Earth on Sight: Red Alert

Chapter VII

Invasion. The second fall of Berlin.

Secret Hangar, Berlin, January 18, 2095, Doom's Day.

*Alarms*

AI: perimeter breached perimeter breached.

Zarkel: kill everyone.

Khitan: with great pleasure my lord.

Pentecost: s**t, find a hiding place.

Silas: I haven't been able to activate Zeta, and if I don't he'll never get energized!

Nanders: sorry bud, it's useless now.

Baxter: those assholes will blow our brains out wherever we raise our heads... it's over Sai.

Silas: no, not yet. I have a plan, and I need you guys.

Pentecost: I hate to inform you, that I only carry a .70 cal. and four rounds.

Silas: It'll only take a few seconds, and I trust your aim. What do you say?

Baxter: I'm in.

Nanders: That's all we have left if we want to guarantee-... don't... fucking... move.

Baxter: *quietly* holy shit...

Silas: about that gun.

Jakali: here they are *laughs*.

Pentecost: hey you, asshole.

*Gunshot*.

Jakali: *painful roar*.

Pentecost: run!

Nanders: to me, Golden!

Baxter: Long live Spain, come Sabre!

*shooting*

Sabre: Sabre, on line.

Golden: Golden, on line.

Nanders: Silas, now!

Zarkel: get them out of my sight!

Jakali: Reaper of Hells!

Pentecost: spread out!

*Gunshot*

The blade passed over our heads and broke some pillars of the structure.

Nanders: I'm not at the age for these nocturnal missions anymore... ouch.

Baxter: take cover behind the retaining walls!

Pentecost: understood!

Nanders: 7 charges left in the chamber!

Baxter: 9 over here!

*Gunshot*

Baxter: eight.

Pentecost: let's make'em count.

Khitan: Blades of Darkness.

The shuddering chained blades ruined a few more pillars of the complex, causing the walls of the complex to start cracking.

One of them landed on the activation board, throwing his weapon again.

Silas: I need you to get him out of there, now!

Pentecost: I'm coming, hey you!

Jakali: *roar*.

*Gunshot*.

Zarkel: why can't you kill them?!

Silas: I'm almost there!

Nanders: watch out!

Baxter: fucker in sight.

*Gunshot*

Nanders throws himself on Silas and takes him out of the board just before Zarkel crushes him completely.

Zarkel: I always have to do all the work, you' re all useless!

Baxter: these first generation Mech-Armors are not on their best days.

Nanders: no, not at all.

Pentecost: I only have one shell, what do we do?!

Baxter: I don't know!

Silas: Zeta is useless if it's not activated, we can't weaken now!

Sudaresu desert, Mars, January 18, 2095, Doom's Day.

(Zack Johnson)

Red: energy dropping down.

Zack: how far is it to the nearest complex?

Red: a few more kilometers, it's possible the others are there. Wait.

Zack: *sigh* tell me.

Red: there's a beacon, not far from this position.

Zack: who could have left it?

Red: they're usually used to help travelers find a colony, but... this one leads to a place near the Russian sector.

Zack: we're just going in circles, and the power is about to run out. Keeping on walking while damaged was not a good idea.

Red: I know you don't want to abandon me in the middle of nowhere. But it's the best option we have for now.

Zack: can you make it?

Red: I'm strong Zack, I won't give up just because of a few scratches on my paint.

Zack: alright.

Red: here we go!

Zack: Come on, let's go!

The steps were slow and thelegs creaked a little, but that wouldn't stop us, we are the inseparable duo!

Botska steppes, Mars, January 18, 2095, Doom's Day.

(Leroy Rogers)

Rogers: I must admit Jacobs, it's good to see you again.

Jacobs: yeah.

Rogers: but you were supposed to go with Williams.

Jacobs: that was the plan, but after we evacuated the miners, we had to reunite again. And without a fixed meeting point, well, I had to look for you.

Rogers: you still disobeyed a direct order.

Jacobs: I'm sorry.

Rogers: but... I appreciate the concern for your superior.

Jacobs: thank you captain. Oh, stop.

Fox: trail ahead, bipedal subject.

Jericho: if only the explosion hadn't damaged my entire logistics system.

Rogers: no problem, we manage just fine without it all the time. We like to work in the shadows.

Jacobs: it's different in this situation.

Rogers: do you think its a Krasl?

Fox: hard to say, the footprints are from boots, and someone very thin.

Jacobs: Williams and Reaper!

Rogers: maybe, but let's proceed with caution. Fingers on the trigger.

Jacobs: yes sir.

We resumed our march and followed the trail of footprints into an isolated grove of trees. These were designed to serve as "factories" of oxygen for the colonies, the same was distributed by subway and semi-aerial ducts distributed by the populated extension of the planet. But, they are no longer required, now we get the oxygen with special filters that remove toxins from the air and purify it.

Jacobs: *takes a deep breath* fresh air, no cap?

Rogers: recharge oxygen in the meantime.

Jericho: ok.

Fox: sure... movement.

We stopped and readied our rifles for action.J

acobs: where?

Fox: incoming transmission.

Williams appeared on the screen, we were happy to see him. He explained that in the explosion, the shockwave sent us to different locations and all this time he was setting up beacons to bring us back together.

Rogers: great job soldier.

Williams: thanks... *sigh* but Zack still hasn't shown up, and I only found one operational escape pod.

Rogers: I'm confident he'll make it in time, don't worry. He and Red are back up for each other, they'll make it, you'll see.

Williams: I hope so, I would feel bad if he were dead. Especially knowing what the circumstances were for it, and... the way I treated him... while... he was here.

Secret Hangar, Berlin, January 18, 2095 Doom's Day.

Baxter: Give them some lead!

*Gunshot*Nanders: they retreat!

Pentecost: (such an enemy would never retreat without a reason, but which one?) Something's not right here!

Baxter: what are you talking about man, we won, don't you see?!

Nanders: I share Baxter's vision Pit.

Silas: the time has come.

AI: fingerprint recognized, activating Variable-Warrior class Mech-Armor, ZT-01, serial number 000 000 000 001.

Silas: my mission is finally... completed.

Flashing lights come out from under the dashboard and reach the mech through ducts. Minutes later they are turned off and Zeta is activated, the reactor can be heard starting for the first time with a revitalizing sound.

Then lights come on his shoulders and head and he is ready to act. But then.

*Explosion*.

Pentecost: What, here!?

A vortex opens up inside the hangar and out come the hideous dark beasts, hundreds of them. Then the vortex closes behind them in a terrifying spectacle.

Baxter: I don't have ammunition for that s**t.

Nanders: nor in that quantity.

Pentecost: We're f****d.

Those butchers, had finally found us. And the resistance from the city of Berlin, just above us, was dropping down.

I can hear their cries for help in the distance.

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Next chapter: The reunion.