Chapter 17 – The Naggiar Campaign Part 10 The Impossible Defense

"Let 'em have it!" shouted Edy. "Make those Imps pay!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" said Ted as he opened fire from his turret. A few of the approaching Imperials fell to the combined fire from his and Hector's turrets, prompting a hesitation in their advance.

"Keep it up you guys!" said Ramona as she fired a few rounds from her rifle, not caring if it made a difference or not. "We can do this!"

Edy rushed up next to her and fired her weapon out of the bunker's opening. Every little bit helped, even if it didn't seem like it at the moment. The one positive thing she noticed was that the bunker turrets were strong enough to go through the armor of the shield units. The bad part was that it didn't seemed to make much of a difference considering the sheep numbers advancing on them.

"Yo, Nadine! I need more ammo for my turret!" said Hector. "Running kind of low here!"

"Okay!" replied Nadine as she lugged over a box filled with turret rounds.

"Thanks!" said Hector as he opened up the turret and reloaded it. "We're going to be cutting this one really close if you ask me!"

"I've had worse," said Ramona as she continued to fire her weapon. "Although this doesn't rank very far behind..."

Marina silently continued to help Ted by keeping him supplied with ammo as there wasn't much else she could do. She recalled that a couple of Catherine's old war stories were similar to what she was experiencing right now. It didn't help that Catherine said that it was sheer luck that she had survived in those situations either. Then again luck has been on Edy's side a lot. I hope it still is.

…

"Come on, get your asses in gear!" shouted Ty as he urged his troops forward. "This shouldn't take that long!"

"Sir, those turrets are shredding us," replied on of his soldiers. "We aren't going to get far at this rate."

"Grr..." That sorry excuse for a bunker is the only thing standing between us and victory! He took another look at the bunker's position and realized that taking it would not be as easy as he originally thought. The bunker itself rested atop a large trench that spanned a pretty long distance. A straight attack really was the only possible approach, and that wasn't working out all that well. It wouldn't matter in the end. There was no way those Gallian weaklings could keep this up. "Keep advancing! I want that bunker taken!"

…

Twenty minutes had passed and the Imperials were no closer to the bunker than before, giving Edy and the others a bit of hope.

"How's Eratria holding up Homer?" asked Edy as she reloaded her weapon.

"Um, she's doing okay I think," said Homer as he finished bandaging the woman up. "She hasn't said much really."

"I'll be fine," said Eratria as she began to put her uniform top back on. "Hurt's like hell, though. What about you girl? You actually keeping the Imperials at bay?"

Edy finished reloading her weapon before responding. "For now, yeah. As long as the turrets don't give out on us, we should be okay."

"Here's hoping we don't see their Valkyrian general either," added Ramona as she quickly looked out of the bunker space. "Huh? Hey, Sis is it just me or are they're backing off?"

"Yeah they're not advancing anymore," said Ted as he began to reload his turret. "You think they're giving up?"

"Not a chance," snapped Eratria as she finished getting her uniform on. "I know Ty well enough to know he's up to something." She took the Ragnaid capsule that was in Homer's possession and used it on herself. "The only question is what..."

…

"You've got to be kidding me!" growled Ty through his radio. "General Bles is heading this way? What for?"

"Apparently she is displeased with the fact you have taken so much time and still not overrun the Gallians," replied Nonnenkof's voice. "To be honest I'm surprised you haven't myself. You've only got an entire squad of the Empire's best troops with you after all."

"They're being annoying, that's all. They've holed themselves in a bunker and they've got nowhere to go. It's only a matter of time before I overrun them," explained Ty.

"Not anymore," said Nonnenkof. "You are to hold your position until the General gets there. Is that clear?"

"What?! After I'm this close to crushing them, I'm to sit on my ass now?"

"You can try to keep them suppressed but you are to cease advancing on that bunker. Do not make me repeat myself. Understood?"

"Fine," said Ty as he turned to his troops. "Fall back to the edge of the trench! I want all lancers to the front afterwords!"

…

"Hey, hey! They really are falling back!" said Ramona excitedly as she watched the Imperials apparent retreat. "They're giving up!"

"Impossible..." Eratria walked up next to her and looked through her binoculars. "...They're falling back, but they don't seem to be in a big hurry to do so. What is Ty up to?"

A few seconds later, Edy's radio sounded.

"Nelson, can you read me?"

"Captain? Yes I hear you!" said Edy. "Please tell me you have good news for us!"

The long silence that followed was a clear indication that the news was going to be anything but good. "Our reports have confirmed that their Valkyria is headed towards your position. You need to hold your location as long as possible so that Lt. Gunther can take that base!"

"R-roger, Captain," said Edy as she clutched her weapon. "Damnit."

"Well, that explains why they're backing up," said Hector with a sigh. "So now we get to deal with a Valkyria huh? I have to say that's a pretty tall order."

"D-didn't you say you were going to fight her if she showed up Eratria?" asked Nadine.

"Yeah, you did say that," said Ramona as she glared at the woman. "Hope you can back up your words now."

"That was before I got shot numbskull," said Eratria as she angrily brushed a few strands of hair away from her face. "I'd be doing well to fire my weapon with any kind of accuracy as things stand."

"Well, we just have to hope Welkin takes that base soon then," said Edy as she tried to keep everyone calm. "The plan was to get the Valkyria's attention after all."

"Well, now that we have it, what do we do?" asked Ted. "It's going to take one huge crowd-pleaser to pull this one off. I'm just saying."

Marina remained silent but even she had to admit Ted was right. Before she could think anymore on the topic a series of explosions resounded near the front of the bunker.

"What the hell?" asked Ramona. "Are we getting shelled or something?"

"Not by artillery, that's for sure," said Hector as another series or blasts hit the bunker. "Those are Lancer rounds."

"W-we'll be okay right?" asked Nadine. "This is a bunker after all..."

Eratria gave a loud sigh at Nadine's observation. "Sure if this bunker wasn't already have blown to pieces. To be honest I'm amazed this bunker hasn't already collapsed."

Another series of blasts hit the bunker's front side and this time chunks of concrete from the ceiling began to fall down on its occupants.

"Move Ted," said Marina as she nudged him aside and aimed her rifle at the now far away Imperial Lancers. Lancers use blast armor, so maybe I can do something to these guys. Either way I've got to try. She took quick aim at one and pulled the trigger. To her satisfaction, target was struck in the helmet and went down, unmoving. The other Lancers nearby quickly ducked behind the nearest sandbag or corner.

"Not bad Marina!" said Ted as the Sniper began to reload her weapon. "Let's give her some covering fire with the turrets Hector!"

"...Don't," said Marina as she took aim. "They're loud and I can't concentrate on my shots with those going off next to me. If want to help, use your rifle."

"Yeah, sure thing!" said Ted as he grabbed his rifle. "Wanna help Remmy?"

Ramona looked at Ted and nodded. "Sure thing 'Tedster'," she said, using Melville's nickname for him. She went to the opposite side of Marina and began shooting in the direction of the Lancers who were trying to take aim at the bunker.

Marina squeezed off another round and drilled another Lancer. Her accuracy combined with Ted and Ramona continuing to lay suppressing fire had caused the Imperial Lancers to stay in cover.

"I don't believe it..." muttered Eratria. The daughter really is as good as her father was after all. She went to help Ramona and Ted with keeping the Imperials pinned down. She winced after pulling the trigger, her weapon's kickback was clearly causing too much pain on her injury. "Damn it."

""What's up? Can't shoot?" asked Ramona as she watched Eratria duck back under the bunker's opening.

"Injury's too bad for me to use my rifle," said the older woman as she grabbed her abdomen in pain. "I'll reopen my wound if I keep trying to fire it."

Marina fired off another kill shot before looking at the two of them. "Maybe you should let Ramona use it then?"

"Think you can handle it, girl?" asked Eratria.

"O-of course!" said Ramona. "It's just a rifle after all!"

Eratria gave a small chuckle as she traded weapons with the model. "Try not to break a nail little girl."

"...I hate you," fumed Ramona as she grabbed Eratria's weapon. "Hate!" She muttered a few words of choice under her breath as she returned to her previous task. After squeezing the trigger Ramona had to back up a step in surprise from the kickback from the rifle.

"Problem?" asked Eratria as she watched Ramona's reaction with a degree of amusement.

"No!" Ramona huffed as she quickly recovered herself and began to fire the weapon once again- this time properly bracing herself. Her efforts paid off as the Lancer she was firing at knocked back a few steps. Marina took advantage of this and dispatched him with another perfect headshot.

…

"What's so hard about shooting a bunker?!" demanded Ty as he noticed his Lancer units were hesitating behind cover and not shooting at all.

"They've got a sniper holed up in that bunker Sir," said a nearby soldier nervously. "Our lancers can't get a shot off without getting picked off first!"

This is why I wanted you with me Sytreet, Ty thought to himself as he grabbed a nearby lancer's weapon. "I guess I have to do everything myself then." He stepped out and took aim at the bunker... Only to be immediately hit in the helmet by a sniper round. Luckily for him the bullet wasn't able to go through his helmet and he was able to get a shot off that went through the bunker's opening.

"That's how it's done," he said with a satisfied smile as he noticed the bunker's lack of return fire.

…

The inside of the bunker was now filled with smoke and debris and Edy found herself coughing quite a bit before she was able to get her bearings.

"Is everyone okay?" she called out. "Ramona? Homer?"

"Yeah, I'm here," said Ramona as she let out a few coughs.

"I'm okay too," answered Homer as he brushed himself off.

Edy looked around and saw that Ted was helping Marina to her feet and that Hector and Eratria were also returning to their feet. That left only Nadine unaccounted for.

"Hey Nadine where are you?" asked Hector as he tried to spot her through the smoke.

"O-over here," called out a rather weak voice near the back of the bunker. It was indeed Nadine's voice, who was sitting against the rear wall, clutching her midsection.

"Oh, man that looks really bad," said Hector as he knelt down next to her. He saw that she had a large piece of shrapnel lodged in her and was bleeding very badly.

"..." Eratria remained silent as she noted the severity of the injury. She had seen enough of those in the first war and they were almost always fatal.

Nadine grimaced in pain as she tried to move. Compounding the problem was the fact that the Imperials were free to continue to firing Lancer rounds at the bunker.

"That's way beyond my skill," said Homer as he looked over Nadine's injury. "We gotta get her out of here."

"We can't just abandon the bunker though!" said Ted. "Welkin hasn't taken that base yet and if we fall back, it's going to be the end of the show for us all!"

"But she's gunna die if she stays here!" argued Hector. "You can't be serious about letting her die!"

"I..." Edy tried to come up with a decision but an ominous humming sound from outside caught her's and everyone else's attention.

"Uh, Sis, I know you don't want to hear this now," said Ramona as she looked out of the bunker opening. "But their Valkyria just showed up."

"Oh, crap what do we do now?" asked Ted as he looked outside.

"Maybe Welkin is close to capturing the base," said Edy as she turned her radio on. "Welkin, the Imperial Valkyria is at the bunker now! Pleeeease tell me you've captured the target point!"

"We've almost got it Edy," replied Welkin. "Just hold out a little longer if you can. Keep that Valkyria's attention away from us as long as possible!"

"Okay Welkin! I'll do what I can here!" replied Edy. "Hector, you and Eratria get Nadine out of here! Everyone else, get ready for the show of the century!"

Hector nodded and picked up Nadine, careful not to make her injury any worse. Eratria followed behind, clutching her own injury with one hand and Ramona's rifle with the other. "Don't lose that girl!" she said to the model as she left with Hector.

"Well, now what? asked Ramona. "Got any Valkyria busting strategies Sis?"

"Um, not really?" Edy admitted as she manned one of the turrets. "We just gotta get her to stay focused on her for a little while. After that, well, let's hope we can run really fast."

"Well it's better than no plan," said Marina. "Let's-" Before she could say anything else, a loud and powerful energy blast smashed into the bunker, knocking everyone off their feet while the ceiling began to collapse even more.

"We gotta slow her down!" said Edy as she got back to her feet, and back on the turret not caring about the cement chunks stuck in her hair.

Ted manned the other turret and began firing upon Selvaria who was slowly advancing up the trench towards them. Every shot seemed to be pulled toward her shield and deflected away upon hitting it. Marina lined up a shot at the woman's head but the bullet that was fired also was pulled towards the shield and deflected away harmlessly.

"Aw that's so not fair!" cried Ramona as she fired at Selvaria with the same results at the others. "Rrr this is no good!"

Compounding the problem was the fact that there was a large number of Imperials advancing directly behind the Valkyria.

"Cmon, something's gotta work!" growled Edy as she kept firing upon Selvaria, with no change in results.

"Oh, crap she's charging up again!" said Ted as he watched Selvaria crouch down and power up her lance.

"Edy..." Marina trailed as she fired in vain to stop Selvaria.

"Get down guys!" shouted Edy as she turned towards the group. "She's-" She didn't finish her sentence as she saw a large blue blast of energy fire from the Valkyria's lance and stream straight at her.