The Rätten's agonized screams and squeaks can be heard from any direction, echoing throughout the Zone and giving a chilling sensation to the four members of the Purple Bitch Squad.
None of their previous incursions were this crude. The smoke in the air is thick, mixed with traces of blood, burnt flesh. Ashes and soot falling like snowflakes.
They are not cold or hot, just blant and filthy, staining the environment with a greyish layer that is covering the dark soil along the disbelieved faces of the four females in the group.
The comments are in an uproar of cheers for the magnificent work eliminating the threat.
This denotes how detached the viewers can be, at least since they are in the safety of their houses.
But is not their fault. They simply lack a real understanding of how dire can become the situation for them, if the Group and the Platoons stationed outside the Zone, are not able to stop the advance of the Rätten's Troops.
"I am receiving a strange energy lecture from the Zone's border". The phrase of Madame Lamar makes almost no sense, the border of a Zone is an inviolable division that separates the space contained within the Zone and prevents the foreign mass from merging with Dhägna'Hür and unleash chaos.
A misconception that everyone in the world is about to learn.
The white edge of the Zone's border looks like an immaterial dome but is an actual sphere.
The division is rapidly getting less bright and ethereal, adopting a physical appearance as it turns translucent.
Suddenly, a part shatters like glass under high pressure, the frontier doesn't vanish, simply gets more transparent.
The Zone is in truth an enclosed part of another world, more precisely, the moon of an equally habitable Planet. Location that can be seen in the now observable blue sky.
The inhabitants at the other side of the border are not the Rätten, if not another group of unknown species that resemble pangolins, armadillos, otters and opossums. Yet, they give the impression of not being too happy about their neighbors being invaded.
Differently to the Rättens, the Coalition Troops are in a whole different bracket.
Tanks and Mechs are surrounding the area, Helicopters, Drones, Tactical Bombers and Fighter Jets hovering the sky with their guns loaded and pointed to the Zone.
Along a Space Carrier escorted by five Frigates stationed in the moon's low orbit.
The opening in the frontier is holded by a massive ram that opens its tip and functions like a tunnel. Allowing the entrance of crouching Infantry Soldiers who wear an advance Combat Exoskeleton and carry Railguns as their main weapon.
Although a couple of Squad members have a better gear that is basically a Powersuit with or without, additional cybernetic limbs.
Marry_Me_Lidi-Di: "What is going on?!".
Morgan_90: "That is not possible!. The frontier is impenetrable".
Mastur-Bait: "Is clear that can be pierced!. This dudes just did it!".
The group is astonished and confused. A sentiment that increases when the Coalition Troops ignore the Zone's entrance and advance to one of the underground tunnels.
"They are behind the Zone Nucleus!". The scream of Lidia is not seriously taken by Veanive. "Just like our group. What is the problem if they want to do our job for us?".
"I don't think they want to destroy it. And seeing their equipment". Madame Lamar does a pause, trying to cope up with the weird development. "They might be able to snatch the Zone Nucleus".
"What?!. That is insane!. With what purpose they would want to do that, Lamar?". The complain of Veanive is disregarded with Sonia's reply "Who cares!. They broke the frontier. We cannot do that. Are we really going to fight them?".
"She has a point. Right, N'Ïrk?. N'Ïrk, why are you not talking?". Asks Lidia as she looks around and doesn't see the young man. "Where is N'Ïrk?!".
Madame Lamar search with her drones and manages to glance the moment in which N'Ïrk jumps in one of the hollow pines. "He is already running to the Zone Nucleus".
"Why did you bring him, Lamar!. He is just robbing the spotlight!". *Argh!*. "All men are equal!. Self centered hedonists who don't enjoy the ride!".
"Who cares!. If you don't know how to mount them, perhaps you are the problem!".
Sonia's phrase enrages Veanive, aiming her pistol to her comrade, while the former points her Automatic Shotgun to the Boss Babe Bombshell.
"Stop this at once!". Orders Madame Lamar, as Lidia doesn't know how to react. Their Squad had occasional friction, but nothing like actually being ready to tear each other apart.
"It doesn't matter what any of the two thinks of the other. We are in a serious trouble. The Zone Nucleus must be destroyed to ensure the Frontier is encapsulated. Otherwise, the army waiting outside is far of what we can deal with. And even Dhägna'Hür will be in danger, not just this group that is falling like a card castle".
"But he!…". Exclaims Veanive, who is instantly silenced by Madame Lamar. "He is the only one with the mind cold enough to understand the problem before i foresee a viable answer. Or he is hot headed battle junky that doesn't like to lose. In any case, our mission hasn't changed at all. Kill any hostile and destroy the Zone Nucleus. Is simple and straightforward. Later you two can brawl each other, or whatever Lesbians like you, Veanive, like to do"…
«•»
Meanwhile. N'Ïrk is baffled with the base damage of his Battle Rifle. No incantations or better ammo employed, just him being trailed by two drones of Madame Lamar.
"She has to make this toys more stealthy. I still can see and hear them".
The young man always speaks his mind out. Literally. He doesn't has internal dialogues with himself. He actually talks aloud every single thing he wants to express.
*Oops*. "Shit!. I pass the tunnel". Turning around and using the first deviation, N'Ïrk continues toward the Vault's location, swiftly shooting down every Rätten he encounters along the way.
The normal bullets can't harm the young man's skin, or the Porter's Attire. Yet, his movement, reflexes and dexterity are fast enough to evade the stranded projectiles that fly in his direction. As this nuisances function more like a reminder of him being attacked, rather than being a real trouble for the young man.
This doesn't apply outside the Vault. The Coalition Troops have Railguns, and the hyper accelerated steel bullets fired by them, fly three times faster than regular ammo of cooper and antimony, but hit almost twenty times harder because of the electrical conductivity of the steel and the plasma layer formed around the projectile due to the friction with the air.
Instead of attempting to dodge. N'Ïrk uses his Armored Mittens. The gauntlets emit the two narrow hexagon barriers and receive a large volley of hypersonic rounds.
The obvious intention of the Coalition Troops is evident as they kill the Rättens coming from the other side of the passage. Ensuring the access to the Vault goes smoothly with no further interruptions.
"Not on my watch party poopers!". N'Ïrk extends his right hand, aiming it to the Vault's door.
"«Ïrk»". He pronounce with a guttural feral voice. Shooting a whitish silver slightly bluish bolt of energy that impacts on its intended target, detonating like an actual nuke.
The Neutronic Warhead is one of the most powerful attacks in the Empiric Arsenal of all the natives in Dhägna'Hür. Yet, his strongest point is its versatility. As compressing the Ammunition can result in doing a Neutronium Bullet. Far dangerous to harm single target. But not as devastating as its original form.
The explosion is way larger of what N'Ïrk had calculated, even after he took into account his new latency. Unbeknown to him. He forgot the amplified natural compatibility he possess and how it got altered after becoming an Enrouted.
The flash of silverish bluish light engulfs the inmediations, pushing violently everything in its path. Sending N'Ïrk all the way back until he crashes against the wall, cushioned by his backpack and protected by the energy barrier of his gauntlets and its body revetment. The Empiric Energy Shield, «Emeneld».