Chapter 4
"Pillars preserve me, Pillars preserve me…" Cyran was a humble Batarian. Like most of his kind his skin tone was a mixture of yellow and green. He originated from the Khar'shan's capital city Narifa. He worked hard for many years to achieve the position of Major in the Batarian Hegemony army. Thanks to his efforts he and his family were able to move to the higher circle of the city, reserved for the Star caste. He was a veteran of many campaigns, ranging from quelling slave rebellions to enslaving whole pre-space flight species. He had seen death and destructing many times, but never something like the things those aliens pulled off.
The moment they got to close to their orbit the carnage started. Their anti-space craft weapons looked like reverse thunder, flying up from the ground. But the worst part was that it somehow ignored their shields and utterly decimated their ships….a few in one singular shot. Something that only a Turian Dreadnought could achieve, and that was when they targeted frigates, not cruisers.
He looked through the window and saw another few ships ripped apart by those weapons. Luckily their Captain was a shrewd man, and instantly ordered a change in course.
Initially the plan was to descend above the main city and take it in one swift strike. It was calculated that it would minimize the loss of the alien population and their army troops.
But it looked like the aliens had a few objections to that strategy, and made it abundantly clear that they wouldn't go down without a fight.
He and his squad were waiting for the ship to descend and land, so they could bring the tanks and armored vehicle out.
The view behind the screen started to obscure with flame, meaning that they had entered the atmosphere. The ships started to tremble, but it was nothing violent or unexpected.
He once more thanked the pillars that he wasn't the one that went in on the first drop pods and ships. He could only imagine what it would've been like when the aliens started shooting their AA guns, and then striking down the first Batarians that set foot on their home.
The survival rate of drop troops usually oscillated around 35%, but seeing what was going on here, he believed that it would hit a new record low.
BOOOM!
The whole ship shook violently, throwing Cyran to the ground as well the rest of the remaining crew.
"Pillars preserve me.." He continued his mantra. If they were still alive it mean that either a ship close to them exploded, or the shot grazed them.
He heard the siren indicating that the drop pods were out, along with a swarm of drop ships. The bulky drop ships looked like flying rectangles and had one purpose. To pack as many troops as possible for minimal cost. Which meant thin hulls and the worst grade shields.
'Poor bastards.' Cyran thought, as he witnessed one being ripped apart by alien's AA guns.
His musings were interrupted by the ship's Captain.
"Attention all crew. I've changed the designated landing area from the city's outskirts to the shoreline, about fifty kilometers west of the city. So you will have a march ahead of you." His voice sounded through the comm. "All troops move to the hangar bay and get ready for disembark. May the pillars grant you strength."
Cyran followed the order, and got into the lift with the other soldiers and headed to the hangar deck. Down there was his pride and joy.
The BA 85 Heavy Tank. They had only ten on this ship.
It was the newest model, straight out of the Batarian State Arms factory. The thirty-five ton hovering tank was equipped with a powerful shield generator, mass effect cannon, and a side turrets. The tank was painted a green camouflage pattern.
The tank was the pinnacle of the Batarian War Doctrine. Hold until you're done and get away. It meant that it could withstand fire for prolonged amounts of time, yet if trouble arrived it allowed the crew to leave the battlefield in a short time. The crew consisted of three members, driver, gunmen and navigator.
Cyran was responsible for operating the cannon and guns on his tank. As a Major he lead a squadron of fifty tanks. Currently in the hangar bay were two hundred tanks, plus a few dozens mobile artillery vehicles.
The whole hangar was a buzzing nest of activity, with technicians running from machine to machine doing last minute checkups.
"Attention all troops we'll begin disembarking in five minutes. I repeat we began disembarking in five minutes!"
Cyran hopped inside his tank, and took his seat.
"Ready guys?" He asked his comrades.
"Aye sir, we'll show these aliens what Batarian armor is made of!" Nalek, his over-excited driver boasted while rubbing his hands.
"Pipe down, the fight hasn't even started yet." Orak, the navigator, rolled his eyes.
"Yeah yeah, I call dibs on first alien female we catch!" Nalek grinned, starting the engine. "Rumor goes that they looks like Asari, those hoomans."
"Humans, I believe." Cyran corrected him. "Now enough chatter, squad do you copy?"
A choir of voices answered him.
"Be ready for anything boys. You have seen what these bastards did to the other ships, they may be primitive but their weapons pack a punch, so no idiotic charges, that's an order!"
Suddenly a siren wailed loudly though the hangar, and the hatches opened. The tanks started to drive out of the ships straight onto the sandy shore. It was quite a wide beach with flat terrain going for few hundred meters. Beyond the sand was about thigh high grass, beyond that the thick jungle started.
The ship was hovering about five meters above the ground, but this wasn't a problem for the vehicles. Thanks to the anti-gravity field it allowed them to gracefully descent to the ground.
Looking thought the cameras Cyran had seen a few dozen drop ships and pods around, with soldiers making their makeshift base.
The ships he came with were the only one there too. Dozens of them lined up along the shore, deploying their troops and equipment.
For now everything was going smoothly, but the columns of smoke on the horizon indicated that they were one of few lucky ones to have their landing soft…
"Who the fuck pissed their pants?!" A Batarian Sergeant roared. "I swear I'll break the neck of the little fucker!"
The unfortunate soldiers of in the drop ships were tightly packed like sardines. The ship shook violently as the pilot tried to avoid being blown to bits.
"You dirt caste scum have no pride as the Batarians! You're no better than slaves! This is your opportunity to prove that you are of use to the Batarian Hegemony!"
Kilan gripped his rife tightly. He was a member of the lowest caste in the Batarian society. The "Dirt" Caste, as the major so eloquently put it, was truly named Earth caste. The unfortunne , poor, and all outcasts belonged to there. It was a hellish life, and the fastest way to get out of it was to get conscripted into the army.
Initially it seemed like a good idea, but now Kilan believed that he wasn't right in his mind when he sighed those papers.
Kilan's only distinctive feature, which differed him from other Batarians, were his stripes. They went horizontally through his head. It was said that those that possessed them had noble blood….
'What a fucking joke.' He thought bitterly. He looked around and saw the miserable company he was in. Most were unlucky Batarians, like himself, but there were also the slave-warriors. The unfortunate Turians, Salarians, Asari, and Drell with shock/explosive collars around their necks, all looked as anxious as he.
The whole deck reeked of piss. Add to that the variety of races, the stench was unbearable.
Suddenly a loud clattering noise was heard, and in instant Kilan's face was splashed with brain matter of the Batarian standing in front of him.
A few shots got through the crappy shield and thin hull, killing at a least dozen of soliders, causing the rest to scream in terror.
"Be silent you cowards!" The Sergeant roared. Not a second later the ship shook violently, and everyone could feel it descending quickly.
"Major our left engine is damaged, we're losing altitude!" The pilot shouted, trying to control the machine but failing. The cheap piece of metal was falling apart. "Everyone brace for impact!"
Not a minute later the ship hit solid ground with a mighty thud, sending all passengers flying in various directions.
The hull bent and broke as the trees and branches broke through it, even killing more soldiers through impaling. Not to mention that apparently the ship was burning, if the smoke inside was any indication.
But Kilan missed this part, as he was already unconscious from the initial impact.
Some more resourceful of them ran to the hatches and opened them, before they could suffocate to death. The moment the large doors fell open a mass of bodies flooded out of the ship, thanking whatever entity for surviving the landing.
Luckily for Kilan he was landed near the exit, and was simply pushed out of the ship, but somehow not stomped to death. He hit the ground and managed to regain consciousness.
Looked around and he saw the burning and broken trees, lots of smoke and silhouettes moving in it. His head felt it was about to explode from the persistent ringing.
"On your legs you miserable bunch! We need to rendezvous with the other groups!" The Sergeant shouted.
"But sir they are wounded inside the ship!" Some Asari yelled.
"Don't talk back to me you slave trash! And leave those weaklings behind, they're of no use to us!" He yelled, pointing his gun at the Asari. "Any other stupid comments!"
No one dared to say anything.
"Now move!" He snapped and started marching into the jungle with about forty people following him.
'The ships can take up to seventy.' Kilan thought as he tried to tune out the cries for help coming from the ship. He picked up his old Terminator rifle he was given and followed the crowd.
They hadn't gotten more than a hundred meters from the ship before it exploded, ending the lives of the unfortunate wounded ones.
He prayed silently for their souls and continued forward. Despite it being this planet's morning the sky was rather dark, but it was nothing that two pairs of eyes couldn't handle.
Being the only species that had four eyes, Batarians had the widest range of sight out of all the races. Their periphery was around 280 degrees. The only close ones were Krogan with 240. Also being the predator species of their worlds, Batarian eyes were extraordinary sharp, second only to Turians.
Thanks to that the Sergeant spotted the ambush…
"AMBUSH!" He managed to scream, and instantly hid behind the nearest tree. The greenhorns lacked the necessary skills to not freeze. A few dead bodies later they realized that standing without cover, under a hail of bullets, wasn't the smartest idea. Also not having shields, but those were reserved for true soldiers not cannon fodder.
They chaotically ducked behind trees with bullets whizzing all around them.
Kilan felt his heart about to burst out of his chest. He was gripping his rifle tightly and pressed himself to the tree willing himself to be invisible.
Kilan noticed that he was sharing his hiding place with a Turian. The turning peaked around the tree and aimed his Lightning Strike sniper rifle, and fired. Kilan could see the satisfied look on his face…before he was hit and his head exploded in shower of gore and blue blood.
'Note to self, don't be smug about kills.' He thought.
"Gyaaa!" He heard screaming to the left. His head snapped to the side, and he saw the Asari that spoke to the Sergeant before on the ground pinned by an alien solider.
He or she was about to gut the poor Asari with a knife, only a small biotic field between the Asari's hands were keeping the knife away from her throat.
The solider on her was wearing some sort of combat armor, painted in green camouflage patters, allowing them to merge with their surroundings. The most characteristic thing were the blue eyes glowing with a cold emotionless light.
The Asari struggled desperately, but felt her biotic powers growing weaker. She looked to the side and saw a Batarian staring at her.
"Please help me!" She begged. Her cry seemed to wake him up from his stupor, and he took aim at the alien pinning her. She closed her eyes praying to the goddess to grant him a steady hand.
Kilan's rifle barked and the microscopic shards of metal flew out it's barrel, at incredible speed.
The alien solider hadn't stood a chance, as the barrage of shards pierced his body. Their body went limp and fell on the Asari, lifeless.
The Asari let out a relieved breath, and pushed the corpse off her. Then she created small biotic barrier and crawled towards where Kilan was.
A few bullets bounced off her Barrier, but she managed to keep it all away.
"Thanks for help." She breathed as the wall of wood separated her from the fire. "Names Ilana, Ilana D'Tori."
"Kilan." He replied. Now that he got a closer look at her, he noticed that she was rather more purple than blue. "So do you have any plan how to survive this?" He asked.
"I thought you did!? That's why I came here!" She yelled in desperation.
Before she managed to say anything more booming laughter shot through the battlefield, followed by screams that sounded distinctly like Asari, but more rough and synthesizes.
The duo dared to peak from behind a tree, only to have one thought to cross their mind.
They never believed that they would be happy to see a Krogan, especially a Battlemaster.
The alien soldiers seemed as surprised as they were at the appearance of the intimidating figure, donned in red battle armor.
They held their fire for a second, and that was all the Krogan needed. Glowing blue he made a long jump, and crashed into one of the soldiers, breaking him in the process with a nasty crunch.
The aliens woke from their stupor and pointed their guns at him, but they were cut down by the fire coming from their left side.
Kilan, with relief, saw their reinforcements coming. Obviously not the regular Batarian army, but the mercs, nevertheless they were on their side.
The greenhorns seeing that the cavalry arrived, decided to join in, and in few minutes the fire fight ceased with all aliens dead. The whole place was now littered with dead bodies. More belonged to the invaders. Kilan could count ten bodies of the aliens, and over twenty belonging to their group.
'At that pace we won't even reach the damn city.' He thought dryly.
After they confirmed that all hostiles were neutralized, the two groups faced each other. One clean, well equipped and professional, the other the very incarnation of misery.
Wrex looked at the bunch, eying every one of the nineteen souls with his crimson eyes.
"I'm Urdnot Wrex, who's your leader?" He asked. The recruits looked around for the Sergeant …
"Kilan what the hell are you doing?" Ilana asked when she saw him near the Sergeant's corpse. He had a clean head shot, maybe if he was wearing a helmet he would've survived.
"Hm? Just taking his armor since this dick won't need it. It's Heavy Partisan Armor, in good condition too, so I'm taking it." He said pulling a chest plate off the fallen officer. "Oh?...Ilana catch!" He threw an object towards her.
She stumbled while catching it, the object slipping from her hand and falling to the ground. She glared at Kilan, who was still looting the corpse, then picked it up.
"What the hell is this?" She narrowed her eyes.
"The key to your collar. The Sergeant had it on him." He replied casually, as he started to put the armor on. That was until a shadow loomed over him. He looked up and saw the Krogan staring at him.
He managed to not wet his pants.
"That was your commanding officer?" He pointed at the corpse.
"Yes, sir." He squeaked.
"And you have absolutely no qualms about looting his corpse, do you?" Wrex leaned closer.
"N-No sir. He was a Major Asshole, so no not at all." Kilan felt he was digging his own, very shallow grave.
"HA! I like your style kid…Kilan was it?" Wrex gave him a pat on a shoulder, which almost broke it. "Suit up then, you're going with us now, all of you. It's always good to have more bodies between you and the enemy." He remarked silently, so only Kilan could hear it.
"And if we don't?" One of the, recently, collar free Turan asked in defiance.
"Let me put it this way then, you will be alone on a colony of pissed off aliens without any help, or support, with your shitty gun you little pyjack. Oh and that will be after you survive me shooting you." He caressed his Graal Spike Thrower. The Turian wisely shut up.
"Wait a second…" Kilan narrowed his four eyes at Wrex. "Did you just say colony? I thought that this was the alien's home world?"
"Listen kiddo, I've been in thousands of battles, on hundreds planets, and trust me this in no home world. It's a wonder that this idiot Admiral of ours still hasn't realized it. There are no roads here, and there are way too few cities. Even here, just about forty kilometers from what seemed to be main city, this jungle if way too wild, unsoiled by civilization….What we discovered it just a colony." Wrex explained in a sagely tone.
"Oi stop yapping Wrex, and let's get moving already." Aleena shouted. "We don't know if there's more of them here."
"Yeah, yeah coming. Gear up kid, we're leaving in five." He said walking towards the Asari.
"Thanks Kilan." Ilana said cracking her neck. "That collar was way too uncomfortable."
"No problem. Well I'm done." He said pulling a helmet out. "The idiot had all along…" He shook his head.
They moved towards the group where the Krogan was standing, when suddenly one of the merc's Turians drew their attention.
"Hey boss we've got one still breathing here!" And indeed one of the alien soldiers was sitting against a tree, trying to take off their helmet.
The gathered surrounded the alien and watched as they managed to unstrap their helmet. With a low hiss the alien took it off, surprising many. Because only few of them had ever seen a human face.
Kilan's eyes instantly went to Ilena's face. While the resemblance was astonishing, the alien looked…male.
His face was broader and more rough. He had white fur growing on his head, and along his jaw and mouth. Or rather Kilan assumed that the fur was white on the chin, since it was covered by red blood oozing from his mouth. His face was also covered in scars and wrinkles, another common trait with Asari. The aliens skin was brown-ish.
'They have the same blood color as us.' He noticed. The man couched more blood, and started to rummage through his numerous pockets. Instantly dozens guns were pointed at him.
But it seemed that the alien hadn't cared. He pulled out a box and flicked it open. He moved it to his mouth, and pulled a white short stick out of it. He dropped the box and pulled another small object out of his pocket.
He clicked it, and a small fire appeared flickered to life. He lit the stick and inhaled, puffing a cloud of smoke out of his mouth.
"Well what do you know, they have cigarettes too." Wrex commented, putting his gun down. "Mind if I have some?" He asked.
The dying alien looked at him shocked to the point he choked on smoke.
"You know our language?" He asked.
"Yup, got it on my translator." By Admiral's orders they were updated with the human's language, and it was sent to all ships. All those who had translators, namely everyone could now understand the human speech. "So mind telling me something about this colony?"
"It's not a colony, it's our home world." The human replied instantly.
"Listen here, I know it's a load of bull, so tell me all you know, or I'll.." He waved his gun threateningly.
The alien burst out laughing, which soon turned into a violent cough. An ungodly amount of blood coming from his mouth.
"Do what?", kill me?" He choked, visibly amused and giving Wrex a nasty bloody grin. "You don't even know who you're fucking with…" He looked around the gathered. "You'll never leave this planet...it will be your grave hehehe." He chuckled darkly, sending shivers down the greenhorn's spines. The rest of mercs were unimpressed. They dealt with dying threats millions of times before.
"Pssh please. We smashed through your defenses easily." Aleena said. Wrex glared at her. Loosing almost two hundred vessels to defeat a space station, and around thirty ships wasn't easy in his books.
As if to prove his thoughts the alien's grin widened.
"You ain't seen nothing yet….we'll devour you….and destroy everything and everyone you care for…" The alien's time was growing short. "Just like we do ….to ourselves…" His head hung limply, leaving the group in an ominous silence.
Suddenly Wrex burst out laughing. It was a loud and passionate laugh, one he hadn't had in centuries.
"What's so funny, Wrex?" Aleena asked.
"Those aliens have quads Aleena! Heh heh heh, I can feel it in my bones! This battle will be glorious!" He roared, blood coursing through his veins, like when he was taking his rite of passage.
"A river of blood will be spilt!"
That comment sent a shiver down everyone's spines. When a Krogan Battlemaster was uttering such words, blood WOULD be flowing in rivers….
Shanxi Wildness, near New Wien
Hannah was less then pleased. Her initial plan to get to New Wien was shot to hell after the first kilometer. The rookies weren't used to walking through this kind of terrain, with so much equipment on their backs, and in darkness. Even the night visors helped little since the thick crown of the trees let very little light in, hampering the devices.
They managed to get through just seven kilometers by dawn, she expected twice as much. Then the situation complicated even further when the aliens started to attack.
She along with Rick and Michelle climbed a tree and looked at the sky with their mouths agape behind their helmets.
The whole sky was filled with ships…and none belonged to any human faction they could think of.
They witnessed as the Arc Towers ripping ships apart with its thunder-like beam, making quite beautiful explosions in the sky. Yet they all had one thing on their minds.
Who the hell sends ships to descent directly above an enemy's town?
Apparently the aliens realized that it was stupid idea too, and all of them started to divert their course away from the city.
Yet even with such losses it looked like they had an endless supply of ships. That put some dread into the three humans' hearts. Even more when the alien crafts started to spit drop pods and drop ships like crazy.
Of course aside from the Arc Towers, humans also deployed conventional AA defenses and atmosphere jets, but it was like throwing rocks into water.
The colony was prepared to deflect a pirate raid that somehow got through the SD Station and fleet, but not a full-scale planetary invasion.
The human air forces were hopelessly out numbered. The aliens sent their jets out too, hampering the ability to shoot the landing soldiers down.
Hannah, Rick, and Michelle got down from the trees, and started to discuss the situation.
"We need to pick up the pace." Hannah stated. "Otherwise we're toast."
"You saw the men they're exhausted, hell I'm tired too." Rick said taking off his helmet. "We're not prepared to fight in the jungle. Hell that's what we were supposed to be learning right now."
"Suck it up Rick, we're going to learn in real combat then." Michelle said, albeit it was obvious that she was fronting.
"We don't have a choice. We need to reach the city as soon as possible. This jungle will be soon overrun by aliens, and Vektan's can only hold them off for so long." Hannah said crossing her arms. "You two go scout ahead, the group will follow you in twenty minutes. Contact me every half hour."
They snapped a salute and drove deeper into the jungle.
Hannah turned her attention back to her men. Even from behind their masks she could feel their fear. While they looked like fearless Helghast soldiers, they were only a bunch of kids thrown into a fight no one ever prepared them for.
Even she wasn't prepared for something like this, but at the least she had real combat experience. She fought with terrorist groups, pirates, and rebels, through dozen's planets and systems, and had certain habits that helped her to survive.
But her men, were greenhorns, newbies, and they would die facing odds like that. Hannah felt her heart clenched painfully. She was often told that she was getting too close to the recruits, despite her best attempts not to.
She gathered her courage and straightened. She was their commander, and she needed to stay strong for their sake.
"Everyone!" She drew their attention. "Come here for a minute, I don't want to shout." Her subordinates walked up to her. "Take off your helmets." Years of drill made them follow that order without hesitation.
"Listen up. I know this is not what you signed up for, hell this isn't what I signed up for either." She admitted, drawing quiet chuckles from them. "But we're here, and now nothing will change it. No amount of whining and cursing will change that we'll facing the first alien invasion ever. This thing alone will get into history books forever….but what will follow it entirely up to us!" She raised her voice. "So do you want to be remembered as sore losers that folded before these damn invaders!"
"No." They replied, but without much spirit.
"Do you want to have them trample over our plants and cities?! To kill our families and destroy our homes?!"
"No!" This time the reply was more lively.
'Just a bit more.' Hannah thought. "Do you want to live with yourselves, knowing that you're a bunch of spineless cowards, cowering in fear!?"
"NO!" This time their roar sounded through the jungle.
"Well then gear up ladies!" Hannah put her helmet on. "We'll march into New Wien, and we ALL be there! Then we'll kick those bastards off our planet!"
"YES MA'AM!"
Hannah smirked, she just earned fifteen kilometers of unbroken marching.
Meanwhile Rick and Michelle moved carefully through the jungle, listening to every sound.
They could hear ships flying above their position, sadly only a few of them had familiar sounding engines. The rest had strange humming sounds.
After few kilometers of relatively undisturbed march, their luck ran out. They came across the what they assumed was a drop ship, with bunch of strange looking creatures walking around it.
The duo exchanged glances and instantly lied low to observe the aliens.
Rick signaled Michelle to open her comm channel. It was a relatively simple design that allowed soldiers to communicate without being heard outside the helmet.
Rick: Michelle do you hear me?
Michelle: I do, can you believe the freak show before us?
Rick: Hell it's worse than I thought. Just look, there are several species here! Unless they all evolved on one planet, we might be facing a damn coalition of species or some galactic Empire!
Michelle: You watch too many Sci-fi movies. I know that the Star Wars Episode XXV was recently released-
Rick: In case you haven't noticed we're in a Sci-fi movie, with an alien invasion right now. Anyway we need to warn Hannah about…. no frigging way!
Michelle: What?! Is something wrong!?
Rick: Look down there, beneath the ship's wing!
She followed his instructions, and looked through her scope. She ran over a myriad of creatures out of a cheap Sci-Fi movie, until she noticed….
Michelle: No fucking way.
Rick: Blue Alien Chicks are REAL! Hell yeah!
Michelle: Shut up! They will hear you!
Rick: Can't wait to tell Hector, Niko, and Adrian about this.
Michelle: How about we contact Hannah first. Colonel do you copy?
Hannah: I copy. What the situation?
Rick: BLUE ALIEN CHICKS ARE REAL!
Hannah: Gah! My ears! What the hell Rick! What are you babbling about?
Michelle: We encountered a large group of aliens, two kilometers from you position. I count forty-seven enemies, including the aliens that look like a blue woman, with some sort of tentacles on their heads.
Rick: Japanese people are going to flip when they see this, but now seriously we can take them out. They look like they are not about to move from this spot, so we can circle them. For some reason they haven't posted any guards.
Hannah: Maybe it's a trap?
Rick: Negative, they're just sitting around with no one patrolling the perimeter.
Michelle: We'll do a recon around them and update you Colonel.
Hannah: Be careful out there. And Rick, I forbid you from trying to talk to any blue female you see. That's an order solider!
Rick: Possessive much? Don't worry Colonel, I'm not that stupid. Michelle let's go.
The duo separated, moving in opposite directions, circling around the group of aliens. They slowly made their way around and saw absolutely no guards whatsoever. Not even one little alien that decided that it would be probably good to watch for the enemy.
They met on the other side of the alien camp, and exchanged the disbelieving stares. To the point where they ditched the comms.
"Are they idiots or something?" Michelle uttered.
"I don't know, but there no reinforcements, no support, no nothing. They're just sitting around!" He said in a hushed tone.
"Have you seen the rows of bodies behind the ship? Maybe their officer is dead, and their radio's busted?" She supported.
"Their soldiers, they should be briefed by about the mission and act on it." Rick shook his head. "But that makes it easier for us. We can take them by surprise. I'm contacting Hannah."
Rick: Hannah, it's Rick. We have confirmation, they are not prepared for us. It's like fish in a barrel.
Hannah: We're almost at your position Rick. We'll surround them and take them out, over.
Rick: Copy that.
After a few minutes the rest of Hannah's squad arrived, and on her orders started to slowly surround the unsuspecting aliens.
Hannah could almost smell their fear and uncertainty, but she thanked the fates that their opponent's were idiots.
In moments the aliens were surrounded on all sides. Her men were readying their guns, picking their targets.
The tension was palpable.
Hannah: FIRE!
On her command a hail of bullets was unleashed on the oblivious aliens, cutting them down like wheat. Before they managed to return anything that resembled counter fire, a third of them were already down. The human bullets ripped their bodies to shreds, not giving them any time to hide. A few of the aliens tried to run into the jungle, but were easily picked off by the snipers. What puzzled the humans was the screams of terror coming from the alien side. Even if they sounded alien and inhuman, that sound couldn't be mistaken by anything.
In just two minutes the aliens were dead.
Hannah: Hold fire!
They followed the order and slowly started to creep forward, scouting the remains of the alien camp. The whole place was littered with bodies, lying in various positions.
Hannah: Ok we have the camp secured, any losses?
?: Two of ours down Ma'am
The Colonel cursed silently. She hoped that they would avoid that for a bit longer. Pushing the grief in the back of her mind, she began inspecting the bodies.
The most stunning were the blue females obviously. They looked all to human, aside from the crests on their head. She leaned closer, inspecting her features and regretted it instantly. The look of primal fear and despair was so human-like, that it made Hannah feel a pang of pity towards fallen alien. She looked just like a civilian caught in the crossfire. She hadn't even had any proper protection from bullets, just rags that were now soaked in purple blood.
But the most noticeable thing was an iron collar around her neck. It looked like it some sort of device, if the glowing dots on it were any indication.
'Hmmm, what the hell am I looking at.' Hannah mused.
But she could even finish her thought, when she was interrupted by an outraged cry.
"Rick you're sick!" Michelle's voice sounded through the camp. Hannah turned her attention to the pair, and saw Rick…fiddling with the belt of fallen blue alien.
In an instant anger coursed through her veins at the disrespect. In a second she was marching towards the unsuspecting male.
"Come on Michelle! We might discover the secrets of winning this war!" He protested. By now they were surrounded by their comrades.
"Between her legs!?" She snapped.
"We don't even know if it's she." He replied, shutting Michelle up.
"Rick…." Hannah growled, actually frightening him a bit. "What the fuck are you doing?"
"Whoa calm down. Like I said we might be on the verge of the discovery of the century! We must know if the hot blue alien chicks are really chicks, not guys! It's for SCIENCE!"
The females of the squad got even more pissed off when the males agreed with him.
"Besides if they, let's say, have a dick I would fight to the death instead of risking being captured." Again all the males agreed with him.
"And if they have a pussy, like human women?" Michelle asked. "You would probably give up in instant!"
"You bet. Hell I would gladly go on to become an ambassador of our race, and spread inter-species friendship." He said grinning behind the helmet.
"Rick….you have a ten second head start, then I start shooting." Hannah pointed her gun at him.
"Let's be reasonable Colonel! I swear I'm just moved by scientific curiosity!" He raised his hands in the air.
"Ten…nine…eight…" Hannah began counting, but before Rick could ran for his life one of the metal plates of the alien ship had fallen out…along with an alien.
The alien, the avian type, grabbed his head as if it was in pain and then looked around. His eyes stopped the moment he saw the gray and black figures, with glowing orange reddish eyes staring straight at him.
It seemed that he was quite intelligent, since he started to raise his hands into the air before anyone pointed their guns at him.
"I surrender!" He exclaimed, shocking the humans with the usage of their language. For a few seconds no one spoke.
"How the hell do you know our language?" Hannah marched to the front of the group.
"We got an update with it on our translators!" He replied instantly in a synthesized voice. "Please don't kill me!"
"What's your name, and what the hell are you?" She pressed.
"I'm Tulius Aquila, and I'm a Turian." Tulius replied.
"Turian? Not a Batarian?" Hannah glared at him.
"No, the Batarians are the ones with fours eyes…The blue ones are Asari, and the ones with horns and big eyes are Salarians." He answered the question very thoroughly.
"Hell we are being attacked by some sort of alien coalition after all." Hannah cursed, starting to pace. "How many of you are here? How many planets do you have? How-"
"Excuse me." He politely interrupted her. "But you have one thing wrong…you are not being attacked by any coalition."
"Then how the hell do you explain the various races, huh?" She furrowed her eyebrows.
"We are slaves of the Batarian Hegemony." He pointed at his collar. "Most of those killed here were slaves forced to fight…" He said with remorse.
"Slaves? So you mean that this Batarian Hegemony enslaved your species, like it's trying to ours?" She uttered with anger.
"Spirits no! Most of us are citizens abducted by pirates and slaves from colonies. Some were born into it. Batarians are far from being able to take on Turian, Asari, or Salarians." He said soothing their nerves.
"At least one piece of good news. Now how many of you are there?" She went on to practical things. "Ships, troops, ect."
"The rumor is over one thousand ships, as for troops….I can only tell you, a lot. I'm not even sure if they droped thirty percent of what they have." He pressed his mandibles in concern. "I hope you have a large army, because they will be coming with all they have very soon."
"Then we must quickly get to New Wien, and give this information to command. Can anyone contact the city?" Hannah asked, since she wasn't able too.
"They're probably jamming your signal." Tulius spoke again. "It's their standard tactic, to cut off communication on the planet….looks like you're using radio waves too?"
"You seem to know awfully lot for a slave." Rick moved closer, looking into Tulius's eyes.
"Yes I do. I'm a solider of the Turian Hierarchy…or rather was, since now I'm forced to fight for those damn slavers."
"How do you mean forced?" Rick tiled his head to side, puzzled.
"This collar has two purposes…one is to shock to you when you disobey, the other is to kill you via explosion if you really disobey." He explained trailing his finger across the cold metal.
"Damn that's harsh…but wait, wouldn't it be more clean to just apply lethal amounts of electricity?" He asked.
"Yes, but heads blowing up gives more effect, and scares the others." He replied bitterly.
"Ok, last question before we move. What were you doing in that ship?" Hannah asked.
"I was unconscious, your attack woke me up and I kind of fell out." Somehow the alien manage to look sheepish. "….So what are you going to do with me?" He asked, this time his voice was laced with uncertainty and fear.
"We won't kill you if you cooperate. We'll move to the New Wien and give custody of you over to command there." Hannah answered. "Tell them all you know and you will be safe….till it gets overrun by those Batarians….Ok people we're moving out!" She yelled.
"Can I at the least look at the officer's body? He should have the key to my collar….please?" He pleaded.
"Make it quick, and no tricks." Hannah warned him. Tulius nodded and moved to the rows of the crash victims, and instantly saw the well armored body of the Batarian officer. Moving to his body he picked up his right arms, and using his talon pried open a lid to the secret pocket, where the key and integrated armors systems were.
He pried it out and deactivated his collar. The piece of metal fell from his neck. With a pleased rumble he cracked his neck.
Walking back he picked up a sniper rifle. That action alone made almost fifty guns point at him. He raised his hands again.
"I said no tricks, Turian." Hannah snapped, already regretting trusting this alien.
"I'm a solider and I want to help you, sir. I mean no harm to you." He replied eying the group nervously. "And I wish to not go unarmed into a war zone."
"I don't know if I can trust you. We don't have anything besides your word." She stated.
"I can prove my trustworthiness." Tulius offered. "I can show you that I was telling the truth."
"How?" This got her interest.
"I can make the collars explode. It's a small explosion." He stated. "But I suggest moving from the bodies with them."
"Give me the key and after we leave this place we'll see if you're telling the truth…Oh and also your gun." The captive alien followed the instructions to the letter.
And after the squad was away from the crash site Hannah pressed the, which Rick noticed with humor, red button.
Instantly a series of quiet pops went through the camp, proving Tulius's words. The squad looked grimly at it, feeling bad for killing innocents forced to fight.
"I guess you were speaking the truth, Tulius." Hannah said, returning the sniper rifle to him. "Welcome to my squad."
"I'm honored, sir." He pressed his right hand to his left shoulder. Hannah guessed it was a salute.
"The honor's mine for being first officer to have an alien in their squad…" She started moving. "Oh and it's Ma'am actually."
5th Ranger Regiment HQ
Deep in the jungle lay the true HQ of the Rangers. While most believed that it was the one near the dam, for the higher command it was nothing more than a glorified parking space for their vehicles.
The camouflaged bunker was a mere three meters tall, and projected in such way that it resembled a natural rock formation.
One might ask why taking such effort in hiding the HQ was necessary, if no impending danger was on horizon?
The answer would be simple. If you're forced to work with your natural enemy, you have to be prepared for the worst.
Such logic made the Vektan army build a secret HQ.
Surprisingly it wasn't the Helghast that now gave the reason to make such a costly investment valid and reasonable.
A few floors below ground was the Command center, with a digital map of the continent, but now only one was showing.
Apparently the aliens realized that this one was the most populated, so it probably got the bulk of the enemy force….that or the aliens had many more ships to spare.
General Hetfield looked at the display, which was slowly was becoming more and more red as the sketchy reports came in of advancing aliens. The coast, aside from the port in New Honkong and the nearest area, had already been taken.
The jungle, on the other hand, was a different matter. By now he got a few dozen reports of successful elimination of drop ships and pods. But he also got a few disturbing ones of whole squads wiped out to the last man.
But the worst part was the data about the invading aliens. All of them had one thing in common.
The aliens were strong.
And it was not because of their tech, because they were easily matched by human tech. It was about their unbelievable capabilities.
Reports were filled with such ridiculous things like, fast regeneration, super strength, head shots from four hundred meters away in the jungle, and worst of all, magic or like it was stated in report, the Force. The aliens seemingly could pull or push soldiers out of their hiding spots, and create barriers to keep them safe.
If someone would've given him a report like this yesterday, he would have that person CAT6 in an instant….but the same would go for the one telling him of alien invasion.
So he gave the reports the benefit of doubt.
He was already awaiting a special cargo, which hopefully might prove some of them.
He was waiting for bodies and prisoners his men managed to collect.
What was also interesting was the fact that apparently the aliens had an advanced translation device, which allowed them to understand and speak human language, albeit it was only English so far.
Still the situation wasn't any better for it.
The short and sweet of it was the humans were losing, badly. While the cities had advanced AA and Arc Tower defenses, the makeshift AA nest his men made might as well not of existed. They simply had too little equipment for too large an area, which most of it was concentrated around their official HQ and the dam.
Also from the earliest estimates human pilots were outnumbered six to one. Further making matters worse, the enemies crafts were faster and more agile than theirs, not to mention they had advanced Eezo powered shields, something that was a theory until now for human science.
In comparison, human shields were weaker and depleted faster. The only saving grace was the fact that they recharged faster, and the human crafts were more durable compared to aliens'.
The old general rubbed his temples. All the strategies he made, all the plans were set to slow the alien's down before they reach the city. But he wasn't expecting a tidal wave that would simply flood over his troops.
Yes, they were succeeding, but the aliens already got a few strongholds guarded by the frigates and cruisers hovering above them. Any attempt to assault them was suicide.
'This is just the first day….eleven more to go.' He thought, looking at the screen grimly. Hetfield wondered if their rescue fleet would find anything that would resemble a human colony on Shanxi after that time.
Shanxi's Orbit
Between the hundreds of ships floating above the besieged planted, was one ship that differed from the others.
The small frigate named Sun Storm, belonging to the Eclipse mercenary company. Apparently the Admiral valued the company more than, let's say the Blood Pack, and ordered them to say in orbit until it was relatively safe to land and disembark the troops.
The difference wasn't of technical nature, for it was a standard Asari made frigate, like dozens other in the fleet.
The only difference was the crew serving on the ship.
Because the crew consisted of Salarian STG operatives, and one specter with one specter hopeful. Namely Tela Vasir and Saren Arterius respectively.
Tela would never have taken him on this mission if she knew what was going to happen.
The Batarian's just raped a few dozen major law's, including opening a dormant mass relay. Well not technically, but they were about to. Then there was attacking a new species. Two out of three most important laws were already broken.
Tela was sure that soon orbital bombing the garden world would be added to the list. Using her old contact in Eclipse from her youth, she managed to sneak in with young but very capable Turian, and a squad of STG operatives.
If someone really thought that no one would notice four Dreadnoughts leaving Batarian space one at the time, then he or she was really foolish.
The STG have been also sending reports of dozens of merc ships traveling towards Batarian space from all over Terminus
And since the Batarians were a borderline isolationist species, no one knew what the Khar'shan had planned.
Her mission was supposed to be to discover that, but not in even her wildest dreams had she imagined them being so bold and utterly foolish.
Tela grit her teeth in anger. There was no telling what these so called humans were capable off.
The Salarians on board almost had a group stroke when they witnessed practical usage of the directed energy weapons.
Instantly they burst into analysis and theorizing, coming up with literally hundreds theories per minute.
After that they wanted to leave the fleet and report to the council, but it seemed that the Admiral had anticipated that there might be spies among his fleet. Using his forces he blocked the relay, making it impossible to leave this space unless he took off the blockade.
So for now they had to go along with their roles, and wait for their orders.
"I always knew that those Batarians would cause trouble, but this? Spirits they have to be mad." Saren stated, looking down on the planet.
The thunder like rays were still annihilating ships on a regular basis, a few at the same time in some cases.
"Yes, this time they've crossed the line. After they let us out I'll request for Turian intervention to free these people." She crossed her arms.
"Indeed. We cannot let the secrets of directed energy weapons fall into Batarian hands. It would spell catastrophe."
"Even if they hadn't had it, they should be liberated. Too many would follow if the Batarians went unpunished." She sighed, dreading to even imagine the repercussions of it.
"At the least we can thank the spirits that we hadn't found a galactic empire here." Saren joked, making Tela chuckle.
"I agree on that. This time the aftershock will be rather minor." She shook her head.
Many years later, Tela Vasir would recall those words and curse her ignorance. Because the events that followed would be anything but minor.
A/N
The first day of the invasion is on! Looks like the humans are in some deep shit now. But common fact is that humans work best under pressure, so expect more battles and skirmishes, because the war has just begun!
Ok now onto the codex. (In most cases I support myself with wikia's. The other parts are purely my take on the matter.)
Batarian Government: It's a despotic government with the elevated Hegemon ruling over the Batarian race with an iron fist. His status is almost god-like, and he's revered as one. His words are law, his will is divine.
He stands above the law, and answer to no one. Beneath him are the Board of Grand Admirals that rule over military matters, and the Prime Minister that takes care of civilian ones.
The government has absolute rule over its subjects. All major industries, medias, and organizations are beneath the government's thumb. Extranet is heavily monitored and censored so no unwanted information can pass through. The citizens in general are not allowed to leave Batarian space without permission. Only the members of the two highest classes have the privilege to travel freely.
Batarian Society: The citizens of the Batarian Hegemony are divided in five castes. Each caste represents their social status, and privileges they are entitled to. The exceptions to the caste system are the Hegemon with his family, the foreigners, and slaves. The society itself is heavily patriarchal in all castes, albeit in last century the female Batarian has been gaining more and more influence all across castes.
Sun Caste: is the highest in the Batarian caste system. The tightly closed castle consist of the oldest and most powerful Batarian families. The only way to reach this castle is to become the Grand Admiral. The ones to rise to that position are automatically moved to the Sun Caste, along with their families. Marriage to a member of the caste does not grant the status of Sun for a party from lower caste, albeit it does to the children that came out of it. The caste represent about 0.4% of the Batarian population.
Moon Caste: The members of those caste are usually High Government officials, Admirals, Generals, High Priests of Pillars, and the richest businessmen. In some rare cases the remarkable individuals that achieved great deeds for the Hegemony are granted the honor of joining the caste. They represent about 1.2% of the Batarian population.
Star Caste: The middle caste system reserved for government officials, higher officers of the army, state security members, directors of national manufactures, and successful businessmen aka Slavers. Sometimes called the administration caste. Their numbers oscillates around 8% of the general population.
Sky Caste: The second lowest one, and the newest caste. This is the status of most the Batarian intelligence which isn't affiliated with the government. Teachers, lawyers, doctors, engineers, directors of schools, artisans, artists, ect are members of this caste. Also the lower tier of army officers and higher tier of Privates, going from First Sergeant up. The caste resent about 25% of the Batarian society.
Earth Caste: The lowest, and the largest caste at the same time. Around 50% of Batarians are members of this caste. The lowest of low, the poorest and uneducated, are usually Earth Caste members. The caste is usually a great source of cheap labor, slaves, and expendable soldiers. The status of the Earth Caste members are only marginally better than that of the slaves. At the very least they are allowed to file a complaint to the Caste Court.
Slaves: Those unfortunate enough to become a slave, be it by capture, or for debts, are beyond the caste system, and are even lower than the Earth Caste members. They have no rights and no privileges. They're on a level of cattle or merchandise. Their status many vary from extremely bad (mine workers), to even comfortable (Staff member of high raking family). Their only purpose is to please their Masters, or die trying. Currently 15% of the Batarian society are slaves.
Four hundred years ago, during the first contact with Asari explorers, the Batarian society had undergone a massive change. Previously moving to upper caste was considered a miracle, and a sign of great skills and luck.
With the discovery of a whole new galaxy, the archaic caste system was becoming a liability, preventing Batarian expansion.
Pressed by economic and social factors, the Hegemon ordered reforms to be made.
The previously four ranked caste system became larger, with introduction of the Sky Caste. The harsh conditions of climbing up the social ladder were ameliorated, allowing more social movement. Also the judiciary system was partially reformed, allowing members of lower castes to file a complaint against the higher ones, which was previously forbidden. The reforms caused an economic boom and allowed more rapid expansion.