Namibia

  90 Miles East of Walvis Bay

  2093.07.02

  The 2nd Emeka Battalion was just shy of the battlefield where the 3rd Battalion was fighting on the ground. When the regiment was in proximity, the holding ground and landing zones were already over taken by machines. The Chinook pilots had no choice but to descend to start unloading the Marines inside. Explosions filled the sky; the Machines were targeting the Chinooks as they descended. Multiple taking gun fire and falling in a blaze of flames and smoke.

  Manteo was sitting in his seat; the Chinook he was in was rattling and swaying, and the pilots were dodging gunfire. He looked at all the Marines; fear was on their faces, pale white faces; they looked sick. The yellow light blinked on in the cargo bay, signaling to prepare for landing. Manteo was nervous; his heart was racing way too high; he felt like throwing up.

  “We are landing in two. Brace yourselves, taking fire!” said one of the pilots in everyone’s headset.

  “Rise, Marines! Prepare for Landing!” yelled Smith. He could barely be heard over the sound of explosions and the propellers from the Chinook.

  Every Marine in the cargo bay unbuckled their straps and stood up, holding on to the top rail bar. The Chinnok swayed hard to the right, dodging a large explosion that shattered the windows on the left side. Everyone fell on top of each other, struggling to get back as the Chinok adjusted itself.

  “LZ is hot, landing in thirty seconds. Good luck, Marines, Blue Jay 6 out,” the pilot said his last words over the comms.

  The clamp-shell ramp hissed as it began to unseal and open. The Chinnook slowly landed on the ground, the ramp was fully open, and the green light shone, signaling it was time to depart. The Marines ran out, instantly taking fire. The first four Marines exiting burst into pieces from gunfire. The Chinook was taking fire, bullets flying through the fuselage, blood spitting all over the interior of the cargo bay. Mairnes are going down, and more are running out.

  “Go, damnit, GO!” Smith yelled. Pushing Marines forward. “NO TIME FOR COWARDICE!” pushing the marines harder.

  Manteo cocked his carbine, ready to head out to face the enemy. He stood right behind David, both keeping low so they wouldn't get shot by the bullets flying through the fuselage. He held onto David’s backpack, walking over dead Marines on the floor, and trying not to slip on flesh chunks and the pool of blood forming. He reached the ramp, and loud explosions could be heard. The crack of gunfire from the platoon, incoming fire hitting the sand. Manteo aimed his gun up, scanning for the machines. He couldn’t see anything with all the sand dust and smoke all around. He looked up, missiles whistling above, hitting two of the Chinooks that had barely started their descent on the ground. Their propellers were blown off, causing them to spin out and fall straight into the sand. Apaches flew overhead out of view, firing their rockets.

  “Over there, there’s cover!” Smith yelled, pointing to the building and a blown-up tank. The surviving platoon ran to the building. A few are getting shot on the way, limping to the ground.

  “Sargent, anyone on your paltoon have a Kornet?” David asked Smith.

  “No, but there should be crates around from the Chinooks carrying cargo.” Smith, on his back against the building wall, peaking over the corner.

  Gunfire raged onto them, whicling, hitting the building, the sound of rubble flying everywhere. A screeching sound made the marine’s ears ring for a brief second. Right behind the buidling they took cover. There stood a 12-foot T.I.C dark grey mental body, staring towards other Chinooks descending. It was reloading its 6-barrel missile launcher on its shoulder. Cocking it back to lie vertically behind its right shoulder.

  The missiles slide into the barrels, making locking sounds. It raised its Missile launcher right back up. Sitting horizontally now on its shoulder. It launched the missiles straight toward the Chinooks; a loud burst of smoke filled the area around them, shooting them down. One of the Chinooks had a Cargo crate attached by ropes below the body. It came falling toward the platoon, the cargo flailing in every direction. The platoon crouched down to avoid being hit. It crashed one hundred feet away, the cargo breaking open, spilling all over the sands. Marines ran out, dazzled, only to find their dimze, the T.I.C. machine, turned, making a screeching sound again as it gunned them down. Leaving the sand benthe red, dust spitting upward.

  “Alpha two, we need immediate air support,” David said. There was no response. “Alpha two, are you there? We need immediate air support. Do you copy?” He became worried when there was no response.

  “Captain, we are taking heavy-” static, “fire, that's a negative, Captain, you're on your- “ static, “own for the time being,” said Axel.

  David let out a grunt, but the worry on his face vanished, and he walked up to Smith. “Sargent, we need to get to that crate out there,” he pointed to the busted-open cargo crate. “There should be a kornet laucher adn we can take this junky out.”

  “That can be done. Marines! Form up, on me!” Smith lifted his hand, pointing with his index finger and making a circular motion.

  Ten Marines lined up behind Smith, guns at the ready. Waiting for thier Sargent’s command. Manteo moved to the back with David; they have to stay where they can be least targeted. It was crucial that all Eclipse members were protected under any circumstances. Smith yelled, “Now!”, and they all ran out of cover from the building wall. The screeching sound happened again, and the machine took notice of the Marines. Manteo looked at the machine, raising its arm with the three rotary guns. One marine stopped and began firing his gun. The bullets barely pierced the machine’s armor. Another Marine followed suit. The Machine fired its guns on its arm, spraying the ground, kicking sand and dust into the air, and hitting a few marines. The platoon reached the cargo crate. Smith, David, and another marine searched for a Kornet launcher in the mess of gear in the sand. Manteo ran with the rest of the platoon to take cover behind the downed Chinook that lay on its side. The machine stopped firing and began walking toward them.

  “I got it!” said the marine next to David, looking at the sand.

  “Good Job marine.” David started to pull the Kornet out of the sand.

  Just as the machine was going to do another round of gunfire, a missile streaked by, hitting the ground, exploding, and shooting up sand. Everyone covered their eyes to avoid it getting in. Then another near by explton. The machine screeched loudly. Manteo looked, and the machine was hot from a missile or rocket. As the sand settled, Manteo saw a group of mariners in the distance. The machine turned around and focused on the group behind it.

  “Now's the chance, hurry, set it up,” Smith said.

  David and the mariane moved out of cover, opened the tripod, and placed the missile tube on top. How Malery and James did back on the Sword of Angels, Manteo remembered.

  “We need more missiles, Sarge!” David yelled.

  “You. Come. Help me find some missiles.” Smith pointed to a marine next to Manteo. The marine ran over to Smith, looking for the Kornet missile tubes in the sand.

  “Locking on!” David said, looking into the scope.

  The Machine was spraying the ground where the other man stood. A missile streaks by, missing the Machine.

  “Firing!” The Kornet launched the missile, which hit the large cannon and blew it apart. “I missed the body. Load up another,”

  “Trying,” Smith grunted as he rushed to find a missile, but failed to find any.

  The Machine looked back, turning its abdomen, screeching. It raised its arm, pointing toward David. And firing its wrist gun. Sand sprayed and shot up, making it hard to see. The Marine helping Smith was hit and fell to the ground. It stopped shooting and made a hissing sound like air escaping, then screeched. “Warr-oom, warr-oom, warr-oom”, the machine made a sound, standing still, and its missile pod launcher rose above its shoulder.

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  “Oh crap, EVERYONE TAKE COVER!” yelled Smith, ducking behind the supply crate.

  Manteo peeked again from the side of the down chinnok, saw the Machine aim its missile pod, and backed up, taking cover with the other marines beside him. The machine fired its launcher with a rapid “FWSH-FWSH-FWSH-FWSH-FWSH-FWSH”; six missiles flew fast toward the platoon, erupting into explosions and debris flying high, making visibility near impossible. The tail of the Chinook erupted into shrapnel and debris.

  “Smith! GET ME A TUBE!” David screamed, getting up from his feet, aiming his gun at the Machine.

  Smith frantically rummaged in the sand, desperately trying to find a missile tube, and after a brief moment, he found one. He quickly ran to David and helped place it on the Kornet lunacher. An explosion hit the machine, causing it to scream again, almost falling over, and then it turned around without moving its legs. The other group of marines in the distance fired another Kornet missile.

  Manteo got up from the ground, grabbed his gun, and ran to Smith to find another missile tube. When he ran to the supply crate, he looked out toward the group of marines, and there was a dune to the right. He saw a black blur as he ran. When he went to cover, he peeked and looked at the top of the dune. As his suspicions were correct, there stood another machine, but two of them. They were focused right on the group of Marines in the distance.

  “Captain, we have two more Machines in the distance, about a thousand feet up the dune,” Manteo said to David, who was on the ground looking through the Kornet scope.

  “I see them. Not sure after we drop this one, we have enough firepower for two more.” David responded.

  Manteo kept looking at the machine on the dune; they were walking down, shooting at the marine group. Those Marines shooting back, fiery lights in fast motion, hitting the machine, then it stopped. Manteo knew that those Marines lost their lives. He looked at the machine his team was trying to take down and saw its missile launcher on its back, reloading more missiles within.

  “Captain, shoot the missile pod!” Manteo suggested to David.

  “Already ahead of you, Ramirez. Back to scrap, stupid junckie,” David chuckled and fired the Kornet.

  The missile flew straight into the back of the machine, hitting the missile pod, and exploded. Its arms and metal pieces burst outwards, its body catching fire, then falling forward into the sand. A sound in the air came up, like a helicopter. Manteo looked up and saw an Apache.

  “Nice one Captian. We brought some calvery” Axel spoke through comms.

  Manteo turned around and saw multiple tanks headed his way, along with more Chinook soldiers deploying. More Apaches appeared and hovered near Axel’s Apache, all three of them swaying back and forth, keeping themselves steady.

  Chk-chk. “Captain, there are a lot of hostiles over the dune. I suggest an air trike to weaken them?” Chk-chk Axel was looking out his window at David on the ground, lying on his back, sideways, also looking at him.

  “About time, Adams. I give authorization. And while we wait, give those two junkies over there the same treatment we gave their buddy.” David said, pointing toward the two machines walking toward his position.

  “On it. This is Ecplise Barrem Dagger, to Bravo-blue 2, requesting bombing run over the dune.” Axel requested over comms.

  “Request granted. Sending in jets your way,” an unknown pilot replied to Axel.

  “Bombing run inbound Captian. Take cover as I send hellfire on the junkies near your position.”

  Axel’s Aphche flew in closer to the machines, shooting his guns to get their attention. The machines looked up to him and shot missiles. Flares deployed, bright yellow lights with white smoke trails guided the missiles away from the helicopter. He flew to the left, dodging the missiles and retaliating with his rockets. “Chk-Chk-Chk,” the rockets flew at high speed, hitting the ground beneath the machines and exploding into a large explosion. They died in flames from the impact of the rockets, falling to the ground with a screeching sound.

  The sound of the tanks' roaring engines and running gear approached from behind. Manteo and the rest of the platoon turned around to face them. The tanks came to a dead stop, and one of them was different from the others. The barrel had three red strips on the tip and one red strip on the sides. A man came out of the top hatch. Wearing black gear and a black barnet hat with a red stripe on the front. He climbed out, jumped from the top onto the ground, and made his way to David. A slow, steady walk, with his hands behind his back. He stood there looking at David, then Manteo. He looked dissatisfied, as if Manteo had done something wrong.

  “Where is the rest of your squad, Captain?” the man said.

  “Madagascar, sir. I got two men in the sky, over there taking out the targets.” David replied, pointing to the Acphue firing rockets over the dune.

  “Hm.” The man paced back and forth, looking at the ground. Then, faced David again. “Captain Bailey, I am One-Two-Three, Lieutenant Bagsburg. Command of Emeka Gray Company.” He turned slightly, lifting his hand in a sway, showing the tanks and marines behind him. “Colonel Mazigh told me that you are in need of assistance. I am to help you reach the super factory. Behind me, I have eight tanks and three hundred marines ready at your disposal, Captain.”

  “Thanks. We need to get over this dune and head north-west. Not sure what’s waiting for us over the dune, but I am glad Mazigh sent aid. We are down a man, and half of our squad is away.” David went to shake the Bagsburg’s hand. But the man refused.

  “Load up marines! It’s time to go. Captain, don’t get my men killed.” He looked at David’s hand with disgust. Then return to his tank.

  “What an a-hole,” Smith said under his breath. “You two have history?”

  “Yes. Long story. We need to head up.” David turned around from looking at the Bagsburg, closing the hatch to his tank. “He is a total prick.”

  “This Bravo-blue two, commencing bombing run. Over,” said the unknown pilot.

  Four jets flew by over the dune, out of sight. It was quiet for fifteen seconds, until they appeared again, flying upward and back around. Then, large explosions echoed over the dune, smoke clouds rising above. Manteo looked up, watching the jets intently, until he saw a yellow glow, then two, then five. It was missiles homing in on the jets. They used their flares, but they were only effective on some, as more missiles appeared, at least ten. Three of the jets escape the missiles by inches, except one. Its left wing was hit, causing the jets to spin out of control, nose-dive, then erupted into flames, exploding mid-air before it could hit the ground.

  Manteo looked at David, and David looked back. He nodded his head, then motioned with his hand to move forward. Manteo checked himself to see if he was all set and walked toward the dune. Tanks behind him passed him by, to get ahead of the Marines, to take possible incoming fire. The dune was half a mile away, and going up will make them easy targets. Axel flew over the dune, followed by other helicopters, and immediately took hostile fire. Axel dodged missiles and bullets, retaliating with his own.

  Manteo and the others reached the dune, and the tanks slowed by the height of the dune. Manteo stood behind one tank, looking at the top of the dune, waiting for a machine to appear. Axel retreated back with the helicopters behind him. They were taking too much damage and rounds. Five minutes passed, barely at the top of the dune.

  Manteo caught a glint of a glare. He looked toward the area he saw, squinting. Slowly coming into view, two metal arches appeared. Then a long metal rod, then another set of metal arches. Manteo knew exactly what it was. The machine that appeared was in full view at the top of the dune. The Spider, a six-legged machine with arched, 12-foot-long legs, has sharp ends on each leg for stabbing the ground beneath it. Its body is boxy, with a large, 10-foot, 3-foot-diameter canon at the front.

  “Captain! 3 o’clock, spider!” Manteo yelled.

  Then another one appeared, followed by another, then another, more and more. There are at least ten of them all in line above the dune. Their legs, moving like bugs, creeped Manteo out. The tanks came to a dead stop, then began to shoot. Manteo covered his ear from the sound of the tank's main cannon firing.

  “Move forward, show no fear,” said Bagsburg over comms.

  The tanks are slowly moving away. The spiders fired back, sand and dirt erupting upward everywhere, leaving small craters. Manteo aimed his gun up, peaking over the back right side of the tank he took cover behind. Had his eye on the one he first spotted. Pulled the trigger and emptied an entire magazine, hitting the legs. He reloaded his gun with the armor-piercing ammo all Marines are equipped with. Aimed for the leg again, hoping to damage it to immobilize it. The spider took notice, turned its body to aim at him, and fired its cannon. It hit right in front of the tank he was behind, missing, spitting sand and dirt. Manteo ducked, covering his eyes from the dust.

  He aimed his gun back up, unloading another magazine, this time punching through the armor on one leg of the spider. The spider staggered for a brief moment and screeched, aimed right back, and fired. Hit the side of the tank; the explosion threw Manteo a few feet back. And the tank stopped moving. Its wheels were damaged. The tank's cannon turned to the spider and fired back. Hitting the top left side, doing minimal damage. The spider shot again, not missing, and hit the top of the tank, which blew up, killing the tank squad inside.

  Manteo got up a little dazed, looking around, explosions and tank fire deafened by the ringing in his ear. When his vision returned, he saw that the tank was destroyed and that the spider he was attacking was taking fire from two other tanks. The spider exploded into flames and smoke. More spiders fell, and marine s forces were reaching the top of the dune. There were a few spiders left, and he heard a helicopter from behind him. It was Axel returning, flying in a straight horizontal line, firing machine guns and rockets. Once the spiders were immobilized, the tanks quickly picked them off.

  Manteo was glad they had very little effort taking them out. A little too easy, he supposed, making him worried about what could be on the other side of the dune.

  “Captain, heavy forces on the other side. We are unable to provide air support. There are three anti-air units.” Axel said.

  “I will coordinate a plan to take them out. Can you request another bombing run soon after?” David replied, his hand on the mic.

  “I will make the request, Captain. Eclipse Barren Dagger out.” Axel turned his helicopter back around.

  Manteo and David reached the top of the dune now. All the tanks lined up, marines behind and on the sides, awaiting orders from Bagsburg. Manteo looked down at the level surface; a machine base was stationed there. He can see the three anti-air units, one at each corner of the base. There were spiders and reaguras machines scattered about the base.