Chapter 21: Epilogue part 2
Squads after squad of both ISA marines and gears made it to the gate of the COG fort along with a handful of ISA archer tanks and HAMR IFVs that are covering their retreat. ISA Marines on the battlements firing everything they got at the masses of lambent monsters . Machine gunners and other foot soldiers of the ISA and the COG remnants shooting wildly, determining not to die screaming.
" Fall back ! " yelled a marine " everyone !, get to the fo-aaahhh ! " the marine screamed as a suicidal lambent drudge bomber detonated into a group of marines and exploded spreading burning yellow goo at the retreating marines .
" Come on ! " yelled Bernie from the battlements " Get in ! I cover you ! " Bernie quickly fired a shot killing a drone in the face.
Come on Marcus, we know we have another chance . Bernie thought as the battle raged on.
The five ISA Marines screamed in agony rolling on the ground as the fuel like acid burned thought their body 'armor and their flesh , leaving nothing but their yellow mutilated remains .
Hoffman unleashed a stream of hail fire at the advancing lambent horde from the battlements while Bernie provide sniper fire for the remaining marines to retreat . Hoffman fired dozen burst of fire at a raising lambent stalk from his lancer. " Alright , have your men focus fire on the glowies and we deal with the stalks ." Hoffman barked at the marine officer.
" Yes Colonel Hoffman ! " yelled the marine officer in return " Aim for their heads ! "
" We got to get out here ! " yelled the youngest marine " I am aren't going be glowie chow . We got to get out of here ! "
" No Shit ! "growled Hoffman " We can hold the fort ! You better pray for a miracle . I don't care just pray soldier and that would save your ass."
Bullets cases pouring from his rifle as the battle raged on between the ISA and the lambent horde. The lambent drones and drudge were awful shooters but they were proven to be dangerous in groups . The remaining marines and gears were setting up a makeshift barricade
A marine was yelling in the radio phone demanding for support as he duck down along with a group of marines and gears exchanging fire . Causalities were rising and to make matters worse , the defenders were running out of ammo .
" Colonel Hoffman, sir ! Our Evac squadron is in 2 minutes and we going to get out this hellhole ." reported a ISA captain to the former Gear Colonel.
" There is no way , we letting those grub glowies take the dam fort but I be dead anywhere . Just hold them off." yelled Hoffman at the marines who were screaming in rage firing their rifles.
" I don't think we can hold that long and we surrounded . There too many of them Victor and we are not going to make it ! " shouted Berine who switch to her lancer rifle blazing a stream of lead at the wave of polys crawling over the wave .
"Everyone fall back to the second line of defense." Berine yelled at the remaining allied soldiers in the fort. Machine guns fire and explosions echoed around the fort with the screams of pain from the wounded. " All personal ! " Bernie addressed to her Tac/com " Regroup at the second line of defense repeat all person-"
Her sentence was quickly cut off when the ground rumbled and a stalk like tree busted out from the ground and sending an archer tank flying in the air as it hurled towards Hoffman , Bernie and the other ISA marines . " DUCK ! " yelled Hoffman as he grabbed Bernie from the shoulders and hurled themselves to the ground .
Marines hit the ground as the tank smash chunk out of the battlements and the tank impacted to the ground as it transformed into a firestorm of yellow and orange metal . The lambent was going to overun them and there was no escape for the remaining
Realizing the stalk had penetrated though the fort, Bernie and Hoffman watched in horror as the stalk deployed a thick pod of yellow poison revealing a horrifying lambent berserker. A lambent infested hybrid of a berserker with sharp thick organic tentacles screeched its first breath of life. It snapped into action and swap a group of marines in the air and stab 3 gears with it's tentacles.
" Oh shit ! Oh shit ! " Bernie gasped and realized she lead the defenders into a kill box in the courtyard.
"Sweet mother of mercy!" gasped Hoffman" My god, these ISA basterds are down there. We got to get the hell down here" Hoffman and Berine rushed down the stairs down to the court yard
" Victor we have to go as far away from the fort and that thing . It is all going down to shit." added Bernie raising her lancer in alarm . The group reached the courtyard. The zerker turned around and growled at the two gears as it back away from the group frighten ISA marines hiding behind the garage.
" Bernie get everyone out of here, saving your own ass. I am not leaving this fort around to those things. But I will be dam if those glowie grubs tearing up my place" said Hoffman loading his machine gun." Get as many people out of here as you can and I deal with that bitch ass myself.
" That not going to happen Victor, I am staying with you and I am not going anywhere, let finish it Vic. " yelled Bernie as she locked and load her lancer. " I am right beside you . To the very end."
" I am with you too Victor ." said the ISA captain " I rather die with my men to the very end sir."
This is another way to die horribly thought Hoffman
Hoffman nodded and raised his lancer at the monster along with Bernie and a ISA captain as well. The three of them fired a volley of rounds at the monster. The berserker let of a roar and charged forward then a wave of blue energy appeared in the skies and a magnetic wave flow thought the skies and the ground and the wave hit the locust . Berserker screech in agony as massive veins popping form it's bio armor as it stopped in the tracks and it nearly trampled Hoffman and Bernie along with the ISA marine captain.
It screech like a madman for the last time and then the monster went limp before drop dead to the ground.
Hoffman's shocked expression turned into a triumph as Hoffman and Bernie look up at the sky to see a blue magnetic wave of blue energy flowing freely across the skies.
The lambent stop what they were doing and screaming in pain . The lambent show massive sign of veins in their blood vessel as they felt the wave entering their bodies. The remaining ISA marines and Gears lowered their weapons as they watched as the lambent horde collapsed to the ground .
The lambent stalks started to turn black and shrink back to the ground
The lambent mutants were defeated and laid dead in their own yellow blood . The marines who are standing left or right rushed up to secure the fort and made sure the lambent stay dead by firing a few rounds into the glowie corpse that were still twitching .
" Victor , Marcus and the others they did it . It over Victor . " said Bernie then she cried with relief in joy in seeing the war was over. The two gears hugged each other in enhance behind the ISA marines and gears gathered around shouting " ISA !,ISA ! ,ISA ! "and others were firing their guns in triumph.
" We won and we finally won this time ! Marcus you dam son of a bitch You did it ! Your father did it even you Fenix." yelled Hoffman raising his fist in the air
Then a roar of cheer and relief was heard in what was left of Anvil Gate while a squadron of ISA intruders with reinforcements were approaching the battle zone .
ISA flagship : Red Dawn
4 hours after the activation of the bomb and the end of the Locust war and the helghast invasion
The ISA tower fleet was gathering in the ocean as the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance navy prepared to leaving the planet and most of the ships contain survivors of Sera ; both COG or UIR remnants. But a few survivors choose to stay on Sera instead of leaving their home. With the imulsion destroyed and the entire planet was in full ruins , Sera was completely inhabitable because of the locust war . The helghast on the other hand were beginning to leave Sera after withdrawing most of their ground troops before the helghast fleet could go back to Helghan.
Sera was saved but the planet was nothing but a scorched battlefield with all of it civilization in ruins . The war on the planet leave nothing but groups of broken heart and minds and shattered survivors who paid the price for their survival. Over a 2 thousand ISA and helghast soldiers died fighting for control over the planet but the two fraction end up fighting against the lambent infestations together.
However, in the end, both fractions paid the price.
This time the war on Sera created a statement between the ISA and the helghast. The helghast were the first to leave the planet.
Templar turn on his Tac/com and turned to the bridge's monitors " To all captain , we are leaving Sera repeat we are leaving Sera right now. Set course for Vekta." then he turned to the bridge " Let get these people a new home . Preparing for Hyper launch. On my command ; Three , Two , One, launch ! "
The ISA fleet respond in a fury of action as the cruisers launched their turbo thrusters . Their ships rose towards the atmosphere ignoring the blue energy wave before flying towards the stars.
In the section of the ship , a crowd of COG gears and civilians watched from a protective window screen as their planet Sera drifted further and further. Anya , Cole , Baird , Hoffman , Bernie and Sam watched their war torn planet with sadness . Rico was beside them along with Jammer and Sev. Everyone onboard will never forget the horrors of the locust war and the destruction of Sera but the war took everything they love and stand for leaving them with nothing.
Civilians were at the main hanger sitting in crates or on the ground ; men, women and children huddled in groups in fear under guard by the ISA marines.
Once the fleet was in space ,the cruisers began to change their position in flight as the cruisers shift sideways before the ISA fleet traveled into warp speed and at the same time the fleet disappeared in a blink of an eye.
Hours later , the ISA fleet came of out Hyper space and entered a new universe and the ships speed towards a beautiful blue planet Vekta.
" Sir ! arriving at Vekta in 002 hours , " said a helmsmen
" Very good and I would like address to the COG now " said Templar
Colonel Templar active the ship's PA system and clear his throat before sighing. He tap the microphone to get the COG refugee's attention. At the same time , Gears and civilians in the hanger stopped their chattering and look at the PA box along with the ISA marines.
" To all refugees from Sera, we know it is difficult for all you remember the horrors of war on your planet and I know it also difficult to leave your home planet Sera behind. We understand. " said Templar.
Templar paused and continued " The 60th ISA navy fleet and I would like to say we are very sorry for what you have been though and our thoughts and prays go to those who lost their lives but the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance will take all of you into our home . On behalf of the ISA , we would like to welcome you to Vekta your new home. This is Colonel Templar of the ISA signing off"
" Welcome to Vekta."
Vekta was home of the ISA free from war and was about to welcome the arrival of the ISA fleet and the refugees from Sera.
( The End )