Lanada’s old street looked much as it had before. The shot down bomber had crashed only a few blocks away, and some of the debris had even made it to their neighborhood. Their apartment building was left undamaged luckily, just as the rest of the street.
They walked up their familiar stairs to knock on Gerry’s door, concerned about him. There was no response. After a couple more knocks and more waiting, the door was finally opened. In the doorway stood a large brestyrian, a far cry from Gerry.
“Hello, is Gerry home?”
“Who?”
“Gerry? Lives here? Or at least, he used to.”
“No, I’m afraid not. I’ve been living here for two weeks, maybe he was the person here before me?”
“Right, thank you.”
Lanada let the door close before moving, their thoughts running wild. With Gerry now definitely officially missing, all they could do was visit their old apartment. It was just as Lanada had left it, only a slight film of sand changing each surface. The sandstorms in Ingalderin always had the same effect. They swiped off the couch before sitting down, crying as they turned on an episode of Love Dove.
Since the battle had ended, STAR had been keeping Lanada busy. While the military left to prep for their next operation, STAR was largely responsible for the cleanup and aftermath. Lanada had counted casualties, bodies, assessed property damage, advised STAR on any Geldor movements they could guess. It was all very overwhelming.
They had waited a couple days before transporting any civilians back to the city, being sure the Geldor were finished with their attack and cleaning off the gore. Despite the massive force, they had completely disappeared, even from the many outposts they’d made in the deserts.
All it meant for Lanada was that they finally got a break. Even with the time though, even after returning to their apartment and watching their favorite show, nothing could bring the peace of mind they had before STAR. With Gerry’s absence and the city changed from the attack, nothing felt normal. They only felt uneasy, like constantly standing on a moving, rumbling ground.
After three episodes and no movement, Lanada was startled by a knocking at their door. A quick look over confirmed it was Sam, not some deranged gang member like they thought. Lanada gave him a feeble wish to just come in, looking back to the TV as he entered.
“Thought you’d be here. Glad you’re getting some rest.”
“If you can call this rest. I’m still on edge.”
“Yeah, we’ve been through a lot the last few days. How are you holding up?”
“I thought it was bad enough when I first started. All this trouble has done is spiral further down.”
“I understand. It’s hard not to get discouraged.”
“Especially when I never had the encouragement in the first place.”
“I thought you’d have warmed up to us by now.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re all pretentious. Everything I’ve seen so far is honestly worse than what I expected. STAR is just the military but they pretend they’re smarter. It’s like you guys start the shit and then make the military come in and finish it off. I bet every STAR agent reveled in the attack on Ingalderin because now they don’t have to hold back. Who’s telling them to show mercy to terrorists?”
"You think any of those people deserve mercy?! After what they did? Get your head out of your ass, Lanada. They tried to bomb the city."
“They bombed the city to get to the Monarchy. They all think they’re doing this to liberate the planet, and they’ll clearly go to any extreme to do so. And after all that, instead of de-escalating or slowly taking their power, we go and provoke them. People are getting even angrier at the Monarchy now, don’t you get it? Now the Geldor just got a boost in numbers, and the Monarchy looks like they’re far too eager to have a war in the middle of a populated area. So there’s that.”
Sam looked tired, understandably so. But so was Lanada, and they were acutely aware as they crossed their arms and stared Sam down.
"I see what you mean. But do you really think that if STAR just stood by, the Geldor would stop?"
“I don’t expect anyone to just stand by. What I want is for the Monarchy to try and reduce the violence instead of spreading it. That battle didn’t have to take place in that city. It’s like they were lured there. They underestimated and overestimated the Geldor here. We saw all those bombs and guns, and the Monarchy really thought they could just fend them off with a straight up fight? They just throw soldiers at it and hope it gets fixed.”
Sam was silent, staring at Lanada with glass eyes. His cogs could be seen spinning. Perhaps Sam was the good person he acted, but some membrane still contained him, separating his morals from his job. Maybe if he wasn't in STAR, maybe if he wasn't under the orders of King Lactain and his lackeys, he could have been a genuinely good person. That made Lanada pity him, in a new perspective. They saw how broken he was, and the glass over his eyes was only the shield of pain.
"I… I don't know what to say, I'll be honest Lanada."
"You don't need to say shit. Just do better. Know better. If you're such a good agent, you should be informed enough to de-escalate this shit, not continue it."
Sam said nothing, staring past Lanada's shoulder at nothing.
"You look like a grophiir on a wheel. You want a bite to eat or something?" Lanada asked.
"Yeah, I think I need that."
"My truck's still here, it's my turn to show off."
"You're still caught up on my car?"
"Oh my gods, yes."
"Okay, let's see this redneck machine."
"That didn't translate right."
"I forget about those all the time. Next time you're on your shit, I'll just turn it off."
"I know your language. Watch me."
Lanada smirked as they turned off the translator on their Circle, the piece in their ear getting a button press as well.
"You stupid fucking idiot. I learn curse words first, all need to communicism," they laughed.
"Bahalga"
"Je, bo 'bagalha.'"
"Yeah I don't understand."
"Seemek bas bahah!"
"What's that?"
"Boohee woohee!"
"Lanada, please."
"Jenik fay, behli."
"..."
Lanada only laughed, not bothering to turn on their translator again. It was as if Lanada finally had peace once more, why hadn't they done it sooner?
"Hey, how about that lunch?" Sam encouraged.
"Lunch? Boohee woohee…"
Lanada's truck was covered in dust when they approached the elevator, but it at least hadn't gotten inside. Lanada only worried about the rust holes. Sam looked cautious as he stepped inside, eyeing the car's layout and buttons.
"So, can this thing go over two eighty?"
"Heeeh… yal?"
"Can you please turn it back on?"
"Blheg meyhal…"
Lanada poked their ear to turn on their translator momentarily.
"What?"
"Oh, I asked if this truck could reach two eighty."
"Two eighty what?"
"Kilometers per hour?"
"What the fuck is that?"
"Unit of measurement?"
"Ugh, give me a second."
Lanada poked around their Circle, doing the conversions with a handy software. Meanwhile, their truck hit the bottom of the elevator, allowing it to drive around the building and onto the street.
"Oh, yeah, it can totally do that, even on sand," they finally said, beaming. "What about yours?"
"Um…"
Lanada only smirked, taking off toward their favorite restaurant. Sam tried some conversation, but found the usual difficulties getting confused about Lanada's antics. He quickly gained his usual stoic appearance back.
"Wait… no, no no…"
Lanada looked tragic, just as tragic as their once favorite restaurant. The once three story building had collapsed, scorch marks from the crashed bomber blending the blackened sandstone together.
"They served the best zerkin…"
Lanada pouted, turning the corner while still observing the ruins. They hummed a sad tune, placing a hand to clutch their heart. They bent their face down in loss, dramatically expressing their tragedy.
"Hey, I have a place I usually get here, let me plug it in."
Without warrant, Sam started adjusting the truck's navigation.
"No! Don't touch! I'll enter it, just tell me the address!"
Lanada slapped his hand away, giving him a stern look while their fingers graced the information screen in the center.
"Fine, it's 306 Jehk Avenue."
"Downtown? Well, we'll see…"
"We'll see?"
"Well, downtown is for tourists and suits."
“Like it or not, you’re a suit now too, Lanada.”
“Fuck.”
Lanada felt another wave of repulsion, Sam’s lunch destination coming into view. Lanada was immediately uncomfortable with the fancy looking place. It was in a small strip at the bottom floor of a smooth skyscraper, towering over the nearby park. The inside was big and airy, natural plants and water features installed to make the atmosphere look refreshing.
Lanada was anything but refreshed though. They expected the other patrons to have a sullen atmosphere, the attack on the city still looming overhead. But as they looked around, the people were laughing and enjoying their conversations, ignoring the construction outside to return the city to normal. It was as if it had never happened in their minds. And in a week when the repairs around the city would be mostly finished, would they even remember?
Lanada remembered, staring outside to the street. Just a few days ago they’d been fighting there, killing there. The people around them didn’t even know. The blood and carnage was cleaned there first.
The crashed bomber displaced a whole community, causing some people to lose everything. They couldn’t afford a pleasant meal with friends; they had larger things to worry about. But perhaps the people around Lanada were just as afraid, just as nervous, and the loud laughter and conversation was only a cover for the horror the city had been through.
“They have a theme going on, all their menu items are supposed to be ‘refreshing.’ You know, ‘cause the desert?”
“Oh yeah. Humans are weak to heat.”
“I won’t argue with that. I will enjoy a smoothie though. I haven’t eaten warm food in a month.”
“Sam that’s a bit extreme.”
“Hey, when your people are forced to live on a hot planet your species never adapted for, maybe you’ll appreciate smoothies a bit more.”
“Sounds like Earth is really hot though. Didn’t rich people blow it up, set it on fire and stuff?”
“... Lanada. That’s not funny.”
“You’ve been on Mikoril your whole life, so were your parents. Why the soft spot?”
“I… I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I know we don’t have a homeworld. I know that humans have complicated the relationship with the saumryans and brestyrians, but we have nowhere else to go. Even if we wanted to butt out, we don’t have the choice.”
“Wish you guys brought us some better politics.”
“Yeah... Humans have a violent history. We’re trying to do better on Mikoril though, I think that much is clear. I know that Mikoril and Maegiira don’t even amount to the violence in our past, in comparison they’re completely peaceful. Maybe it’s because we’re more diverse, we have more landmass.”
“I don’t think you can blame violence on landmass or diversity. It’s like your people brought a curse over here from Earth.”
“So… you’re saying humans are just cursed? Isn’t that… problematic?”
“Nah, you guys aren’t cursed, just brought one over with you. Like a demon.”
“And that demon is capitalism, right?”
“Exactly!”
“Hm. Honestly. Have to agree with you there.”
Lanada smirked. It was rare Sam agreed with them. If he was that agreeable, maybe Lanada could actually ask favors out of him. Gerry was on their mind constantly, it made sense Sam could find him. He found Lanada back in the day at least.
“Sam… I need your help with something, actually?”
“Really?” he looked surprised, if not shocked. “Whatcha need?”
“I need to find Gerry. He’s been gone for a while.”
“And he’s not just ghosting you?”
“Wha—no! At least… I don’t think so… Can you at least get him off the watch list? I don’t have clearance.”
“Yeah. I’ll see what I can dig up too. But… not to be harsh Lanada, but maybe he just doesn’t want to be connected with you anymore. After all, you’re a murderer for STAR now. Like you say.”
Sam shrugged, beginning his meal by forking some lettuce into his mouth. Lanada only sunk into their chair, staring at the blue dish in front of them. What if Sam was right?
❂
A couple days later, Sam and Lanada were on their way back to the Capitol. With Gerry gone, Lanada relinquished their old apartment, choosing to just relocate instead of dealing with the hassle. It was a big moment, making them officially out of the city. It felt odd to them, especially after just seeing it attacked. Their business there was done though, and Sam made it clear there weren’t many reasons they’d return.
Scouts and agents were working their best to track the Geldor and their movements, but they had largely disappeared. Many were followed back to public transport ships traveling to Maegiira, blending in with the migrant population. Their camps were abandoned, and apart from the few that got to Maegiira, they had all but disappeared. Most were assumed to have integrated with local populations on Mikoril, meeting in secret where they couldn’t be tracked.
Tensions on the streets were getting even worse. The military still hadn’t left Ingalderin, and STAR was shaking people down looking for Geldor. King Lactain had delivered a much hated speech on the matter, praising the Monarchy’s defense of Ingalderin, and harshly damning the Geldor. Protests spread quickly, this time from various organizers across the city. What resulted were chaotic feuds between supporters of the Monarchy and its critics. The few who dared support the Geldor openly were shut down by the police, arresting hundreds of people in a short time.
Lanada’s mind whirled as they thought through the attack and its aftermath, buzzing from the usual round of smoking. They were laid up in their cabin, watching the usual show while scrolling through their Circle.
“Hey, it’s Bofi. You decent in there?” the saumryan knocked.
“Yeah?”
Bofi charged through Lanada’s door, a vague look on her face.
“Got the crew handling the ship, autopilot does most of the work. How’ve you been? I was providing air support, I didn’t see anything on the ground.”
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“You saw the aftermath though?”
“Only from the air. It looked bad.”
“You can’t even see the damage to the streets and buildings. Bullet holes don’t show that far up.”
“Yeah, that’s why I decided to be a pilot. I’d panic too much on the ground. If I can’t dodge up, you’re not gonna miss.”
“Good cop out. You’re lucky, it was rough down there. Heavy casualties on both sides. It was a bloodbath.”
“I saw the numbers. Lost a lot in the air as well, two of our fighters got shot down. Don’t know if you knew them, Doni and Marcus, they crashed into the desert.”
“Damn. I’ve been trying to contact my friend too, but I haven’t been able to. I’m worried about him.”
“What’s his name?”
“Gerry, saumryan, used to live next door to me.”
“Yeah, don’t know him.”
“I wouldn't expect you to. Very different circles.”
“Right, if they’re not in the sky, I don’t remember their name.”
“Did you lose anyone down there? Family? Friends?”
“Not as far as I know. Got three moms back in Ildar, I try to visit when I can.”
“That’s cute.”
“How are you feeling being away from Ingalderin? I hear you’ve always been a kind of street rat there.”
“That’s one way to put it. It’s people like us who scared them into giving us public housing.”
“Right, I commend your efforts.”
“Oh yeah, thanks. I was really good, I’d get junked up then throw bottles at tourists. Always escaped the cops though. No matter how strung out or drunk I got, they still couldn’t catch me. It was addicting.”
“And how are you now that you’re in withdrawal? From breaking the law?”
“I feel like shit, Bofi. I lost my circle, my life, my heritage. I feel like cattle. It’s like everything up to now was pointless.”
“I wouldn’t say that. You’ve definitely put your skills to good use.”
“‘Good’ use.”
“No, you are doing good. I know you don’t agree with STAR and what they do, but that’s what makes you valuable here. If I’m honest, Sam might have gone off the edge if you weren’t here to calm him down. He’s been under a lot of stress lately.”
“Good to know I’m just a glorified babysitter for him.”
“Hey, isn’t that better than being a STAR agent?”
“You’re onto something Bofi. Treat Sam like a child, got it.”
Bofi laughed, snorting herself to stop. Lanada returned an amused smile, glad she wasn’t so uptight like the rest of STAR.
“He does need special care. I know you must be pretty broken, so is he though.”
“Not my place to care.”
“I know, but it would be a good help to us all. He’s already an influential person in STAR, with you in his ear, he might come out okay.”
“That’s a lot of responsibility for virtually a stranger.”
“Yeah, no pressure or anything. You’re already good at keeping him in check, just keep up the work. Even if it feels pointless, your words are important. Don’t be afraid to speak up.”
“Don’t think that’ll ever be a problem. Not if everyone keeps annoying me like they have been.”
“Good, I’m going to—”
Bofi was interrupted by an explosive rumble in the ship, rocking her on her feet. She grabbed the doorway while Lanada tumbled off the bed from their queer sitting position.
“Fuck!”
Bofi turned tail and sprinted out the door to the cockpit. Lanada decided to follow, not wanting to be left in the dark. Red lights were flashing on the control panels from the upper level, repeatedly glowing up the crew’s faces. Bofi took over the main controls from their second, taking another jerk from the ship while it cut through the air. Cameras behind showed a trail of smoke running away from the ship, flames occasionally licking the sides of the frame.
Bofi barked out orders to her helmspeople and engineers, trying everything to keep the ship afloat. After not being able to stabilize the altitude however, she finally gave the command to abandon ship, her voice sounding on the intercom. While she and the rest of the pilots continued to hold the controls, Lanada fled the cockpit, searching for the escape pods. They almost ran into Sam on their way downstairs, giving a quick explanation as they descended.
“Escape pods? No, we use parachutes here. The cargo bay doors should be opening for us to drop. I think the fighters were taken too, I heard the alarm.”
“Wait, we’re parachuting? I thought this thing was built for space?!”
“No, it’s a high atmosphere aerospace ship. It can’t get into space, so it doesn’t need escape pods to get through re-entry. That’s why we use—”
“Sam! Not the fucking time!”
They grabbed the parachutes in the hallway before the cargo bay, a panicked human handing them out. A line was already forming and jumping, a flurry of parachutes visible out the window.
“I hate heights!”
“Too bad!”
Sam pushed Lanada out of the ship, sending them tumbling along with their stomach through the air. They were later than the others to pull their chute, stabilizing into a steady descent. Sam was a few meters away from them, focusing on his own free fall. From that height, Lanada could see the eastern ocean, curving along with Mikoril’s surface.
As they began their ride to the ground, a couple fighters whizzed by in the distance, chasing each other through the crowds. Even further was the Ahria, beginning its final stages of destruction as body panels burst off, propelled by the flames billowing from inside. Bofi was the last one out, and Lanada watched as the ship finally lost its steady trajectory and began to spin off course. It exploded in the sky in a final blaze, spreading the fire on the ground it impacted.
The fighters doing battle passed again, but the Monarchy fighter was unlucky, getting shredded by guns from below. The rounds redirected to the Ahria’s crew, steadily floating down. Several parachutes were torn apart, sending their users plummeting to the ground.
“Release your primary chute! You’ve got a second one you can release closer to the ground!” Sam yelled to Lanada, who was closing their eyes and trying not to vomit.
"No! I don’t want to freefall aga—AAAAGH!” Lanada’s chute was pierced by a round of bullets, sending them falling freely again. They listened to Sam though and released their damaged chute, looking to the others to determine when to deploy the second. Their fear grew as they approached the ground, staring at a neighbor for help, until the guns fired again, shredding the person apart.
The source of the gunfire was clear, but being able to see it was the last thing Lanada wanted. They tried to redirect their fall to the side, away from the barrel’s trajectory. They saw a couple people in front redeploy their parachutes, and so they followed too, bracing for the quick deceleration. It tugged at their gut while the wind caught the fabric, sending them into a quick velocity at a thick of trees. The jungle of rolling hills in the Filaise Strip filled their view right before they plunged into the trees. Wde blue leaves slapped their face as they finally touched down in the branches, falling a few meters from the tangled parachute.
From the sounds beyond the trees, it was clear that others had landed nearby, grunting or crying in pain for the particularly rough falls. Lanada held their position, watching their Circle for hope of any information. They received a small notification that their location had been shared, followed by a closeby rustle of leaves and a falling Sam. They both took a moment to calm their breathing, especially Lanada, happy to be on solid ground.
“What the fuck was that?! Were they Geldor?” Lanada stammered.
“Looked like it, I’ve never seen those fighters before. That gun was concerning though, I wonder how many we lost.”
“Where are we anyways?”
“Somewhere in the Strip…”
“Yeah, no shit.”
“Give me a moment.”
Sam looked to his Circle’s GPS while Lanada did the same. They were on the east side of the Strip, where the jungle was the thickest. Overhead was one of the main air passageways, making the gun even more of a danger, and the perfect trap for the Ahria which frequented that route.
“I’m going to contact Margit, see if you can get in touch with Jenill,” Sam ordered, immediately radioing in.
Lanada tried the same with Bofi, getting an immediate answer.
“I’m still in the air, about to land, give me a moment.” The rustle of leaves could be heard from the other end, filling Lanada’s ear with noise until Bofi hit the ground. “I’m down, send me your location, we’ll meet up with you and Sam.”
“Right, sending it now,” Lanada ended their call and shared their gps with Bofi, finding a log to sit on. Their breaths were still fast.
“Command knows, they’re sending a team to help the situation. Our orders for now are to regroup and sit tight until we get an update,” Sam explained, pocketing his Circle again.
“Bofi’s coming too.”
Sam nodded and sat beside Lanada, staring straight ahead. Lanada tried to focus on the plants, doing their best to distract themself. There was more than enough foliage to fill their eyes though, reflecting the light into a cool blue after it reached the bottom. A rustle nearby along with some chatter alerted them Bofi was close, her voice carrying through the leaves. She emerged into the small clearing with a small line of crew, some looking more beat up than others. Their faces were all worried and afraid, only filling a spectrum of the emotion’s intensity.
“Listen up people, Captain Jenill here. Close in on my location, we’ll regroup here on me,” Bofi lowered her Circle and shook her head. “It’s a damn shame. I fucking loved that ship.”
“Did everyone get out?”
“I was the last to jump, so I assume so. I saw some people get hit on their way down though, bad way to go. I got a couple cuts in my arm too, but I’ll survive.”
“I hope so. We’re still waiting on orders, they told us to stay put,” Sam consoled.
“Of course they did. I want to take out that damn gun.”
“I think we have to. Just be patient.”
Bofi listened to Sam and sat on the same log, leaving Lanada in the middle. She looked absolutely exasperated, looking up from her hands occasionally to do a headcount. The surviving crew slowly found their way, trickling in alone or in small groups or pairs. Only a couple were in decent spirits, the rest were just as depressed.
Bofi did a final two counts, her face falling more as she looked for the three missing crew members. Through confirming with the others, it was clear they had died on the way down. One died in the sky from direct fire from the gun, while another freefell after their parachutes were both destroyed. Another almost made the trip, but got tangled and killed in the trees upon landing. At least with a final headcount, all the survivors were accounted for.
The group let off some light, stressful chatter, trying to ascertain the situation however they could. Bofi dodged and ignored questions, unable to answer them herself. The direction was only found when Sam’s Circle lit up again, Margit speaking on the other end.
“We’ve confirmed the situation. Aerial scans show three guns in your area, lined up on our major air routes to and from the Capitol. Four other vessels have been shot down as well; two of them had civilians. We’re trying to reroute any travel through the airspace right now. The Ahria was hit by the gun located to the south, but it was an enemy missile that took it out. The Geldor have air defense in the sky too, extending the range of their air superiority. We’re sending in fighters, but with those guns they won’t last long. We need you and Bofi’s crew to eliminate these guns on foot.
“We’re aware many crew members aren’t trained for combat. Leave them an escort and have them stay in your current location. We’ll pick them up when we have a transport available. Doctor Kalio may join the assault team to administer medical care, but that will be Captain Jenill’s prerogative. Consult her.
“Squadron 3086 is nearby and will be assisting, starting at the northern gun to meet you in the middle. We’ve sent you the coordinates for all three guns as well as our aerial scans. Unfortunately, we can’t get any closer without our other ships being shot down too. You’re just southwest of the first one, you’ll follow vector 65 to the first gun, then vector 283 for the second. We don’t know what ground forces they have, so be careful and keep us in contact. Good luck.”
“Thanks Margit.”
“Kalio, engineers, you stay here. It sure won’t be pretty. I’m going to fuck them up for my ship! ” Bofi released an evil smile.
“Calm down Jenill, we haven’t even taken a step. Let’s get a look at these guns before we celebrate anything.”
“Right. Worst they can have is tanks though, and we have enough guns to handle those.”
“Let’s hope we don’t get the chance to use them then. I’ll take point, follow me,” Sam stood and confidently walked off, following directions from his Circle.
The others followed him carefully, but at least their nerves had mostly died down. They looked hollow as they marched behind, ignoring Bofi’s wicked look for vengeance. Sam needed to keep using a knife to get through the underbrush, trying to take the most direct path possible. The jungle was thick though, and their progress felt slow. Just as Lanada was about to ask how close they were, they reached the top of a hill, overlooking the small anti air gun and its surrounding compound.
As if to show itself off, the giant gun sprang into life, twisting to aim at an airliner overhead. The barrage of rounds released filled the valley with its sound, deafening Lanada as they were forced to cover their ears. The others wriggled in pain as well, brought to the ground by the thunderous sound. When it stopped, the air was eerily quiet, animals sounding in the distance.
Their attention was directed back to the clouds as the airliner exploded, filling the sky above with fire and debris. The shockwave and the sound came moments later, almost as loud as the gun.
“That was a civilian ship. We need to stop them fast,” Sam pointed out, crouched next to Lanada.
“Why would they be attacking civilians?” Lanada wondered.
“They’re desperate? Spiteful? Egomaniacs?”
“It’s so pointless…”
“I get it though,” Bofi inserted herself. “Can’t really tell government and civ’ ships apart. This way, you don’t have to differentiate and it hurts the Capitol anyways. I’m sure they’re angry and want to prove a point as well.”
“King Lactain did do a lot to piss them off…” Lanada rolled their eyes.
“Whatever, we need to get ready to go. They have a wall surrounding them, a few guns in the middle of the compound. Looks like they’re camping out there,” Sam tried to brief. He was interrupted again by the AA gun, drowning out his words before he could finish.
“There’s only four people there though, should be an easy fight. Bofi, got any snipers?”
“Yep, Galy, Hun’nel, get over here with your rifles out,” Bofi whisper-yelled backwards.
Two crew members shuffled to the front, their guns out and being loaded.
“We need you two to pick them off from up here. Might as well do it quickly,” Sam ordered.
Lanada gandered at the compound through their Circle’s lens, magnifying the small Geldor soldiers into view. Two of their heads exploded simultaneously, immediately followed by more gunfire from the AA gun. Just as it finished and the snipers lined up their shots though, it began to slowly turn toward the snipers and the rest of the group.
“Shit.”
“Run!”
Lanada was the quickest to stand and start sprinting to the side, trying to escape the gun’s trajectory. The rest started running too, everyone taking at least two steps before the gun started firing. While running full speed down the hill, Lanada looked back to see the ground shredded apart, covering the destruction in a cloud of dust, the people caught in the middle barely visible as they were torn apart.
Their dead bodies tumbled down the hill, leaving a trail as the gun stopped firing. About two thirds had made it out alive, sliding, running or tumbling down the hill. Lanada was only glad the dust didn’t settle in time to see the gore left behind.
Down the hill, the AA team was reloading the gun, the second person alive preparing one of the heavy turrets in the compound. They shot at any of the crew exposed through the foliage, intermittently making successful hits as another soul was left to fall down the hillside.
Spotting a clearing in front of them, Lanada skidded to a stop, hiding behind a bush out of the gun’s sight. Once they saw them begin to reload, they took another break down the valley, barely keeping their footing on the incline. One of the crew nearby took the next flurry of rounds, forcing Lanada to jump over their body as it tumbled across their path.
The ground started to level out and Lanada began planning their destination, finding a secluded spot to their right. They leapt a few feet into a slide, reaching the bottom in seconds. Sam quickly arrived behind them, the rest of the crew spreading behind the foliage at the bottom of the hill. The AA compound was only a few meters away, the gunner past the fence looking through the hill for targets. The AA gun itself had resumed shooting into the sky, knocking down a fighter.
As the massive gun ran out of ammunition, two Monarchy fighters blazed across the sky overhead, dropping bombs into the valley. They missed by a hair, setting the neighboring trees on fire instead.
“Call off the air support, we’re at the compound now!” Sam nearly yelled into his Circle.
“We’ll direct them to the center compound. Update us when the gun is out.”
Sam nodded even though he was on the radio, putting his Circle away. He then took it back out to radio Bofi.
“Jenill, you alive out there?”
“Barely! I see you across the way, I’ll get the team over to you!”
Through the brush, Bofi was barely visible, giving a small wave before guiding the people forward next to them. When they reached Lanada and Sam’s location, he looked about done studying the camp.
“Only got two people, but one of them is on that gun. We’ll get torn apart until it’s gone. Let’s split in half and surround the compound, out of sight. Once someone gets a clear shot, take them out then we can open fire on the second. Sound good everyone?” Sam begged them to agree.
“We’re with you. Everyone follow Sam’s orders. Line up and surround the compound. Don’t let them get a visual on you from inside,” Bofi commanded, immediately stepping forward to lead the assault.
A few stragglers followed Sam behind Lanada, curling around the fence until they reached a small gate. Through the opening, There was a clear shot of both Geldor operatives. Sam lined up a shot for the gunner, but he was late as the brestyrian died. The other on the AA gun whipped their head around, only to be killed themself.
“Clear!” one of the soldiers yelled.
“Good work team. Line up in the compound for a headcount,” Bofi stated, looking grim from the opposite side.
She met Lanada and Sam in the middle, waiting while the rest of the crew filed in front of her. Her count was much shorter this time.
“Damn. Let’s get a break in, we’ll move in five.”
Bofi left their shambling crew behind, giving Sam a worrying look. The once fine crew of the Ahria now looked disheveled and beaten, a far cry from the force it once was.
“Sam, what’s next?”
“Trying to reach command, hold on.”
Sam stood and paced around, informing Margit that the first gun was down. The 3086th was almost finished with their own, encouraging Sam and the others to meet them in the middle.
“The 3086th is almost finished on their end. We’d better start getting to the second gun,” Sam answered after his circle was pocketed.
“All right. You heard him everyone, march out. Sam’s taking point again.”
They began their journey once more, heading northwest to the next gun. As a prelude to the compound, another ship could be seen getting shot down from the sky, descending in a blaze over the tree line.
“We need to hurry. Pick up the pace!” Sam sped into a light jog, stopping only to clear paths through the plants.
In the distance, the final gun showed itself atop a nearby mountaintop, giving it a large range in the sky. It aimed at the Monarchy fighters to flaunt its firepower again, barely missing their tails as they pulled intense evasive maneuvers. Even with its distance, the gun was loud, drowning out any other sound in the jungle.
In order to reach the next gun, they had to cross another valley, larger and deeper than the last, or they’d have to go around it where it leveled to their altitude. They chose the latter, Sam guiding the troupe further into the trees.
They traveled for an hour around the jungle, the soreness of their legs visible in everyone. The only sign they were getting closer was the intensifying noise from the AA gun, becoming even more deafening with each step. When it sounded like it was right next to them, Sam held up a hand to stop the others, peering through a nearby bush.
“Got a visual on the compound. Seven people, two manning the gun, and two more stationed at turrets. The others are armed as well. How many do we have left, Jenill?”
“Eighteen.”
“But we came down with thirty seven!”
“Yeah, I know.”
“No matter, we still outnumber them. I’m going to radio the 3086th, they should be getting here.”
Sam held his Circle to his mouth, still looking forward.
“Kar’Neil, status update.”
There were a few seconds of silence before there was a response.
“We’re near the second gun, one fifty meters out. We had a few casualties, but we’re twenty one strong.”
“Good, ping me when you see the compound. I’m working on a plan.”
“Roger.”
Sam eyed the compound again, squinting his eyes as he jotted notes onto his Circle.
“We’ll have enough numbers to overwhelm them. Entrance is covered by those turrets, can’t get in there.”
“Hey, see that spot on the east side? We might be able to climb over the wall that way. Guns aren’t looking there either.”
“Good, you’re right. I imagine there are more spots like that on the other side… Kar’Neil, look for ways to climb the wall on the north side, the entrance is covered. We’re going to climb up the southeast wall, moving into position now. Ping me when you’re ready, and we’ll start the attack when I return it.”
“Roger roger.”
“Let’s move, quiet.”
Sam motioned his hand for the rest to follow, and so they did like militant ducklings. The thicket of brush hid them well enough as Sam waited for Kar’Neil’s ping. After a couple minutes of watching his Circle and waiting, a sharp, low beep sounded; the others were ready. Sam pinged them back, then started climbing the thicket, encouraging the rest to do the same.
As Lanada peered over the wall, they could see the 3086th on the other side, slowly rising as well. Below, the Geldor in the compound were slacking off, messing around in their down time. Only the AA gunner continued firing, still filling the valley with noise. Across the way, Kar’Neil locked eyes with Sam, meeting with a short nod. With that, they aimed their guns, and fired.
The two turret operators were the first to die, the third in the compound following quickly after in their panic. The AA gunner fled from their position, diving to one of the turrets themself. They managed to dodge enough bullets to reach the gun, then turn it to aim upon the 3086th. Before another round could be fired back, nearly half were dead, starting with their leader, Kar’Neil. They tumbled off their climbing positions as they died, their bodies shredded apart by the powerful rounds. It was only stopped when a stray bullet hit the Geldor soldier, killing them instantly.
“Kar’Neil! Status, now!” Sam shouted. “Shit!”
He climbed over the wall and ran to the other side of the compound, where many of the 3086th’s bodies lay. The surviving squad members looked nervous, sad, but mostly angry. Some of their eyes locked onto the dead Geldor, the scowls digging into the corpses.
Sam turned over the bodies of the dead 3086th, confirming one to be Kar’Neil. He subtly closed his eyes, still wide open and glassy. The rest of his body was gored out, a ditch dug through his chest from the bullets. The rest of the fallen members were in even worse shape, a couple’s faces completely unrecognizable.
“Margit, the last AA gun is down. Heavy casualties from the 3086th though. We need an extraction. And some body bags.”
“We’re analyzing the airspace now.”
Sam pressed his fingers against his head while he waited for Margit to finish.
“There are no more guns in the area, good work. We’ll send extraction immediately. ETA, one hour.”
“That’s really the closest you’ve got?”
“Yes, every ship in your sector was shot down or ordered away. I’m afraid they’re the closest, the 5076th.”
“Damn. We’ll wait for extraction, thank you Margit.”
“Thank you, Sam.”
He pocketed his Circle then turned to the survivors, grim.
“Extraction is in an hour. Get yourselves cleaned up and find a place to rest. I understand if some of you don’t want to wait inside this camp, just don’t stray too far if you do leave.”
Sam didn’t wait for anyone to move before he found a seat, choosing the nearby AA gun controls to lounge in. His eyes darted to the recent corpses, then away again. He chose to procure his Circle to distract himself.
Lanada only stood still, staring through the bodies themself. After so much the squadron had gone through, it was one person, one gun that felled half their team. Kar’Neil’s face looked troubled, just as he always had. Lanada vaguely remembered him from highschool, but it was difficult to connect the two people. They still saw him as a teenager again, brimming with personality that kept him just above the radar. It was tragic to think all that potential had just ended. Nobody was expected to die back then, especially in the way he had.
The rest of the team had found a suitable resting spot by that time, leaving Lanada standing alone with their thoughts. Only Bofi still stood beside them, her face showing her churning thoughts just as Lanada.
“You alright, Bofi?”
“Yeah, just. Sick of people dying. The Ahria has… was a lot emptier recently. But we’re strong. We’ll get through this.”
“You really think so?”
“Yeah. I do. It’s my job to protect them. I have to. I’m their Captain… I-I love these people. Fuck STAR, sending us in where we don’t belong. They don’t care about us. It’s up to me now.”
Bofi was crying slightly, her voice breaking. Lanada felt pity, seeing such a tough woman struggling with her responsibilities. They weren’t prepared to respond in any way. Lanada led Bofi down against a wall to sit, wrapping an arm around her. They didn’t feel like they deserved to comfort her in such a way though, feeling almost disgusted with themself. Who were they to alleviate the pain death brings? Even though Bofi seemed grateful, Lanada couldn’t help but feel like a monster.