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“Its shields are down! Fire! FIRE NOW DAMMIT!”
I wasn't sure which of the squad's two EATs were fired, but someone fired and the rocket roared upwards and slammed into the base of one of the tripod's leg-joints. The fragile Squid construct buckled under the impact and with an unholy groan the vile thing came crashing down in a bright blue explosion as the squad cheered around me.
“Clear your zones!” the Sergeant barked, and my elation immediately turned to wariness as I swept my AR-23 up and down the street, searching for anymore Squid targets.
Thankfully, it looked as though we were clear for now. That wouldn't last for long though. The attack on Remembrance was nothing if not persistent. The Squids were relentless, I'd learned that much in the days since the fighting here had begun.
“Alright,” the Sergeant said as we confirmed our zone was clear. “Rally up, let's get into cover.”
Moving across the street, we ducked into a sunken patio that had once been part of a quiet corner cafe. Now the tables were upended and the charred marks of the enemy's energy weapons marked the walls.
“Okay,” the Sergeant said as he pulled out his tablet and turned it around to show us a street view of the city. “We're here, just five blocks north there is an armory. We move up those five blocks, secure the armory, rearm, and see if we can contact anyone for further orders.”
I looked to our squad's radio operator whose eyes met mine beneath her helmet. She gave an apologetic shake of her head. It wasn't her fault I knew, the Squids were jamming all communications. It was a wonder we'd received the mobilization alert that had deployed us from the Remembrance garrison at all.
“Alright, move out!”
We moved back out onto the street and began moving north block by block. The streets were eerily quiet, though in the distance I could hear the sounds of combat. Nothing found us though as we moved amidst the abandoned cars. The worst thing about all of this was the lack of bodies. I didn't see any, and I knew why. The Voteless were our fellow citizens, or they had been. They'd been scooped up by the Squids and...changed. I didn't know how else to describe the expressionless moaning abominations that we'd been gunning down.
“Hold!” the Sergeant said urgently, motioning for us to take cover.
Ducking behind a car, I peered up over the hood and watched as one of the damned floating watchers that had come with the invaders. It hovered for a moment down the street. Its blue light swung back and forth, causing myself and the others to all duck down as its eerie gaze swept over the cars we were hiding behind before it looked away. I dared a glance, and watched as it drifted off down a side-street.
We all waited a moment more before the Sergeant called quietly.
“Everyone! Move it! Quietly now!”
We came up as quietly as we could, each from our own hiding places, and moved up the street again. As we passed the side-street where the watcher had floated off, I glanced down its length to see the searching drone still swinging its blue light back and forth as it flew further and further away. Super Earth willing, it wouldn't be back.
Reaching the last intersection before the armory, we again stopped as the Sergeant paused.
“What is it Sergeant?” someone asked quietly.
“Listen,” he said gruffly. “Hear that?”
Unfortunately, I did.
The groaning of the Voteless. Citizens of Super Earth stripped of every last vestige of Managed Democracy. There was only one cure, and it was issued by the barrel of a Liberator. Looking around at the rest of the squad, we all shared the same thought as the Sergeant motioned for us to move forward down the wall of the compound and towards its gated entrance.
“Be ready to fire.” he ordered as he worked the gate controls. “Remember, they're no longer citizens. Just enemies of Democracy.”
I nodded, steeling myself. These wouldn't be the first Voteless we had killed today, or even this week, but it was never any easier to hear them wailing or see them reaching out for us as if begging for salvation. We'd give them salvation, in the only way we could.
The gate opened, and we rushed into the breach, Liberators at the ready as we fired into the crowd. Their wails and shrieks were inescapable as forms that were once human tried to shamble towards us. Their bodies were warped and misshapen from the twisted violations of the Illuminate, limbs deformed and deep blue and glowing tentacles where mouths should be.
No two were exactly alike, and as the last fell into a spreading bile of blue viscous blood, I breathed a sigh of relief that the horror was over for now.
“Move move move!” the Sergeant urged us as we hurried down the steps inside the gate. “I'm closing it up so nothing follows us inside. Check those bunkers!”
We spread out to the series of bunkers, pushing the button next to the door, I waited for it to descend into the ground. Relief washed over me as I saw what was inside.
“Jackpot!” my squadmate said as he stepped forward. “These will come in handy!”
I had to agree. There were two machineguns, a grenade launcher, and four expendable anti-tank launchers. However it was the grenades, stim-packs, and ammunition that made me truly feel as though Liberty was watching over us. We'd need whatever we could carry.
“Sergeant!” I called eagerly. “We've got weapons and ammo here!”
That was when I heard a vile sound and turned to see another of my squadmates pulling down his face mask vomiting onto the ground in front of the bunker they'd opened.
I dared to walk to the open and door and gagged. Fighting back the urge the retch, I looked away from the pile of bodies inside of the bunker. They weren't Voteless. They were just regular citizens. I didn't understand what they were doing in one of the armory's bunkers, but I didn't waste time thinking on it as I returned to the bunker I'd opened and began helping two of the others carrying out the gear and supplies so that we could pass it out amongst ourselves. Taking one of the AT launchers, I slung it over my back as another of my squadmates called out from the third bunkers.
“Sarge! We've got something here!”
“What is it?” the Sergeant asked as he walked past us to the third door.
I was curious of course, but didn't go to check. The Sergeant would tell us what needed to happen next, for now we had to make sure we were ready to handle the enemies of Super Earth that had dared invade Remembrance.
“Have you gotten any contact from Command?” the Sergeant asked as he came to join us.
Our squad's radio operator shook her head.
“No Sergeant, nothing. I can't raise anyone.”
“Damn. Alright everyone, we've got a new objective. Gather 'round.”
He again pulled out his tablet and zoomed out, indicating a park several blocks away from us.
“There's a anti-orbital cannon located here. Without any word from Command, we're on our own. In that last bunker we found command codes to unlock that cannon. We're going to use it to take out any Illuminate ships we can until help arrives or we're ordered otherwise.”
I gawked at the tablet for a moment and then looked back to the Sergeant in disbelief.
“Are we permitted to do that Sergeant? Don't we have to get command authorization to operate one of those big guns?”
“Unless we can raise Command, we don't know if we can or cannot.” he replied solemnly. “Just remember your training, follow my orders, and we'll get through this and crush the Squids.”
I looked around at the rest of the squad. None of us looked happy about this, but then again I wasn't sure there was a way to feel happy about this situation.
“We also found these,” the Sergeant continued as he indicated what looked like a large rocket launcher and a strange looking rifle as well as two odd looking yellow rifles. “I want someone to take the recoilless rifle's pack and operate as an ammo carrier for the launcher.”
“I'll do it!” I said immediately.
“Good,” he said as he unslung the backpack and handed it over to me.
Placing the expendable anti-tank launcher down on the ground, I shouldered the backpack and looked to my squadmate holding the recoilless rifle with a nod.
“Take this,” the Sergeant said as he handed me one of the strange yellow rifles. “It's a laser weapon. Infinite ammo, just watch the heat or it'll fry itself.”
“Okay,” I said uncertainly as I examined the odd weapon.
It seemed simple enough. I had to admit I didn't know much about laser weapons beyond what I'd heard the Helldivers got to use.
“I'll take this,” the Sergeant said as he took the weird rifle. “It's a bit more dangerous so you grunts shouldn't be using it.”
None of us questioned him as we finished distributing our remaining weapons and replaced what we weren't going to take with us into the first bunker we'd opened. The Sergeant used a spare tablet he took from one of the bodies in the second bunker to leave a message behind for anyone that came after us, telling them where we'd gone.
With that handled, we returned to the gate, opening it and heading back out onto the city streets. I felt a modicum of confidence swelling in me. We were freshly armed. We hadn't lost anyone. We had an objective. Even if it did feel like we were taking on an uncomfortable amount of initiative, we at least knew what we were doing now, and admittedly that felt good.
Moving away from the armory and back out onto the street, I stayed close to my squadmate carrying the recoilless rifle. Having it available gave me some reassurance against the big tripods. Our next destination was only a few scant blocks away. We just had to make it that far and we could make our next move.
“Another of those watchers!” someone called at the head of our column.
“Take cover!” the Sergeant hissed as we all ducked behind the abandoned cars in the street again and watched as the floating menace drifted past.
This time though it wasn't alone. There was an entire patrol with it. I counted at least three of the aliens, shepherding dozens of Voteless in their midst. My stomach churned at the sight, knowing that each of those foul creatures had once been a citizen of Super Earth, now twisted into these disturbing grotesqueries.
“Damn,” the Sergeant muttered as he looked around us. “Down that alley, we don't want to be following on the heels of that patrol. Keep your heads down!”
We moved quietly between the vehicles, filing into the darkened alleyway and moving as quickly as we could in the opposite direction of the patrol. I hoped we wouldn't lose too much time avoiding them, however any worries I had about our ability to make good time were forcibly shunted aside as something massive loomed out of the shadows ahead of us.
There was a flash of gunfire as the lead trooper opened fire with one of the machineguns we found, showing a massive blob of a thing that was at least two and a half meters tall. It seemed to soak up the gunfire though as it slammed its form down and pulped the trooper as the Sergeant shouted.
“BACK! GET BACK!”
I was towards the rear, and with my partner lugging the rocoilless rifle, I turned and ran back out into the street as whatever had just killed one of our squad let out an unholy howl and came crashing and swinging down the alley towards us.
“KILL IT! KILL! IT!” someone screamed.
I turned just in time to see the Sergeant turning to face the hellish monstrosity as it lumbered out of the alley. Now that it was in the light, I could see the full horror of its form. It was a nauseating amalgamation of human and animal flesh, warped into an almost formless blob of flailing limbs and screaming mouths. The eyes of the various faces fused into its form glowed the hideous neon blue of the Voteless as it sought us with dozens of grasping hands.
“DIE YOU BIG BASTARD!” the Sergeant shouted desperately as he turned and raised the strange rifle he'd taken from the armory.
I wasn't sure what happened, one moment there was a high-pitched whine, the next the Sergeant and the creature both vanished in an explosive blast that obliterated that Sergeant and sent the fleshy monstrosity staggering into wall.
“SHOOT!” someone shouted and as a squad we raised our weapons and fired.
Myself and the radio operator with our laser weapons swept the beams of yellow light over its body, igniting it as it howled in apparent agony. I wasn't sure when exactly it finally died, but it eventually collapsed into a twitching heap as we stopped shooting it and caught our breath.
“The Sergeant,” one of my fellow troopers sobbed. “Oh sweet Liberty, it killed the Sergeant!”
I gritted my teeth, approaching the charred ground where the Sergeant had been standing. There wasn't much left, just a darkened smear on the ground with a few bits of flesh here and there. To my amazement, the tablet was still intact, its screen flickering uncertainly on the ground amidst the carnage.
Picking it up gingerly, I looked around at the remaining members of my squad.
“We keep moving, the citizens of Super Earth are counting on us. It's what the Sergeant would have wanted.”
They exchanged a few looks, perhaps surprised at my sudden initiative. Truth be told, I was also surprised, but I didn't know what else to do beyond follow the last order we'd been given. We had to keep moving, if we stopped to think, we'd probably fall into despair.
A gargling moan from down the street stopped any discussion as I led the way back into the now empty alley. We hurried through the darkness and came out on the other side, veering to the left and heading up the next street. Somewhere in the distance I could hear gunfire, though there was no way to tell in the echoing cityscape just how far it was.
I hoped whoever it was, was giving the invaders hell as we scurried in silence from cover to cover, moving ever closer to our objective.
The confines of the skyscrapers gave way to vast park dotted with neatly manicured grass and the occasional tree, though several had been blasted and were smoldering sticks. At the center was a playground, and it was towards that we headed. One of the watchful Illuminate drones hovered over the children's amusements, and I took careful aim with my laser rifle and fired. The beam shot out and struck it, and its blue light turned purple as it gazed towards us. Then it sputtered and died as it fell out of the air and crashed into the grass where it exploded in a blue blast.
“Okay,” I breathed as we looked around the park to see if anything else was nearby.
There was nothing, and I went to the raised concrete construction at the far side where a locked gate barred the stairs.
“You know,” one of my squadmates said as I aimed the laser's beam at the lock. “I always wondered what these stairs were for as a kid. Never thought there was a cannon underneath where we were playing.”
“It makes sense,” another one chimed in as we walked up the steps to the terminal overlooking the playground next to a small shed. “Where better to place a protector of Managed Democracy but beneath the feet of our most valuable citizens?”
I didn't say anything as I held up the Sergeant's tablet and examined the screen in mounting panic.
“What's the matter?” our radio operator asked.
“There isn't enough,” I said as I looked again at the tablet. “There are more numbers than are on the tablet!”
“What?” the radio operator asked as she looked over my shoulder. “That can't be right, there has to be more! Was it damaged in the blast?”
“I,” I shook my head uncertainly as despair found a place in my heart. “I don't know.”
“Shit!” someone shouted as a blue bolt of energy sailed over our heads. “CONTACT!”
Putting the tablet away, I looked up to see one of the aliens shouting in its hideous voice as it aimed its staff weapon at us. There were others with it, advancing with blue energy shields raised as a swarm of Voteless swarmed across the park towards us.
“FOR DEMOCRACY!” one of my squadmates shouted, raising the grenade launcher and letting fly with a barrage that sent Voteless bodies cartwheeling through the sky.
“Yeah!” he called with eager laughter. “You like that!? You want more you bastards?! Come and get so-!”
He died in an instant as multiple blue bolts struck him, slamming him against the concrete barrier to topple to the ground behind us. Our remaining machinegunner opened fire, sweeping the barrel over the advancing enemy as I took out one of my frag grenades and threw it at the swarming Voteless. It went off and sent more bodies flying, but the aliens remained unfazed as they watched us shoot into what had once been our fellow citizens.
“Die you bastards!” the machinegunner called. “You want to take my Freedom!? MY FREEDOM!?”
There were only five of us left against I didn't know how many of the moaning Voteless and their alien shepherds who seemed to be laughing at our plight as we desperately sought to push the tide back. Then, somewhere across the park, I saw a series of energy bolts rise up into the sky and come plunging down towards us.
“INCOMING!” I screamed desperately, knowing how pointless the next words were on the exposed concrete platform. “TAKE COVER!”
The energy blasts slammed into the concrete around us, scattering us in every direction. I must have blacked out for a moment, because I didn't remember falling. As my ears rang and I tried to orient myself, I watched as one of the aliens slammed their armored foot down on one of my squadmates, smashing them into the concrete with a sickening crunch.
I could see the machinegunner laying limply against the concrete barrier, his eyes gazing vacantly, his armored charred and bloodied.
“LIBERTY SAVE ME!” someone shouted, and I turned my head just in time to see the squadmate who had been carrying the rocket launcher fire it at point blank range, obliterating himself and the alien in the blast.
Someone grabbed me then, dragging me backwards behind the little shed by the terminal, and I realized it was the radio operator. Her face was covered in blood, I hoped it wasn't hers, and she was looking down at me with tears streaming down her face.
“We're doomed!” she sobbed helplessly. “They're going to kill us!”
I shook my head, grabbing her by the arm firmly.
“Not yet, not while we're still breathing.”
She was trembling. I didn't blame her, but we couldn't give in. Managed Democracy depended on all of us, as citizens, to give our all in its defense. I would not be found lacking.
However her words seemed almost prophetic as one of the aliens stepped around the corner of the shed and gazed down at us both. I pulled her down just in time as it swung its staff weapon, slamming the head of the weapon into the shed with enough force to shatter bone.
Reaching down, I pulled out my service pistol, the P-2 Peacemaker, and fired again and again into the alien's chest. The rounds impacted with seemingly no effect against its armor and it almost seemed to laugh at us as we lay there on the ground, waiting for it to kills us both.
That was when a hail of bullets ripped through the alien from the side. It turned in an attempt to shield itself from the fusillade as its armor cracked and shattered, but it was no use as it collapsed, its body riddled with bullet-holes. Then an armored humanoid figure stepped around the shed and looked down at us both.
“We've got survivors.” he said calmly as they shouldered their weapon and reached both hands to us. “Can you stand?”
I nodded wordlessly, letting him lift us up as I looked at the tattered cape hanging from his shoulders.
“You're a,” I breathed, wincing. It hurt to breathe. “A Helldiver.”
He nodded, his helmet bobbing.
“Glad we got here when we did. It looks like the two of you are the only ones left.”
“We,” the radio operator sobbed. “We tried our best, but the code wasn't enough!”
The Helldiver nodded, turning to look at the terminal where another armored figure was working the screen.
“You only had half the code, we had the other half. When we found the empty armory and saw your message, we came as quickly as we could. Sorry it wasn't sooner.” the Helldiver turned back to us. “You should be proud, you stood your ground for Super Earth.”
“Codes in,” the other Helldiver said. “Just have to release the locks and we can elevate the cannon.”
The one who had saved us nodded in seeming solemnity.
“We'll undo the locks. You work the terminal.”
“Okay,” I said shakily, letting the radio operator support my weight as we moved to the control console.
I did my best to ignore the bodies of our squadmates, or the masses of dead Voteless laying strewn about what had once been a peaceful playground. I focused my attention on the two Helldivers as they walked down in between the children's playthings and each pulled a pillar up out of the ground on opposite ends of the playground.
The screen in front of me flashed green, and I swiped my hand upwards. The park cracked open, a long seam running down its length as it split into two half-circles which revealed a massive armored cannon below. I looked at the screen in front of me again and activated the controls. The turreted cannon rose upwards out of the ground, its long barrel extending outwards above us.
“What next?” I asked, looking up from the control panel which now had a massive 'FIRE' indicator on it.
“We'll reposition it from down here.” the Helldiver said calmly as they and their partner walked around to one side of the cannon. “Once it is sighted, all you have to do is fire it.”
“M-me?” I stammered in disbelief. “Shouldn't you do it?”
“You've earned it trooper.” he answered as he and his partner began operating a pair of cranks on the turret's side.
I stood there, leaning on the console, its surface covered in blue and red blood, as the barrel swung around and upwards, aiming up towards the sky and the looming menace of the Illuminate ship hovering over the city.
I hated it. Hated everything it represented. My heart stirred with righteous anger as the cannon's barrel rose upwards to aim at it.
“Fire a shot!” the Helldiver called to me.
I activated the terminal, and an electrical hum sounded as a countdown appeared on the screen. Then the ground rocked as the cannon fired, its round sailing upwards towards the invader's ship. It struck the shields, which flickered for a moment.
“Hit!” the Helldiver cried in triumph, turning suddenly as a series of bright blue flairs shot up into the air at the edge of the park.
“Incoming!” the other Helldiver called, raising his rifle.
“Again!” the heavily armored Helldiver who had saved us called up to me. “Fire again! Keep firing until that thing falls!” I looked up as several of the smaller Illuminate ships descended towards us in mounting dread as the Helldiver shouted again “We'll cover you! Just keep firing!” he pointed to the radio operator. “Don't let anything get near her!”
“Y-yes Helldiver!” she replied, taking up a blood covered Liberator rifle from the ground.
I swallowed, the taste of blood filling my mouth as I again flicked the screen's controls and my vision swam shakily.
“For Super Earth.” I breathed as the hum of the cannon charging up sounded once again.