Fantasy Kaizoic: Earth Reborn

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo figured he could be some help with to the colonists tending to the outlet wires. Besides, it’s been a bit too long since he’d done anything techy. The relative ease of the task meant he was sure he’d be able to help with just one hand as well.

He approached the group, shouting out when he was in their vicinity, though making sure his voice wasn’t loud enough to wake up the other colonists. “Need any help?” He asked.

 

[Da Doofus]

There were two men. Both were standing underneath a plastic rain shield extended around the electrical post, but only one was working on the panel. The second held a light over the exposed wires.
The one holding the light looked at Kairo.

“No thanks, kid. We got it.” He said. His wrinkled face bore acne scarring and a gruff expression.

Beyond, the familiar shape of Commander Stryx walked upon the wall.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Though disappointed, Kairo nodded in response. They looked like they knew what they were doing, and having another man there would've been more of a hindrance than anything.

Lucky for him, that wasn't the only thing he could do to keep himself occupied.

Kairo almost instantly approached Commander Stryx after seeing him atop the wall. He didn't know what he'd say to the man, but a conversation was a conversation, and he assumed both of them could use one of those right now.

"Can't sleep sir?" Kairo started as he approached from behind. "Or is there something you need to do."

 

[Da Doofus]

“Just thinking, Hunjan.” Stryx said, his eyes looking over the camp with the cliff to his back. “About where all this is going.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

"Wasn't expecting any of this huh?" Kairo chuckled, looking outside the camp. The vantage point atop the mountain gave him a view that spanned for miles. Unlike the last time though, he knew what was on the horizon. "Me too. Honestly feels like we're in some kind of TV show with everything that's been happening lately. Not in a good way."

 

[Da Doofus]

“Hmph.” Stryx nodded, and took a seat on the wall’s edge. “All that’s happened . . . Isn’t what we expected to be here.
Things are complicated now, or at least they will be.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

As Stryx perched himself atop the wall, Kairo chose to lean into the wall. His arms laid on the top as he looked out into the vast expansive territory below.

Stryx was right, complicated would be a hellish understatement as to how their future on this planet looked like. This had quickly spiraled from survival, to so much more. And as mesmerizing as some of the surprises had been, he couldn't help but wonder if things would have been better off for them if this world was barren.

"Yeah, I don't envy you right now I'll tell you that." Kairo joked, though, beyond the little quip, there was a concerned undertone that could be made out. "We'll figure everything out though, I'm sure of it. We've gone through worse."

 

[Da Doofus]

“True. There’s plenty of life that’s blossomed while we’ve been asleep.

When we get comms back I’ll inform the Noah Directors about what all has happened. Maybe by now they’ve gotten in contact with . . . I don’t know.
Someone.”

A brief rumble cracked across the air. No flash of lightning came after, but it was loud like a stormy clap of thunder.
It was enough to make Stryx look around cautiously.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo noticed the sudden caution that Stryx had developed. Not entirely sure if it had been justified. Understandable? Yes. After everything that's happened, Kairo himself had developed the same sense of caution. When everything around you was out to get you, it would be surprising if he didn't have that 6th sense.

"Something wrong sir?" He asked, scanning the environment below.

 

[Da Doofus]

At the bottom of the mountainous cliffside, there was a clearing before the treeline. If he squinted, Kairo would have briefly seen some movement in the trees before another clap of false thunder came. A new sound rang through Kairo’s ears however, and Stryx recognized it. It was a growing whistling.
The Commander grabbed Kairo and leapt to the ground as the section of wall they were on exploded and began to fall apart.

“WE’RE UNDER ATTACK!” Stryx shouted across the camp. “NON COMBAT COLONISTS TO THE SHELTERS NOW!”

The settlement exploded in activity as a second mortar shot impacted on another section of wall.

 

[Chai_T3a]

For a moment, Kairo’s body stood frozen in shock. That blast, if Stryx hadn’t been there just in time, it would’ve taken his life. Yet another near death moment, and yet he was pretty sure he’d never come this close before.

Once his senses kicked in, Kairo quickly got up from the floor. He didn’t spend any time at the exposed portion of the wall, moving quickly to the relative safety of the parts that were still in tact. Who could’ve done something like this? he didn’t remember making any more enemies.

No he was absolutely sure he hadn’t made any more enemies. That could only mean one thing.

“It’s Bazin.” Kairo informed, trying to keep his emotions at bay. “Armoury’s still at the same place? I’m helping, and there’s no way around that.”

 

[Da Doofus]

Stryx scowled, but then sighed.
“Fine.” He reached down and drew his sidearm. A 44K Roosevelt pistol with a short range sight attachment. “Take this and go to the shelter at the middle of the settlement. The unarmed colonists will be there, so protect them as best you can. Barricade it and hole.

I’m going to try and finish reestablishing our comms. If I do, use the emergency radio to contact the Noah.” He took Kairo’s hand and gripped the pistol into it.
“That’s an order.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

The gun landed in Kairo’s hand, giving him a sense of purpose. For once, there was no hesitation, he knew what he had to do. Gripping the firearm tightly, he looked back up at Commander Stryx. “I won’t let you down. Sir.” Kairo said, saluting the man. He wasn’t entirely sure how he must have appeared to the man, but there was determination and drive flowing through him. He figured that was what Stryx had seen from him as well.

He wasted no time, swiftly bolting towards the shelter. His mind focused on Dakovis. The destruction, the chaos, the people who died.

Bazin has already caused them so much pain and anguish. He’d taken so much away, and now he wanted more? Kairo would be damned if he let the ruthless warlord have his way.

His entrance to the shelter was far from graceful, opening the door so forcefully that the clang would echo throughout the space.That was one way to get everyone’s attention.

“LISTEN UP!” He shouted, rather unfamiliar with his comandeering voice. “As you know, we’re under attack. Stryx tasked me with making sure this shelter stays safe, and I’m not about to break a promise to the commander. Find something heavy and use it to barricade every opening you can find. Leave the front door for last so that the stragglers don’t get left outside.” There was a quick pause as he racked his head for anything he could’ve missed. “I‘ll do my best to keep you all safe. But you’ll all need to arm yourselves in case things don’t go as planned. Break some table legs, get something sharp, and be ready to fight as a last resort.”

 

[Da Doofus]

As Kairo progressed through the colony, gunfire would boom from the jungle near the wall itself. The Syndroids at their posts fired back after receiving a few rounds in their metal frames, not enough to put them down thankfully.
Men in the trees shouted threats and orders in an unknown but familiar language.

Bazin’s men were attacking on two fronts.
More mortar fire fell from the sky and destroyed one of the makeshift homes in a fiery blast of shrapnel and leftover smoke. Armed colonists frantically moved into position, and Stryx sprinted to the armory and drew a rifle just as grappling hooks clanged over the cliffside beyond the damaged wall.

“DeMarco!” Stryx shouted out the name of one of the volunteer sargeants.

“Sir!” Answered a nearby man currently loading an automatic rifle.

“Take your squad and support the Droids on the North wall.” Stryx ordered with his eyes focused on the distant hooks. “The rest of you set up a defensive position in the middle. Hold ground and fire at will.”
He cocked the rifle. “Short controlled bursts.”

“Commander . . .” A young woman spoke up. “Who’s attacking us?”

“Mercenaries.” Stryx answered. “Not all of them human so shoot what isn’t Republic.”
*****************

The workers and laborers of the camp hesitantly listened to Kairo’s words, but seemed to see the logic and weight of their meaning.

Two began dragging a table to the door while a few more checked out the armored windows at what progressed outside.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Immediately after giving his impromptu speech, Kairo began aiding the effort by heaving another table towards the door. He disregarded the waves of pain surging through his hand, using both his hands to carry the heavy piece of furniture.

As he did so, the sound of raging warfare could be heard visibly outside.

What concerned him the most was the distinctive crumpling sound of a collapsing building. That, coupled with the destroyed wall was nothing good. He hoped that whatever the enemy had been shooting, that it wouldn’t be strong enough to puncture through the shelter.

“We’re going to need everyone!” He called out to the colonists who’d chosen to sit down and do nothing but watch. “Please! Don’t be the reason we die.” He gritted his teeth in pain, his expression a mix between pleading and stern reprimand.

 

[Da Doofus]

Bazin’s mercenaries managed to shoot down one of the Syndroid guards. The metal husk toppled over the wall as a metal arrow zipped overhead and pierced the side of the storage shed. A thick rope was connecting the arrow to the upper tree line beyond, and soon men wearing armor like medieval soldiers began ziplining into the camp wielding bladed weapons and a few with bayoneted flintlock rifles.

“INCOMING!” One of the soldiers from Dakovis shouted, and opened fire on the first mercenary to pass over the wall. Her bullet pierced the man’s neck and he fell back over the wall with a spurting hole in his throat.
Two more arrows flew past as the small army rushed to swarm into the settlement.

Stryx had six armed colonists and a remaining soldier in cover ready to fire at the first invader to climb the cliff.
Another mortar whistled overhead and blasted down one of the generators.

In the blinding array of fire and flickering electricity, Stryx averted his eyes from the structural damage. “TAKE COVER!” He shouted, and his rag tag squad retreated further into the camp with the Commander remaining.

A hand gripped the ledge, and Stryx had his finger over the trigger and his eyes primed on the coming target.
Then he heard bare footfalls swiftly approaching him, and he spun around to catch the flank attacker with his metal arm.
A painted Vindav bandit hissed at the bionic elbow in his gut. It was the last sound the small Archo would make before a serrated combat knife found its way into his brain.
Stryx withdrew the knife, and glanced back to see two armored men with more advanced weaponry aiming at him from the cliff.

“Dammit.” He cursed, and evaded their wild automatic bursts and got into cover behind a metal crate.
Bullets ricocheted around him as another mortar exploded next to a colonist firing at a zip-lining attacker. His body flew aside, and was dead before hitting the ground.

Stryx held his nerve and peeked out of cover to fire at the suppressing riflemen. He fired three times with the semi-auto rifle and landed two on the one on the right.
Unfortunately a third and fourth emerged from the cliff and one picked up the dead merc’s weapon.

Chaos and gunfire rampaged as the surprise attack grew more and more disadvantageous for the Noah survivors.

 

[Chai_T3a]

The front door to the shelter was quickly barricaded and secured, leaving the residence inside with little to do but wait. This was the same fate met by Kairo at this moment, the Roosevelt pistol wedged under his arms. He waited impatiently for any kind of signal he could get from the emergency radio. What was taking Stryx so long?

Out of curiosity, he looked through one of the windows, attempting to gauge the state of the battle. The reason for the lack of said signal became clear then and there.

The ensuing battle outside was hellish in nature, and to his dismay, it looked like they were on the losing side of it. Stryx had his hand full, and the other colonists didn't seem to be doing any better. That poor colonist that was launched into the sky, caught in the crossfire of the explosion. Kairo felt his hand instinctually clenching the radio harder. There was nothing he could do to help, at least not at the moment. These people needed someone here to keep them safe, and Kairo was damn well going to make sure of it. He couldn't keep guard the unarmed colonists, and fight a war at the same time.

Or could he?

At that moment, Kairo saw the riflemen which had forced Stryx into a standstill. They were far away, but not far enough that he couldn't make a shot at them. He'd have the time to aim as well, considering he had the element of surprise. Looking down at the pistol, Kairo took a deep breath. If he was going to do this, he only had one chance.

Suppressing any apprehension he had, he approached one of the armoured windows. After directing the colonists away from this specific spot, he opened the thing just enough so he could attack. In a few moments, with the assistance of the short-ranged scope, Kairo shot at one of the riflemen holding Stryx in place. The pistol wasn't designed for anything long-ranged. But he wasn't going to forgive himself if he didn't at least give it a shot.

 

[Da Doofus]

At that range, the bullet missed its mark and none of the riflemen could even acknowledge the gunshot over the mass orchestra of firepower around them.

Footsteps thudded on the shelter’s roof, and clawed toes scratched the metal plating.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo wasn’t surprised by the failed attack, it had been a long shot to begin with. But he still couldn’t help but feel disappointed in himself by that fact. Closing the window, he settled back in the shelter. Alert to his surroundings so as to detect any immediate threats.

And thank gosh he did, because in almost no time since his failed attempt at shooting the riflemen, he could hear the distinct clatter of claws tapping on the roof. Whoever it was, they weren’t upon the shelter yet. But that could possibly change at any minute. Kairo readied then pistol, prepared to shoot for the kill the moment anything came to endanger the colonists.

 

[Da Doofus]

The Archos (most likely more Vindav bandits), trilled and spoke their language, albeit muffled, above everyone.
Almost all of the colonists eyed the ceiling, and expected something to happen in any moment.
Only two had their attentions elsewhere, two men huddled in a corner. One was quietly sobbing in terror as his partner held him in comfort.
The panicked man let out a brief cry, and the Vindav stopped talking to each other.

His partner shushed him and held him closer.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo body tensed as the muffled speech from outside was suddenly disrupted. That wasn’t good. Not at all. If the Vindav knew of their position, it wouldn’t be long until they tried to get to them.

He stifled his breathing, any minute lack of disruptions allowing him to pick up the feint sounds of activity outside.

 

[Da Doofus]

There was a brief thud of clawed feet on metal above them, then silence.

Gunfire continued outside, and then Kairo would hear the sudden pounding of three Vindav bearing clubs trying to break open the windows.
A woman shrieked, and one of the men grabbed an emergency crowbar from a sealed case and stood by Kairo.

“What are these things?” He asked frantically.

 

[Chai_T3a]

High off the adrenaline of the battle, Kairo has pretty much forgotten that most the colonists hadn’t known what he knew about this world.

“The enemy.” Kairo said, explaining things as quickly as possible. A detailed explanation would have to wait. He sized up his competition, it was 3 against 2. And he doubted the man beside him had much combat experience to begin with. They were at a disadvantage this close to the window. “Move back, don’t stand in front of the window.” Kairo said, he himself taking a few paces back. He wasn’t sure if the Vindav had any ranged weapons, but with those clubs? Kairo guessed moving back gave him a second or so to shoot at least one of them down.

 

[Da Doofus]

Behind the Vindav, mercenaries invaded the camp and tried their best to survive against the superior weaponry of the Republic volunteers. However, numbers were on their side and a few of the colonists were cut down by swords.
The Vindav hissed and continued to strike the protective glass.

A gun fired, and the first Vindav fell over. The other two looked left and two more rounds ended their futile assault.
Someone began knocking at the door, and it sounded like metal pounding on metal.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo for the most part ignored what was happening beyond the Vindav outside. He couldn’t focus on more then one thing at once. Especially not war. He kept the image of his fallen comrades at bay as he prepared himself for battle.

Which would never come, the Vindav wouldn’t even get to pierce the glass before a skilled shooter had taken them all down.

Kairo exhaled, sighing in relief as they avoided the impending battle. He wondered who’d been the one the shoot them all down, he’d have to thank them later.

As if on cue, a rasp at the door could be heard. Metal on Metal. Considering how unusual it was, Kairo was sure that distinct sound could of only meant one person was there.

To be sure, he checked a window near the door, hoping to get a glance of the individual trying to enter.