Invasion
"Cortes!"
Puerto Angel's Captain slammed his half empty bottle of water down on the tavern's bar and glanced over his shoulder. He was just in time to see that Wayan had thrown open the tavern's doors, and was now making his way hurriedly across the room with little care for the other patrons in the tavern.
"Wayan, what is it?" Cortes asked.
Wayan drew up to the bar, panting. As Cortes looked up at him, it suddenly occurred to him that the man looked scared.
"You have a transmission, Sir. I think… you have to come see it. Now."
He didn't just look scared; he looked petrified. Cortes knew this must be serious. "Alright…" Cortes stood up, and then followed Wayan. He had to force his stride to keep up. "Wayan…" Now Cortes was starting to feel apprehensive himself. He could see that Wayan was sweating, and he was fairly sure it wasn't because of the weather. "… who from?"
Wayan swallowed hard before replying. "… Oslo."
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"Ah… Cortes. Captain of the Saint Nazaire, pirate and thief…"
"Get to the point, Oslo," Cortes snarled, resisting the urge to address the man with his own string of offences. He had some good ones, but doubted Oslo would be bothered by them. He had taken the transmission on the Saint Nazaire, not wanting to be overheard until he'd found out what Oslo wanted. And how he'd known how to contact him.
"There's no need to be rude, I wasn't finished yet…"
"What," Cortes growled, "do you want?"
Oslo allowed himself a small smile. "I was going to add: ruler and protector of the bloc Puerto Angel…" He said the bloc's name slowly, letting the words roll off his tongue, almost as if to be certain Cortes heard exactly what he'd said.
Cortes heard him alright. His whole body stiffened.
"I thought that might get your attention," said Oslo. "Yes, I know the name and location of your bloc. I know you have both Mila and Lena there. I would also hazard a guess that that is your base, and I may also find the Saint Nazaire there…"
"What makes you think we're on this bloc 'Puerto Angel'?" Cortes spat, trying to sound indifferent. But he could hear his own voice shaking, and knew he wasn't even close to fooling Oslo. Whatever the Guardian knew, he was already sure of.
"We tracked one of your Mosquitoes," Oslo smirked. "I naturally assumed that since it was being piloted by Mahad, his mother and sister would be wherever he returned to. You really should keep a tighter rein on your crew, Cortes."
"And why are you telling me this?" Cortes asked. He was no longer trying to fool Oslo. There was no point. He simply didn't understand why Oslo had contacted them. There was no reason for him to give them any warning. He could've just flown in, and they probably wouldn't have realised until moments before the troops arrived.
"We're an hour away, Cortes. Now is that enough time for you to rescue all on your pathetic bloc? I think not. If you're wise, maybe you'll have Mila and Lena ready for me when I arrive." On that note, Oslo cut the transmission.
"An hour…" said Wayan. "Do you think he's serious?"
"He knew the bloc's name. He knows where we are. I think he's just hoping we'll hand over Mila and Lena. But he'll still kill everyone. Sound the sirens, Wayan." Cortes drew in a breath. "We're going to have to evacuate Puerto Angel."
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The residents of Puerto Angel were all gathered within ten minutes. They knew the sirens meant business, and failure to acknowledge them might very well mean their deaths.
"Alright, everyone listen up!" Cortes' voice rang out across the tavern, loud and strong. He himself, however, did not feel quite so strong. How am I supposed to tell them this? But there was no time to ponder how to put things nicely. They only had an hour. "The Sphere have found out Puerto Angel is a pirate bloc. They're coming here in an hour. We're all going to have to leave."
The news was not received well, and the tavern erupted in confused voices.
"Why do we have to leave?!" someone shouted.
"Yeah, can't we negotiate something…?"
"You all know we can't negotiate with the Sphere," Cortes shouted. "They want some of the Seijins here, and they're going to want all the pirates and our ships. Now they will kill everyone on this bloc for harbouring us, you know that…"
"They want the Seijins? Then let's just hand them over, they belong together anyway. Maybe that will make the Sphere happy…"
"Didn't you hear me, Patrucci? They'll kill anyone they find, whether we hand anyone over of not. We leave. So, this is what I want everyone to do. Anyone with ships, go start them up. If you have cargo, offload it all. You will be carrying everyone who does not have a ship, and you will be filling your ships until they can't carry anymore. Anyone who fails to comply will have their ships and cargo confiscated. Understood? Pirates, if you want to leave with your families, you are free to go. But I need volunteers to stay back to the last possible moment to make sure everyone gets out, and I'll need Mosquito pilots. Alright? Everyone, dismissed!"
The people in the tavern headed to the doors in somewhat of a controlled panic. Most of the pirates stayed. They would be enough for Cortes' needs, and he was glad he didn't have too many. He would risk as little of his people as possible, but it was impossible to not risk any of them.
"Alright…" Cortes drew in a breath, trying to keep his body running on the adrenaline. He knew if he didn't, he'd just collapse into thinking how hopeless it all seemed. Too many times he had felt unable to function because it looked as if there was no way out. He couldn't let himself think it wouldn't work. "I need people in the Mosquitoes…"
Cortes sorted out the pirates, giving them jobs as he saw fit. He was almost through them all when Mahad came running up to him from the other side of the tavern.
"Cortes!"
Cortes felt anger flare inside him, directed at the young man. "Shouldn't you be on a ship, Mahad!? I don't need you getting in the way…"
"I want to help!" Mahad cut him short. "Cortes, I barely convinced Lena and Mum they had to get on a ship. I had to convince them they'd be more use there in case the Sphere caught up… I think they only really went because they wanted the other to go… but I've got to stop the Sphere getting after them! Let me use a Mosquito…"
"I'm not so sure about that…" said Cortes.
"Look…" Mahad sighed, looking down at the floor. "I don't know if this is my fault… I didn't tell you, but before I borrowed a Mosquito and I got in a fight with some Sphere ships. Maybe… they followed? I don't know…"
"Mahad…" Cortes gritted his teeth. "Look, I don't know how Oslo found out we were here. But if you think you can help, take a Mosquito."
Mahad's eyes actually brightened. "Thankyou!" He took off.
"Just be careful, alright!?"
He was left with Dahlia and Wayan. And then he noticed Cheng, who had previously been too short to see behind the other pirates, and had probably been hiding on purpose.
"Cheng! Get on a ship!" Cortes shouted, feeling a pang of worry for the boy's safety. He shouldn't still be here!
"But you're staying behind, aren't you?"
"Cheng…"
"You've got to get on a ship too! But I know you're going to stay here as long as you can, you'd even…"
"Wayan," Cortes interrupted. "Come with me. We need to make sure Puerto Angel's computers are destroyed. Dahlia, I want you to go power up the Saint Nazaire. Be ready to take the last of the pirates, and blast your way out if you have to. But first, get Cheng on a ship. I don't care how much he tells you he doesn't want to go." With that, Cortes turned, and began to head in the direction of Puerto Angel's computers.
"No, Cortes…"
He could hear Cheng behind him, but Cortes didn't turn around.
"Come on, Cheng. We have to get you on a ship…" said Dahlia.
"No! Cortes… you can't! I know you're going to stay… Dahlia, let me go! No! Cortes!"
Cortes could hear Cheng struggling and screaming against Dahlia, trying to get away from her. The boy's screams rung in his ears as he jogged out of the tavern, just wanting the doors to close behind him to cut out the sound.
---
"That's the last one…" Wayan powered down his smoking gun. In front of him the last computer smouldered, its information destroyed and irretrievable.
"Good…" Cortes slung his own rifle back over his shoulder. Fifteen minutes… "Wayan, that's all I need you to do here. Get back to the Saint Nazaire and help Dahlia. I have the feeling you're still going to have to fight your way out… so you'd better get going."
"Alright, but what are you going to do?" Wayan asked forcefully, staring at the Captain hard.
"Someone needs to man the stationary defence turrets. They might give everyone a better chance to escape, and of losing them…"
"Cortes, you know that's not necessary. They're not powerful enough to slow down a full invasion by much…"
"Aye, but they might slow them down a little."
"Cortes…"
"I said leave, Wayan," Cortes barked. "That's an order!"
Suddenly, there was an explosion and Puerto Angel shook.
"They're here already!" Wayan exclaimed.
"That's why you have to go!" Cortes physically pushed the other man, and then ran after him. With the Sphere here already the turrets would be useless; they'd take too long to get to.
Wayan and Cortes ran until they got to the Saint Nazaire. The ship was beginning to move out of its dock.
"Hurry, Wayan!" Cortes shouted. He quickly scanned the docks, making sure no one had been left behind.
Sphere ships could be seen gathering in front of the Saint Nazaire. And Cortes could just make out a few that were following the ships with Puerto Angel's refugees. He ran to the edge of the dock, swung his rifle from his shoulder and powered it up. Then he began firing into the nearest patroller. The rifle wasn't as powerful as the turrets, but he could at least distract the Sphere from the Saint Nazaire. The ship was vulnerable until it got out into more open air.
"Captain!" Wayan shouted.
A quick glance over his shoulder, and Cortes could see the Saint Nazaire was swinging closer to their side of the dock, trying to get close enough so they could get on board.
"Go, Wayan! Get on board!"
Wayan ran up beside Cortes, and fired his own gun at the patroller Cortes had been concentrating on. Deciding it was taking too much fire, the ship backed off. Needing something to do until it could get at the Saint Nazaire it fired a blast into the side of some buildings.
"You don't have to do this!" Wayan shouted.
"I'm supposed to protect Puerto Angel!" Cortes snapped. "I can at least…"
"Cortes! This isn't what you need to protect!" Wayan gestured at the burning buildings. "That is!" He pointed out to the ships dwindling in the distance.
"That's why I'm trying to slow the Sphere down…"
"With that?" Wayan pointed at Cortes' rifle, even as they had to open fire on another patroller that was getting to close for comfort. "Come on. You're far more use to us alive, believe me."
Cortes gritted his teeth and nodded. The Saint Nazaire was almost beside them.
"Alright, get ready… now!" shouted Wayan. Both men jumped, clearing the side of the ships bow, landing heavily and tumbling onto the deck.
The Saint Nazaire was now clearing the dock, and a patroller opened fire. The larger ship rocked under the impact, and hot metal sprayed across the deck. Cortes felt himself thrown down, and then the blast wave hit, whiting out his senses.
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God… please let this be the part where I wake up…
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