The Autumn War Vol. 02: Remnants

Without the element of surprise, the Bug vehicles couldn't get too many shots in, quickly succumbing to the convoy's weapons. They slumped over, their limbs twitching as their fuel spilled out of them like blood, some of them burning with green fire as they cooked.

Hernandez whooped, pumping his fist in triumph.

"Look at those fuckers burn! You think we could eat that stuff? Just like baked lobster, right?"

"If you want to try, be my guest," Tatzi replied with a hiss of distaste.

They began to move again, one of the Kodiaks pushing its burning counterpart out of the way. The crew were toast - there was smoke coming from every opening in its hull. A few of the IFVs and tankettes remained behind, covering the damaged buggies, Evan watching them diminish behind the convoy. Unlike the Bugs, the Coalition made efforts to rescue their injured comrades, which meant that even failed attacks could take a toll on the company's overall strength.

More line charges fired ahead of the convoy, explosions echoing through the forest as the mines detonated. Each time they fired, they had to stop, prolonging the time the vehicles were vulnerable. The IFV suddenly shook around them, what sounded like one of the reactive armor panels on the roof going off. Shrapnel pinged off the hull, a barrage of rockets or maybe mortars peppering the surrounding area with explosions.

"Indirect fire," Simmons explained, tightening his harness. "Brace for more impacts. They'll probably saturate the area."

Just as the sergeant had suspected, another barrage quickly followed, but this one exploded like a shower of fireworks above the canopy. Behind them, one of the company's Kestrels drove into view, its camera dome scanning the sky frantically as it fired glowing streams of shells from its point defense guns.

"Come on, come on," Brooks hissed. "Get moving already!"

Finally, they cleared the minefield, the next spool of line charges failing to trigger any explosives. The formation spread out, able to space themselves properly now, bringing more of their weapons to bear.

In the trees ahead, a Scuttler configured with a multi-barreled mortar launcher in place of a turret came into view, starting to scurry backwards as the Kodiaks turned their sights on it. A coaxial plasma weapon mounted on its side began to fire, but it was quickly silenced as two shells blew it open, sending its limp body slumping against a nearby tree. Its lanky pilot was birthed from an opening beneath its carapace along with a torrent of fluid, the creature struggling to tear itself free of the umbilical cords that still linked its spine to the vehicle. It was quickly turned into a pus-colored mist by the chatter of an IFV's gun.

"I see the depot!" Evan said, the building coming into sight over the treetops ahead. He could make out a series of tall spires that rose high into the air, tapering into a subtle tip, kind of like a termite mound that had been stretched. Their walls were uneven, made from the same packed dirt sealed by hard resin that they had seen in other Bug structures. They were covered in a network of fleshy pipes, as though the entrails of some giant, disemboweled animal had been draped over them. They appeared to trail down to the ground, out of view from Evan's vantage point.

"What the fuck are those?" Hernandez wondered aloud. "Chimneys? Distillation towers, maybe?"

They came across the perimeter wall, another giant earthwork that formed an impassable barrier ahead of them, maybe ten meters high. More pillboxes had been built into its base at intervals, presumably accessed from the other side, opening up on the advancing vehicles. The Kodiaks quickly took them out, firing one after another, smoke and debris billowing from them as they were obliterated by the bunker-busting shells.

"I hope they're watching their fire," Simmons complained. "If one of those shells punches through and hits a fuel tank, this whole island is going to be turned into a crater."

"How are we even gonna get inside?" McKay asked. "I don't see no entrance."

"The Kodiaks are securing the perimeter," Simmons said as the tanks began to split into two groups, driving around the perimeter wall. More explosions shook the ground as they took out pillboxes, disabling the rest of the facility's defenses. "Once they're done, we can try to find a way inside."

"Can't we blast our way in?" Brooks asked. "The walls can't be that strong."

"Probably, but not without the risk of blowing up the plant," Simmons replied. "Tune your voltages down - minimum penetration. It's not going to stop a direct hit, but it might stop your slugs from punching through several layers of wall."

Evan did as he asked, accessing his XMR wirelessly via the display on his wrist, setting the voltage as low as it could go. A subsonic slug would still kill a Bug effectively, but it wouldn't penetrate nearly as far.

It was a tense wait for the all-clear. They were sitting on top of a powder keg that could go off at any moment. Finally, new orders came through, Simmons relaying them to the team.

"Okay, we're gonna dismount and see if we can find a way inside. Jarilans, it's your time to shine. Go sniff out the entrance."

Jade nodded, the three Drones jogging down the troop ramp, the rest of the squad following behind them. They fanned out into the surrounding forest in a loose formation, traipsing through the ferns, their Puma driving along behind them as they skirted the base of the vaguely circular wall. The seven other IFVs in the company split into two groups, heading in different directions, as did the Valbarans. The little creatures followed along in their buggies, their tankettes helping provide cover, crushing the undergrowth beneath their tracks. Evan could see one of the Kodiaks idling a few hundred meters ahead of them, its turret turned back to face the forest in case there were more Bugs lying in wait. There was a smoking pillbox next to it, the mound of soil and resin collapsed in on itself. A badly burnt body was lying beside it, partially buried in the rubble. It was a Drone that had tried to dig itself out, but it must have succumbed to its injuries in the process.

"What do you smell, Jade?" Brooks asked as he swept his rifle across the forest.

"A lot of alert pheromones," she replied, her antennae waving in the air. "We definitely threw a proverbial rock at the hornet's nest."

"If by proverbial rock you mean a HE shell," Brooks added.

Her two companions had moved further apart, covering a larger area. To their right, the other IFV teams were spreading out into the forest, expanding the search area as their Valbaran counterparts covered them. As Evan watched, a flock of the little reptiles dismounted from their buggy, moving in tandem as they fanned out to investigate one of the ruined bunkers.

There was a sudden chorus of gunfire, Evan shouldering his rifle. As he aimed it at the source of the sound, he saw that one of the squads had discovered some survivors inside a partially destroyed pillbox and were finishing them off. They were firing through a tunnel-like opening, a Marine leaning in to let off a few more shots into the damaged structure.

"I got something," one of the Jarilans said. It was Aster, if Evan remembered correctly. He was probably the only person in the squad who could tell any of them apart. "Smells like a tunnel entrance, somewhere ahead of us."

"Got it," Jade confirmed with a nod. "It's a ways East of us - carried on the wind, I think."

Simmons called it in, the teams coordinating, moving in the same direction. They marched through the forest like a search party looking for a missing hiker, leaving no stone unturned. The tropical foliage was less dense than what Evan was used to, letting him see further and giving the enemy less cover. He felt a lot more secure with the armored behemoth that was the Puma rolling along behind him, its blister scanning the trees ahead for targets.

There was a sudden movement, Simmons raising a fist in a gesture for them to halt. The IFV ground to a stop, the team taking a knee, one of the Valbaran tankettes rolling up beside them to provide cover. One of the aliens popped her helmeted head out of a hatch on the sloping front of the vehicle, peering into the forest beyond.

A few hundred meters ahead of them, there was a familiar mound of earth, Evan quickly identifying it as a tunnel entrance. It was larger than some of the others that he had seen, maybe three meters wide and just as high. Something was wriggling out of it. A large, crab-like leg emerged, then another, the thing starting to drag itself out into the open like a trapdoor spider crawling out of its lair. The tunnel was remarkably strong, the soil sealed in by a layer of shining resin, undisturbed by the movements of the creature. As more of its segmented limbs caught the sunlight, Evan concluded that it was another Scuttler, but he was proven wrong when more of its body came into view. Like the alien tanks, it sported a set of eight limbs, and it was covered in an armored shell that matched its environment. It had no turret, however. It was elongated, resembling a beetle with a fat, swollen abdomen that seemed to fit the tunnel with only a hair's width of clearance.

"What the fuck is that?" Hernandez asked, training his weapon it.

"Some kind of tank?" Evan wondered, watching the thing free itself from the tunnel. It began to march through the forest, the beak-like structure on its prow opening to let its sensory organ snake out on its long neck, its clusters of eyes and antennae taking in its surroundings. Rather than attack the observers, it turned away from them, quickening its pace. Evan could see now that the swollen abdomen was actually some kind of cylindrical tank, held in place by what looked like ribs of chitin that were gripping it like a giant hair clip.

There was a loud crack as the nearest Kodiak fired at the thing, the projectile whizzing over their heads, punching straight through a palm tree that was in its path. It traveled so quickly that there was no perceptible delay before it impacted, a bright flash darkening Evan's visor to the point that he couldn't see at all. He was deafened as his helmet muffled a loud boom, the ground beneath his feet shaking, a shockwave lifting him off his feet. He was tossed to the ground, the impact winding him, his visor clearing to reveal a mushroom-shaped cloud rising into the sky.

He sat up with some difficulty, seeing that there was nothing left of the alien vehicle save for a burning husk, dark smoke pouring from the charred remains as raging flames licked at the air. The trees all around it had been flattened by the blast, the nearby foliage burning. The rest of his team had been similarly incapacitated, groaning and cursing as they struggled to their feet, some of the nearby squads doing the same.

"Fuck, we'd be deaf if it wasn't for these helmets," Simmons said as he opened his visor to take in a strained breath. "What the fuck just happened?"

"I think it was carrying fuel," Jade replied, Evan helping her to her feet. He steadied her, the Jarilan grimacing as she leaned on him. "Fuck, my spiracles..."

The Jarilans didn't have ears, nor did they have lungs, so the pressure wave must have impacted them in other ways. He had no idea what she was feeling, but she seemed to be recovering quickly enough. A couple of Marines were helping her companions up, the insects unsteady on their feet.

"They must be trying to evacuate what fuel they can before we shut the place down," Evan added. "How do they get off the island, do you think? Maybe they walk along the lake bed."

"Probably more tunnels," Jade replied, Evan releasing her as she seemed to recover her sense of balance.

"Anyone hurt?" Simmons asked, turning to glance at his charges. "Someone tell the Kodiaks not to be so fucking trigger happy. We're lucky that thing didn't take the rest of the facility with it!"

"At least we know how they're gettin' in and out," Hernandez said, brushing some of the dirt off his armor. "You reckon we can get in through that Bug hole, Sarge?"

"Not with the vehicles," Simmons replied, turning to appraise the IFV. "They're too big. We'd have to go in on foot."

"Those look about the right size," Hernandez added as he gestured to the nearest tankette.

"We don't know that the tunnel surfaces inside the wall," McKay added, reaching up to straighten his helmet. "It could lead to some kind of underground loading area or something."

"We won't know until we take a look," Simmons added, bringing a finger to the side of his helmet. "This is Delta-seventeen - we've located a potential ingress point."

"I hope there are other tunnels because we're not gonna be able to get near that one as long as that fuel tanker is burning," Jade said. "What the hell is that? Smells like liquid methane of some kind."

"Delta-five has found another one," Simmons announced. "Looks like we have our way inside."

CHAPTER 5: FUEL FOR THE FIRE

When they arrived at the mouth of the second tunnel, the SWAR team were already preparing to venture inside. Their black APC was parked nearby, and they were checking their gear, one of them talking to the flock of Valbarans who had given the briefing at the start of the operation. Several Kodiaks had formed a protective perimeter, their engines idling as they stood guard, and a few of the alien vehicles had lined up nearby. It looked like Hernandez had been right - they might try to send them through the tunnel if the SWAR guys found an exit into the compound on the other end. The tankettes were slightly shorter and narrower than the tanker Bug had been and would probably be able to make it through.

"Here's the plan," Simmons said, relaying their new orders. "The Spec-Ops guys are going in first, and if they find a way through, we're going in after them. Our job will be to secure the exit and lock it down until the Valbarans can get their vehicles inside the wall. If the tunnel leads to some kind of underground facility, the Valbarans will follow us in on foot, and we'll start the clearing operation."

Evan watched as the SWAR operatives lined up outside the tunnel, then moved into the shadowy opening one by one, their rifles at the ready. He noted that they didn't have any Jarilans with them, despite the fact that every IFV in the company had been assigned a trio of the aliens. Did they have some means to detect pheromones on their own, or were they just that averse to working with the insects? They must have a lot more autonomy than the average Marine, judging by their unorthodox gear, so maybe that was a decision that they had the authority to make.

"I'm glad we're not goin' first," Hernandez muttered, shifting his weight uncomfortably. "You ever been inside a Bug hole before, Evan?"

He took a moment to decide whether it was an off-color joke or a genuine question, eyeing his friend suspiciously through his visor.

"Nah, can't say that I have."

"I've spent a lot of time in hives," Jade added, walking over to join them. "I lived in one for most of my life. As long as you can sense pheromones, you won't stand any chance of getting lost, and it's not as dark as it looks. At least back home, we had bioluminescent fungi that grew on the ceiling to provide illumination."

"We have night-vision, so I'm not too worried about that," Hernandez replied. "I just...don't like enclosed spaces, y'know?"

"You live on an assault carrier," Evan scoffed. "Your quarters are about the size of a walk-in freezer. How the hell can you be claustrophobic?"

"I dunno," he replied with a shrug, eyeing the mouth of the tunnel warily. "Maybe it's somethin' about havin' a thousand tons of earth over my head."

Evan's heart skipped a beat as the sound of far-off gunfire echoed through the tunnel. He exchanged a worried glance with his companions, sliding down his visor preemptively. After a few more minutes of tense waiting, the SWAR team reemerged. They looked none the worse for wear, though one of their number was splattered with Bug juice, the mucous-colored fluid sticking to his visor and his prosthetic forearm.

Delta company's lieutenant and the flock of Valbaran commanders stepped forward, Evan listening in as the Spec-Ops team gave their report.

"The tunnel comes out into some kind of courtyard," the man with the cockroach-themed faceplate began. "It'll put us inside the compound, on the other side of the wall. We need to send in the armor first because they'll be expecting us. We cleared the tunnel on our way through, but that doesn't mean they won't send more of 'em in after us."

"Then we shall send in the Cozat'li tankettes first," one of the Valbarans said, turning to her companions as the panels on their suits flashed in colored patterns.

"They will form a safe perimeter and cover the infantry as they emerge," another added.

"It's all the cover we're gonna have, so I hope those things can take a hit," the operative replied skeptically. "And for fuck's sake, watch your fire. You all saw how that tanker went up."

"I will tell my Commandos to be careful," one of the Valbarans said. "Don't worry, they will do their jobs."

"We could send in the Bugs first," another member of the SWAR team added. He was clad in black Marine armor that had an exaggerated ballistic collar, the exposed forearms of his prosthetics patterned with elaborate tattoos that looked like they had been laser-etched into the polymer. He took a step forward, leaning his heavy XMR over his shoulder. It was configured as an assault rifle, but the attachments and tightly-packed coils made it look heavy enough that an unaugmented person would have trouble carrying it. Like his friends, his matte black visor was decorated with a decal - this one a stylized smiley face that came off distinctly sinister. "They're expendable," he added, nodding to Jade and her companions. "Let them take the first volley, then we can move up behind them and get a better idea of where the shooters are."

Hernandez glanced over at Evan warily, perhaps wondering if he was about to start a fight with someone who could clearly rip his arms out of their sockets. Evan knew better now, keeping quiet as he stared daggers at the operative through his opaque visor.

"Not an option," the lieutenant replied sternly. "The Jarilans are Coalition auxiliaries."

"If you say so," the operative replied with a shrug. No Marine would dare talk to a superior officer like that. Were these guys even part of the Navy's chain of command, or did they answer directly to the admiralty?

"Alright, let's get those tanks rolling," the roach guy said as he waved the idling vehicles forward. "Leave the buggies - they'll only get in the way."

The Marines began to line up near the tunnel, the UNN vehicles covering them. The company numbered almost a hundred men, and that was without the Jarilans. Combined with almost the same number of Valbarans, there were too many people to make it through without causing dangerous holdups. The commanders chose around sixty people - three squads of Marines and their Jarilan auxiliaries, and two squads of Valbaran Commandos. The SWAR team would lead them. Six of the tankettes would drive ahead of the infantry to secure the exit, while the rest would follow behind.

"Of course we would get picked," Hernandez grumbled as he checked the magazine on his XMR. "I'm startin' to wish we weren't so good at our jobs."

"What do you think about the Valbarans?" Evan asked, nodding in the direction of the little aliens.

Two squads of six were gearing up nearby, loading PDWs and tightening the belts on their rigs. They seemed to have adopted mostly standard Coalition gear, but their outfits were nothing like those worn by UNN Marines. Their pressure suits clung to their figures, patterned with red and orange camouflage, sporting odd color panels on the forearms and on the twin cables that hung from the backs of their heads. The ceramic plates that they wore were mounted beneath the surface, only covering the chest and thighs as far as Evan could tell. Their helmets followed the shape of their snouts, with a dark visor that closed over their scaly faces like a jaw.