The Exiles:A New Power

The One Year War Part 4:Muster to Arms

The thunderclap of a mass-driver filled the air and a high-explosive shell struck the side of a building, shattering the facade and killing maybe half-a-dozen Batarian infantrymen inside. It was a grindingly slow advance through the planetary capital. Though the Suburbs had fallen quick and most of the people had been advised to stay inside, some light enemy resistance still persisted. They hadn't found any slaves either.

Major Reegar peered through a pair of rangefinder binoculars at the building one of their Scorpion-II tanks had just hit. Above, a UH-217 transport dropship swung in, moving to the rear-line with supplies. Sat atop one of the roofs of a local grocery store of a sort, or whatever passed for one on Batarian colonies, the Major sighed as she lowered her binocular. Her perch was gonna be moved again if they secured any other high-rise nearby, but this was good enough for now.

She radioed, "TALON One-Actual to CHIMERA Two-Two, be advised:Marine platoon, callsign 'SINGER' is egressing from nest and moving to secure building. Watch your fire," as she watched a platoon of Quarian and Human Marines pushing down the road, past barricades erected by Batarian 'Police', Slave-Owners and the actual Batarian Military. Batarian corpses lay splayed out amidst the remnants of their own light vehicles, their jeeps and wheeled cars. Burnt corpses lay even farther ahead.

Moving two blocks forward and into the building they'd struck with the rail-cannon of their tank, SINGER Platoon kicked the already-rotting door in, metaphorically speaking, then advanced inward. She could see the flashes of gunfire, their MA40B rifles and M327 LMGs, probably. A Batarian flew out of the building's damaged sixth floor, caked in purple light as he 'gently' floated down onto the road.

She could swear she heard the crunch from here when he hit the ground headfirst. A second and third platoon, fellow units of SINGER, moved in to support them from the rear. Radio chatter, coordination between the platoons and all. It was nice, seeing an operation like this go so well. Still, they were experiencing casualties here and there. The random mine left by a Batarian soldier, one of their Gunships making an appearance out of thin air, or just random chance and catching a bullet.

"Ma'am," She heard someone call out. Turning her head left, she saw a UNSC Marine, clad in a standard enviro-suit. Word of mouth was the UNSC wanted to keep the fact they were 'human' secret from the greater population of the Galaxy, though she felt like they only wore environmental suits with armor like that to mostly look cool. And she did have to admit, they looked great. He saluted when he saw he'd been noticed.

She stood up and saluted back, then said, "At ease, Marine. Gimme your ID and tell me what you've got for me."

"Private Custer, ma'am, with the Ninth Battalion near Sector Echo-3. Outer defensive holdouts in the City have broken completely. Com's getting a bit spotty due to the high-rises, so I got orders from Colonel Holly to tell you your flank's secure and the 501st can move up at their leisure," The Marine replied calmly. The radio beside the Major crackled to life and she turned toward the building, watching SINGER and their buddies waving at them from the building ahead.

She nodded approvingly, then said, "Tell Holly Major Reegar sends her thanks. We'll mount up and move it out," and turned to the young Marine. She saluted him and said, "Dismissed, Custer. Get back to your unit," and she watched him leave. She pulled up her own Radio and spoke, "All TALON Elements, this is One-Actual. We're oscar mike deeper into the city. Armored support from the Ninth should be joining us within a few minutes."

Picking up her own MA40B, the woman racked the bolt back and checked the weapon, then hefted her shoulder-mounted plasma launcher up as well, activating the helmet tracker and watching the three-prong magnetically-enhanced weapon's laser sights activate. She scanned the area ahead with the weapon on, ensuring the SmartScope and targeting features were working properly, then turned it off and let it fold back into its casing in her backpack.