Asteroid Blues

OOC Dislaimer: Unfortunately I had to come back and stage the pictures after deployment as my phone died, Janissaries are standing in for Zuyong. I am terrible sorry for the inconsistency!

“Ra’id Maih, I am sending you new orders. There is concern with Ariadna’s hold on the Batteries guarding the asteroid knowing their history, and reluctance to work with the Sphere powers.” the transmission from the adh-Dhi’b said, “The Hacib has authorized us to begin taking over those duties. If the Ariadnan forces do not wish to aid in this endeavor while we investigate them, then you are authorized to use force.”

Her look growing dour, Aafah says, “I see the alliance has finally broken down. Is this because of the raxora?”

“That is classified.” her brother said, shaking his head.”I will tell you though, the Ariadnans will not give up control. They are too headstrong.”

Nodding, Aafah closed the communications channeled and opened it to her unit, “Assemble in the conference room B. We have new orders.”

As the Unit 29 assembled in the room, fifteen minutes later, Aafah began, “The Ariadnan and Haqqislam alliance appears to be broken, and Sphere trust in them is at a low. For this reason we are tasked with taking control of the Batteries guarding this asteroid. With so much space traffic, it would be best for us to capture it and control the batteries.”

“For this reason, I want the Maghariba Guard to lead point. Naqib Issa and Almasi, get your Akreps checked and squared away. I will have a support squad with me to provide communications with the Ariadna forces first. Alright, lets get to it.”
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The cacophonous march of the two large Akrep Tactical Armor Gears resounded as the small force approached the Ariadnan Battery headquarters. Fire immediately came down on them from a zuyong missile launcher. Firing back, Qadim and his heavy rockets hit home as the rest of the squad spread out for cover. The massive forms of the tags taking up defensive positions.

“Looks like they have Dahshat Company hired out for defense. Break through, and take control.” Aafah ordered.

“Ra’id, something is wrong with my cont-”, the voice of Maghariba Pilot Issa suddenly cut off as the TAG suddenly stumbled back from cover and aimed its weapon at the squad.

“Overlord! Take cover!” aafah yelled as the heavy caliber rounds tore into them, taking both the ghulam sniper and Qadim by surprise and knocking them to the ground.

“Argh! I have control again, and my Rafiq took down the hunzakut who dropped the repeater, but I still need someone to take care of this repeater!” Issa called out.

“I am on it!” Leila yelled out, dashing from cover towards a revealed Zhencha hacker.

Sweeping her hands over her hacking overlay, she sent attack protocols one by one at the chinese man, his form crumpling to the ground. A scream suddenly grabbed her attention, and turning, she saw a masked man with a great katana stepping from the shadows and cutting down a civilian. Wasting no time, her rifle leapt to her shoulder, and she squeezed the trigger, her shock rounds finding a home in the ninja’s chest. Running ahead she brought up her hacking overlay and targeting through the repeater, found Valeryia.

“Uhoh…” was all Leila could say as firewalls and disruption programs began popping up and blood began falling from her ears. She collapsed in the middle of the street.

“Rafiq-61, take care of that repeater!” the other maghariba pilot, Almasi ordered.

Two quick shots and Rafiq-61 being brought offline bought the two tags room to move.

“Akrep-2 moving!”

The TAG’s form, moving faster and more nimbly than it should, ran under Aafah’s squad and took up position with sight on a Zuyong HMG, its heavy machine began screaming, shells raining down and pinging off the ground. The interchange was brief, but accomplished little, so the TAG darted over an open lane, its cannon continuing to stream fire down at the Zuying and catching it out of cover. The rounds found home and the armored figure collapsed. Issa moved her TAG up into position on an adjacent lane, taking down an overwatch remote, her heavy rounds reducing it to a heap of metal.

Crawling forward, Zyah provided medical attention to Qadim, who was holding his side from the large bullet. Unfortunately, the sniper was too far gone, a large gaping hole in her chest. Extracting the small cylindrical cube device from their neck, Zyah nodded to Aafah.

“Qadim, lead the way, lets move out under the cover of the Akreps!”

Qadim nodded, and shouldered his rocket launcher, pulling his shotgun out and bounded over the side of the structure. Zyah, and Aafah followed shortly after, hitting the ground a bit harder. Moving forward through the street, Zyah stabilized Leila, and they regrouped.

“Move forward, we need to eliminate the last of their resistance quickly.” Aafah said.

Qadim moved swiftly forward followed by the others, turning a corner, he came face to face with an Ariadnan technician who leaped at him, several blasts from his shotgun later the civilian lay on the ground. Continuing forward, they heard the remainder of the Dahshat forces giving a report and orders. Qadim nodded to the other three and wheeled around the shipping crate, his shotgun firing again and again. When the smoke cleared, Valeria, and two Zuyongs lay ont he ground.

Resting his shotgun on his shoulder, Qadim turned to Aafah, “The front door is open Ra’id.”