We didn't waste any time; we climbed the stairs and ran towards the main entrance of the place, which had a broad staircase with just a few steps.
"Here's Ross speaking, activate all radios; we are about to face a frontal attack from an enemy never seen before. Everyone, take your positions and prepare for the worst."
There was a calm before the storm. I saw the resistance taking cover behind anything they could find. The university's windows provided a good spot for the few snipers, while the more daring ones went up and down makeshift watchtowers constructed from various scraps outside, using binoculars to survey the perimeter, which had four streets leading to the university entrance.
A box of grenades was placed near the entrance, and some medics arrived with medical supplies just as the footsteps of the alerted creatures reached the area.
Metal-covered beasts with four legs, the hind ones thicker than the front, and a barrel-mounted machine gun on their snouts, with antennas on the front and back. Their appearance seemed familiar from somewhere, but there was no time to dwell on it.
"Synth... Crab Synth!" A rebel shouted in panic, giving them a nickname.
A hail of bullets rained down on the beast, but the metal armor only sparked as it rapidly dented.
A group of Combine soldiers advanced behind the Crab Synth. In the sky, I could see more reinforcements arriving, attempting to land on the university's terrace or nearby areas using air dropships, either where we were or at any of the four paths.
The minigun carried by those crabs fired bursts of shrapnel but had limited mobility, only able to shoot directly in front of them.
Some rebels positioned themselves to throw grenades at them, but somehow, the Crab Synth spotted them, as if it could sense their movements on the floor or had some other form of augmented vision. It then released a mortar weapon from its back, firing precise purple balls who emitted shock waves. It was pure and ordinary electricity, not plasma or any vortessence I recognized. Nevertheless, the electricity was intense enough to burn or pulverize bodies on direct contact with the electrical ball they launched.
I stepped forward, charging my power and struck the heavily injured creature, causing it to explode into a thousand pieces, leaving nothing but an empty shell.
Combine troops were coming in behind more Crabs Synth, approaching from four different paths at various intervals.
I could hear the orders from those soldiers:
"OVERWATCH REPORTS AN EXTENSIVE RESERVE OF HEAVY ARTILLERY COMING FROM INSIDE OF POINT ZERO. DISPLACE."
Jorge managed to flank and retreat when they noticed his position, inspiring more resistance members to do the same.
As for me, I was just a force of nature, using everything I had learned to stop their advance.
Having them in my sight was enough to strike several of them simultaneously with a lightning bolt.
Missiles flew above me, impacting our enemies. They came from various high points in the Augury base, both from the terrace and the small improvised watchtowers.
"Save the explosives for the toughest ones to bring down!" Rosenberg ordered through the base's communication systems and portable radios.
"SPEAR FIVE, ONE... MULTIPLE SQUAD MEMBERS DOWN!
"SURVEILLANCE REPORTS COMPLETE ABSENCE OF STRIDERS IN THE PERIMETER."
Two crabs entered from one side. I attacked one of them with three well-charged shots, which was enough to bring it down. However, it didn't seem to have any weaknesses from behind, so I had to dodge the electrical spheres it launched when it noticed my presence.
"The radar reports synths… everywhere!" Ross alerted.
A final attack that took its time. The four paths came with four Synth Crabs each, while a few headcrab shells fell in strategic locations like the watchtowers. Therefore, there were fewer rocket launcher carriers for us.
"TARGET COMPROMISED: MOVE IN, MOVE IN!"
"OVERWATCH, REQUEST REINFORCEMENTS."
Two of the crabs started to open fire at the entrance columns, forcing the resistance to enter, some being hit by the shots or overwhelmed by the debris constantly falling on them.
I ran at full speed, with the Synths trying to stop me with their purple electric explosions. I kept moving while still charging my energy, all at the same time.
The Combine troops began shooting me, so I had to leave the last one to the resistance hands.
I was getting close, but their shotguns made me realize that it would be a bad idea.
I wasn't tired yet, but I was injured.
I dealt with several squads of Combine soldiers, who, in contrast to the Crabs Synths in the front line, were nothing more than a joke worthy of Jorge. Or so I thought until some white uniform Combine soldiers appeared and gravely injured me with plasma bullets. Fortunately, I had distant support from the resistance's snipers.
A combine dropship was heavily damaged in the sky by one of our missiles, releasing its container and crashing from a great height with all the troops inside. I opened the hatch; everyone was motionless. All I could see around me was smoke; we had won.
I received first aid as I entered Augury Base, victorious but with modesty. While listening to the conversations of the resistance and the occasional remark, as usual.
"How lucky that Ross had ordered the dismantling of several headcrab launchers where they were using it. Otherwise, we wouldn't have survived this one." Said a rebel walking through the interior of the university.
"Hey, everyone! That's the Vortigaunt who saved Augury!"
People began to surround me, showering me with praise, but I didn't feel like talking to anyone at that moment.
Everyone congratulated me, seeing me as a hero, which surprised me. I had only done what everyone did to defend this place. It seemed that humans approved of outstanding efforts, even though it was a collective achievement of the resistance.
We all expected Ross to give a motivational speech or something similar, but instead, he simply ordered us to clean up and take control of the head house for taking control of the train stations, where the last civilians were being move in from quarantine. I was surprised that they hadn't taken measures with those who were still confined all this time.
As I marched, I couldn't help but think that these Synth Crabs felt familiar to me. They resembled what humans call the "Race X." If it weren't for the vortessence and Doctor Rosenberg's notes, could it be that the Shu'ulathoi had already assimilated them?
These thoughts troubled my mind at that moment. To think that there was no form of life without a chance was disheartening. I hoped they were merely similar to Voltigores by coincidence. Otherwise, just imagining the effects if the Combine got their hands on a gene worm, with its terraforming capabilities, would be absolutely devastating.
"You're doing it again!" Jorge shouted angrily.
"What thing?" I asked, confused.
"Talking to yourself! I told you, if something bothers you, tell me, we're a team!"
"Understood, Jorge."
He remained silent for over a minute until he calmed down.
"I'm sorry if I seem off," he sighed. "This attack was a significant mood shift for me. One thing is dealing with a few striders and a handful of houndeyes, but... those things? If they have more of them, I don't know if the day of peace will ever come. It feels like they're testing us to see what our limit is."
"We have an opportunity in our hands. The day will come, and we'll know it when it happens." I said, putting my hand on his back.
Jorge turned to me and responded angrily;
"And when will that be? With the arrival of this so-called Gordon Freeman? That man is a myth, a rumor spread by the survivors of Black Mesa. It's impossible that he's still alive. I told you, hope is one of the things that have been killing us all this time. We have to be realistic. Only you and I can get out of this. No one else, not Breen, not Gordon, no one."
"And what about the resistance?"
"That's us, but the way things are going, it doesn't look good. Also, I can see it in your... eye. You went through hell, don't get me wrong. Mine was a hail of bullets, but I was never on my own for most of the time. I've been helped more than I'd like to admit.
"Call it luck or knowing where to be at the right moment, but now I know that I have to return the favor, for Mike, for Oxana. I'm not going to lose you, I swear. Maybe everyone at Augury Base is optimistic, but to me, it's like they're paying me back in installments for everything they took from me."