Gabatrix: The Cipra Campaign

Prologue

 

 

“There is no doubt that failure and setbacks are to occur. When it happens, it’s the responsibility of the group to try again. Fight for what you had lost and reclaim it so that when we achieve that goal, the achievement is ever the more remarkable.” Gabatrix’s comments when he was being arrested after the “Gabatrix Experiment.”

 

……. A terrible defeat lurks in the hearts of humanity. The battle scar it leaves is like a cancer that threatens to spread if not treated…..

 

……. Cipra is under the sights of the UWA once again. Humanity must reclaim the colony world, whatever the cost…..

 

……. With the help of the allied T’rintar clan, the UHN is about to unleash Operation Desert Shrike. The time to retake the defeated colony draws near…… 

Chapter 1: The 3^rd of October 2349 AD (Prelude)

Space….Outside, we stare at the endless infinite of stars. Using the light spectrum, we are surrounded by a sea of darkness. It’s a journey that takes us 355 light-years from the Sol sector. Up, down, left, right….it doesn’t matter. There is nothing here but the endless dots of burning balls of light. With nothing to constrain us, we simply float in the expanse of nothingness. 

There is a solemn beauty to the environment. For those who call themselves humanity, it has been a source of wonder and spiritual enlightenment, but it can also bring loneliness. Many simply see it as an obstacle. This nothingness is so vast that even simple trips on Earth feel appallingly long when trying to reach new locations far beyond our solar system. The humans who have created their technology to survive in it are gifted with both a profound moment of glee and excitement and one of fear and trepidation. As we float free in the endless vacuum of space, we have every aspect of view available to us. It is one that is easily distinguishable as a four-dimensional plane. 

Of course, such a system has to have four dimensions in order to exist properly, at least to how humans observe it. We have depth. We have length. We have breadth, and…..we have time. Even in the vast blackness of space, we have a pleasant view of the cosmos. In the Milky Way Galaxy, we are bombarded with endless amounts of cosmic radiation. The darkness isn’t infinite, as the millions of stars glow and radiate to us. 

As we stand here floating in the expanse of nothingness, we look at the different glowing orbs. Some are stars. Some are pulsars. Their ongoing reactions are the only sign to us that this ever-expanding realm is active. Billions of years ago, such a concept was unheard of. Everything was much closer together. Space travel was so much easier, but it was more than evident that things were far more dangerous to contend with. In our evolution, we were more than fortunate that we managed to escape this location and go beyond this universe. 

However, leaving this plane of existence means leaving behind anything we may miss out on. Trillions upon trillions of stars leave countless opportunities to learn the intricate forms of life that can exist. It is why you are here, aren’t you? Even now, we have the chance to go anywhere in the universe. But you decide to be close to a place that you seem to focus much attention on. No doubt there are profound reasons as to why. Humanity has a unique opportunity among the many species that operate like them. Their ability to adapt and survive against hardships is a story of triumph. Like the few, they just might make it. Countless other species have not. Whether by choice, the actions of others, or cosmic events, the few species that manage to survive to reach the next realm have their own stories to tell. 

Instead, it’s my goal to help you learn more about how the universe works. Whether it is fate or simple natural progression, this universe cannot survive forever. Even if time is graciously on our side, the evolving species here will have to learn to adapt to these changes. Time is a flickering concept. It’s always moving, unending, and never ceases. Without it, the laws of this universe collapse on itself. One can bend and manipulate it if one eventually reaches such an ability. However, the ability to do such a thing usually requires elements beyond this universe or a far greater power than most ever imagine. 

Thankfully, we treasure this ability. Witnessing past events is a gift. It’s something that can’t be abused but allows us to do enough that the species we observe may get their second chance at survival. Maybe it can be a third chance as well.            

As this is said, our view is focused on a brightening light in the vastness of space. It’s time to witness an event that happens throughout the entire universe. The past has finally caught up to us as the glowing dots grow brighter. It’s still so far away that it’s impossible to illuminate the entire scene, but our vision has been used to seeing this sort of change for some time. It started as nothing, originating from a distant, tiny dot. The brightening is enough that one would think that a new star appeared out of nowhere.

We will not travel to this location. We don’t need to go there. Instead, we hold out our hands. Before us, the tiny glowing white dot is enlarged in the image. We magnify what holds our attention. Such ways of manipulating our sight are ones that are often less appealing. The joy of traveling to vast locations in the cosmos is often relaxing, but I know you well enough. You wish to be here because you want to be close to the humans…..and perhaps the Itreans.

As the image gets bigger and bigger, we can see that this glowing dot originates from a distant galaxy. Humans have called this galaxy NGC 4526. It is a lenticular galaxy over 55 million light-years away. It serves as an intermediate between the elliptical and spiral-type galaxies. At the center of this formation is a bright, yellow-and-reddish glow. Outside it is a large dark disk that revolves around its bright central mass. Unlike the Milky Way Galaxy, the disk carries almost no revolving “arms." The bright center only reveals the illumination of the revolving mass. It’s quite unique to look upon. One can easily say that there are no stars there, but that is far from the truth. We know better because one of these galaxies was our home….perhaps more.

Our attention, however, is not the galaxy itself but the glowing dot of light that continues to get brighter. It sits outside of the revolving disc, most likely on the far edge of the orbital pattern. Possibly, it has been knocked out of the galaxy or is going to get swallowed up by the stellar mass. This gives us a unique opportunity to see the full length of this cosmic phenomenon. We continue to magnify this image. Eventually, our sights reveal the cause of this brightening light. 

As our eyes adjust to the great intensity, we see a pair of binary stars. The common dancing stars twirl around one another. The sibling partners are ones that are often seen in the universe. Brothers….sisters….they will remain together for as long as they can until some other massive object tears them apart. Of course, that is only a minor chance. Instead, the greatest threat to binary stars is themselves. Their natural age is revealed to us as we look upon it. One star has aged faster than its counterpart. Both of them were G-type stars locked together. One of them had long turned into a white dwarf, expelling almost all of its matter into the universe. The other is a red giant, the younger sibling of the two. 

Even if its glory days are long gone, the white dwarf star is hungry. It’s playing a slow role in the demise of its companion. The dying star's intense gravity pulls matter from the red giant. The trail of glowing dust and hydrogen is being swallowed up, but the mouth can only feed on so much. The small dot has instead consumed too much. The white dwarf instead overconsumes its sibling. The mass that it draws in builds up on the surface until the star can handle it no more. An enormous explosion of light has occurred. It fills the spectrum and continues to glow brightly. We have witnessed a carbon detonation. Humans tend to call these types of explosions a Type 1a supernova, although they have many categories to narrow this down. The white dwarf has sent a shockwave of cosmic radiation and intense light. Essentially, in so many words, the star is throwing up. 

The regrettable fact is one of astounding beauty. One can view the white dwarf star as a vampire. It loved its sibling, but it must survive at whatever cost. It must consume to continue its life. Instead, it jettisons the exploding matter far from itself. Many of the beautiful nebulae that we have seen so far are these types of perpetrators. It is possible that this star that orbits near NGC 4526 may desire more in the future. It might stay as it is as it continues to draw more matter from its other star. It’s even possible for it to become a brand-new star as it eats the life from the other. If the orbit between them decays and draws them closer, it could easily result in an explosion far greater than what we are seeing now. 

Everything you are seeing at this moment matters because what we are seeing is the past. It took 55 million years for this light to reach us. Others witnessed the tale of these two simple stars long before we did. Even from where we are observing, humans have already seen it as far back as 1994 on their calendars. Now it is our turn to see the famed event. Everything that we see is history. Light is a fast-moving process but is still limited by the sheer size of the universe. It is easy to surmise that many of these stars that we see right now have long been dead or have become something else. At the same time, new stars have long been formed. This prevalent life cycle is reflected in the history of humans and Itreans. 

Mankind has long been recovering from the shock of discovering another alien species. The Itreans have been a source of wonder; both fear-invoking and inspirational at the same time. Their history is one of hardship in the Milky Way Galaxy. At the same time, however, we have never truly lost hope in them. It is only a hope to us that they don’t turn out to be that white dwarf star, consuming and obliterating humanity in the process. 

The reality of the Itreans, more specifically, the Aksren clan, is that of momentum. This subspecies of the Itrean race is easily reflected in the beliefs of the other clan species. The humans view the Aksren clan as holistically evil. The Shal’rein clan views them as a powerful but dangerous nuisance. The T’rintar clan is probably the most unique. Most of them tend to view them as dangerous adversaries, confounding, and almost unstoppable. The truth, however, is revealed only in their history: the Aksren clan initially controlled the galaxy and the entire fate of the Itrean species. Only one species managed to accomplish that task, but it slowly lost it over time. 

A simple wave of the hand and the image of the binary stars are gone. Instead, the darkness of space reflects that of a single picture image that appears before us. It is that of a single Aksren. The anthro oviraptor is shorter than the typical human being. He is sitting on a lavish throne adorned with gems from every planet that belongs to the former Empire of Yol’ikren. His smooth, scaled skin is red and brown. He generally looks the same as many of the Aksren of his kind, but the clothing and persona that he gives off are those of royalty. From the brief but controllable smile that he has, it is easy to deduce that he knows that he has the respect of the crowds. He knows that people like him and worship him and that he must tend to their needs as well. The clothing is that of a long cloak of white fur. From his torso, he has a ruby shirt and brown silk pants. 

When others compare this image to other Aksren emperors, they find only a few who reflect this attitude. The leader we see here is a commoner. He does not want the others to view him as the luxurious elite, even if he was born of nobility. He was raised to treat others as second-class citizens, but that isn’t what he desires. In the four-digit left-hand of this leader is that of a small scepter. At the top of this icon is a holographic display showing warship schematics. His face is almost drawn to this image as if he desires it more than anything else. His long brown tail flows off the throne and down to the ground. His posture is that of assurance. 

There is much more to this picture and image. While drawn to the image on his scepter, his view is of others who seem to be around him. A small amount of light reflecting off his gold-plated, adorned, protruding nose crest shows other Itrean hands, most likely feminine by their portrayal. According to many Itrean historians, this was how the emperor wanted his picture to be taken. There are two pairs of Itrean hands or arms. One is that of red and brown, similar to his. The famed mated woman who would become empress shows care, concern, and pride towards the emperor. However, this comes into question, as the hand can be withdrawn at a moment's notice, almost as if the emperor knows it. The other hand is grayish and has fins protruding near the elbow. 

A purple gold-plated ring could be seen on one of the four-digit fingers. The hand is much bigger than his. Even more perplexing, the Itreans know she is a Shal'rein, a prize of the emperor's conquest, but much more.

These hands and posture show that of outright love, desire, and caring. Despite the leader's view of the image, his gaze seems pulled toward this Shal’rein woman, rumored to be a lover and mistress. His other free hand is drawn towards her as a form of lingering desire to have her.

This image that we observe is that of Emperor Jalgren the Great, one of the most famous Itreans to exist in the Itrean Era of New Space. Many humans learning about Itrean history have nothing but incredible reports about this singular individual. No doubt, Jalgren is one of the pinnacle characters that would shape the destiny of all Itreans. His reputation is surprisingly respected by all of the Itrean subspecies, even if he was a warlord and powerful ruler. 

Jalgren the Great was, by many, the most idealistic and successful of future rulers. He had access to one of the best shipyards in the most powerful Aksren Empire of the long-deceased Yol’ikren the Great. Jalgren was speculated to be a family descendant of Yol’ikren, even if the bloodline had long faded into obscurity. Instead, he treasured and valued the things he enjoyed most during his childhood. He loved spaceships. Humans often compare Jalgren to an Itrean Peter the Great mixed with attributes from Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan. If anything, he managed to succeed and survive far greater than those previous examples. It was widely spoken that a few Yutilians and Shal’rein who lived in the brutally racist and casteful conditions of the Yol'likren empire had taught and introduced ideals into the young future leader. He became sympathetic but realistic to the environment that the Itreans lived under. 

What makes Jalgren a renowned individual is that he got his wish. When he wasn’t delegating the tedious orders of leadership, he was at the orbital shipyards working with fellow construction workers or designers. His love and passion were never-ending, and he picked up on every little detail on how to make the best spaceships that could ever operate. 

In time, Jalgren realized that Renlar, his planet, and the Empire of Yol’ikren could very well seize upon the critical assets of other worlds. To control space was to control the destiny of future civilizations. He used his skills to design brand-new warships that he believed would change the tide of future warfare. With the immense resources, technical innovation, and careful negotiation, Jalgren would begin to spread his influence. One by one, solar system after solar system would fall to his fleets. Other Aksren empires had no choice but to agree to his actions. Yutilians, Shal’rein, Palierans, and the Alara’jal clans would watch as their fleet assets would succumb to Jalgren’s ingenuity and power-hungry maneuvering to conquer the known galaxy.

Jalgren was never the sort of individual who believed in exterminating the other. He was the first emperor to wipe out all opposition successfully, but many viewed him as a gracious victor. To him, he was “liberating” the clan species from the atrocities and decadence that the clan’s internal governments, warlords, and leaders had brought towards their own people. Even other clan species can later acclaim that, in some respects, the Aksren emperor was a genuine hero. The Alara’jal and Shal’rein were just the prime examples of a people that focused on fighting amongst themselves to the point of barbaric brutality. When Jalgren rode through, the devastated Shal’rein and Alara’jal fleets were obliterated. When the emperor announced his victory, the defeated populations feared the worst. They believed that the nuclear bombs were to fall upon their world, but the Aksren wanted none of it.

It was here that many viewed Jalgren the Great as an Itrean uniter. Cohesion was his main goal as he continued to fight the Yutilians and the others who continued to resist him. He fulfilled his promise by passing reform after reform. Even if parts of the population were against him, his word was law. He wanted equality for the defeated subspecies. Their cultural views, beliefs, traditions, and practices would slowly bleed into Renlar culture and spread in all directions, while Aksren ideals, language, and moralism would fall upon them in turn. Now named the Empire of Jalgren, it would spread outward and control all of Itrean space. By the end of his life, he watched as the last vestiges of Itreans would surrender to his growing superpower. Within 200 years, Jalgren controlled a quarter of the Milky Way Galaxy. While humans were still in their most infantile pre-civilization stage, the Aksren clan ruled and dominated everything.

A single Aksren was all it took for the lives of trillions to be affected. Jalgren’s legacy was profound. It was known as 20,000 years of peace, as more and more non-Aksren adjusted to life among the Aksren clan. To this day, all the Itreans at least understand the U’ck’ck language, the words that can be spoken from planet to planet. Some often compare the Empire of Jalgren to that of the Roman Empire on Earth, both in personality, culture, and economic prosperity. Slavery and castes were all but nonexistent. 

However, Jalgren’s empire was never to last. Not everyone cherished his idealism and openness to others. Some in the Aksren clan were raised in a cloud of elitism, outright bigotry, and racism. Ten thousand years ago, the empire was no more. Despite all efforts to establish unity, the clans splintered off and fought one another once again. Determination to eradicate the other was paramount. Violence would return as the few Itreans dreamed of the Yol'ikren age or the later crumbling glory days of the Jalgren Empire. By the time we are talking, five of the Aksren empires are united under economic and partnership treaties. The Empire of Itsis is the remnant of the Empire of Jalgren and desires to create a galaxy under the rule of Aksren, maintaining it by any means necessary.

Why is all of this important? You already have that answer. The knowledge of the Itreans is now bleeding into the human race. Like the two binary stars we just witnessed, one star may consume the other. However, it’s also possible that the two stars can combine to become a new star that will burn brighter than anyone can ever imagine. Mankind has essential choices to make in its long future. There are consequences with every action or inaction that they make. The only way to help answer those questions is to analyze the past thoroughly. The interactions and sacrifices of a single individual can influence billions to trillions. Even if there are far fewer humans than Itreans, the single impact of their discovery can become beneficial. Each of the clan species also has its own choices to make if they are going to survive indefinitely. 

With a simple wave of the hand, the image of Jalgren fades into obscurity, replaced by the great field of stars. We say goodbye to this location as we must return to a time and place that we already know. We begin to move, watching as the burning balls of gas rush past us. We don’t have far to go. Occasional small nebulae, cosmic phenomena, and natural space debris rush past us as we go beyond the speed of light. 

You know this time. This was the day that the humans learned about the creation of Minerva. Much more happened, but not just on one ship. Our destination takes us to that same time, but at a different location, one where our story will begin and possibly end, depending on the outcome of the choices and actions made. We must view the past if we are to learn of future events. 

The stream of stars begins to slow down drastically as we approach a singular star system. This star is much like that of Sol. It is a G-Type with a bright yellow hue. Located in the Tucana constellation back on Earth, it is known as HD 4308. It is 72 light-years from Earth and is simple but elegant. Unlike the crowded nature of the Sol system, this solar system only consists of four planets. The furthest planet of Dakra is a gas giant that we almost can’t see until we fly past it. It consists of light-absorbing gases that make it appear reddish-black. Even the orbiting moons reveal more than what the planet shows.

We get closer and closer to the star until we can see the transpiring events. We are nearing our destination. A single orbiting planet is seen, but there are flashes that can also be observed. These are not natural and consist of a variety of explosions. We get closer and closer until we can define what the planet looks like. It is mostly yellow, with hints of white clouds, brown mountaintops, and very faint signs of green. The singular green is isolated in a large crevice and canyon valley. Hints of ice have formed on the high canyon walls, with small amounts of water at the top of the north pole. The enormous flat terrain of hot, arid sand consists of 85% of the world’s environment. It is easy for others to see that this is a desert world but a habitable one nonetheless. 

Ah….it appears that you do know of this place. Yes, this is the colony of Cipra, and we are about to witness an event that is going to transpire. Nothing more needs to be said, as we are close enough to see that the explosions are coming from orbit. It is a battle consisting of two sides. The UHN battleships are taking losses. On the other side, in the great distance, is an Itrean fleet of the Aksren clan. Hundreds of tiny red dots fire salvos of hypervelocity rounds and guided missiles at the beleaguered defense force. Humanity is outnumbered and outgunned. 

We are close enough to see one of the UHN warships, a Magellan-class battleship named the UHN Champlain. It is a cylindrical vessel with a series of eight missile tubes in the front bow. On the mid-dorsal and ventral sides is a railgun turret with AIO turrets dotting the front mid-section of the vessel. The centripetal rotating ring persists near the rear engine and reactor module. The Champlain survived the defeat at Eutera, but you know her fate. The warship is fighting for its very life. Much like every UHN vessel that is present, the men and women will fight to the bitter end if need be. The act of courage and defiance isn’t enough. The Aksren clan simply has sheer numbers on their side. The only hope that the UHN can offer is to stop the waves of missiles from impacting their targets. 

Cipra is losing this fight. The Itreans have struck the humans with simplicity as a powerful, crushing force. The warship captains decide to either protect themselves or save the escaping ships from the planet. A series of boxlike transports can be seen leaving Cipra. Their destination is that of a tethered ring in orbit. The gate array is still functioning, but its array of defense weapons is not enough to protect the escaping ships that are fleeing to it. 

The intercept missiles and flak fire from the UHN warships litter the region of space, but it’s barely enough. The Aksren clan has resorted to a simple, slow siege. More and more of their ships have been appearing to the point that the UHN can’t do anything to counter it. The Itrean missiles and torpedoes flutter and move around with unending speed and ferocity. For every two missiles that are shot down, another one simply gets through. The results are unfavorable to the escaping civilian vessels. We watch as the Cortes, another UHN battleship, closes near the gate array. It isn’t trying to flee from the battle as a folding wormhole opens in the array ring. It seems that the Cortes is trying to protect these four boxy-looking transports. Their engines are working as hard as possible. Blue flames radiate from the thruster nodules, propelling them to ever-greater speeds. 

Nothing can be done as two large anti-ship Itrean torpedoes near one of the transports. The Cortes manages to shoot down one of the torpedoes as another missile strikes into the mid-section of the vessel. The battleship crews know that they can handle some of the damage, but the escaping Cipran population transports cannot. The AIO turrets rotate and try to target the last incoming torpedo, but it is too late. The Aksren warhead is a cluster missile designed to separate into four smaller homing munitions. Each missile zips past at incredible speed, flying toward its intended target. 

One by one, each of the transports is struck by one of these smaller missiles. The results are devastating. While the missiles are not nuclear-tipped, they carry enough explosives to penetrate and obliterate everything from within the transports. The hulls explode into tiny debris that showers towards the direction of the gate array. Meanwhile, the Cortes resumes firing at the incoming munitions that come raining down towards her and the planet below. 

A large explosion erupts in the UHN fleet formation. The Champlain, one of the battleships, has taken multiple hits from incoming missiles. The last of these munitions was a nuclear warhead. They slam into the weakened hull of the battleship in tandem. Inside the vessel, the enclosed atmosphere is the perfect environment for a nuclear explosion to do its worst. A cataclysmic shockwave explodes in all directions as the Champlain is turned into a burning bright ball of orange and blue light. With no atmosphere in the confines of space, the explosion quickly dissipates. The Champlain is no more, another victim of the ongoing Aksren assault. 

Meanwhile, the UHN fleet is numbered in the sixties. Every effort is made to defend Cipra. The human warships continue firing volleys of missiles toward their distant targets. Again, it almost seems pointless. Many of these warheads are getting targeted and destroyed before they impact the Itrean vessels. The overwhelming numbers are proving to be an overwhelming defense for the red alien warships. The humans have no reinforcements available. Everything is being poured in to save the colony. Cipra cannot fall as Eutera did. 

One of the UHN stealth cruisers, named the UHN Korea, tries to break off from the defense fleet in place. It is hard to see the vessel; it is very flat and black, blending into the background. The crew seems adamant in taking the fight directly to the Itrean siege. Perhaps they hope that they remain undetected, but perhaps the alien invaders don’t consider them an adequate threat. The one thing that can be more clearly seen is the volley of eight missiles that fly out of the bow section of the vessel. The stealth ship then makes a turn to change its position. The black material begins to shimmer as the Itrean warships fire an array of tracking missile probes. It begins to illuminate the scenery, revealing the stealth ship's full profile. The fate of the Korea is unknown. Much like many of the UHN ships, hope and morale are crumbling. 

As the UHN Korea turns, new light can be seen from the ventral side of its hull. It is reflected light from the Itrean fleet. Three swirling vortices can be seen. The folded space reveals that the Aksren fleet is receiving additional reinforcements. Within a minute of the ongoing battle, three large Aksren warships come through it and enter the scene. One is a super-dreadnought, possibly a command ship. It is much larger than the typical dreadnoughts of the Aksren fleet. The two supporting vessels consist of a large bow-mounted cannon strapped into the frame of the warship. The forward section of the hull is pointed directly at the desert planet. 

We move towards the planet of Cipra. The space battle is a seemingly lost cause for the human military forces. As we fly into the atmosphere of the world, we can see that the few missiles and fast-moving projectiles are en route towards where we are heading, almost as if they are following us. But, of course, their goal is to target whatever is present on the planet. 

After flying through the clear but seemingly dusty atmosphere, the incredible canyons are revealed. We are heading towards the central location of the Cipran colony of New Hong Kong. It is a world struck by heavy dust storms. The great wall of rocks protects and shelters the small flourishing green environment from the intense heat and sunlight of the Cipran sun. At the same time, melted water from the canyon mountains naturally drains down into the valley below. It is easy to see why Cipra's main colony is located here. The temperatures aren’t as hot, offering comfort.

The capital of New Hong Kong can be clearly seen. The buildings can be large but well-spaced apart. Even for a population of 100 million, there is plenty of room to spread around. Perhaps they also want to care for the environment. This is the only location where this sort of plant life flourishes. However, it is far from peaceful. Instead, the area has become a warzone. Numerous weapon emplacements dot the edges of the great city. Large stationary mounted railguns are attempting to fire upward in the direction of the Itrean invasion, but there is little hope of hitting such targets from such extreme distances. Missile silos open and fire large guided torpedoes that take off and leave the surface. All in one, defense turrets spray flak and intercept missiles at the incoming munitions that fall upon the planet. At the same time, some of these railgun rounds from the Itreans smash into the dirt. Chunks of debris, sand, and matter spray outward, leaving small craters. The planetary defenses are doing their best, but it seems hopeless. Constant gunfire and powerful shockwaves echo across the landscape.

We continue to zoom in as we fly past one of the large administration buildings. It is shaped like a pagoda, reminiscent of the towering buildings of former Japan or China. Beautifully constructed, its existence is in danger if the planetary bombardment persists. We watch as one of the alien missiles strikes a city block. Chunks of concrete are blown about. Periodic fires are shown as the city alarms are in full swing. We are close enough to see the pandemonium. We can hear the screaming of men, women, and children that are fleeing for their very lives. A planetary evacuation is in place. Landing ports are working overtime as every freighter, gate jumper, or transport is readied for departure. An occasional ship tries to take off from one of these ports, but the odds don’t seem to be on their side. We can hear the overhead speakers radiate the words, “Planetary Evacuation is in effect. Vacate Cipra via transport ship immediately. This is not a drill. Do not take your personal belongings with you. This is an emergency evacuation in progress.” The same words are then spoken in Chinese to ensure the crowd understands the broadcast. 

We finally reach the final destination of where our journey ends. We fly past the large airport of Sun Yat-sen, which consists of several launching platforms on the far northwestern edge of the city. The grand canyon walls serve as a viable background that leads to the clear valley of the unoccupied, barren north. The overhead sunlight properly shows the whole scenery. It is the hottest time of day, even for a suitable location like this. It beats down hard on the population, but the people seem well adjusted to it. There is enough breathable air as people hurry to their emergency-planned location. A boxy CC-4 transport prepped for launch from the northernmost launch platform. Flows of men, women, and children were heading into the open hatches at a steady rate. Outside of the launch platform is a platoon of UHN marines and vehicles. 

Civilian vehicles litter the side, ideally discarded to be left behind. However, a set of M30 Infantry Fighting Vehicles seems to be fully ready and operated. The 8 x 8 gray armored troop vehicles are armed with a powerful autocannon in a top-mounted turret, with a series of smaller machine-gun emplacements. Altogether, there are three of them. The marine soldiers are dressed up in their power armor. They were little more than walking tanks with a light machine gun mounted to their suit and arm. The ammo belts that connected to the guns would wrap around their backs. Five of these marines watched and said their farewells to the departing population. 

Among these five was that of a high-ranking enlisted man. He stood with a saddened look on his face. On the shimmering brown armor, the nametag of Sergeant Yuchen could be seen. He was a mildly shaven individual. He had a mixed complexion. His facial features were relatively standard for many of the descendants of the former Chinese on Cipra. He lifted his heavy ballistic clear visor so he could look directly at his family. His wife and son looked concerned as they stood near the crowds hurrying toward the transport. The laden path of dirt and fine arid grass couldn’t hold out to the overwhelming weight of Yuchen’s armored boots. 

“Dad, I don’t want to go!” the little boy said to the sergeant. Their conversation had a mild Chinese accent.

“You have to go, Jay,” Yuchen told him. “Your father doesn’t have a choice.”

“Please, husband…,” his wife begged him. “You’ll die here. The Itreans will kill everyone here.”

“I’m sorry, my dear beloved. I promise that I'll get on the next transport once the other civilians are evacuated. It’s my duty to stay and be ready….I have to protect the others that are making their escape.”

Yuchen turned his head and saw many of the other marines saying goodbye to their loved ones. He knew that this was most likely the last time he would ever see them. The bombs were falling. People tried to escape by whatever means necessary. How long before the Itreans would drop their nukes? Each minute was only asking for the inevitable. He felt the anxiety of telling his family to leave him. A daughter of another marine ran up and hugged the armored metal leg of his father. Tears were running down her eyes as her other brother and mother gently grabbed and pulled her towards the transport. The engines of the ship were starting to turn on.

“Yuchen, what about us?” the wife asked. “Every ship is getting shot down.”

“It'll be alright, Baozhai,” he assured her. “Your ship is equipped with gate probes. It won’t be heading towards the gate array. You'll be part of a convoy that's heading opposite of the invasion fleet. It’s a better chance than staying here.”

His wife closed her eyes as tears rolled down her face. “Alright….,” she said with great hesitation. She wasn't convinced, but the choices were appallingly bad either way. Yuchen knew there were two evacuation options. One was to leave the city and head out to the tiny city of Huǒshān kǒu, Korea, but the travel would be perilous. It was located on the opposite side of the planet but required all the vehicles to traverse through the great desert wastes. Not all of these vehicles were rated for such long journeys. The Itreans could easily destroy them from orbit anyway. The other choice was simply getting on the transport and hoping that the vessels wouldn’t get blown to bits by the alien attack.

“Sir,” one of the female marines called out to the sergeant. “We can’t remain here! We’ve been ordered to return to the base and assist at the evacuation of the Lantau tunnel.”

“I know...,” he said as he went and took a knee. His large machine gun brushed against the dirt while he held out his hands to his son. “Jay, promise me that you'll take care of your mother.”

His son was crying profusely as he ran up and hugged his father. Even his wife came up and pressed her head to his shoulder.

“Save everyone…..husband,” she said to him. She grabbed the little boy. He had his arm held out to the marine as he was almost dragged away. Yuchen simply got back on his feet. A single tear was falling down his face while he waved his hand to them. The remaining families ran toward the transport. 

Suddenly, a colossal hypervelocity round came hurdling from orbit. It hit so hard and so fast that it sent a concussive shockwave in all directions. People were screaming for their lives as Yuchen could see where it came from. One of the Itrean siege dreadnoughts had fired its powerful railgun round. It slammed into the most significant building. It hit like a sonic hammer, bashing straight through the entire building and into the next, and so on. The sudden impact was so quick that the whole pagoda-like tower came crashing down into multiple pieces. The concussive force went outward and could even be mildly felt from their location. The volume was enormous. 

“Go! Go!” Yuchen yelled at the other civilians. “Get out of here now!”

“Sergeant,” the same concerned marine said. She was looking at the data feed from her armored arm display. “The UHN Champlain and the UHN Nelson have been destroyed. The defense fleet can’t hold out anymore. Reports are coming in that……” she paused in shock. 

“What is it?” he asked as he turned to look at her. He gripped onto his machine gun as he kept one eye on the transport ship. 

“The…..Chairman Aniruddha is calling for a retreat…the….the UHN fleet is going to withdraw soon.”

“No….,” Yuchen remarked as he felt the sense of dread. He looked back up for a brief moment. Even in the daylit sky, minor flashes were still going on in orbit. If one looked closely enough beyond the great canyon walls, one could see the orbital space battle that was taking place. Fort Lee, the gate array, could also be briefly seen from its tethered locale. The array was fully powered; the folded wormhole was fully active. A series of tiny lit dots, most likely the UHN warships, were beginning to make their move. 

“They have to stay….they're the only thing stopping the Itreans from…..from…..”

He heard the engines activate on the transport as more civilians arrived at the port. It was too late for these individuals. The transport’s vertical thrust nodules glowed a bright blue as the vessel was lifting off from the ground. Everything that was of the most significant value to him was leaving. He wished in every fiber of his being that he could be on that escaping transport, but any action now was beyond too late. 

Another series of explosions arrived as three more railgun rounds slammed into the city. The great colony metropolis was in flames more than ever. Smoke billowed as the magnificent structures were taking direct hits. The defense emplacements, however, seemed to be the biggest targets. The AIO turrets seemed to be holding their own in providing withering flak fire high in the sky, but the railgun rounds couldn’t be stopped. They would occasionally hit one of the guns, knocking them down or destroying them. A series of missiles were launched from one of the silo tubes before a hypervelocity round slammed directly into the launch doors.

“This was…..such a beautiful city…,” one of the marines said. “I wanted to retire here….now it'll be just like Eutera.”

“Come on,” Yuchen remarked as he told his platoon. He turned to look at his men. “Let’s go! Get on the vehicles. We're heading out at this…..”

Another explosion occurred in the sky. It interrupted his speech as everyone turned to look at it. Everyone responded in utter shock. The CC-4 transport took a direct hit from one of the many missiles that the defense turrets were trying to take down. It was at a far enough distance in the sky as the warhead penetrated and blew the entire interior apart. It fractured in two as the burning debris came showering down upon a set of buildings. 

“NOOO!” one of the marines yelled. “Ju! Lenisa!....no…..no….”

The feeling was completely mutual. Yuchen was speechless. His heart sank. It felt like his soul had been ripped out of his body. His wife and son were snuffed out. A single missile was all it took to kill his family and the loved ones of some of his comrades. It was as if time had stopped. The UHN fleet was getting decimated. They were still trying to do their best to protect the planet, but it was apparent that the situation was uncontrollable. The UHN was utterly unprepared for the sheer number of Itrean ships they faced. Mankind was outnumbered four to one. Within a course of a couple of weeks, at least twenty of the UHN warships were taken out. Hope always existed that the Itreans would tire out during the siege, but it was obvious that it was only bleeding the military dry. 

Yuchen could see more of the battle of New Hong Kong. The weapon batteries continued to fire at the invasion fleet that couldn’t be seen. More Itrean railgun rounds were hitting the defenses. He remembered the places he and his family saw alone in this single metropolis. The dreams, watching his son grow up and get married, becoming a grandfather….all gone….shattered as the Itreans were relentless. 

“The…..Itreans have sent a broadcast message to the planet,” one of the marines said. “They want us to surrender, lay down our weapons, and they'll promise a quick death….they said it in English.”

“Like hell,” an angry marine said. “I’m going down fighting! Bring their ships here! I’ll fuck them all up!”

“No….” Yuchen said as he took a deep breath, trying to swallow his sadness. “You won’t fight them in this city. The battle is lost, and staying here will only get you killed. Fuck the orders of what any military official tells you. Get those M30s to the Lantau tunnel. Tell every military vehicle to escort every retreating civilian car or vehicle to Huǒshān kǒu Korea….if that fails, find an alcove and hide it out…..fight the Itreans…..fight them!”

The marines gave a look of confusion to him. “Sergeant, that’s a death sentence,” the angry marine confronted him. “We would have to go through the Tazhong Pass and then somehow survive the Great Tai Fengsha. That’s assuming that we don’t get blasted at the Lantau Tunnel.”

“I gave an order,” he said as he turned to walk over towards the IFVs. The other marines joined up with them as the drivers began to prep their vehicles. The doors on the sides opened. By now, most were dealing with their emotions and the reality of the plight before them. The sergeant lowered down the visor as the others did the same. 

“I’m with the Serge on this,” the woman said. “Better to be out there than here at this deathtrap.”

“The M30s only have so much battery life in them,” another protested. “We’ll run out of power before we even make it across the planet. Then what? Huǒshān kǒu Korea only has so many resources available. It hasn’t even been completed yet!”

“It’s the only choice,” Yuchen replied. “Come on, let’s go!”

The marines marched through the grass before reaching the lowered hatch doors of the IFVs. One by one, they entered the big vehicles. The interior was perfectly suited to handle the bulky walking armored personnel. The outside explosions and bangs seemed to be a noise everyone had adjusted to. Yuchen was the last to climb into the third vehicle as the female marine remained close to him. She was continuing to monitor communications. Once Yuchen got in, he looked at the display feed of the outside cameras. He could see that the bombardment was still continuing. Nevertheless, the Itreans were successfully destroying each weapon emplacement. 

“Why haven’t they nuked us yet?” Yuchen remarked as he took a deep breath. “They have us.”

“They might be doing the same thing that they did back at Eutera,” the male marine responded. 

“Corporal Lance, I need you to contact Cipran Military Headquarters. Tell them that we are heading to the Lantau Tunnel. Advise them that the city can’t hold out forever. Tell them to get every single military vehicle out of the city. Get them as far away as possible. Maybe we can mount some sort of counterattack…..resist them……fight them to the end.”

“Aye, Sergeant,” the angry male marine replied. The emotions of seeing his family getting shot down still weighed heavily on him as he bit his lip. 

The vehicle lurched slightly as the three military IFVs drove off-road. The valley was a long straightway as they kept the canyon wall on their right. It was enormous, towering far beyond the camera's visual range as it tried to look upward. On the left was the beleaguered metropolis. New Hong Kong’s defenses were getting wiped out, and the roads were becoming unusable. The IFVs drove off the road to avoid hitting any possible civilians while trying to stay clear of any obstacles.

Yuchen tapped the arm computer of his armor as he looked at the female marine. 

“Corporal Jia, I need you to keep an eye on the communications feed in the city. Marine detachments seven, eight, and eleven should already be at the tunnel. Their goal is to protect that tunnel. If we lose it, then anybody that is trying to flee will have to go around the Lantau Mountain Canyon. The Itreans will most likely land north or south of the city, cutting off any form of escape. That tunnel is the only means to anyone’s survival.”

“Aye, Sergeant,” Jia grumbled. She continued to monitor the communications feed. 

“Sir,” the male driver called out. “At our speed, we'll reach the tunnel entrance in about five minutes.”

“Go as fast as you can, Lance Corporal. These vehicles were meant for this sort of terrain. Don’t worry about us, and don’t stop for any civvies that get in the way!”

“Understood.”

Yuchen continued to monitor the camera feed as the vehicle's shocks worked hard. Dirt and grass pushed the frame as it jostled around the faster they went. All the IFVs had reached about 120 kilometers per hour. The sergeant witnessed as another massive hypervelocity round struck one of the remaining large towers of the city. It blew a small crater as the shockwave went outward, taking out a city block. The interior silenced much of the outside commotion. Another transport struggled to take off, but it was a gate jumper. He already knew that it was pointless. These ships didn’t carry gate probes to jump to other systems. The winged vessel still took off anyway. More missiles were launched, but it was the last silo that was online. A plume of white smoke billowed from the torpedoes as they flew up into the sky. In orbit, the UHN fleet was closing in on the gate array. 

“The Itreans could have taken out the gate array, but they didn’t,” Yuchen said. “They wanted us to try to escape….so they could kill our people one by one.”

“I’ve received a report from Cipran Command,” Jia explained. “Cipran President-Elect Guozhi is dead. Over 30,000 confirmed dead from the city…. millions unaccounted for. Vice President Shaoqing is ordering military assets to cover the retreat for individuals and maintain the defense of New Hong Kong. Vehicles that are fleeing south towards Hung Bao valley are getting shot at from orbit.”

“The UHN fucking left us!” Lance remarked as he tapped the display. “I informed command of what’s happening. The fleet is leaving us completely defenseless!”

Yuchen could see the events transpiring from the camera feed. One by one, each of the battleships and cruisers was flying at the gate array wormhole. The flak field that the fleet was generating was starting to fade in orbit. A part of Yuchen felt horrified and betrayed. A part of him also understood what had happened. The Itreans, ever since they attacked and conquered Eutera, continued to step up their assaults against humanity. The JJ-78 incident was only a prelude to the great invasion. Soon Mars and Cebravis could be next. The UHN must have concluded that the Itrean resources were near infinite. Fighting to defend Cipra would have only bled the UWA to nothing. 

“Fuckers….,” Yuchen commented to himself. “They should have evacuated us sooner than this. Did they really think that they could have won by simply staying here and hoping that the enemy would give up? I can blame both the UHN and the Itreans for killing our families….”

With the flak shield dissipating, more and more of the orbital strikes were breaking through. Only a few of the AIO turrets were still operational. All of the torpedo and missile silos were destroyed, but the Itrean railgun fire that was directed into the heart of the city had ceased. By now, most of the strikes were actually starting to flow outward and away from the metropolis. Guided missiles were systematically targeting the fleeing vehicles.

“The Itreans don’t know about the tunnel yet…,” he said as he turned to look at the feed. By now, he could see the sizeable tunnel. Dug through the hard rock, this tunnel was necessary. It let vehicles drive straight through to the other side of the enormous Lantau canyon wall. This saved them from making long trips around the entire rock wall. Unfortunately, it was the only tunnel at the moment. It was significant but not overly excessive. There were already signs of more military vehicles that were present, standing guard at the entrance. Traffic was dense, but it wasn’t enough to bottleneck the entire road going through it. Yuchen could only hope the tunnel would remain open as long as possible, but even then, beyond New Hong Kong and the great desert wastes was death. The environment was sweltering beyond this, and the refugees would have little food or water. If a planetary dust storm struck, it could make things even worse.

“Receiving reports from Cipran command,” Jia explained. “The Itrean fleet is moving closer towards Cipra. All but 10% of the fleet has vacated. They…..they’re going to….”

Another explosion ripped through the air. The gate jumper that had made significant progress in its flight had been destroyed. The raining debris flew down and smashed into the canyon walls. More railgun fire finished off the remaining defense turrets surrounding the city. Once that happened, the bombardment would slow. 

“They’re not going to nuke us,” Yuchen noted. “They never will….their goal is to capture us. Capture Cipra…..take us as prisoners.”

“Fuck no,” Lance replied with stubborn tenacity. 

Yuchen studied the attack pattern. “The whole goal of the outer bombardment will naturally cause more people to head towards the center of the city. Once they spot the tunnel, they’ll blow it. It’s easier to track the vehicles that leave the city. The tunnel is shielding their escape. We’re safe, for now.”

“Shit, Sergeant, we have a new problem,” Lance said as he tapped his arm display. “We’re getting reports that we're to change course to head to the center of the city.”

“Confirmed,” Jia said. “The Vice President reports that he's ordered the Cipran main computer network to be scuttled. They’re reporting that the attack severed the main conduits that are used to burn out the military quantum computer cores.”

“If the Itreans manage to capture it,” Yuchen said. “Then the Itreans will be able to crack all of our top-secret data. All of our weaknesses will be revealed to them. How far is it to the Tamsui district?”

“Four minutes, assuming that we plow through people,” the driver answered. 

Yuchen knew now that saving Cipra was beyond their control, but there might be a few ways they could make things harder for the Itreans. They prioritized scuttling the central computer core, but it also became a question of whether it truly mattered anymore. Their fleet assets were far beyond what the UHN had to repel them. Moreover, top-secret information was pointless to a people with enough resources to overpower humanity as it was. 

“Sergeant,” Lance replied. “I’m getting a new communication on the ground. First Lieutenant Nari has issued an order for all military assets to head through the tunnel and towards Huǒshān kǒu Korea. She hasn’t been authorized by Cipran UHN command.”

“She’s disobeying an order from the Vice President,” Yuchen said. “I agree with her. We need to get our forces out and protect anybody trying to flee from the city.” The sergeant seemed to think about it for a few seconds. 

“Detachments two and five are responding to her desire to vacate. They have severed communications with the Cipran command.”

Yuchen could already see some of the military vehicles activate. At least five of the M30s, including three of the large 6 x 6 wheeled Kujang railgun destroyers, began to activate. They pulled into the open section of the tunnel and started to flood through it. The sergeant nodded his head. 

“All of you, listen up!” he addressed everyone. “I believe that it's in everyone’s best interest that we go with Nari’s orders. As my last order to you, you'll follow my original order and protect the fleeing civilians. I don’t care that it’s a death trap out there. We’re Cipran. We know the deserts, we’re born of the deserts, we die by the deserts. Let the Itreans come to you and kill them all. Let yourselves dictate how the battle will be instead of them.”

“Aye,” some of the marines responded. 

“Sarge,” Jia explained. “Detachment 5 was responsible for protecting the heart of the city. They're the only ones that are within possible reach of that computer.”

“It won’t matter because I’ll go there and do it.”

“Sarge?” 

“Lance Corporal Han Geoyl, pull over by the tunnel entrance. Jia, tell the other vehicles within our platoon to pull over and take you guys in. I'll take this moving tub straight to there and do what I can to destroy that computer.”

“Why?” Jia questioned him.

“Detachment 5 needs to get all their vehicles through to that tunnel. Better to lose just this one than all of them. Somebody needs to do it….and that'll be me.”

Jia nodded her head as she tapped her arm computer and began to pass along the message.

“Fucking hell....,” Lance replied with agitation. “You don’t know what those Itreans will do to you once they close in on the city.”

“Doesn’t matter….doesn’t matter. You have your orders…..all of you. The Itreans might have won this battle, but you'll fight again! UHN marines! Redder than Blood!”

“Blood for life!” all the marines replied in earnest. Despite the horrific situation, the marines recalled their oath. It was said with a mild sense of pride. The vehicles were close to the tunnel entrance as the three vehicles slowed to a stop. The side hatch had opened up as the other marines started to get out one by one. The driver opened up his door and climbed out. Lance was the last one to get out. He paused before he looked at Yuchen. He knew that it would be the last time that he would see him alive…… 

Chapter 2: Cipra’s Last Stand (Prelude)

“Godspeed, Sarge,” Lance said. “Wish I was with you to the end.”

“Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself…...” He tapped the back of Lance’s armor, knowing the grief that he was having to go through while maintaining the momentum of moving forward in defending the others. Yuchen simply couldn’t think about it too much as he slapped the button to close the hatch. With the last of the marines departed, Yuchen turned his attention toward the front section of the cabin. The front compartment held a separate small slot for drivers wearing power armor. He hoisted the machine gun towards his hip to give him a free hand. The console that linked to the main turret cannon doubled as a makeshift control station. He tapped the control panel and set it to manual vehicle control. He then used his free hand to operate the joystick controls. It consisted of several buttons that let him drive the M30. The display network connected to his visor so he could see everything the vehicle saw.

With a shift and button press, the vehicle backed up before he started to speed away from the Lantau passage. It was a difficult process but not overly challenging. There was some room for him to drive off-road, but he could still see a steady, nonstop passage of civilian vehicles that were going to this location. There was a slight break in the traffic that Yuchen had to utilize. Thankfully, even with the pandemonium, the crowds of escaping people could see the huge military vehicle come barreling through to take a left-hand turn. The M30 was perfectly responsive as it made a hard 90-degree turn. The flex tires barely squeaked as the frame held the turn perfectly. Inside, Yuchen’s boots kept a magnetic hold onto the deck to keep him from tumbling over. 

With the center of the city straight ahead, Yuchen’s finger grip on the controls relaxed a little bit while the IFV sped forward at a faster and faster rate. One side of the traffic was almost at a dead stop, but the other side was almost completely clear of obstruction. Ahead, Yuchen’s heart was beginning to pound. He could briefly see the overhead camera display showing what was happening in orbit. The last UHN battleship was nearing the wormhole. In a few seconds, it went straight into it. Yuchen looked away as he could see the city’s damage. It was everywhere. The carnage from the bombardment had reduced most of the tall structures into fragmented remains. In reality, much of the traffic struggled to move forward because debris was strewn about. A block ahead was almost unpassable on the right side of the road. Yet a strong calm settled over the moment. The bombardment had almost completely ceased. The flak field was gone.

It only meant one thing: the enemy was coming……

“Come on, come on!” Yuchen said to himself as he had to jolt the joystick controls. The IFV lurched to the left to avoid a boulder-sized piece of building. He would hit the pavement and dirt portion of the road while maintaining his forward momentum. A series of IFVs and other military vehicles advanced alongside the line of cars. 

“This is Detachment 5, hailing the lone IFV,” a female voice came through the intercom. “Please respond.”

Yuchen tapped the button as the speakers activated, causing an audio-only communication line to be established. “Detachment squad 5, this is the detachment squad unit 3. I see you on the scopes. Proceed to the passageway before the Itreans bomb the tunnel. I’m en route to the central computer station facility. Don’t worry about me. Go and provide escort to the civilians that are trying to escape.”

“Understood. Good luck,” the driver responded.

It didn’t take long before Yuchen drove past the squad of military vehicles. The moment that he drove past them, they disengaged from the crowded lanes and took up the other one. They easily pounded through the divider-line barricades and sped ahead toward the tunnel. The computer display showed the approximate location of his vehicle. The countless buildings were becoming a blur. While large portions of the city were still standing, the damaged sections were difficult to navigate. One of the large pagoda-like towers had been leveled to the ground. It was in the direction of the computer core facility. 

A bright light erupted from one of the displays. Yuchen could see where it was coming from. The direction was from orbit. The gate array had suddenly exploded in a blinding flash. It was most likely set to overload itself to ensure that the Itreans couldn’t utilize it against humanity, but it served as the final death stroke. Cipra was trapped. There was nowhere to go, and the method of intergalactic travel was mostly shut out. For anyone who saw it, it was the most demoralizing event witnessed. Those that weren’t running for their lives had noticed the stop in the bombardment. They simply stared up to see the flash and shatter of the array station. Yuchen had been focused on the driving, but even he could feel it burning his soul. The loss of his wife and son…..a part of it, was simply too much.

“I’ll see you two soon....,” Yuchen simply said as he guided the joystick. 

 

*******

 

Minutes had passed. Yuchen had jumped out of the M30 with a hard thud on the pavement. It was parked at its destination point. The computer core facility wasn’t that far from him. It was also close to the ruins of one of Cipra's most significant administrative buildings. The large-scale evacuation alarms were still present. People and vehicles had mostly vacated this location, with a few emergency responders trying to help the wounded. The tower's destruction had created a level of carnage that Yuchen tried to block out of his head. People were crushed under the rubble, with the few responders using special equipment to find and pull out any potential survivors. Yuchen felt a small measure of respect for these brave individuals. Despite the fact that an alien invasion was going to happen at any minute, these rescuers were still there, no matter the consequences. 

The sergeant only had a few seconds to reminisce about the scene as he turned his attention briefly to the sky. He could hear something or some things that were coming. As he looked up, he could see the brief outlines of several approaching ships. A series of glowing dots orbited. The Itreans had surrounded the planet. They were in a perfect orbital pattern if they wanted to continue their bombardment from a better position. 

“Damn…,” Yuchen said to himself as he tapped the sentry drone turret that was on his side. He made sure to grab several essential items with him while he began his move towards the building. He tapped a few buttons to take control of the M30 vehicle. He set it to drone controls so he could operate it manually from a distance if needed. He readjusted his M18 machine gun and continued his approach. 

The computer core facility looked pretty much like many of the buildings, consisting of a curved rectangular structure. It was about three stories tall and had numerous windows on each floor. It had blue and gray colors with the words “Genisen Cipran Networks,” written in both English and Chinese. Yuchen noted that this building was one of the surviving taller structures of the city. It might prove an advantageous point, assuming that the Itreans didn’t blow it up with him in it. Of course, at this time, it simply didn’t matter to him. 

When he reached the cracked transparent glass doors, they refused to open up. Finally, a lone woman saw the armored marine and tapped the button to open them up. Yuchen marched through the door and into the reception area. The former Chinese-looking woman seemed nervous but steady when she approached Yuchen. 

“Hello?” she asked him.

“I’m Sergeant Yuchen of UHN Marine Detachment 3,” he told her. “I’m here to speak to whoever is here about scuttling the computer core.”

“Of course, this way!” she replied. 

She led him to an elevator that wasn’t that far from the reception location. Yuchen noted that the woman was the only person who was present. 

“How many of you stayed?” he asked her.

“Just me and the supervisor,” she calmly replied. 

“That was brave of you. I’m assuming that everyone else has safely evacuated?”

“I don’t know. I heard some are heading north, some south,….others…..I….”

“It’s alright,” he said as the elevator door opened up. They stepped inside, but the elevator was barely able to hold the immense weight and size of the armored marine. It was designed to handle only small amounts of civilian traffic. The woman’s fingers gripped her dress uniform somewhat hard, showing the tension that she had.

“Are……are you going to stop them?” she asked him.

He almost debated telling her the truth. Finally, after a brief pause, he relented. “I don’t think so. Their forces are too strong, but….I think that people like you are going to make a difference.”

It was the only way that he could at least comfort her. The elevator ride conversation was brief, but she seemed to acknowledge everything that was happening. Then, as the elevator door opened up, the woman finally said something.

“My name is Qingge…..,” she said. “Just…..in case you outlive me.”

“Xièxiè, Qingge,” he replied.

Below the building's ground level was a massive matrix system covered by a heavy-duty, transparent armored pane of plastic or glass. It made up most of the building's lower section and had numerous maintenance offices and conduits leading into it. There was a single male individual who was present. He seemed remorseful but ready for the inevitable. His white office lab coat and sturdy brown hair matched his pale face. He had a small pistol in his hand as if he was ready to defend the place against the horde of aliens that may come. 

“Secretary Qingge. Who is this individual?” the man asked. His accent hinted that he might be from a different UWA planet.

“My name is Sergeant Yuchen," the marine replied. "I've come to help you scuttle the computer system.”

The man’s eyes showed a sense of relief. “Good. My name is Doctor Laurie. I’m the head supervisor of the facility here at Genisen Computer Networks.” He turned his attention towards the massive device in the center of the room. “This is the main computer hub that powers New Hong Kong. I’ll show you what needs to be done to destroy it.”

“It was said that the conduit or something was damaged?”

“Yes, the main admin building next to us was destroyed. I tried to activate the self-destruct unit, but the power conduits were fused. The building is running on emergency batteries as it is, but this can be solved rather quickly. Inside this is the central processing unit. Because of the attack, emergency protocols are active, preventing me from getting in, but the wall protecting it is made of a quarter-meter-thick, bulletproof transparent polymer. My pistol can’t punch through, but…..it wasn’t rated for something more powerful than that.” He eyed the marine’s M18 light assault machine gun.

“Alright, then,” Yuchen said. He waved his hand towards the two. “Step back and cover your ears.”

“Fire a circular pattern around a section of the wall. It doesn’t need to be big. Keep in mind that the bullets won’t be enough to destroy the network, but we can at least get started."

Yuchen took a deep breath as he gripped the underslung weapon. He could see where the gun was pointed at as he fired. Set in semi-automatic, he was using the gun as a cutting tool. Despite the quieter sounds of 24th-century gunfire, both civilians had their ears covered. The 50 caliber rounds were more than a match for the wall. The bullet holes could be clearly seen as it was fracturing a small portion of it. Yuchen continued firing for less than ten seconds until a small basketball-sized hole broke apart. Laurie looked at the damage and nodded his head. 

“Good,” the supervisor said. “I noticed that you have grenades…..are they grenades?”

“Yes,” Yuchen replied. 

“Alright, does the grenade have the ability to emit an EMP discharge?”

“Yes, although it usually needs to be connected to the target device to have a full effect.”

The supervisor pointed his hand and walked towards the hole. “Arm it and throw it on the conduit section that leads to the central box structure.”

Yuchen used his free hand to disconnect one of the two magnetized disk grenades from his hip. He tapped a few buttons and walked towards the hole that he had made. It was just large enough for him to throw the small device if need be. 

“Stand back,” he told him as he held his arm back and flung the grenade through the opening. It didn’t travel far before it clamped on the area that the supervisor pointed at. Within a second of landing, the disk grenade began emitting a powerful charge that radiated outward. The energy output was immense as the central black box started to fluctuate wildly for a few seconds. Fizzling and popping sounds could be heard as electronics and circuitry were destroyed. The smell of cooked hardware began to fill the scenery.

“There….,” the supervisor said. “That will fry everything. All the top classified files of the military…. everything that Cipra has established is gone. It will be hard for them to recover anything from that. Thank you for your help, Marine.”

“Then I'll have to ask for you two to vacate this city immediately,” Yuchen said as he proceeded to walk back to the elevator. He gripped his machine tightly as the two civilians followed him towards it.

“We don’t know where to go,” Qingge replied.

“Try to head towards the Lantau passageway. If the Itreans blow it up, then…..I don’t know.”

“I think that it might be best to surrender to them,” Laurie commented. They stepped into the elevator as he pressed the first-floor button. The elevator lurched slowly as it moved upward.

“I don’t think the Itreans are taking our surrender,” Yuchen told them. “We don’t know what happened to the people of Eutera when they were taken. They might be doing the same thing here, but at a larger scale…..now that they know that they can beat us. Escape, survive, fight. That’s all I can suggest to you two.”

The elevator door opened up as both Laurie and Qingge stepped out. Yuchen, however, refused to get out. 

“Aren’t you coming?” Qingge asked.

“No. Don’t worry about me,” Yuchen said. “Save yourselves. I’m heading to the roof.”

The two weren’t going to argue as Laurie nodded his head towards him. “Good luck….thank you.”

With that, Yuchen tapped the elevator button and pressed the roof access button. The doors closed, and the elevator began to rise. The marine’s thoughts went to himself. He had done his part and was sure nothing else could be done. Nothing else really mattered to him now as he thought back to his family and everyone else. His hands gripped the underslung machine gun hard as he almost shook in place. For an elevator ride that was only seconds, it felt like minutes.

The door opened up as the elevator reached the top floor. A notification read that it was limited to employees only. He overrode the controls and stepped out into the roof opening. The top section of the building consisted only of maintenance terminals and the alcove compartment the elevator reached. From here, Yuchen had a clear view of the entire city. He continued to step forward in the direction of the destroyed admin tower. Then he tapped the wrist computer of his armor to open up an audio-only communications link with whatever was out there.