AN: Nothing to report.
Chapter 8: Rain of Chitin
The constant roar of fully automatic gunfire was almost deafening. The hordes of giant insects outside the base perimeter attacking the gates was already causing issues, but this mystery pylon making them appear from nowhere inside the base was making things even more complicated. The Eds joined the EDF soldiers in a volley of bullets aimed at the creatures as they advanced after hitting the ground, firing so much that their shoulders were certainly badly bruised from the recoil. Eddy sprayed rounds at his target, Ed fired off blasts at the bugs that got too close for comfort, and Double Dee was down on one knee, selectively placing his shots, ever meticulous.
Double Dee dropped the empty magazine from his Raven carbine, outwardly identical to an M4A1, and slapped the bolt release. He looked forward to the creatures before him, seeing more appear from thin air. They didn't have infinite ammo, and at this rate, they and the EDF troops will be overrun. He bites his lip, attempting to think of a solution when he notices a pattern in regards to the pylon. Every time the creatures appear, the crystal on top flashes brightly. 'That can't be a coincidence...' he thinks. Taking a gamble, he shifts his aim upwards towards the crystal and unleashes a burst, the bullets impacting the crystal.
His assumption bares fruit. It cracks and quickly shatters, hundreds of crystal fragments exploding outwards as whatever energy it generated could no longer be contained. Immediately after the crystal shatters, the metal of the pylon itself crumbles into pieces.
Eddy blinks his eyes, then looks over to his hat wearing friend. "What did you do sockhead?!"
Double Dee gets a light grin as he turns to Eddy. "It's the crystals on top Eddy! However they make those abominations appear, the crystal is the key! Destroy the crystal, you destroy the pylon!"
Eddy looks back to the remains of the pylon, then back to Double Dee. "Sockhead, remind me to get you a jawbreaker later!"
Double Dee laughs slightly, but then looks up as something catches his attention. His eyes widen, and he quickly stands and dashes to Eddy jumping into him as another pylon crashes down on his former position, surely killing him had Double Dee not intervened. Eddy shakes his head and looks up at the pylon, then Double Dee who had just stood back up and reached his hand down for Eddy.
"Make that two jawbreakers..." utters Eddy. All three Eds hear another loud crash, and turn to see another pylon slam into the ground near the base building, and yet another fall directly over an unoccupied E5 Blacker tank, crushing the heavily armored vehicle like tin foil.
"Oh crap!" yells Eddy. "More of those lousy oversized glowsticks!" Eddy reaches into his vest and grabs a fresh magazine, slapping it into his rifle as he remembers his smarter companions actions a moment ago as he aims up at the nearest pylon and fires on the crystal, shattering it and destroying the pylon before it had the chance to bring more of those giant bugs.
"Booyah!" he yells.
Double Dee looks around, seeing the EDF troopers firing at the ants coming from the strange objects, but ignoring the flash from the crystal. This fight will be lost unless everyone focuses on the cause, not the symptom. He spots a fallen EDF soldier, a hole in his chest likely caused by impalement on the sharp, oversized leg of one of the giant bugs. He runs over and reaches for the mans radio, muttering a silent apology for the man as he thumbs on the radio.
"Everyone! The ants will just keep coming! Shoot the crystals on top of the pylons! I repeat, shoot the crystals! It's the only way to stem the tide!" he yells desperately into the device. The EDF soldiers all around can be seen tilting their heads down to the radio, then promptly shifting their aim upwards, blowing away the crystals in a brilliant display of light. The few remaining insects are quickly dispatched, most of the EDF troops around the base yelling in celebration.
The Eds pant, having survived another intense ordeal. Eddy walks up to Double Dee and gives him a playful jab on the shoulder. "That wasn't bad computer-for-brains! This is why I keep you around!" he jokingly says, giving a laugh while doing so.
Ed walks forward and picks Double Dee up with no effort, squeezing him in a big bear hug, his happy demeanor returned at the destruction of the immediate threat. "That was so cool Double Dee! Nobody is smarter than our third blah!"
Double Dee grunts, barely able to breath. "E-Ed...need...a-air..."
Ed blinks, then releases his friend, chuckling, slightly embarrassed. "Hehe, sorry Double Dee."
Double Dee stands back up, dusting himself off. "It's quite alright Ed, I just wonder where you got your Herculean strength."
All three Eds sigh, glad to be safe at the moment with the pylons gone. One of the EDF soldiers walks up to them, clearing his throat. "Well, I ain't gonna lie kids, that...was pretty impressive." The Eds merely blush. "Now that we have a minute, I'll radio and see if they can send another-"
His sentence is cut short as the ground shakes. All present turn to see yet another pylon crash into the ground from an above craft. And just a second later, another...and another. Within moments, dozens of the pylons crash into the perimeter of the base. Some EDF soldiers were even in...unfortunate spots when they landed, much to the Eds horror and disgust. The crystals on each one begin to flash, and dozens, then hundreds of massive insects appear from the flashes, beginning to swarm the base in a massive sea of chitin and fangs.
The Eds look around, totally horrified at the sight before them. Eddy gulps and speaks. "W-w-what do we do now?! There's so many of those things!"
Ed grips his shotgun tight enough to make cracks appear in the polymer. "I DON'T WANNA BE THE LUNCHTIME GUYS!" he yells.
The EDF trooper who had spoken to them looked around for a moment, then turned on his radio. "Code black! Code black! There's way too many! The base is lost! Repeat, the base is lost! All surviving personnel fall back!" He looks back to the Ed boys.
"Kids, we're evacing to the city on foot, and you're hoofing it with us!"