Starboard Light (Incomplete)

Chapter 4 - Chaos

Uneasiness settled within her comrade's faces as her heart had suddenly dropped over the sudden events that were unfolding before her. The air was thick with mixed emotions of adrenaline, surprise, fear, rage, and determination. It was almost too difficult to take in as seeing the savagery that the Ragnaroc had been known for commenced.

Like a volcano erupting from its dormant slumber, the Ragnaroc exploded from the four holes. Tens of thousands of creatures poured out like the plague screeching their odd cry of rage. It was apparent that there wasn't going to be any means of negotiation or a truce amongst both parties in the event that it was clear the Ragnaroc had been prepared for war.

The number of enemies that were continuously counting up as time went by suggested that the information that had been given was clearly a mistake. It seemed as though either they were very efficient on breeding as well as aging to adult hood or they somehow figured out how to make themselves look like they're population was small. At any rate, however, it was very apparent that they were outnumbered a while ago.

Maylene's eyes widened at the sudden attack. People were screaming in surprise as the sea of Ragnaroc closed quickly upon the eight teams. "Stand your ground!" she shouted through her helmet. "We shall fight till reinforcements comes."

With that, people started shooting and running around to avoid the deadly acid shooting their way along with their sharp teeth and claws. Twelve. A group dropped to the ground as Maylene and another comrade from her team took on the right flank. Glancing towards the other three holes, it appeared they were winning. Ragnaroc carcasses began piling up slowly but surely.

It didn't take long till it seemed the creatures figured out the weapons they were facing and the patterns their foes were showing. Their instincts shifted to that instead of organized pursuit, turned them into scattered patterns of fast rate aggressiveness. Now it was harder for them to be hit.

Attempt after attempt, now bullets were flying everywhere aiming for nothing in particular as very few Ragnaroc were now dying. A male standing ten yards from Maylene screamed, making her quickly look his way. Two creatures closed in on him. The one on his left jumped at him, biting his leg causing him to fall while crying out in agony. "I'm coming!" Maylene boasted as she began running towards the now injured male. She couldn't call out to her teammates since they were basically having their hands full themselves. It was all up to her.

"Hold on!" she yelled again, pointing her gun towards the creature feasting on her friend's leg and fired. Direct hit. It fell lifelessly to the ground next to the leg. This made Maylene smirk in triumph knowing she had saved his life.

Click. Click. Click. "Maylene! Gre-" a female's voice shouted, but before her warning could be fully comprehend an explosion was set off.

Without being able to react on time, the explosion sent Maylene flying off her feet and onto the ground. Luckily she wasn't injured, but the impact made her knock unconscious for a couple of minutes. Once she had came to, a loud ringing in her ear muffled all the gun fire, bombs, and screams that she would've been able to hear. Looking around, it appeared that the ORI bots had been activated to attack in order to help, but that still didn't stop the mixture of bodies that were her allies laying lifeless along with the Ragnaroc who had been previously killed.

After a few moments of composure, the ringing had went away slightly which helped Maylene come to her senses. She had to save her comrade. Staggering to her feet, she clumsily pursued her objective only to notice that the second Ragnaroc that she had seen but didn't kill had climbed on the male's torso. 'Run Maylene. Run!' she thought, but her legs wouldn't let her and the events that unfolded before her seemed to run in slow motion.

The Ragnaroc opened its maw and wrapped it around the face mask of the male. Pieces of glass were seen falling to the ground as the creature's teeth pierced the helmet with great force. At this point, the male thrashed violently trying to shake off its enemy which to no avail had no effect. A growl resounded which seemed like it was proud of its victorious kill as its jowls snapped together breaking the face mask with ease. The male that tried shaking it off began shaking violently and holding his throat to indicate he was gasping for air.

"No!" the female shouted, pointing her gun and shooting the enemy, finally able to run again. By the time she had reached the male, his face was lifeless with eyes wide opened which showed the mixture of fear and panic he had before passing away.

Gritting her teeth, she punched the ground out of anger and bit back a sob that was desperately trying to come out, but this was war. There was only crying after it was over and now was not the time. Shakily, Maylene took her left hand and closed the male's eyes. "This isn't over." she muttered to the lifeless body at which point she stood up and looked around full of anger.

The ORI robots were having their hands full blowing up clusters of Ragnaroc and shooting those that were lucky enough to get close and shoot acid their way. The Jocks were slowly falling one by one luckily killing about forty or more before a Ragnaroc ran at them from a blind side and shooting acid or attacking them head on. It was a gruesome sight with so much blood shed.

"Commander!" Maylene shouted through her communication system on her wrist once she put it up to her helmet. "We need immediate reinforcements! Where are-" she stopped mid-sentence only to see one of the ORI robots had fallen and the Ragnaroc had began taking over it crawling inside holes and running on top of it like ants.

"An ORI has just fallen. Where are they?" now panic stricken, Maylene couldn't keep her voice steady. The once brave leader of her own command was now almost about to be overwhelmed with fear.

Static. Silence. More static. Still no answer. Again, Maylene tried calling out her request for reinforcements. Static. Static. Silence. Static. Suddenly a large explosion like a miniature nuke had went off. Looking at the direction of the source it appeared that the ORI that had previously fallen blew itself up killing a couple thousand Ragnaroc that had infiltrated the inside of its stronghold.

"Lieutenant. Reinforcements are arriving in two minutes. I repeat. Reinforcements are arriving in two minutes." a small voice spoke into her helmet.

A wave of relief showered over Maylene as a sigh was let out. It wasn't going to be long till this was all over now. With hope of saving the remainder of her comrades, she reloaded her gun and began pursuing the creatures and killing them off one by one.

Exactly two minutes went by and over fifty Ragnaroc had been killed. That was when large ships hovered into the planet's atmosphere and began firing. All of the Jocks began cheering as reinforcements had arrived and it was a sign to board their ORI ships and depart.

As everyone boarded their ships, Maylene pushed some buttons on her wrist. Multiple pods shot out of each ORI and floated over the bodies of the fallen. They opened like eggs and enveloped each one securely closing them inside before returning back to their designated robot. Once that was done, Maylene boarded ORI 6 and all seven robots departed back to base.