Author's Note: Back again! Sorry for the delay, picking up right where we left off...

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Blood and Metal

We could hear more gunfire behind us as we continued towards the ruined temple. Still a little unnerved by the quiet on our side, I opened up a private channel to my XO.

"Delaney? Status?"

"Holding on for now, ma'am," he responded. "The rebs are returning fire on our snipers, but nothing's hit yet. Our sharpshooters know to stay mobile."

"Glad to hear it."

"Although, we do have a small group that appears to have splintered off. Either they're on their way to us to get a better read on our numbers...or they know we've got a second infil team heading up their flank."

"Got it. Either way, we need to hurry. Cooper out."

I switched channels then to broadcast to Cal and the Marines with us.

"Everyone, listen up. The major's group can't stay put forever, and it looks like we may have some of the party coming our way. Keep your weapons hot and let's get this done quick."

So far we'd only encountered human rebels, rather than Prometheans or even other Elites, and we knew the insurgents' lines were heavily fortified in some places and not at all on others. I still wondered about that. Why they'd set up in that way, and why they'd spread themselves so thin.

"Cal?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

I frowned, even though I knew he couldn't see it. "What do you think's going on out here? Why wouldn't the rebs tighten up their security around the temple or the portal if they didn't have the manpower to cover all this ground? Why keep us from even going near it?"

"Wish I knew, Colonel. The best I can think is - "

A sudden pulse went through the field, cutting the spook off mid-sentence. In an instant all of our electronics were shot.

And a moment later, all-too-familiar light rounds started pouring in.

"Down, get down!" I shouted through my helmet's external speakers, going flat against the earth myself. "And return fire! It's the Prometheans!"

They'd been absent until now, and I suddenly realized why this supposed "good in" was not good at all. Of course the rebels hadn't been worried about guarding their flanks; their army of AI-bots were covering it for them.

We were in deep trouble now.

Wasting no time, I brought my battle rifle up and aimed down the sights, opening fire at the first of the Knights and Watchers that appeared in the distance, even as my HUD rebooted and my radio crackled again. This time, a stressed Delaney was on the other end.

"Ma'am? We're hearing the reports from over here. What's – "

I growled and cut off the audio. Not something I'd normally do, but this wasn't a good time or place to get distracted. Not now.

Instead I squeezed the trigger again, bringing down a Watcher that was coming straight at us before I set my sights on its partner. Two bursts of zoomed-in fire took it down, making the drone burst into bits of charred metal that hit the field right by the Knight. Now without an escort, the Knight teleported ahead, getting as close as fifty meters out while I tracked it with my gun. I tried my best to focus on it, but it was hard not to notice the whole enormous wave of AI-bots pushing forward behind it.

Welcome to Sanghelios, Cooper.

The thought flashed through my mind as I fired three more bursts, hitting the Knight head-on and making it disappear in a spiral of orange light. I was glad it was gone, but I still couldn't be relieved yet given the circumstances.

I had half of the 213th with me, though, and they were lined up and ready. Beside me, a young lieutenant got her platoon situated near my security detail, established an MG in the center, just ahead of our position, and the large-caliber gun came to life.

Invigorated by the sounds of battle – and with a part of me wishing I still was that young LT myself, truly getting in on the action with what felt like a big responsibility at the time but seemed so very small now – I said into the general channel, "Keep it up, Marines! Let's push them back!"

For a moment I dropped back to reload, as safe as I could be behind the MG, and I let the spent mag fall to the ground. I grabbed a fresh one from my ammo belt and slapped it home. Then I crept forward just a little, going down on one knee near my detail to get a clear line of sight.

"That's a lot of fucking bots, ma'am!" Cal yelled over our shared channel. "Not what I expected!"

"Yeah? My brother didn't mention this?"

"No, ma'am!"

I shook my head as I fired off another trio of bursts at some Crawlers further out. "Sounds like I'll have to have a talk with him!"

Two doggie bots went down in mid-run, pushed back by the hail of bullets. Both were sparking from the hits before they finally began smoking and sputtered out. But as soon as they gave out, even more took their place.

"Cal, give me the skinny!"

"It's not looking good, Colonel! There's more of them than us, and it looks like we're attracting even more interest now!"

I frowned, wondering what he meant until I felt a bullet whizz past my head.

From behind us. That was not good.

"Major, what's your status?" I said into the channel, reopening our connection, and my XO didn't hesitate.

"Colonel, you've got incoming on your six! I repeat, rebs on your six! We weren't able to stop 'em all!"

"Goddammit."

I spat the word out and gripped my rifle tighter in my hands. I should've expected everything to go to hell on this run – I'd had enough experience – but getting surrounded hadn't been on my list of possibilities.

Everything about this patrol felt cursed.

While I rejoined the Marines beside me in concentrating up front, I fired a quick burst and then glanced behind us. My eyes went wide when I spotted not just infantry headed our way, but an older model Scorpion tank as well, roaring slowly ahead.

Shit. Shit!

My mind and pulse both went into overdrive then as I keyed the COM. "Delaney, get here now, Major!"

"On our way!"

Cursing as I cut the connection, I tried my best to stop the incoming horde in one direction and attempted to contain the rebs in the other, all while directing the flow of combat for my men. After another several rounds went right through a Knight, dangerously close to us now, I brought my BR back up and finally heard the click click of a spent mag. I cursed again as I tossed it out and jammed in a fresh one.

I hadn't wanted to do this yet, but at this point, it was time. We wouldn't survive out here much longer on our own.

"Major Hawk?" I said over the general channel, taking in a quick breath to keep my voice clear. "This is Lieutenant Colonel Cooper. We need of immediate air support by the ruins. Please respond."

Over this channel, broadcast to all, Willis couldn't make his surprise known. "Ma'am? Come again?"

"Air support, Major. Now. What's your ETA?"

I heard my husband swallow quickly on the other end. "Yes, ma'am. I'll scramble the pilots now. ETA is four minutes, Colonel."

Behind me I could hear the subtle maneuvering of the Scorpion tank, and I wasn't sure if we'd even make it that long with everything we were facing. To Willis, I said, "Understood, Hawk. Make it three."

"Yes, ma'am!"

I cut the connection then and ran forward once more, rifle raised as I fired alongside my Marines.

"Delaney, let us know when you break through. We've got air support incoming, so just hold tight."

All we needed now was a small miracle. After bringing down more Watchers and seeing Gunny York take down half a dozen Crawlers on his own with his SAW, acting in tandem with the nearby MG to push as much firepower at the enemy as possible, I crouched low and moved up again.

This time, I went up to the lieutenant I'd seen before and tapped her on the shoulder.

Her eyes momentarily went wide. "Colonel?"

"Listen. As fast as you possibly can, I want you and your platoon to disengage, right now. Don't turn back, but that Scorpion's got us in its sights."

"What - "

"Don't worry. I'll handle it."

Before she could respond I turned again, stepping away and facing the tank so I could keep a visual on it as it moved. At the same time, I hailed the Marines with me. "Heavy weapons, let's get some ordnance on that tank!"

There was only a small fireteam of heavies with us, and I greatly regretted that. We needed more firepower for both the incoming Prometheans and the rebs, but couldn't do both. I found myself thinking I should have anticipated more, done more, to ensure our safety on this route, but those thoughts wouldn't help solve anything now that we were in the thick of it.

Nothing made that more clear than the sudden, deep kaboom! we heard come from the tank.

"Get dow - !"

I hit the earth just as the resounding explosion drowned out what would have been my order to my men. For a long moment I laid there, hands covering my helmet, as the shockwave shifted the dirt and grass beneath us. Through it all I saw my head of security, York, crawl forward fast to get to me, along with two other Marines from my detail. I already felt safe enough, as being able to see and hear meant I wasn't dead yet and the impact hadn't killed me - but the same couldn't be said for the others around us. As quickly as I could, I turned back to survey the damage.

Our whole MG line, where I'd just been moments before, was gone.

Fuck.

"Heavy weapons, fire back! Now!"

I waited until I heard the sound of rockets streaking through the air before gesturing to York and the others to move with me. My heart was in my throat the whole time, pulse pounding, as I went to confirm what I already knew.

That lieutenant I'd been envious of a minute ago? I found her body amongst her men, amongst the blackened crater in the tall grass where the large-cal machine gun that had been keeping the bots at bay until now had been torn apart - and so had my Marines' bodies.

I'd failed her. I'd failed all of them. I'd told her I'd get it handled, and instead they were now dead.

It was Gunny York who finally had to snap me out of it.

"Colonel, we cannot stay here! We have got to go!"

That's when my temper got the better of me again, and I snapped.

"To where, Sergeant!" I yelled in his face. "We are fucking surrounded! There is nowhere to retreat to!"

A sudden scream nearby made both of us turn. We were just in time to see one of the heavy weapons Marines drop from a burst of gunfire to the chest. The rebs got him. In the distance, I could see that the Scorpion tank was smoking now, but still very much in play.

Willis, you'd better fucking hurry.

Things were falling apart faster than I could have anticipated. With one of our prominent MG lines gone as well, the Prometheans on the other side were converging quickly on our position. The sizzle of light rounds in the air on our six was thickening.

Acting fast, I grabbed my security lead by the arm and shouted, "The crater! We'll use it as cover! Go!"

York, my detail and I sprinted for the blackened hole, still smoking, ahead of us. I really had no choice but to trust Major Delaney and the heavies to get it done behind us, because there was very little stopping the horde of Prometheans here. We were pretty much it.

The gunnery sergeant and I hit the dirt at the same time, and I almost winced. The earth was still hot beneath us - not scorching, but a bit uncomfortable. And the smell...the smell nearly made me wretch. I had to push a Marine body aside to get a better vantage point, and it was only when I glanced down that I realized why it'd been so easy to do so. It'd only been half of a Marine; his torso and legs were completely gone.

As my detail began to fire at the bots ahead of us, I quickly pulled off my helmet and heaved.

Yeah. It'd been a while since my stomach had revolted in combat.

"Colonel?" York asked in a high pitch, although he never took his eyes off the Prometheans, and didn't stop firing.

I pulled my helmet back on fast and shook myself, bringing my BR to bear once more. "I'm good. Let's get these bots down!"

And that's exactly what we did for two solid minutes that felt like the longest in my whole entire life. Well, maybe minus my time in captivity. Most of the Prometheans were just several meters out now, and the constantly teleporting Knights and Watchers and Crawlers made it hard for our diminishing lines to put a dent in their forward march. I'd just sent a grenade sailing out when one of my detail beside me was hit, light rounds dotting and piercing the flesh at his neck and helmet. He dropped backwards into the hole, amongst the other several dead, before the 'nade went off in a group of bots and sent sparks and parts flying.

I swallowed hard, grit my teeth and held my weapon tighter. It didn't help that we were running low on ammo now, too.

Keying the general channel, I yelled, "Hawk, we need those birds here now! Right now, or we're - "

"This is Talon!" came the almost immediate reply, much to my great relief. "We're on station! Colonel, keep your heads down!"

"Roger that!"

Just like that, the tide suddenly changed. The first large explosion we witnessed was what we'd most hoped to see - one of the first payloads Willis's squadrons dropped was on the rebel lines behind us, and the smoking Scorpion tank lit up in a fireball that enveloped many of the insurgents around it. Having been the near-victim of similar circumstances years ago on the Tsavo Highway, the sight made me shudder, but not out of regret for the lives lost. I didn't give a shit about rebels anymore, only the memory. And the best friend I'd lost.

I tried to watch the remainder of the run, but the Pelicans were too fast. As soon as they'd dropped in they were gone again, and while much of what was behind us had been decimated, they were still plenty of enemies in front.

Feeling renewed energy, I rose above the lip of the crater and aimed at the closest bots again, downing three Crawlers in succession as even the Prometheans seemed to have momentarily stopped at the commotion. It was only then that I hailed Delaney again and asked, "Major, sitrep?"

"We've reached the rebels' lines, ma'am! So glad to see that tank gone! We'll try to make headway on the rest!"

"No need to win this, Delaney! We just need an out! There's still too many!"

"Acknowledged!"

I kept firing along with York and my detail beside me, as well as other Marines who'd survived the earlier attack that had killed their fellows and their lieutenant, until I heard the final sound of a spent mag once more. It'd been my last one. I tossed the mag out and slung my rifle over my shoulder, ready to fight with only my sidearm now, but then I heard the general channel crackle again.

"Cooper, we're coming in for a second pass."

"Got it! Try to tag all the bots you can, we're getting overrun!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

I'd just squeezed the trigger on my pistol when a bloom of explosions suddenly lit up the horde up ahead. I kept myself plastered to the side of the crater, as did York on my right, all while the earth moved almost in concert underneath us. When the squadrons had passed above again, I lifted my head up to see the scrap metal and devastation left in their wake.

And somehow, even more AI-bots rose from the ashes in the distance.

It's now or never, I thought, and I quickly got up and keyed the COM.

"Marines, pull back! I repeat, pull back! Fall back to Major Delaney's position and retreat!"

It was the toughest order I'd had to give so far. I didn't want the mission to fail. But we'd already lost far too many Marines on what should've been a simple recon, and it wasn't worth risking more in my mind, especially when we were outnumbered and outgunned. Having Willis in the skies helped, but I still feared it wouldn't be enough, and we at least had some intel now. It was time to go.

"Hawk, you, too - head back to the keep. And thank you."

"No problem, Coop," my husband answered on a private channel. "Get back safe."

"I always do."

After this op gone so terribly sideways, however, I wondered about that. We'd only barely escaped with our lives because of our air support - a component of our forces I hadn't even wanted to use yet. As we crawled out of the blackened crater, no longer smoking now but still warm, I glanced down at the bodies and thought about the cost. A whole MG crew, one of my security team, and an eager junior officer, all gone.

And now we were retreating and leaving our dead.

That could have just as easily been me lying there, torn up at the bottom of the hole. The fact that it wasn't was only the callous roulette of war. My numbers weren't up yet, for whatever reason. I knew that.

But theirs had been, and it hurt.