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The day ended with the eclipse of Fantoma, the silhouette of the large moon
looked beautiful on this very special night. I lay in the arms of my new wife
and breathed a sigh of pleasure as I gently caressed her hair in my fingers.
We had been United earlier this day and planned on taking a voyage together
to Rilac in the morning. It was the first day of the rest of our lives. Life
here in F'rran is dull by the standards set ages ago by the now missing Robotech
Masters, but I don't mind it. Where have they gone? What adventure did the Triumvirate
Culture call them on? Or were they tired of this war they started and fled to
a distant part of the galaxy in search of somewhere to start over again. It
mattered little to me, for the Robotech Masters cared little for those left
behind. Tirol left inhabited by an almost dying race of non-clones. We the young
ones are left with the task of surviving, and attempting to restore the population.
My Union to Jenkka is the first step in that direction I suppose. F'rran sits
at the mouth of the river Dev'er. Eons ago this area was the center of civilization,
now it is a rusted out city that struggles to battle the elements. The jungles
every year grab a stronger hold over the land. My home is modest in size, built
from the ground up by my father and I when I was just a young child. My parents
now dwell in an even smaller shelter near Tiresia. What possessed them to leave
F'rran is still beyond me, but I am happy here. Working in the power plant I
manage to live well, and my wife will enjoy life here as well. As I close my
eyes to finally settle into a peaceful sleep Jenkka stirs and kisses me softly
on the cheek, I smile and begin to drift off to sleep. It is a short-lived rest,
for soon the ground begins to rumble, the windows rattle and crack around the
edges. In an instant Jenkka and I are thrown off the bed and onto the cold hard
floor. "By Fantoma's Eye what was that???" I cried as I cradled Jenkka
in my arms protectively. Again there was a quake and items began falling onto
the floor next to us. "It sounded like an explosion!" Jennka exclaimed
as we scrambled to the main entrance to the house. As the hatch slid open we
nearly collapsed at what we saw. The entire façade of F'rran was
ablaze, smoke rising above and clouding what was once a clear sky. "What's
happening Tiel? Is it the plant?" Jenkka asked, fear obviously evident
in her tone. "No…it can't be that, the explosions are coming from
the opposite direction. I fear something far worse has come into our city."
I replied to her, expressing to her that which she knew and feared all along.
"The Invid have arrived." She whispered back. Although as non-clones
we were exempt from living in space and aboard the Master's Motherships we were
not ignorant to the happenings of the Empire. We all knew that this day would
come. A day of reckoning as the old ones call it. To repent for the evil committed
against the universe, the Invid would come to Tirol. With the Robotech Masters
gone it was only a matter of time.
"We must get to the shelter and fast!" I said, grabbing Jenkka by
the hand and rushing to get into clothing more suitable than eveningwear. As
I slid into an outdoor suit I reached underneath the bed and drew my 1242 model
Del'eriqua Match Rifle. Living on the edge of a vast jungle would require needing
such a weapon for protection against rogue beasts. The magazine was full, although
I doubted this rifle would help out much in the long run. Jenkka was ready as
was I to make a run for the shelter. Another explosion nearly took us off our
feet and this one was much closer than the last. "We are running out of
time…let's go!" I said rushing out the entrance of the house, more
than likely for the last time. We ran hand in hand through the streets. Chaos
seemed to dominate the night as further explosions and distant screams could
be heard. We passed some housing that had already been taken out by the invaders.
"This is madness," I said as nearly tripping over the body of an older
woman. Jenkka helped me to my feet and we paused for a second to look into each
other's eyes. The gaze we shared telling each other and reminding one another
that we would live to see another day together. Then we heard above the thunder
like sound of a sonic boom, and there above our heads was a Roil Tiluvo class
assault corvette, launching a squadron of Bioroids from its hanger. "We
are saved Tiel!" Jenkka said with a cheer full of hope. Soon after we could
hear the concussion blasts of a fierce battle being waged. Not far from where
we were running to. I thought to myself that if we did not get to the shelter
soon we would both be dead in a matter of minutes. The battle edged closer and
closer to us and soon it arrived in the form of a huge lumbering mecha. It's
outline looked blue in color, with a red glowing eye glowing in the night, it's
bizarre arms ended with three long fingers that looked like it could easily
crush us both with little effort. To our misfortune another one appeared, crashing
through a building, then another and another behind it. Jenkka's eyes widened
with pure terror and I froze with fear. Flipping my Del'eriqua Rifle into position
I let loose a volley at the one closest to us. It stopped for a second and turned
to face us. Apparently all I accomplished was annoying it and drawing its attention
to us. "Its like you didn't even hurt it Tiel!" my wife shouted above
yet another explosion. "We have to get away from these things!" I
shouted back, just as a group of Militia arrived. A group of nine, three sets
of clones, lined up their 1566 Model Rocket Launchers and fired. Jenkka and
I threw ourselves to the ground as the heat from the blast burned us slightly.
"That must have destroyed them!" I said as the smoke began to clear.
To my horror this was a far from true assumption. The inorganic mecha merely
charged our position. Two of them taking hold of a building and sending it down
on top of us. In the confusion I lost sight of Jenkka. I heard the death cries
of the clones as the building crashed on them, I had roll out and away from
the falling debris but nevertheless was hit hard by a falling piece of permacrete.
Blackness soon engulfed my vision as I lost consciousness.
I awoke to the bright blue light of Valivarre. My lungs were full of dust and smoke. Coughing heavily for a few minutes as I tried to lift myself off the ground. "JENKKA!!! I cried out in a hoarse, weak voice. "Where are you???" I scrambled to my feet and took note of the destruction around me. The battle was over, and from the looks of my immediate surroundings it was obvious who the victor was. "Jenkka, please...answer me!!!" I yelled out again, already the realization of my situation apparent. I fell on my knees and whispered again, defeated and aware of the fate of my wife. "Please…" I searched for a few moments and found all that I would ever see of my beloved Jenkka again. Her arm lay out a pile of debris exposed as if she had tried to pull herself out of the mountain of rubble over her. There shining brightly on her wrist was her Uniting Brace. The symbol of our union, the one that matched the one I wore on my wrist. I took her hand in mine and raised it to my lips were I kissed it softly, taking off her Brace I put it on top of the one I wore. Swearing to myself that somehow, someway, I would avenge her death. For the remainder of the day I walked the ruined streets of F'rran. Hoping that someone was still alive. As day turned to night I found nothing and no one. Could it be possible that I was the last man alive in F'rran, or all of Tirol for that matter? I began to ponder this possibility when I heard someone calling out into the night. Instinctively I readied my rifle but smiled to myself briefly, knowing that the magazine was empty the rifle would be of little use. So I tossed it aside and scampered out of my hiding spot I tried the direct approach towards source of the calls. Crossing through a couple of heavily damaged and still smoldering buildings I made it soon enough. I saw the one calling out, a clone! Alone and beaten it's strange voice trying to find its brothers. Deciding that some company would be nice I came out into the open. I cautiously approached him. "Greetings warrior!!" I said with arms extended neutrally, for I did not want to be shot by one of my own kind. The clone turned and drew up his own T'luaza Milldiem 281 Model Assault Rifle at me. "Fear not brave one, I am Tirolean!" Nodding and lowering his weapon he seemed confused and at a loss of words. "I am Tiel Diranga, son of Zeio." I introduced walking over to stand before the clone warrior, whose armor had seen better days. "I am two of three." Came the reply in that odd voice all clones possessed. Not wasting anytime I asked him of the battle and the outcome. It came as no surprise his report of the utter and total destruction of F'rann's Defense Force. He told me that there were even reports that the outpost in Rilac had also been routed. The Invid had sent out their Inorganics first, Odeon's were the ones that took the life of my beloved. I asked about the Bioroid squadron I saw last night and he explained that it was his squadron that had launched from the corvette and was soon ripped apart by the Odeons and also a small force of Invid Gurab Troopers that took positions outside F'rran to destroy anyone trying to escape. The thought of having the Invid still in the area sent a rush of terror through my body. Two of three assured me that they had all left and were moving north towards Tiresia. "Then to Tiresia we must go!" I said surprised at myself for offering such a ridiculous idea. My mind was locked onto one thing, revenge. Two of three looked at me, just as surprised as I was. "I wish to destroy as many Invid as possible. Even if it means my own death!" I stated with finality. The clone actually thought this amusing and chuckled quietly. That ended as I stood up and started walking away. "How will you fight them Tiel?" He asked getting up to follow me.
We left the ruins of F'rran at first light. Fantoma dominated the horizon in
front of us. I gathered supplies and some weapons. Luckily we found a battered
hover car berthed between two fallen towers. Soon enough we entered the jungle
of F'rran and drove all day and into the following night. Keeping the Dev'er
in sight to our east we set up camp and slept until the next morning. Along
the way we came upon downed mecha of both Invid and Tirol. No survivors. When
we finally emerged from the jungles the landscape quickly took a turn for the
more common of Tirol. Desert and arid air felt odd to me, and to my companion
as well. The heat at high noon was almost too much to bear. As the day ended
again and Fantoma along with Falcaro rose in the sky we saw in the distance
the outline of something big. The clone and I decided to investigate, and went
around the object and took a position just west of it, hidden by a cracked mountain
range we used some oculars to scan and get a better look at it. We both smiled
as we saw it to be a crashed Roil Destrin class assault corvette. "It looks
mostly in tact." I said with a smirk. "Indeed, perhaps there is much
there to salvage." The clone replied. Making it back to the hover car we
made it to the ship in minutes. At close proximity we immediately took note
that no one could have made it after the crash, and that the vessel was completely
inoperable. "Come, this way, there is an emergency hatch that we can open
manually here." Two of three said walking around the bow of the ship. After
punching in a series of commands into a console there was a hiss and release
of air as a small hatch opened. Of coarse we could not see beyond the hatch
for there was no power inside the ship and it was night. Luckily I had a small
light and used it to guide Two of three and myself into the downed corvette.
I had never been inside any of the Master's ships, or even dreamed such a possibility.
My eyes were wide as I took in all that I saw. "Such technology!"
I said, and noting my astonishment Two of three took my arm and squeezed it.
"Now is not the time for this. Do you think you can restore power to the
emergency systems?" he asked. During our trip through the jungles of F'rran
I talked to him about what I did in the city, how I was a supervisor at the
power plant, and how engineering was something I loved since a child. "I
need to get to the bridge to see…" I said. "This way…and
be cautious…" Two of three replied and lead me down a long corridor
that curved upwards. Entering the bridge we saw the bodies of her crew. A triumvirate
flight crew, lying dead, looks as if they had done their best to save themselves
and the ship. "They died as one, a true honor." Two of three's comment
said. I moved into an empty station and sat for a moment. The basic design of
a panel had not changed for millennia; of coarse I had heard about Protoculture
and new what marvels it brought with it. Unfortunately that precious fuel source
had long ago left the surface of Tirol. "I think I can bring up the backup
batteries, but that will only last a few hours." I reported after a few
minutes. "That will suffice, I am sure you do not plan on spending more
than that time here?" Two of three said as I started charging the batteries,
and within a matter of seconds a lite-green light came on and lit the bridge
and the rest of the ship. Standing up I looked at Two of three in the eye and
said stoically. "Take me to the mecha hanger bay." Laughing whole-heartedly
he replied. "You cannot begin to fathom what it is like to pilot a Bioroid.
A clone can only achieve the mental balance required to control such a weapon.
It was not designed for…" He paused for a second, realizing that this
is a very delicate subject to a non-clone. "For a human." I finished
for him. Nodding he looked out the cracked forward view screen. "You'd
be surprised my clone friend at how we humans can adapt to grueling circumstances.
Come on, there is not much time left before the Invid take Tiresia. Let us go
there and fight for our planet!" I said to him, thinking more of my beloved
Jenkka, and also of my parents who now are surely under the Invid siege.
As we opened the hatch of the hanger I stirred a bit uncomfortably inside
the cockpit. Two of three gave me a "crash course" on Bioroid piloting
and control. "You must will your mind to the mecha, and it will obey your
every command. Feel it as an extension of your own body. Do not fight it's calling
into your mind." Simple enough I thought, not believing myself for a moment.
It mattered little to me, for I knew that my time in the universe was nearing
its end. "The body armor might hinder your movements for a while, but you
will get used to it soon enough" He told me as I sat looking rather funny
with my legs crossed and up in my chest, with neural connections attached to
my head and arms. I took a step forward clumsily nearly toppling the other two
azure Nous'dohl next to me. The raspy clone voice came through the com and laughed.
"I warned you Tiel!" Shrugging it off I walked and mounted on a Skysled,
just as Two of three blasted out of the hanger in his crimson Gister'dohl. I
started up the anti-gravity systems and felt at my feet it come to life. The
plasma turbines igniting as I moved with my thoughts the hands of the Bioroid
to the controls of the Skysled. I found that controlling the Bioroid was not
as difficult as I feared, but the Skysled was an entirely different story. Crashing
through the hangar doors, ripping hull plates along with me, I positioned myself
next to Two of three. "We should head straight to Tiresia from here, surely
the rest of the army is amassing there to defend the city." I said. "As
you wish Tiel." Came the answer from him, I could tell he was just as anxious
as I was to have some measure of revenge on the invading Invid. Blasting away
we covered thousands of kilometers in a matter of hours. It didn't take very
long to catch up to the Invid. "Scanners picking up multiple targets about
three radii from our position." Two said his voice sounding like that of
a true soldier of the Masters. "If they spot us we are done for. Lets land
in that canyon below and wait for them to pass, we can follow their trail once
they leave." I suggested as I began my descent into the canyon. "Affirmative."
Two said following my lead. We sat and watched our sensors, scrambling our signals
so that hopefully none would catch our conversation. "Ground mecha, but
at a speed of which I am not familiar with." Two reported, while I looked
at my screen and saw too many contacts to count. "Heading straight for
Ein'liba." I said taking into account our current location. "There
is a contingent of Bioroids there, I trust in their ability." Two of three
said confidently. I remained silent; for unlike the programming the clone received
I accepted the reality that Ein'liba like F'rran would soon be reduced to nothing.
We took off in the cover of night, all sensor sweeps proved the point that we
were alone in the area. Our Skysleds again helping us in covering the ground
rapidly to Tiresia. "I am reading faint Protoculture signatures below us.
It looks to be of Tirolean origin." Two said already darting towards the
signatures. Saying nothing I followed close to his left flank. As my Nous'dohl
descended I noticed that the landscape seemed to be burned out, a huge blast
crater that still poured out radiation. Landing the Skysled just past the outer
edge of the crater I shut down the plasma turbines and kicked on the anti-grav
system. The sled bounced as I came off of it a surge of anger and sorrow burned
into my soul. There littered all over a field were dozens of Bioroids. Body
parts everywhere. Arms still holding weapon drums, heads and exposed cockpits,
the pilots not there or anywhere near the Bioroids. Torn torsos and ripped chestplates.
And beyond that area even more lying still smoking and burning, a complete massacre.
"What matter of mecha could have done such a travesty?" I asked. With
no time to reply we soon got an answer. Looking all around me I saw pairs of
glowing red eyes, and through my audio sensors I thought I actually heard growls
and small roars of challenge. They came on us quickly and with deadly intent.
Survival instincts took over as I barely managed to dodge the feral leap of
one of these hellcats, bringing up my blaster to take out another one behind
it. I saw it for only a second as it took my shot and turned to dust almost
immediately. "Get to your Skysled Tiel, they are easy to kill but there
are too many!" came Two's frantic call over the com. Three of the cats
were on him, he shrugged two off and blasted one away. I was keeping myself
busy, letting loose a barrage of ion discs at another group of hellcats that
leaped into the foray. "They are trying to cut us off from the sleds."
I said kicking one cat in the head, it flew and smashed against a rock wall,
the body kicked and convulsed for a second and soon laid still. "Tiel,
you must make it to Tiresia!" Two said with a tone that hinted something
else. I willed the Bioroid to leap and land on top of a group or rocks, from
this relative higher position I started releasing targeted shots at the cats
closest to me, trying to make a clear path for my sled. Making a quick count
I knew we would be over run in a matter of seconds, I could not even see Two
of three anywhere near me. Letting out a war cry I jumped down and started running
for my sled. Two hellcats leaped towards me, one taking an ion disc to the head,
the second digging in its fangs into my mecha's right forearm. Although I did
not feel any pain, I did sense the sudden loss of mobility in that part of the
Bioroid. The Bioroid Blaster dropping to the ground useless as the arm lost
total power. I had to act fast as the cat bore in on me and meant to rip the
arm off completely. For a brief moment my eyes looked down to my wrist and the
two Uniting Braces there. Wondering if I were to soon see Jenkka at my side.
"Lift your arm up!" Two ordered me, and as I did he let off a shot
that if I had known I would not have let him try. The cat's head stayed with
its fangs in the forearm of the Bioroid and the body hit by the ion disc disintegrated
into dust. Making it two my sled I quickly ignited the plasma turbines and made
ready to lift off. Firing off a volley of ion discs from the sled another line
of cats evaporated into nothing. "Two of three, where are you???"
I barked lifting off the ground and gaining altitude fast. My left leg stomping
the head and kicking off another hellcat that tried to stowaway on my sled.
It crashed into the mountainside and was destroyed. I glanced below and saw
to my utter dismay Two's Gister'dohl pinned down and fighting to blast away
the hellcats that were now tearing apart his Skysled. "Get to Tiresia Tiel,
I am finished!" Two called into the com. "NOOO!! I am coming down
to retrieve you, try and get to higher ground!" I yelled back at him, seeing
the futility in it all. As I swooped down and delivered death to hellcat after
hellcat, trying to make it to where Two was. My eyes widened as I saw his mecha
on one knee firing off his weapon drum rapidly. I saw five leap on him with
claws extended; they thrashed on him as the pulled the doomed Bioroid down.
Others sensing the kill leaped on Two and began ripping apart the Chobham armor
like if it was warm wax. I pulled the sled up hard and looked away just as the
cockpit pod was revealed and I heard the final cry from the brave clone.
My arrival to the capital city was uneventful. The surrounding area had been
totally destroyed. There was little left of the outer fringes of the city. Mecha
laid out everywhere I turned. There was no one to stop me as I made my way through
the city. My heart poured out to look at the citizens of the city. Fear with
the certainty of defeat seemed etched into their eyes. Trying to make my way
to where I thought my parents resided I came across a squad of Bioroids. They
escorted me to the Great Hall where I looked to see the remaining forces making
ready for an impending attack. As I settled my damaged Bioroid into a slot and
leaped from my cockpit and removed my helmet, there were several gasps of surprise.
It didn't take long for me to realize that I was the only non-clone present.
A Commander Triumvirate arrived soon afterwards, hovering above me on their
Hoverplatform. "Where do you come from?" came the question out of
the first one. "How did you acquire this mecha?" was the second. "Who
taught you how to pilot it?" was the third. "F'rann, somewhere in-between
F'rran and Ein'liba, and a clone that went by the name Two of three." I
responded standing up and gazing at the arrogant clones. All three looked towards
one another and then said nothing, at least nothing that I could hear. "The
Invid destroyed both F'rann and Ein'liba and are poised to attack Tiresia."
I continued trying to get the triumvirate to talk again. The three lowered the
hoverplatform and moved it closer to me. "You are telling us news of little
relevance, we know the Invid Fleet even as we speak are engaging the last line
of our defenses in space. They are pressing forward towards the city right now."
One said as the other two smirked at me. What fools I thought to myself. Even
now as their almost certain deaths were on the way they continued to elevate
and make themselves "superior" to me. "What are your plans?"
I asked, not backing down from my stance or their presence. "We will launch
a counter strike against them and hold them off until the arrival of reinforcements
that is sure to come from the Masters." Another of the clone commanders
said with even more confidence than the first. It took most of my self-control
to contain my laughter at such a wish. The Invid would come sure enough and
Tiresia would fall, the Masters more than likely never knowing or caring about
it. Then the third smiled and reported something else. "We cannot forget
that it is possible that even the Zentraedi will arrive to defend us. If this
happens victory will certainly be ours!" I had just about enough of fantasy
dreams, if there was an attack coming I wanted to be there in the middle of
it! I reached down and grasped the Uniting Braces on my arm and started walking
away, looking for the nearest Bioroid. The Hoverplatform lifted off and circled
around me rapidly blocking my path in an instant. A set of triumvirate guards
had also took positions on the ramp above me. "Just where do you think
you are going citizen?" said one of the commanders, his raspy clone voice
hinting towards a threat. Shocked that I was actually about to be stopped my
head turned towards a Gister'dohl being readied for launch. "That mecha
is reserved for use by clone officers only." Another declared, as the troopers
began moving down towards me. "Allow us to take you to a secure shelter.
It is for your own safety." The third commanded just as the alarms inside
the Great Hall sounded; the attack had begun. Almost immediately the launch
bay shook as the Invid swarm descended on the capital city. Taking the chance,
and figuring that there was nothing really left to lose I darted and ran with
great speed up the ladder and into the cramped and awkward Bioroid cockpit.
The Commander Triumvirate with much more to worry about than a disobeying citizen
took off, surely towards the command center. One of the troopers actually took
a shot at me, which luckily deflected off the canopy as it encased me safely
inside. This time I oddly, I, felt right at home inside this weapon of the Masters.
As my Gister'dohl powered up I was awed at the perfection at which the squadrons
of clone piloted Bioroids launched. I lost count of how many were out of the
main launch doors before I threw on the plasma turbines and rocketed out last.
I swooped low to the ground the com filled with commands, cheers and cries of
death. The dark night was worsened by the smoke rising up to cast a shade even
on the Fantoma's enormous form. I could see the fight happening everywhere,
I had to swing the sled around a tight turn past a building to dodge the blast
of surface to air batteries. Tiresia's sky was lit by hundreds of these emplacements.
The Invid had come on in full force; they meant to eradicate the capital. There
was no time left to think, this was the moment that I had desired since the
instant I had known that my wife was lost. Jenkka would be avenged, and soon
I would be with her. There was no time for thought for in a second I found myself
in the middle of a massive battle! What seemed to be an infinite amount of Invid
Iigaa Scouts (that is what the mecha's database informed me) had come down and
was laying waste to everything they came in contact. Firing their plasma beams
indiscriminately at whatever they saw. I was able to let off a few shots from
the ion guns on my sled; ripping off the poorly armored Iigaa and watching a
green nutrient erupt from within the invader. Another Scout was on me in an
instant, unleashing a barrage of annihilation discs. I pulled the sled hard
to the left and then tipped the angle of my ascent a few degrees higher and
returned fire with my hand held blaster, scoring two solid hits in the red eye
of the Invid. It exploded into a ball of flame that I flew right threw, trying
to gain some altitude. The Iigaa were pinning down the Bioroids from above.
Their sheer numbers allowed a part of them destroy the ground forces, while
another huge group took shots from above, holding the Tiresian lines down on
the surface. As I rose just above the skyline of the city I quickly took note
of a dozen or more clam shaped vessels descending from space. The surface to
air batteries still rose to defend but in an obviously futile attempt because
the Iigaa were destroying too many to make a difference. Six Iigaa Scouts locked
themselves behind me and started blasting away at me. Rolling in a semi-circle
and then taking a steep dive I barely managed to avoid the plasma discs. A tall
building took the brunt of the next attack from the relentless Invid. Two shots
managed to damage my sled, and through the extended senses granted to me by
the Protoculture running my Gister'dohl I didn't need to see the displays to
tell me that the Skysled needed to be put down. Smoke swirled and engulfed me
as I lost altitude, the Scouts pressing harder to score a kill at my account
fired again. This time I let go of the handle controls and leaped off the sled,
just as the plasma fire destroyed it. A building, the Bioroid easily taking
the damage given by the permacrete, softened my crash. With an impact that would
surely have killed me had I not been encased inside the cockpit my Gister'dohl
rose to look up and see through the rubble of the building that the Iigaa Scouts
were turning back and making ready to finish me off. Still very shaken by the
crash I barely was able to level my blaster to send a burst of ion discs at
them. I easily scored four kills, but the last two now were regrouping and returning
fire. Responding to my impending predicament imaged myself beginning to run
out as fast as I could, feeling my legs pulsing as if it was I and not the Bioroid
escaping the deadly rain that finally leveled the building. Fortune smiled on
me as Tiresian's besieged Bioroids managed to regroup for a counterstrike against
the small Invid mecha. A trio of Inbida T'siendiel fired as one annihilating
the last two Scouts. What absolute efficiency these new Bioroids possessed.
Three working as one, the pinnacle in what the Robotech Masters so worshipped!
In an instant orders began to flood the com channels. The strange voices echoing
almost as if it was being sent directly into my mind. From all that I understood
was that the Invid's first wave had subsided, the clam ships I viewed earlier
were now finishing making it's delivery. The huge hatches parted and from within
leaped what seemed to be endless legions of Invid Gurab Troopers. Emerging from
the building I was caught in the middle of the first attack wave. A sea of annihilation
discs poured out from shoulder mounts, taking out the newly reinforced Bioroid
line in seconds. Raising my Blaster I returned fire and saw perhaps one or maybe
two fall down. It was useless; there was no way to stop them. From the corner
of my eye I saw the trio of Inbida T'siendiel charge ahead and again laying
down a heavy fire that is felled half a line of Gurabs. They're attention drawn
to the Gurabs they did not see the group of ten Iiagaa come down and unleash
a barrage on them that destroyed them in seconds. Turning back rapidly ahead,
I barely managed to see the advancing Gurabs still blasting through. Three shots
quickly hit me, instantly crippling my mecha. On pure reflex I pulled the Bioroid
down on its back and released the cockpit, opening up like a fruit I leaped
out and quickly ran to the edge and jumped off. My body armor luckily protecting
me from the heat of the discs that finished off my Gister'dohl. Rolling to the
right and soon pushing myself off the ground I barely made it inside the building
I had crashed into. The Gurab Troopers continuing their relentless advance through
Tiresia. The Bioroid line was overrun and wiped out. There was little hope at
all for victory. The skies above were red with another tide of Scouts coming
down. It was at this moment of utter impotence that I knew all was lost. The
capital had fallen to the Invid. Even now the survivors were being captured
and sent to various store houses throughout Tiresia.
There was a time when life was simple and although nothing was taken for granted,
all seemed to work out and we lived. All of that ended with the arrival of the
Invid. I walked through the ruined streets; occasionally the battle could be
heard in the distance. Surviving clones fighting to the bitter end. Fools, just
like the Masters for bringing the death of they're own planet. There was nothing
left for me to live for anymore, Jenkka gone as was probably my parents. Here
I was, without a weapon or mecha to extract the revenge I wanted. My thoughts
quickly changed to survival as a group of new invaders flew by me at such speed
that it was almost a blur. About twice the size of a man and riding some type
of speeder this new enemy roared through whatever came into their path. In a
matter of minutes those few sounds of battle died out, it was painfully obvious
who had won the day. I walked for a little more than an hour until I came by
a huge store house that was being packed full of survivors. These almost humanoid-shaped
mecha were herding people in like livestock. This was it; the time had come
for me to make a choice. The chances were impossible that I would win, but I
had to try and make a difference. What was I to do? How could I possibly defeat
the Invid here single handedly? I laughed to myself as I slid down to the floor,
crumpling up and near insane with agony and pain. A small light caught my attention;
it was green and blue in color. Crawling over towards it, I swiped off some
debris and smiled widely as I saw what kind of device this was. A Touwhaug Rasar
mine! This thing must be thrice as old as anyone elder left on Tirol. Now I
had the means to deliver a final blow to the invaders. As I looked towards the
storehouse again I quickly noted that someone of importance had arrived. Escorted
by a large contingent of Malar Enforcers I got my first glimpse at an Invid.
Standing easily at 20 feet, this revolting, robed slug like creature walked
with power and arrogance. The surrounding Invid making sure they're heads were
tucked low in honor and respect for this one, although I am sure it was something
more akin to fear. As it spoke and issued commands I heard his powerful voice
boom over the fires burning around me, the two tips of his elongated face glowing
as he disappeared into the storehouse. The time had come to act. For some odd
reason I found it easy to sneak myself closer and closer to the storehouse.
Looking down at the mine in my hand I wondered where exactly I could plant it.
When all of the sudden I saw emerging from the storehouse the Invid, who was
being referred to as Regent. Seconds later the building lit up and exploded
into nothing, killing the dozens I saw escorted inside. My heart sank with sadness,
such a brutal way to die! And for what? What was this invader looking for on
this planet? The Masters had taken all they wanted before leaving to deep space.
I activated the mine, and ran like a man possessed towards this Invid Regent,
howling out the name of Jenkka as all turned towards me surprised. "Cut
him down!" I heard the Regent command, and immediately I was pelted with
plasma fire. Falling down, mortally wounded, the mine detonated. In the instant
of brightness and fire that surely consumed a fair blast radius I wondered if
I had succeeded in my sacrifice or failed. It mattered little for now I would
once again be with my beloved Jenkka. I accepted oblivion with open arms and
a promising smile...
FIN
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