Chronicle of the Unknown Sector. (#Wattys2015)

Part 8: Serpent vs Ravener.

As the horde of gunships swept over the cities of Merydion, drawing ever closer to the Ravener den, so too did the Ion storms grew. Some pilots radioed to Pablo stating it was too risky and requested heading back, "Fall back if you wish, but know that I won't back down from a mire storm!" being the Commanders response to his company barely audible from the storms crackling as just over half the force broke off from formation heading back to the staging grounds in the city leaving a fraction of gunships left.

Out of no-where a sudden bolt of Ion charged lightning struck down a gunship causing it to crash land just shy of the den, "Pilots! Lower the ships this is far we're gonna get airborne!" Pablo ordered out with the remaining ships beginning to descend then finally touching down as troops disembarked whilst dust-clouds from the ships swirled around them.

Running a quick scan with his cybernetic eye to see who was left Pablo noticed a change he'd not seen previously, the lens displayed names, ranks and heart-rates as his gaze peered one after another. 'Casie Woods, Sally Dawns, Viktor Saran, Leyium Drog, Calth Cricker, Nick Nevison, Gabriella Siy'tio, Vera Miller' all listed out as stable and unharmed, utilizing this Pablo proceeded into assigning squads and priorities to them in a quick run-down of the missions objective.

After several minutes the squads ventured forth into the bloodbath, parts of the infested city crumbling around them accompanied by Ion lightning strikes with the rare one nearly hitting them yet the determined squads pressed on, their armour clanked and boots thudded as they went.

"Hostile forces spotted Commander." Nevison called out with a gruff smoker tone causing the entirety of the group to dart their gazes at the direction he pointed out, in the thick smog air shadow figures conjured into the ravenous beasts charging headlong toward them.

"Don't just stand there! FIRE!" Pablo shouted out in anger taking a brief moment to see the groups faces display shock and awe as if their hopes had been drained, in his anger Pablo raised his conductium rifle firing away with it clicking empty a burst later. "ARG FUCK!" he yelled out of growing frustration over the now gunfire filled area resorting to his pistols drawing both clicking the slides back with his thumbs, coordinating what forces he had whilst dishing out aggression towards his foe the nine members of Serpent Company held their ground whilst the corpses of the slain fell to the ground atop one other.

"They are retreating, let's go after them." Drog shouted out with a laugh,

"I ordered no one to act like a hero, you move and you'll die" Pablo barked back at him as the remaining Raveners made their get-away leaving the group in silence with their only sound being sizzles of their rifles.

"Did we get them?" Dawns asked peering at Saran with him giving a simple I don't know look. Woods began to see to Cricker's wound which had occurred during the fighting, Gab and Vera meanwhile took a quick glance around before turning to Pablo who displayed a death stare directly ahead, glancing back at the group he proceeded to giving follow up orders to scavenge any ammo, grenades and heavy weapons they can come across.

An hour past as bullets rattled out of ammo-boxes, the slitting of bullet into rifle magazines and clacks from loading them shortly after snapped the silent air. Pablo kept his gaze fixated on the den which laid a couple of meter's ahead, the screeching roars of Raveners flowing out of it by the dozens. Gabriella came up to him resting her hand upon his own causing him to turn toward her, "I'm afraid Pabs." she said with a shiver supporting as parts of her fur stood up, taking a glance at the rest of the group he could see signs that many others were in the same boat as her.

Turning around fully showing his full attention to them Pablo took a quick look at his cybernetic arm and hand then running it over his eye-plate, "I won't lie to you all, I've been afraid of those things for as long as I can recall. Restless nights, uncelebrated holidays which made me feel like all my happiness and joy was siphon'd from me." he stated walked at a slow pace toward them with the group members looking at him as some displayed looks of shock whilst others empathizing.