Oblivion Drones are the ones from the Tom Cruise film Oblivion. Nigh indestructible and pretty scary.
Omega Protocol: Shadow Recruits
Chapter 4: Titanfall
August 12, 2390
13:30 Shanxi Time
Two and a Half Hour Into Invasion
Shanxi was burning. Its white buildings crumbling. Downtown had it the worst. Heavy fire and smoke rose into the air. Darkening the sky. Bathing the ground in twilight. It was once a beautiful city. A white city. With buildings of steel and stone, and suburbs with houses of wood in all shapes and sizes. Now it lived up to its name as a war zone.
Samantha Fisher was standing at the ledge of a parking building. Her team looking over a map of the city. She had her goggles pulled down and was scanning the area for hostiles. A small vibration in her earpiece warned her of a secure line being opened.
"Alpha Two this is Alpha One. Just made contact planetside. I am tracking down a potential HVT. In the meantime stay with your team. When the time comes for the final assault on enemy HQ, find a way to disengage from the battle. Covertly of course and regroup on my position. This message has been relayed to both you and agent Alpha Three Tango."
Her lips cracked into a small smile. It would be good to see her team again. While the pilots she were with had been adequate company, she had not developed a personal connection with them in the same way she had with her original crew. Mourning any of their deaths would be a non-issue.
"Hard to believe twelve million people lived here," One of the pilots, Steve Cortez said as he moved to stand at her side.
Sam let out a huff of air. "Independent colonial planning in a nutshell, dump all your colonists in one place, never mind the location or natural resources and just hope for the best."
"I just don't understand...this colony had a standing army of two-hundred thousand not including reserves. How could they lose in just two weeks?"
"Well Cortez, orbital dominance aside. The Chinese like the United Colonial Nations are...robophobic. They don't trust in large scale use of infantry drones, no matter how limited the intelligence." Sam patted Cortez on his back before moving towards the two other pilots.
"Ashley! Any word from Command?"
"Yes, Ma'am. We're to move towards the central boulevard leading to City Hall. Take out any hostiles encountered on the way and wait for the final assault," the Gunnery sergeant relayed.
"Spyglass reports that Titans are being prepared for drop," the third pilot said. His face concealed by his helmet.
"Good. People, let's move." A few seconds after Samantha had voiced her order the four pilots disappeared. The cloaking not even leaving the mirage like effect that movies so loved. Three drones flew over their heads at great speed - followed closely by the sonic booms from their engines. Fortunately for the pilots, their helmets protected their eardrums from bursting.
Orbital Defense Platforms are impractical. Space is not 2D
Garrus inhaled and exhaled with calm only possessed by a professional. He was looking through his siper scope. The enemy had set up snipers on the adjacent high-rises. While he had not seen any sign of enemy movement towards the City Hall. He had been informed that the enemy was deploying combat drones to wear them down. General Victus had been able to repel the enemy forces dropped within their perimeters and AA batteries had been pummeling any enemy pods that came within shooting distance.
The humans, as the natives called themselves, had surprisingly good cloaking technology and Garrus had more than once scanned an area he thought empty only to realize a hostile had hid there after reports of sniper fire had come in. When cloaking was not available they dressed themselves in camo suits or under rubble. The Spectre recruit meticulously scanned a tall white building several hundred meters away from him. Large chunks of it were missing or burning. The entire roof was missing together with several of the floors.
"There. Got you, you son of a bitch!" Garrus exclaimed as he spotted the tiny glare from an enemy rifle scope. He pulled the trigger. A loud bang rang through the bell tower he was in. Heat sink ejecting. Garrus counted to three. A splatter of blood appeared where the hostile was. His cloak flickered and died together with him.
"Perfect hit," his spotter Sidonis commented, scratching a notch into the concrete railing.
"One down...several more to go," Garrus sighed.
"You sure this is a peacekeeping operation?" Sidonis asked, looking over his notepad. "They seemed pretty peaceful to me."
Garrus let out a huff of air and grinned. "It's not my place to question my superiors, but I'll do it anyway."
"Target," Sidonis interrupted. "Same building, thirty meters to the upper left of previous hostile, seven hundred meters, adjust for wind resistance."
"Target spotted."
"Fire when ready."
"First contacts that turn into a full-blown military operation..." Garrus said as he fired.
"Tango down."
"They don't usually equal prestige. That prothean captain who made contact with the yahg and razed an entire village when they attacked...he was not exactly lauded upon his return. Despite the circumstances of the yahg and their...nature."
"Sniper. Ground. Shop rooftop. Big circle sign. Six hundred meters. Adjust for wind. Push two points right," Sidonis informed as he looked through his telescope.
"On Target."
"Fire when ready." Garrus exhaled as he fired his rifle. Slamming in a new magazine as it ejected the red-hot thermal clip. "Hit," Sidonis informed.
"Nah, I call bullshit on 'unauthorized relay activation'. The real reason behind this entire op, is that these...humans..." Garrus shook his head. "Look almost identical to quarians."
"Of course an invasion cannot be justified on the grounds that a new race looks like another." Garrus fired his rifle, the mass accelerated round penetrating the concrete wall half a mile away. Killing the soldier behind it. "It's most likely that when the survey team found artificial replicas of the humans, they lost their shit and when the Hierarchy found out they lost their shit too."
"Why not try and negotiate first?"
"Well the Primarchs of course told the Protheans who lobbied with the Council for a full scale invasion and...well, you saw the announcement on TV." Garrus steeled his gaze through his scope, calming his nerves.
"Yeah, they presented it as a shitstorm waiting to happen. The Quarians and every other failed AI experiment all over again."
"And there you have it," Garrus said, ending their impromptu conversation.
"Wait, I see movement at the end of the boulevard, one kilometer."
"I see it too," Garrus said as he aimed his rifle towards the enemy. A bright flash in the distance followed by the explosion pulled him away from the scope. He shielded his eyes with a hand as the explosion dissipated. A large mushroom cloud of smoke and fire rose from what had been the southern forward operating base.
"Holy shit, That's where General Arterius is!" Sidonis exclaimed.
"Sidonis, I need you focused. Something tells me we have a lot of shooting to do."
Fifteen Minutes Earlier
The southern police station was a large L-shaped structure with rounded edges and an extra building block on top of it. It was made of white steel and had blue windows. The building was surprisingly intact considering the ravaged state of its surroundings.
General Desolas Arterius was a proud turian with many a military victory under him. The Arterius family line could be traced back all the way to the Unification War and the first Primarchs. He would not die on this rock of a planet. To a species he barely knew. He was standing in the parking lot of the station. Police cars were scattered around him. Some still burning, others ashen husks.
"General Arterius we got something on our scanners!" A prothean grunt exclaimed. They stood in the police station's parking lot, the General relaying orders to his men. He turned towards the soldier who was holding a pair of binoculars.
"What is it," he sneered.
"We got something, seems like bogeys, moving fast." The prothean handed the binoculars to the turian general. Desolas looked through the lenses towards the same point in the sky as the soldier. Diamond shaped squares circled small dots in the distance. The Turian General put down the binoculars and handed them back.
"Get everyone inside, we'll need the high ground!" Desolas ordered as he moved back, towards the building. "Prepare for battle!"
Shinichi Kusanagi and his team was moving through a dusty alleyway. Weapons at the ready. Cloaking off. Shinichi had taken point his Hemlok ready to fire at any moment. They were nearing the police station in the southern district, which intel had informed contained one of the enemy's bases. Shinichi held his left hand up as he heard footsteps. His team quickly moved to the walls as they neared the alley corner. He held his hand up in a fist and counted to three with his fingers. His team rounded the corner, weapons ready to fire.
"FREEZE MOTHERFUCKER HANDS!" Commander Shepard shouted at the five figures who suddenly appeared.
"At ease men, it's just friendlies," Shinichi motioned for his men to stand down and lowered his rifle. In front of him stood a platoon of marines. They looked haggard and like they had been through hell.
"Who the hell are you?" Shepard demanded. Vega and the marines looked a little uncertain at the Commander's forwardness. These men and women were obviously not regular troopers. They were clad in the newest combat exosuits and their faces were concealed by both helmets, tactical shades and scarfs.
"SpecOps," Shinichi replied. There was a short silence. "Now where are you headed, Commander?"
"24th street, near this district's police station. Our orders are to take it."
"You're in luck then, our missions seem to have crossed."
"Always good to have some additional backup," Shepard said, having calmed down from earlier. He extended his hand and Shinichi shook it. "Just stick to your men and I'll stick to mine."
"Deal, we'll scout ahead," The commander of the SpecOps unit replied and nodded, which was all Shepard could see as his face was concealed. Vega came up to him when they had disappeared.
"You trust these guys, Commander?"
"I trust that they can take out some bad guy." Shepard let out a gruff laugh. "Otherwise...nope, they'll probably be gone before we know it."
"Special Forces in a nutshell."
"Enough banter, let's go people!"
Kusanagi and his team were cloaked and crouched behind a white van. They had a clear view across the police stations parking lot. That was located in the middle of the L-shaped building. The two enemy races were moving around, carrying crates of what was likely ammunition. They had set up numerous anti-air missile batteries on the roof together with what looked like heavy machine guns.
"Fredericks, got something?" Shinichi asked.
"Yeah, big fella. Black and gold armor. Seems mighty angry."
"A frontal attack is suicide."
"What's the plan then, Major?" Westmoreland asked.
"We'll sit this one out, wait for the drones and the Commander and his men to attack. When they're killing the shit out of each other we single out the enemy leader. Try and take him alive." Shinichi patted Fredericks on the shoulder before looking around the corner of the van.
"That guy?" He asked, pointing at one of the aliens - the ones resembling avians - framing him with his smart glasses.
"Yes sir."
"Okay, let's move and remember. Stay out of combat until the attack commences." The five soldiers moved out, hidden by their cloaking. They took cover behind an overturned police car farther away. "Bucephalus, status on the UAV's."
"Oblivion drones are mopping up resistance in the suburbs," The Bucephalus' communications officer informed.
"Traynor, I need you to divert three drones to the South District Precinct. In a minutes time a platoon of Interstellar Marines will storm the building. Time the drones arrival with them."
"Roger that Major, consider it done."
"Now we just sit tight and relax."
Commander John Shepard and James Vega were hiding behind the exact same van as Shinichi and his team five minutes before. Shepard held up a broken car mirror to look around the van.
"What do you see?" Vega asked.
"Lot's of hostiles. Tell the men to fan out, we'll attack from every direction. Have them target the heavy weaponry first." Shepard was abruptly cut off as the previous SpecOps soldier spoke through his radio.
"Commander, three oblivion drones will attack the precinct in five minutes. If you're planning to attack you better do it now. Those drones are known for their resilience so use them to draw fire. And one last thing...don't ask me how I got this channel."
"Sir, got something?"
Shepard cracked a smile as he lay the car mirror down. "Yeah, drone air support."
"Some good news for once."
"Come on we got around three minutes to plan for attack," Shepard said before they moved out. The enemy none the wiser.
The Geneva Conventions prohibit the use of drones for riot control
The TC-13 Oblivion is an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of both planetary and outer space operations. Developed by Hammond Robotics, it is the most widespread aerial drone in the service of the United Systems Armed Forces.
The drones are chalk white and sphere-like in design, though the rear does have a slight triangle shape as it houses their VTOL engine. Twin plasma cannons are mounted on each side, able to rotate 360 degrees and vaporize any enemy whether they are armored or not. The front of the drones is a black horizontal X-shape with the unit's serial number in the middle. The middle of the X is also where the drone's iridium cells are stored. The upper right of the X houses the drones visual sensor unit and identification system - a red eye.
The upper left houses one of its four scanners that are mounted on all sides and able to pick out any living creature.
Oblivion drones are heavily armored and tough enough to go up against tanks and titans. Soldiers facing Oblivion drones are advised to aim for their sensor units as they are their most vulnerable spots. Granted it requires the use of heavy caliber rifles and for the drone to stand still. Otherwise it is better to use anti-armor weaponry. Penetrating the armor usually results in rupturing the fuel cell and cause a massive explosion.
General Arterius had ordered all his men to move inside the precinct. Some had taken position at the windows others on the roof. Weapons ready. They had the high ground, but they all knew that against superior numbers it would mean nothing. General Victus had ordered all available squads to return to the HQ, leaving them without reinforcements.
"What do you mean, you can't spare anyone?" Desolas sneered into his comm link.
"I'm sorry Desolas, but I can't risk exposing the HQ. We're spread too thin, we need to hold out until the Council arrives. I can't do that without my men. I barely have enough to defend the HQ."
"I bloody well can't hold my position if all my men are dead. CAN I!" Desolas roared.
"And I'm sorry Desolas, but it's a negative." Desolas slammed his fist down on the table as the line was closed. He took a deep breath and turned around. The General was standing on the second floor. The cubicle walls that had once filled the room now lay scattered around the floor. The desks had been moved to the large windows as platforms for the machine gun nests.
"Sir, bogeys are within range!"
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, FIRE AT WILL!" The General ordered. taking position at one of the gun emplacements. As the weapon locked onto the middle of the three targets he fired. Mass accelerated rounds flew through the air. One volley found its target. The drone veered off course and adjusted, continuing on its planned course. All three opened fire.
"GET DOWN, INCOMING!" Desolas managed to hit the floor as a barrage of plasma fire hit the entire second floor. Penetrating most cover and continuing to the other side of the building. Those hit were immediately vaporized, armor and organic material turning to ash.
"FIRE MISSILES NOW!" A prothean officer yelled just before one of the drones flew into the building. Colliding with him and sending the officer flying across the room. Before anyone could take aim it had already moved, zigzagging between the soldiers. Killing any who stood in its way, both in front and behind.
"HIT IT, HIT IT." Desolas bellowed as he aimed his rifle towards the drone.
Meanwhile on the ground Commander Shepard was standing behind the precincts perimeter wall with around thirty men, the rest of the Delta Company had circled the precinct, waiting for his command to attack. It had been pretty much obliterated during the alien invasion, but it provided enough cover for one to hide behind.
"Sounds like shit just hit the fan," Vega commented as the commotion the drones had started could be easily heard.
"Any word from Kaidan?" Shepard asked.
"Negative, sir," Vega informed.
"Okay, we'll regroup with them during the final attack on City Hall," Shepard said before turning his radio on. "Okay men, here's the plan. On my command you storm that building, take out any hostile you can. Our objective is to secure it and secure it we will."
"You five." Shepard pointed at the five nearest soldiers. "When I give the word, you provide suppressive fire. Everyone else follow me." Shepard looked around the corner of the broken wall. The enemy soldiers were standing vigilant, their guns aimed at the ground. This would be tricky as the drones had not reached this part of the of the building. "One. Two. Three. SUPPRESSIVE!"
The five soldiers rolled out of cover, opening fire on the hostiles in the building and on the rooftop. "ON ME!" Shepard yelled. He rounded the corner with the rest of the platoon. Storming towards the front entrance. Enemy fire raining down upon them. "MOVE FROM COVER TO COVER!"
"GET THAT MG!" One screamed as a storm of machine gun fire took out four men. The mass accelerated rounds cutting right through them.
Vega slid behind the smoky chassis of a police car. Popped a grenade in his rifle. Got out of cover. Took aim and fired. Enemy rounds hitting the car he was behind. The grenade found its target. Hitting a machine gun nest on the third floor. He moved quickly to the next cover as the enemy concentrated fire on his position.
"ROCKET LAUNCHERS ON THE ROOF!"
Vega looked up - eyes wide - just in time to see one of the rocket emplacements turning towards the incoming soldiers. He whirled around to run in the opposite direction as the first rocket salvo hit the ground. The explosion sending cars and men flying in every direction.
"WATCH OUT!" One soldier shouted as the cars came crashing down.
Shepard ran as fast as he could. Vaulting over cover and rubble, sliding under cars and dodging incoming fire. He managed to roll behind a concrete block that once housed dozens of plants. Rifle at the ready he fired a salvo at the first floor, downing one hostile before moving forward. Towards Vega.
"VEGA WATCH OUT!" Shepard screamed as a swarm of rockets slammed into a group of cars, killing the soldiers using them as cover. The explosion sent several cars spinning through the air. Vega just managed to turn his head and look up before a van came crashing down on his position. Another missile missed Shepard but the shockwave threw him into a parked police car to his right.
"We need to retreat! Fall back, fall back!" The words of his soldiers were a faint hum in the Lieutenant Commanders ears as he tried to get his bearings. He managed to get out of the man sized dent he had made in the car. Falling on his knees as he got out. His ears were ringing. His helmet had been blown off. Shepard crawled towards his dropped rifle. Just as he neared it a hand grabbed his upper arm tightly and pulled him to cover.
"Ain't no time to be lying down on the job, Commander," the voice of Sergeant Ryan, if Shepard remembered right, said.
"Came as fast as we could," Kaidan informed as he handed Shepard his rifle.
"NO RETREAT, PUSH FORWARD!" The Lieutenant ordered. He pointed at three men who had huddled behind cover. "You three concentrate your fire on the MG emplacements. Use your grenade launchers!"
"Kaidan, you found Jenkins?" Shepard asked as he checked his rifle.
"Negative sir," Kaidan informed as he got out of cover, laying suppressive fire at the enemy.
"Some of our men managed to get to the front!" Toombs yelled as he gestured for the platoon behind him to follow. "NOW'S THE TIME, FOLLOW ME!"
"NO, WAIT!" Shepard yelled, but it was too late. Toombs had already gotten out of cover with the rest of the men. Shepard, Kaidan and Ethan could only watch as automatic fire cut several of them down. The first barrage tearing Toombs and those in front apart.
"Shit, fuck!" Shepard exclaimed, slamming his hand into the car he was behind.
"Fucking idiot," Ethan said to himself. He closed his eyes and counted to five, ignoring the sound of projectiles flying around them and the screams of the dying. For Ethan it was as if time slowed down when he exposed himself. It was as if he could sense where the enemy was. He took aim with his rifle and fired. Each consecutive shot found their target as he pulled the trigger. One after one the enemy fell. Whether behind cover or not, Ethan seemed to find them. He finally returned to cover as he fired his last shot. The downed hostile fell out of the window he stood at and landed on the ground below.
"MG's down," Ethan informed as he calmly changed magazine.
"I don't know how you did that but it worked," Shepard laughed. "Now let's take this station once and for all. EVERYONE ON ME!"
Present Time
Samantha Fisher had a clear view of City Hall - a large white stone building in the form of an open square with a large Big Ben style clock tower. All build in a neoclassical style. The front entrance took the form of a large stairway leading to the large pillars that adorned the entire building. As of the moment the entrance was blocked by a large prefabricated wall, at least three meters tall. Multiple guns were fixed to it as well as missile batteries that were also located on the roof of the building.
Her team's cloaks were down, allowing their batteries to recharge.
"Seems like they're defending themselves rather well?" The third pilot in Samantha's team commented as three oblivion drones were knocked out of the sky. Exploding in a blue fireball as they crashed into the buildings around them.
"Not for long soldier, they're few in men and Command just reported that only the Southern Precinct is standing."
"But their retreats are well planned, we're losing men to both traps and snipers." Cortez butted in.
"That we are, but there's nothing we can do about it. Our orders are to wait for the final attack..." Sam said just as the third soldier slumped over, followed by the sound of gunfire.
"SNIPER, HIT THE DECK!" She shouted as Cortez and Williams took cover behind a ventilation unit.
"THAT'S A FUCKING FIFTY!" Williams informed as another shot punched a hole through the metal box they were hiding behind, just a few inches above her head.
"Sledgehammer 1-3, this is Sledgehammer Actual, we got a sniper in the high-rise to your north-east. Fifty meters."
"No shit!" Samantha said into her radio.
"We need you to take him out. Level the building if you have to."
"Requesting artillery support, sir!"
"Negative Lieutenant, fleet is occupied with stragglers and armor is pushing towards City Hall."
"Roger that!" Samantha said before addressing Cortez and Williams. "Okay, stay low and crawl towards the edge. Cortez grab Stryker's launcher."
Another bullet flew over Samantha just as she got on ground. "To our north-east. Fifty meters!"
"It's that hotel!" Cortez informed as he had reached Stryker and took his Archer Heavy Rocket launcher.
"Okay, cover to cover, we'll draw him out!" Samantha said as she got up and ran towards another ventilation block. Sliding behind it as a bullet tore the concrete floor apart. Williams and Cortez followed after.
"This day just keeps getting better and better," Williams muttered.
"Let's get to that edge and fucking shoot him." All three got down as they crawled toward the edge. A bullet just missed Cortez, sending dust and stone into the air. Williams reached the concrete railing first. Samantha was the last. She schooled her breathing and just a another round tore through the concrete between her and Williams she got out of cove. While it only took her two seconds it felt like two minutes for Sam.
"Got him. He's in that hotel midway up. Damaged area. Dug himself into a spider hole!" Sam informed as she got down, another round flying above her. "Cortez, when you see that weapon glint you waste him. Williams and I will cover you."
"Roger that," Cortez said as he crawled into position.
"THREE, TWO, ONE, SUPPRESSIVE!" Sam screamed as her and Williams got up, rifles firing at fully automatic. Showering the adjacent building with rounds. Cortez got up immediately and fired. The rocket hitting its target. Taking out three entire floors. Sending large pieces of concrete falling on the street below.
"Good effect on target," Sam laughed as she looked towards the ruined hotel.
"Pilots this is Spyglass. Your titans will be ready in fifteen minutes."
"Seems like the cavalry just arrived," Williams commented.
"About fuckin' time!"
South District Precinct
Shinichi kicked one of his attackers away, his exosuit sending the alien flying. He immediately fired his Hemlok into him as he crashed into two of his friends. Shinichi took cover behind a wall as he reloaded. While Shepard and his company were busy fighting the enemy and the enemy occupied with the three drones. The Major and his team had sneaked into the precinct via the rooftop, but just as they rounded a corner down the hallway towards the floor where their leader was located, they had run into a squad of hostiles.
"Fredericks pop a grenade down the hallway!" Fredericks, who was standing adjacent to Shinichi, pulled a cylinder grenade from his vest. Pulled the pin and threw it down the hallway. He just managed to throw it as a hail of mass accelerated rounds punched through the wall and hit his side. A lucky shot hit the exposed part of his nape, tearing right through his throat.
"Motherfucker!" Shinichi yelled. "Burt, throw me his chemrail!"
Burt Copeland who had been standing behind Frederick grabbed the downed soldier's chemrail and threw it towards Shinichi. Across the open hallway. The enemy who had take cover at the other side immediately opened fire at the thrown weapon. Shinichi grabbed it and aimed towards the wall.
"Bethany, Sarah get back. It's time to end this!" Shinichi ordered. He pointed the chemrail at the wall he had taken cover behind and towards the enemy. He pulled the trigger and fired. 8.75x52mm fin stabilized, discarding rail accelerator sabot rounds with a muzzle energy of 18 kilo joules punched through the wall and the one the enemy were behind. Disintegrating them immediately. Painting the entire area with red and blue blood.
The TST ChemRail is a Dual Stage Linear Motor Rifle developed by the Armadyne Corporation. It is a man-portable railgun system, which utilizes a dual-propulsion system, using chemical propellant to fire the round and an electromagnetic system to propel it to supersonic velocities. The fin-stabilized, rail-accelerated sabot rounds the rifle fires are able to penetrate almost anything and is used primarily against enemy armor.
"AND THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE!" Shinichi exclaimed, he spared Fredericks body a quick glance and shook his head. Took the extra magazines for the chemrail from his dead body and moved on with his team.
"Sir, what about Fredericks?" Burt commented. "We can't just leave him there."
"He's no longer our problem Copeland. Olympus will erase any trace he has to us," Shinichi said turning his head to look at Copeland. "We have a mission, Soldier. Now finish it!"
"Yes sir," Copeland muttered, steeling himself as they moved further into the building.
"BRING IT DOWN, BRING IT DOWN!" Desolas shouted, his men had surrounded one of the drones in a half circle as they kept firing at it.
"It's no use it just won't go down!" One soldier shouted just as one of the two other drones flew through the room. Ramming anyone standing in the way.
"Shut up and keep firing!" Desolas yelled as the drone spun around firing its plasma cannons. One soldier standing besides the General, immediately turned to ash as he was hit. "Prothean's use your biotics, keep it still!"
Two prothean soldiers extended their arms as green energy encased the drone. Holding it still.
"Keep it there!" Desolas ordered, just as another drone crashed through the ceiling, firing in every direction. One of the protheans took a hit. Desolas quickly rolled behind a desk as half of it was blasted away. He took aim and fired. Hitting the trapped drone in its side mounted scanners. It was just in time as the last prothean was rammed, sending him soaring through the room at out one of the windows.
The drone let out what could only be described as a scream as it flew in a circle around the room. Hitting the walls and ploughing through men before crashing into a corner. It exploded in a blue ball of fire. Killing anyone in its vicinity, taking out a good chunk of the building with it. Desolas was sent flying. The last thing he saw was the other side of the office, before everything went black.
Everything was ringing and blurry as Desolas woke up. He could hear gun fire coming his way. His men were dead and those alive were picked off systematically. A turian soldier was hit several times in the chest. His lifeless body fell besides the General.
"Clear!" Was what his translator picked up. Four dark figures were moving his way. He was regaining his vision.
"Got him, he's down!" Desolas looked around him, finding no weapons. His rifle had been blown out of his hands. He searched frantically until he came upon the downed turian.
"Black and gold armor, we got him," Shinichi said, pointing his rifle at the slightly avian alien. "Copeland, secure him!"
Copeland moved towards the alien. One hand holding his Hemlock the other reaching for a pair of flexicuffs. The alien must have realized what was going to happen as his eyes widened. It moved quickly pulling something from the alien lying beside it.
"GRENADE!" Shinichi shouted. Pulling what looked like a handheld device with a cord to his exosuit with great haste. Westmoreland and Campbell did the same. A bubble of energy encased them as the alien pulled the pin and released the safety lever. Copeland was not fast enough. The explosion engulfed him while the shockwave knocked the others down.
"Everyone okay?" Shinichi asked as he got on his feet.
"Ears are ringing, but I'm okay," Sarah Campbell replied.
"Oh fuck me!"
"What is it Bethany?" Shinichi inquired as he moved towards her. She was looking at the body of Copeland and the alien. All of Burt's limbs had been severed by the grenade, but they were still held in place by the exosuit. His head was relatively intact. His helmet having provided adequate protection. The alien was less lucky as its entire torso had been split open. As if a massive drill had plowed right through and taken the head with it.
"Goddamn it Copeland," The Major muttered, he shook his head, turned around and opened a comm link.
"Bucephalus this is Alpha One Tango. The HVT is a no go. Crazy fuck fragged himself. Took Copeland with him."
"I'm sorry Major. We'll see what we can find."
"Understood, we'll exfil. Keep your eyes on any potential target. Over and out." Shinichi sighed as he refastened his weapons. Did a brass check on the chemrail and turned towards the last of his team. "Come on let's go. Before the marines arrive!"
"Well holy shit," Kaidan remarked as he looked at what was once an office floor. Dead bodies were lying everywhere. Numerous holes adorned the walls from the Oblivion drones and the ashes from those vaporized floated gently in the wind. Plywood, paper and glass lay scattered across the floor with a few fluorescent lamps hanging loosely from the ceiling.
"Seems like the drones did good work on the bad guys."
"More like massacred," Shepard said.
"Sir, got something!" One soldier informed. Shepard and Kaidan moved up beside him.
"Seems like this one didn't like to go quietly," Kaidan commented at what was once one of the aliens.
"Took that guy with him," The soldier said, pointing at the mangled body of Burt Copeland.
"Where do you think his friends went?"
"Don't know Kaidan," Shepard replied, wiping some sweat from his forehead. He held a hand up to his radio as he walked away.
"This is Commander Shepard to Command. The South District Precinct is secure. I repeat the South District Precinct is secure."
"Commander Shepard. This is Spyglass. Reading you loud and clear. New orders for D Company is to regroup with the invasion force for the final assault. Staging area will be at Red Square Boulevard."
"Alright men, let's move!" Some of the men groaned and complained, but Shepard was already moving towards the exit.
14:00 Shanxi Time
Three Hours Into Invasion
The final push toward City Hall had begun. The combined forces of the United Colonial Nations, the United Systems and the Chinese were being bombarded as they moved towards the enemy's headquarters. The US spider tanks had turned their four tracks vertical enabling them to traverse the severely bombarded road.
The enemy had dug themselves in. With numerous machine gun nests, automated cannons and missile launchers in the buildings along the way. The road to City Hall was also littered with mines and soldiers doing hit and run tactics along the way. Red Square Boulevard was located in the city centrum like the enemy HQ and tall buildings were aplenty. A nightmare for the ground troops, but perfect for Titan Pilots.
"ASHLEY MG ABOVE YOU, TO YOUR TWELVE, TAKE IT OUT!" Samantha shouted into her radio. They were running along the building walls. Ashley on the other side of the street. Numerous pilots were with them. All cloaked.
Ashley used her jump kit to scale the building she was running on and jumped. She decloaked as she landed in the middle of the nest taking out the three surprised aliens with her R-97 SMG.
Meanwhile Garrus and Sidonis had their hands full in the clock tower. They had already stopped counting hits when they hit the twenty-five mark. Garrus slammed a cooled thermal clip into his rifle and fired. Taking down a hostile rocket trooper.
"SHIT HAS REALLY HIT THE FAN!" Sidonis yelled over the explosions.
"OBVIOUSLY!" Garrus replied, trying to hit one of the rocket troopers as the soldiers called them. "Damn they're fast,"
"Garrus, Garrus. Standing target. Rocket Trooper. Rooftop, Two o'clock. Five hundred meters. Machine gun nest!"
"GOT IT!" Garrus screamed as he fired his rifle.
Samantha cracked a smile as she looked at Ashley. Her goggles zooming in on her position. She was using her nano gloves to hang on the adjacent building. Several pilots were passing her. "Good job Ash."
Ashley stood still, making sure the three machine gunners were down. She checked her weapon and was about to acknowledge Samantha's words. All Sam saw was the wall turning red and Ashley falling over. A mass accelerated bullet having passed right through her helmet.
Samantha got over the shock as fast as she could, glared towards the City Hall and shouted into her radio. "Spyglass how are those Titans coming!"
"All Pilots this is Spyglass. Stand by for Titanfall."
"FUCK YEAH, HERE COMES THE CAVALRY!" Several soldiers yelled over the comm link.
"CORTEZ ON ME!" Samantha yelled as they continued to move along the building. Dodging fire and laying down their own. Samantha jumped towards a lower building. Unhooked a grenade and dropped it in a machine gun nest. Using her jump pack, she avoided landing and continued on to the next high-rise.
Nihlus was running fast down an abandoned back alley. Victus would need him, Garrus too. He was just a few blocks away from the road leading to HQ. The sound of battle was deafening but his helmet helped muffle the sound.
The Spectre had a feeling he was being followed. Damn these humans and their cloaking and damn himself for not donning more advanced armor. A helmet with thermal imaging would have been extremely useful at the moment. The Spectre stopped. Tuning out the sound of gunfire. He tried to listen, foot prints, impacts, anything.
There. Nihlus looked up and jumped out of the way as an armored figure landed in front of him. The human's face was concealed by a scarf, a helmet and what looked like eyeglasses. It's uniform was beige colored with a camouflage pattern, but the exosuit it wore was black.
"Got ya!" Shinichi said, grinning beneath his scarf. "It was quite a thrill hunting you, but even the patient hunter has his limits."
Nihlus swiftly moved his weapon to point at the human, but his opponent was faster. Closing the distance between them in under a second. Grabbing the Spectre's rifle and twisting the barrel. Rendering it useless.
Nihlus immediately let go of his weapon. Pulling the knife strapped to his shoulder. The human dodged the slash and hit him in the side with its left fist. The blow powered by the exosuit. Nihlus stumbled away pointing his knife at the human. He coughed and leaned against a dumpster. His armor had protected him, but it now displayed a spiderweb style crack.
"That must have hurt," Shinichi commented. He moved quickly as the alien attacked again. Shinichi dodged again and trapped the alien's arm under his left. Locking it in place. Shinichi punched it in the face, then grabbed the helmet and tore it off. His next attack was stopped as the alien kneed him in the groin.
Nihlus was winded, that blow to the head could have been lethal. He glanced quickly at his crumbled helmet. He steeled himself and prepared for the next attack. The human simply laughed.
"Smart move, but playtime's over."
Nihlus attacked again aiming for his opponents head. Knife in a reverse grip. The human grabbed his knife arm. Stopping the blade just inches from his face. Nihlus' aimed a kick at his opponents legs. Shinichi, still holding on to Nihlus arm took the hit and got into a kneeling position. Knife moving closer. With his suit providing the strength he let go with one hand and hit Nihlus at full strength in the nether regions.
Nihlus stumbled back, crashing into the same dumpster, thankful once again for armor. But it was too late - the human had already closed the distance and hit him hard in the torso. Shinichi kept his attack up. Continuing the assault on the alien. Hitting it in rapid succession with his powered fists. Again and again. When he finally stopped Nihlus fell over. Unconscious. His armor cracked several places. His ribs most likely broken and his internal organs feeling like they had been in a blender.
"Bucephalus this is Alpha One Tango, we got our HVT," Shinichi said as Westmoreland and Campbell decloaked at his sides.
"Copy that, Major. See you at the extraction zone."
"We'll be there...and Traynor."
"Yes, Major?"
"Thanks, couldn't have done it without you," Shinichi cracked a smile as Bethany and Sarah secured the alien.
"No problem, Major. Over and out."
Commander Shepard turned towards his men. He had discarded his helmet as it had been destroyed during the battle for the Precinct. The company had taken cover behind the large building standing where the subsidiary street led to the boulevard. Armored vehicles and men were running past them.
"This is it men. The final assault." He looked at their weary faces before continuing. "This war has brought you here today. It will define each of you. You may be a brother to someone. A daughter. A son. But today, you're soldiers. You all chose to be here. These Aliens have given us a purpose, and you accepted the challenge. To stand and fight. One way or another, this war ends today!
Shepard gave his rifle a brass check. "No second chances and no room for mistakes. Live or die on this day. Anything less and you're already dead. Expect no mercy. Show no mercy."
The Commander pointed at his men. "You fight, or you die. NOW WHO'S WITH ME!"
"OORAH!" Shepard and the marines shouted as they ran towards the boulevard. Rounding the corner. Kaidan and Ethan just behind the Commander. A mass accelerated round flew through the air. Hitting Shepard squarely in the head. Blowing out the entire back of his skull. Ethan dived out of the way, dodging the shower of blood, bones and brain. The Commander slumped down on his knees, before falling on his side.
"KAIDAN!" Ethan shouted for the lieutenant to take cover, but it was too late. Three successive rounds hit Kaidan in the chest. Piercing his armor and continuing through him. The lieutenant fell on his knees. Dead on the spot,
"Alpha Three Tango and Alpha Two Tango, we got what we came for. Regroup on my position. Warehouse. 45th Street."
"Good effect on target," Sidonis informed as he lowered his scope. Rubbing his eyes. They had just taken out what looked like two officers.
Garrus moved his head from his sniper scope and looked into the sky. What looked like comets were descending upon several of the buildings alongside the boulevard.
"HOLY SHIT!" Garrus exclaimed as what looked like comets turned out to be massive bipedal mechs. They slammed right through the buildings. Taking any hidden gun emplacements and missile launchers with them.
"NOW SHIT HAS REALLY HIT THE FAN!"
Samantha ran along the building wall just as a Titan crashed down in front of her. She jump and changed her trajectory with it. Using her jump kit she slowed her fall. As she neared the Atlas Titan it extended its left hand. Grabbing her as gently as it could. Its hatch opened and Samantha was placed inside the cockpit. One second later the visuals came online.
"Cortez you online?"
"Yes ma'am!"
"Concentrate your fire on the enemy gun emplacements, let the ants take care of each other!" Samantha ordered as she aimed her Titan's 40mm cannon at a machine gun emplacement in one of the buildings that survived the Titanfall. The enemy soldiers were immediately pulverized as she opened fire on their location.
The Titan Pilots took point and cleared the way for the infantry. Samantha dodged a barrage of missiles and held up her hand for the next volley. With the vortex shield activated, Sam caught the incoming missiles. She was just about to point them at the enemy wall, but got a better idea.
Garrus kept firing away. Sidonis had stopped functioning as spotter and had taken up his own rifle. Each of the covering their own section. The turian's downed several hostiles. Even taking down a rocket trooper before he got into his robot.
Garrus fired several times missing some, hitting others. They were burning through thermal clips faster than they could cool off. It was only a matter of time before they had to leave their position.
"MECHS THREE HUNDRED METERS!" Sidonis shouted.
Garrus switched places with him, rifle ready to fire. Looking through his scope. His eyes widened as he saw one of the robots catch an entire volley of missiles. What happened next almost caused him to shit himself.
"SIDONIS GET DOWN!" Garrus screamed as the Titan redirected the rockets towards the clock tower. Hitting it just below their position. The entire tower collapsed. Taking Sidonis and Garrus with it. The last thing Garrus saw was the street below. He held his hands before himself as the ground came closer.
Samantha cracked a devious smile as the clock tower came tumbling down. She redirected her fire towards the enemy as the final assault pushed forward. They were almost at the wall when a missile hit her Titan. She took a few steps back and quickly checked the vital systems.
"Shit!" The vortex shield would take some time to recharge. She quickly lined up a shot. Taking out a rocket team on the roof of City Hall. She aimed lower and began spraying the facade with 40mm rounds.
"LIEUTENANT WATCH OUT!" Cortez yelled over the radio as a cluster of missiles hit Samantha's Titan.
"Dammit and I just began having fun!" Sam said in a disappointed tone. Her Titan was falling apart. Warning lights and sounds were blaring through the cockpit. She grabbed the ejection handle and pulled. Her cloak was up as she was shot into the air.
"And now, time to regroup with the Major," she mumbled to herself as she landed on a rooftop. Away from the battle.
Ethan kicked the warehouse door in. Coming face to face with three Hemlok BF-Rs.
"Easy man...and women," he said, giving a grin as he greeted Shinichi, Bethany and Sarah. Their scarfs were pulled down and Shinichi had removed his shades. Ethan moved further into the warehouse. A restrained figure lay on the floor unconscious.
"That's the HVT?" He asked as he leaned over it. "Now that is one...ugly motherfucker."
Shinichi approached him and laughed. "Sure is, but he'll be a useful ugly motherfucker." He put a hand on Ethan's shoulder and pulled him into a hug. "It's good to see you Ethan. It's been too long."
"Sure has," Ethan replied clapping Shinichi on the back before pulling away from him. "Now, where is that devious sister of mine?"
"COMING THROUGH!" A female voice yelled as a figure crashed through the skylight. Shinichi and Ethan jumped away as Samantha landed softly between them. She straightened herself out and pulled her goggles up and smiled. "Hey Bro, Shin."
Shinichi's face lightened up into a wide smile as he pulled both his friends close. an arm around them each. Their foreheads touching. "Sam, Ethan. The gang is back together!" He exclaimed as they all headbutted each other.
"Now where were we?" Ethan said. Sam had gone over to greet Bethany and Sarah.
"The Alien, yeah, extraction is at the central park. ETA fifteen minutes." Shinichi said, he paused for a moment and looked Ethan in the eyes. "We lost Burt and Fredericks."
"Damn," Ethan uttered as he moved the alien onto a hover stretcher that Shinichi's team had folded out.
"Yeah, damn. But it's war and people die."
"What about their families?"
"They'll be compensated of course."
"We've lost good people before, we'll get over it," Ethan said, he looked up as the stretcher's hover system came online. "We'll get over it cause we have, cause it's a fact of life."
"Yes, it is," Shinichi commented. "Diamond formation people, let's move!"
Bethany and Sarah took control of the stretcher as Shinichi and Ethan took point. Samantha covered their six. They were almost at the backdoor when it was opened. A private Jenkins stumbled in. It took him some time to catch his breath. He was keeled over, hands on his knees, but when he looked up recognition dawned on his face.
"Ryan, it's you!" He exclaimed. "I got lost from the platoon, radio got shot, I just found my way back. Is it true the battle is almost over?"
Shinichi looked at Ethan, his weapon down, but ready to fire. "You know this guy?"
Ethan exchanged looks with Shinichi. His rifle was slung over his back. Right hand moving slowly towards his B3 Wingman.
"Wait, Ryan...who are these people?" Jenkins interrupted the silence. Still trying to catch his breath.
"Brother, fifth freedom is in effect," Samantha said, her weapon aimed at Jenkins.
Ethan inhaled and exhaled deeply before looking at Jenkins. "God damn it, Jenkins!"
"Fifth freedom...Sarge?" Those were the last words of Private Richard L. Jenkins as Ethan pulled his revolver and fired. The bullet hit Jenkins right between the eyes, taking most of his head with it. Spraying the door and wall behind red with blood and grey matter.
"Well, now that, that has been dealt with..." Shinichi said, taking a quick glance at Jenkins corpse. "Let's move."
15:00 Shanxi Time
Four Hours Into Invasion
The world was swimming before Garrus as he slowly regained consciousness. He had collided with one of the buildings to the side of the HQ. It had taken some of his fall and ensured that he survived, but that did not mean he felt any better. His entire body was hurting as he tried to move his arms. As he looked into the sky he saw several of the enemy ships descending upon the city. The battle was lost.
Garrus looked to his side where the clock tower had collapsed. It was now just a big pile of rubble. The clock was still intact though. He could see Sidonis arm sticking out beneath it all. Garrus looked up again. There was nothing he could do. Only wait and witness how these humans would treat prisoners of war.
"Hey, Major. Got a live one here!" Garrus heard, as he turned his head several pair of boots came into view. "Got the same armor as the HVT."
Shinichi looked at the alien lying on the ground as he decloaked - it looked battered and broken. He thought for a second and made up his mind. "Okay restrain him. Double time, people."
A booted foot came towards Garrus' face at great speed before everything went black.
Shanxi City central park was not very remarkable in the eyes of Shinichi Kusanagi. It was typical. A lake in the middle with hiking trails around and a few shops. Some trees and a lot of grass.
"Okay Bucephalus we're at the LZ," Shinichi informed through the radio. He and his team were standing in the middle of the park. In a large grassy field.
"We're already here," EDI said as the ship decloaked in front of them. The cargo bay lowered and the ramp went down. As they moved inside Shinichi told Bethany and Sarah to stow the two aliens in stasis.
"Okay EDI, we're in. Take us out of here." The ship began to ascend. The battle still raging in the distance. As the ship reached Shanxi's exosphere it entered warp. Shooting away from the Shanxi system. Just as three ships came through the Mass Relay at the edge of the solar system. Heading towards Shanxi.
"Well, well, well if it ain't Superman and Wonder Woman!" Joker said, adjusting his cap as he greeted the twins. EDI was standing beside him as they entered the bridge
"Good to see you too Joker," Ethan laughed as he grabbed the pilot in a chokehold, his cap falling off as he ground his knuckles on the hapless Joker's head.
"Hey, hey don't abuse the cripple!"
"You haven't been a cripple since you were twenty," Ethan said before he released Joker.
"I'm still smaller than you, so it counts," Samantha laughed as she turned from greeting EDI to Joker.
"Hey Jeff," She said as she pulled him off his feat into a bear hug. At five foot eleven, she raised the five foot three pilot several inches above the floor.
"Go easy on him Sam, or else he will be a cripple," Shinichi commented as he walked past them, towards his quarters.
"So how are things going?" Ethan asked EDI as Samantha put Joker down.
"Why don't you come up front and we'll catch up," EDI said as she headed for her pilot seat.
"Sam, you joining us?" Ethan asked his sister as Joker had headed to his seat.
Samantha took her helmet and goggles off, letting her dark hair flow loose. She looked around for a moment until she spotted Kelly Chambers chatting with Samantha Traynor. As she got Kelly's attention, the Counselor blushed a little. "Nah, I have some other...catching up to do."
Ethan watched his twin saunter up to Chambers and Traynor. Placing her arms around them both and steering them towards her quarters on the ship. "Now why don't you ladies help me get out of this uniform."
Ethan shook his head lightly, trying to forget his sister's parting words. He placed himself on the bridge, between EDI and Joker. "So...Joker, EDI...you won't believe what I saw down there."
"That we won't," EDI commented.
"I saw my commanding officer get his entire head blown off. I was this close to get brain on me!" Ethan gesticulated the event and the almost brain-shower.
"That's disgusting!" Joker remarked. "And?"
"Well, it was just after he had given this awesome speech."
Joker laughed before replying. "That is awkward." The pilot pause for a moment before continuing. "That makes me think...if that shot missed, he could have been the hero of another story!"
"But not this one," EDI interrupted.
"No EDI, not this one."
"Anyway...in the end it was disgusting," Ethan butted in.
While the United Systems Alliance is the most well known interplanetary government in the Frontier. They in reality only control sixty-three systems. The rest of the Cluster's around ninety systems are either independent entities or yet to be settled. After the Titan Wars, the nations of the Frontier have dismissed any claim to planets within the cluster by outside parties. This is practically the only thing they truly agree upon.
Joker's height is based on Seth Green who is five foot three (163 cm.) in real life.
EDI at five foot eleven is a little taller than Tricia Helfer who is five foot ten, but it's not that big a difference.
Samantha Fisher - as Joker says when he greets both her and Ryan - looks like Wonder Woman.
And yes, that was Garrus killing Shepard, Ashley and Kaidan. :-P
P.S. I'm a slow writer so like Force Rising expect a monthly or bi-monthly update. Thanks for reading. :-)