbled, “just that we don’t have any more ground to give.”
At that point, most of the teams on their side had gathered up, slowing down somewhat to ensure that they didn’t crash into each other. They were only a few short blocks away from the red line, but already they wondered what the plan was.
However, not everyone seemed nearly as depressed.
“Haven’t you all forgotten something important?” Lilia Bertholdt broke her silence, the leader of the Iron Chariots wearing a smirk that told that she was deeply amused at the three men’s conversation.
Strauss frowned, his mood keeping him from suppressing his annoyance, “What’s that?”
“This whole time, what’s been missing?” She grinned wider, “What haven’t we seen in this whole war?”
Daniel didn’t feel any patience at that, but stopped when he heard Domino gasp and then laugh. “Oh, wow. Yeah, that’s a little embarrassing.”
The response confused Daniel and Strauss who briefly looked to each other to confirm that they weren’t the only ones slow on the uptake.
It was then that Lilia pointed up to the buildings that they approached, “Well, looks like you can see them now.”
The two men followed her finger, along with the rest of the Legionaries, to the windows above them.
Red lights greeted them from every window. Black obsidian shells gleamed in the light, along with the tell-tale red shimmer of enhanced weaponry that belonged in The Reaper’s personal arsenal. Daniel felt a shiver run down his spine as he saw window after window, doorway after doorway, filled shoulder to shoulder with their last line of defense. On the first three floors, the machines were different, bulkier and robust with what appeared to be melee weaponry that sizzled with red light. Bayonets extended from rifles, glaives rested in the hands of the larger Determinators, and no shortage of them bore other objects strapped to their metal bodies. They were generally larger than a man, but smaller than a mech. Still, Daniel knew better than to underestimate their synthetic bodies and deceptive strength.
“Well, damn,” Daniel couldn’t help but smile viciously at the sight, “where have you boys been?”
As the teams crossed an invisible line, the larger Determinators stepped out of the buildings and formed ranks, blocking off the road beyond with their bodies and with dozens of sleek black shields that they bolted into the ground. The sounds of hundreds of magnetic and energy weapons hummed to life at once, sending goosebumps rippling across Daniel’s arms.
“Some last minute upgrades,” he heard a voice greet them, “Leave it to them for a while and get some rest.”
The group saw the black armored man before them, flanked by two lithe Determinators that oozed a sort of primal arrogance, bedecked in faintly shimmering black armor and bearing what looked like a blend between a staff and bearded axe. Shoulder mounted weapons peeked out at them, and Daniel felt a palpable wariness rise from him as he realized the identity of the weapons they bore. Each one was amongst the most destructive assortments that he’d seen Matt use.
His honor guard flanked him as he turned around, “C’mon, the defenses are nearly done. I’m gathering everyone at the uplink station.” Matthew spoke casually before pausing and looking back at the assorted people that made up his Legion. “And good work, everyone. We’re nearly there.”
The words rang out tantalizingly for the tired Legion. With rejuvenated steps, they followed behind him as the last of the district's squads came together and approached the shorter wall ahead of them.
“So, the psy-emitter thing is almost done?” Daniel asked aloud, giving voice to the rising hopes that the group had.
Matthew chuckled, “Almost done? No.”
He could almost feel the crestfallen Legion behind him as he added on, “It’s finished. We just need to find the right combination for the biotics now.”
What I didn’t mention, however, was that this was the most complex part. Finding the combination that could affect them was difficult, but also dangerous. Biotics weren’t the only things that could be affected by the device. If everything went according to plan, then I’d be able to end this before a battle could even break out.
I listened to the feverish increase in chatter and the relief that rushed through them all before dousing it ever so slightly with my next words, “we’re not done yet, obviously, so rest up and be ready to dig in. We’ve given ground so far, but not anymore.”
At that, I sent a mental command to the new wall, unveiling rows upon rows of energy-based weaponry. These, unlike most others, didn’t need nearly as much in the way of ammunition. With a smaller killing field, I was certain we could finally stagger the wave utterly.
Now, I just needed to wait and see if the King had any other cards, struggle against the biotic horde, and complete the psy-emitters weaponization.
‘Soon. One way or another, this will be over soon.’ I stared through the eyes of my Determinators as they waited for the inevitable rush to come to us.