The sounds of the violent battle overwhelm his senses as he rushes headlong into the darkness ahead. With the outer perimeter breached, the tank crews shift their fire almost as one and shell the once occupied lines viciously to cover the withdrawal. Manny is smashed into the ground from the shockwave of a nearby explosion. Uttering a string of Spanish curses at the blind tank gunner who almost punched his ticket, he drags himself up and runs to where his troops wait. Behind him, he hears the main bulk of the Zerg forces pounding the ground towards their lines. He crosses through yet another network of defensive base ditches and kicks the last bridge down as several hydra spikes stir up the rocks around him. Pausing briefly, he whips around and snaps off a dozen shots in the direction of his tormentors. He watches with satisfaction as he drops a wounded hydra and then racks a grenade to nail the others. Sighting on the next hydra, his rifle kicks violently as the grenade leaves the barrel with a deep thunk. The explosive lands amongst the beasts and the results are spectacular; the hydras are ripped to shred by the blast and fragments. Not wanting to press his luck further, he takes off at a dead run towards a bunker.
“Over here sir!” rasp several marines from inside an impact crater.
Dropping into the crater with them, he lands with deep grunt as his gear drops around him.
“That’s nice shooting sir,” comments a marine as he glances back at the smoldering pile of dead Zerg and fires his rifle at an approaching Zergling. The Zergling falls and skids to a stop in the dirt.
Panting like a marathon runner, Manny replies, “Yeah… too bad there’s still more behind me huh. Wait a minute… why aren’t you guys under cover?!”
“SCVs are finishing our bunker right now while we wait out here sir,” answers a private as he slaps a fresh clip in. Manny follows his gesture and sees a bunker in the final stages of completion.
“As soon as they finish, you guys get in there fast got it?” he orders as he punches the marine lightly in the shoulder.
“Absolutely sir.”
“Good.” He says with a small nod. “Where’s the sarge?”
“He’s in that bunker sir,” answers a corporal as he points towards a bunker on the right. A loud series of piercing cries flow forth from the outer perimeter and is answered immediately by rifle fire as tank blasts brighten the darkness. The loud ripping sound of the heavy weapon crews drowns out the screams of the Zerg as they throw out a lethal wall of lead.
“They’re coming in!” cries someone off to their left.
“GET TO COVER NOW!” screams Manny towards the marines in the crater as he climbs out. The marines madly scramble out just as a volley of hydra spikes zips by. Manny hears the deadly projectiles whistling past him and rolls towards cover to return fire. One marine, running towards the bunker, spasms from the impacts and plops down hard on the ground as he fires his rifle in death reflexively. Another goes down screaming as several spikes pierce his leg armor to savage the flesh underneath. The other marines drop immediately and begin to lay down covering fire as two go back for their wounded comrade. They both grab an arm and try to drag him to safety. One of the rescuers takes a series of hits and drops screaming in agony.
“Cover fire DAMNMIT!” screams a marine. A heavy weapon in a nearby bunker answers immediately and lays down a deadly stream to cover the wounded.
“Get’em the HELL out of there!” screams Manny as he fires a grenade into a moving, dark mass. With a brilliant flash, the grenade explodes and rips the targeted creatures apart. Manny jumps from behind his cover and rushes to aid the fallen soldiers. Manny grabs one of the wounded as another marine helps the others. His breathing is rapid and his heart feels as if is going to burst as he drags the wounded soldier to cover. Holding his gun like a massive pistol, he snaps off a few shots in the general direction of the Zerg.
“Medic! We need a medic over here!” screams Manny above the dim of the battle. The wounded soldier is thrashing about as blood pours forth like water from his massive wound. Looking to his left, he spots several medics dashing through the firestorm of lead, spikes and explosions. Taking a brief moment to assess the situation, Manny peers out from behind the bunker and watches as the remaining marines pull back and move to occupy the bunkers. The other wounded marine is placed next to the first as he bleeds profusely through his savaged armor from dozens of wounds.
“Hang in there, soldier,” comforts the lead medic as she goes to work to stop the leg from bleeding out. “Carl, what’s the situation on the other one?”
The second medic checks the wounds and replies with a sour face. “Doesn’t look good ma’am. This one is blowing blood bubbles over here. I’ve got massive penetration trauma and he’s bleeding out; going into shock.”
Looking to her right, she orders another medic to take over as she moves to the priority. Taking out a syringe, she readies 10cc of Neuroatrophine in an attempt to stabilize the trauma patient. “Get the stretchers out and let’s get them out of here!” The medics work quickly to clear the wounded and take off at a flat run towards the medical station.
“Take care of them Lieutenant… they’re good men,” shouts Manny above the chaos.
Pausing to look back, Lieutenant Elizabeth Askins yells, “Don’t worry… nobody dies on my shift!” She takes off into the darkness after her unit as the battle continues to rage around her.
A nearby explosion draws him back to the bleak situation and Manny gathers his gear and runs off to the command bunker. He sees most of his platoon heavily engaged and watches as several Goliaths move to backstop position behind the lines. Barrels spin under the cockpits as the chain guns prepare to fire. Suddenly, the fronts of the massive walkers are obscured as huge muzzle flashes light up the darkened sky. The massive cannons spit out hot-death and lay waste to everything downrange as spent cases pile up under them. Rushing past them Manny finally reaches the command bunker and dashes inside. He immediately spots Frost against a viewport firing his rifle.
“Damn sir, thought you bought it back there,” he yells above the roar of the heavy weapons fire.
Breathlessly, Manny replies back, “I’m too damn stubborn to die Hal.” Pausing for a moment he continues, “What’s the state of the platoon?”
“Most of us made it back to the secondary line,” he replies as a nearby explosion rocks the bunker, “we’ve got the remainder of 2nd platoon on the right flank. The Cap’n says the rest of our company made it back as well.”
“I don’t think we can hold this line for long Hal. There’s too many of them.”
“I know sir. It’s only a matter of time before the bulk hits us,” he comments as he points out into the darkness. “We can’t keep them back when it comes.” There’s a brief pause in the noise as the weapon crew reloads. “Almost out of ammo here boss man,” screams one of the gunners.
“Damnmit! Where’s our air support?!” Laying his rifle down for a moment, Manny grabs the receiver off his back calls into the company net. “Alpha 2 to 6, come in over.”
On his radio, he hears the sound of massive explosions and gunfire as Briggs responds. “This is 6, send you traffic over.”
“Where’s the air support sir,” he screams above the roar of the gunfire.
“About eight minutes out Manny… hang in there!”
Above the chaos of battle, Manny hears a sharp cry.
“HERE THEY COME!”
The ground literally shakes as a massive swarm of Zerg rush headlong into the teeth of the Terran defenses as their overlords threaten to fill the darkened sky. The wild, animalistic shrieks of the Zerg fills the air and flows over the Terrans like a passing hand of death.
“OPEN FIRE!” Manny screams once again over the platoon channel as he drops the radio to grab his rifle.
The Terran lines literally light up like a Christmas tree from the hundreds of muzzle flashes. Several supporting tanks shift their fire onto the rushing horde and begin to exact their deadly toll. Hundreds of Zerg are blasted into the air to rain down on the blood stained ground. Despite their losses, they single-mindedly surge forward seeking to eradicate the Terran presence. More fall to the intense barrage but they slowly begin to edge their way closer until they are merely yards away.
Defensive fire begins to slack off as the continuous fire begins to take its toll on the Terrans’ supplies. This only drives the Zerg to rapidly close the distance.
“Ammo! Ammo damnm it!” screams a private in a nearby bunker.
“Shit I’m out!” screams another as the bolt on his rifle locks open.
“I’m on my last clip here! Let’s get the hell back!” cries another marine. The bunker’s occupants immediately rush to the rear hatch as they seek to fallback to safety. Seeing the fire dropping off from one bunker, the Zerg immediately shift their forces to exploit the weakness. Dozens penetrate the Terran lines and rush into the base interior. The now empty bunker is ripped into as a swarm of Zerglings flow over it like a living tide. Caught in the open running, the marines are forced to fight hand-to-hand with the Zerg. One of the marines turns and empties his rifle into several zerglings before he is ripped to shreds. Another slams his rifle butt into the head of a rushing zergling and topples the poor creature. He immediately pulls his sidearm and fires point-blank into the eye; blood and brain matter is blasted out the exit hole. A Firebat trooper tries desperately to cover the retreat by scorching the ground behind them. Unfortunately his fuel tank catches a wild round from a dying marine’s gun and immediately explodes. His screams are heard above the roar of battle as he stumbles about engulfed in the blaze; until he drops and merely add to the devastation around him. The brave stand lasts but for a few seconds as the Zerg literally rolls right over the retreating marines.
Seeing the lines collapse Manny grabs the radio again and calls back to the Captain. “They’re serious this time sir! We’re going to have to fallback to the primary line now!”
“Get a move on it then Manny! The Colonel is ordering the other companies back so we’ll see you—“
Briggs never gets to finish his sentence as an intense barrage from several Zerg guardians blasts his bunker to flaming scrap.
“Cap’n! Cap’n!” he practically screams into the radio. “Shit!” he screams in frustration as he throws the handset down.
“What?!” asks Frost.
“The Cap’n and probably the whole command staff is freakin’ gone! Get the men ready to fallback to the primary,” he orders urgently.
Manny keys into his platoon net and orders the withdrawal. “Displace! Displace!” he yells over the net. Once again, the men break off in pairs and rush to the next defensive line as the others increase their fire to cover the retreat. He tries to raise the other company elements to inform them of the retreat but gets only static and incoherent replies from those that bother. In frustration, he gives up and instead concentrates on his responsibilities.
The sound of metal shifting is heard above the sounds of battle as the last remaining tanks switch modes as they prepare to race off to the last defensive line. One tank shudders from the hammering attack of several attacking guardians and disappears in an expanding red and black fireball that fills the sky. Several nearby Goliaths rotate their chassis and volley off their missiles on the offending creatures. The missiles rocket off the rails and close the distance rapidly; the one targeted guardian is blasted apart in turn as bloody pieces rain down while the other limps away trailing blood. The Goliaths continue to fire their cannons into the advancing ground masses as they slowly backup.
Marines up and down the lines begin to break and run as they continue to fire backwards at the rushing Zerg. Dozens of troops are hit in the retreat and either writhe in agony from their wounds or lie still. Those who do not die quickly are hacked to pieces by the advancing Zerg. Inside the command bunker, Manny orders the remaining troops out as the Zerg are on the verge of overrunning the lines.
“All units fallback NOW! Get to the primary line!” he screams into the command net above the roar of gunfire.
“Come on, let’s go Manny!” urges Frost as he stands near the open door shifting impatiently.
“Don’t wait for me, damn it! Get the hell back with the others!” he screams back.
“Not this time Lieutenant, you’re sticking close to me.”
“Fine, be my mother mano,” he snaps back. Grabbing a spare rifle and some ammo, he tosses it at Frost as they bolt out the rear door. Off like a shot, both of them weave through the firestorm as literally hundreds of spikes fill the air. As they look back, they see a group of hydras and ‘lings scurrying past the edge of the now emptied bunker. The hydras open up immediately upon seeing them and the air is alive with sounds of deadly projectiles whizzing by.
“Shit!” both of them yell almost in unison as they dive behind the burned out husk of a tank. Rolling from behind the tank, they both fire their rifles mercilessly into the approaching group. Their bullets impact on the Zerg with a series of loud wet sounding whacks and cause them to spasms wildly. Frost ends their gyrations with a well-placed grenade round. Manny fires another for good measure as they get up to continue their run back to their lines. As they run back they come across a wounded marine, despite being in extreme agony, trying desperately to crawl to the next line.
“Give me a hand Hal,” yells Manny as he drapes the wounded marine’s arm around his shoulders. Frost does the same with the other arm and they take off at a dead run carrying the man. They reach the last defensive line and drop behind the cover of a bunker in exhaustion.
“Take care of him,” he asks a medic and gets a nod. “Let’s go Hal,” urges Manny as they move down the lines.
Running fast and low behind a dirt mound, they head towards the only remaining command bunker. A sharp shriek fills the air and they both dive into a crater as a group of mutas flashes past. The mutas rain deadly fire down on the lines as several marines scream horribly as they are struck. Manny shields his eyes as a goliath is hammered to pieces and explodes brilliantly; flaming debris raining down. Several marines shift their fire as a surviving goliath launches its missiles in return. Two mutas are blasted out of the sky while a third shudders from the impacts of the bullets and falls to the ground dead.
Taking off again, they finally reach their destination and rush inside. A heavy weapon crew stands at one of the ports as they continue to hammer away at the approaching swarm. Frost joins them as Manny tries to raise the Command element.
“Command this is Alpha 2, come in over!”
“Alpha 2, this is Command. What’s your sit-rep…over.”
“The situation is we’re about to all become fertilizer! Where’s the GAWDDAMN AIR SUPPORT?!” he screams back.
“Your support is one minute out, hang in there!”
“Tell ‘em to hurry it up!” screams Manny as he drops the radio and joins Frost at the ports.
“Our air is about a minute out now,” he says to Frost as he snaps off a series of shots at a zergling downrange.
“THEY’RE COMING THROUGH!” screams a marine.
“We need to buy ourselves just a little bit of time boss. Light the trenches?” he asks.
“Do it!” he orders. Frost swiftly moves to a series of detonators mounted on the wall and arms the switches. With a flurry of movement, the explosives are primed and armed and he depresses the igniter. Dozens of explosives are set off within the trenches and ignite the volatile fluid within them. The massive explosions erupts upward into the sky and turns the surrounding lines into a virtual wall of hellish fire. Those Zerg unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast are simply vaporized by the intense heat. However, despite the intense flaming barrier the Zerg still continue to advance. Their bodies charred and on fire, they charge recklessly into the Terran lines.
“I don’t believe it,” whispers Hal with disbelief.
“Damn it! Don’t they ever stop!” cries a private.
“OPEN FIRE!” Manny bellows yet again into the predawn air. The troops open up again with an intense barrage as desperation threatens to overwhelm them. With their numbers whittled down, running out of ammo and no more room to retreat, they make ready for their final fight.
In the chaos, several overlords have circled around the flaming trenches and begin to unload their deadly cargo inside the Terran perimeter. Dozens of hydras and ‘lings rush the defenders from the rear. The first warning of intruders comes from the gargled screams of those being slaughtered. The last remaining defenders immediately split their fire to deal with this new threat. Several hydras rush towards the medical center as they are drawn by the smell of blood. The two marines guarding the entrance manage to drop three hydras with concentrated fire but are immediately overwhelmed. The hydras rush inside and begin to rip the wounded to shreds. Body parts fly and blood flows onto the ground as screams of horror fills the room. Several medical personnel try to defend themselves and the patients and fall screaming as spikes and claws shred their bodies. Those that survive begin to engage the Zerg within the close quarters.
Rifle and pistol fire fills the air as blood flies to coat the walls. Lt. Elizabeth Askins watches in horror as a fellow medic is hacked to pieces viciously by the two remaining hydras. Grabbing a dropped bloodied rifle, she empties the entire clip into one hydra and watches it drop quivering. The last hydra turns immediately towards her as the breech locks open on an empty clip. She screams loudly as the hydra leaps at her; blood stained claws extended and saliva dripping from its jaws. A loud crack is heard and the hydra’s head disappears in an expanding red cloud. Blood and gore sprays on her as her she stands there in shock. Recovering slowly from her brush with death, she looks to her left and spots a wounded ghost, barely able to stand, holding a massive C-10 rifle. Shaking out of the near-death experience, she helps the ghost into place as they gather weapons and with the remaining survivors barricade the door. She whispers a silent prayer that it all ends soon
Out on the perimeter, Manny listens with growing despair as the remains of Bravo company on his right flank are on the verge of being overrun. Garbled and incoherent reports flood the command channel as those left in charge try to hold the line. Glancing briefly out towards their sector, he watches with grim interest as dozens of Zerglings storm a trench network. Even with the great distance, he can hear the screams as those out in the open are ripped to shreds. Body parts are tossed everywhere as blood flows like a river through the man-made canals. He spots several marines standing defiantly against the oncoming swarm and firing madly at point blank range; blood spraying everywhere as rifles are emptied. Their stand lasts only for a moment as they are literally consumed by the living wave. He tears his eyes away from the gruesome scene as a more immediate threat charges towards his lines.
The forward wave closes the distance rapidly as dozens of Zerglings rush headlong into the teeth of the defenders. Several large clusters of hydras follow behind them. The shrill cries of the Zerg resound like a death knell for the beleaguered Terrans. Just as if the cries were signaling the end, a massive sonic boom rattles the ground as the Zerg are suddenly consumed in a series of explosions. Blazing over the embattled lines, scores of fighters begin to assault the Zerg forces. Dozens of lasers erupt forth from the fighters as their bomb payloads are expended. Cheers issues forth from the Terran lines as the Zerg falter in their advance and fallback, fighters chasing them the whole way. Behind the fighters several Battlecruisers lumber into position as their laser batteries light the predawn sky and blast the retreating Zerg. Scores of dropships land and begin to disgorge troops that immediately give chase to the fleeing Zerg. Manny and the survivors exit their bunkers and watch as the Zerg retreat in disarray.
“I wasn’t worried. Were you boss,” asks Frost quietly as he checks the ammo on his gun, it comes up as three rounds left.
“Never had a doubt in my mind Hal,” comes the reply as he sees his gun empty. Turning to look at him, he continues with a slight grin. “Well… maybe a little bit.”
The reinforcements immediately begin to wade through the destruction from the battle as the some of the survivors wander about in a daze. Everywhere he looks, Manny sees the results of the carnage. Dozens of fires light up the battered camp as scores of the dead, both friend and foe, litter the ground and stain it red. Walking over to a burned out pile of crates, both of them sit down and lean against them and just take a quiet moment of relative peace. Frost takes out a smashed cigarette, looks at it briefly and then tosses it away in disgust.
“Not really in the mood for that right now boss.”
Both of them eventually drift off into sleep from sheer exhaustion. Time passes and daybreak arrives to greet them to yet another day. Manny is roused by a gently shaking. His eyes flash wide open as he reaches for his rifle.
“It’s ok sir,” reassuringly says a private, “ the Zerg are all gone.”
“Sorry soldier,” he replies sheepishly as he relaxes his grip on the rifle. “What is it?”
“The General and the command staff want to see all senior surviving officers sir,” he says as he points towards a distant bunker.
“Thanks soldier.”
“No problem sir,” says the private as he moves off.
Manny stretches over to smack Frost on the side of his head and he awakens with a grunt and a curse.
“Wake up sarge, time to go to work again.”
“Damn Manny, I’m getting too old for this shit!”
“You and me both mano,” he replies with a chuckle as they gather their gear and head off to prepare for yet another day on Dylar IV.
