Out of Space
Chapter 340: Operation Gothic Savior

Norshelm, Citadel, Outer Sanctum

Titanna wearily dropped her borrowed bow down on the side of the cot and closed her eyes as she laid down. Almost immediately, she was woken up by the endless roar of something unnatural that grew louder and louder.

She pushed her tired body up and followed the crowd of soldiers as their heads seemed to track something in the skies. She had fought all night on the walls, firing arrow after arrow at the never ending crowd that beat their fists futilely against the stone walls and iron bounded gates.

She lost count of how many arrows she shot into the crowd, only knowing that her fingers were bleeding and her arm muscles were badly strained. Finally, when the morning sun came up, the crowd of crazed folk had retreated back, she thought she could finally have some rest.

The loud roaring noise grew louder and louder and seemingly two dark green objects appeared out from the gloomy skies. The defenders cried out in fear and panic as one of the huge wedge shaped objects roared over the walls, prompting some of the archers to let loose their bows at the flying monster.

It took Titanna a moment for her tired brain to process the flying monsters as some kind of machine belonging to the United Nations before she quickly yelled at the men to stop attacking the machines.

Even tired as she was, she was still very impressed as two rows of soldiers neatly dropped out at a rapid speed from the noisy flying machine which was blowing sand and leaves everywhere. The first machine after dropping off a dozen of so soldiers turned and let the other waiting machine take over its spot.

By this time, the noise and appearance of these two flying monsters had attracted attention from the council members and they all stared slack jawed at the scene. Even the two old patriarchs were dumbstruck with the strange flying monsters that carried troops in its bellies.

"Lady Titanna?" An Oerkin strolled up to Titanna and gave a short bow. "I am 2nd Lieutenant Svar of the Redeyes, United Nations Marines, 1st Battalion, Bronco Company, Platoon 4's commander."

"I am dispatched here to ensure your safety and other members of the ruling council," Svar spoke to the group of wide eyed elves looked at him like he was some kind of alien. "We have a convoy on its way to take you and the council members to safety later on."

"Do you have any questions, ma'am?" Svar asked politely.

Titanna instinctively took a step backward from the bulky Oerkin. "A- ah... Welcome, come, Lieutenant Svar... you.. what?"

"We are here to protect and escort you to safety once our support arrives," Svar patiently replied. "Now, I will assign a section to be your security detail. They will be in charge of keep you safe."

"Wait!" Titanna grabbed Svar's arm, "What is going on here?"

"I got orders from higher up," Svar said simply.

"I... understand..." Titanna realized that the United Nations did live up to its promise of keeping her safe.

"I need to talk to the commander in charge here," Svar said. "So to better understand the ground situation here."

"Talk to Knight Captain Judis," Titanna said. "He should be at the main gatehouse."

Svar nodded and turned to his men who were showing off to the Imperials. "Alright, enough of the dick beating, One, Two and Three on me, Four stick to her Ladyship."

"OORAAAH!"

-----

"Shepherd Six Four, this is Raider Actual," Mills keyed the comms as he leaned forward and tried to spot the helo in the stormy skies. "How copy?"

"-eading -ou, -rength on-."

"Raider Actual, Convoy has just ended the city, looks like the Blue Boys are giving us quite the warm welcome, over," Mills gave a wave to the Imperial officer who stared back at them without any expression.

"Six Fou- roger, - see you, -tandby for aeria- supp-"

Mills turned his attention back to the road, seeing the sides of the streets lined with bodies of the dead. He shook his head at the scene and started to relay the helo's direction to the driver. "Go straight and take the next turn left."

-----

Flight Lieutenant Peter eased the throttle back and placed the CH - 1 at a slow pace, circling around the city while his co pilot kept his eye on the screen before him. Underneath the CH - 1 Griffin was a camera normally mounted on the dragons for aerial reconnaissance purposes.

His co pilot carefully watched the route which the ground convoy was using to make their way deeper into the city. "Six Four, Convoy. You have inbound crazies at the next street, over."

"-ger, Six -"

"Damn... the radio signal is bad," The co pilot grumbled. "That storm is screwing with the signals!"

"Yea, I know," Peter replied. "I am taking her down incase the boys on the ground need some support."

"Got it."

"Alright, kids at the back," Peter switched his comms to the cargo hold. "Hold on tight, I am bringing the bird down to support the convoy. Watch your zones!"

"Greg always ready to save dumb Mar eens!" Greg giggled as he sat on the rear deck where an MG - 1 was mounted facing out of the opened rear hatch. The other two Marines snorted at Greg's word as they each manned the door guns on the side of the Griffin.

The Griffin roared over the rooftops of the city, drawing stares from the crazed townspeople while the convoy rumbled across deserted streets littered with dead bodies. Peter kept the helo on a low hover, keeping his eye on his instruments, making sure not to hit any roofs while the gunners and his co pilot kept an eye around their surroundings.

"There! three o' clock!" The right gunner yelled as he saw a flood of bodies running directly towards the convoy two streets away. "Do I engage?"

"Fuck me!" Peter cursed as he saw the number of bodies racing across the street like they were running for the Olympics. "Command! This is Shepherd Six Four! We got a shitload of bodies heading towards the Convoy! Do we engage, over!"

"-mand, -gage!"

"What the hell did they say?" His co pilot asked in confused.

"Fuck!" Peter cursed again. "Six Four, Command! Repeat last! Repeat last!"

"They are coming closer!" The gunner's panicked yelled came through the comms. "Hurry up!"

"-GE, -w co-!"

"Fuck it!" Peter yelled before switching the channel. "ENGAGE!"

The Marine had already sighted in with the MG - 1. He flicked the safety with his thumb and held the trigger down, spraying streaks of red tracers into the rushing crowd. The hi powered rounds bored through the crowd like tearing wet paper and bodies piled up wherever the tracers went.

"BREAKFAST IS SERVED!!!" The Marine door gunner gleefully yelled as he hosed down the crowd. "Wooo hooo!"

"More craziesss!" Greg yelled from the rear. "Coming from bum bum!"

After Greg cried out, he joyfully squeezed the trigger of his MG and whooped with joy as he watched his tracers slamming into the crowd coming from another street.

"Weeeee! THE GOD MACHINE PEE PEE AT YAAA!"

-----

Mills jerked his head up as he saw the guns of the hovering Griffin burst out in flames. "Shit, there must be a ton of them."

"All gunners! Stay sharp! We should get contacts soon!" Mills warned over the radio just as the rear MRAP reported contacts. "Fuck my mouth!"

The driver jammed the brakes suddenly as the street before were filled up with people, all of them staring at Mills and his men like they were sheep to be slaughtered. "Sarge... what do we do now?" The driver asked nervously. He was a veteran and he had never seen anything like this before, which was full of unnaturalness. "Sarge?"

Mills licked his suddenly dry lips and wondered what should he do. After the people before him were unarmed civilians, despite being mind controlled. Suddenly something slammed against the side of his jeep, making him jump and he saw a person next to his side window.

The middle aged male, dressed in typical work clothing smiled and slammed his head against the armored glass, making Mills and the rest in the jeep jump in surprise. The smiling worker hammered his fists and repeatedly slammed his head against the window, till a bloody mark was painted on it.

Another person suddenly appeared and hammered against the jeep from another side while the radio started reporting similar incidents happening throughout the convoy. Mills watched in horror as the worker brained himself against the ultra tough glass while still smile and before the man died, he mouthed, "Jo..in... uss..."

"Fuck it!" Mills yelled as he jerked back from the scene of leaking brains. "WEAPONS FREE! Driver get us out of this street!"

The gunners on the turrets quickly responded the .50 cal mounted heavy machine guns roared, the large caliber rounds blowing away the agitated crowd. Mills slapped his driver's shoulder, urging him to drive faster as more and more bodies attempted to pile up on the armored jeep.

The convoy roared away, running and rolling over anyone before them and they soon came to a relatively quiet street. "Stop the convoy!" Mills ordered. "Unload and secure the perimeter!"

The vehicles stopped and the men filed out, setting up a perimeter around the convoy. "Check the vehicles for any damages and any bodies still clinging on to them!"

The men did a quick check and found a couple of still alive, clinging underneath the MRAPs. They were quickly dispatched and dragged to the side. Tyrier came up to Mills and said, "What the hell was that all about?"

"What do you mean?" Mills asked.

"You froze didn't you?" Tyrier asked while gesturing to the helo in the sky. "We should have fired at the start, just like what they were doing up there!"

"They are civilians!" Mills said angrily. "Even if they are mind controlled or brainwashed, they are still civilians!"

Tyrier shook his head at Mills's statement. "You hoomans create mighty weapons yet have no guts to use them?"

"Tyrier," Mills shook his head. "You and I grew up differently... we have different cultures and were taught differently. Not to mention, we were fighting a war with an alien race for our survival... So excuse me for not wanting to kill normal folk!"

Tyrier pondered for a moment before he gave in. "Sorry, I get it now. But still... don't forget the lives of your men here! We are not fighting against those... aliens... now but vile magic!"

Mills nodded, "Got it, it won't happen again."

"Contacts!" Someone yelled out and the .50 caliber machine guns opened fire, their heavy boom boom boom roar echoing painfully loud in the streets.

"Alright! Mount up!" Mills yelled. "Let's get back on track!"

The men quickly load back into the vehicles and they continued their way again. "Shepherd Six Four, this is Convoy, we have detoured from the original route, requesting directions back to original route, over!"

"Six Fo-, Con-, -and by,"

"Si- Four, -onvoy, -edure straig- a- -ke a rig- -urn."

"Go!" Mills ordered the driver. "Keep moving don't stop!"

The convoy started up while scores of townsfolk converged towards their location. Stones were thrown from the buildings along the streets as the convoy raced through them. The gunners manning the .50 cal fired at the windows as the stones rained down. The large caliber rounds blowing holes in the walls and sending masonry down.

"Where the fuck are we?" Mills cursed as he tried to make sense of the map he had while trying to understand and hear what Shepherd Six Four was trying them. "Come on! This is a real fuck up!"

"Sarge! I think... we are back in the same place!" The driver called out and he gestured to a building where the side of the walls was peppered with large caliber gunfire.

"We are lost!"