Dystopia (Game Topic)

I will still be accepting bios as the story progresses.

Let's begin.

ADestroyer, KGBOOM

Anvil - 2300

"This is bullshit."

Simon couldn't keep his mouth shut for the life of him. Not that it would've mattered much; there were so many explosions going off it was hard to notice. Sergeant Gregory Press just sighed, still holed up behind two dumpsters with Corporal Walker.

"You keep saying that, and that prick with the R21 is still up there." Press replied as another round kinked off the metal of their makeshift cover. They'd been stuck there for almost an hour, pinned down and unable to make a break for cover. "Where in God's name are Dunn and Moreno? They should've put this asshole in the ground half an hour ago." Walker muttered, still running his mouth over their bad luck. The mining town they were stuck defending had been shelled for the past week, and they were finally starting to seep through the cracks. Their forces were in a disarray of random firefights. Right now they were in the middle of an open parking lot, with a Kovian marksman up on the roof of a dilapidated one-story pawn shop.

"Just fire on my mark." Press said, getting ready for the Kovian to spend the last round in his clip. Press and Walker both reloaded their R7 Rifles. Another R21 chinked off the edge of Walker's dumpster. "Mark!" Press shouted, then turned his rifle over the top of the dumpster in sync with Walker. Light ammo rounds sprayed into the building, chipping off glass windows and the edges of walls. They both went back into cover. "Think we got him?" Walker asked, after a few short minutes.

Another bullet smacked into the side of the dumpster, followed by the ragged sighs of two UIS grunts.

Out of the silence, Walker and Press noticed the spray of gunfire coming from the pawn shop. The two soldiers slowly looked from out of their cover. On top of the building stood two of their other squad members, Samantha Dunn and Jason Moreno, looking pretty smug, yet clearly worn out by the firefights. Press and Walker quickly regrouped with them. "Took you long enough, Dunn. Could've died of old age before you two showed up." Walker commented.

"Stow it, Walker. Cyrus said we're bugging out. Anvil is lost. They're gonna rig the mines to detonate. Asset denial." Dunn said, trying to make haste. "Shit.." Walker said, stunned. It was rare for them to level a city's assets during wartime. "Guess the brass are getting desperate. How does that look for us?" Moreno asked, looking towards Press for an answer.

No reply.
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Westhybrid

Anvil was in their grasp. Major Dai knew that much. This wouldn't punch a hole in the Trench by far, but it would give them some useful resources to use for the war effort. Anvil was a renowned mining town, for fuel and materials used for armored vehicles. Unfortunately, the UIS knew this would be a vital target, and put up a strong defence.

Dai was sitting in the back of an APC moving down the streets of Anvil. They already paved the way to the mines, which were on the far north of the town. Half his battalion was moving to the location, the other half was acting as a clean-up crew for the UIS squads they left behind. A ping went off of Dai's wrist; a sign that his HoloComm was being called. Dai pressed a tab on his wrist, and the holographic blue interface woke from his arm. A screen appeared, displaying Paxton, the grizzled Commander of the 2nd Legion. "Major, by now you should be nearing the mines. Intel says that the UIS is still in the area, so mop them up and finish the job. The 2nd Legion will have a victory here for certain." Paxton said.

Dai cleared his throat to respond. "Absolutely, sir. I'll keep you posted after this is over." Dai stated. Paxton ended the call with a nod, and the screen blinked off. Dai had lost a decent amount of men taking this town. While the Empire had superior numbers, the UIS knew how to fortify a city. .50 Caliber rounds were tearing his soldiers apart. The APC came to a stop, and the driver notified Dai that the mines were right in front of them. The APC began shelling the UIS with the mounted gun, while the ramp opened to let out Dai and his men.

Dai clutched his R19 DMR, scanning through his scope to see the range of UIS soldiers taking positions behind scattered mining equipment, ore, cranes, and mining vehicles. His men were doing the same while the APC's provided them with cover. While Dai moved up, a AT missile crossed over him, penetrating and detonating inside the APC Dai had taken to arrive at the mine.

Dai hid behind a battered wall, leaning out to take shots. One by one, UIS soldiers were dropping, considerably more than compared to Kovian casualties. Dai planted another round into the head of a machine gunner, giving him a more clear line of vision to the mining caves that they were protecting. He could make out the sight of UIS combat engineers placing explosive all along the supports of the mine. Instinctly, Dai aimed and fired out at the Engineers, stalling them from completing their objective.

Two of the Engineers rigging the explosives collapsed to the ground, explosives and detonators in hand. The UIS soldiers guarding them fell back to their fortifications, desperately trying to defend the mines. They frantically ran around trying to get someone to rig the detonators. Dai opened his HoloComm to all 2nd Legion soldiers near the mines. "Keep them pressured and push up! With this fight, we win Anvil for the Emperor! Surround them!" Dai ordered over the channel.

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FoundDa Kiwi, CLOAKEY100, ApocalypseWolf

The Fringe, Praetoria, 0700

Praetoria was looking a little more lively this morning. Patrols were entering the settlement while the defending Rangers were preparing the seal the large, metal gates. Praetoria was definitely a respectable fortress. Even the Kovians would have trouble taking Praetoria from the Fringe's hands. Aleksei looked out from his guard tower as the last patrol walked in. They had been protecting a courier from Bunker 02, and word went around that whatever message he was carrying was pretty damn important. Or at the very least, classified to low level personnel. Aleksei Petrov didn't think much of it. All that top secret info was the kind of stuff that Mason liked to worry about.

No less than an hour later,Daniel Mason, one of the Rangers often assigned to working with Aleksei, climbed up to Aleksei's guard tower. He looked anxious, distressed even. Noticing this, Aleksei looked puzzled. "Something wrong?" he asked. Mason sighed, trying to calm himself. "Markov needs us on the top floor. It's important." Mason reported. Aleksei, confused, nodded and followed Mason to Praetoria's main tower.

Taking the elevator to Command's floor, Aleksei and Mason stepped out. The room was dimly lit by the lighting they had available. Computer terminals were lined up along the walls, and a table in the center was littered with maps and paperwork. Markov, the highest member among the Rangers, was standing at the table next to another younger Fringe citizen who neither Aleksei or Mason had seen before. Aleksei and Mason removed their breather masks; a sign of respect.

"Petrov, Mason. We've received some..disturbing news." Markov said solemnly. The man behind him remained silent. "Bunker 09 has been raided and demolished by the Union of Independent States." Markov stated. The news was alarming for both of them. From the fact that Bunker 09, equivalent to any city, had been destroyed, but the fact that the UIS had been the ones doing so. "We believe the Kovian-UIS conflict has escalated, and forced the UIS to send expeditionary forces to search for our Bunkers. We never expected them to find Bunker 09 as easily as they did, nor did we expect the Rangers stationed there to fall prey to the UIS Expeditionary. A Bunker has never fallen to an outside force since the Kovians more than half a century ago." Markov explained. Aleksei and Mason stood at attention, although still in a light shock from the news. Aleksei cleared his throat. "What are they looking for? Armaments? Materials?" Aleksei questioned. "It's assumed, but unknown." Markov replied. "We do not have enough soldiers to spread to the Bunkers and Praetoria together. Reluctant as I am, I believe the best decision is to search for outside assistance. It is for this reason that I am assigning you two to escort this man here to the Coast, so that he may travel to Rhyson."

Aleksei glanced over the man Markov was referencing to. The marks on his right arm motioned that he was native to Bunker 02, although Aleksei still did not recognize him. "This is Jericho Frekk; one of Bunker 02's reconnaissance Rangers. He'll be finding us mercenaries to assist in the defense of our homeland. I can't stress how badly we need this to be done." Markov finished.

Mason looked riled, almost angry. "Sir, with all due respect, we can't accept the help of outsiders! There's no way to tell what they'll do once they get here. They'll stab us in the back as soon as-"

"Mason you will hold your damn tongue! This is for the Fringe's survival, and you will do your damn job!" Markov lashed out at Mason. Aleksei pulled Mason back from Markov. He was yet again surprised by Markov's attitude. While he is usually calm and composed, today he seemed on edge. If he was, he definitely had a proper excuse for being that way. Jericho remained silent for the duration of the meeting, occasionally glancing between his HoloComm and Mason. Markov collected himself. "You will do this. Both of you. Afterward, you will assist in the defense of the homeland's Bunkers. You leave in the morning. Dismissed."

Walker: He looks over at Press, "We should definitely try and link up with whoever is doing the demolition, I'm sure the Kovians won't be happy about that if they get wind of it."

Aleksei: He saluted Markov, then headed back to his tower for the remainder of his watch. He had known most if not all of the Rangers in Bunker 09 on a first name basis so their deaths hit home a bit. Showing that no one was safe, even in the seclusion of a Fringe bunker. Throughout the remainder of his watch he thought about how much firepower the UIS would have to have to effectively neutralize a Bunker. It would have to be substantial. Those thoughts jumped around in his head until he turned in for the night.

He had a feeling that tomorrow was going to be a long day.

Press: Sighs, reloading his R7. "First we're gonna link back up with the rest of the squad. If we ran in to this much resistance this far into town, the rest of the 4th'll be up to their necks. Hooah?" Press looks to Moreno. "Let the lieutenant know we're en route."

Mason: Mason didnt like this one bit, asking for help from outsider's had never been done before , except for very occasions , mason didnt feel like this was that special. a bunker was raided but preatoria wasnt in any real danger. at least thats what he hoped. he believed in his supiriors and hoped that asking for help was their best and ONLY option.

Jericho: Only being on one other reconnaissance mission to date, Jericho was instilled with a mass euphoria of adventure and potential experience. And was eager for this mission, not to prove himself to others, but more to prove himself to himself. With his attitude came much dedication, he wasn't necessarily getting younger, and ultimately had expunged a few of his active duty years reading books and tightening bolts. But along with the yearning for fresh knowledge, came skepticality. His escorts had felt the same themselves, but for another matter, as they were more of a pure breed and had birthed with the fecant imprint of isolationism.

Inquiring about a few mission specifics with Markov on the command floor, and simultaneously taking HoloComm notes. Jericho remains on the command floor, revising UIS culture and societal accent. He had intended to remain incognito during the recruiting, so fitting in was as necessary as getting the mercenaries in the first place. Nobody wants to get sniffed out.

Spoiler:

FoundDa Kiwi, ApocalypseWolf, Cloakey100

Mason and Aleksei saluted Markov, and silently walked out back to the elevator. The metal doors shut, and Mason began to complain, now out of earshot from his superior. "What's Markov thinking, Alek? This is all wrong. It's the UIS that's looting our shit; how the hell will bringing in mercenaries help?" Mason asked, disgruntled. Aleksei let out another long sigh, the buzz of the elevator moving masking Aleksei's intolerance for Mason's rants.

"I may not like the plan, but I understand it. We have little over three-hundred Rangers at Praetoria, and the UIS Expeditionary has thousands. We'll need the extra manpower. Just trust Markov." Aleksei said.

"After the conversation we just had up top, that may prove difficult." Mason responded.

"Mason, have I ever told you you talk too much?"

The elevator reached the first floor. "Everyday, and it still won't make a difference, brother."

Aleksei pushed Mason's comments from his mind, and started focusing on the fact that one of their bunkers was obliterated. The UIS would've needed a lot of firepower to take down the whole bunker. While Bunker 09 wasn't the most fortified settlement in the Fringe, it could still roll with the punches. They would've had to have been under siege for more than a week before the Bunker fell.

He waved those thoughts away, and started focusing on what he and Mason needed for tomorrow. Supplies, food, ammo, etc.

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Jericho wandered the Command floor, accessing the different terminals and sifting through data. Markov gave him access to all non-confidential files related to the outside world.

Jericho knew some of the information provided. For example, the fight between the UIS and the Kovians was common knowledge. Jericho was sifting through the finer details, concerning dialect and behavior of each faction. Since he would begin his operation in Rhyson, the UIS capital, he needed to learn how to blend in to his surroundings. He also looked at areas that had mercenaries and hired militia. Vienland was a gateway to the New Haven mercs, and while there weren't many militia crazy enough to take on the UIS Expeditionary, the Red Flag Insurgents could be bought. Not through money, but through equal service in the field. Help them kill the Kovi MP's, they help you as well.

Jericho plotted out a course from Rhyson to a small town on the Trench called Bastion, which was currently safe under Kovian control. From there, he could travel to either Siarside or Oasis.

While Jericho was excited to be the one chosen to visit the outside world, he was equally as skeptical as his escorts. The mainland's people were very different from the Fringe. There was war, vice, and corruption; at least from most Fringe perspectives.

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ADestroyer, KGBOOM


Press scratched his chin, trying to figure out a plan of action. His squadmates looked at him patiently. "First, we're gonna link back up with the rest of the squad. If we ran in to this much resistance this far into town, the rest of the 4th'll be up to their necks." Press looks to Moreno. "Let the lieutenant know we're en route. Anvil Mines will get their reinforcements." Press stated.

Walker cleared his throat to get Press' attention. "That demolition crew might already be under fire. I can help them rig the charges when we get to the mines." Walker said, offering his services. Walker had proven himself in prior situations as the squad's explosives expert.

"Fair enough, Walker. Let's get moving." Press said. He nodded to Moreno to begin contacting the Lieutenant.

Moreno opened up his HoloComm. "Lieutenant Griggs, Able Squad is moving south to reinforce the Mines, over." Moreno said over the radio, as Press started finding them the quickest route to their troops.

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Meatshield, Super Mega King

1900

Rhyson was a pretty quiet city at night. The tall buildings towered over everything surrounding them, and helped form the sprawling rural environment that was the UIS's capital city. Unlike the capital cities of Tresa, Kovia, and even the province of Sol, Rhyson was not made of "marble and gold". Rhyson is a bustling, industrial city, mainly inhabited by the working class, and soldiers. It was also a city where you can easily blend in, and for that reason, Shield was often residing there.

While he never liked to stay in one place for an extended amount of time, Shield felt more comfortable in Rhyson. The skyscrapers and the large walls that protected the city could make you feel safer. FIREWALL rarely shared his sentiment though. Dome, his partner, shared FIREWALL's mentality.

Shield was looking through a suitcase that had a silenced R21 disassembled inside, occasionally glancing out the window of the apartment building they rented out in cash. Dome was doing similar work, sifting through the cash they had received from FIREWALL's last dead-drop.

"You know we're only here for another week." Dome reminded Shield, still looking through the cash they had in UIS currency.

"Yeah, I know the assignment." Shield said, disappointed.

Shield and Dome had both been assigned to hack into a database at one of Rhyson's three military bases. From their brief, FIREWALL seems to want to keep a close eye on UIS's production line and convoys that exit Rhyson. Hacking into their database would let them know what's leaving the base and how much of it.

"Better get some sleep, man. Busy day tomorrow." Dome said, packing up their cash.

Spoiler:

Update moar.

FoundDa Kiwi, Cloakey100, ApocalypseWolf

The Next Day..

Aleksei and Mason were fully clad in their topside armor with R7's, waiting at Praetoria's blast doors. Jericho was taking his time getting there. He had gathered up drives of all the information he needed for when he arrived in Rhyson, and doing so was keeping Aleksei and Mason up. "Where the hell is that kid?" Mason asked, already upset by the fact that Jericho was late.

Aleksei shrugged, his face being covered by his mask. Between Aleksei and Mason, Aleksei was clearly the calmer of the two. At the very least, he could understand if Jericho was hesitant about leaving so early. As long as he could remember, there hadn't been a Fringe soldier on the mainland for years.

As expected, Jericho eventually arrived at the front gate, alongside Markov to show them out. Jericho was also equally armored head to toe in Fringe gear, and shouldered an R19 Rifle. Markov cleared his throat, still looking out at Aleksei and Mason. "You two set?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." they replied in unison.

"Good..I didn't want to give you bad news before you two left, but you won't be coming back to Praetoria after you drop off Jericho. We have word that the UIS Expeditionary is heading towards Bunker 6. You're both ordered to head there immediately after Jericho is aboard a ship to Rhyson." Markov said.

Aleksei and Mason looked riled. Even Jericho looked upset. Finally, Aleksei spoke up. "The UIS aren't going to even lay a finger on 6, sir. We'll back them up." Aleksei said with confidence. Although if he was reassuring Markov or himself, he wasn't sure. Markov nodded, and then ordered the Rangers in the Gate Towers to open the blast doors. A large siren blared through the front gate as two metal frames began to click and open. Outside of Praetoria was just open tundra. The trio began walking out into the blizzard, with a feeling of anxiety trailing them the entire way.

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A Destroyer, KGBOOM, WestHybrid

It didn't take long before Press and his squad reached the mines. The entire quarry was filled with UIS and Kovi foot-soldiers, battling it out to either hold or take the Mines. From the looks of it, the UIS was losing their place. It wouldn't be long before the UIS was overrun and then Anvil would be under Kovian control. Walker tapped Press on the shoulder. "Over there. Look." Walker said, pointing to the entrance of the mines. At the entrance, two engineers lay dead, remote charges and a detonator in hand. The security detail wasn't going to hold out much longer. Press sighed. "You know the drill."

The four of them ran between different pieces of cover before settling behind another decent sized piece of mining equipment. Press ducked down, waited for a break in enemy fire, then dropped two incoming Kovi soldiers. Walker and Moreno did the same as they slowly made their way towards the mine's entrance.

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Another clip was loaded into Dai's R3 Pistol. Any UIS soldier that attempted to move up was being cut down by Dai and his platoon. The only major losses were with the APC's, which were the only heavy support they were getting until the rest of the Legion arrived. A Kovian Lieutenant approached Dai. "Major, we have UIS reinforcements approaching the Mines. It looks like they're having another attempt at demolition." the Lieutenant said.

Dai narrowed his brow. "They want to keep trying that route? Fine. I'll deal with this personally." Dai responded. His HoloComm lit up. "My unit, move up to take the entrance. All other units, push forward and eliminate their defense. When I get back the only thing I should see is the Empire's flag!" Dai ordered into the Comm. Major Dai, along with five other soldiers, pushed onward to the entrance.


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Desert Sleepy, WestHybrid, Snowwolf

Siarside, Vienland. 1300

The sound of heavy breathing and rapid footsteps filled the alleyways. Followed by the occasional gunfire. "Stop him!" shouted one of the Kovian MP's, who scoured Vienland as the main police force. While they weren't the Legion, they could still create a hell of a mess. They were the main reason Sol hadn't been liberated yet, at the very least.

But Adrian was running from them today for a very different reason. A petty reason. This reason being the fact that he had won one game of cards too many with the MP's, and the scuffle ended with a beer bottle lodged in the side of their Sergeant's head. Another day at work.

Adrian continued to run through the streets of Siarside, between the alleyways of the sandstone buildings and large crowds. Adrian knew this city like the back of his hand, but it seemed the MP's were on him pretty nicely. He had ran out of ammo for his R3 ten minutes ago. He took a left turn into another alleyway that was blocked off by a wooden fence, with the MP's right on his tail. By the looks of it, there was a decent sized gap underneath the fence. Adrian kicked his feet under, and slid through the gap, dodging the MP's behind him.

Although it seemed like he escaped his pursuers, he needed to make it to a safe-house. Solomon's Inn would do.

The "Sleep Inn" was a semi-luxurious hotel owned by Dominic Solomon; a wealthy businessman in Vienland. It was also the home of many Red Flag insurgents and New Haven pirates. Only in the lower levels of the hotel, though. The Sleep Inn was almost segregated between social classes; nobles would stay in their rooms and enjoy the luxury, while middle-class and mercenaries would usually reside in Solomon's Bar, another part of the Hotel. Solomon keeps his hotel as a safe-house for Red Flag troops in the area, keeping them out of range of the Kovi's. In the five years that Adrian had been a mainland mercenary, Adrian had visited the Sleep Inn numerous times, and Solomon was an old friend.

Adrian opened the door to Solomon's Bar, with Solomon helping clean up the place. Solomon had the typical businessman look; grey suit, expensive tie and shoes, etc. He was pretty rich, but that also made him a target. Adrian guessed that Solomon trusted the protection of mercenaries like Adrian more than Kovian Military Police.

"Ah. Ambrose. Back from another glorious assault on the Kovian MP's pocket change?" Solomon said sarcastically.

"Bite it, Solomon. Any work come in?" Adrian said with a light laugh.

"Yeah, there's this weird guy from the RF here recruiting. Think it's the same loon you talked about before." Solomon said, before retiring behind his bar for another shot of whiskey.

Adrian sighed. If Solomon was talking who he thought he was talking about, Ryan Butler was here recruiting. The guy was a combat journalist for the Kovian Legion back in the day, and was dishonorably discharged a few years later for publishing stories that the Kovian brass weren't too happy about. Red Flag saw that he had a knack for making a scene, and put him into Red Flag's PR department. Sent him out recruiting into New Haven and Veinland. Butler was pretty damn eccentric by Adrian's standards, but the only good paying jobs came from Red Flag, so kept his mouth shut.

Butler noticed Adrian from his bar chair in the corner, and stood up to greet him. "Ambrose! Buddy! It's been too long." Butler said, walking to Adrian and giving him a hug. Adrian, clearly disturbed by the sentiment, tried to pry him off. He could smell alcohol on his breath from a mile away. "Yeah. Too long." Adrian said, trying to move towards the table.

"How's that eye doing?" Butler said, trying to make small talk.

"Still pretty blind, Ryan. What's the work?" Adrian said, trying to move things along.

"Ah, straight to the point as always. Word is that Kovian's got more military cargo moving in along the coast of Siarside. They've got the transport ship and two destroyers; the KES Ambition and the KES Hydra. They'll be protecting the ship while it's on it's way to Tresa. But it's not going to make it past the southern coast of Vienland. We're already working with a dozen other New Haven pirates to sabotage the cargo." Ryan explained.

Something about this didn't set straight with Adrian. "Two destroyers to one cargo ship? Seems like overkill to me." he said.

"Is that a no?" Ryan said, as though this were some offensive gesture.

"It's not a 'no', Butler, it's a 'I don't want my ass fried over a Kovi ambush'. Cut it out with the third degree." Adrian said assertively.

"Alright, alright. It looks suspicious but YOU know what you're doing. It's why I'm talking to you, eh? Look, get the job done and we'll throw in some nice toys for the road. Maybe some passports to get you through the Empire's borders and into Sol." Butler said.

Adrian contemplated this, and then held his hand out. "Deal." he said. Although he felt like he was making some sort of mistake.

Walker: He taps Press on the shoulder again, "If there are Kovians in there, we could seal the entrance, bury them alive. The demo charges are powerful enough to do so. If we plant the charges at the right locations, we can deny a vital asset and take out some Kovian officer and his platoon."

A Destroyer, KGBOOM

Press and Walker took point with Dunn and Moreno falling behind them. The security detail controlling the entrance to the mine was almost completely eradicated. The Kovians simply were not letting up. Walker tapped Press on the shoulder as they made their way there. "I can detonate the charges and lock the Kovians in once we bug out and leave the quarry. Provided they actually make it into the mine." Walker said.

Press pushed him forward. "We'll deal with that when we get there!" Press said, dodging bullets passing by. They finally managed to make it to the entrance, taking cover by the barricades security set up, and the support beams on the outside of the mine. Walker immediately began working on priming the charges to the entrance of the mine, with Moreno covering him. Press and Dunn began laying fire down on the incoming Kovian troops.

"If this keeps up, we won't be making it out of the quarry!" Dunn yelled at Press, still focusing her fire on the Kovians. Press was doing the same, although desperately thinking of an escape route. Moreno leaned out to get a better shot.

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WestHybrid

Dai and a few soldiers in his platoon were crouched behind large piles of ore and stone, getting a decent overlook of the UIS grunts defending the mine. Dai, only having his pistol, wouldn't be getting much of a shot off at them. He whistled quickly, motioning for the soldier next to him to hand over his R19. The soldier reluctantly complied, and then pulled out his sidearm. Dai took aim with the rifle. "Steady.." Dai muttered to himself, and then pulled the trigger.

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A Destroyer, KGBOOM

A single round pierced though Moreno's skull; his body dropped to the ground and laid still. Walker looked back to see him fall. Walker cursed, but his words were covered by the sound of gunfire and explosions. Press dropped back further into the cave, seeing more and more of the security force meet the same fate as Moreno. They would not be making it out of this mine.

"Walker, fall back and blow the charges!" Press shouted.

"Are you fucking crazy!? This is the only way out-"

"Just do it! Dunn, get them out of the way!" Press ordered.

Sam motioned for the security detail to fall back, but too many of them were taking fire. When Walker was out of range of the blast, he flipped the cap to the detonator, and pressed the switch. A shockwave rippled through the mine before the explosion went off, sending the cavern roof falling apart. The support beams holding up the entrance fell, and then everything turned to darkness.

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FoundDa Kiwi, ApocalypseWolf, Cloakey100

From Praetoria to the coast, it was a pretty straight shot. No Bunkers along the way, no real checkpoints. Praetoria was supposed to be relatively near the coast, in the event that they were invaded by the mainland. This would help them reach the coast faster, in some sense. The only thing that may have been giving them trouble was Jericho's questions.

"So how long have you two been topside Rangers?" Jericho asked, trying to pass the time.

"Alek for seven, me for five." Mason said, not bothering to look.

"What's your home bunker?" Jericho asked.

This time, Aleksei answered. "02. Mason's from 03."

Jericho paused. "You're from the capital?" he asked again.

"Yeah. He's an 02, just like you, Jericho." Mason said. "Now calm it down a bit with the questions. Got enough on my mind already, eh?" Mason added.

"Mason, give him a break. We got atleast another day on foot, doesn't hurt to make some side conversation." Aleksei said.

"Well, do it when we make camp. Don't have time for it now." Mason said as they marched onward.

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WestHybrid, Snowwolf, Desert Sleepy

Butler had gathered everyone who was participating in the raid in Solomon's Bar. The team consisted of Butler, Ambrose, three Red Flag insurgents, and a dozen New Haven Pirates, non of whom Adrian was acquainted with. All of them were cleaning and restocking their weapons while Butler gave them the plan. Solomon poured a drink for Adrian and listened patiently.

"..and this is where we'll be staging the attack. The merchant ship is docked in the Shipyard District, sitting there, barely guarded. We'll take out security, and plant the usual explosives on board. If we do this quickly and quietly, we should be able to get out before authorities arrive. Any questions?" Butler explained.

A New Haven pirate spoke up. "What about the escort ships? How do they play into this?" he asked.

"Ah, good question. From what we can tell, they're not in port, which means we're ahead of schedule. They're probably arriving tomorrow when the merchant ship heads out to Tresa." Butler responded.

"Anything else?" Butler asked aloud. Silence followed. "Good. You'll each get your payment when the job is finished."

Walker: "God damnit Press! There had better be another way out of this mine." He begins to search for a source of light if he doesn't have one on him.

Spoiler:

Press: "Calm down." Press cracks a chemlight, bathing the immediate area in pale green light. He finds Walker a few meters to his left, fumbling around for something. Swinging the chemlight around, Press doesn't see Dunn from where he is. "DUNN! SOUND OFF!" He turns to Walker, throwing him his chemlight and snatching another from a pouch. "Check your gear, look for anything we can use. We have to move; the air won't last forever." Press cracks the new chemlight and begins searching for Dunn.

Snowwolf, WestHybrid

The operation had begun. Ambrose and Butler stood with their weapons in hand, surrounded by a handful of Red Flag and New Haven militia. It was getting close to midnight, and a thick fog had surrounded the port. Hidden behind a storage container not to far from the ship, Butler reiterated their plan.

"Ambrose, Knox, and I will take out the guards that are watching the entrance to the Merchant Ship. Kieran will lead the rest of you into the ship to prime the charges on the cargo. Once the ship sets off, the bodies will be gone and the crew of the ship will be sailing one big grenade." Butler said. "Move like you've got a purpose."

Adrian, Butler, and the man known as Knox crept out from behind their crate, having the rest of the team stay back. There were roughly eight guards walking around the shipyard. Adrian and Knox attached their silencers to their weapons; Knox to his R7 and Adrian to his R3. Ambrose hid in the shadow of another storage crate, waiting for one of the guards to pass. Two silenced shots sounded off, followed by the collapsing sound of a dead body. The trio kept their pace, weaving in and out between storage containers. It doesn't take long before they reach the dock to the ship.

Knox kills another guard, leaving the two that guard the ramp up to the ship. Butler and Ambrose crouch down behind some stacks of wooden boxes.

"Alright, what's your plan?" Ambrose asked.

"Hm..I think if we time it right, we could-" Butler was cut off by Knox, who rounded out from the boxes, aimed, and shot both of the guards.

"Target down, sir." Knox said modestly.

Ambrose held a weary look. "You are just a scary judge of talent." he said, facing Butler.

He smirked, bringing up his HoloComm. "Kieran, dock is clear. Move up with those explosives." Butler ordered.

Not to long after, more than half of the sixteen man team was on the merchant ship, priming charges. Adrian and Knox were busy throwing the dead MP's into the bay. Butler was keeping constant radio chatter on his HoloComm.

"This fog just isn't letting up." Butler said, trying to look out onto the sea.

"It's just that time of year, boss. If it makes you feel any better, we're almost done here." Kieran responded on the other end of the call, working with the team to set the explosives.

"Keep up the good work..Wait. Hold on a second." Butler said suspiciously. He looked out towards the edge of the fog as something started to appear before them. Before any of them could react, two large canister shots from a naval destroyer plowed into the front of the merchant ship, destroying it instantaneously. A secondary explosion sent the rest of the team on the docks to the ground, which only could have been the charges they were setting. Ambrose's prior suspicions were correct.

They were being ambushed.

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FoundDa Kiwi

"Keep firing those batteries!" an officer shouted from the deck of the KES Ambition. The Kovian naval crew scrambled around deck, preparing more shots to fire upon the targets. They fired flares towards the mainland to light their targets. Sir Bradley Grey, Captain of the KES Ambition, stood in the command center of the ship, overlooking the deck, the Bay, and their target. He stared down the burning merchant ship intensively. A younger officer walked up to him and stood straight.

"Sir, it appears that you were correct on your assumption that Red Flag would attack the cargo. Captain Paxton of the KES Hydra would like to give you his compliments." the officer said.

"Yes, tell him he can thank me later when we dock in Rhodestown. Until then, keep firing. Vienland Military Police will be arriving shortly to clean up the mess. Make sure they won't be able to recognize anything they find." Captain Grey ordered.

"Yes, Captain." the officer said, walking back to his station.

Captain Grey looked out at the Port, not blinking an eye as everything went up in flames.

Ryan: "Kovians! shit everyone get to cover" Ryan whispered into his holocomm "we need to leave; the MP will show up any second"

WestHybrid, Snowwolf

Wooden planks from the docks flew in fragmented pieces as more shells from the Destroyers crashed into the Port. The merchant ship was incinerated, along with 90% of their team. The only ones that remained were Ambrose, Butler, Knox, and a couple of pirates who were already being fired upon.

Another one of those pirates went flying through the air as another shell slammed into the mainland. Adrian was ducked in behind a metal crate, with Butler and Knox across from him on a similar piece of cover.

"I fucking called it! I practically screamed it from the mountains! TRAP." Adrian yelled into his HoloComm.

"Bitch about it later, we need to go! MP's are going to be here any minute." Butler said.

"That Destroyer isn't about to let us." Adrian said as another shell kicked up dirt and metal near him.

"We'll make a break for it after the next salvo. There's a sewer entrance a few docks over." Knox added.

The trio held a silent agreement as another shell pelted them. They waited for the firing to cease. A few more shots landed before they stopped for a brief time. "Now!" shouted Butler. Adrian, Knox, and Butler all ran down the shipyard. They wouldn't be fast enough to get out of the way before the next salvo was clear though. More canister shells rammed into the port, following them as they ran to the sewer entrance. Explosions and shrapnel kicked up in front and behind them. Chunks of the boats docked in the port were blasted into oblivion.

"Hurry the hell up! Get the manhole open!" Adrian yelled. The three of them arrived at the sewer entrance. Butler pulled off the cap to the sewers and jumped down. Adrian followed, motioning for Knox to follow them down. Knox followed, but was too late to close the entrance. The next shell that hit sent a plume of fire that burned Knox's right arm to the bone. Knox screams filled the sewers, and more likely all of Siarside.

___________________________________________________

FoundDa Kiwi

An officer on the ship approached Captain Grey. "Sir, it appears the remaining Red Flag soldiers escaped." the man stated.

"They can't go far. MP's will pick them up soon. At the very least, we've injured operations in Siarside for Red Flag and for Pirates in the area. That'l be enough." Grey said, fulfilled that they had completed their objective. "Prepare the crew to sail for Tresa. Time to escort the REAL cargo." Grey ordered.

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FoundDa Kiwi, ApocalypseWolf, Cloakey100


It was a long journey, but the group had finally made it closer to the coast. They were no more than an hour away from their destination. From there, Jericho would search for assistance, and the others would head back to defend their home. Mason was taking a look through his binoculars, looking out at the horizon. Aleksei and Jericho were eating part of their rations.

"So getting you on the boat to the mainland is the easy part..What are you going to do once you get there?" Aleksei asked.

"Markov said to head in either two directions. Siarside or Oasis. Staying in Rhyson is too dangerous and heading to Regis would be too expensive. Intel said that Sol and Vienland have the largest mercenary numbers. Although it's very old info; things could have changed." Jericho said, happy to talk more about his plans. He knew it was going to be even longer and more dangerous than the Fringe.

Mason continued to look out through his binoculars until he saw a glimpse of something on the horizon. "Wait.." Mason whispered.

"Aleksei, we need to move. They found us." Mason shouted. Aleksei and Jericho scrambled for their gear, and started to move towards the destination. A scouting party of the Expeditionary had found them. They were being hunted. From the looks of it, they had about six soldiers crammed into a transport humvee outfitted for the tundra, and they were moving fast. The trio would never be able to outrun them.

"Alek, how do you want to deal with this?" Mason said with anxiety.

"We waste them. Grab the High-Powered out of your pack, Jericho." Aleksei ordered. Jericho complied, hurriedly reaching for a series of gun parts wrapped in a large piece of fabric. Aleksei immediately began sorting the parts into their slots, rebuilding the gun. Mason looked pressured.

"They're getting closer. Two minutes tops before their in range." Mason said, still looking out at the incoming humvee.

"I'm going as fast as I can." Aleksei said, fumbling with the parts. Jericho moved next to him.

"Let me." Jericho said, reaching for the parts. Immediately, Jericho started piecing the sniper rifle together, much more faster than Alek. Jericho had a knack for small parts and engineering. It wasn't long before the High Powered R21 was set up and ready for use. Jericho handed it to Aleksei, who loaded a clip into the rifle.

"Thirty seconds." Mason said, still looking out at the car.

Aleksei pulled back the bolt on the rifle, and took aim. The humvee appeared in his crosshair. "Twenty seconds." Mason said.

Aleksei fired a single round, penetrating the windshield and hitting the driver. The vehicle drifted left and curbed, causing it to flip on it's side. Aleksei and Mason watched as three of the six soldiers stumbled and fell, injured from the crash.

Jericho couldn't see very far out, but he could hear the click of Aleksei loading another round into the barrel.

Ryan: he turns on his flashlight and tries to figure out which way to go. then he tries to help knox along the decided path

Aleksei: He chambers another round, aiming at the head of one of the unlucky SOB's to have crawled out of the Humvee. He fires, hitting the trooper sending a spray out red out from the back of his head. The other Soldiers, dazed and confused, attempt to scramble for cover. Aleksei picks off the rest, then turns towards the other two in his group. "Where there's one group, there'll be more. We have to move."

Snowwolf, WestHybrid

Knox had the stub of what used to be his left arm clotted up with numerous bloody rags. Butler had given him atleast a dozen painkillers, although they didn't seem to be doing much. Knox lost an arm. It was a miracle alone that he hadn't gone into shock. Butler continued to administer the last of their medical gear.

"You find a way out yet?" Ryan asked.

Ambrose came back from around the corner. The sewers seemed endless, but Adrian had managed to find a path. "Yeah. Get him walking, I found a way back to Solomon's bar." Adrian said, holding his R7. Ryan turned on his flashlight, aiming it in the direction of Adrian. He slowly eased Knox up, trying to get him to walk. Knox grunted, picking himself up.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep myself up." Knox said, breathing heavily.

"Knox, they got good doctors here in Siarside. We'll bring one and get you set up with a new arm. Stay awake." Butler said, helping him walk as they moved forward. Ambrose halted, turning off his flashlight. He signaled Ryan to do the same.

Something was there in the sewers with them.

_______________________________________________________________________________

FoundDa Kiwi, ApocalypseWolf, Cloakey100

Jericho watched as Aleksei continued to chamber more rounds, popping them off one by one. At the crashed humvee, another UIS soldier had his brain-matter frayed along the car door. The others died trying to run from Aleksei's range. Mason lowered his binoculars. "That's the last of them."

Aleksei lowered the sniper, passing it to Jericho for dismantlement. "Where there's one squad, there'll be more. We need to get Jericho off the Fringe." talking to Mason.

Mason nodded, but Jericho looked uncomfortable. He wanted to help them fight. He understood what was at stake, but at the same time, he felt that he was missing out on a chance to actually defend his home. Mason looked back at Jericho. "Wake up, kid. We're moving." Mason said, pressing on towards the coast. Jericho sighed and picked up the pace to where he was following next to Alek. They were only a half hour away from the ocean, and they could see it on the horizon. Waiting for them would be the boat that would take Jericho to Rhyson, as well as restock Aleksei and Mason for equipment.

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It wasn't long before the trio arrived at the coast, although they felt like they were still being chased. On arrival, they found the boatman that, as promised, would meet them there. The three of them glanced at the decent sized ship, as a man walked out from the deck. He wore a long coat and warm clothes typical to sailors traveling along the northern coast of Eos. His hair was grayed and he looked weathered, although with his age came experience. The flask in his hand made Jericho concerned, though. Mason spoke up.

"You the boatman?" he asked.

"No, I'm the other old man with a ship in the middle of the fucking arctic. 'Course I'm the boatman." the Boatman said with deep sarcasm, his voice ragged.

Mason narrowed his eyes at the old man, moving forward at the boat. Aleksei put an arm in front of him, and stepped forward. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Giles O'Connor. Which one of you is Jericho?" Giles said, quenching his thirst with more of whatever ill drink inhabited the flask. Jericho raised his hand slowly.

"Well don't just stand there. Get on the Goddamned boat." Giles ordered. Jericho made hasty movements to do so, but then turned back around, as though he forgot something. He offered his hand out to Aleksei and Mason.

"Thanks for getting me this far." Jericho said.

"Just get help, kid. We'll make sure the Fringe is in one piece when you get back." Mason said, shaking his hand. Aleksei repeated the gesture. "Stay safe, brother." Aleksei said, nodding.

Giles tapped a shotgun he picked up on the metal guardrails of the boat. "Now's not the time for sentimentality, boy. Unload their ammo so we can get the hell off this rock." Giles said impatiently. Jericho and Mason began unloading supplies that they would be taking back with them to Bunker 06. Accompanying them would be two packs of assault rifle ammo, two cloaks for hiding in the snow, a grenade launcher, and enough food rations to get them to 06.

"Thanks for the supplies, old timer." Mason said, grabbing his gear.

Giles just glared at Mason, and continued to make preparations for sailing off. It wasn't long before Giles' boat was off from shore and headed toward Rhyson. Aleksei saluted Jericho as they all became more distant. It was an all new adventure for Jericho from here on out.

Mason and Aleksei turned away as soon as Jericho left their sight. Mason turned back around in the direction of Bunker 06, only to find a similar sight on the horizon. Another UIS truck had been tracking their movements, except this time they stopped ahead, as to avoid the same mistake their friends made. Mason hefted the grenade launcher along with him, while Aleksei held onto the cloaks.

"No rest for the wicked." Mason sighed, grabbing hold of one of the cloaks, helping him blend in to the snow. He lowered his breather helmet, pulling the cloak over the helmet simultaneously. Aleksei mimicked the same preparation.

"Let's make it quick."