Archer was not having the best luck.
He continued to remind himself that as he drove his omni-sheild into yet another husk throwing itself at him before turning his M-6 Carnifex at an engaging Cannibal.
He had been fighting like this for almost two days, and with very little rest to add. His original mission was taking place on the Turian Colony of Epyrus, which he thought to be strange. Why was he and a squad of other Alliance marines being sent to a planet he'd never heard about?
Apparenlty this planet and colony were famous for its industrial complexes and produced over 2% of the Hierachy's military vehicles and weapons, amongst other parties. He'd also learned that there were more than just Turians living here with a high population of Salarian, Asari, Batarian and even Human settlers. Again he wondered how evacuating this colonies inhabitants would help until he was given word about the Crucible and he realised that almost every colonist on Epyrus were extremely skilled engineers and armourers. With the Hierachy preoccupied with Palavin the Alliance made a deal in which if they could evacuate the colonists they would help build the Reaper destroying weapon.
This however took a turn for the worse as the Reapers may have already known their victims talents and proceeded to press their attack with a ferocious intent. Speeding up their process of destroying or indoctrinating the inhabitants. When the Alliance sent their forces they realised small teams of infiltration units armed with communication beacons would have a much easier task of reaching the ground (and inhabitants) than a large frontal assault. They were to reach pockets of survivors and call in extractions over a period of 3 weeks. Archer had been involved in one of these extraction teams, emphasise on the "had" as almost immediately after landing the squad was under constant attack which eventually whittled the team of 8 to 5, then 3 and now just one.
So here was Archer balls deep in Reaper forces with almost no way of getting back, unless he somehow survived and found another squad. "Not fucking likely" he muttered as he slammed in one of his few remaining thermal clips.
He suddenly heard a loud crash behind him, spinning around just in time to have a Brute ram itself into his shield knocking him back several metres before crashing against a wall. "Fantastic. Absolutely fucking FANTASTIC" he screamed. The Brute lined up for another charge and Archer rolled himself out of the way before flinging an incineration at the hulking beast hoping to at least burn away some armour. He rolled a second time, narrowly avoiding a swinging blow from its massive disfigured claw before proceeding to set his Omni-tool to snap freeze and charged at its unprotected legs. The two technical influences clashed together, resulting in a combo explosion which sent the brute reeling. Before he felt too good with himself he felt his shields ping behind him, turning around his heart sank as he discovered a group of Cannibals. He may have been able to take one Brute with skill but with these new reinforcements he knew this may be the end.
Suddenly two of the Cannibals screamed in pain, their yellow/brown skin moulting to a sickly shade of green before falling dead, one of which had two barbed blades imbedded in its bulbous back. As the rest of the Cannibals scrambled to the find the new attacker Archer had time to try and finish of the Brute who looked to have recovered. He fired three shots from his powerful handgun, all connecting with its grey flesh, the Brute not being the smartest fighter chose to charge a third time which Archer again simply dodged. He sent forth another incinerate followed by three more shots into its unprotected back, which finally drew a death scream from the disfigured monster before it slumped to the ground. He finally took time to survey his surroundings realising that the Cannibal reinforcements had all been killed with their bodies strewn around the courtyard. Walking over to the nearest corpse he saw yet again two barbed and wickedly sharp blades sunk deep into its body. He went to pull one out before a voice stopped him, "I wouldn't touch the blades, they're covered in poison".
Spinning around and bearing his Omni-shield he jumped a little in shocked at how close she was. The Turian female was standing a few metres from him, her shockingly green eyes staring directly into his own. Though only measuring up to his nose she stood with an air of superiority and confidence with her light armour showing the contours of her lithe body. He saw a firearm on her hip but his eyes were drawn to her wrists which bore the same barbed blades he saw in the cannibals, they were housed in a form of fancy gauntlets which he guessed stored more of the lethal weapons.
He lowered his large shield "you're handiwork I take it?" nodding his head in at the corpse. "Excellent detective work. You made yourself a good distraction for the brute so I figured I might as well take the advantage." She cocked her head. "You weren't exactly quiet." He chuckled at her brisk reply.
"Look at me, does it look like I was built for being quiet?"
She gave him a onceover, noting how large he was for a human, his armour was heavy and fortified with a Deathmask helmet planted on his head. His right hand carried a large pistol while left had what she assumed to be a heavily modified Omni-tool forming a large shield.
"I thought the Turians were too busy to do this?" His question stopped her examination, drawing her to look up at his helmet.
"Do what?"
"Help with the mission?" He tilted his head "that's why you're here isn't it?"
She gave him a strange look before shaking her head and walking over to a cannibal, skilfully removing the blades before slotting them inside her gauntlets.
"I'm here for a personal reason, the Hierarchy doesn't even know I'm here and I plan to keep it that way"
"You're disobeying the Hierarchy? Isn't that like super bad for you guys? I thought you followed orders to the death."
She stood up before giving him a piercing look "In case you haven't noticed we are being exterminated, I'm not going to waste my time fighting for a lost battle, I plan to actually get something done."
"Which is?"
"Like I said, personal. Leave it at that." She patted him on the chest before walking off.
She had walked a few paces before Archer lumbered up beside her.
"Just hang on a mo. I've been alone out here for almost three days now fighting for my life, you obviously have fighting experience so we need to stick together here, for both our sakes."
"I work fine on my own thanks" she retorted still looking straight ahead.
"Don't give me that lone wolf bullcrap, people's lives are at risk and you're the first proper soldier I've seen in a while. My job was to find them and get them off this planet and I can't do that if it's just me. You think you'll have a better chance of leaving if it's just you? Reaper forces are pouring into this place every day and it won't be long before they cover this entire colony. We need each other"
She slowed down a bit when she heard him speak of the extraction plan before stopping and turning to him. "Why's the Alliance so interested in this place anyway? It's a Turian colony why would they send the men to extract our people?"
Archer wondered whether he should tell her about the Crucible before realising they're both on the same side, and trust is in short supply.
"The Alliance is in the process of building a weapon that will hopefully destroy the Reapers. These colonists are some of the best engineers in the side of the Milky Way and would really help us out".
If the Turian was surprised it was hard to tell, she looked over him with what he could only imagine was curiosity.
"Is it just for Human colonists?"
"Of course not, our mission was to extract as many as we could find, regardless of their race. They could be a goddamn Elcor and I'd still push their big ass onto a shuttle".
She stared at him for a while more before finally speaking. "My brother is a colonist, that's why I'm here. I was planning to just find him but if what you're saying is true..." her mandibles flapped slightly "then you're right. We should stay together. I can take you to the area where he lives and you can call in the extraction."
Archer secretly beamed under his helmet, "finally some good luck" he thought to himself. With the two of them together they may have a solid chance of reaching this colony and getting off this planet.
"We have a deal then" before stretching out his armoured hand. She placed her smaller clawed hand into his and they shook, securing the partnership.
"My name's Archer if you're interested, Archer Davis".
"Laetana. Laetana Ablius"