Traveling via M.T.G (Movie-Transdimensional-Gate) never gets old, even when he has gone through it almost more than a dozen times.
Though it would be quite more frustrating and surprising if he arrives from the sky falling towards the ground at high speeds.
Thankfully, it didn’t happen this time.
What welcomed his sight were the destroyed scenery of the town, the typical sight for an urban battlefield.
The portal dissipated as he stepped from the M.T.G. Quickly, he turned on his GPS on his portal device to orient his location.
Normally he would have immediately just run and gun through the damn city and head towards the FOB at the outskirts of the Mojave Desert. But with conditions brought in by Gman and restricted powers, he had to be more careful.
And what's there to enjoy a battlefield scenario like this?
And his outfit changed for the perfect environment. He wore black flak armor covered with a tough tattered trench coat with a masked helmet with red lenses.
His hands were more ‘spiky’ than usual, there were studded spikes on his knuckles that he could use as a weapon should he come engaging fist-to-fist with the aliens.
Do the aliens engage in melee? He never saw one do it before should the movie be trusted.
He didn’t know why He decided to make him look like those badasses from the Fallout universe, but who was he to complain about wearing such cool looking armor that is suitable for this environment? At least the mask isn't withholding his vision or there will be complications.
Plus, he wouldn't stand out too much in wearing such armor. They’d just assume he was wearing an advanced experimental armor and the invasion was the perfect test for it.
Such a coincidence.
Ahhh, the thoughtful delusions. Then again, this universe broke apart from its original path and turned into its other alternate.
It didn’t take long enough for him to locate where he was. He was near the coast, which was good, although he was far away from the FOB base in Los Angeles.
With some of his abilities restricted and also the fact he might get to knock some shit off at the aliens and what not, it will take him some time before he would reach the FOB in time… or maybe later should he choose to.
“There’s no time delay, is there?” He spoke, expecting the Boss to reply.
To which he did. “No, but it would be better for you to finish this sooner.”
“Why? So that you can fuck me around with your bullshit nonsense from your entertainment?” He quipped.
“Believe what you want to believe, my dear courier. For it is your struggle and hardship is what entertains me… And besides, I wouldn't let someone like you die. Someone who like to struggle with such scenarios that one would find it concerning that they are-”
“HALT THAT SENTENCE FORMING OR I WILL COME BACK AND TEAR YOUR FUCKING STAR GUTS OUT!”
The voice didn’t continue speaking, but rather he could hear the bloody laughter of the cosmic deity echoing away from his mind.
*BOOM!*
Loud explosions then later gunfire sounded off not too far from where he was standing.
He materialized his [Twin Destroyers], switching his ammunition to plasma, and ran towards the source of the chaos.
It didn’t take long for him to arrive amongst the chaos.
A platoon of aliens focused on a large building with walls enough able to withstand their small-arms fire. It seemed that they were attacking the building that is being defended consisting of a mixed bunch of policemen and soldiers, and a couple of normal people he can eye on several openings.
It seems they were firing with all they got.
Although the situation was desperate enough for him to see that they wouldn't last long against the aliens.
Without any words spoken, not that it was needed, he aimed his [Twin Destroyers] and fired a couple at the aliens. Body shots to where the heart is most likely their weakness, but at the same time the toughest area considering the hardened exoskeleton protecting it.
But it wouldn't protect against his weapons that can kill dragons.
He took them by surprise as he managed to kill several of them before some of them turned around to shoot him.
Askad rushed towards a nearby cover as he fired upon the aliens that their upper bodies explode leaving only bits of gored flesh and destroyed exoskeleton bits supporting the flesh.
Shots came from behind, hitting his back but the rounds pinged off from his armor. Immediately he turned around and shot the attacker, making the alien explode.
Another alien came from the side and knocked one of his shotgun from his grasp before engaging him in close combat.
Askad couldn’t get back his other shotgun in time so he decided to forgo it for a moment and humored the alien with his free-handed fist.
He dodged a wide left hook from the alien to which he countered with a punch through its chest, immediately killing it.
Fire rained upon him once more, he shielded himself with the corpse of the alien before throwing the body at his assailants and rushing in with his shotgun and fist.
There was no stopping the brutality of the red-glaring metal man, for resistance is futile.
It didn’t take long for him to eliminate them all with just a gun and fist, sticky flesh and the aliens 'blood did only minimal stain on his trench coat.
Seeing that there were no more of the aliens, he relaxed his stance. Although the danger from an airstrike was still there, he couldn’t let his guard down fully.
“Hey!”
Askad turned around, seeing a couple of marines followed by a single policeman with a pistol in his hand, lowered by ready in case something happened.
“Who the hell are you?” The marine grunted, old and giving an aura of authority and experience. Probably their CO.
He was wary of him and his gun lowered, but quick enough for him to shoot him. Same goes to the other soldiers and policemen, the citizens not exempted. Good. Cautiousness is one step to live for the next day.
He then replied; “Galactic Prospekt, Union Courier 14.” is what he said.
But in reality it sounded like jumbled up words like how a Death Trooper speaks with hisses and growls, thus adding in an alien vibe.
This only brought up the policeman’s weapon and aimed at him.
“Stand down!” The soldier behind the assumed CO shouted at him. “Lower your weapon damn it!”
“How the hell do we know he ain’t one of them!?” The cop exclaimed with a faint hint of fear. He was a young cop, possibly a fresh blood then was introduced into war early on.
He raised his hand in an attempt to stop them as he reset his helmet and turned off his voice scrambler, no doubt the dastardly of a mild sabotage from Gman.
“Can you understand me now?” Askad asked once more as he finally switched his helmet’s comms back to normal. Although this time he sounded more cold, toneless and soulless that it made the men in front of him flinch from how… empty it sounded.
“...Yes, who and what the hell are you? Are you human?” It took the CO’s entire willpower to regain his composure from this… figure’s voice.
“I am… from the Galactic Nova Prospekt. Union Courier 14. I was sent here to deliver a package for this planet’s military.” He answered. “My species is… called Combine, if translated through one of your languages; ‘English’ if I said correctly.”
“A mailman? You seem pretty… heavily geared for a mailman.”
“Then that explains why your species hasn't been able to go to space so it seems… How blessed.”
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“Huh? What do you mean by that?” The other soldier commented.
“...Ignorance is much preferred for your kind if you wish to say… ‘sane’, if I said correctly.” He said cryptically. “Right now, it would… be the best to leave this place. The Sharcks will be arriving upon this location soon.”
As much as he wanted to ask questions and find answers from this… friendly alien, they are not in a secure place and it's too dangerous to linger here any longer. They need to move.
“Those aliens are called sharks?” The marine beside the CO snorted in disbelief.
“They may have a… similar name to your water predators of your planet, but it is the… closest to what your language can translate to.”
“We’ll deal with this later,” The CO mentally took notes on this as he turned to his fellow. “Corporal, prepare to package the wounded and round everyone up, we need to move.”
The man nodded as he jogged back towards the building to relay the information and gather everyone up and ready.
“W-Wait, we're moving already?” The young cop stuttered from the decision.
“We can't stay around for too long until the next… 5 hours before the bombing starts.” The CO grunted. “So we need to keep moving or we die.”
The policeman wasn’t quite eager to think of the possibility.
“What about you?” He turned facing back to Askad, who was checking if he had his weapons loaded. “You said you are delivering something, what kind of a package are you carrying anyway?”
“Technology… enough for your kind to win against the Sharcks… And prepare for what there is more to come.” Now would that bring so much more questions. “I shall explain once we are… not under any potential ambush.”
And it would be better.
At least a dozen Soldiers, seven Marines, eight policemen and half a dozen civilians including injured. Not to mention two children.
It was a big group that would no doubt be a large painted target on their back.
They used alleyways and buildings to stealthily navigate their way through the warzone, avoiding open spaces as much as possible, and only crossing when necessary.
They stopped after taking a few blocks before deciding to make a brief stop to a nearby convenience store. With the wounded they are carrying, they cannot go any further without any transport.
The CO ordered several of his men to head onto the rooftop to scout anything that would be able to transport them all. A bus would be a suitable vehicle.
Then the alien mailman decided to volunteer himself to scout ahead for the group, with much reluctance and distrust from most of them, the CO and the XO agreed as they saw that he helped fight the Sharcks off from them.
But that wouldn't mean they would completely trust him and lower their guard.
“...Never thought we’d be having a friendly alien fight with us.” Commented one of the Marines.
One of the Soldiers grunted. “Maybe it's just acting, and then the moment when we let our guard down it might just kill us-”
“Why the hell would it kill the other aliens instead of us, huh?” A policeman interjected. “S’plain that!”
“Maybe because they were also aliens to them?” An armed civilian with a police vest commented. “I mean, we don’t know them and they don’t know us.”
“What the hell does that mean-”
“Quiet!” One of the Marines hissed lowly. “Shut the hell up or just try to have us all killed because of you idiots!”
That shut them up before continuing to look around for anything be it movement, person, or an odd thing.
“The alien mailman’s back!” One of the soldiers announced.
And as spoken, their supposed ‘allied’ alien came back from recon. Few of them thought that they had been abandoned.
“So, anything?” The CO stepped towards Askad along with his XO. Both are still on guard and wary about their friendly alien.
“There is nothing within… 600 meters radius around us, and clear absence should we go east.”
“How can you be so sure?” Questioned one of the soldiers with clear skepticism.
“I am able to see any presence around me with our technology’s level,” Gesturing at his helmet. “and I can warn should… anything come into contact within several… kilometers in terms of distance ignoring the obstacles.”
Now that brought shock and disbelief on most of them.
*Whistle* “Damn, if we got that tech, we won't get ambushed by those bastards!” Smirked one of the Marines.
“And how can we tell you ain’t lying?”
“You don’t,” Askad replied bluntly. “but if… honesty is enabling me to gain your trust in order to complete my delivery, better with no hindrances.”
The CO looked like he was contemplating something in his mind while the XO was hesitating before opening his mouth… “...Can you let us see what you are… delivering to us?”
Askad stared at the man with intensity that they thought they had fucked up. Before any one of them were about to raise their weapons, the alien courier raised his hand and made a forward motion and then suddenly his hand was inside a small purple void.
“What the-!”
“Holy shit!”
It took a moment before Askad withdrew his hand, and in it was a small metallic square device.
He tapped it several times before the device opened up, letting out a hologram that was filled with unknown variables, indescribable sketches, futuristic-like yet practical looking weapons, heavy armored and sci-fi looking vehicles. It almost seemed too unbelievable!
“This is a STC, Standard Template Construct.” He explained. “A blueprint carrying a piece of technology… that would enable your planet to combat the Sharcks and prepare for another case of an invasion.”
Gman had given him the package into his inventory, how does he do that? He does not know, but such a thing should be effortlessly possible by a being with almost an omnipresent power.
The device he was holding is around the tech level between Cold Fusion tech from the world of “Command & Conquer” and “Red Alert” universes with slight adaptive changes for a more… ‘practical realism’ for this world’s comparison.
“Oh shit…” One of them awed.
“We might have a damn chance against them now.” XO commented, feeling a little bit glad that they may have an edge against this invasion.
“As it would seem so,” He placed the STC away into his inventory. “but with the matter of leaving this city with no casualties is one matter I wish to have it done.”
“What do you mean? We can’t leave the city?” The CO raised a brow, confused. But what caught his concern was the mention of casualties.
“The small Sharck vessels you see in the air are controlled by a… Command Center that should be hidden somewhere in this city. Your planetary fighters, while primitive, are effective. And it seems that you are more focused on those… hovering-blade vessels more than your planetary fighters. Speed and… Maneuverability best choice against the drones. It is a… priority matter to target if you wish to regain the control of the air.”
Now that is big news.
“Wait, so those damn things are just drones!? Fuck me…”
“No wonder the Airforce couldn’t get through those damn bastards.”
“What does it look like?”
“The Sharck’s drone Command Center is a large vessel that should… differ in size difference to be a large target. It is hidden somewhere beneath the city, controlling the drones in a safe location.”
“We didn’t find anything usually large on our way downtown.” Grunted one of the Marines, several making a sound of acknowledgement that they too didn’t notice anything massive aside from a combined bunch of drones.
“What happens if we destroy the Command Center?” The XO inquired.
“Then they will be ceded control of their air power completely.” The answer was enough to satisfy the man.
“Jackson!” The CO exclaimed, the man turned to his superior. “Set out a call to HQ about this-!”
“Belay that, warrior.” Askad cut him off abruptly, much to the confusion and shock of the ones at present. “they are capable of detecting… your radio waves easily. A drone will be sent… to the source to find and destroy it… which will be you if you dare send a message.”
“Damn it all, so that’s how they know where we are.” Grumbled one of the Marines.
“Everyone, turn off your radios, cellphones, anything that sends out radio waves!” The XO ordered. “Use the radios only when necessary, hand signals priority!”
They didn’t need to be told twice as they turned off their gadgets with the exception of the use of their battlegear.
“Anything else we might need to know more about these bastards?”
“The chest area is where you can lethally kill them, but it is also where the thickest part of their armor is located.”
“So chest shots then, gotcha.” They nodded in acknowledgement.
“Lieutenant!” As if by timing, the radio on the CO noised out. “We found a bus! South East, and not too far from here! Might be… 900 meters out!”
The CO sighed in relief but not before sternly ordering them to stand by and turning around to his fellows in the room, “Anyone of you know how to hotwire a bus?”
A policeman and a soldier raised their hands. The former is gaining stares from others. “What…? Surprising to see someone like me know hotwiring?”
“...South East, 900 meters. Two guys on the roof will be watching over you. Go.”
“Roger LT,” Replied the soldier before hustling away along with the policeman.
. . .
It didn’t take long enough for the two to bring back a bus, and surprisingly an armored bank truck.
“Alright, get the wounded on the bus and gather whatever we need.” The CO ordered, to which everyone followed without any problems.
“Officer,” The alien courier called to the man. “Enemy contacts North East from here. “It would be best to… move out from this location… as soon as possible.”
The man cursed before radioing the overwatch on the roof to confirm, much to his fears, there was indeed a squad of Sharcks coming in.
Gladly the extraction didn’t take too long as they managed to head out, with the armored truck in the lead with only a couple of soldiers and a policeman - latter being the driver - and the rest headed onto the bus.
They didn’t leave not until informing HQ about an incoming alien air strike that was heading towards the direction of the airbase, to which HQ was gladly taking such a thing into consideration.
Not long after, the place they left was soundedly being bombarded. They were glad to have done it in the building and not while they are on the move. It would have made them a very noticeable target.
Both the CO and XO were navigating through the roads of the rummaged city. Several roads were blocked and they had to find alternate routes that should be able to take them back to the airbase before the scheduled bombarding strikes.
They would be very disappointed and depressed should they know that it was not going to happen, should Askad tell them.