April 27th, 1992.
(India.)
Dawn was upon the crew of the UN that prepared itself to assault the Bhopal Hive.
Operation Swaraj, that was the codename.
Until deep into yesterday's night, the Indian government refused the UN's proposal for this operation. The Indian front had been falling back and many expected it to only last one year more. The government preferred to use their resources to evacuate as many civilians as they could, yet the UN came to them last year with a plan that aimed to retake the Bhopal Hive.
A plan that only had Operation Palaiologos as a predecessor. A plan that spelled doom for all units partaking in the operation.
Of course, that wasn't the real objective of the plan.
American forces wanted to gain insight into the hives' internal structure to further enhance the Volk Data. Soviet command was ready to deploy the Mindseeker for the first time in large enough numbers, and they wished to secure a victory for themselves through attaining clear readings on the BETA, after two hives were made by the BETA advancing into the Motherland.
This sudden eastern push of the invaders caught the world in a rather… precarious position, might I say. Tension in the Asian countries had been brewing for some time now, and it all coincided with the withdrawal of American troops from the Southeast Asian frontline to lend aid to Europe. If not for this insistence of the UN to approve this mission, what today is known as COSEAN might never had been created.
To appease certain factions, the US announced that they were going to use a new method to try and strike at the Bhopal Hive: Orbital Bombardments.
Using HSSTs to drop both bombs and TSFs right on top of the Hive, this aimed to immediately put a dent in the BETA forces that came pouring from the hives as soon as any operation started.
This, however, wasn't near enough to quell the flying folders, the veiled threats, the cloaked daggers between all nations involved, oh no, it wasn't sufficient at all. The UN's Security Council, pressured by both the USSR and US, anxiety setting in after repeated retreats on the skirmishes against the aliens, decided to conduct the operation without waiting for the official answer of the Indian government.
On one hand, this was nothing but the US trying to make people lose faith in the UN, to make sure the Soviets suffered another loss and their plan was accepted as the next alternative. On the other, they were starting to get… impatient, so to say.
America was in dire need of a victory, no matter how small. Not a draw, not another day of repelling the invasion. No, they wanted to win. They needed to win, after the repeated failures on Europe and the Middle East. Because if they didn't… many feared that instead of discussing how to defend foreign shores they would soon find themselves debating of how to defend Seattle and Alaska. And if they ever found themselves discussing how to fight on their soil, then the war was already lost. Not just from a manner of logistics, but from a humanitarian point of view as well.
From India to Singapore. From there further down, and also towards Korea and Japan. Perhaps even reaching Australia and New Zealand. If that happened… Where would the refugees go? America couldn't refuse them, not without becoming the dark horse of the international community, even if at times they felt as if they already were. Yet, the southernmost nations could in no way sustain those who were living in Australia.
One wrong move, one misstep, and everything would domino crash straight into the abyss. I suppose, it is not hard to see why they would begin to so aggressively push for their own alternative in the years to come.
So, back to the point, supporting the Soviets in this mission to gain intel on the BETA from within a Hive was a plan that took literally all of the '91 to make, between backroom deals, negotiations and preparations, from all those involved.
And even then, the logistics were against humanity. As always, time is something we never have enough of. Securing the gate and sending supplies to the infiltrator teams was going to be a challenge that they were going to come up short against, suppressing the lasers was also going to be a tall ordeal.
However, regardless of what the annals of history have to say about this mission, of how it became a victory despite failing in both of it objectives, there is something else that happened during this day.
The ground forces began their bombardment and the first TSFs squadrons advanced onto the BETA that covered the ground near the hive.
Unlike every other mission until then, missiles flew out in large quantities, burying the skies under heavy clouds despite morning having just begun.
The Orbital Drops occurred and after they secured the gate, Soviet forces advanced onto the Hive, the Mindseeker infiltrator teams guarded by large amounts of Plamya-Lisa.
Soviets, Americans, Europeans and Asians all fighting together. Despite his doubts towards the UN, the man saw the power that union could bring.
The Eagles dominated the early stages of the fight while the COSEAN forces provided support. Soviet command managed to hold the BETA going east, giving the rest of the forces a much needed helping hand. After the second wave came in, the Japanese ICEF went on the offensive, tearing through the BETA at close range. The UN pilots charged deep into BETA territory and held on their own to guard the gate, so that the Mindseekers could escape safely once the mission was completed.
For four hours humanity endured, clinging to the hope of victory. And near the fifth, the last unit from the infiltrator team was forced to escaped from the hive. The rest? MIA.
And here… here is where a small detail occurred, something so small nobody would pay much mind to it.
Around five hours since the start of Operation Swaraj.
(In the hallways of the Bhopal Hive.)
[Jerzy Sandek]
Explosions ring out merely some meters before me, within the darkened, narrow hallways, within the stream of twisted limbs and charging crabs.
"Damn it. There's no end to these bastards," No matter where I look, there is no no end to this hell.
The radar is brimming red, my infrared vision is clogged with BETA shapes and smoke surrounding our friendlies. Running forward with all I have, me and my comrades are trying to finish off the BETA on this place to be able to march on without any further risks to the mission. The hallway stretches further onwards, a tunnel without any light waiting on the other side.
It's been almost four hours since we infiltrated the hive. After sharply descending through a stab, my unit is already making its way down another tight, narrow drift. Almost to the 500 meter mark, what was left of the A-01 STF marched on. The two UN Battalions that were supposed to escort us had to remain behind to secure our escape route on the way here, and contact with the rest of the force that infiltrated the hive through other gates has been made impossible since we passed the 200 meter mark.
I suppose we're the last remnants of the STF as of now. Only a single UN squad from the orbital divers remains as our vanguard to make sure our… specialists can gather intel safely.
"Antlion 13, 14!" Captain Rogofsky, leader of this squad of the A-01 STF, contacted me, "Charge forward and dispense of the crippled Grapplers, we need to gain some space here for the UN troops. Remember to activate the pods as well to allow for a quick scan."
"Roger," His face vanishes from my retinal projection, I quickly reposition my unit for the coming assault with a hasty pull on my controls, feeling the tension of the movement gluing my back to the seat.
"Oi 13, try to not fall back," My partner in my element said as the connection between our units formed. His tone reeking of rejection, as if his widening smirk was able to hide the charging boars in him.
"…Do not concern yourself with me, 14. We have more pressing matters on our hands."
"Yeah, you're right. At least try to make yourself useful as a meat shield, you goat," Changing his tone for the insult, then quickly cutting the connection as he snickered like the damn Moskali he is.
Running forward, both of our machines blast into a Kulbit to avoid the chasing Tanks and, daggers out, slice all of them before we begin to approach our targets.
I knew it was going to be like this when I was recruited, I always saw how Father was treated on the camps. I knew what awaited me when I was selected to be trained as a special corps, when I was requisitioned to join Alternative III's STF. And I am not the only one who has to endure this constant hostility. All of us non-Russians are always on the receiving end of a broad axe coming from our 'comrades'. Their words spoken with a subtlety similar to trying to light up a candle with a flamethrower and the same intensity of a good shot of vodka, their abuse resembles the BETA. Unending, relentless, vicious, but above all… inhuman.
As my Mindseeker runs towards the wounded Grapplers, my teeth rake my lips as if I were once more running in our track field, battered by the cold. Can't help but to feel my stomach turn at their pettiness. Almost five hundred meters underground, in the middle of enemy territory, and they feel the need to reinforce their unpleasantries. I know we're being sent to a suicide and that we'll be ordered to be your meat shields, fellow Moskali goats. No need to remind me.
"Jerzy, calm down."
A small tingly feeling reaches the back of my head as her voice reverberated through the shallowness of our privacy. For a moment, I felt as if I were but a comet floating along the Milky Way, all that extra weight on my shoulders burning away the more I moved. The frown gradually dissipated, my hands eased their crab-like vice grip on the controls.
As if waiting for me to sigh, she turned around to look straight into my eyes, "Let's focus on what we can do, please?" Doyarka Yarostina, the ESPer that occupied the seat in front of me, said with her staple small smile.
Looking as calm as always, one wouldn't give her more than twenty years. Her hair lying at shoulder length, never losing the smile before facing forward again when she saw I had regained my tranquility.
"I know. It's just that I cannot comprehend what they wish to gain. If the Russian elite needs to do this to reassure themselves and their egos, it's no wonder why we continue to be pushed back by the BETA."
"Sigh… As positive as always," She shakes her head, making her frilly hair undulate for a moment.
"…I am going to activate the sensors, 2nd Lt. Yarostina. Are you ready?"
"Yes, of course 2nd Lt. Sandek," Her voice taking a certain complaining tone, she then exhaled loudly and relaxed onto her seat as we both press the triggers. The message appears on my view, all sensors are in working order.
The two Mindseekers approach the few wounded Grapplers, dodging them as we could on the narrowness of the hallway. I know it is both futile and foolish to complain at this stage, but who thought it was a good idea to only give us daggers to defend ourselves in CQC in these narrow spaces? Every passing second I am beginning to believe the rumors of American meddling on the final decision more and more.
It's as if we were trapped in an elevator with a serial killer. We need to stay close to let the scan be as precise as possible, but we can't just stay quiet even if their limbs are wounded. Dancing along the BETA, each of our TSFs with a knife in a free hand trying to stab the grotesqueries that vie for our attention, only the occasional tracer shell exploding gives us some light within this nest of madness. Sigh… Our armament for this mission is a good a match as a fist to a nose. A single rifle and two daggers…
"Can you feel anything?" I ask after a taking a step back, the wounded Grapplers can't muster enough strength to follow quickly enough.
"…No, nothing at all. You can finish them off," Wearily, dejected, she admitted.
Once she confirmed the same result yet again, I took a few steps forward and sliced the Grapplers' pincers off. I killed them a second after the other Mindseeker cleaned up his side. Sending the data collected to all units and receiving theirs, I take a look at the radar and move my head visor around. All nearby BETA have been silenced.
"One to all units, we're near a hall according to the sonar data. Let's push forward!" He so commanded, all Antlions answered the order in unison.
The UN crew double checked our positions, then marched some meters in front of us as we returned to a walking speed.
Letting myself ease up for a moment, I tap the state of the machine as we march. Down to only one spare magazine, huh? Luckily we're near a hall, supplies should be on the way. Fuel… 80% of the secondary ranks remaining. Joints, arms… All fine for now. Sigh…
The tense, eerie calmness returns to us as we walk on, the slight vibrations as I take step after step stirring my peace of mind. A glass filled high, that is what I resemble right now. This constant silence is then what makes this slow rumble all the more unbearable to my heart, that makes my water, what little remains of my restrain after all these hours, try to spill out from the rim of my facade.
"Jerzy…" Doyarka's voice brings my gaze down, she was worriedly looking back at me from the front seat, brows furrowed tightly, "Don't be so restless. Our group is still going strong, isn't it?"
"Even so, I can't help but to be nervous. By the way, you haven't felt anything yet?" I ask my doubt, her blue eyes squint as her face veers left.
"Not a thing. It's the same as all our past recon missions. It's as if they didn't even had a heart to begin with," Returning to her position, her shoulders sink slowly.
Doyarka once said that the BETA felt like a complete void to her, a hollow abyss. She couldn't entice any reaction from them, she didn't feel anything in them. A wall made out of pitch black darkness, that's how she described it to me once.
"I understand why this is so unnerving for you and the rest," She commented as she again started up her sensors to record our environment, "It does feel as if we were marching into a graveyard," Her tone as glacial as Siberia, she slightly twitched as the absence continued its orchestra of silence in the hallways of this drift.
"…Doyarka, you said just now we shouldn't be so tense. Sigh… It's just a few meters more to the next hall."
"Yes, I know. I guess both of us are at our wit's ends, huh?" She then laughed weakly for a moment, I briefly smiled before letting out yet another sigh.
Considering how hard she took seeing her sisters die in our missions, I shouldn't have been so insensitive towards her. She can feel my doubt, my fear. I'm the one responsible for her safety… I am her guardian.
"Doyarka, rest assured. We're going to make it out alive from this mission."
"…Thanks, Jerzy," She looked back briefly, smiling widely at me. For a moment, my heart shrank and I was out of air as I felt a knife twist itself into me.
I do value Doyarka's companionship. Despite her… circumstances and how she's treated all the time, she still finds it in her to remain warm towards me. It's just… that she's the splitting image of Mother. I now know she and Sister were taken away from us due to their natural talents, but to think an ESPer would resemble her so faithfully.
The frilly hair, the round and small shape of her nose, and the eyelashes too. Her voice is different and her stature is shorter, but she truly does remind me of Mother. At first that caused me to distrust and shun her away, yet she's one of the people I can trust in this army now. Even if my compatriots do not trust in ESPers and I understand their concerns, I know she's just another victim like us. Which only makes her distress all the harder on me, knowing we… might not make it out alive of this place.
"Golem 1 to all Antlions," The face of the Captain of the UN squadron came into view. Despite his darker skin color, I heard him in perfect Russian. I don't know how they did it, but this instant translation tech the Japanese came up with is a life saver, "We're going to advance into the hall in T minus Three. Remain on standby until we confirm the amount of enemies on the area."
"Antlion 1, roger that. All units, cease marching!"
All Mindseekers stopped walking as the ten Eagles that were with us took one second of pause before bursting into a dash towards the end of the drift. Looking around, never letting my breath go, my heartbeats felt closer and closer to my neck with every second of silence.
"It's truly a shock, for our radars to just not be able to scan the area as usual," Even with the ESPers' powers on our side, no less.
"I think something is in the walls," Doyarka said, tilting her head, "Look at them, Jerzy. They don't look to be made of dirt or rock, right?"
"Hmm… I am no geologist, so I can't tell. Regardless, I can see what the report meant now."
"Hm? What report?"
"The Volk Report," Doyarka's brows narrow as wrinkles made their way to her face, breaking eye contact.
A document that is one of the USSR's most important contributions to the war efforts, containing details that are now the cornerstone of our training regimes and battle tactics. They said that after a certain point only wired connections could stand unimpeded in the hallways. Being apart from their comrades, even for only a few odd meters, was enough to distort their comms.
Of course, the technology used in Palaiologos pales in comparison to what we have today. And yet, we are still having trouble scanning the area. Maybe Doyarka is right, she must feel something different on these walls.
"Do you think… the data we gather today will be as important as the Volk Data?" Her voice small, creaking like wood in a fireplace.
"Of course it will be. There must be something somewhere in this Hive, something that allows the BETA to keep these overwhelming numbers well nourished. And we will find it."
"…Yes, you're right."
I suppose she's afraid of both failing and dying, and of what will come if we do survive. If we die and don't deliver, all the ones who call them witches, all those who are opposed to their very existence will gain another reason to speak against them. Both those from within our ranks and those from beyond our borders will once more raise their torches towards all remaining ESPers for being 'a waste of resources and time' and 'too dangerous to leave alive'.
And if we survive and the data we gathered is another dud… Chances are she'll have to… partake in more 'tuning' sessions. Feeling as if I had left vodka lingering within my lips for too long as I did on my first sip, inhaling through my mouth despite how tightly closed my teeth are as the light scorching continued, couldn't help but to grimace openly.
I've heard many rumors… I've seen the submersion machines the ESPers have to enter. But… if it were only that… I wouldn't fear for her well-being. ESPers are frail beings, their health is a very fickle and fragile thread that can be very easily shredded. Being inside TSFs for long periods of time is taxing on them, I know, but the true burden comes from the repetitive use of their abilities. And in our case in this mission, I am amazed our ESPers are holding out so well.
Quickly tapping the controls, I bring Doyarka's numbers to my vision. Her heartbeat is a bit higher than normal, same as her blood pressure, but her breathing is stable for now. I know that can change in a flash if things go wrong, we do have tranquilizers just in case they might suffer a nervous breakdown due to an overload.
But… since what's happening to them is a severe shock to their nervous system, since their brains are suffering a very intense pain due to sensory overload… There's only one medicine that can aid them with their peculiar suffering.
And if we're branded as failures after we return from this… Doyarka will be made to contribute to the supply of this medicine if she doesn't endure the tuning.
I know it all too well, how we're seen. Not even the sons and daughters of the Russians are treated differently when it comes to results, if we fall there's hundreds… Nay, thousands waiting to take our place. That's why… To return home to my compatriots, to give her some relief from this endless battle… I have to make it to the depths of this hive and return alive to tell the tale. Otherwise, we… No, I might be sent to aid in other missions, but Doyarka-
"Golem 1 to all Antlions!" The sudden intrusion of the UN's Captain jolted me into attention, instantly grabbing onto my controls, "The coast is clear. I repeat, the coast is clear,"
Sigh… One small consolation, I suppose.
"Don't be so tense, Jerzy. We're doing well so far."
"…Yes, we are," I move my neck in circles as she smiles once more. Having her by my side is one of the things that allows me to remain steadfast in this situation, both in and out of the battlefield. I can't keep clogging my mind in this way.
"Once we get to the hall we can take a small break. I hope we can resupply in peace, though."
"Come on, Doyarka. Don't lure the wolf out of the woods. We've already run into enough herds here," She laughs weakly as we walk along the rest.
Our unit advances towards the hall, where we're supposed to wait for our suppliers to come to us as the protocol decided. All twenty seven TSFs spread in a circle through the hall, the UN's Eagles taking the farther end in case BETA come towards us.
…However, after five minutes of waiting, no one has come to deliver supplies to us. Luckily, the BETA haven't come here either… But it's a matter of time.
"Antlion 1 to CP! Do you copy?"
…
"Antlion 1 here! Does anyone hear me? What the hell is going on here?"
"Golem 1 here, we also cannot connect with our friendlies. It's possible that the wired connection was damaged."
"Antlion 1 here, Golem 1, do you know when the supplies were supposed to arrive?"
"No, I wasn't informed of when exactly. The TSFs that brought us supplies on the first hall should be already nearby. Let me get two of my men back into the drift for a moment, we can't keep marching being this low on ammo and fuel."
Two Eagles then started walking towards the drift that we used to come here. I suppose the wire must have gotten hit with a bullet, someone stepped on it by accident, or some BETA happened to break it. Even if it is protected by some super carbon fiber there's little that can be done, it's not the fault of those in the backrow to not have noticed with all that we have on our shoulders as of now.
We can't march on with so little ammo so if we encounter another herd we can't avoid we'll be in grave danger. Just how much farther in do we have to go? We're 511 meters below the surface, according to the sensors, and it doesn't seem like we're close to the bottom yet. I wonder when will we-
Beep! Beep!
Suddenly, our sonar alarm went off. The ground began to shake, slowly rising in intensity. Quickly triggering the anti-shock measures and arching its knees, I manage to keep our TSF standing. Some of the others were caught off guard and had to take some steps or use a hand to keep themselves from falling.
I knew it was a matter of time. There's another two drifts on this hall besides the one we used to arrive here, if the BETA are coming from both of them we're going to have to run away. Shit, if only the UN's suppliers had done their job well we could have tried to get past them.
"Antlion 1 to all units, share your sonar data with each other! I want to know from which drift the BETA are coming ASAP!" He barked, and yet… what answered his words was not our usual affirmation.
"Aaah! W-We have… We have to escape!" An ESPer shouted amidst the chaos in the common channel.
"It's… It's all dark! The underground is all dark!" Another shrieked as if she had seen BETA eating a comrade for the first time.
The ESPers were shouting nonsensical phrases while their companions tried to pacify them, without much success.
"Augh… No… No!"
"Doyarka? Hey, what's wrong?" She held her head tightly, clawing at it so hard I fear she might actually injure herself. "Doyarka, calm down! It's just another tremor!" Yet, my voice cannot reach her as she again tried to swallow a scream.
Shit, what the hell is going on here?! Why is this shaking sending all of our ESPers into shock?! This isn't the first tremor we feel since we entered the Hive, a few times we received this forewarning of the BETA coming down the opposite side of the drift. So… What's different now? It feels as if I had just swallowed a giant ice cube, hearing all the screams on the common channel. And Doyarka still is clawing at her head. I reach out to her, grabbing her arm to stop her yet she doesn't let go as she quietly wails. All the while, the ground's shaking is turning more and more violent and wild, as if a fissure would crack open any second now.
"Golem 1 to Antlions, what's the wrong? Do you have the scan done already?!"
"Antlion 1 here, the witches are screaming nonsense! Hey, calm down dammit! You have a scan to make, witch!" The Cpt. Seems to have hit his partner in the head, going by the noise, "Antlions, give me a status report!" Yet, only more crazed shouts, and sounds of smacking and curses, filled the common channel.
"Doyarka, calm down! What are you seeing? Tell me, please." Changing my grip on her arm, rubbing it instead, I get as close as the bolts allow me.
None of them understand, I also probably don't but I won't be harsh with her in such a tense situation. If they're reacting like this there must be a very good reason. As I pulled her arm softly again, she looked back at me. Her mouth wide open as if she was gasping for air while being choked, tears coming down her face, Doyarka made eye contact with me and stopped clawing at her head.
"A-Augh… Jerzy, we have to leave!"
"Calm down, Doyarka," I pat her forearm, clearing the tears off her cheek as she leaned closer. She shivers in place trying to hold back her sobbing, like a small piglet left to fend for himself during the harsh winter, "I don't know what you're seeing or how many BETA are coming, but it's fine because we can still retreat for now. Tell me, from which drift are they coming?"
"It's not that! They're… They're coming from below!"
"Huh? From below?" I quickly double checked my sonar. Despite whatever is messing with our equipment, what was displayed didn't match up with our usual data.
And as the screams kept appearing in the common channel, I realized what was happening. A giant herd of BETA is digging upwards towards our current position, the ESPers are sensing that and are freaking out as they see we're going to end up in a sinkhole in a matter of minutes, maybe seconds, and their thrashing is not letting our pilots properly checking the sonars. If we don't act now, this whole hall… will collapse, with BETA pouring from below. We're in the middle of the hall… We might not make it… back to the drift in time…
"Antlion 1 to all units, administer the sedatives to the witches! They're getting in the way!"
"W-Wait, Captain! My partner has-"
"Shut up! We can't deal with the BETA with these witches in this state!"
"Sir, the BETA are coming from be-"
I couldn't finish my sentence. The rumbling threatened with disposing of my balance.
Sharply and violently boost jumping away as the vibrations got stronger, a few other TSFs followed my lead and avoided the fate of the rest. The ground collapsed on itself, clouds and dirt corroding the darkness of this hall, stone edges rising forth as the TSFs sank in. Tank-Class reached out and grabbed onto my comrades. Grapplers and Destroyers also surfaced from below, ramming themselves onto the TSFs. All in a matter of seconds. For some moments, it seemed as if that was all, but more and more kept coming from the ground forcing us to keep back-boosting away.
"SHIT! Golem 1 to all units, retreat back into the drift! Engage freely!"
Whatever was left of our forces opened fire. I change my visor to infrared once again, only to see I'm surrounded by BETA. Boost jumping away, I send a 120mm at my chasers to give me some space as I retreat running once I land. My radar shows more and more red dots appearing behind me every passing second, as if they were metal shards attracted to a metal. The screams of my allies reach the common channel, finally some pitch-black smoke and fire breaking out within the hall, heat signatures rising as some manage to detonate their S-11s, others not being so lucky. Both pilots and ESPers started to fall to the BETA's maws amidst this chaos, both those who were caught on the sinking and those who had evaded it as well.
"No… No! We… We're all gonna-"
"Doyarka, stay calm! We have to retreat now!" I move back with another boost jump and use another 120mm against a group of charging Grapplers, barely avoiding a hit to one of my boosters, "If you want, I can give you the-"
"No! Not the drugs, please!"
"Then please be calm. Can you help me with the sensors? My radar is out of order," I ask, more scorching pain on my throat since I know what this will do to her senses in the state Doyarka is in now.
Hesitating for a second, she slowly gives me a nod despite the stream of tears down her face. My partner then shut her mouth tightly, biting her lower lip, oh, so hard a small trickle of blood reached down her chin, eyes kept squinting in pain, her forehead spawning rivers and twisters.
Once she fed data into my system, once the area was mapped, I could dodge the BETA in what little space we had and could orientate myself, as I did I also sent the data to whoever had survived to guide them towards the drift to escape. This intense usage of the sensors only made Doyarka's shivering get stronger as she began to cry again, so I immediately disabled the sensors once the few TSFs left regrouped. She gasped for air desperately, sounding as if she was about to drown.
I gritted my teeth down hard as if they were an industrial press as I kept on fighting, retreating my tongue to the back of my mouth to avoid biting it on accident. A feeling similar to the pain I felt when I was beaten up by my Russian comrades in our training camps assailed my chest as I heard her sobs as Doyarka hunched over in her seat, however it was mixed with that hollowness, as if my chest were being split open from within, that I felt when Mother was taken from me and Father.
All who remained standing blasted their ammo in unison as we tried to fend off the aliens, getting all together once more. The screams again reached the common channel as the TSFs that were buried under the rubble tumbled down and were opened. I closed off their IDs as I moved back, only hearing the first shriek of carnage.
A single Mindseeker, left in tatters, rushed through the hordes of aliens and landed near our position as we tried to regroup near the drift.
"Antlion 1 here, do we have any survivors?!"
"13 here, sir."
"14 here!"
"The mission is done for. Escape and take the data back to the Motherland. Golem 1, I leave them in your care!"
"Captain, you should also-"
"My Jump Units got screwed by the BETA. I'm done for, but you two can still make it out of this hell. Get out of here already! We can't lose all that we gained during this mission, you two have to survive! That's my last order for you two. Antlion 1, over and out!" He then took a dagger out and aimed his rifle at the overwhelming number of BETA in the hall, he then ran towards them and attacked without any semblance of restrain.
Shit… I guess this is it. I'm not… going to let this all be in vain. Even if our values differ, I won't let all this death be pointless, Captain. I gulp once and loudly let out some air as I turned my TSF around.
"14, let's move it!"
"Yeah, I know!"
Two Eagles remained behind with the Cpt. to buy us some time to escape, three lonely TSFs against at least six thousand BETA. A few minutes after we ran into the drift, a loud shaking reached our sonars. At least… they could detonate their S-11s.
Another three Eagles from the group followed us from behind with the two that had tried to go for our supplies in front of us, our last two Mindseekers ran away further into the drift.
Beginning to gasp in shorter breaths, gritting my teeth. The tunnel seems to stretch further and further in my sight again, the beeping of the radar showing we were being chased by at least two thousand BETA. My stomach starts to hurt as if I had swallowed too much synth food and then went straight to sleep, only to wake up to a searing pain and a strong sense of being on the verge of puking pounding against the base of my neck. Slowly licking my lips, can't help but to notice how still my partner is as I do a single boost jump along the rest to get some more distance between us and our chasers.
"Doyarka, how are you holding up?"
"Hic… I'm fine now," Your voice betrays your facade, however.
"Thanks for warning me in time. All the data you gathered saved our lives."
"We're still not safe," She said in a whisper, a slow, quiet whisper as her breathing became as agitated as if someone were lashing her to get up and run more, "They're… right behind us, they're coming closer. They're-"
"It's all right," I took a second to pat her head softly as I used the momentum of the Jump to do a short hop, "I'm here with you, and I won't let anything happen to us," I raised my voice, which made her twitch, "You're safe with me, Doyarka. We're bringing this data back home," I steeled my gaze so that I wouldn't look away from her eyes when she looked back at me. She looks just like Mother did when she was taken away. Reddish eyes, a pale as the moon complexion, shivering as if it she were sunken waist-deep into the snow.
We are making it out alive of this hive. We didn't endure all that daily abuse just to lay down and die at the first sign of danger.
"…Thanks. Thanks, Jerzy… Hic…" She wipes her tears slowly, sobbing a few times.
But as much as I want to let her rest, I need Doyarka's help now. We need precise data of the BETA's location, and all the dust and shit that came out when the BETA dug upwards did one nasty favor to our sensors.
"…Can you keep gathering data for me? I think you're better than our sonar right now."
She looked up at me, lips quivering slightly as she wiped the trail of blood coming from them. Doyarka gave me a weak nod in between sobs with the slowness of falling snow, looking like an injured pigeon trying to flap its wings again.
"…Yes. Yes, I'll do it. I'll gather data for you… But please let me rest. Hic… Just give me a moment…"
"Yes, I got it. Don't worry, we still have-"
"No! Not the drugs! I beg you, please don't use them!"
"I won't," I smile at her, heavily exhaling through my nose the lingering acid within as we all did another boost jump, "I won't hurt you, Doyarka. I know how much you dislike being subject to the procedure, so I won't force the medicine on you. Just focus on calming down for now. I'm here with you, let's get out of here together as a team. We still have enough fuel to make a run if needed."
Regardless of the mission, I want to protect her. At first I was also wary of her, more due to her uncanny resemblance to Mother than to her possible powers, but during these years as members of the STF I came to value Doyarka greatly. I don't think I could have coped with all the insults behind my back if not for her company. She was always there for me when things got tough.
That's why… I won't falter here. I can't let my weakness and fear blind my moves, I need to break through here for both of us. There's only seven of us left, and all other infiltrator forces have been wiped out considering we haven't heard of them in the last few hours. What little hope we have left is riding on my shoulders, and failure is not an option here. I lick my lips again as I try to push the Mindseeker to run faster as the vibrations near us got more intense.
"Together… You and me…" She slowly closed her eyes, her breathing back to normal. I felt the similar tingly feeling on the back of my head, I vanished all doubt from me as we advanced.
"Exactly. You and me, we'll make it out alive. Don't think about anything else, we're not dying."
The seven TSFs keep running, sending an occasional shot at our pursuers when we notice some Destroyers are getting too close. I jump backwards to dodge a charging Destroyer and send some 36mm from the air to cripple it. We don't have enough ammo nor time to waste in killing every single one. Even less now when we have a whole horde coming after us. With the Eagles guarding us, we run and do a dash every now and then. But we still can't put much distance between us and the BETA, not without excessive use of our fuel, that is starting to run dangerously low.
After twenty minutes of running and dashing non stop, our radars showed that there was an intersection up ahead, two drifts cross our path before the unified hallway reaches a hall. That's the first landing point we captured. There's a vertical stab, that would take us to the pathway that is connected directly with the surface, on the drift that's on the other side of the hall. That last drift doesn't have any other branching pathways getting in the way to allow the BETA to pincer us, so if we make it to that stab we're guaranteed to escape as long as the gate is still holding.
However, considering how we didn't run into anyone coming with supplies yet, it seems the UN troops on the surface might already have their hands full covering our escape route from the BETA that are coming back to the Hive. And sadly, there isn't only one gate in a Hive. The surface cleaning duty must be hell by now, so even if we make it outside that's not the end of the fight.
But I'm going to get us to safety. I have… I will do it.
"…Jerzy," Doyarka was again looking back at me, eyes still swollen red but her demeanor calm as the surface of the ocean.
"Are you feeling fine again?"
"Yes… Please let me use the sensors. Let's do this, together," She nods at me, and I do too while starting up the sensory equipment once more.
Doyarka shivered for a moment, letting out a restrained whimper, but quickly calmed down. Slowly, as the tingly feeling on my head became stronger, my immediate surroundings became clearer on the radar, the map became focused once more.
However, as the data spread on my radar showing more and more of our surroundings…
"Jerzy! Two herds are coming from the hallways up ahead!"
"What?! You mean right in front of us?"
"No… Um… It's all dark on the left and right. I think they're moving fast as well. We should hurry before they block the intersection."
"Do you think you can endure the system at full load? I'd like to send the coordinates to the rest," Her shoulders grew smaller, but she gave me a nod a moment later.
I quickly tapped the command list open and removed the limiter on the special sensory equipment. Once more, the tingly feeling on my head became stronger, now feeling as if all the back of my head was slightly shivering. As if it were normal, I leaned back onto my seat, anchoring the nape of my neck into it, raising my chin as the feeling calmed me down again. The data began to enter into my unit. The radar's area enlarged, the ground that was beyond its previous limits was mapped in the blink of an eye.
Two herds are coming from both our three and ten. So the BETA are sensing us and are rushing our way, huh? I guess we're lucky they're not trying to dig another hole in front of us this time.
"Antlion 13 to all units, my sensors are picking up BETA signals from the hallways that end on the intersection. I'm sending you the data as of now," As all of us kept running, I pressed the right buttons and shared my new data with them.
"What did you say?!" My Russian comrade couldn't help to frown in my projection as he received the intel, "My radar is blank as of now. What are you talking about, 13?"
"My partner is scanning the area. Double check your sonars, you'll see there's some noise to our three and ten. Enlarge the radar with the data I sent you and you'll see the area that we mapped just now. I repeat, we should hurry to the intersection before it's too late."
"Golem 1 to Antlion 13 and 14, can your ESPers confirm this data? There is no mistake? We're low on fuel, if we do a sudden dash in vain we might not have enough left to rise through the stab."
"Yes sir, I can confirm our equipment is in working order."
"Damn, my witch is out cold," My comrade said, making me feel an acid whiff coming from my stomach knowing what that meant.
"Golem 1 to Antlion 14, is there something wrong in you unit?" The UN officer's brows descended and arched, probably hoping to not receive bad news from one of the last units carrying the vital fruits of this mission.
"No, nothing's wrong. This witch just doesn't want to wake up, I used the tranquilizers on her and she's just shivering as she mumbles some shit. Oi, get it together!" The sound of him hitting the ESPer repeatedly reached us, the UN officer frowned as well in the projection, "Shit, what's wrong with her?!"
"14, please refrain from harming your partner."
"Oh, shut up 13. She has one job to do here and she's out of it, enjoying the high when we need her the most. Tch…"
How can you… He must have never seen them when they have to be tuned. They're not 'high' nor is it pleasurable for them to have the medicine injected straight into their veins. I claw at my controls, risking bending or breaking them, as he again seemed to hit the ESPer going by his movement in the projection and the smacking sounds.
"Golem 1 here, can't you use the sensors manually?" I understand why he suggests that, but forcing an ESPer to use her powers in such a state… She might not recover from the shock…
"Oh, yeah. I'll do just that. How was this used again? Oi, 13. How do I make the sensors work on their own?"
And yet, if he doesn't confirm the data, the UN won't agree to make the dash, and we're already losing too much time. Forgive me, please.
"Sigh… Manual controls, fourth row, third line on the left side."
How can you not know how to trigger the sensors manually? I close my eyes and bite my lips, how much pain have you made that poor girl suffer until now? As he exits the common channel, I also mute my ID and let out a heavy sigh along a curse.
"Jerzy, please don't be upset. We are taught from the start that we're… not like the rest. We're weapons made to serve the Motherland."
"That's not true. I do not agree with the official designation given to the ESPers. You're human, just like everyone else. I won't ever agree to 'use' you or another ESPer as a weapon, Doyarka," She shivered a bit at my words as the tingly feeling again became a bit stronger, making the rumbling of the constant running feel as nothing more than a tender shaking.
"So you won't… drug me?"
"I told you as much in all of our missions. You're not just a tool to me, you're my partner and I won't use the drugs if it will do you harm."
I know that the mission comes first, I know it might be for the best, but it would only harm her in her current state. The medicine should only be used when they're not in such obvious distress, otherwise it sends them into shock and turns the ESPers into nothing more than silent weapons. And I don't enjoy seeing Doyarka turn into a silent doll.
I had heard the rumors the first time it happened to her. ESPers tend to lose their memory when they overuse their powers, that's why they have to remain medicated at all times. However, when the treatment is done while they're strained they go into shock and turn into… literally silent dolls, forgetting most of their memories. It does make them obedient and willing to fight, but it comes at the cost of them not reacting to the damage they inflict themselves as they overuse their abilities. Reason why they tend to suffer from strong migraines and can lose their memory from time to time if forced to operate in such a way for long periods of time. The damage to their brains is irreversible.
I will never forget how she started spasming at the end of that mission when I forced the drug on her. Doyarka forgot all about our first months together when we almost died on one of the first recon missions, and I wasn't given any instructions on how to prevent this from happening again or any directive or reprimand at all. I was simply told to keep treating her as I saw fit, so long as we produced results and she still could fulfill her role there were no complains coming from up high.
During those days after she returned from the 'tuning', when she kept quietly following me around, I once thought she was faking her politeness and was doing that to keep me under surveillance. Growing increasingly paranoid of her appearance and afraid of her powers, that's all I could see her actions as. I was convinced something was off, there was no way I was let off without any punishment, and so, lost in my paranoia and fears, I told her off by saying some hurtful things. Go jump off the roof or something along those lines, I think I was having lunch alone up there when that happened.
She then tried to do just that. I had to grab her shoulders and forcefully pin her down to stop her, as if we were fighting for dear life. And even then she resisted until I told her to stop. She immediately calmed down as she heard my 'order', but when I asked her what was wrong with her, why she had just tried to commit suicide…
"You ordered me to jump off the roof. I was just following orders," She said in a monotone, emotionless and with a perfect poker face.
I've heard our superiors don't care what we do to the ESPers so long as we produce results in the field, since we apparently have hundreds more of them ready to be deployed. I heard they value the TSFs more than our ESPers, actually. So long as nothing comes up in their ESP tests and tuning sessions, they can be beaten up, harmed, or… used as comfort corporals, so long as they still perform their scans as they should. Many say it's better to have them in 'Silent Mode' as opposed to letting them be free of the medicine's hold, since they can't 'betray us' if they cannot disobey any order given to them.
And some… doctors say these actions work as a test to see how the ESPers endure the mental strain, how they can make them more resilient to stress and see how effective the current medicine is. Pick an ESPer and have the partner harm her, most of the time on accident due to using the drug when it shouldn't be used. Then, connect her to the sensors and force her to use her powers. Gather the data and keep pushing the ESPer to her limits, once she enters into shock use the drug on her. If she suffers from memory loss, the better for them. Send her back to her partner, without giving him or her any tips on how to prevent this from happening again, and start over.
Rinse and repeat to gather more intel and perfect the medicine and sensors, to see how far we can push the ESPers, to see whether we can have them be useful while in 'Silent Mode' so that they can't betray the Motherland. As far as the rumors go, this is a thing since the third generation was assigned to the frontlines.
Luckily, not everyone is a degenerate in our army. Many might seclude the ESPers due to fear or prejudice, but they don't harass or harm them. But there are those guys and gals who just don't care, those who enjoy the liberties they can take on their partner's well-being. And it's… Disgusting doesn't cut it. Sickening also doesn't sound fitting. It's… rotting. It makes me feel as if I were rotting alive whenever I recall the screams and pleas for help of my neighboring rooms back in the base, followed by sounds of smacking and pounding, of furniture and things being flung about, and sometimes also laughter. That sickening cackle that some do… when the ESPers begin to cry and beg.
And we can't do anything, because each pilot is responsible for the ESPer it is attached to. Interfering is not allowed, lest you gain the animosity of those high above and they charge you with 'meddling with Alt. III's goals'.
…That's why I won't let Doyarka depend on that drug, I have to take her to safety without relying on it. Who knows what will happen to her this time if I used the medicine? Even if it would allow me to have the sensors working at full load, I would lose her again. And this time it might be forever. If she couldn't continue scanning on the field, she'll be made into a test subject. I can't allow that to happen to her.
"Oh, it's working now. Let's see what turns out," My fellow Moskali seemed to have managed to make his partner work the sensors while she was drugged out of her own consciousness, going by the soft, almost inaudible, pained yelps that reached me and the rest when he reconnected to the common channel, "You better not be lying 13, because if this is… Wait… What the…" His eyes parted wide far beyond, and yet it also seemed as if they were growing smaller as his face seemed to submerge under an ice lake, "Golem 1, I also confirmed the readings. There are two herds coming to the intersection!"
"Golem 1, roger that. All units, let's put some more speed in our stride but keep an eye on your fuel!"
"Roger!"
Hustling to make some boost jumps, our dots on the radar moving towards the intersection as the red dots to our sides appeared on it. The ones that were coming after us haven't given up either and were right on our tail. We don't have the time to stop and deal with all of them, but if they come at us from our twelve, if the intersection is filled with BETA…
And in a cruel twist of fate, when the intersection came into view it was already brimming with Destroyers coming at us.
"Scatter! Dodge them and keep going forward!" Golem 1 said as soon as the beetles got into our radar.
"Doyarka, hold on tight."
"Yes. Don't worry, I'll try to keep your radar as precise as possible."
I nod at her and, stomping hard one last time, I do a boost jump. The TSFs break formation and dodge the first wave, and then we start boost dashing independently. I jump onto a wall and avoid most Destroyers coming my way.
BOOM!
One of the Eagles was rammed as it landed, turning into a crust of smoke.
I run for a few meters, Tanks and Grapplers block my way. And I can't waste fuel or I won't be able to escape when I get to the surface. Do I have enough ammo left? I can't doubt and they're getting closer…
"Actualizing position, targets locked," Doyarka said as her voice again had an edge in it, the pigeon was ready to fly again, "All sensors are ready, Jerzy. You can attack them if you need, you won't miss your shots," The tingly feeling on the back of my head returns as she looked back at me, trying to gauge whether I wanted her help or not.
It's been almost two years since we were assigned together and I still do not like how my head feels whenever she forces her thoughts into me. I do welcome the direct projection of data, but it tires me out at a quite fast rate. And I also know it can be a too heavy weight on her right now.
CRASH!
Another Eagle was caught by a Grappler as it tried to jump. Crashed on the ground, it's easy prey for the Tanks.
If it comes to this, I should use all we have at our disposal. I know we were told to use the direct projection with moderation, but we cannot fail this mission. And if it's between this and using the medicine, I rather share the burden with her.
"Alright, let's do it. Doyarka, commence the projection!"
"Understood," Before she finished, the back of my head started pulsating.
That similar vertigo-like feeling assailed me for a moment. Split images of the hallway we were in from different angles reached my mind for a split second.
I aimed our gun forward, waiting just a moment to shoot. One 120mm explodes onto a Grappler, also taking out some Tanks. Dashing through the spot we plunged in their wall, taking a sidestep to avoid the hands of the beasts around me.
I take a deep breath and feel myself coming back to normal. Jumping again, I shoot some of my 36mm ammo as I do, seeing in my visor how the rest are also nearby. Landing hard, we're reunited with the remaining four allies we have here.
"Golem 1 here, let's rush out of here!"
"Roger!"
Side by side, we sail this never ending current of red and white. Kicking some Tanks that get in the way, running and taking sidesteps to bait the Grapplers to charge and covering each other's backs we made it to the intersection.
"Jerzy, stop!" The tingly feeling back in me, I pulled back as she told without even realizing it.
BOOM!
Fort-Class were coming closer from both hallways, their stingers pierced parts of the units that were closer. One was an Eagle… And the other one was Antlion 14.
The giant BETA towered over us, the dissolving remains of our allies suffering from the acid didn't have much time to voice their pain as they were squashed by the other BETA coming from underneath both Forts. I held the urge to vomit at the sight, biting my tongue inside my mouth. Doyarka muffled a scream as her sister yelled in pain due to the acid, only for the munching sounds to follow a second later.
This slight pause in our stride let the rest of the BETA behind us to close the gap we had made. And that was not all. The other pilots who were lucky enough to dodge the stingers hadn't pulled back like we did, so they were now too close to the Forts. I closed the common channel as I saw they had nowhere to run, jumping would only make the Forts target them with the stinger anyways.
"Shit… We're completely surrounded…"
"…We're going to… No… We're-"
"Not yet! Don't give up yet, Doyarka," Erupting into a forward dash, slashing my way through when a Tank tried to get in the way.
I won't give up. If I can get past this intersection… all I have to do is rush forward to reach the hall! I have to be enough, I have to protect Doyarka. Both for our sakes and for my compatriots that await me back in Alaska. My tongue retreated to the back of my mouth, my breathing became as rugged as a rabbit's as it was chased by a wolfpack.
In this cramped space, I tried to dodge a Destroyer but I had to do a sidestep to avoid a Grappler. This caused my Mindseeker to fall heavily onto the floor, beeping alarms on the joints blaring to life.
Repositioning myself in the blink of an eye, moving out as soon as the controls allowed, I again tried to dodge the monsters, but couldn't find a place to jump to and had to dash in between some Grapplers. The feet losing balance, out TSF began tumbling as I barely squeezed the Mindseeker in between the aliens.
The Tanks and Grapplers are making a circle around us, the Forts are coming closer. I shivered while clawing at my controls, scowling at the monsters. It's just some meters… If I can get past these bastards…
"Jerzy, use the S-11! We're already-"
"No! We have to escape. I won't let them harm you."
"But-"
"Trust in me! No… Trust in both of us. We're not dying today, these monsters won't have the pleasure of ending our lives. We're getting past them together, you and me."
"Together?"
"Yes, together. I know you must be tired, but keep using your projection on me. I can get past them if you aid me."
As I tried to fend off the Tanks, I could see in my visor how the other two TSFs were torn apart, how the Tanks reached into the cockpit. Shit… You bastards… I won't surrender to you. I will keep fighting, until I see that I can't go on!
Then, the tingly feeling came back, the image on my visor felt odd. More… vivid. I could tell the space I had between me and the BETA. The numbers on the radar became easier to grasp. I blinked and felt my eyes twitching, yet my vision felt more clear, more focused.
Beginning feel my heart on my neck, my feet hurt from stepping so much into the pedals and my stomach is killing me to let me release whatever vile has been brewing on it for the last hour. However, that tingly, calm feeling on the back of my head keeps me as still as a frozen lake as I advance.
"We… We'll do this together. I'll… protect you too, Jerzy. I'll guide you as well as I can," Somehow, Doyarka's voice sounded closer to me, as if she were whispering right into my ear.
Of course we won't die. These bastards are not putting a single finger on you. I swear it.
The tingly feeling spread on my head. The projection feels a bit different, my head doesn't hurt as usual. On the contrary, it doesn't hurt at all.
"Jerzy, group of Grapplers to our eleven."
Got it. Seems like there's some space in between them. Let's go!
"Yes!"
My Mindseeker squeezes itself past a charging Destroyer and I quickly slash at the Grapplers, slicing their pincers off as I march forward. I could somehow tell when the Forts were going to send their stingers, so I dived and dashed on the ground. Shooting my last 120mm at all the Tanks and Grapplers, I do short hops to dodge the Destroyers that come at me. The BETA end up tangled against each other, their movements so clumsily lagging behind me, unable to catch us off guard.
I feel completely at ease now. Their lack of order gives me enough space to move precisely, even if the available space is too narrow to be comfortable. It's almost as if they were moving in slow motion. As if there was a current for our small boat to follow in the middle of a myriad of rocks, and yet the current isn't a rapid. I find it easy, almost effortless, to dodge them. And it's not like they're coming at us in low numbers.
…What is this feeling, I wonder? Was the projection always this strong and I didn't notice?
"Jerzy, the BETA on the left seem to be more dispersed."
I see. Let's get past them already!
Moving under a Fort, noticing when its legs moved, we could avoid being crushed by them or crashing into them. Daggers on each hand and my rifle on the pylon, our bullets tear apart the Tanks and allow us to jump high past them, rebounding off a wall to avoid the Grapplers. Boosting in midair, we finally got past the aliens. Nothing impeding my march forward.
As we made contact with the ground, we sent our TSF into a full sprint with all we had towards our two to avoid the stinger of a Fort, jumping to avoid any acid from reaching the unit. The BETA seemed to crash into each other as they tried to give chase. I remained as focused as I was, the tingle on the back of my head told me to stay sharp.
Doyarka, do you sense more of them?
"Yes, some are already in the hall and there's many trying to reach it from another drift. We should speed up until we reach the stab," She again whispered on my ear. Something told me she shouldn't be able to do this right now, but I dismissed the thought. Feeling her so close is comforting, also invigorating. I am not alone against these thousands of monsters.
If you say so, hold on tight.
I go into a boost dash to reach the hall, once I do I stop and start running. On the distance, a few heat signatures popped out. All condensed on a single area, and as I traverse the hall I could see what it was. Torn rifles, shrapnel and plating scattered about, a group of BETA was eagerly tearing down the TSFs that were supposed to deliver our supplies, having a party of their own. Some of them reacted to our arrival and started coming towards us so I had no choice but to keep running away, as tempting as those supply crates were. As I was midway through the hall, Doyarka pointed that more BETA were coming from some of the hallways. So, tightening ourselves into our seats, we broke into more consecutive jumps.
"They'll catch up to us at this rate. We should use our ammo here."
No, not yet. Let them get a bit closer to one another for maximum effect. Doyarka, can you focus on the ones nearby?
"Yes, as you wish."
As her whisper ended my eyes twitched. The BETA that were nearer became somehow more focused on my view, as if I could react to their advance with my own body, as if I were facing them. Waiting a moment as I ran, until enough of them got on our tail, I activated my rifle from its pylon. I shot all my remaining ammo onto the Tanks and Grapplers at the right angle to cripple most of them, then I once more boost dashed away.
We reached the final drift before the stab. The BETA followed closely behind me. The red dots getting closer as we approach the stab, I can't boost carelessly if I want to clear this last distance.
"We should boost dash in one minute. We can use the momentum of the jump to start boost vectoring into the stab."
Are you sure? We still need to clear a drift to reach the gate after that, and it's not like they'll stop chasing us.
"I'm sure. Trust in me, Jerzy," Then, the tingly feeling turned into… a feeling similar to being under a warm shower.
I could now judge the distance on the tunnel clearly despite how it seems to stretch into the distance unchanged.
How could I not see it? Alright, let's do this.
"Yes, on your mark."
As a Destroyer got too close, we sharply performed a Kulbit on a wall and slashed its legs from behind. Spinning in place, we teared the Tanks that tried to grab onto our frame and then jumped again, running on as we landed. As we approached the stab, I felt Doyarka whispering in an almost inaudible voice and I started the boost vectoring.
Some BETA crashed onto the end of the drift, I think some Tanks are climbing towards us. But we made it… I don't know how but we made it.
"Now it's only this last drift. Doyarka, how are… Doyarka?" She was limp on her seat, unmoving.
I blinked a few times as I got dizzy for a moment. When I opened my eyes again, my vision had refocused back to normal. Swaying a bit, I put a hand on my head as I exhaled loudly a few times. What… What was that projection?
"Doyarka, are you alright?"
"…Y-Yes, I'm just… tired," Completely slumped onto her seat, she barely managed to form an answer. It… feels so distant compared to how she was talking a moment ago.
"Don't worry. We're free of our pursuers for now," I start running again towards the exit, "Antlion 13 here, does anyone receive me?"
…Nothing. Static over the radio silence.
"Antlion 13 here, does anyone copy?"
Some more moments of nothing extended as I ran, as a cold shiver ran on my back despite the temp adjusting capabilities of the fortified suits.
Some static reached my comms. A weak signal reached me and I connected to it.
"…Scorpion 2, hearing you loud and clear!" The face of an Indian woman appeared on my vision, "Antlion 13, how's the mission going?! How many of you are left?!"
"Only me. The rest of the force were KIA."
"What?! Just what did… No, are you ready to retreat?"
"Can you connect me to my CP?"
"I'll try. Give me a moment."
The more I ran, the more functions that returned to the Mindseeker. It seems that Doyarka was right, something lies in the Hive that make our connections go sour. But as much as I want to rush out of here, I need to inform my superiors of the outcome of the mission so that I can get an escape route to my vessels, the last thing I want is them accusing me of treason for not contacting them.
"Antlion 13, I got you patched," The woman said before dropping out of the channel.
An encrypted connection was established with my unit and the face of my commander appeared before me.
"Good work, comrade," Col. Rogofsky, the Captain's father, addressed me as coldly and solemnly usual, "Give me your report." I tell him I'm the last survivor, that we didn't find anything new, and that I had all the data on me, "Very good work, my comrade. I shall send you an escape route ASAP. Do one last effort for the Motherland and come back alive to our vessel."
"Yes, sir!" He closed the connection and I couldn't help but frown.
He didn't even react to the news of the death of his own son, not even a twitch. For the Motherland… Heh… I have a better reason to fight for right in front of me, and waiting in the camps of my compatriots.
"Doyarka, are you really fine? I can slow down a bit if-"
"It's okay… I just exhausted myself…" She's still slumped, talking as if she was falling asleep.
Taking one deep breath, I dash to shorten the last distance and reach the gate. And finally… it comes into sight. The peering beams of light through the jagged, cyclopean rock formations of the hive's structure. The soothing presence of the sun, filtering into this darkest abyss of madness.
Reaching the surface, the graying skies of heavy metal residue, as more explosions reverberated in the distance, the UN teams had prepared some supply crates for us.
As some of them stood guard into the Hive and I refueled and received another rifle, the escape route's trajectory was sent to me. A few Eagles were assigned to guard my escape. When I double checked everything, I realized Doyarka was unconscious. Her readings are stable thankfully, but I know how quickly this can change.
Licking my lips and inhaling through my nose, I move my head in circles for a moment. As the jump units began to heat up, as everything that occurred replayed in my mind for a moment, and my wrists shook against my will as did my gut, I looked at her. Calmly sleeping for now…
Come on, Mindseeker… One last push. Let's get Doyarka to safety.