"The Sole Survivor"
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...
-/-/-
He was seated inside Zeke as he and his squad descended towards Persephone. Briggs, Chung, Frisko, and Tyrena within view from his cockpit as the atmosphere burned around them. The ever confident Briggs appeared on his HUD to begin the mid-op brief.
"As you know Seventh," he instructed, "we have to break these towers so that the Militia can push through to Demeter without the massive air support housed on this base to stand in our way. Tyrena is counting on us with the rest of the Seventh on board the Annapolis. So let's not keep 'em waiting."
The Sole Survivor nodded, knowing full well what was at stake. He gripped Zeke's controls as the atmosphere disappeared and was replaced by the grey clouds overlooking the massive sprawl of Airbase Sierra. Long strips of runways stretched into the horizon in a confusing manner with the three towers near the center. That was their objective and the Sole Survivor wasn't about to let his team down.
Zeke hit the ground hard and pulled the XO-16 off it's back. Beside him Chung landed in his Titan Leonidas. Chung's Titan gave him the thumbs up before pushing forward firing a rail round into a nearby Goliath tank. That was Chung for you, always a good shot. The Sole Survivor pushed Zeke forward following Chung's lead.
Together, they dispatched multiple infantry and tank units as the Three Towers came closer into view. Briggs and Tyrena were pushing up from another direction when a rail round shot came from the center of the airbase.
"Its the Valkyrie!" Briggs announced.
"Damn, she's spotted us!" Chung said,an edge in his voice.
The Sole Survivor knew about this enemy Pilot. She was an ace IMC Pilot known as Harper. Ever since Victor she had been hunting their unit. It was only a matter of time before she caught up to him.
"Guys, I'll push up drawing her fire!" The Sole Survivor shouted.
"No, it's too risky," Tyrena told him, "Chung and I can counter-snipe her!"
"No! You guys have to make it!" He told them all. "I have to do this!"
"I trust you buddy." Briggs said.
The Sole Survivor pushed out from behind a building firing off a long pull from his XO-16. His ruse worked and a rail round nearly struck him. He ignored it and kept firing at where the round came from. A shield break signaled he had struck home. The Valkyrie would have to change positions now, buying them time.
"He did it!" Tyrena exclaimed.
"Of course, that's..." Frisko got cut off.
"Frisko? Hey Frisko!" Briggs tried to raise Frisko on comms.
A Titan's nuclear detonation rose over the runway and the Sole Survivor knew that Frisko had been hit. How? Hadn't he stopped the Valkyrie? Damnit, Frisko shouldn't of been on his own. He should've been there. No no! Fuck!
The Sole Survivor reached the wall of the central building on the airbase and punched through with Zeke. Chung followed behind him. They were under the airpad for the IMC bombers. Moonlight shown through the large center hole showing the air battle above as the two fleets engaged in high orbit.
There! The Valkyrie's Titan appeared with an arc-cannon above them and fired at him and Chung. Zeke opened the top hatch and ejected him out before the Valkyrie destroyed Zeke and Chung together. The Sole Survivor landed atop one of the lower fuel buildings next to Tyrena, who had exited their Titan earlier.
"Hey, I got you." She told him as she pulled him close.
"Thanks Ty," he said despite how hollow he felt. Zeke had been such a stable part of his life, only ever having to replace him twice. That was pretty good for a Titan these days on the Frontier. Chung though, he wasn't replaceable. His death hurt.
"We have to move, Briggs is meeting us ahead." Tyrena told him, pulling him from grieving.
"Let me go first, Ty."
"Trying to protect me, huh?" She teased him.
I don't want to lose you Ty, he thought.
"You won't lose me." Tyrena comforted him. Even under her helmet, he knew she was making that cute smirk.
They moved down a series of tunnels in darkness as the walls shook from the war waging outside. His helmet allowed him to see despite the darkness, amplifying what little light their was. Despite that advantage, the Sole Survivor could barely see at all in the darkness.
"Over here," a whisper beckoned from behind them. The Sole Survivor spun, Eva-8 in hand ready to fire at the Valkyrie. She was close. The enemy ace was picking them off one by one, leaving him for last.
"Over here," she whispered again in her distinctive core accent. They had to be close. He fired his shotgun once. The bright flash revealing the tunnel for a single moment. There was nothing ahead of them. He turned to check their rear but it was too late. Tyrena's head was facing away from him but her body was still facing forward. Again, she had died again. No, no! Fuck why? Why can't I save her?
Then he was outside, the towers were falling and the world was bathed in orange fire. Corpses lined the ground scattered about. Vlocke saw Briggs on the other side of a chasm. Briggs was sprinting towards him to jump so that they could evac. A gun shot. Brigg's leg disconnected from his body as he fell into the chasm. Suddenly, he was being dragged away from the gap. The IMC Valkyrie, Harper, was dragging him away onto a drop ship.
"You're my Valkyrie." He despaired. Her helmet was off, letting her long brown hair flutter over her face obscuring her eyes but when he saw them. He saw pity and kindness. That was what horrified him the most, that she believed she had done the right thing.