Troopers - Book 1

The March

                Major Thorne collected his dropped pistol and bounced over to the rest of the unit. They’d successfully contained the advance of the bugs from the canyon but the mound was constantly increasing.

                “Good of you to join us Sir. Orders?” Oakham said, a strange level of joy to his voice with the carnage in front of him.

                “Conserve Ammo. We have a long journey. Marauders, blow them into the canyon!” Thorne said; his confidence in orders doubled since their last engagement.

                “Yes Sir!” came over the comm. in unison from Morrigan and Medb. The two marauders changed their stance slight bracing to for ordnance; Morrigan’s M-9 launched three missiles and four grenades towards the oncoming swarm while continuing to fire rounds in burst from the Electric eight rotary cannon, Medb’s M-8 added to the salvo with another two rockets and two more grenades. The concentrated fire and explosive force erupted within the ranks of the swarm, arachnid mandibles’, legs and thorax’s burst into the air, the green fluid sprayed the sky in a mist. Shouts and laughter came over the comm. from Medb and Morrigan as they watch the explosives fireball engulfed more of the bugs, the fireball stretching upwards ignited the wings of hoppers and ripplers, their speed crushing them into the ground into a pile of chitin and gore.

                A deep rumble sounded; the troopers footing slipped and then a crack appeared swallowing the pile of bugs, the land continued to crumble it to an ever widening hole as it joined the canyon.

                “Move it troopers! Head to target!” Thorne ordered, the troopers all turned and engaged their jump jets bounding into the air to cover as much distance as possible. Morrigan turned her Chickenhawk and with the manipulators grabbed the epaulets of the co-pilots flight suit.

                “Hold on, and close your mouth!” She shouted over the speaker to him as she engaged the marauder’s own jump jets to follow the unit. Medb, went to engage her jump jets and nothing happened. She moved it forward as fast as it could, the heavy impacts of its feet causing the ground to slip away after it at an increased rate.

                “Come on!” Medb shouted, hit the button again. One of the feet slipped as the ground it was on shuddered under it. Pushing the controls harder the Ape M-8 Marauder lurched forward and continues its lumbering run ahead of the collapse.

                Luk glanced back to see what was causing the issue and watched Medb’s marauder disappear with the falling rock.

                “Major! Medb down, I repeat Medb down!” Luk screamed over the Comm. Thorne and Oakham spun in the air and watched the ground slow its drop, and the expanse of canyon halted its growth.

                “Medb come in! Medb Come in!” Thorne stated to the comm. There was no response over the Comm.

                “Troopers halt. Back to the canyon, prep lizard lines.” Thorne said. The troopers one by one landed and began running back.

                “Morrigan, keep that marauder back we don’t know how unstable it is, Aasith keep an eye out as well” Oakham added over the comm. Thorne looked over to him and nodded his appreciation.

*

                As the unit of troopers approached the edge slowly, they measured their paces so not to start another collapse. Morrigan dropped the co-pilot and then open the marauder’s hatch to speak.