Project Gaia : The arrival of humanity

Chapter 26 : Aftermath

"In its absence, men are defined not by themselves, but by the circumstances in which they are forced to live."

- Laura Hillenbrand

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Gaia, Southwestern "New Pangaea" Continent. July 1st 2038. 1800 Hours.

The amber light of the setting sun painted the horizon, bathing the forest in a hauntingly beautiful glow. The Humvee jostled violently over the uneven terrain, its engine straining as it climbed a steep incline. Edward Snowden sat in the backseat, gripping his rifle tightly, his eyes scanning the tree line. The atmosphere inside the vehicle was suffocatingly tense, the echoes of the earlier ambush still fresh in everyone's mind.

The squad had narrowly escaped the alien equines. As they pulled back under heavy fire, Colonel Carter Murray and Corporal Musa Ngozi manned the second Humvee's turret and laid down suppressive fire, covering their retreat. The memory of Murray shouting orders and Ngozi's calm precision on the turret felt almost surreal now. But even their valiant efforts hadn't been enough to save everyone. Sergeant Karliana Mauser and Private Jose Nuñez had gone missing when the enemy closed in. Their statuses were now grimly marked as MIA (Missing in Action).

First Lieutenant Alex Hill, seated in the passenger seat, held the radio transmitter in a white-knuckled grip. "This is Hill, Unit Delta, requesting emergency extraction! Repeat, requesting extraction! Over." Static hissed mockingly in response. He swore under his breath, scanning the dense trees and jagged hills that surrounded them. The terrain was playing havoc with the signal, and the sun sinking behind the mountains only added to the sense of isolation.

"We're losing light here," Liu Pengfei said, his voice strained as he struggled to navigate the rough forest path. "I'm having trouble seeing the trail, and it'll be pitch black soon."

Edward glanced at Jimmy Barnes and Sergeant Kusika Anagal, slumped against the backseat. Both were pale and drenched in sweat, their bandaged wounds barely staunching the blood. Barnes' shoulder had been blown off by a plasma attack, while Kusika's leg had been mangled by an explosion, both of them victims of the strange purple Equine's attack. There wasn't enough space to lay them down properly, and every bump in the road made them groan in pain. They needed proper medical attention-fast.

Alex cursed again, slamming the radio back into its cradle. "We can't keep driving blind. Liu, find us a spot to stop. We'll make camp and reassess."

The group silently agreed, their collective exhaustion leaving no room for argument. After several tense minutes, they emerged into a small clearing. Towering trees surrounded the area like silent sentinels, offering cover from potential aerial surveillance. Liu killed the engine, and everyone disembarked quickly, rifles at the ready, scanning the perimeter. The temperature was dropping, and with the sun's final rays disappearing, the forest felt even more foreboding.

Portable tents were unloaded from the Humvee's trunk and set up in hurried efficiency. The decision was made not to light a fire to avoid attracting attention-both from local wildlife and the alien equines that might be tracking them. Night vision goggles would have to suffice, their eerie green glow illuminating the immediate area in ghostly detail. Setting up camp without proper light was a struggle. Hands fumbled with tent poles, and whispered curses filled the air as tension and fatigue took their toll.

Edward and Nikolayev Mili carefully lifted Barnes and Kusika out of the Humvee, their movements deliberate to avoid worsening the injuries. Barnes groaned as Nikolayev adjusted the makeshift sling on his shoulder, while Edward tightened the tourniquet on Kusika's leg. The wound had gone cold, the bandages soaked through with dark blood. Edward grimaced, muttering softly, "You're going to be fine. Just hang in there."