Kilo Squad

[DSMonkey]

A large, real-time map dominated the far wall of the dimly lit control room to display the harsh, sweltering continent of, Indar. While Technicians scurried about to repair burnt out circuits and flickering displays for the intelligence officers, who were themselves frantically updating the holographic map with the ever shifting front lines of lost and captured land.

“Is your main generator out?” Harth asked as only the emergency lights were on.

“Nope, the powers just being diverted to other areas because you know; it’s not like we have to actually see the equipment we’re trying to fix… that’d just be silly.” A technician sarcastically answered as he took a quick break from swearing at, and smacking a damaged terminal.

“You here for a briefing? Can’t see why else you’d be in here, not much call for infiltrations or assassinations in a war room…well, not today anyway.” The Technician joked as he took in Harth’s appearance. His form fitting Infiltration suit, high-caliber bolt action rifle, and the large reflective visor of Harth’s helmet made it impossible to read his expression, but quickly made him stick out among the Technicians and Officers.

“Actually, I was ordered here to take care of someone, though I can’t imagine why you weren’t told about the upcoming assassination, of an under-performing Technician….” Harth said with a cold tone and turned his head to look directly at the once sarcastic Technician, who instantly lost his smile and quietly sank back down to work on the damaged terminal with renewed zeal, while Harth stifled a laugh.

“You Harth?” Asked an approaching, lightly armored, New Conglomerate Intelligence officer. His clean fatigues and polished boots told Harth that this man had rarely, or never seen combat. Though he suspected it was the latter as he gazed at the officers unscathed, blue and gold-trimmed breastplate.

“Yes.”

“Good, I’m Lieutenant Lloyd. You’ll be taking your orders from me for the time being, now I can’t promise my orders will always seem to make much sense to you when you’re in the thick of it but I promise that I’ll be trying my best to keep you from being blown up.”

“I appreciate that, Sir. But if could you add stabbed, shot or captured to the things you’ll try to keep me from I’d be truly grateful.”

“I’ll think about it.” Lieutenant Lloyd said with a smile as he led Harth over to the holographic map of Indar and, with a few quick motions of his hand, the Lieutenant had zoomed into a base and was now tracking a friendly squad in the area. “We’re going to Hart-Drop you onto the hill to the South, where you’re to provide sniper cover for Kilo squad as they gain control of the Watchtower’s Command Console.”

“Just one five-man squad?”

“Kilo can handle it, so long as-“ Lloyd quickly zooms out and focuses the map on another nearby base, that seems to be heavily contested. “-the forty-first Vanguard, seventeenth Airborne and third Infantry division keeps the Vanu busy here. The hope is that they’ll be so distracted they don’t even notice Kilo ‘til it’s too late. Now your call-sign for this mission will be ‘Eagle’ as soon as Kilo capture that tower, you’re to rendezvous with them and await further instructions, understood?”

“Yes sir, I’m ready to go.”

“Well, you may want to change out of that winter camo first, you’re not Essamir anymore Harth.” Lloyd adds with a smile before walking away to take his post at a large console.

***

“Move up.” The heavily armed Hicks ordered as he led Kilo squad to the watchtower and pressed against the thick, sheet metal wall.

Hicks peered in to see a lone, unmanned equipment terminal. A set of stairs for the vehicle requisition terminal and another, much larger set leading to the upper-floors. Although currently the glowing, shielded teleporter to his left drew his immediate attention, as at any moment any number of Vanu cultists could pour through.

“Doc and Mule, with me. We break for the stairs and-“

“Do I have to go with Doc?” Mule interrupted, as he shifted the weight of the pack on his shoulders, as all the ammo and pop-up turrets it carried often caused it to sit awkwardly on his back.

“What did I do?” Doc asked with genuine surprise.

“You left me bleeding in a ditch for the best part of an hour!” Mule whispered yet still filled his words with contempt.

“You’re still sour about that? I couldn’t help it Mule I was in the middle of the fight.” Doc protested, ignoring the scathing looks he and Mule were receiving from the rest of Kilo squad.

“You’re a medic! You’re only in the fight to patch us up.”

“Then why do I have a gun?” Doc smugly retorted.

“For self defense you-“ Mule explained until Hicks grabbed his shoulder and with a low, barely-contained anger said “Cut it out! You will go, and you will do whatever I damn well tell you, now you can continue this little domestic when we’re back at the ‘gate but if I hear one more word I will personally put you both in a ditch, understood?”

“Yes sir.” Was all Doc and Mule could say to Hicks as he finished scathing them like an annoyed parent.

“Artemus, Cam; meet us top.” Hicks said to the pair of Light assault specialists then dashed inside with a speed that many would not think possible, due to the weight of his heavy armor, rocket-launcher and light machine gun.

“Kilo, this is Command-Actual; be advised there’s an enemy Gunship resupplying at your location.” Lieutenant Lloyd’s voice sounded through the squad’s comms.

“Kilo-Actual; Copy that, we’re pushing on to primary objective. Cam, Art; take care of the gunship.” Hicks whispered into his comm-unit, then moments later heard the feint sound of Artemus and Cam’s jump-packs erupt behind him as they stormed the upper-floors.

As Artemus cut her packs thrusters she dropped onto the upper-floor, allowed her momentum to roll her forward and, as she stood; drove the butt of her rifle into the unprotected chin of a purple-armored Vanu Engineer; whose painful groan and clattering as he fell, brought the attention of a heavily armed comrade.

The soldiers segmented, deep-purple armor was like the carapace of some horrible, otherworldly insect, even the helmet was misshapen and slick in design which made even the most assured of enemies think twice about whether or not the person inside were truly Human. Just as Artemus cursed her luck under her breath, Cam rounded the corner and immediately opened fire.

The first few shots took down the heavily armored Vanu’s personal shields and caused the purple clad soldier to turn, blasting searing bolts of energy toward Cam. As the shot-at Light assault rolled for cover, Artemus took aim and created two bullet holes in the back of the Vanu Heavy’s helmet.

“You hit?” Artemus asked with a note of concern as Cam picked himself up with a labored groan.

“I think my shields took it all, hurts though. Feel like I’ve been punched, ya know?“

“Oh suck it up, Princess.” Artemus teased, in part to cover up her own rattled nerves.

“Where’s the third?” Cam asked, knowing that a Liberator Gunship typically seats three.

However before Artemus could answer, a feint crack sounded in distance, a crack not unlike a gunshot.

“Kilo, Command-actual; The eagle has landed-“ Lieutenant Lloyd said just as Hicks, Mule and Doc reached the top of the stairs to see a Vanu Engineer tumble from the tower, with a rather large hole in his chest. “-and is covering your position.”

“Kilo-Actual; copy that command.” Hicks answered and looked toward the hill overlooking their position for any sign of Harth.

“We’ve got an Infiltrator? You didn’t say we’d have an Inf!” Doc said to Hicks with a mixture of surprise and annoyance as Kilo Squad moved into the control room.

“You do remember the last time we were promised an Infiltrator by Command right?” Hicks asked rhetorically before issuing his orders “Mule start the hack, I’ll cover the entrance…Doc, cover Mule.” Hicks said with a barely contained smile.

***

Although Harth’s scope bore a few dents and scratches it still worked perfectly fine thanks to the New Conglomerates insistence on building things to last. Which was rather fortunate for Harth and Kilo squad as the sturdy, precise scope revealed sand and dust spewing up beyond the far hill.

“That can’t be good.” Harth thought to himself just as a large tank came into view with a number of armored personnel carries in tow. The tanks purple and green trimmed armor, coupled with its large energy weapon and hover capabilities instantly told Harth which of their two enemy's had arrived.

However before Harth could mark the targets or warn Kilo squad he heard something that made his whole body tense and a chill to run down his back. The noise was a mixture of liquid freezing, and slime enveloping something, in fact it sounded just like a Vanu Sovereignty cloaking device.

***

“Kilo-squad, Command: You’ve got incoming heavy armor, looks to be a Vanu Magrider and troop transports. Eagle will mark targets where possible.” The warning rang through each of Kilo squads comm units as they watched the purple indicators appear on their personal maps.

“Kilo-Actual: Copy that, they got here way too fast, we’ll begin extracting to-“

“-Negative Kilo, you are to hold that position until reinforcements arrive.” Lieutenant Lloyd said bringing a few muttered curses and looks of disbelief from the squad.

“Copy that.” Was all Hicks could think to say before he began issuing orders to the squad. “Doc stay here at the control console, I don’t want you leaving unless someone gets hit. Mule you’re covering the stairs with me, Artemus and Cam make sure they don’t drop in on us from up there.”

“This is insane, the five of us and one Inf’ are supposed to hold off that many Vanu?” Doc protested over the squads comm, and judging by the silence that followed, Doc had clearly just voiced what the entire squad was thinking.

“We’ll do what we can but if things take a turn we’ll -“ Hicks started, until large explosions of super-heated energy shook the tower and derailed his train of thought. “-Here we go, do not let them re-take that console!” Hicks shouted and immediately ran to cover the stairs with Mule.

***

Harth crept around the sand covered rocks, cursing every slight noise he made. “Where is he?” He thought to himself just as the terrible, chilling sound of a Vanu cloak filled the air, only to be quickly drowned out by a loud shot. The singular blast of energy streaked toward the Watchtower and struck Cam’s jump pack.

Harth looked on as Cam’s left thruster sparked and sputtered, which caused the light assault to abandon his hopes of reaching the top of the towers transmitter. Cam tumbled through the air until finally, painfully he landed, rolled and dangled over the edge of the Watchtowers landing platform.

The hiss of a Vanu rifle venting heat made Harth’s heart race, as he knew the sniper was clearly readying a second shot to finish off the dangling Cam.

The extra agility the infiltration suit afforded Harth came in handy as he quickly scaled the rocks to survey the area where he immediately spotted the purple clad Infiltrator taking aim.

Acting on sheer instinct Harth took aim and snatched at the shot. Which luckily for him, and Cam; had created a large hole in the enemy snipers helmet. As the Vanu’s head snapped back and his body crumpled Harth was shocked to hear the heart-stopping sound of a second Vanu cloak.

Before he could properly react his small personal shields were already struggling to absorb the damage, forcing him to grunt and wince with pain until finally he was able to gather his senses and leap off the rock. With his back in the sand as his rifle a few feet away Harth grabbed his grenade and tossed it over the rock, hoping it would at least slow the second Infiltrator down.

“I hate Stalkers.” Harth muttered as he retrieved his rifle and heard the grenade explode which filled the air with bits of rock and a brief, but loud scream.

“Guess he hates grenades more.” Harth smiled then glanced back at Cam who had now climbed on top of the platform and was taking cover behind the Liberator gunship that, only moments before helped kill the crew of.

“Cam are you okay?” A concerned, female voice came over Harth’s comm unit, shortly followed by a clearly injured male shouting above the gunfire “I don’t know, my shoulder hurts…maybe ask me after my head stops spinning and people aren’t shooting at me.”

As Harth listened to this he looked down his scope toward Artemus who was single-handily keeping a number of Vanu soldiers pinned down. Though as he turned his gaze to Cam he noticed he was clutching his right shoulder, and seemed unable to move his arm at all.

“Must have dislocated it when he grabbed the platform.” Harth got through thinking just as a Vanu light assault boosted over the Liberator, spraying a hail of super-heated energy in the hopes of catching the hiding New Conglomerate soldier. Though all he managed to catch was a desperate, hopeful shot from Harth that hit the zealot in the chest, causing him to crash to the ground and Cam to look utterly astounded. Which, unknown to Cam was exactly the look Harth had on his face, as even he could not believe the shot he had just pulled off.

“Art, did you see that? Eagle was that you?” Cam’s voice came over the comm just as Harth felt his rifle knocked from his grip and glimpsed the butt of a pistol smacking against visor.

***

“Eagle?” Cam asked again as he glanced toward the hill he thought the Infiltrator occupied, and to his surprise he could see two figures brawling and occasionally letting of a few shots that seemingly missed each other “I think Eagle’s in trouble.” Cam groaned into his comm as he pulled out his sidearm and started to weigh up his options while the sound of energy weapons fizzed against the Liberator he hid behind.

“I reckon he can handle himself, you think you could jump down and get to Doc?” Artemus asked as she traded gunfire with her own, purple clad problems.

“Probably not-“ Cam said as he looked over his shoulder at his heavily damaged jump-pack “-I could make it to the grav-lifts though.” He said, looking at the small stream of blue energy that flowed down a level and guaranteed anyone who jumped or fell into it a safe landing.

“Okay I’ll try and cover-“ Artemus began to say until the distinct sound of heavy, mechanical footsteps came from beyond the cloudy, shielded door of the room before her. “-MAX incoming!” she shouted, threw down one of the two bricks of plastic explosive she carried and, using her jump-pack joined Cam behind the Liberator.

“Where?” Cam asked as he frantically pointed his pistol in every direction until Artemus landed beside him and detonated the plastic explosive.

“Hopefully inside that big explosion.” She grinned, then winced as a blast of energy erupted beside them, though thankfully their position behind the gunship kept them from being directly targeted the splash damage was nothing to laugh-off.

“Art!” Was all Cam’s adrenaline fueled mind could think to cry out as the veritable walking tank that was a Vanu MAX unit emerged from the flames, its thick, highly advanced armor, towering size and double, arm encompassing cannons were a daunting sight to the injured Light assault.

“For Vanu!” The MAX yelled as it opened fire, scorching the landing pad with the shots that missed and punishing the New Conglomerate with the ones that did not.

“Art, Cam come in!” Hick’s voice could barely be heard over the furious assault the pair were weathering as more Vanu emerged from the shielded room to join their heavily armored comrade.

“We have to move!” Artemus shouted as she pressed against the Liberator with Cam, gasping for air.

“I don’t think my pack will-“ Cam began to protest until a high-pitched alarm rang out from the Liberator gunship, its lights began to flash red and Artemus made a dash for the edge of the platform, hoping Cam had done the same.

***

Harth slipped the Vanu Infiltrators jab and with deadly precision and struck the edge of his hand against the cloakers throat. As the cultist clutched his crushed windpipe and fell to his knees a large explosion filled the Watchtowers platform with flames and debris, which made Harth wonder if the silhouette he saw plummeting to the lower levels could have survived the blast.

With a few swift motions Harth had sunk his blade into choking Stalker’s chest, regained his rifle and set about taking shots at the Vanu pressing into the main entrance, managing to drop many personal shields and even take off a few heads. Until the incoming heavy attacks of the Magrider forced him to sprint for a new position.

[DSMonkey]

***

Mule’s turret glowed red and cover the floor with spent casings. as it sprayed a hail of bullets down the stairs to suppress the encroaching Vanu.

“RPG!” Mule yelled and dove for cover beside Hicks just as the streaking blast of energy exploded, sending scorching hot bits of turret and a wave of heat over their shields.

“You whole?” Hicks screamed at Mule who he assumed, based on the Engineers glazed, far off stare; was quite dazed.

“I think so.” Mule finally muttered followed by a uncertain nodding which inspired Hicks to yell over comms for Rosh while he tossed a grenade over the small, twisted and scorched sheet metal wall they now called “cover.”

“Can it wait? I’m a little busy here, they keep coming through the windows. Rosh’s voice had an annoyed, desperate tone to it.

“Yeah Doc, I’m alright.” Mule spoke, this time with much more grit and belief about his words.

“Then throw down another turret!” Hicks ordered as he and his light machine gun took over the job of suppressing the Vanu below.

“Cam, Art; how’s it looking up there?” Hicks asked, and got a solemn, weary response from Artemus.

“Bad, I’ve fallen back to support Doc.”

“Where’s Cam?” Hicks asked, exchanging a brief yet very concerned look with Mule.

“He’s not coming.” Artemus said bluntly, her voice heavy as she steeled herself against the emotion she felt.

“I could do with some help here!” Rosh yelled, loudly enough that Artemus heard him without the aid of her ear-piece.

“Go aid the Medic, Art.” Hicks said with a grin, then turned his attentions to Lieutenant Lloyd “Command, Kilo-Actual; They’re pressing us pretty hard down here, where are those reinforcements?"

“Kilo-Actual we-“ Lloyd stopped talking abruptly causing Hicks and Mule to exchange brief looks of concern.

“Command? You there?”

“We’re here Kilo, reinforcements bound for you have been redirected to another front, you are to pull your team out and fall back to the nearest friendly outpost.”

“He’s joking, he has a sick and twisted sense of humor and is joking with us.” Mule said to Hicks, making sure not to say it into his own communications unit.

“C…copy that Command, Kilo out.” Hicks said despite the shock and anger he felt. “Kilo squad, regroup on me. Eagle, you still out there?”

“I’m here.” Harth’s cold voice answered as another shot from his rifle toppled yet another Vanu soldier.

“Can you see a way out for us from up there, Eagle?” Hicks asked over the noise of Mule’s firing turret.

“You’re not going to like it.”

“Well that’s nothing new.” Mule muttered.

“What is it?” Hicks yelled over the noise of gunfire as he hunkered down behind cover.

“South-side of the Tower, jump down and sprint for the rocks, they’ll cover you some until you hit the ditch, drop into it and re-group with me.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.” Artemus answered as Rosh and her re-grouped with Hicks and Mule.

“For you maybe, you have a jump-pack.” Rosh commented, followed by Mule who said “If it’s still working, want me to take a look at it really quick?”

“No, you can tinker with it later! Art, smoke our exit.” Hick yelled and soon enough the south side of the Watchtower was engulfed in thick, dark smoke, as were the members of Kilo squad as they jumped down to the ground. The few grunts and winces that filled the smokescreen were soon replaced with panting and heavy boots kicking up sand as they dashed for the cover of the rocks.

“Nearly there, keep going!” Hicks said through comms with a hushed tone that did nothing to mute the urgency in his voice.

That’s when Harth noticed his wrist-mounted, holographic map showing the watchtower covered in tiny, blips that slowly expanding into hollow circle, for vanishing and starting all over again.

“They’re deploying motion sensors all over the tower, won’t take ‘em long to realize you’re not there.” Harth announced over comms.

“Anymore smoke?” Hicks asked Artemus as the squad hunkered down at the rocks.

“No, and unless Mule throws me some ammo I’m down to my sidearm and wishful thinking.” She said, hinting at the Engineer to resupply the squad when the terrible sound of a Vanu Sovereignty hover device declared the arrival of a Magrider, moments before it fired a round into the rocks; sending bits of rock flying and sand billowing.

Scrambling to the other side of the rocks through the now dust, and sand filled air; Hicks fired off a rocket propelled grenade at the tank that caused just enough of a bang and flash to cover Artemus as she sprinted toward it.

The Magriders second shot seared her skin, blurred her vision and made it incredibly difficult to breathe, such was the heat of the super-heated plasma that just narrowly missed her. As Artemus closed the gap on the heavy tank she tested the construction of New Conglomerate jump-packs and, with a sputter and a bang; she was in the air, throwing her last plastic explosive onto the dented Magrider before pressing the button on her remote detonator.

The resulting explosion sent shrapnel, chunks of twisted tank and blue flames all around but it was the blue, heavy fire coming from the tower that caught Artemus as she landed. The Vanu zealots at the contested Watchtower had not missed the tanks destruction, nor the opportunity to take out a member of Kilo squad with a hail of righteous gunfire.

“Move!” Hicks commanded and the remaining squad members obeyed, following their leader into the long, deep ditch that would take them toward Harth’s position.

“I’m on my way to you.” The Infiltrator said as he began to descend the hill.

The sweat was pouring out of Rosh, Mule, Hicks and Harth almost as much as the muttered curses and repeated orders such as “Keep going!” and “Don’t look back”

Until finally, after a few hundred meters of sprinting, a few close calls and a hitched ride in a friendly Galaxy transport, they had safely arrived at a large New Conglomerate staging area and were walking, albeit slowly; toward a concerned Lieutenant Lloyd.

“Glad to see some of you made it out, Kilo.” The Lieutenant said with an air of authority that did not waver in the slightest under the glares he was receiving.

“What happened back there?” Hicks asked with a scowl.

“The Republic’s just about in spitting distance of one of our few re-birthing centers. Your reinforcements were redirected here-“ Lloyd indicated to the hundreds of troops and vehicles massing around them as he spoke “-we’ll be launching a counter attack within the hour. If we lose this facility there’s no telling how long it’ll be ‘til we can bring your lost squad-mates back. If at all.”

“Then give us ten to get ready Sir and Kilo ‘ll be good to go.” Hicks said with a determination mirrored by Rosh and Mule.

“Alright Kilo get some-“ Lloyd began until Harth interrupted him.

“Permission to join Kilo squad until they’re back to full strength, sir?”

“You getting tired of the lone wolf act, Eagle?” Hicks teased.

“No, but after saving you lives many, many times at that watchtower It’d just be a waste to see you run off and get killed now, and my names Harth.” He replied with a smile that his face-covering helmet concealed.

“I don’t have a problem with it.” Lieutenant Lloyd finally answered.

“Well then, welcome to Kilo squad Harth.” Said a smiling Hicks.

The End