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"Supercharge! Supercharge! Supercharge! All call-signs, fire!"
The thunder of the SPGs fire drowned out the acknowledging words of the crews manning the main guns. The resulting discharge sent faint tremors along the ground as the high-angle shots sent shells raining death all over the valley outside Liberty Point. The explosions kicked up dirt and debris, leaving smoking craters in their wake where the clustered invaders used to be.
Five days passed since the first attack on the settlement, and by then the Dominion knew exactly what enemy they were fighting against. There were dozens of different factions in the Corpse Coast, but only one possessed the technologies required to equip their soldiers with cybernetic enhancements. They knew, after a period of inactivity, the Cult of the Reshapened seized the chance to exploit the power vacuum left behind by the fall of the Lexxers.
Since their tactics generally involved the use of swarming entry points with overwhelming numbers, Lt. Hope Weiss employed the use of self-propelled artillery to slow the enemy's advance. In key positions outside the boundary walls, the rooks set up machinegun nests with deployed heavy-weapons teams designed to suppress and finish off whatever the SPGs left behind after the shelling.
Reinforcements were due to arrive within the week, but Hope wasn't content with digging in while the attacks persisted. She was taught that to operate on the assumption that her enemies would eventually wear themselves out would likely result in disaster. There were a number of ways to put a stop to an enemy's attacks, one of them involved rooting out the cause and bombing the hell out of it.
Two obstacles stood in the way of such a goal. The Niner was uncharted territory, not even the locals of the Corpse Coast knew what lay behind the thick curtain of radioactive smog, and there was an army of bloodthirsty cyborgs waiting behind that curtain. It was challenging work being an officer in command of an outpost so far from home, but Hope knew that bringing back civilization to a barbaric new world was never going to be an easy job.
"Sterling!" She called after staring down at the map on her table for some time.
The sergeant marched into her office and saluted, "Ma'am?"
"I've got a task for you. Get a recon team set for deployment." Hope looked up from her table, "It's time we surveyed the Niner."
Sterling's eyes brightened at her words, he knew they were about to take the fight to the Cult. "I've got just the right people in mind for that."
"Good, make it happen." Hope dismissed the sergeant and moved to get Outpost Seven on the radio so she could requisition some replacements for the settlement's defenses that were lost in the previous engagement.
Sterling exited the administration building and headed for the barracks. Once there, he selected a squad of five, which comprised of some of his best men. The same rooks who helped him in the recon mission that allowed the Dominion to take the Blood Harbor; Spire, Sledge, Murdoc and Relay; would venture into the unknown once more and set up the groundwork that would lead to their eventual invasion of the Niner.
This time, they would have their best auxiliary attached to their squad. "Autumn, eyes and ears."
The tribal glanced up at the sergeant and set aside the rifle she'd been cleaning, "Sergeant?"
"You're to provide overwatch and support for the squad." Sterling explained, "You're headed for the Niner on a recon mission, that means keeping engagements to a minimum and prioritize gathering intel. I've sent for the outfitting section to provide you all with advanced protective equipment. Assume that environment hazards are plentiful."
Autumn's brows bunched up in confusion, "Um...assume what?"
The sergeant sighed and dumbed down on his terms, "Rads. Assume that there are lots and lots of rads in the Niner. They'll be giving you a suit to protect against radiation, but it can only do so much. You have to be careful, understand?"
The tribal woman nodded slowly, a proud grin forming on her face. It's been a while since she'd worked with the team that freed her from the Lexxers, and she was eager to begin. "May I say goodbye to my family first?"
"Of course." Sterling said.
"Thank you, sergeant."
Satisfied with her reply, the sergeant turned his heel and left the barracks. The squad assembled at the armory and geared up for their journey into the Niner. The usual essentials; extra ammo, medical supplies and MRE's; were requisitioned and delivered on the spot. The outfitters gave them modified combat hazmat suits, designed for combat engineers or recovery crews sent to clear out toxic dumps.
The recon team had the option to equip themselves with power-armor. However, Kentis 'Geist' Spire was put in charge of the squad, and he favored mobility. Wearing power-armor would just attract too much attention, which would be counter-productive in a recon mission.
Before heading out, they stopped by the Mess Tent to get themselves some hot chow. The cooks were serving up some hard-boiled eggs and shredded bacon, with a side of mashed potatoes.
"What are you doing?" Autumn asked the rooks.
Geist smirked as he stuffed his mouth with bacon, "Filling up the tank before the long march. You should too."
"Yeah, you never know when it's gonna be your last meal." Sledge said.
Noticing her unnerved expression, Murdoc nudged his fellow rook with his elbow. "Hey, none of that! Lady's got a kid waiting for her, she's got every reason to stay alive."
"That right?" Relay chuckled as he stuck a cigarette between his lips and lit it up with a match. "Last I checked, Sledge's got a kid waiting for 'im back in Carlon. Don't see 'im going all hush-hush about getting killed."
"Hell, who's the unlucky baby momma for this one?" Geist asked. "You've been perusing the merch at the Oasis again? Tsk tsk, we've got regulations against that, Sledge."
"Shut the fuck up." Sledge replied with a good-natured laugh, "And no, Relay, she's not a hooker. She's a professional breeder, certified by Elysion's Breeding Program."
The sniper shook his head, "That's just another fancy way of calling a hooker a...well, a hooker."
Sledge shrugged, "Maybe, but she's got the bod of a model, the kind that no waster chick's able to pull off. Puts even Tanker Belle to shame. And holy fuck, don't get me started on the skills! Mmmm, she's my taste of heaven."
Relay blew a cloud of smoke his way, "A hooker who's got a business card. That's fancy, alright."
"She got a name?" Geist asked.
"Nope nuh-uh, you're gonna have to find yourself your own breeder. This one's all mine."
The team sat down and finished their meal quickly. Autumn made one last stop before heading out into the wilderness and said goodbye to Winter. Her son, naturally, didn't want her to leave.
"Why do you always have to go?" The boy asked, "Why don't they send someone else?"
"Winter, there is nobody else." Autumn said, bending down to take his little face in her hands. "Never forget, everything that we have we owe to the Dominion. It is only right that we give our all in return."
"But what if you don't come back? Is it right that they will take away my mother too?"
The boy was relentless, and his mother had to smile at his persistence. "If I die, little pup, you must grow strong. Be strong like the coyote."
"No, mother." Winter said, pressing a finger against her chest. "You be strong. Come back to us."
The tribal woman pulled him in and squeezed him tight against her body, promising to return when her task was complete. "I will. I love you, Winter."
Autumn rejoined the squad and secured her helmet to seal herself inside her suit. Together, they ventured into the wilderness past the crater-blasted landscape littered with burning corpses. Sledge took point, followed by Geist and Murdoc. Autumn and Relay stayed behind them to cover the rear in case something shadowed them. As soon as they stepped out of the border separating Dominion-held territory, the Geiger counter on Geist's pip-boy started to rattle with increasing intensity.
The deeper they went, the harder it rattled.
An hour passed, and so far the only resistance the recon team faced were the freak weather and swirling light sandstorms blowing from the east. The scenery changed from an empty wilderness to the crumbling ruins of the far-flung edge of Corpus Christi. When the team spotted the lights in the distance, they immediately moved for cover to avoid detection.
Crouching low behind an overturned rusted wreck of a car, Geist used the scope of his rifle to scan ahead for any sign of enemy activity. No more than fifty meters away, he spotted a small warband comprised of seventeen hulking cyber-abominations marching up the road towards Liberty Point. The temptation to take them on was strong, but the rook knew they had to keep a low profile especially since they were deep behind enemy lines.
There would be no backup. If anything went wrong, the team would likely end up as another statistic.
"Take cover, let them pass." He hissed.
The team held their breath as the cyborgs marched on without noticing them. When the threat passed, the recon team moved out and headed in deeper into the ruins. Every now and then, the winds picked up and swept the ancient structures into rubble, easily shattering their weathered and brittle foundations as though they were sandcastles. The resulting noise provided enough distraction to keep patrols from getting wise on the rooks, and they were able to slip past the Cult's defenses until they reached the vicinity of the Cathedral.
They arrived just in time to witness another procession of waster devotees moving up from the streets of the Niner. Men, women and children so monstrously bloated and flayed from radiation sickness shambled weakly across the ruined path. All the while, they chanted out the chilling mantra calling out for the sacrifice of their bodies in exchange for immortality.
Wasters would enter the Cathedral, then emerge as cybernetically enhanced cultists. The transformations happened frequently, prompting the rooks to wonder what kind of resources and technologies the Cult possessed to afford that many enhancements.
Geist mapped out the coordinates and stored them in his pip-boy. Having gotten what they needed, the rooks quietly slipped out of their hiding place and retraced their steps back into the old road.
Before they could get past the city outskirts, something from the Cathedral entrance caught Geist's eye.
A tall and musclebound warrior, with skin heavily tanned from the unforgiving desert sun, stood at the door with his new mechanical arms raised to praise the name of the Cult. He recognized him from the day the Dominion liberated the Blood Harbor and renamed it Liberty Point, but couldn't quite put his finger on the name.
"Is that...Ramoné?" Autumn breathed.
"Yeah, looks like it." Geist replied, "Seems like he found his own way after all. Traded one collar for another."
"Hey, shouldn't we...I dunno, head back?" Sledge interrupted their conversation impatiently.
"Don't get your panties in a bunch, we're going."
Along the way back, there was a curious-looking object sticking out of the dirt. Sledge thought it was just a harmless old rusted sprocket and stepped over it. He only realized it was anything but harmless when it emitted a loud clack, then started to whine.
"Oh shi-"
The next instant, he found himself on the ground. His ears were ringing and he hurt all over. He felt the hands of his teammates trying to haul him off his back, although they seemed to focus particularly on his legs. Groggily, Sledge lifted his head and glanced down at the bleeding stumps where his legs used to be.
"What the fuck...?"
Recovering quickly from the mine detonation, the team sprang into action and assisted their fallen comrade. Geist and Autumn stood on overwatch while the rest of the team carried Sledge away from the smoking crater and into relative safety. Murdoc got his kit out and began sealing off the wounds with medical paste.
"Pressure!" He said to Relay as he tapped a little higher on Sledge's thigh, noticing that the rook was clamping down on the wrong area. "Pressure!"
When the bleeding finally stopped, he fished for a stimpak and stabbed the needle into Sledge. The injured man groaned, having avoided completely the agony of his wounds due to the shock. The stimpak did its work and kept him stabilized. Once the work on him had been done, Relay hoisted him up to his shoulder so they could move out of the desert and back to the settlement.
Six kilometers from the Niner to Liberty Point, six kilometers of hell before they could reach home. It all felt so far away.
Suddenly, a chilling warcry in the distance heralded the attack of an approaching warband. Whether it was due to the explosion, or just plain bad luck, the Cult discovered the recon team and zeroed in on them.
Geist quickly scanned the area for higher ground and found a half-buried entrance leading into a ruined train tunnel. The collapsed train skyway offered enough cover to soak up enemy fire, and the sniper ordered the team to withdraw into the tunnel entrance. He and the auxiliary provided cover fire while the other rooks slowly made their way inside.
"Leave me..." Sledge moaned, "I'll just slow y'all down."
"Shut the fuck up, Sledge!" Relay snapped, lugging the man like a heavy sack of potatoes. "It's enough that I have to carry your fat ass around, I don't wanna have to deal with your bitchin' too."
The recon team scrambled over the thick piles of fallen bricks and stones, stopping every now and then to shoot back at their pursuers as the Cult started pouring out of the gap in the collapsed tunnel entrance.
Murdoc emptied his clip into the howling mob and paused to reload his rifle. To his dismay, he found that his shots had little effect on the bigger cultists. The thick steel carapace exoskeleton soaked up the rounds like a sponge, and the cyborgs shrugged off his attack as though he was spitting wads. Closer and closer, they got to the medic, until they were finally slowed by Geist's gauss rifle.
The railgun punched right through their armor and did a better job where their bullets failed. Unfortunately, unlike the Reckoner rifles, the gauss rifle couldn't fire as fast. The longer the fight dragged on, the more cultists showed up.
They were practically coming out of the walls.
"Move it, rooks!" Geist thundered.
The recon team took the next turn and stumbled upon an airplane wreck. Having been long scavenged and broken down to its basic components, leaving nothing but a skeleton to speak for its existence, the wreck provided some light cover for the rooks. It was enough to give them a moment's pause, and Geist took the chance to consider their options.
Sledge was slowing them down, there was no denying that. They were running low on ammo, and it didn't seem like the cultists' numbers would diminish any time soon. Geist didn't want to leave a man behind, nor did he wish to abandon their objective.
"Geist, we can't stay here!" Murdoc yelled as he leaned out of cover and fired back at the approaching mob. A bright green bolt of plasma slammed into his chest and knocked him back. Relay set Sledge down and moved to assist the fallen medic, only to find that the resulting plasmic discharge had eaten him from the chest up. A gruesome smoking skull grinned back at him where Murdoc's face should have been.
"Fuck!" Relay bellowed in anger, picking up Murdoc's spare mag to reload his weapon. He poured it on with the cultists, managing just barely to stall their assault on their makeshift nest.
Geist glanced at Autumn and grimly decided on the first idea that popped into his head. The sniper ejected the holo-tape on his pip-boy and called for the tribal woman's attention. "Autumn, get over here!"
The auxiliary approached him and was taken aback when he thrust the holo-tape, containing the map chartering the Niner, into her hands. Autumn stared in shock at the rook's gesture and shook her head. "What? No!"
She couldn't believe he was ordering her to abandon them. The rooks weren't just nameless soldiers to her, these men were her friends. They were the ones who freed her from the Lexxers, the ones she owed her life and the lives of her family to.
"You gotta do it." Geist said firmly, "You're the fastest runner in this team. Get back to the settlement and give this tape to Lt. Weiss. We'll cover you."
"But-"
"It won't do us any good if we all die here!" The sniper bristled, grabbing Autumn by the shoulder to give her a rough shove towards the path. "Now, go!"
With a heavy heart, the auxiliary obeyed. She knew she had to go before their position became surrounded, "I'm coming back. Hold on, I'm coming back."
Geist watched her go and felt a weight on his shoulders slip off. Dying was part of the job of being a Dominion rook, but how he chose to go was his prerogative alone. He wouldn't go without a fight, and as long as Autumn could get the map back to Liberty Point he could be sure that the Cult would get theirs in due time.
"Hey Geist." Sledge called weakly as he unholstered his sidearm.
"What?"
"Amanda. Her name's Amanda."
He was referring to the breeder back in Carlon, the mother of his child. The sniper smiled under his helmet, "She pretty?"
"Yeah..." Sledge replied, "She is."
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