Log:Clan Kora: Twilight Gap

A rescue mission for the Red Wolf

OOC Date: Feb 14, 2022
Location: Expansion Region
Participants: Clan Kora, Hadrix Kora, Valeska Kora, Avery, Hahtavi, Fae Renta. Zevin Daodhri, Sana Ryder, Hera Ryder, Sumi Kora

Sumi Kora stands at the open mouth of their ship's ramp looking down over the cloud covered planet below them. They are in atmosphere, but high up. The Kyber Heart, a YT-2550 Medium Freighter is a massive vessel, so their cargo bay and the respective ramp is a rather large affair to peer out of. Sumi, like the others, is cast in the red shade of a light intended to serve as 'light discipline' because it does not travel well under the cover of night. They lack strobes, and the only indications a craft is in the air now is the noise from the massive engine nacelles, and the contrail they would leave behind were it not for the thick cloud cover.

<<"Something is wrong,">> Sumi intones over the local comm network shared between the Mandalorians. <<"Something is definitely wrong. Why are there no lights? Where is all the indication of life?">> These questions are tied to what Sumi is looking out from the ramp for. Normally, the colony could be seen from orbit at night, with light grids potent enough to stick out. They are in atmosphere, and there is no sign of it.

A voice cuts over comms from the bridge of the Kyber Heart, <<"Chief Sumi.. sensors are picking up high yield signatures ahead. Munitions are being fired into the sky.. anti-air batteries perhaps, but not at us. We can't risk landing.. you'll have to jump.">>

<<"Understood. Mando'ade, pair up with those warriors who can fly on their own and prepare for a combat jump. Get your weapons up, and be prepared to hit the ground fighting.. We do not know /what/ Sana has gotten herself into this time. -- Commander, walk the line and let me know when they're ready.">>

Sumi's cape slaps about wildly, snapping and biting at the air as it rushes into the compartment they occupy. She's seen preparing her load out.

"Copy" Hadrix turns as ordered moving down the line with cigarra hanging out of the corner of his mouth, "Right, sweethearts. Pair off as needed. First one who needs a lift and raises hand, clamp on to me." nodding to each as he goes, "If you have packs get to the line and be ready for command to jump. We're going in with AA fire in the air. We're going to find what Sana is up to, we're going to conquer, we're going to kick some shebs." grinning as he puffs again, "Another glorious day in the Clan."

The cigarra is spit so that the wind from the ramps sucks it away while he begins checking rigs, clamps, jetpacks - all of Hadrix's normal familial self absent and only a cold eye for those going out to fight under him now. The Commander.

Grip tight onto the handhold of the hull, Valeska looks out over the ramp and to the darkness below. Sumi's indication that such is not normal does tie a bit of a knot in her stomach and the young Mandalorian grunts softly. <"Anti-air? Sounds like they've already got their hands full with someone else, yeah?"> And perhaps that 'someone else' is their foe. Or is it friend? There's no way of knowing.

Double-checking her carbine, Valeska secures it to her body; fingers twitching and fidgeting in anticipation. Lining up with the others, cape and kama whipping around her, Valeska taps at her helmet to bring up the low-light function and readies the HUD. <"Ready, Chief. Commander."> She doesn't have a jump buddy but she's kinda small to carry someone.

Avery peers out at the expanse of clouds as well, the lack of ground lighting sending a slow chill through his body. "I've got a bad feeling about this." the Slicer remarks, the lack of signs of civilization typically can only bode poorly, especially when considering what is supposed to lie beneath them.

With a shudder he steps back from the opened ramp, going through last checks of his gear and systems before taking the plunge into the unknown. The E-11 carbine is unslung, ammo readout verified, and placed in a readily available spot for snatching upon contact with the ground. The check of his armor is green, all systems working optimally and ready for combat or what awaits them.

At Hadrix's request, he secures his helmet and steps to the edge, claiming his spot in the line. <"First time I can remember where the AA wasn't firing at us... can't say that's a welcome sign in this case."> Avery turns to look at the remaining group, an unseen eyebrow lifted, wondering who he'll be buddied up with should there be a need. With a press of a button on his bracer, the jets on his pack flex in preparation for immediate thrust after leaving the ship.

Maglocks engaged while Hahtavi stands near a bulkhead, one gauntlet raised to grip a grab strap, he listens along with the others to what's going on inflight. He's brought his flamer as they were warned about fire, helmet already on. <<"Hahtavi copies, over.">>

His maglocks release in his boots and he moves forward to get in line with the others for their drop. <<"She said bring fire. Let us hope she hasn't run into the Mungn-Mungn or whatever it's called. That stuff's bad.">>

Once he's in position, Hahtavi does a brief pre-flight check of his jetpack to assure himself it seems to be in good working order and he's ready to go when they are told to jump.

Fae Renta is late to arrive in the cargo bay. The pilot of the Kyber Heart had been performing as advertised until just a few minutes ago as the ship approached the colony under the cover of night. Now in the hands of the small, skeleton crew left behind, Fae is ready to join the rest of the ground team. She browses the offering of various instruments of war with a soft 'hmmmmm' that washes from her lips. EL-11... Dresellian Projectile rifle... no. Something a little flashier. She plucks a 38CT Flamer from the rack and slings it over her chest, tucking it up under her arm while Hadrix begins his little speech.

<<"You're not supposed to say you 'have a bad feeling about this.' That's how every bad day starts. Or, well, in our case, every bad night.">> She peers over the side to the dark colony below, a twinge of fear squirming up her spine. She hates the dark, and that sea of inky black buildings beneath is ominous at its best and paralyzing at its worst. She exhales and unclips her helmet from her hip, twisting it into place with a harsh hiss of pressure. Night optics help, but she can't shake that one, horrible thought.

What if she got stuck all alone in the dark?

But she plays it cool, like Fae does. Quietly, she turns to Sumi at the call to pair off. She m ight be wearing that helmet, but Sumi can likely 'see' her expression beneath that reflective T-Shaped visor.

<<"Let's go get her.">>

"If'n ye need a lift, let me know." Zevin has full harness over his armor today, with a rifle in its sling to be picked up quickly and easily. That also includes lots of places to grip or latch on, for anyone riding down with him. He purses his lips, staring down into the darkness.

"I think," he tells Avery, as he fastens his helmet down into place, <"Yer right to have that feelin'. If this is what I think."> He looks sideways at Hahtavi with a nod. <"Sure would be great if she had more other hobbies, ya know? Maybe she does. Maybe we're 'bout to find out."> He speaks with a degree of familiarity for someone who has never yet in fact been to Ealor.

<<"Daodhri copies. Let's bring hell.">>

Sumi pulls Fae in quietly, clipping the pilot to her rigging, then she cinches the straps /tight/, pulling Fae into her mid-section. <<"Mando'ade.. follow me in!">> Sumi falls backward from the ship, her cape hugging her and Fae for several moments as they disappeared into the thick clouds and slowly began to rotate.

The group coming off the Kyber Heart make it through the clouds together, emerging into a scene that is absolute warfare. Contrails of anti-air fire cut across the sky at night, criss-crossing and impacting shields of low-flying space craft. Large cruisers slowly glide so low that their signatures disrupt ship sensors from detecting them, but their bodies are so large that each time anti-air fires from the colony waaaaaaay down below, they loom like dark shadowed giants in the air. There are no fighters to speak of, and the cruisers are not firing batteries back at the city, but they draw closer and closer.

The Mandalorians have to navigate the air through the maze of three cruisers avoiding the pocked explosions and kinetic concussion of AA fire as it collides with the hull of various craft. Each impact creates a sonic BOOM sound, casting out a circular wave of unseen energy that disrupts the air flow the Mandos use the fly by. Each are effected in their own way, losing flight patterns or having to compensate to return to the formation.

As they come within range of the colony itself, a friendly IFF appears on their HUD: It's Sana Ryder. Sana's voice crackles over the local comm network (Not Kora's) addressing the Corporate Defenders.

<<"Tell your men to hold that southern wall. It's buckled and falling.. if those things get inside this colony, it's the end! ---Static--- NO! Why are they leaving the defenses of the wall?! Tell them to come back.. god damn it ---Static--- OF COURSE THERE'S INCOMING INFANTRY, THAT'S HOW IT BLOODY SPREADS.. BRING THEM BACK IN.. NOW..--Static--.. No Lieutenant.. your men are already dead.">>

Sumi's voice cuts in, her HUD marking the southern field and buckling wall Sana has indicated for the other Mandalorians to see. <<"Red Wolf, this is Sumi.. we're airborne and coming in from the south. We will secure your wall.">>

<<"Sumi.. I hope you brought fire. -- They've begun to climb the wall.. it'll be close quarters until we can sort out the power situation in the city.">> Sana calls back.

<<"We will hold the line.">> Sumi calls back, altering her flight path to lock with the wall.

As the Mandalorians fly in for a landing, they see dark humanoid shapes scrambling up the side of the wall. The southern side of the colony is silent aside from the grunts and raspy-disembodied voices of the foes ascending the heights of the wall make. Sumi comes in for a hover, then lands, smacking the quick release so Fae could step from her. She lands atop the ramparts of the colony wall and looks to the hasty defenses abandoned by the corporate defenders to meet their foe in the dark field that stretches out to the south. Annoyed by the stupidity of wanna-be heroes, Sumi unhooks a defiant hilt from her belt and activates the violet blade. <"Nothing gets by this wall! Fan out, and blast these huttsuckers off the side. There are hasty defense turrets set up further down the wall.. if I had to guess, they require calibration.. someone with some computer skill get that god damn thing online. Let's go!">

Within the confines of his helmet the bionic eye and new augmetics implanted in the organic eye begin to engage, a feline eye-shine reflecting in the pupil of the left. **Low-Light Compensation Activating** scrolling across his HUD and his actual vision, data feeds scrolling all the way down to his landing. Jets cutting bare feet above the ground and his knees flexing to take the impact. Drawing a slide to open the fueling chambers of his plasma caster on the rise.

<<"Hahtavi, you're with Avery - keep them off his shebs or help him with the calibration.">> one arm pointing as he strides to the edge to look down from the wall and into what is coming. <<"Riflemen, five meter spread, sweep your fire. Ordinance, if you have it, six meters from the wall base.">> the barrel of the flame rifle set to 'full choke' sending an iridescent mist into the air that becomes a rolling arm of fire seeking to grasp all in its wake. Setting one of the creatures ascending the wall afire and down, down, towards the ground below like a comet.

<"Should've brought my launcher...">

The call is made and Valeska is in motion without hesitation. From zero to plummetting in three seconds, Valeska leaps out of the open bay doors of the Kyber Heart and takes to the unfamiliar skies. A graceful swan dive turns into a human-shaped bullet plummeting downwards as her jetpack screams to life in a burst of combustion energy on her back.

The first few blinking moments go smoothly until she breaks through the cloud cover and a blanket of warfare opens up below her. With the explosions of anti-air fire and the hovering of freighters breaking through the currents, it's a choppy descent to say the least. Pockets of air hit out of nowhere, throwing Valeska off course. One in particular sends her nearly tumbling before she is able to right herself and return to formation.

She manages to land feet-first upon the ramparts with clear orders coming down the pipeline. Defend the wall. <"Copy."> Message received and answered with twin screams from her carbine into the skull of the nearest wall-crawler. She is starting to aim towards the next one when...

Her very downed and dead target.... gets... back up... The cranium shattered and oozing black goo. <"Chief, Commander. We got a situation, yeah?"> No shite. <"My cadaver is still walkin'.">

It seems there are a few that share the sentiment, even if it wasn't needed to be said. He shrugs at Zevin, <"Hopefully they just forgot to pay the electric bill..."> and offers an unseen apologetic smile to Fae. <"I wonder if the night would be so bad if the thought was left unsaid?"> Regardless of feelings of dread, they've a job to do and who better to do it than Clan Kora.

The lot of them topple from the ramp, plummeting through the clouds in the dead of night, one force streaming toward the ground. Once through the clouds, the night vision in his helmet picks up a chaotic sight, cruisers being attacked from the ground, explosions sending them off course with the concussive force of their blasts, an almost reverse scenario to the calm above the cover. Avery jets this way and that, navigating through the bursts and between the ships while angling for the crumbling wall that needs some shoring up.

Almost as one the group plants on the ramparts, guns being drawn and hasty plans being laid out. The silver Slicer turns in the direction of the silent defenses, a hand lifted in salute to their Alor before he sprints along the rocky surface. <<"On it! Will have the turrets up in a jiff!">> As he runs, he quietly ruminates on just how long a jiff is, probably pretty quick, but is it faster than a jiffy? The same thing? Or is lickity-split faster? He probably should have concentrated on what he was doing instead of letting his mind wander randomly, the three shots he sent at the creeping horror going well wide of their targets, sending up only bits of earth instead of brains or other gooey bits.

Either way Avery slides in next to the GONK droid and pops open the silent mobile battery... and shakes his head at the work done on this thing previously. <"I swear, cable management is a lost art..."> He mutters while digging his hands in to the machine, rerouting, unplugging and diverting, and even crimping a final wire to fix the silly device.

"ggggggooOOONK!" It states as the lights activate, the droid whirring to life. "GONK!" much more assuredly once it powers to full working order. <"You said it, buddy."> Avery replies, glancing back to the group to give them a thumbs up before he shifts to work on the turrets themselves. <<"Droid is active, moving on to powering the shooty shoots.">>

And it's time to GO-GO-GO! Out they go in single file, jumping. Hahtavi steps off and falls with the rest, using his arms at his sides and his feet to help control his fall and guide it. On the way down, time and again the shockwaves through the air buffet him harshly, requiring him to correct his course. It batters him and it's a good thing he's wearing a helmet to help protect his hearing as passes through the turbulence and past the cruisers.

Avery's words echo in his mind and silently, Hahtavi agrees with his vod's bad feeling. Sana's IFF comes up on his HUD to guide them in. Shortly after he's firing his jetpack to control his final descent, boots thudding down on the wall along with the others, flamer rifle already in hand, ready to use.

Orders come of his coms, <<"Acknowledged, Al'verde.">> Avery's already running along the wall so Haht sets off his jetpack again to lift up into the darkness and come down right behind his vod as Avery stops to hunker down and begin the repairs. <<"Right behind you, vod.">>

The darkness upon the wall right behind their primary slicer lights up as Hahtavi lets loose with his flamer, spewing plasma to burn the nearest bodies trying to scale the walls. <<"Whatever you do, don't let these things /breach/ your armor or touch your flesh!">>

Fae Renta's staring at her own reflection in Sumi's visor. For a moment, those two reflections line up like two mirrors, pouring back and forth into infinity. Fae pulls a breath in through her nose, audible over comms, just as Sumi clips her tightly to her chest. Sumi falls backwards, and Fae's head stays up right just as her body is pulled forward.

<<"WooooooooOOOOOOO!">> That sound is one of elation. The same sort of sound that might see both of her hands up in the air stretching up over the cart of a rollercoaster. As the two of them plunge beneath the clouds and into the chaos of the fray below, Fae's arms tuck themselves a little closer to Sumi. She makes herself small against the Alor that's steering them, twirling herself in the direction Sumi leans to offset her own added weight. A rough chop of air or a burst of some ordinance causes Fae to wince, but the two are alright.

Eventually, the pair have landed on that top, buckling wall. Sumi smacks the quick-release and Fae can step back, heart still pounding, to look towards where human-shaped figures scramble unnaturally up those walls.

A screech of flames from Hadrix's rifle sees one of those creatures erupt into a pillar of fire and ash. She engages the plasma flame on her own and turns her head up just in time to see Valeska's blaster pistol erupt with three direct hits. Valeska isn't alone in thinking she'd dropped that... thing. Fae turns her 38CT towards the wall and is about to fire down into those scrambling up when she hears Valeksa's voice over her shoulder.

<"...EW.">

FWOOOOOOOSH.

A stream of flame erupts from Fae's weapon and ignites that headless, oozing DISGUSTENG thing in flame.

Down through the sky Zevin descends in formation, until a sonic boom from an anti-air flak explosion twists him off course. He slips his left foot to the side to alter the airflow just enough to bypass the subsequent blasts. The jetpack deactivates, he somersaults forward to put himself feet first, and the jets reengage at full force, decelerating him enough that it's a gentle impact as his feet hit the rampart.

Orders received, and the foe recognized all too clearly, the half-Echani yanks his revolver up and into both hands. There's no hammer to catch on his hands; it's been modified to be double-action all the way. He pulls the trigger three times. Once goes wide, once ricochets off the edge of the wall, but the third hits one of them in the hip, sprawling it to the deck. He doesn't retreat as they get closer.

The creatures are only now cresting the wall at various locations along the ramparts. Their shadows can be seen in the limited lunar light, and more clearly by helmet optics (for those who have them). Sumi is among the number fighting them, swinging the lightsaber in her grasp along the edge trying to cut those climbing the wall down. They're just out of her reach, and Sumi curses herself for being so rekking short.

Moving back from the wall, Sumi turns her gaze to the south and the fields that stretch out before them. It's tall grass, waving in the wind with a cloudy sky and large ships looming above. From this angle on the ground, the team can see from the flashes of AA blasts, that objects fall from the cruisers that hover above. While, presently, the cruiser is outside the colony perimeter, it draws closer and closer. The objects that fall land outside the perimeter of the city walls. With the right optics, one might see that the objects are the very beings they fight! They're jumping from the ships!!

From the field where the tall grass is, countless dark shapes rush toward the wall and begin to climb. Each has a ghastly sound coming from them: Some are the last words spoken before their death, things like "HEEEELLLLP MEEEE!" Or there's one near Hahtavi screaming for, "MOTHER! PLEASEEE!" The disembodied voices are unnatural, off-putting, sinister and fake. Those caught by the flame ignite immediately, transforming to ash with high pitched screams that are felt by others nearby, and reacted to.

<"Hold the line!"> Sumi cries out after only achieving a yield of sparks from the wall with her swing.

<"I hate this thing."> Hadrix growls as he keeps the flames spraying out over the mass of them <<"They're one entity, watch yourself because they're had to juke or feint.">> striding several paces one way, to stand and hose fire slightly further down one side before he makes to reverse the passage.

But there's so many.

<<"Visor flash shields. One second.">> it's all the pre-empt that Hadrix gives - the glare of flames and blasters reflect off of the single, simple, chromium orb sailing through the air. <<"Danger close.">> and the only warning before things change from pitch black to the blazing heart of a burning star.

Sound is sucked away as color, as everything is put into hard black and white relief, the creatures caught within the ten meter sphere of thermonuclear devastation not even remaining as soot or dust. Everything caught within the explosion simply ceasing to be - and even a pair of rocket darts go out, chasing the return of sound by embedding into two separate creatures and hurling them down to the grounds below.

<<"Throw 'em if you got em.">> a fingergun aimed at Valeska before the plasma caster is brought up again.

Valeska is staring in horror -- trust me, she is -- at the lumbering creature with the herky, jerky motions. A puppet of flesh and blood. <"By the Maker..."> It takes a bit to rattle Valeska and the inhuman screams of the dead and dying as they scratch and claw their way up the wall does the trick. For a moment, she is frozen; having never seen something like this in her life.

Then her previously killed target bursts into flames and is killed for good, snapping her out of it with a clap of her hand on Fae's shoulder. <"Thank you, vod! These are...">

The sentiment is left unsaid. Some other time. Right now, orders keep coming as well as warning from the other clan members. Don't let them scale the wall. Don't let them near. Valeska is more than happy to oblige. <"Copy, Commander!"> The carbine is flung to hang off her shoulder as she yanks a frag grenade from her belt and presses the button hard with her thumb.

<"Fire in the hole!">

Right on the heels of Hadrix's mini-nuke and rocket show, Valeska adds to the pyrotechnics with a hurl into the writhing masses below. With a majestic BOOM! a little over a dozen of the horde are blown to bits and leave behind a satisfying hole in the masses.

Carbine placed to his side, Avery was right in the middle of opening the control panel on the turrets, inserting the line from his UCI, when the beings nearby start speaking... if you can call that conversing. Another shudder is barely repressed and he glances from the horrific sight to Hahtavi nearby. <"Yeah... definitely don't let them touch you, that's an excellent idea."> He is going to have nightmares for sure... If they make it out of this that is, and THAT requires Avery to do his part.

Shaking his head to clear the creepiness, the techie gets back to work, plugging his suit into the weapon control and navigating through the previously dormant systems.

<"Ok... ok... shouldn't be a problem."> the Slicer mutters as he clicks away at the keyboard on his bracer, the readout in his helmet displaying the status of the turret and what must be done to bring them online again. Explosions go off in the background and he rocks forward a hair with the concussive force... Hopefully, those are good explosions and not bad explosions but he'll have time later to check.

<"Alright, nice, here we go."> he absentmindedly encourages in his helmet as he adjusts the foe parameters for the weapons. Next he works to bring online the LIDAR tracking system to prevent having to fire the turrets manually. After a bit of time there's a quiet 'bing' in his helmet and the readout notifies him the defense weaponry are at one-hundred percent operation.

<"Now let's see what these babies can do."> Avery remarks as he stands, pressing the button for program execution before yanking the line free from the terminal.

The automated guns swivel in their mounts, calibrating for the briefest of seconds before the huge turrets turn to aim out at the nearing horror.

<<"This is Avery, turrets are online and ready to attack. They won't be able to get what's already at the walls and climbing, nor will they hold out forever, but they should give us some time.">> The rest is up to them, he thinks as he snatches up the carbine at his feet and prepares to do what he can with searing plasma.

Hadrix's warns them to dim their visors briefly, followed by their Al'verde hucking the detonater. Hahtavi uses his body to help shield Avery from the flash of bright light, hoping to keep his vod's vision unimpaired to focus on the work he's undertaking.

He needs little encouragement. Hahtavi can see the beautiful results that Hadrix and then Valeska are getting with explosives - and there are so /many/ of the infected dead swarming out of the ships and attempting to scale the walls. He too pulls a grenade and arms it, <<"Frag out!">> A count of a two seconds and he throws it into the thickest clump of the mass of infected death he can easily reach.

A quick glance is spared to assure himself that he has a few more grenades left. Hahtavi also double checks Avery's status ere his focus returns to the advancing enemy. He licks his lips behind his visor and tries not to focus on the fact that this is the most frightening enemy he's ever run into.

<<"Maybe use that turret against those cruisers, vod! If it's not enough firepower, burn'm as they disgorge from the ships!">> /That/ to Avery as Haht readies another grenade, unless Hadrix or Sumi have orders otherwise.

<"I'm with you, sister."> Fae says to the hand clapped on her shoulder. It's then that a flurry of explosions rip through the wall from Hadrix. Soon after, Valeska, and Hahtavi add their percussion to the beat. Fae's fingers tingle and she lets out another elated <"WooooooOOOOO!"> as those rockets and grenades streak through the air. Fae moves up towards where some have begun to spill up and threaten to close in on their defensive positions. She tucks that 38CT down against the side of the wall and pulls the trigger. A wall of flame erupts and angles downward, but Hadrix's warning proves true.

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" it screams, and rolls across the surface of the wall. She misses it entirely, but it's enough to slow its descent. That sound is... unnerving. Unnatural. Fae's breathing quickens and she takes a few steps back. Not quite a retreat as much as it is rejoining her allies. When Avery announces over comms that he's got turrets back online, Fae breathes a sigh of relief. Her head turns to see those turrets swivel towards where hundreds of the creatures pour up towards the wall that her and the other Mandalorians are meant to hold.

<"They might be falling from the sky, but we've got the ones on the walls. Right Mando'ade?!"> Fae calls out. <"Let's rekking fry them!">

Zevin keeps firing at the ones just now cresting the battlement. His visor darkens just as the explosive goes out, and he puts his foot behind him to brace against the blast. These creatures are fast and they move unnaturally, unrestricted as they are by bone and muscle. Only one shot hits one of the infested humanoids, sending a spray of black gunk backwards as the arm gripping the wall falls off. Its organic suit's integrity having failed, the evil goop from the arm slips out.

<"Good work, Avery!"> By chance, he is closest to the slicer and to Hahtavi. The flame troopers are sweeping the walls and anything that makes it past them, while the older man tries to 'repel boarders,' so to speak.

<"Commander, y'got another one a' those detonators? Y'all've got the wall, 'm not makin' much difference here, but we can't let those ships get here. If Avery's guns can't shoot 'em down, maybe I can hand-deliver.">

Sumi's lightsaber transforms three Mnggal Mnggal husks into ash, the violet blade passing through them with a graceful swipe. The noise of the fighting cuts out as a sudden bright white flash from a thermal detonator dominates their vision, shining what felt like daylight over the area as a towering cloud mushroomed upward from the blast. The noise came after it, the concussive waves sweeping outward rocking the trees and flattening the tall grass to the south. More grenade blasts follow, not nearly as loud or having the lingering effect of smoke and debris, but flash-blasted dirt and rock lightly pelts from the sky on the wall, dust swirling and concealing some of their view. If one were to judge from sound alone, it seemed like the heaviest fighting was coming from the south, where seven Mandalorians stood against hundreds rushing their wall.

A moment of hope from the blasts extends further as the power along the wall conveys the success of Avery's efforts. Large drone guns emerge from sleeves containing them like hardpoints. Rotary cannons lift out, fold down, and begin to spool, an IR tracking beam angling out toward the field as the guns adopt a 180 degree circuit of scanning. Then something alerts it to movement, and the guns begin to beep as they adopt interlocking lanes of fire.

Immediately, green bolts discharge from the spools, illuminating the tall grass and fields as six guns fire in unison over a multitude of targets crossing the plains to reach them. Hundreds of moving figures sprinting. The Mandos are witness to the gunfire literally dissecting incoming husks.

Of those still on the wall, they continue to climb, six managing to crest the wall.

<<"FRIENDLIES FROM THE REAR!">> Announces a squad of Mandalorians bearing the Ryder sash, the shorter female most Koras were familiar with being the new Alor'Ryder, Hera.. aka Sumi's daughter. The Mandalorians arrive on the wall to reinforce the position, and Hera orders her rocketeers to take aim. <"AIM ABOVE THE FUEL CELLS.. THIS IS THE BEST ANGLE WE CAN GET!">

The Mandalorians take a knee, Hera standing off to one side, and joined by her mother to watch. Rockets go out, angling straight up and high, sailing for the cruisers above and toward their fuel cells. <"Come on! Come on!"> Hera cries out. Then something happens. A black cloud of something in the sky, like a flock of birds.. they move fast.. soundless, like an oozing wave. <"No.. WHAT IS THAT?"> Hera cries out, stepping forward and lifting her rifle to peer through the optics. <"They're going to intercept..no.. NO!">

BOOOM!

The rockets were intercepted by the shifting form in the air, the blast not even going full yield.. contained.

Sumi points.. <"They're coming this way! THEY'RE FLYING THIS WAY.. GET OFF THE GOD DAMN WALLS!">

<<"Good work, Avery. I might, Ori'Zev - but that's for a last resort.">> Still at the walls, eyes wide, pupils dilated - taking in every ounce of movement he can, identifying friend and foe on the split-second before he is illuminated in flashing shades that sweep through a riot of colors once they emit from the barrel of his caster.

<<"Hahtavi, if Avery is clear; front line with Fae and I - we're the rearguard.">> following Sumi's order by backpedaling and sweeping the plasma caster side to side to create a misted fog of deadly flames to form a shield before them to the best he can. <<"Pheegus, we need the Woor down here, support the Kyber Heart - we need heavy fire. Immediately. Keep sealed until we absolutely have to open door.">>

<<"Copy, Al'Verde.">> the ithorian's translator collar chasing his blurlble-lurb language and Hadrix is stepping backwards, hosing literal fire and firing the last of his rocket pack on the knee mount.

<"What've we left?"> <"One more thermal, the Z-6... the wookiee cannon, pistols... Foul language?"> <"Fantastic."> Gripper's tone a mix of grim and giddy at the same time. <"Helluva run."> <"Helluva run."> the big man's core lilted gravel responds to the droid still mounted to the back of his cuirass and they're heading closer and closer to the opposing edge of the wall - ready to simply tip off and let his gravity belt do the work if he doesn't get mince-pied by bird monsters.

It is an amebous form of hundreds of winged, infected avians moving in synchronized undulation. It swallows the incoming firepower and advances at an alarming speed. With the animated dead starting to crest the wall, even with the Ryder back up, things are going sideways quickly.

Still, Valeska holds her ground for a bit longer than she likely should; her last frag grenade in her hand and her thumb on the button. But she doesn't throw it. She stands there facing the onslaught while counting in her head and trying desperately -- quickly -- to gauge how far away that group of infecting birds is.

A whip of her arm and the grenade sails in an arc; landing in the center of the mass and exploding in midair like a truly fecked up celebration. Dozens upon dozens of small bodies combust. Feathers burn away in a flash of light and little beaks and feet fly in all directions. Boom.

The mass interrupted, Valeska ignites her jetpack at the last second and takes off into the sky and backwards; attempting to draw enemy attention away from those on the ground as she brings her carbine back up to bear.

A hidden smile breaks over his features as the defense system activates, lacing green into the terrors beyond, cutting them down before they have a chance to reach the wall. Avery's E-11 was coming up to the ready when Sumi's daughter and a team of Mandalorians arrive, bringing with them firepower that will surely take down the cruisers above... certainly nothing can go wrong.

The bad feeling manifests from bad to worse when the flock of black shifts to take the brunt of the attack on the cruiser, splattering into so much nothing and leaving the ship untouched. <"This just isn't going how I thought it would."> the Slicer comments to those about him, sparing a moment to look at the helmeted faces of Hahtavi and Zevin.

The horror in the air shifts, the flock of evil turning to make for the wall and his compatriots prompting a call to tactically retreat from Sumi. <<"Getting clear now!">> and with a turn Avery ignites his jetpack and blasts backward, the carbine coming up to his shoulder to deliver a parting shot to one of the things that crests the wall. Again the plasma does nothing but scorch the area around the walking and climbing fiend, though if it were cognizant, he'd sure it might have been somewhat scared.

The same can't be said for the birds, the E-11 being lifted to blast one searing bolt into their midst. Four drop from the sky, their horrific squawks silenced for, if zombie lore is to be believed, the second and final time.

Using flamers spewing plasma, throwing grenades, moving along the wall and back again to try and hold back the black tide of undead, it's hot, sweaty work even in sealed armor with temperature control. Hahtavi's breathing is up, his heart working at an elevated pace, but his gaze and attention are fully focused on the task at hand.

Friendlies coming up from behind turn his helmeted head but only for a moment, to make certain it's not a ruse. Haht's attention is immediately forward as the guns start firing and the incoming wave of blackness, blacker even than the night, blots out the stars and comes in like a rolling thunderhead in their direction!

<<"Avery! Off the wall! GO-GO-GO!">> But Avery is already on it, firing away and jetpacking off the wall as Hadrix ordered.

Covering for his vod, Hahtavi doesn't toss another grenade after all. He's stuffed it back into his satchel and fires the flame rifle in a gout of brilliant plasma even as he holds his ground, trying to take another enemy off of the wall and hold the line, <<"Haht copies, Al'verde!">>

Aye, he does his best but the bugger is moving fast, not shambling - and Hahtavi's wall of fire isn't fast enough to catch it, <<"One's got past me!">> He twists where he stands, trying to track it in the darkness. Dark except when it's bathed in flashes of stattico light and gouts of fire. Hell on Hahtavi's vision even with his helmet.

<"I'm on i--.">-FWOOOOSH-

"OH GODS, NO! STOP!"

Fae's leveled her flame rifle at the sprinting corpse that had scaled the wall and made it past Hahtavi's fire. She grimaces behind her helmet at that thing's last words, watching as it flails in a desperate attempt to put out its flames. Those flames spread, however, and soon enough, the creature seizes sup and blows away into dust with the report of Valeska's grenade in the air. There's no real sense of victory, there. But she does feel a strange sense of relief that this creature won't be able to use that body's voice ever again.

She's breathing faster now, slowly moving towards the edge of that wall and turning her flame rifle towards any other targets that might attempt to clear it and catch up to those who have made it up, up, and over.

Sumi gives the order to get off the wall and Hadrix groups the flamers to cover the retreat. Zevin does not have a flamethrower. He backs up to the edge of the rampart and leaps backwards without looking, his jetpack engaging and keeping him up and horizontal while he is now aiming at the winged terrors. He eyes along the barrel, squeezing the trigger thrice. The revolver's report is a loud blast, but amidst the sounds of anti-air fire, the screams of parasite-filled bodies, and the flames consuming, it is for once not the loudest assault on the ears.

Four birds splatter into pieces in the air, beaks and legs scattering. Four birds? Aye - the .48 caliber bullets are not to be stopped by something as light as an avian, no matter how much sentient ooze it's filled with.

<"If we clear these birds, 'm feelin' like it's time for last resorts. More rockets? Express courier thermal detonator?"> He alights on the ground, still looking up. <"Somethin'.">

All at once, the nightmare fell over them and views of the aerial fight are simply dominated by the mass of flapping wings. These birds are unnatural beasts, a mixture of all sorts of species, where none make a single sound. They swarm, attack, clawing at armor and warriors. Hera's honor guard stay behind to try and buy more time for the Mandalorians advancing off the wall, and they perish for their effort. They're swarmed, attacked, and pulled off the wall by husks.

Hera comes to their defense, blasting away one with a flame rifle, but her effort is in vain. Sumi takes hold of the younger woman and pulls her from a certain death and tosses her off the wall. <"Don't be stupid!"> Sumi's attacks do no good, and she jumps from the wall to join her daughter, landing on both feet and kneeling slightly.

The call to the Woor and Kyber Heart is met with static. Sana's voice cuts over the main comms as she directs the fire of all AA batteries. <<"Fire /EVERYTHING/ on that cruiser high above. DO NOT STOP FIRING.. MELT THE BARRELS!">>

Massive bolts of green energy aim up at the looming cruiser, and the impacts begin having a desired effect. Explosions rattle along the unshielded ship, but the craft makes no effort to correct this oversight of lacking shields. Soon, locomotion cuts out, engines die, and the cruiser begins to fall onto the other cruisers above.

Sumi pulls Hera back to her feet and shoves her forward. <"BACK ON YOUR FEET, MANDOS! HOLD WHAT YOU GOT!"> It was the Mandalorians and those cresting the wall to land inside the city limits. It was beginning to look like a last stand. The turrets on the wall continues to fire at the cyclic rate, the weapons pivoting now to contend with the avians, blasting them from the air with surgical accuracy. Bird bodies rain down around the Mandos as Husks crest the wall and charge.

Sana's voice cuts over the comms again. <<"The cruisers are coming down.. brace brace brace!.. GET OUR TRANSPORTS IN THE--">> Static follows as a thunderous trio of impacts stir up a tidal wave of dust that sweeps across the entire city in deafening noise. The Mandos have the advantage of HUDs, and friendly IFFs marking the location of their allies. It was down to holding this street from those scaling the wall now. /Hopefully/ the Woor and Kyber Heart heard their comms.

Sumi screams over the chaos and flooding dust.. the only thing truly visible are the shifting shapes and shadows, and the bright flashes of laser bolts. She hooks her lightsaber back to her belt and draws out a revolver, her thumb locking back the single-action hammer with a clik-CLICK lose over the noise of all the chaos.

<"HOLD WHAT YOU GOT!">

Instinct screams to cover his face, protect his neck, try to tuck down, huddle up and narrow the gaps in his armor. Every instinct but the one thar had been encouraged, cultivated, the core of him and the siblings it spawned in the depths of Aurek-Osk. Ryders are firing, shouting, Sumi is giving orders and among those spraying fire into the midst of the enemy stands Hadrix.

The targeting antennae of his helmet swings down while he nears the edge of the wall - ready to drop when the time calls. In his helmet the big man can hear Gripper's synthesized laughter when her sensors pick up the ignition of the pack missile. No sass, no words. Only knowing what's happening next.

'What's wrong, Nine-Oh-Four? Too stupid to fail?'

<"No."> sneered out, hot-mic'd onto his externals. The answer that the Training Captain of the Creche knew was there, maybe the other 'instructors' knew, but they never said it. Never admitted it. The child, the boy, the youth and what would eventually be the man was one of the best, perhaps the best, of the worst creation of the Stormtrooper Corps of the First Order. Success in what was expected to be a failure, a waste within acceptable limits.

'Too stupid to fail?'

Too defiant. Too stubborn. The rage burns white but every inch of him is cold. Sound is there, a watery echo that feeds him all the data that he had been beaten, battered, burned and broken into turning into direction. Feeling is there, the corrupted avians spattering against his armor feeling like burning rain when they screech through the flames. The fury becomes focus and the world seems slower. Tachypsychia that comes with the torrent of adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin among the other natural chemicals coursing through Hadrix's body.

The rocket launches into the mass - it's not likely to do much damage, a small sphere of disruption among the creatures attacking, but it's something to build a gap.

'Hold what you got.'

The explosion is a red blossom that burns orange and are enough to throw him to his back where he skids and rolls towards the edge of the wall before declaring, <<"Rearguard, fall back and regroup with the Chief.">> tumbling then over the edge into a dizzying pirouette that finishes with Plan Besh's shoulder slamming into duracrete and he having enough conscious though to turn into it, pivoting to put his feet groundward when his belt engages to arrest the fall and drop him on his backside where he can roll backwards to get to his feet.

<"Kriffing thing.">

Retreat can only take her so far and soon Valeska is turning back around and planting her feet, bracing against this final push coming at them. She's out of frags and now its just matter of firing madly into the haze and chaos. The HUD helps a lot and then there's just the instinct that has been trained into her over the months. Field experience in spades and guided, too, by the blaster fire and explosions of her clanmates.

"PLEASE KILL ME!" A creature that looks alarmingly human cries out in agony and Valeska's only response is to answer with her carbine into the former person's head.

Immediately another is upon her, arms outstretched and clawing at the air. "THE PAIN! HELP!" Another blast into the chest sends that one to the ground in silence. The end of her barrel does tremble. She is no immune to this horror show, but Valeska manages to make herself hold her ground and keep fighting.

Back and back they go in retreat, Avery's feet touching the ground just after the colossal impact of the three cruisers as they plummet into the planet. Debris and dirt kick up around the team, blowing past them as they lance their attacks against the advancing foe. The silver and blue Mandalorian does a quick take around him, the signatures of his party lighting up in the HUD despite the thick cloud of dust that hangs momentarily in the air. Then it's back to the red illumination of the targets that stream over the walls and through the city.

<<"So when Sana said 'bring fire', I didn't think she actually meant 'fire'.">> Avery laments as he levels his E-11 to send red death into the crowd of swarming bodies. The first goes the way of the previous attacks, burying itself in the dirt of the street, just more debris kicked into the air to join in on the fun. The second actually finds flesh, goo, or whatever it is these things are possessed of, and the creature screams as it collapses in on itself, the blaster fire having punched a decent sized hole through its midsection.

<"I guess that'll have to do!"> Avery remarks as he backs up with the rest of the Mandalorians, casting a quick glance behind him at the amount of space in which they have to continue their retreat.

Hahtavi holds the wall as long as he can, even as the Ryder Honor Guard is getting overwhelmed. The mass of black husks and the birds assaulting them is too much. He holds as long as he can before he falls off of the wall, firing his jetpack to break his descent.

Boots hit the ground and ducking the onslaught, he backs the hell off from the wall, seeking what cover he may and to regroup on Sumi's orders. There's so much going on, so many explosions, firing, coms static and orders hardly understood that in the fog of combat, he barely heard Hadrix's order to fall back.

Breathing hard, Hahtavi checks his HUD for the location of his fellow team mates, checking to see if all of the Koras are still up and moving or if any of them need help. The birds are so thick he gives up on the flamer rifle for a moment and pulls another grenade.

<<"FRAG UP!">> He ingites it and holds it for a quick count of three, then hefts the frag as high and forward as he can - NOT over top of their heads, thank you very much. It explodes! There's no telling how many of the birds it blows to bits in the darkness. His gloved hands grab a hold of his flamer rifle on his tactical rig and he keeps moving.

It's some pretty heavy osik in the darkness. So much noise, confusion, and horrifying husk-things trying to reach them. Swarms of silent black death massed above, flying all over in a nightmare. Good to hear Avery's voice suddenly over his coms.

Fae is continuing her retreat to that rear guard alongside Hadrix when everything goes dark. Whirring black birds crush into her like a wave of water, and though none manage to actually hit her, she can feel the air rush around her and carry her back a few steps. It's dark now. Too many birds flying around her face for her to make anything out at all. <<"Hahhhhhhh...">> she breathes over comms, stepping backwards as her heart starts to beat faster and faster and faster still. She wants to point that rifle towards the dark and set it on fire, but the pinging signals of friendlies in front of her keep her twitchy finger from squeezing the trigger. <"We have to... get off the wal--"

-KROOM-

Hadrix's rockets rip into the center of that dark and her whole field of vision goes hot. She yells out and twist her body, the blow causing her to tumble backwards into the wall's top guard. It's pure instinct and inertia that carries her body up over the side and down. She rolls three times before crashing onto the floor, pinning her rifle beneath her body with a forceful crash of air from her lungs.

<"Aghhh..."> she says, and pushes herself to her feet.

Dust scatters around her, and though she can see those readouts of friendlies, the space in between them is obscured. She draws her sidearm from the holster over her chest and exhales. Blind and separated, she slowly starts to walk towards where those friendly signals ping out in the dark.

<<"This is Lady Fae. I'm down from the wall. A few hundred meters away from you. I'm moving to your positions but I can't see a rekking thing.>>" She says, just barely containing the tremor in her voice. Just breathe, Fae.

A bird strikes at Zevin and he twists with the blow like a boxer, the claws not even leaving a mark on his shoulder because of yielding instead of resisting. The air is full of dust and soot as the explosion of cruisers hitting the ground spreads debris everywhere, but he can see and scan through it - it just limits his effective range. As the once-birds keep coming, he looks up, tracking the birds in motion and marking a spot where they seem to converge in his HUD. A rocket soars out of his jetpack with a hiss and a trail of smoke, to take out as many of them as he can.

Much like when these creatures stopped the rockets from impacting the ships' fuel cells, a few latch onto the missile and knock it off course, its explosion having little impact on the swarm.

He doesn't breathe a word about it. There's no time to revel in success or bemoan failure. When he hears Fae, he glances her way. <<"Comin' to you, Fae. Follow the beacon.">> His armor immediately begins broadcasting more strongly. It may be a sign to the enemy of where he is, if they're still using their stolen technology, but he's willing to risk it. He takes measured steps, shooting at one flock of birds, then another. Some die, all of them for a second time. <<"Yer right on course, keep that headin'.">>

Lady Fae is not alone for long. A heavy figure lands behind her, and it becomes clear who has arrived by the screeching noise of twin beskad blades being drawn free from their home. The Red Wolf of Rena, true to her name, has arrived to gather those separated from the rest of the pack, cutting a husk from Fae, before twisting to cut down another. Through the chaos, Sana yells, <"But I see you, Fae. Follow me through this horror, and you will make it back alive."> Sana's red helmet turns toward the beacon that is Zevin, who has stepped out to broadcast their location so these two lost wolves can make it back to the pack.

Sumi angles her revolver up, blasting a husk backward and blowing half its torso away. Despite the overwhelming damage, it still flails forward, attacking. Hera tries to shield her mother from it and takes a harsh blow for her trouble. Sumi, frustrated with the heroics of her young daughter, takes hold of her collar and throws her back behind her. <"You do me no favors killing yourself! Fight like a warrior, and stop sacrificing! A last stand is where we plant our feet!"> Sumi fans two more shots in quick succession. <"Not one step more.">

In all the chaos and swarming crowd of husks, search lights appear from above. Two ships criss-cross as they begin to switch from their thrusters to VTOL, hovering and lowering slowly. Bright lights from their interior are indicative of ramps coming down. A garbled message indicates their ride is here.

<"We wait for Fae and Sana! HOLD YOUR GROUND! WE LEAVE TOGETHER OR NOT AT ALL!"> Sumi cries out, locking the hammer back on her revolver.

<<"Val'ika.">>

The growling voice is there, direct link connecting his voice to her audial pickup. Calm, moreso than in the times in hyperspace. At meals. When surrounded by Koras in the fortress, on the Kyber Heart, in the Woor'tra. The voice of a man painting a portrait, cooking an uncomplicated meal.

Not the voice of a man who is launching every piece of ordinance he has available into the midst of a horde of seemingly unending death giving wings and claws and hunger without stopping. Standing with the rifle still out and misting flames - claws and limbs slamming against him and one with a suddenly deformed maw hooked onto the cuisse protecting his thigh. Trying to peel it off, rip the gambeson legging beneath.

<<"Naas chaabar, Val'ika. Shi'kote. Darasuum Kote.">> Nothing to be afraid of, Little Val. Only glory. Eternal glory. Fighting free of the grip and working his way towards one icon in his displays. <<"Kora, converge on Sumi'Alor's signal.">> marking her out especially, trying to get a solid grip of Val as he hurls flame into the masses, but his grip fails and he comes away only with ash and the thick muck the dead parasite leaves in its wake.

<"Karking stang..."> teeth bared within his helmet and snarling through his vocalizers.

Stand. Stand, stand, stand. Valeska is fighting against the horde but the horde is doing what hordes do best. Her carbine can only charge so fast and it is in that precious window that a few of the masses barrel forward. With the full weigh of their hollowed-out bodies, they grab at Valeska, bony fingers grabbing at the armour pieces and pulling. Thrashing. Trying to tear into the fiberweave underneath to find any exposed skin.

<"Argh!"> Toppled over by the weight of them, Valeska staggers backwards, tries to push back, but is ultimately knocked to the ground. She lands atop another felled body hard and feels the sickening CRRRRK! of a rib fracturing upon impact. Breathing now painful and fear starting to grip at her, the crimson Mandalorian struggles to get the monstrousities off of her.

Her carbine gripped in both hands, Valeska swings it around in close quarters, the butt of the rifle smashing into the lifeless, gaping jaw of the assailant trying to get a grip on her helmet. It, too, breaks with an awful CRRRRK! and releases the gnarly, grubby hands from pulling her bucket completely off.

Panic is rising fast now and starting to take over; sounds of legitimate fear hitting a hot mic and broadcasting. She hears Hadrix but in her confusion cannot make heads or tails of what's what. She reaches out to try to grab onto his arm, managing to clasp on but unable to kick herself free of the enemies piling on her.

The sound of the engines fills Avery with a measure of hope, a chance that they might all get off this accursed planet. But Sumi is right, they are not leaving a single member behind and the Slicer buckles down, holding his ground firmly, even if this stand is to be their last.

Glancing into the gloom, the readout showing the gathering of the group, all friendly markers returning to the pack, if slowly and sometimes with considerable knee pain. Avery moves to one of the nearby ships and holds the fort for the last to arrive, blaster bolt after blaster bolt being sent into the amassing evil that seemingly has no end. At least two drop, their silhouettes disappearing in the haze that floats about them. Whether or not those two are still crawling toward him, that he can't verify... Avery would prefer not to think about that.

Instead the Mandalorian grits his teeth and continues to hold the line, laying down cover fire until the troops have fully assembled.

It is chaos. Hahtavi hears Fae's voice over the coms and he's half turning to try and face the direction of her IFF signal. But Zev's already on it, heading for her. He does as Sumi orders, backing up to regroup with the others then holds is ground. It's not looking good.

Valeska goes down - but Hadrix is already heading for her. Fear of this wretched Mnggal Mnggal sends an icy finger of fear up his spine. Not the way he wants to go out. Haht arms and holds another grenade, <<"FRAG OUT!">> He makes certain no Koras are too close to where he's aiming, throwing it into the thickest cluster of the infected husks. Haht's got one frag left he holds back. One for himself, if they are overwelmed.

Swallowing, he ducks and keeps moving, his flamer back in his hands as Hahtavi tries to continue to evade attacks. Do what he can to buy time for the stragglers to catch up.

"WHO ARE YOU?! PLEASE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Fae hears the sound of feet rushing towards her too late. There's a crash and a collision, and the Hapan is barely able to stay on her feet when it collides into her. She cries out, but not over comms. Something hits her and rips. Tears. It's trying to pull off her helmet and Fae is scrambling to push it away. It's odd... she's fighting for her life, but all she can think about is what her last words are going to be. What her husk is going to say as it kills someone just like her. What's it going to be, Fae?

<"Rekk you.">> Fae says, shoving the barrel of her pistol up beneath the creature's chin and pulling the trigger. A spray of black ink mists up into the air above her, but it's only enough to stagger it briefly. Fae exhales as the creature's head turns slowly back towards her, hisses and...

Mother effing Sana Ryder.

The blow to the creature on her knocks Fae forward, but Sana is there to steady her.

<"I see you! I see you!"> she says in return. <"Well, I don't actually see you, but you know what I mean.">

Fae doesn't break from Sana, now. Her beacon in the dark, the Hapan only fires blindly into the dust that's all around her when it isn't in the immediate angle of a friendly ping.

<<"I'm okay, Daodhri. We're moving to meet you!">> Krak krak. Two more shots from that gifted sidearm. A Zevin special. Better than ice cream.

<<"Ahahahahhaa.... hmmmhhhh. Still alive.">> Fae calls out as Sana and her reach the rest of the group. Fae storms up the Kyber Heart while clutching her arm. She can be heard swearing in Hapan at crewmembers attempting to stop her from heading into the cockpit.

"But your arm, Fae! You can't fly with that!"

<"Farkling bet I can. Out of the way.">

Bodies in the murk. Is that Fae? No. BLAM BLAM. Is that one Fae? No. BLAM. Two more husks fall - but not for good. "SPARE ME!" one shrieks in an unnatural voice as it starts crawling towards him. Then Fae is past. <"Nice shootin'."> It's always a pleasure to see a gift well used.

Hee's trotting to keep up with her, kept pace by the Red Wolf. <"Su cuy'gar, Sana."> So you're still alive, said familiarly and with a tinge of the sardonic. They are both still alive at the moment, but they're really pushing it.

His revolver still raised, pointing at the hordes pursuing them, he jets slightly up onto one of the ramps. <<"Zevin aboard.">>

<"Let us see if we can change that,"> Sana answers back to Zevin's greeting before removing the leg of one husk. She slings the ooze from the Mando-iron blade and turns back to give the chaotic field another look before trotting toward the hovering ships. <<"We are whole, Chief.">> Sana takes up a post inside the ship, ready to cut off anything that doesn't belong.

Sumi fans her revolver three more times, staying rooted in place as her daughter recovers behind her and glares up at the back of her mother. Setting aside her ego, though, Hera returns to firing into the masses, shooting down the ones that draw near enough. Sumi's voice sounds over the comms, <<"Then we are good to advance to our ships. We may not have won this fight..">> Sumi intones, jiggyjogging toward the ship. When she turns back to wait by the ramp, the hammer on her revolver clicks back and she takes aim, covering. <<"..but they'll remember we fought.">>

Hera falls back to the ship, stomping up the ramp and reaching the top to fall to her knees after turning back to offer a fall back firing position. <<"Hera on board.">>

<<"Sana on board. Lady Fae is, too.">>

Parting shots from all around as engine outputs begin to kick up, using physics and propulsion to throw back their foes. Sumi's voice cuts over comms again, <<"Let me know when we're up!">>

Hand dipping again, seeking out the curve of the curve of the sectioned cuirass hung on armor cloth that is the Journeyman signature. Finding both pinching between his fingers, Hadrix heaves to drag Valeska close enough that he can put one massive arm underneath hers before his jets ignite. Blowing the whisper thin leaves of burning parasite and hollowed husks back long enough to get clear of the ground and start to lift for the sky and the lights of the evac craft bays.

Only for emaciated hands to wrap about ankles. For teeth to latch onto boots, claws hooking between plates. Heaving, dropping, sinking their weight and threatening to pull the pair down into the morass of puppet monsters seeking to expose that one small strip of flesh. All that's needed to succeed, to consume.

<"I hope you still remember me, you sonovabitch."> snarled before the jets of his pack flare and thrust is redlined with a blink toggle and the flames of the jets create dissolving silhouettes as they lift and head for the Woor'tra, hovering with its bomb bay doors open and ready for those seeking its aegis to enter.

Like Hadrix and Valeska now as they move from swelling darkness to the blue lights of the cargo and preparation bay while Greeza and Mir work turrets to clear ingress points.

'Not like this. Please, not like this.'

Surrounded by the unholy screams of people whose husks are now being occupied by a formless interoper, Valeska is kicking with all of her might. Wheezing breaths in her vocoder harbour the grasp of fear that has taken over her as hands grab and nails claw. Teeth bite. Looking for any flash of flesh. Anything. Anything.

The ground falls out from under her and before she can orient herself, she is tucked under a massive arm and floating upwards. Still those arms extend and fingers scrape against her legs. Valeska gives another terrified kick or three and -- without shame -- all but clings to Hadrix as they fly up higher and higher. Away from the devouring throng.

Back on the Woor'tra, Valeska just sits where she is placed and grasps onto whatever she can reach to anchor herself for the inevitable fly away. Silent.

Fear that they might loose Koras this night is eliviated as Hahtavi hears them sounding off on coms, reaching the ship and boarding. He flames away with his flamer rifle, getting low on plasma charge. Bit by bit he too pulls back, heading for the closest ramp.

At the last he rolls out one last blast of fire to engulf more husks to become animated torches in the night, then this Kora turns and runs up the ramp and into whichever ship that is their salvation. <<"Hahtavi on board!">> He pants, breathing hard and taking a knee to prep his last grenade for a final throw before the ramp closes. But not until she's rising and he's sure all Koras are accounted for...

What a night to remember. It'll give some of them nightmares.

Fae has fought her way to the cockpit of the Kyber Heart and the skeleton crewmembers know enough Hapan to pick out the cursewords firing out of her pretty lips like blaster fire. The pilot hops out with a little jiggyjog of his own and Fae kicks the repulsorlifts on. The whole ship groans in protest as it lifts off the ground, thrumming energy turn gravity on its head, doing the impossible hoisting the ship aloft without drag or lift. Her fingers run across the console that she's so familiar with. This ship's a part of her body -- as much as her leg, or the arm still aching from that crushing squeeze of the creature. Her body's already fast at work mending that compression and all of those tiny, micro fractures in her radius and ulna.

<"Sumi. We're up."> Fae says, one hand on the yoke with the other on the throttle.

<"Say the word and we're dusted, cyar'ika.">

Sumi steps aboard the ramp, blasting two more husks before calling back, <<"Take us up, Lady Fae. Nice and steady.">>

The husks all come to a stop to watch with black eyes as the engines of both vessels kick up and rise. Sumi pops open the cylinder on her revolver and empties the casings into her hand, stuffing them back into a dump pouch hanging from her belt. Round by round is fed back into the slots of the cylinder until she spins the cap and closes the weapon shut with a flick of her wrist.

"BEEEE MIIIIINNNNNNNE!" is what they say in unison as the ships leave behind the nightmare that was this colony. Sumi watches until they are so high up, the safety systems close the hatch. Her finger taptaptaps the trigger guard until they're in space, and only then does the weapon slide into its holster and she turns from the view to face her daughter, Hera's helmet off.

Without missing a beat, Hera hugs her mother and cries, terrified but thankful to be alive. Sumi, not sure how to react at first, slowly brings her arms up to hug her daughter back.