Ranger24: Hey folks, back again with another update.
Chapter 4: Digging up the past.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
10 kilometers from USC base camp in Nagasaki, Dragon Fire flight DF-59/DF-67 Okinawa Task Force.
Leutinant Shirley Fenette couldn't help but feel antsy as she scanned the sky ahead of her Dragonfire Transport Variant. She had joined up with air corps a few weeks after the raid on Tokyo that had ruined her former peaceful life.
In that one day alone more she'd nearly lost her sanity from the amount of grief she'd had forced on her. First she'd found out her mother had been one of the dozens of civilians caught in the crossfire of the Locust attack. She was at that point Seventeen and parent less. Then to add to her woe's she found out a... friend of her's Lelouch Lamprouge had been arrest on charges of cowardice and desertion. To add to the sting the reveal of Lelouch being the infamous terrorist Zero and the indirect murderer of her father.
After all that she'd needed to get away. She signed up for flight training and in a few months was flying VTOL's supporting ground operations.
Now her she was with her Co pilot Warrent Officer Jack Fullson hanging around on the outskirts of a Locust controlled city with only one escort Gunship backing her up. Her Dragon Fire was armed only with a forward 30mm cannon on the nose and the two side gunners on 50 caliber machine guns.
The Two gunners, Private Jason Strass and Sergeant Saji Otonashi both of the regular army, were doing what two ground pounders stuck pulling gunner duty always seemed to do bicker endlessly about pointless crap.
"Look I'm just saying that it sounded like a load of bullshit," Jason stated tersely.
"And I'm telling you it's totally possible the guy took out a whole platoon of Locust by himself," Saji shot back.
Shirley shook her head in annoyance.
"Control this is DF-59 any word from the ground teams?" Shirley asked.
"Negative," the now familiar to Shirley voice of Euphemia li Britannia. "We're trying to get through to them but comms are still down for them."
"They're probably dead," Jack muttered in a bored tone.
"Oh well you're a real spot of sun shine," Shirley growled.
"Whatever," Jack replied in the same tone.
Saxon Team, Nagasaki Green house.
The squad made it's way through the gardens occasionally pulling open the collar's of their uniforms to let some air in. The silence was more discomforting than the gunfire of a few moments ago had been. More than once they were forced to use their chain swords to make or widen existing paths.
Then someway ahead a squelching squish like sound came to their ears. They came out on an moderately over grown courtyard and saw a massive plant like creature sitting in the middle with it's head sticking into the ground. Tamaki pulled the hadron targeting unit off his back.
"Okay just give me a second..." He muttered pulling back on the trigger.
Suddenly locust came charging in from another path! Tamaki dove for cover just barely in time to avoid getting shot. Everyone else took cover returning fire on the locust who took cover of their own. Tamaki gritted his teeth.
"Give me cover I'll take them out!" He shouted.
He pushed the targeting unit and fired on the Seeder. For a few seconds there was nothing, then a massive red beam came streaming down from above! The Seeder gave a shreik of agony as it was incenerated before it turned into a foul smelling pile of organs. Tamaki then brought the beam along onto the Locust's position. The locust tried to flee but they were obliterated by the blast.
Everyone stood up and moved from cover. Calares pressed down on his mike.
"Command this is Saxon do you read?" He asked.
"Sax-(STATIC) say again (STATIC) not (STATIC) thr-(STATIC) clearly." Euphemia's voice said chopped up and distorted by interference.
Tamaki sighed. "Hey moron I said Seeders in the plural there's at least one more in here."
"Well where is the last one?" Lelouch asked.
"Well if you'd follow me I'll show you," Tamaki muttered.
They continued on weapons ready. After some time they came upon the sound of another Seeder. This one was in a large atrium near what appeared to be the exit from the gardens this one already guarded by a locust fire team. Tamaki smirked raising the target unit.
"Okay here's the last one of these ugly bastards." Tamaki growled.
"Grenades people." Calares whispered.
Rivalz pulled out a pair of grenades and began spinning around one of the grenades.
"Okay one second." Tamaki muttered.
Then the hadron came down! Rivalz chucked in his first grenade and then hurled the second into the atrium. The explosion that followed destroyed all four locust and the Seeder was almost vaporized by the hadron blast. Lelouch and the rest of the squad ducked down just to feel the intense heat flash over their heads.
They stood up to find a massive crater in the room. Calares pressed down on his boom mike.
"Command this is Saxon one, do you read?" Calares asked.
"Rodger that Saxon one you're coming through clearly now Colonel." Euphemia said in a relieved voice.
"Can you get in contact with those black knights yet?" Calares asked.
"One second. . ." Euphemia replied.
Then Kallen's voice cut in surrounded by gun fire. "Is anyone out there? We're pinned down by the Mausoleum and need assistance!"
"Kallen that you? Damn good to here from you!" Tamaki said pressing down on his own mike.
"Tamaki where the hell are you and where's Goki?" Kallen asked.
"Goki's KIA, I've linked up with some Britannian troops." Tamaki replied.
"Hold your position we're on our way." Calares stated.
"Well move your ass! We're practically throwing rocks at the enemy!" Kallen said.
"Hey Kallen I got a suprise for you! Stay alive and you'll get to see!" Tamaki said grinning at Lelouch.
"Tamaki what the hell are you talking about?" Kallen growled.
"You'll see." Tamaki said switching off his mike.
"Merlin how far are we from the Mausoleum?" Suzaku asked.
"Well by my map of the city before it fell to the Locust we're several blocks away. The fastest method would be to cut through the City government center." Merlin stated. "There is a balcony above the street overlooking the Mausoleum that is the most likely spot for the Locust to have set up machine gun's and snipers."
"Command can you confirm this?" Calares asked.
"Yes, satellite images, show several Troika's on that ledge but we can't get a clear look at the actual combat due to the number of Nemycasts. We can't risk sending in pick up until you've eliminated those Nemycasts." Euphemia stated.
"Understood command, Saxon out." Calares said.
"We'd best get moving if we're going to get to them in time." Lelouch stated.
"That's an obvious Lieutenant." Calares said.
They made their way to the main entrance and forced it open. The moment they did however machine gun fire slashed across the door way! The locust had two Troika's right outside the door on the steps to the government center. Tamaki raised his hadron targeter.
"I got these bastards!" He shouted pointing at the weapon on the First Troika.
Then a round struck him on the shoulder and he fell back with a curse! The targeting unit clattered to the floor next to Lelouch. Tamaki clutched at his shoulder, the shoulder pad had been damaged and penetrated to some degree, blood dripped from the wound. Suzaku grabbed Tamaki by the legs and pulled him safely behind cover just in time to avoid losing a limb or two.
"Leutinant Lamperouge, use the targeting unit and eliminate those troika's!" Calares shouted as Suzaku ripped off Tamaki's damaged shoulder plate and began to bandage up Tamaki's wound.
"Understood," Lelouch replied, snatching up the targeting unit and squeezing back on the trigger as he brought it back on the Troika.
Calares, Rivalz, and Young opened fire on the Troika's with their weapons, but the bullets merely bounced off the armored plates in front of the gunners. Then like a blow from god himself the hadron blast came down and in less than a second vaporized the troika and it's gunner. The second gunner realizing his danger tried to abadone his weapon only to be ripped to shreds by Calares, Rivalz, and Young.
"Move up!" Calares shouted and they rushed across the street Lelouch tossing Tamaki the targeting unit.
"Are you alright?" He asked as they reached the large bullet riddled oak doors of the government center.
Tamaki nodded. "I'll live sir."
Calares kicked open the doors to the government center. They rushed inside securing the Lobby quickly, no contacts.
Calares pulled out his chain sword, slinging his rifle on his back. "Stay alert and use cover, this could get seriously close quarters.
"Saxon, this command I'm transmitting the Government center's blue prints to Merlin, he can guide you through." Euphemia stated.
"Rodger that Command." Calares said as Merlin floated forward.
"Okay then follow me." Merlin stated zooming up a set of stairs, the rest of the team following close behind. They passed dozens of empty court rooms and offices. For Lelouch it was going down memory lane. The halls were filled with over turned marble pillars and shattered vases. Dropped peices of garbage littered the floor as did small skulls of rats. Calares looked at the fiflth and shook his head in disgust.
"These monsters have no respect for anything created by man, this place was once great. A lot of history made here." Calares sad sadly.
"Yeah and a lot of lies to." Lelouch muttered.
It had been here that Lelouch's trial had been conducted by Cornelia after he had been revealed as Zero. She had felt that in the Tokyo settlement the black knights might attempt an assault to rescue Lelouch, thus she'd moved the trail location to Nagasaki. In one of these court rooms Lelouch had faced the judgement of his vengefull half sister.
"You've got some nerve punk," Calares growled. "I heard all about your trial, I personally feel Princess Corneila was right in her sentencing of you. Though I wish she'd given you the death penalty instead of forty years."
"Why you little...!" Tamaki started to say raising his rifle but Suzaku cut him off.
"His trial was a farce to begin with sir. Lelouch may have been Zero and perhaps he does deserve to be punished for his crimes but he has the will of more than sixty percent of the population of area eleven behind him." Suzaku replied.
Lelouch gave a half smile. Suzaku had been the most surprising witness for the defense. He'd told the court everything about Nunnaly's impairments and staunchly defend Lelouch. Then when Lelouch had revealed himself as Zero Suzaku had gone queit. His testimony in the trial however was enough to get him demoted to a Leutinant.
"A terrorist is a terrorist. I thought even you would realize that as Princess Euphemia's knight." Calares replied curtly.
"Look let's just focus on the mission." Lelouch muttered as they began to climb another flight of steps.
Calares seemed to be about to say something else but thought better of it. Rivalz merely continued to glare at Lelouch.
Suddenly from the top of the stairs came a hissing sound. Everyone looked up to see a dozen wretches come charging down the stairs at them spittle flying from their mouths! Calares gave a yell and charged in with his chain sword going! Lelouch, Tamaki, and Young opened up with their rifles as Suzaku joined Calares in the Melee and Rivalz sent out a single shot gun shell blasting down two Wretchs in one shot.
Blood stained the stairs as each wretch fell to either bullets, buck shot, or Calares and Suzaku's chain swords. When the last Wretch fell dead they rushed up the stairs as two Locust Drone's came down with shot guns of their own. Tamaki managed to pull of a head shot with his MA55 downing one while Lelouch struck the second in the chest with multipile bullets. The Locust stumbled forward and came crashing down the steps with the crunching of heavy bones.
Lelouch picked up the drone's fallen shot gun and slung it over his shoulder. Rivalz merely collected several fresh rounds for his own shot gun, still glaring at Lelouch.
"We've only got a little farther before we reach the Balcony, from the Balcony there appears to be a service stair that leads down to the street." Merlin stated as they reached the top of the stairs.
They continued on in silence eyes darting to every doorway for any sign of hostiles. However there were no locust engaging them in combat yet. It gave Lelouch an uncomfortable feeling whenever they passed a door that appeared to have just had it's room looted by thieves.
Then at last they heard the unmistakable sound of several Troika's firing at once. Knowing that their objective was now tantalizingly close they rushed forward checking their guns quickly eager to join up with the near by black knights and get out of this nightmare.
They rushed out onto the baloney that was lined with at least a dozen locust regulars, four locust's wielding S3-97 AM "Alamo" Sniper rifles, and three Troika's. Team Saxon opened fire instantly guns blazing. Lelouch and Rivalz shot guns bucked violently as the gunned down the machine gunners. Tamaki, Calares, Suzaku, and Young unleashed a vicious spray of rifle rounds on the snipers and drones! The locust warriors were shredded to pieces by this violent assault from behind.
The moment the last Locust feel they rushed to the balcony railing. Below them in the street dozen's of Locust were firing on the Marble pillar lined entrance to the Mausoleum. Above them was a massive swarm of Nemycasts keeping a silent and eerie vigil over the battle below. Calares hit down on his mike.
"Command we've reached the balcony we are beginning to support freindlies!" Calares shouted as Tamaki took aim with his Hadron Targeter. Rivalz shoved aside the bloody sack of flesh that had been the gunner of the Troika he was now commendering.
"Understood Saxon, we can't send any assistance to you until the sky is cleared of Nemycasts and the ground is clear of drones." Euphemia reported.
"Rodger that command." Calares replied before yanking back on the charging stick of his MA55. Lelouch hopped on one of the Troika's and Suzaku picked up a fallen Alamo rifle. Young merely sighted down the scope of his MA55.
"You heard her majesty! We don't get to leave until all of the grubs are dead! OPEN FIRE!" Calares shouted before unleashing a spray of bullets from his rifle. Lelouch and Rivalz took aim at the Nemycasts in the sky and opened up. Nemycasts were easy to blow up with enough fire power and two troika's was over kill. Nemycasts burst like balloons as 20mm rounds ripped them apart. Suzaku focused in on high accuracy kills against the locust that had superior cover to the black knights trapped inside the mausoleum. With the first crack of his rifle a Locust fell dead with a missing head.
Tamaki's Hadron targeting unit finally pegged off it's target and down came the devastating beam of fire. It burned clean through the near by Nemycasts and obliterated a troika on the ground, killing the gunner. Several Locust turned to open fire on the forces now pinning them down but Calares and Young's rifle fire kept them back.
Then from within the tomb came a sudden spray of gun fire. The surviving black knights were finally in a position to counter attack and they did so with everything they had left. The locust were now caught on both sides from above. In a matter of seconds the number of locust dropped to half a dozen, then a pair of drones, then finally the last drone fell dead with a missing head.
Lelouch eased off the triggers of his Troika and breathed a sigh of relief. Calares pressed down on his boom mike as the smoke from the gunfire cleared.
"Command, this is Saxon one area secured." Calares reported.
"Rodger that Saxon one, Dragon-Fire's on route." Euphemia replied in a relieved tone.
"Alright let's get the hell out of here!" Tamaki said in gleeful tones.
Lelouch sighed and picked up his shot gun. Something in his gut told him things were about to go horribly wrong.
Ranger24: Okay thats the chapter. Once more tech reel time!
Human gear:
S3-97 AM "Alamo" Sniper rifle: A Britannain made sniper rifle with a six round magazine, this rifle has a night vision and infared setting. It's high explosive fin stabalized AP rounds can rip through up to four meter of flesh and bone.
Locust gear:
Berserker: A berserker is a blind female locust that is impervious to most small arms fire. These deadly creatures are a threat to even knightmare frames.
Ranger24: Okay next chapter should be ready by Wensday. Until then, read and review!