Sent To Protect and Serve Humanity

Chapter 60: Shattered Shield

3rd POV

"STAND CLEAR!"

The roars of thrusters filled the ears of those standing near the warships' landing zone. This area was situated in the courtyard in front of Schnee Manor due to its size.

Where a garden once stood, heavy machinery and boots trampled the grass. There were three designated areas for the warships in need of repair or ammunition to land: Godspeed's area, Eos' area, or Wellington' area. All of these repair zones consisted of a simple metallic floor with four supports in each corner, hastily assembled walls to provide privacy for the warships, and an open ceiling in the event of an emergency.

Valorous came to a harsh stop as he slammed into the ground outside of the repair zones. He took a moment to gather himself, panting with an exhausted look, before soldiering on. He quickly made his way across a busy road, watching as a convoy of trucks carrying civillians parked at the manor, and then he weaved past a group of refugees being escorted by Marines on foot.

The Marines patrolling the repair zones' perimeter gave the young man a brief nod, allowing him to enter the first door. Valorous' sprint slowed to a light jog as he made his way past Godspeed's area. The Admiral was too busy with the critical states of Daring, Augsburg, Jubilant, Adamant, Pandemonium, Euology, and Tenacious to pay any mind to the frigate, who did his best to avoid being in the way. Next, the young man reached Wellington's area, where she made any repairs she could on Manitoba, Piety, Purity, and Righteous. The repair ship had the key task of making sure the Alliance's capital ships were up to speed and could still be combat-effective while the colony ship focused his efforts on the escort ships.

As Valorous approached his mother's area, he felt a sense of dread weigh heavily on his heart. He eventually stepped onto the metal platform she operated on and stared with wide eyes.

"No..." He mumbled, covering his mouth.

On an operation table, Risorgimento lay motionless. Her right hand had been blown off, and her body was still injured from her clash with the corvette above Vale. The rise and fall of her chest was the only significant piece of evidence that the girl was even alive.

The Scottish warship had the heartbreaking task of mending and salvaging what she could from warships that were considered combat-ineffective .

Eos gently set a steadily breathing Hastings on a stretcher, right in between her brothers. The young lady was missing her right leg from the knee down, had a gaping hole in her stomach that was covered by a bandage, and her body was covered in plasma burns and dried blood, especially her face. Her brothers faired no better. Having bore the brunt of the Covenant's attacks, Onwards and Perth remained in one-piece but had several holes through their arms, legs, tails, and torsos. The former had a bloodied bandage wrapped around his face, covering his eyes, and his synthetic ear from the first battle had been completely blown off. The latter's neck had a bandage wrapped around it, much like his brother's face, and his tail had been effectively sliced in half with the other half no where to be seen.

Once Hastings was set on the floor, her brothers both scrambled to her side, summoning the rest of their little strength to do so as she wrapped her arms around their heads. Even in this perilous hell, they still have each other.

Then, Eos turned to their beat-up, battered, and broken rigging. It was a miracle these broken pieces of machinery were even here by the amount of damage covering them. One-by-one, she would go to each piece and use her own rigging to bring the broken warships' rigging into her docking bays to begin repairs. Her backpack opened up, and the rigging soon disappeared within, joining the wrecked rigging of Risorgimento.

"Mama..." Valorous weakly let out. "Are they...?"

Eos came to a stop. She leaned over the operation table for a moment before turning to face the boy. "Oh, Val!" She quickly walked toward him and brought him into a hug. "Thank Jesus, you're okay!"