"Is that all of them?"
A fatigued Ghost operator asks. Her hands shaking a bit as the barrel of her machine gun is illuminating a bright yellow-red color alongside with the smoke.
"I think so…"
Hyme replies as she follows suit with the operator beside her. Her eyes slowly sweep across the room that moments prior was a brutal battle. Even then, the aftermath of the battle almost gives a person the feeling that it is still ongoing. Bodies laying over consoles and the floor, body parts ranging from small to noticeably large pieces splattered away from where the owners last stood…this station had turned into an execution chamber.
"Hyme!"
Hyme shakes her head as she turns her head towards the callout's direction. Lucas is walking over alongside the same dwarf from prior. Both look like they barely managed to survive some sort of explosion given their soot-blood covered bodies.
" Lucas, commander Kyrole,"
Hyme gives a small smile to the two as they make their way over. Though, this is where the operator beside her seems to have another idea as they shift a bit away.
" I think this is where I take my leave, thanks for saving me from that kill shot before, LT,"
The operator gives a nod to Hyme as she returns the gesture with a nod of her own. They then proceed to walk away just as the other party joins in.
" I'm thankful to see you sustained no critical injuries, at least I hope so, right?"
"I am fine, I did take a few hits, but those shouldn't have any concerning effects, I think that question should've been directed towards the two of you, did you both decide to go debris diving?"
Kyrole laughs a little while Lucas just seemingly raises an eyebrow at her. She just smiles while giving him a look as if trying to tell him to lax up a little bit. Though he just rolls his eyes as his arms stay crossed.
"Charismatic as usual! You sure do got yourself quite a partner as your second-in-command,"
Lucas glances down with a look of annoyance at Kyrole who seems to enjoy this small conversation.
" She has her ways as do I, either way, didn't you say you needed to speak to the two of us about something?"
" Oh that's right,' the dwarf coughs a few times to recollect himself before his face changes to a more serious tone, ' Any news from your ground team?"
"Last transmission indicated that they are so far fine, though they ran into some issues upon reaching a POI,"
"Interesting…would this POI possibly be a quarry?"
Hyme gives a look of slight suspicion at Kyrole upon his most recent question.
"...yes, how'd you-"
" My ground team notified me of a convoy of soldiers leaving their POI, it seems like your team made quite some noise that those Ningens needed to take action,"
Kyrole brings up his right arm revealing a bulky looking bracelet with a few buttons on it. Tapping one of them, a hologram screen is brought up as he then taps a few icons before a video is soon played. From what looks to be a helmet cam, a shaky perspective of a decently sized convoy of four trucks, a heavy infantry combat vehicle, and the support of four light ICVs. The cam pans over at what is seemingly the others within this camera-man's team as they all silently look at each other. Nodding in agreement, they proceed to head away from the convoy and deeper into the forest. The hologram then shuts off as Kyrole pockets away the hologram pod.
" Unfortunately, my ground team's equipment doesn't have the firepower needed to engage the convoy without sustaining casualties or even a complete wipe out, but that is pretty much what was gathered from my team about thirty minutes out,"
Lucas frowns at Kyrole with this new information. However, as the video was playing, Hyme was already doing the necessary processes in her head. She stops Lucas from opening his mouth as she reassures him.
"If that video was thirty minutes, then our guys probably have an hour time frame, possibly less if they are deep in the bear den,"
"May as well get in contact with them now, I'll leave the rest of the clean up here with you,"
"...alright, just don't make any brash decisions,"
"Whatever,"
With a roll of his eyes, Lucas hurries away as he brings two fingers up to his ear and begins to speak into it.
"Ground Team, this Lucas, report,"
As Lucas walks away from the two, Hyme turns her attention back to Kyrole whose gaze is still staring at the back of her team's lead.
" Is he still hurting, I heard-"
"Somewhat, though between us, respectfully, best if we don't mention about 'it' at all,"
Cutting off whatever Kyrole was going to say, the two share a look at one another before the dwarf commander concedes to her request. He adjusts the scattershot gun slinged over his shoulder before looking out the glass shield where the battle for atmospheric domination continues.
"Fair enough, but do keep a tight leash on him, fighting alongside him was like watching a hellhound tearing through a pack of dire wolves, not a pretty sight, especially when you also need to care for those who aren't as fortunate,"
Hyme slightly opens her mouth before glancing towards a group of medics working on the casualties. Her processors ran slowly as they carefully took in those words and the sight of those who were near the verge of death. That sight seemingly never changes no matter how bad or well any operation goes. Every species fears death, even the ones who shouldn't. Then there is the biggest factor, luck…
How long until their luck runs out?
Hyme took a moment before she turns to face back at Kyrole's face who hasn't averted from hers.
" I understand,"
"Do you actually? Or are you saying that to sound agreeable with me?" Kyrole's eyes narrow.
"...If you want an honest answer, sir,' Hyme ponders a bit as she kept eye contact with the dwarf, ' I understand your concerns, but I have little say in what Lucas wishes to do to himself, same goes for the rest of my team,"
"A leader to let's their subordinates loose is very dangerous,"
"And one who orders those to follow their every word is also problematic,"
"And leaders who only talk philosophy and useless bullcrap also doom their subordinates"
Both of them flinched at the rough voice that cut into their conversation. Slowly turning to the left, they are met with a furiously annoyed cowboy whose eyes glared like daggers. That is honestly an expression Hyme knew too well.
"Lucas, what did you just decide to do?"
Lucas' expression softens slightly before he averts his eyes away.
"I have a feeling you made a call without any thought of considering it with your second in command, is that right boy?"
"What does it matter, time isn't waiting for nobody, besides, I got Volt to do the task, he was just in the midst of rearming his craft, so the team below will get the support they need,"
Hyme frowns at Lucas before shaking her head slowly with disbelief.
"I hope you actually got more than just Volt to do the job?"
"I told him that he can gather a squadron if he wants, other than that, the rest is on him,"
Hyme nods to his words. She is sort of glad that he didn't make Volt do the mission on his own. In the past, he would usually send off a small team or an individual for these cases. Though…despite the successfulness, the operators sent to aid their brethren, they usually come back in a bag. Especially with who he is sending…
"Stop worrying, They knew what they were getting themselves into, so they should know what they need to do,"
"Just like the members that were previously with us?"
No response came out of Lucas as he turned his body slightly towards the reinforced window that oversees the atmospheric battlefield. The sight of a cruiser ripping in half as it plummets towards the surface of the planet could be seen from afar. The crew on that cruiser will most likely perish, one way or another. Just then a cry out came in from the entrance that the raiding party entered through. Everyone within the room stops and turns towards it where an injured Orcanian is leaning against the wall trying to hold his organs inside his stomach.
"Enemy reinforcements! Four ships! They managed to break through the blockade! Hangar…being…over…un,"
The large green beast nearly crashes to the ground if an Extranicus hadn't hurried over and caught his body. With that information spreading within the bridge, it is no surprise that everyone has a grim look. They are still recovering, with maybe only half of their forces being battle-capable.
" Damn Ningens…not giving us a break…" Commander Kyrole grumbles.
Glancing over, Hyme's eyes met with Lucas. Without words, the two nod to each other before catching Kyrole's attention.
" We'll slow them down," In response to her words, Kyrole gives them a look of bewilderment.
"What? What do you mean by that?! You think your team can handle that many enemies?!"
Lucas gives the commander a sarcastic shrug as he proceeds to open a slot within his gauntlets inserting two shotgun shells into them. However, Hyme just gives the commander a reassuring smile.
" We'll buy some time for the bridge to be reinforced, besides, our team has the least amount of casualties on top of injuries out of everyone here,"
"That may be so, but your team has to be tired from all that fighting,"
Hyme glances over where it can be seen that the other members within the team walked over. Orbius seems to be the most fatigued out of the rest, but his solemn face nods indicating he is ready to go. Rowan seems to be itching for a fight as his hand grips his katana's handle tightly while seemingly glaring at the commander with his sharp eyes. All the while Gareth seems to be reluctant, as the voidling can be seen shaking a bit more than usual as the smog trailing off his body seems to be a bit more sporadic. As for Cobalt, the tattered mercenary was just finishing with reloading his revolver before he gave it a quick twirl then holsters it as he looks at the three.
"I was going to give you a status report, Ma'am, but I assume that needs to be put on hold?" Cobalt asks.
Hyme smiles towards the four and nods as she takes her rifle off her shoulder and into her hands.
"Are you all able to take up another fight?"
The four look at one another before they simultaneously nod to her.
"Then let's get going, I'll explain the details on the way,"
Without another word, Hyme hurries off alongside the four. Lucas stood behind watching them hurry off as Commander Kyrole furrows his eyes while doing the same thing.
"I'm starting to think that you both are reckless,"
"Maybe, but at least she is able to take the initiative,"
Before Kyrole could peep another word, Lucas runs after his team. As the man disappears around the corner at the end of the hallway, Kyrole can't help himself. The dwarf commander scoffs into laughter before he turns away.
" Talk about cohesion," he says under his beard before barking orders to the operators in the room to get their defenses ready.