"On the right, Sam..."
"I see it!"
Growling into the mic, I dodge a TF Hover Tank that swerved out of a passage and, sliding along the wall, grab the muzzle turning toward me. The repulsor tank's gun barked once—blasting the wall fragments I had just been stomping on into dust—but it couldn't manage more than that.
With just one arm movement, the weapon bends at a ninety-degree angle, after which I brace my feet against the tank's wide wings that hide the repulsor engines and, in one jerk, rip off the turret, revealing a frightened B1 battle droid who was comically waving its arms, trying to stop me from murdering it.
With a punch, I drive the turret mount into the combat vehicle. Metal screeches and crumples under the weight of my limb. Warping, it bends inward, crushing the tank crew and turning them into dust.
"That's more like it..."
A sharp dodge to the left, and the smoky trail of a missile streaks past me. Leaving a trail in the air, the sharp-nosed rascal flies further down the hangar, blowing up the opposite hanging balcony, already ruined in the battles for the fortress.
"Avi, give me a lift!"
"Understood, Sam."
The titan's calm voice was intoxicating. It seemed nothing could change her peace, save for rare inspired shouts and no panic at all.
Opening her chest to me, AVINA offered a hand, which I used to climb out, immediately jumping onto a balcony identical to the ruined one.
Several TF droids tried to aim their weapons at me, but the first of them was sent flying in pieces, escorted by the sole of my sabaton.
The second managed to take a step forward before my hand caught the muzzle of its blaster and diverted the weapon toward a third droid. The poor thing didn't even have time to say its signature "uh-oh" before taking a tibanna charge to the head and chest.
Continuing the movement, I push off the balcony railing and kick the last droid.
Snapping its thin leg, I force the machine to drop to one knee. While the robot spun its head disorientedly, trying to grab onto anything with its hands, the droid whose blaster I still hadn't let go of was left without its upper limbs—one of which I used to beat it to death.
The last of the four still managed to cope with the broken leg, and when it rose to its full height again, I was already standing in front of it.
A hand strike knocks the blaster aside. A flash of crimson energy lights up my dirty, oil-and-blood-stained helmet.
The droid follows the muzzle of its weapon with its oculi, likely already trying to plot a new shot trajectory... Only this dummy doesn't have the processing power and freezes in place for a bit.
This is getting boring.
A hand strike to the steel neck makes the first crack. A second strike to the leg breaks it completely. The droid's sensors glitch; it barely understands what's happening. The miserable machine barely manages to process all the incoming damage and error messages.
It falls to the floor, but I don't let it drop. Catching it by the torso, I lift it over my head and, spinning sharply, hurl it off the balcony, smashing its remains against the floor.
AVINA also distinguished herself; as soon as the droid touched the ground, her multi-ton foot came down on top, and only a twitching three-fingered hand remained sticking out.
"That was the forty-eighth enemy squad." Offering me a hand, Avi helped me descend and take the gear from her back that I hadn't managed to reload. "I recommend returning to the other forces and taking a cover group. I don't doubt your strength, Sam, but it will be much safer..."
"Ha-ha-ha... Safer? For whom?"
With a suggestive kick to the steel paw of a dead B1, I smirk mockingly as the droid's hand begins to reflexively clench. Looks like some part of the program survived. Or maybe it's a glitch? Or perhaps that mythical crap some machine-worshippers believe in?
"Who cares, now you're truly free, little droid."
With a chuckle, I pull out a reloaded blaster and, with one shot to the shoulder joint, force the limb to settle and go quiet, now forever.
"Let's go, Avi. We need to capture Gunray's brother before my cutthroats skin him alive," a crooked smirk crawled across my face under the helmet. Not bothering to climb into the titan's cockpit, I was the first to stomp forward, sensing that I'd soon be able to have a good fight.
****
"Or maybe I won't..."
Disappointedly lowering my blaster, I watch the wreckage of a Droideka fly past me with a long, weary gaze. A formidable combat machine, capable of suppressing a troop detachment on some Outer Rim planet... Now, without arms or legs, it was trying to crawl away from the Helldivers mocking it.
The Third Assault Platoon in its entirety had broken through here earlier, beating me by literally ten minutes... But that time was quite enough to slaughter most of the garrison left here.
Pirate corpses lay everywhere, while their former captains and barons were being hung on the walls with "hempen neckties." Bold raiders, killers, and other filth—now they begged for mercy they had never shown themselves.
"Go!"
My attention was drawn by the shout of one of the Helldivers as he sent the body of another sea wolf flying with a kick. Grabbing the rope with his fingers, scratching his own throat, the pirate tried to save himself until the last moment, but the weight of his own body snapped his neck, so a second later another body dangled a couple of meters from the ground, soon joined by a dozen more such bastards.
"Boss, here's our noseless friend." Tossing the viceroy's relative at my feet, the Helldiver gave a curt nod toward the other Neimoidians and a handful of Humans huddling a bit further away. "These were with him... We, uh... didn't do 'that' to them."
Running a palm across his throat, the soldier was clearly trying to seem more tactful and polite than he actually was. Except...
Packed in heavy armor covered in chips and cracks... and his left arm was bloody up to the elbow.
In short, the soldier made the right impression, and judging by the terrified looks of our prisoners, he had struck them with more than just his appearance.
"Any problems?"
"What problems?" Dismissively waving a hand, the Helldiver slung his blaster over his shoulder and began to gesture actively with his free hand. "We just burst in—they all went straight to the floor. Screaming, crying... The droids fall to pieces if you so much as sneeze in their direction... And the pirate scum, pfft, that trash is only good for scaring Traders and farmers. Though, our farmers would likely put their skinny asses on pitchforks..."
The guy muttered the last part under his breath, thoughtfully scratching the chin of his helmet. More like tapping out some familiar tune.
"Lovely," releasing the soldier, I crouch down in front of the Neimoidian. A scrawny weakling, reeking of fear. It seemed another moment and he'd wet his pants, and when my face stopped at the same level as his, the Alien literally started shaking. "Don't be so scared, the building is shaking enough without you."
Confirming my words, the bunker roof shuddered, and concrete dust showered from the ceiling. For a couple of seconds, everyone looked up, fearing the worst, but catastrophe didn't strike.
"Alright, let's do this fast and without pain. Shut down the droids and order the specialists you hired to surrender." Grabbing the Alien by the shoulder, I give him a good shake, forcing him to focus all his attention on me. "And don't do anything stupid, or your brother will receive you in pieces..."
"He won't." A quiet, pitiful whisper left the noseless one's lips. Shedding large tears, the Alien hugged his shoulders and, under the understanding gazes of his subordinates, began to sob. "No... No-no-no..."
For a moment, I almost felt sorry for him. Such a failure would likely cost him dearly, and he'd be lucky to stay alive and healthy after a failure of this level.
Except, the Neimoidian was clearly shaking for a different reason.
"He won't... He won't get anything... But you, you will get your fill..."
"What are you mumbling about?" Leaning closer, I tried to look into the eyes of the viceroy's brother, but he was bent almost double and didn't react to my attempts, which, I admit, was very annoying. "Hey, Alien, let's not do anything stupid..."
"SAM, WATCH OUT!"
AVINA's massive mechanical hand grabbed me from behind by the Jump Pack and yanked with all its might. Just a moment before the Neimoidian, who had suddenly lunged forward, could crush me in his embrace.
Flying backward, feeling the mounting speed and the helplessness of a "child's toy" in the titan's hands, I watched with both eyes the changing face of the Neimoidian, who instead of fear and horror, began to radiate rage mixed with madness.
His fingers, spread like bird claws, slashed the air, and instantly realizing this, the Alien broke into a furious scream that drew everyone's attention.
Spreading his arms, howling at the ceiling, he didn't have time to do anything before his body exploded from within—bloody splatters hitting a group of Helldivers nearby and partially reaching me.
With hissing and bubbling, droplets of blood settled on the armor, melting and eating their way inside. In shock, I watched as a small drop left a deep groove-pitting on my bracer.
And then the screams hit my ears. Tearing at their armor with their hands, rolling on the floor in pain, several of my soldiers tried to save themselves from the gruesome fate, but went silent quite quickly once the vile stuff reached their bodies.
The air filled with the scent of burnt meat mixed with chemicals, and the sensors in the armor system detected a large amount of toxic substances in the air, which were also entering a symbiosis with each other...
Another explosion. All the hostages, who had been left in one pile under the watch of an entire Helldiver squad, were blown across the hall in bloody shreds, instantly killing their guards. A crimson flash of fire and blood painted the walls and ceiling, after which chunks of concrete and durasteel rebar started falling from above.
"Eh, and I was so hoping to enjoy your screams." A familiar bass voice snapped me out of my stupor. Letting AVINA set me on my feet, onto the inner side of her palm, I peered into the darkness, where two huge yellow eyes stared back at me. "On the other hand, now I have a chance to capture you alive and taste the best parts... Mmm."
"To battle!"
The Helldiver who shouted this was instantly headless. A huge Yam'rii fluttered out of a dark corner and with just one movement severed the shouter's head. Swinging its blades, the Mantis (Huk) opened its toothy, mutated maw and chattered throughout the complex, striking the ears of everyone gathered.
Its clicking caused the nearest glass to shatter, and several Helldivers to clutch their ears, trying to escape the all-penetrating sound.
And then the enemies swarmed us. From the broken ceiling and the inner parts of the underground fortress, Yam'rii and droids flooded everything. The cursed brutes seemed to shun using firearms and so the whole crowd ran into melee—trying to force an advantage.
"Stupid little Humans," the Arkanian mutant finally stepped out of the shadows. Surrounded by his troops of clones and droids, Zeta Magnus walked toward me with a swaggering gait while battle flared around him. No one dared to attack or distract the giant... And my guys didn't have the chance. The brutes were pressing them from all sides, so Magnus reached the spot where the Neimoidian had blown up a few seconds ago with almost no trouble. "Always running and running, without even thinking to look around..."
Zeta's pompous and magnificent speech was interrupted by a new series of explosions. Rolling through the complex, they shook the already barely standing fortress.
The battle that had just flared up paused for a couple of seconds, after which a third party entered the fray, striking everyone without distinguishing enemies. Breaking through the dense ranks of hundreds of Yam'rii, while simultaneously gunning down my men, soldiers in gold armor struck everyone down, moving in a tight wedge toward their goal—one talkative and annoying giant.
"Bitch, talk about luck..." I recognized the newcomers immediately, and I admit, it didn't make things any easier. The Sun Guard, a famous group of Echani Assassins known for their combat skill and training. And now these bastards were generously handing out ass-kickings to everyone in the range of their guns. "Avi, the Arkanian is yours!"
"Understood, Sam!"
With a flick of her palm, AVINA tossed me into the air, allowing me to activate the Jump Pack from a greater height for a wider maneuver. Reloading my blaster, I slam into the middle of the golden soldiers' formation at full speed—flying feet-first into the chest of the one leading the line.
Tumbling along with my victim, I barely manage to get to my feet before a force pike whistles a millimeter from my head. Humming and glowing with all shades of blue, the tip of the power blade flickered near my face, itching to catch the helmet visors.
Dodging the blows, I constantly collided with other soldiers in golden armor. Pushing and shoving, using their bodies as a springboard or cover, I sowed chaos and confusion in the ranks of these famous Assassins.
Shoving one with an elbow, I roll over the back of one who leaned down, only to immediately grab the wrists of a Guard swinging at me as soon as I'm on both feet. Spinning around my axis, I put the jerk under another pike thrust and send him with a kick into the dogpile I left behind.
Snatching the blaster and revolver from my belt, I start firing with both hands in all directions. The old modified gift from my foster father barks. The blaster muzzle hisses from overheating, and around me, a free-for-all dogfight unfolded, for with my short run, I had allowed my Helldivers and Zeta's lackeys to reach the "unbreakable" formation of the Sun Guards.
"Phew, here we go."
A strike under the knee of the nearest Guard forced him to the floor. Dodging a buttstock strike, I press the revolver muzzle into the attacker's stomach, while my other hand with the blaster wraps around my victim's neck.
Point-blank shot — it turns the mercenary inside out, simultaneously piercing the one behind him. The roar of gunfire is deafening. A pleasant and familiar recoil in my hand warms my heart. My lungs burn with fire from constant heavy breathing. A pleasant shiver runs down my spine...
I shove the mangled body under the feet of a droid jumping at me. The machine manages to twist in mid-air, ignoring the dead body, but this grants me the necessary moments.
My kick, clad in a heavy sabaton, crushes the robot's chest, kicking it back into the crowd of identical tin cans rushing at us like a pack of hungry dogs.
Ten meters ahead of us, two massive grappling bodies fall. Pounding his hands against the body of the titan, the clone of Magnus... And I doubted the little rat would crawl out to face us in person; the mutant was far too cunning and cowardly.
... The clone of Magnus was trying to pry open the cockpit, clearly planning something, but AVINA skillfully parried his blows aside, gradually seizing the advantage.
With a double-footed kick, she threw him off and instantly sprang to her full height, crushing a good dozen droids and bugs in the process. The blue lights on the titan's body flickered furiously. Fists clenched to the limit lunged forward, while AVINA herself remained silent throughout the fight, though she often contacted me via the general network.
"Must be tough for her to handle the battle without me."
To the left, I see movement, and a moment before I am impaled by a power pike — I pierce the attacker's legs with a burst of laser bolts. The Captain of the Sun Guard falls to his knees. A quiet groan escapes from under his sealed mask, barely audible in the cacophony of sounds and noise crashing from all sides.
In a final desperate attempt, he tries to skewer me on the pike, but dodging the clumsy thrust, I hurl my Blaster Pistol into the face of some Yam'rii who, swinging his blade-limbs, tried to halve me, catching me in the moment.
My other palm grips the shaft of the pike. The revolver takes its rightful place on my belt, while I take a step in and, in one surge, flip the guard over myself, slamming his back onto the floor.
Almost simultaneously, my lovely titan flipped the Arkanian mutant over her right side, felling him at her feet. Breaking the giant's arm, she leaned over his head and, activating the shoulder repeaters, discharged several hundred blaster rounds into the face of the clone of Zeta.
I simply draw my Pistol in one motion and finish off the wounded man with a single bullet. The head of the guard commander bursts like a ripe watermelon, and the battle around shows no sign of fading.
"Forward! Kill them all!"
***
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