HELLDIVERS:The Chance Meeting

The Withdrawal

"Attention, all units, new orders from Super Earth Command, PRIORITY ONE HAIL:Withdraw to evacuation points across Malevelon Creek. This is not a drill. Automaton forces concentrated in the equatorial quadrants have achieved a breakthrough and are attempting to encircle all available Helldiver and UNSC Reinforcements. This message will now repeat."

The Evacuation Window was closing fast. Any troops still on the ground had begun their fighting withdrawal while, above, the UNSC and Super Earth Navies fought the Automaton Flotilla that had just jumped in-system to as much of a standstill as possible. On the ground, meanwhile, Automaton Tanks rolled over the jungle, crushing the canopy and trees under track while Devastator squads advanced with Troopers and rocket units behind them.

The Battle Tanks of the UNSC held the line, their 120mm cannons ripping through the forward lines of the advancing tide, but the mist still shined a burning scarlet even as the troops set up to defend against the encroaching foe. SEAF infantry retreated to pre-prepared positions around the colony's planetary capital, a small settlement with a Space Port.

The place was not a proper city per se. Prefab buildings made of containers, various smaller houses and the likes were now the sole cover of civilians that were watching the battle from afar and up close alike. They could see the shadows of men and women from both sides of the pond standing against the crimson tide of the Machines, even as bullets and bolts zipped by them.

Muzzle flashes glowed in the darkness in reply to red tracers and the thunder of enemy cannons, SEAF riflemen, Helldivers and Marines becoming the tide breakers that would halt the enemy line. Among them, however, Helldivers found a unit of similar pedigree to them. Clad in black uniforms with sealed helmets and armor thick enough to withstand the barrages of the Automata's weaponry, the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers showed their prowess.

Beside Alessia, an ODST rifleman kicked a bot hard enough to topple it over and emptied half a magazine into it before aiming up at a Heavy Devastator. He marked the target through his VISR system and ducked as a second ODST fired a Jackhammer at it, twin rockets punching through the thick shield of the Automaton unit before it could bring its cannon to bear, ripping the shield-bearing arm out of its socket.

A sniper rifle round rang out from amidst the trees and another ODST appeared on Alessia's HUD, while Radomir, Tomas and Helena watched them duke it out. The ODSTs themselves rallied up and joined the team in the trenches, bringing Alessia over, thankfully unharmed. One of the ODSTs, a woman, said, "There sure is a shitton of them coming from the treeline!"

The ODSTs' CO replied, "Only easy day was yesterday! Keep up the fire, Marlene!"

"Aye, aye!" The girl replied, then stood up. Her bells were rung when a pair of rounds from Automaton Troopers struck her helmet. They ricocheted off, leaving nasty marks on the top of the helmet, but otherwise leaving the girl alive. If a bit dizzy. Alessia rushed to her side and checked her over, removing her helmet to see the disoriented and dizzy face. She asked, "It bad...?" as her gag reflex kicked in.

"Just a couple dents in your helmet," Alessia replied, "Vomit on them if you gotta!" then she jumped to her feet, shouldered her Liberator and fired bursts, nailing one of the two bots that had shot the ODST in their heads, thus taking them off. To think there were human brains in those tin cans made her stomach churn. Those were their people they were killing. Their people in there.

A Scorpion tank's 120mm rang loud over her head, causing her to snap out of her moment of fugue. She rallied her team around her, Radomir immediately hefting his own Stalwart LMG onto the lip of whatever they had that passed for a trench while Helena tended to the ODST, her automatic shotgun slung onto her side.