|Viraliv|[20-14]Sliue-Ececs|Ora’s Eye|Tepi|Tepi-3|
11,163,955,738cy
Terraformer Station ‘Favala’, Low Tebi-3 Orbit
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The deciding factor in this plan is whether or not the enemy makes the first move. If they decide to attack us before we’re prepared then it will all crumble, there is no backup plan, no plan B, only failure in that case. Since it seems like the enemy is going to wait us out, it doesn't matter if I let my brothers rest before we begin. I haven’t told them about the mission yet, haven’t told anyone really, but I’ve been preparing for it. The others in the bunker watch as I grab various pieces of scrap to put into a pile. Perhaps they think that I’m trying to reinforce the bunker further, or they just view it as the only source of entertainment. Doesn’t matter either way, the metal is an important part of the plan though.
Close to two hours pass and the pile stands rather tall now. My brothers are finally rubbing themselves awake, a short nap is about the best you can get in this place. Upon waking up, they’re met by a large pile of scrap and of my grinning figure next to it. They know something’s up when I give them that kind of look. Getting close to them, but making no attempt to keep the discussion hidden from our allies, I tell my brothers what I’m thinking. Their silence on the matter is very telling but they know that there’s no other way out of this situation. We cannot rely on the good graces of the enemy. My plan is simple, albeit something that the others would never think of. Only something as headstrong and resilient as a Thelsk would think of such a plan.
The plan is rather simple, dangerous, and only has a small chance of success but everyone is on board with it seeing as how that slim chance is the only chance they’ll get. The first part of the plan is the collection of scrap metals, this part has already been completed. The next part is the most laborious, it involves taking all of that scrap metal and welding it onto my suit. This part requires expertise that most of the remaining soldiers don’t have. Luckily there seem to be a few that have, at least, some basics drilled into them. The suit is most damaged on the outer shell, the internals are mostly okay. Small damages in certain spots have accumulated enough to dampen the ability of the suit but it’s workable. The scrap metal is meant to reinforce the defensive capability of the armour, something that will be sorely needed for the next part of the plan.
That is, to charge at the enemy. The only way out of this situation is to break through the enemy and escape to the pods. Luckily the pods aren’t located too far away from the reactor room in the event of an emergency. Essentially we’ll do an all or nothing charge at the enemy, with me acting as the spearhead. This plan is suicidal and chances are that we all die. I’ll be the main target of the enemy of course, but at least I have my armour. The others could basically be considered naked to the enemies rifles but the focus won’t be on them. The injured will have to stay behind otherwise they’ll just slow us down too much, the only chance we have relies on speed and surprise. It's a simple misfortune case for them.
Those experienced in metalworking begin suiting me up, a suit that I won’t be able to take off once it’s on. The scrap metal would have to be shaved off of me, great for protection, bad for escaping once we get planet-side. We’ll just have to take it one step at a time, there’s no point in thinking about the future until we’re there.
The armor slowly piles up on me, each piece that gets slapped on me adding to my weight. I can carry it though, it might be pushing it but it’s only a small stretch to freedom so it’s worth it even if I end up permanently injured. To a Thelsk warrior, being permanently injured is akin to news of their downfall, proof that they weren’t enough. Not that I care, it’d be worse to let my brothers die here and I can easily shut up any of the fools who would demean me. Even an injured me is enough to de-voice any of those lots back home.
Well, anyway, after this we would charge the enemy lines in order to break through. The issue is what gate to go after, one is easier to access because it’s closer. Another one is less defended than the rest. The last, good, option is the one that is closest to the escape pods. The final gate is the worst option and shouldn't really be considered, it’s the one with the most defenders so we would definitely have no chance on that front. They decided to go for the least defended one, easier to breach that way and the highest chance of some of us getting out of here. Although it means that it’ll take longer to get to the pods, the hallways will relieve some of the numbers advantage that the enemy holds over us. They can’t fit their army into that small area after all.
It doesn’t take them long to put the metal on me, encouraged by finally having a route of escape perhaps? After that we eat most of the supplies left. We’ll need the strength and there’s no need to have some left over, we either die or live. Two hours after that, enough time for everyone to not feel bloated, we start. There’s no need for an encouraging speech, morale isn’t important right now. Everyone knows they’ll have to succeed and that this is their one and only chance. No speech could push them further than they already are. Me too, my blood is already growing hot and I’m becoming more agitated. It’s time to begin, the people we set up to watch the enemy, have reported that they’re quite relaxed right now. Why wouldn’t they be, all of the power is in their hands.
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Anticipation and hesitation fills the air, I can smell it dripping from the Tarmon’s pores. I clang my fist together with enough force to deform the metal on them, hopefully waking everyone up. I start moving outside of the cramped bunker, staring at the gate that promises of survival are hidden behind. The promise of escape, my vision grows narrower and all I can see is the gate. It becomes my everything, my goal, and the enemies that stand in the way become demons trying to stop me on my war path to salvation. I start to run, the hefty metal makes me slower so I take larger, wider steps to compensate. I don’t check for those behind me, I can’t afford to. I need to maintain focus on the gate, my brothers will be fine so long as I make it to the gate.
The enemies haven't noticed us yet, at least they haven’t started firing at us. It won’t be long before they do though, it’d be hard to miss something like me charging at them, the noise alone would alert their sensitive ears. The most difficult part of this is when the other gates start to notice too. They’ll have to travel through no-man's land first, and those left behind will help hold them down for a time, but eventually we’ll be caught in a 4-way crossfire. Not a good place to be in. Not really a choice though, the only out is through.
It’s hard to move, not because of the weight but because of everything in the way. If the enemies didn’t know that we were there, they’ll know soon due to the racket of the metal clanging on everything in my path. I know the others are behind me now, I can make out the sounds of their steps even through my own louder movement. A few dozen feet go by before the enemies actually take notice of us. Their officers are quick to send out orders, some enemies start to move towards us in order to pin us down, an assault team. Others begin to get into a formation, this time they don’t hide behind their fortifications, their confidence is obvious. We certainly do have weapons but even the most trained soldier would have a hard time aiming straight in this situation, at that range, and while running too.
Right now, the soldiers coming to pin us down are the most dangerous. Speed is of the utmost importance so, even if it costs lives, we can only charge. Something that’s obviously great for the enemies. They’ve started firing some time ago, pot shot mostly because they're also trying to close their distance with us. Luckily their friends haven’t set up yet, even if they did they won’t shoot their own until we clear their line. The other gates will take some time to reach range, plus most of them stayed behind at their own gates in case we had more people with us heading for them. The distance between me and the assault troops has shortened considerably, enough for me to make out their individual faces. I have ‘Biggie’ in my hands, not as a gun but as a hammer. It was too damaged in the last fight to be used as intended, even so, it hasn’t lost its lethality, just its range. While we’re still closer to our bunker than the gate, the first stretch of the battle has already begun.
Shots from our side cause the enemy to throw themselves to the ground, even if the aim is sporadic nobody wants to be the unlucky one hit. Some throw what little grenades they have left to cover our battle with the assaults. Most of the grenades of the covering type were used during our retreat, so after these it’ll become a lot harder. This will keep the enemy from firing on us, giving us a small time to recover stamina, granted that we can kill these guys quickly enough. Our own people never threw themselves into cover, even after the enemy started their retaliatory shots. They charge in with me, a mighty leap closes me with the enemy, forcing them into melee. My goal right now is to take as many of these guys out before my allies come in after me to join the fray. The more of us there are the less the chance that the ones dying are my brothers, a bit cold I know but it’s the same for the others.
At this point, we’re only working together because it gives us the best chance of survival. Like the wounded back at the bunker, if it means survival nobody is your friend. Except for my brothers of course. Yinik took a shot earlier in battle, before the retreat to the bunker, my other brothers are carrying him with us. Nobody says anything about it since they know he’s with me. Even if he is making it harder for my other brothers to fight. The others probably have their own injured friends but unless they have their own plan they aren’t bringing them with us.
A powerful swing of ‘Biggie’ at a low angle smashes several of the enemy's legs. A gruesome crunch rings out into the ears of the Tarmon enemies. The confidence of the enemy is shattered in that second, they forgot that a Thelsk is on the field, and not only that but a Thelsk that only has one way out. Through them. Still they fight, because now they understand that the only way out for them is also through me, no amount of running or hiding will save them from my berserk frenzy. I let out a primal roar, freezing them for a small time while my allies crash into them. A solid move and enough to kill almost all of them.
This is exactly what was missing, the feeling of energy, madness, gore all over. This is what a Thelskian battle looks like, nothing like the Tarmon’s desire to hunker down and take pot shots every now and then. If only we had this energy to begin with, maybe we would be on the bridge of this station, with the Captain and the other head officers slathered all over the floors and walls of the place. Well, that chance is over but it doesn’t stop me from playing out my little ‘what if’ with the people in this chamber, no arena, with me right now.
I get ready to let out another roar, another call to action for my allies to push forward when my Polva hits me hard. Even my beserk state can recognize a brother, I shake out of it. The soldiers need rest, for the short time until the smoke clears. We have to take what we can get. I don’t need to rest but my body needs food, rage burns through it fast, it pushes my body past its limits. When we get out of this my body is probably going to take months or even a few years to recover. Right, for now we wait, then we can continue our bloody fight for survival.