Sterin gazed out of the window of the command deck, holding her hands behind her back. It had been some time since they left Zion, and so far so good. Chang Mai had kept to himself, Malcom now eyed her like a puppy, the remaining scientists went about their day blabbering about whatever academic focal point they uselessly obsessed over.

Yet, she felt a sense of unease. She now stood at the crossroads of human politics. To help Malcolm, meant undermining Zion, and risk their wrath. But, she also knew giving the humans the power cache would be worthless if Alpha Centurion ever returned. As she stared, she pondered what how she would go about this new adventure.

A soft pressure on her shoulder caught her attention, and Sterin turned to see Miken had walked over, to grab her attention.

“You all right, sister?” Miken asked gently.

His pale skin was highlighted by the pitch-black clothes. His bright blue glowing eyes complemented by his died blue hair, silver earrings dangling from his ears. His septum piercing, and fingernails were painted yet chipped red.

“Just anxious,” Sterin sighed.

“Are the barbarians spinning webs?” Miken asked in Laydra.

“Yes. But, I feel that soon, they shall ensnare themselves in their own web, and we will reap the reward,” Sterin chortled.

“Humans tripping over their own lies, some things never change,” Miken sighed.

“Captain?” A female voice called.

Both turned, to see the female communications officer looking at them.

“What is it love?” Sterin asked.

“We’ll be arriving at Barouge shortly,” she nodded.

“Wonderful, Miken, go get Aine and the others. And prep the crew, some shore leave is long overdue,” Sterin said.

“The boys just had some at Zion,” Miken chuckled.

“Proper, shore leave,” Sterin grinned.

“Aye captain,” Miken smiled, walking away.

As the command deck buzzed with activity, Sterin turned her gaze back to the portal verse. All the colors jumping about, galaxies and dimensions zipping by it still made her feel like a small girl. That feeling she had the first time she stood upon the bridge of a mighty war ship and watched the armada of her people bring worlds to their knees.

As she reminisced, the passengers and crew gathered behind her. She sighed and turned to face them.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we shall be arriving at Barouge soon. You will have twenty-four hours to get whatever trinkets, or last-minute odds and ends you may need for this trip. Once we leave Barouge, we shall be in uncharted space. There will be no opportunity for resupply for some time, so pack accordingly,” Sterin called.

The passengers nodded, heading back to the elevator. Malcom gave Sterin a look, as he too walked away with the Marines. Mai still sat in the corner, not moving a muscle as he studied them all. Soon, it was just Miken, Aine and Sterin by the window.

As they looked outward, the portal verse slowly dissolved, as they reentered real space. With a blinding flash, they came out of the portal, and entered into Barouge’s orbit. The space station was massive, shaped like an oval, with many towers and ports. It wasn’t as grand or luxurious like Zion, more like a floating junkyard in space. An amalgamation of massive ships, habitation flotillas, and crude sectors all crammed together.

Sterin smiled. Since her banishment from the empire, this place was the closest thing she had to a home, barring her ship of course. Sterin turned her head.

“Miken, hail the control tower, and begin docking procedures for the fleet,” Sterin nodded.

“You got it, sister,” Miken nodded.

“Place seems a little quiet, don’t ya think?” Aine arched an eyebrow.

Sterin turned and noticed there weren’t any incoming or outgoing ships. Something she had never seen before. Not to mention, half the station’s lights where off.

“I’m not getting a response,” Miken called from the communication console.

“Interesting,” Sterin murmured.

“No signs of damage, all life support faculties seem operational from our scanners,” Miken said.

“Can you tell how many people are on board?” Aine asked.

“Hail the Daggers, tell Ursula to hack into their network,” Sterin called.

“Stand by,” Miken called.

Sterin squinted, crossing her arms as she impatiently waited.

“She says they’re at half capacity,” Miken called.

“What does it look like from the security feeds?” Sterin called.

“Place is a ghost town. Everyone is hunkered down near the docks, looks like barricades of some kind,” Miken said.

“They’re in a defensive posture for what? To stop anyone from coming in?” Aine asked.

“Looks like they got everything aimed towards the inside of the station,” Miken called.

“Sounds like someone let in an uninvited guest,” Sterin grinned.

“Wouldn’t be the first time something from deep space got aboard, but they’re better than that. Barouge can handle almost anything,” Aine quipped.

“Like you said, almost anything,” Sterin sighed.

She turned around faced the crew.

“Right. Tell the Blood Maw to prep the berserkers. Exelon and Blood Maw will land, all other ships circle the station and pound anything you pick up that isn’t friendly,” Sterin commanded.

“Landing party stand to!” Aine roared.

In the corner, several of the Spree chieftains grinned, excitedly chattering as they scampered away.

“Keep the nerds on the ship, I don’t want them getting in the way,” Sterin whispered.

“You got it sister,” Aine grinned.

Sterin prowled to the elevator, then waited impatiently as the structure vibrated. Once the doors opened, she walked out into the cargo bay. The land party was ready, nearly a hundred of her meanest and cleverest crew from Spree to humans. Her officer corps where banished Laydren like her, their glowing eyes scanning their troops and inspecting weapons.

The ship shuttered as it entered the artificial atmosphere of the station. Sterin strolled to the far end of the bay, just before the massive cargo doors. Here, an old Spree approached. His leathery skin was pale, a cane helped him walk, with an intricate headdress on his head. The Spree gathered around him respectfully, keeping their fighting and chattering to a minimum. Sterin smiled and leaned down so she could look them in the face.

“Chief Baba, how are you?” Sterin asked warmly.

“Ook meg sure jor,” the elderly Spree sighed, both hands resting on his wooden cane.

“Are your warriors ready for a fight?” Sterin grinned.

The chief smiled, nodded.

“Good. Listen up boys: bring me heads, bring me fuel, bring me bullets, keep the rest!” Sterin roared.

The Spree erupted with cheers and war calls, holding their fists and weapons over their heads.

“Barouge has been hit, and we will hit whoever has done this harder! No touchy for the residents. But other than that, if it is walks, kill it! No prisoners, no mercy!”

The Spree started jumping up and down, gnashing their teeth and stomping.

“If it crawls, if it slimes, if it got tentacles or wings, what do we do?!” Sterin shouted.

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

Suddenly, the cargo door cracked open, dim light squeezing in as the door slowly dropped.

“I will give you glory, spoils, and purpose! Follow me, help me take back Barouge!” Sterin roared, beating her chest.

The Spree shouted war chants, as several crews began beating massive drums, and blowing war horns. The human and Laydren crew members grinned, locking, and loading their weapons. Sterin turned her head and saw her pets approaching. The female carried a belt with a cutlass and two pistols holstered. The male carried her black trench coat, and captains hat. It was an angular hat given to her by a primate sea world, and she relished the old human Earth Pirate look.

She dawned her hat and coat, then strapped on her belt. She checked both laser pistols, and then her sword. Both where made by the Laydren, and were some of her most prized possessions. As she readied herself, the cargo bay thrummed with the beat of war drums and horns.

The great door rested on the ground with a great groan, and Sterin signaled forward. The captain led the Spree horde out of the ship, unto the docks. As they arrived, there was no resistance, the long tiers of ship landings climbing above them, the breathable air kept in behind a dim orange energy shield.

Roars caught Sterin’s attention, and she looked over to see the berserkers had landed not too far away on their right. The Blood Maw was a crimson ship, massive in scale, even bigger than the Exelon. A giant ten-foot-tall creature, with orange skin, two massive eyes and horns, and four muscular arms led the pirates to their right. He carried a machine gun on his back and wielded two Morningstar chain maces. The berserkers had the same anatomy of their leader, but were seven to eight feet tall. Behind the sea of orange skinned massive creatures ran Spree the size of humans with blood red and black leathery skin, and abnormally large humans.

The two crews ran off the docks and met on the metal pier. The war chants and blood calls simmered down, with not a soul other than them in sight, and no resistance.

“Captain Sterin,” the ten-foot-tall berserker mused in a gravelly voice.

“Igor! How you been chum?” Sterin asked happily.

“I thought there was going to be fighting,” Igor snarled.

“Yeah, I know. Baba, send out the scouts! Find me that barricade,” Sterin called.

“Ig ig! Borrow choo!” Chief Baba yelled.

Several of the smallest Spree with grey skin and black cloaks sprang forward. Some ran into the shadows, other climbed the support beams like monkeys, and sprinted along the long wire cables that criss crossed across docking piers.

“What happened here?” Ignore asked, cleaning his razor like teeth with one of his claw like fingernails.

“Beats me, but hopefully whoever is left is rich,” Sterin grinned.

“My boys don’t want coin, we want blood,” Igor snarled.

“Keep your pants on big boy, you’ll get your pound of flesh. Especially considering where we’re heading after this place,” Sterin sighed.

“Good,” Igor grinned.

“Zop zop!” a scout called in the distance, standing on a lamp tower.

“Ig sora morie?” Chief Baba yelled.

“Meeg!” the scout stomped.

“Survivors,” Baba nodded.

“Where?” Sterin asked.

Baba pointed with his cane towards the scout.

“Let’s go boys,” Sterin ordered.

Sterin led the way down the pathway that wound in between the docks, lights illuminating the way every ten feet. The piers where completely abandoned, not a soul insight as they moved deeper into other dimly lit space station.

Soon, they entered the dark terminal, orange lights ahead. As they got closer, spotlights erupted, and heard the distinct sound of heavy weapon systems racking back.

“Who goes there?!” A woman’s voice crackled over the speaker system.

“Your mother! If you’re gonna fucking shoot, you better not miss bitch!” Sterin roared.

There was a pause, and the distant of a metal gate groaning open. Sterin squinted, and saw several people creept out from the spotlights, into the terminal. The barricade they had emerged from was more a wall of trash. Metal carts and furniture of all kinds welded together. As the people came closer, Sterin saw it was a human woman, and two skinny green skinned humanoid creatures.

“The infamous Captain Sterin, I knew I smelled trash, and disappointment,” the woman spat as they got nearer.

She was a middle-aged woman with pale white skin, curly brown hair in combat armor and a rifle.

“Mmmmm, yes. Hello Moira, I see time has been kind to you,” Sterin purred.

“Have you lain with every human in the galaxy? Every place we go to, we run into one of your exes,” Igor chuckled.

“Hey! She dumped me! I was willing to stick to it for the long haul,” Sterin spat.

“Is that what you call dragging me from disaster zone to disaster zone?” Moira chuckled.

“Hey, you didn’t seem to mind the treats and luxury,” Sterin quipped.

“And where are your current pets? Mmm? Do they stay on the ship now, have you finally learned from last time?” Moira arched an eyebrow.

“They’re spoiled little things, I’ve learned not to be with humans who don’t know their place,” Sterin snarled.

“Well, I certainly hope you’re a better fighter than a lover,” Moira sighed, putting the rifle in the crook of her arm.

“Hey! You loved every second-” Sterin spat.

“No talk! Where fight?” Chief Baba chirped.

“Hello Baba,” Moira chuckled.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The chief smiled and bowed as the Spree restlessly fidgeted.

“The fight is just beyond what’s left of our camp. We tried signaling Zion, the Laydren, Armenium, anyone. But the fuckers keep taking down our communications,” Moira sighed.

“Who’s ‘the fuckers’?” Sterin arched an eyebrow.

“Some human cult called the Dark Axium infiltrated the merchant guilds. They unleashed the Sylos once they got inside,” Moira sighed.

A chill went down Sterin’s neck. Sylos where no joke, one of the worst parasitic civilizations that preyed on any who was foolish enough to traipse into their territory. One Sylos host could bring down a planet.

“The Sylos have never tread this deeply into charted territory,” Igor said slowly.

“Whatever is going on with Zion seems to have emboldened them,” Moira sighed.

“What’s going on with Zion?” Sterin arched an eyebrow.

“You haven’t heard?” Moira asked surprised.

“We’ve been in portal jump for the last week,” Igor said.

“Hmph. Well, then you’ve missed a shit-ton. Dark Axium almost took out their Queen, Zion responded by murking an entire tourist trap. They blew an entire space station out of orbit, now some humans want to fight the other humans, the Laydren have moved an attack group to the edge of Zion space, and little places like us are going dark across the board,” Moira sighed.

“And with everyone fighting each other, shit like the Sylos is creeping in,” Sterin sighed.

“Exactly. Look, truth be told, I was kinda hoping for an Armenium Legion, or a Zion or Laydren task force. But you guys will do, damn near too late, the station is almost completely taken over, but the Black Fleet I remember loved a good fight,” Moira grinned.

“Damn right sweet cheeks. Where’s your boss, I wanna negotiate this contract before my boys quinch their blood thirst,” Sterin smiled.

“I am the boss now,” Moira said dryly.

“Well look at you, common whore to station mayor! How much ya got,” Sterin grinned.

“I was the scientist that saved your sorry ass from that reaper Virus, Sterin. And the station, you can have Barouge if you help us,” Moira sighed.

“Done!” Ignore grinned.

“Fuck no! My merry band of fuckwits are built for pillaging and killing, we can’t run this place,” Sterin snarled.

“Then keep me on as custodian, I’ll handle all that nasty paperwork and administration, and you get a space station to your name,” Moira shrugged.

“That’s a damn good deal boss,” Igor said.

“The fuck it is. She’s trying to saddle me with her problems and get all the reward!” Sterin snarled.

“Still haven’t changed, have you?” Moira sighed.

Sterin mulled over the proposal. The station was in terrible shape, and she hated running things. A pirate fleet was easy, it was just a firestorm she pointed in whichever direction. Actually doing payroll, and sitting at boring meetings? Not her cup of whiskey.

“Fine!” Sterin huffed. “But I’m gonna run this place my way!”

“Make humans do all the work while you fuck and drink all day?” Moira chortled.

“Don’t push it sister!” Sterin snarled, pointing a finger.

“Mhm, yo!” Moira called to the barricade.

The flood lights turned off, and the overhead lights kicked on, illuminating the entire barricade. Sterin could see hundreds of people all manning the wall, in rough shape with weapons of all kinds.

“Get me the engineer!” Moira called.

A moment passed as a blonde man quickly climbed down and ran up from the gate. Sterin studied him as he got closer. He was a skinny man with pale skin, freckled face, and blonde hair in worker clothes.

“This is my best engineer, been here a few years, helped me run the place once the previous mayor had an accident,” Moira sighed.

“Pleasure to meet you all, you may call me Shrike,” the blonde man smiled.

“Oh, you naughty, naughty thing Moira! How did you take him out? Poison, razor blade in the shower? Did you fuck him then rip his heart out like you did me?” Sterin laughed.

“A support cable snapped and cut him in half, the construction site was absolutely not up to code, but I wasn’t in charge so there was nothing I could do,” Shrike sighed.

“No fun,” Sterin pouted.

“C’mon folks, this way. My people will be glad to see you,” Moira called as she led the way.

Sterin strolled forward confidently as the group walked towards the gates. As she walked, Moira walked besides her.

“I would appreciate it if you kept the smart remarks to yourself once we get inside, my family is in there,” Moira said softly.

“Couldn’t handle the pirate life, so you traded me in for some boring person and some crotch goblins?” Sterin snapped.

“Some of us just want a quiet life. I cherished what we had, but I don’t live forever, I wanted to build something of my own before I died,” Moira said angrily.

“A note at least would have been nice,” Sterin seethed.

”Sorry,” Moira said softly, looking at the ground.

Sterin huffed, rolling her eyes.

“What’s their name?”

“David. My husband’s name is David,” Moira said.

“Dave?! You left me, for a ‘daaaaave’?!” Sterin shrieked.

“Keep your voice down!” Moira snapped.

“That scrumptious piece of ass, being handled by a Dave?! Great Truth, I’m gonna be sick,” Sterin moaned.

Moira stopped, and angrily looked at her.

“What?” Sterin laughed.

“I mean it, I wouldn’t insult you in front of your pets,” Moira spat.

“Well, that’s cuz you’re a good person,” Sterin shrugged.

“So are you, you just don’t like to admit it. C’mon,” Moira head nodded.

“You take that back right now! Good people have terrible sex and boring ass lives,” Sterin spat.

“It’s not so bad,” Moira grinned.

As they entered the camp, the stench made Sterin crunch her nose. It was a putrid swell of panic, despair and pain. Like rotting flesh, melting plastic, and burning rubber all mixed together. Culminating from hundreds of people crammed together, living in shipping containers turned apartments. All kinds of species, humans being the minority, stared as the heavily armed army of pirates marched past. Sterin looked over and saw several domesticated Spree nervously looking at them in human clothes, their yellow and orange hardhats gripped in their little hands nervously.

“I see you’re still the Spree listener,” Sterin chuckled.

“I learned from the best,” Moira smiled.

They came to the end of the camp, where an even bigger wall had been built, with sandbags and metal structures. Machine guns and small howitzers where built into the wall, manned by people who were scanning the perimeter with utmost focus.

A man with a scanner saw them coming and climbed down. As he approached, Moira waved. Sterin studied him, he was a barrel-chested man, with pale skin and dark brown hair. He wore a tradesmen coverall, and oil-stained shirt.

“Hello Dave,” Sterin said mockingly.

“Captain Sterin, good to finally meet you,” David chuckled warmly.

“Uh huh,” Sterin nodded, scanning him like a bar code.

“What’s the situation?” Moira asked hastily.

“Quiet for now, I think the ships showing up may have offset their momentum. My boys in the pipes say the queen is still in the office complex,” David nodded.

“He has to be hung like a fucking horse, Great Truth knows you didn’t marry him for his looks sweetheart,” Sterin sighed, her curled finger on her chin.

“That is none of your business! Focus, did you not hear what he said?!” Moira snapped.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. The queen is-I’m sorry, did you fucking say queen?!” Sterin snapped, focusing on them.

“Um, yes, the Sylos queen is running her army from the sewage treatment sector,” David sputtered.

Sterin nodded, she turned, and wove her hand in the air.

“Yep, fuck that. Okay people, back to the ships!” Sterin shouted.

“Sterin!” Moira shouted.

“I am not dying on some broken down ass space station fighting a Sylos queen,” Sterin chuckled darkly. “The space station will be yours though!” Moira snapped.

“Wait, what?” David asked with wide eyes.

“Do you really think it’s prudent to hand our home over to her?” Shrike mused.

“Have I seen you before?” Sterin cocked her head.

“I’ve been to quite a few places, plus I’ve been told I have a very common face,” Shrike chuckled.

“Yeaaaah, I just feel like I’ve seen you before though. And any human I’ve seen before ain’t usually up to anything good,” Sterin drawled.

“First time I’ve ever met him was when he came here a few years ago. And don’t change the subject!” Moira barked.

“Way before your time love,” Sterin waved her hand.

“He’s only thirty, captain, maybe you saw one of his ancestors?” David asked.

“Are we killing this thing or what?!” Igor snarled.

“Nope! Back to the ships, it ain’t worth it going up against such a tough bitch!” Sterin snapped.

Moira angrily stomped over and stood in Sterin’s path.

“I know I didn’t leave on the best of terms,” Moira spat.

“That’s one way of putting it,” Sterin chortled.

“But if you’re not gonna do this for me, do it for them,” Moira whispered.

She gestured to all the people around them gazing with wide eyes.

“I know you are a good person, and no matter how hard you try to act, there is no amount of killing and war that can replace the good woman I once loved,” Moira said softly.

“Stop it,” Sterin seethed.

“You care about people; I know why you got banished, Sterin.”

“Shut up.”

“You once told me: not one more. Not one more soul on your hands that you could have stopped from dying needlessly.”

“I said shut up!” Sterin shouted.

“You can save these people. There are women and children here. Are you really going to let them be turned into some mindless husk?” Moira asked softly.

Sterin bit her lip.

“I hate you,” Sterin spat.

“I know,” Moira smiled.

“Form ranks, berserkers in front, Spree behind. Some one hand me a headset so I can call the fucking ships and have them pound that son of bitch!” Sterin shouted.

“On me!” Igor roared, charging forward.

“Thank you,” Moira smiled.

“Get your fucking people on the ships!” Sterin spat.

“You got it, Shrike, take the laborers and rally them on the Blood Maw, I’ll take the rest and put them on the Exelon!” Moira called.

“It will be my pleasure!” Shrike called warmly, a twinkle in his eyes.

A human pirate officer ran up and handed Sterin a headset. She nodded and put it on.

“Sterin to Black Fleet, status?”

“Weapons ready and standing by,” Miken said.

“Right, you got civilians boarding both Blood Maw and Exelon, don’t let the fucking Spree eat them!” Sterin snapped.

“You got it,” Miken chuckled.

“Aine, be advised: we have Sylos on board the station. If the fleet sees any heat signatures that ain’t us, light them the fuck up!” Sterin barked.

“Roger, HE or AP?” Aine asked.

“Armor piercing, I want something left of a station to rule when we’re done,” Sterin sighed.

“Acknowledged,” Aine said.

Sterin charged out of the gate, leading the pirates into the dark space that lay beyond. As the formation formed, she ignited her energy, and hurled a ball of white light into the empty space. The ceiling steadily rose at an angle, as the station’s living quarters expanded before them. As they made their way into the dimly lit area, Sterin saw it was massive. Easily several miles of open space.

They were on some kind of road or causeway that separated the docks from the habitat level. Before them were dozens of tall and broad buildings, apartment’s no doubt. Igor charged past her, heading towards the dark dome shaped mass that must have been a theatre or stadium. As the formation spread out, the hairs on Sterin’s body stood up. It felt like they were being watched.

A distant movement caught her eye, and Sterin signaled a halt.

“Positions!” Sterin barked.

The human crew members instantly went to work, setting in machine guns and mortars. The Laydren officers prowled the lines, their energies deployed, their Laydren forms showing as fire and electricity danced around their bodies. Sterin revealed her true form, her cutlass’s blade buzzing with pure purple electricity, a rapier of white light in her other hand.

Igor and the berserkers formed a picket line in front of the set-in formation, a few paces in between each massive orange skinned creature. As the Spree and human berserkers intermingled with the infantry, chief Baba strutted out before his tribe.

He held his cane over his head and shrieked.

“AAAAAAAAAGH ZE WAH!” Baba roared, his fire lit eyes wide and tongue out.

“Ze wah!” the Spree stomped as one, shrieking and shaking their heads.

“ZOOOOOOOOOORE ABAB JEM!” Baba shouted.

“ZE WAH!” the Spree shouted, stomping forward a few paces.

Baba turned, and bent his knees, holding his cane over his head. His form erupted, as his hair stood up on it’s end, his seemingly frail body twisting as his veins glowed.

“AUUUUUUUG BOON GE BOO TEEEEEEEE!” Baba chanted.

“ZE WAH!”

The Spree began beating war drums and dancing a terrifying war dance as they expertly moved as one.

“Flares!” Sterin roared.

The Laydren officers held flare pistols over their heads and fired. Several red flares rocketed skyward, illuminating the level before them. In the far distance, Sterin saw a massive mob of twisted and dark forms, all twitching and fidgeting as they stood in the darkness.

“ZUUUUUUUL CORE ABA! IBEM MAG DAN IB MORBAAAAAAAAA!” Baba roared.

“ZE WAH! ZE WAH! ZE WAH! ZE WAAAAAAAAAH!”

“Blood!” Chief Baba shouted.

“Spill blood!” the Spree shrilled.

The dark figures began silently sprinting towards them.

“Steady!” Sterin shouted.

“Skulls!” Baba shrieked.

“Break skulls!” the Spree shouted.

As the mob got closer, Sterin realized there had to be thousands of bodies propelling themselves forward as one. She internally made peace with herself, and the fact she would bring them rest.

“Heads!” Baba chanted.

“Cut off heads!”

“Rip! Tear! Kill! Eat!” Chief Baba screamed.

“Rip evil, tear flesh, kill enemy, eat the weak! Rip and tear! Kill and eat! Kill, kill, kill, kill!” the Spree chanted, stomping their feet with each kill mentioned.

Soon, the twisted mob came into range.

“Fire!” Sterin roared.

Rockets, machine guns, and mortars erupted, sending forward a sandstorm of fire into the dark mob. Bodies evaporated, and chunks of once living things went flying. But there where no screams, no shrieks, no noise aside from the thundering sound of a thousand pairs of feet sprinting towards them. Igor began swinging both maces in a perfect pattern, as his men gnashed their teeth and shouted war cries. The Spree jumped up and down, bashing their melee weapons on the ground and on shields, other holding their guns over their heads as they frothed at the mouth.

“No retreat! No mercy! Kill!” Sterin thundered, her energy boosted voice filling the level.

“Kill!” the Spree roared.

The Spree with shields bounded forward and slammed the large square shaped ballistic shields into the ground, their comrades standing over them with bows or guns. The crew served weapons were snuggly fitted in the shield wall, protected by Spree who stood closely by with thermal pikes, molten spears, or glowing glaives.

The berserkers bodies twisted, their bodies glowing with red energy. Igor’s horns where ablaze with fire, as he cackled. In an instant the mob slammed into the Berserkers. Igor went to work, smashing bone and shredding flesh as his maces buzzed through the air at near impossible speed. The crew served weapons were going full cyclic, dumping ammunition boxes point blank. The Spree where unleashing everything they had.

Within an instant, hundreds of shredded bodies lay crumpled on the ground. Their puss oozing, boil covered, twisted dark flesh eviscerated. But the mob kept coming. Sterin realized that no matter how many they killed, this horde wouldn’t stop. They needed to kill the Queen.

“Charge!” Sterin shouted.

Sterin launched into the air, clearing her men. She twirled through the air and smashed into the mob. As soon as her booted feet contacted the metal floor, a wave of white light exploded from her form, engulfing dozens of dark enemies. The Spree shrieked, and broke the shield wall, slamming into the mob. The Berserkers pushed forward, crushing living corpses and sending the dark parasitic drones flying.

The warriors of the Black Fleet pushed forward, as Sterin pounced deeper into the enemy ranks. She shot out columns of white light, which when it hit an enemy, would completely vaporize them, then jumping to two or three more enemies. This white light chain would spread like the branching arms of lighting. As she advanced, the station shook. Her fleet was pounding the other levels.

“Request permission to launch more landing parties!” Aine said over the radio.

“Do it! But keep the nerds onboard, especially Mai!” Sterin shrieked.

“Acknowledged, reinforcements on the way,” Miken said.

“Follow me!” Sterin shouted, fire in her eyes.

The army cheered and followed their captain as they beat back the undead ranks.

The Sylos husks didn’t flinch or falter, propelling wave after wave of silent, puss oozing bodies at them. Their dead eyes and emotionless faces haunting as bodies of every species, race and creed bounded forward with viscous and mute ferocity. Per medical doctrine, Sylos infection was a blood transferred disease, as the parasites could not become airborne without the life support of their rotting hosts. So as long as her boys where smart, they wouldn’t get infected.

After half an hour of intense fighting, they arrived halfway through the level, the apartment building’s looming high overhead. Sterin could do this all day, but she could see her warriors were beginning to show signs of exhaustion. Still, the Sylos pressed forward, wave after wave of moving and twisted bodies smashing into them.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared on the far-right side. Sterin looked over and saw a main gate had opened. Large, armored vehicles the size of small houses were bulldozing their way into the enemy horde. Spree vehicles where crude bunkers on massive treads, with armor thickness ranging from a few inches to a few feet. No vehicle was the same as nearly a dozen thundered through the mob, crushing countless bodies in their wake as turrets and flame throwers belched fire point blank into the crowd.

The sight was a fire lit spectacle, as Sterin and her warriors cheered forming a square formation. Soon, the blood red vehicles crawled their way over to the captain. A hatch on one of the medium-sized vehicles opened, and Aine jumped out.

“Am I too late sister?” Aine roared with fire in his eyes.

“Get down from there!” Sterin laughed.

“Please, when the dead learn how to use a gun is the day we’re truly fucked!” Aine grinned on the top of his vehicle.

Sterin laughed. Suddenly, red liquid splashed unto her face. She shrieked, and cursed, holding her hands to her eyes. As she wiped her eyes clear, she heard a crunch, like a body hitting the ground next to her. She opened her stinging eyes and saw her brother’s headless corpse crumpled next to her.