Eagles in Gear

Chapter 3

Alarik's walker rushes outside while his fellow squad mates get out of their hangars and follow behind in a line towards the garage door. As the first mechanical steps are outside, a bright flash goes by Alarik's viewport and in the distance, the flash hits the side of the makeshift armory. The armory explodes in a massive fireball. A radio frequency buzzes in Alarik's headset and Olrin's voice comes on.

"Well, there goes our munitions for the next few months." Olrin spoke through his microphone.

"Old man, we're going home in a few weeks, we should worry about munitions for when these baguette eating asshats attack again." retorted Raymond's voice.

The walkers assume into a V formation as a streamlined formation of figures are rushing into the camp from the outer wall. "How many are there?" Louis says, awed by the significant number of troops. A armored vehicle breaks through from the wall the rebels have breached. "Louis, run communications with the tower and have them scout out what that vehicle is it. Find out whether it's a anti-armor or anti-infantry." Olrin commanded. All of sudden, resistance fighters start pouring rounds at the walkers. 

"Alarik, i really do think we should advance now." Louis says nervously as loud dings are sounded in the microphone.

"Not until we get orders from squad lead. It is protocol." Alarik explains, wincing from bullets hitting and ricocheting of the sloped armor.

A sound of a cannon is heard and a flash of light goes by Alarik's walker and lands behind the formation. "What the living hell was that?" Raymond exclaims, startled by the fearsome power. "Louis, did you run communications and diagnostics of that vehicle?" Olrin asks, also startled. "I've asked but they say they have no idea, s-sir. it appears to have a larger cannon than what you guys said in the past." Louis stammers. Alarik grabs binoculars from his side compartment and he puts it against the viewport. He studies the vehicle and notices the fuel barrels on the back compartments as it swerves to get a better position. "It appears to be vulnerable in the back. If we can get a perfect view of it, we may be able to destroy it." Alarik explains to his squad mates. "B-but that's suicide! How can we get even remotely close to the vehicle without being blasted by those anti-armor grenades the Belgians used during Operation Maginot Breakthrough!?" Louis stammers like a little boy who has just gotten his candy taken away. Raymond groans into his microphone and started to take in breath before a voice inside everyone's headsets set off. The voice is very gruff and Bavarian accent but sounded very familiar to the squadron. "Get your little nilly ass in shape, you measly little maggot. You're a imperial war machine so act like it! Listen here, you sows, that enemy can be destroyed, they can be defeated, now get your fucking shit together and advance and destroy them rats!" the voice screams with blood curdling of a man on his over excessive testosterone. 

Alarik acknowledges the order to advance and he screams the order to go. The walkers go full throttle, the steam from the machines pulse from their exhaust pipes. The cannon fire flies and lands 20 feet in front of Olrin's walker. Distant laughing of a old man is sounded in the visor.

"All units fire at will, i say again, fire at will" Alarik commanded. Alarik pulls on the trigger underneath the the throttle and the machine vibrates from the back blast. He sees the fireball arch in the air and lands into a crowd of the resistance fighters firing on his comrades. A leg lands on the enemy vehicle. The walker squadron moves closer to the enemy forces as more rebels disintegrate from every blast within the lines. A grenade lands infront of Olrin's walker and when the machine steps on it, the blast explodes and the walker's feet give way and the walker topples over. A loud BOOM sounds when the walker lands on the ground. 

Louis yells into the microphone. "OLRIN! ARE YOU ALRIGHT? PLEASE TELL ME?" 

-Static-

"OLRIN?" Louis screams.

Grunting is sounded from Olrin's microphone. "Yeah, kid, i am alright..." He groans as it sounds like he is shifting. "Raymond, guard Olrin's walker as he recovers. Louis, you will follow me and we will take out the vehicle." Alarik ordered. Raymond grunts in confirmation and breaks formation to stand under him, firing on enemy trips surrounding Alarik and Louis. Alarik's walker fires on the vehicle as the machine is within several meters. "Louis, flank from behind and blast him to pieces." 

Louis's walker steers around the vehicle and the starts aim. Silence.

"Louis, what's wrong? why aren't you firing?" Alarik speaks with alarm as the cannon aims towards Raymond and Orlin.

"Sir...my weapon systems aren't functioning, i am trying..." Louis stammers, constant clicking in the background. Alarik starts to move the walker towards the back when Louis's walker starts to go down after a grenade pre-explodes next to the legs, making him fall.

"Louis!!"

Suddenly, a blast erupts from underneath Alarik and he feels his world falling down.  A loud thud erupts throughout the cabin, the view port facing towards Orlin's fallen walker and Raymond's walker. A loud bang is heard from the vehicle behind Alarik and he sees the blast of Orlin's walker explode and it sends Raymond's cabin off the legs and makes it fly. Before the blast, Orlin relayed his final words: "Goodbye, Komrade..."