0520hrs Day Two Killrock 1.3

1.          The revived battle

"Move those Rangers up." Major Moshe shouted as he shot the Draconian approaching them at twenty metres. It had become a series of close fights as the armored trade shots over their heads. The Major then jumped into a recent bombed crater and took the opportunity to re-load his clips. Other Rangers joined him and some used that as the fire cover.

"Draconian incoming!" The Ranger hollered out and threw aside the rifle before reaching for the saucer disc. The saucer disc was thrown ahead towards the Draconian and the Ranger ducked back for cover. Moshe could hear the severing and cutting into the armor plates but he would not risk raising his head. Once he heard the humming sound had died down, he pulled himself onto the edge and raised his rifle. There were ten Draconian lying there dead or wounded, but more are coming.

The Ranger next to him got shot in the Helm and fell back while another took over the position.

"Major, your orders, Sir." It was Lieutenant Timon wounded in the right shoulder but still fighting. "We lost half the company and 3^th Company are already digging."

Moshe looked at the coordinates on the unit attached to his left greaves; they made a progress of two hundred metres but the casualties are high. Their ammo are low and ran out of armored defenses. The sun was at its zenith , and they needed a respite.

"Dig in, Ranger." Moshe told the Lieutenant."Ask Command for more supplies."

Moshe then turned to another junior officer.

"Get a a squad to check on the wounded and dead. While collecting ID's, take whatever spare ammo and rifles to be given to the others."

2.          Command Center

"General, the southern line have dug in. 1^st Company are down to less than hundred but 4^th Company are still at above half strength." Major Ferdinand reported in to the General. "They are requesting for supplies."

"Send it then. Do I need to make all the orders?"General Manning was getting irritated at this battle. He was outnumbered but they had made progress.

"What's happening on the northern side?" General Manning shouted out.

"Reports came in that they are holding their position. They are up against Vampires, Walkers and BB. Two of our Juggernauts are there but one stalled on the field again." The Major hushed down the last words but the General heard it. The General knew of the dubious quality of the parts that was delivered recently. Top Command has asked Intelligence to check on the matter.

"Where's Five?" General wants to know what happened to his rogue squad.

"No comms. They are on their own."

3.          Stalled Juggernaut

Captain Haus could hear the engine droning away and he knew what was causing it. The driver stopped the tank and got off his seat to rush to the filter system to manually cranked up the blower. Its the fragging filter clogging up and holding back his advance to assist the troopers

"I want all guns to be firing." The tank may be immobilized but not his guns." Captain Haus then looked at the Resident Technician Rupert who just climbed out of the filter area.

"Fragging filter clogged again. We need to manually blowed the dust out." Rupert ws built like a rat frame but his diminutive size allowed him to squeezed in between the components. He then saw the look on the Captain. " I am doing my fragging best. And it ain't my working that frag it. Its your component."

Captain Haus ignored the Technician as he knew the fault was not the Technician. They are just unlucky to have the faulty component compared to the others. He felt cramped in and with the filter clogged, the air in the tank was getting stale. He decided to climb up the turret to the top hatch. He wants to manned the rotary guns to shoot some Draconian to released his stress.

"Fangs inbound!" The Cochise gunner shouted out the warning. "Firing EM."

Captain Haus paused at the hatch latch and waited the outcome. The Fangs may be hindrance to the CT but for the Juggernaut, they are not so effective unless a direct hit on some weakened covers which was happened to the Prime. He can hear the EM being released, and then the second batch shot up for extra coverage.

"EM released and spread." That was a relief to be to told by the gunner. "Tigers at eleven o'clock."

Captain Haus hovered at the latch to spring open the hatch. He was getting impatient now as the other guns have opened up. At the count of two clicks, he pulled at the latch and pushed himself up. He did not hesitate what else was in front but secured himself with the harness to fire the rotary guns. Once he was secured in, he pressed the pedals on the seat to move the guns on his command. He pulled the trigger and let off a long burst of gun projectiles towards the Draconian position. Its does not matter if he gets them or not, but it was fragging good to shoot at someone.

The sun was at its zenith and although it felt hot, it was good to breathe in fresh air.

4.          The Tour of the Ruins

The Rangers made their way down the tunnel until they reached the end to another chamber. On the way there, there was no doorways or signs of any hidden one. The new chamber was similar to the previous one but it was in circular form with a number of doorways leading from it. On top before the doorway was some sign which originated to the Khun.

Officer Moss read the signs and referenced it to his Khun directory. Then he checked the doorways; all seven of them including the one which they came from. He then walked towards Basilus and explained the signs.

"These are Khun characters. They point to location." Moss point to one which they just came from. "That one was Barracks."

Moss read each one of the names and it all point to different location on the above ground or given a reference like numerical references. Moss was quick to relate his desire to check on the two tunnels marked with numerical reference. To him, they mean something else other than number.

Basilus ignored the Intelligence Officer while looking at his greave which showed him the distance taken was three kilometer from the last position. That would put them near the Twin Peak Mesa before the Settlement but heading towards south. He looked at the one named Hill, and noted given the direction it was leading to Twin Peak.

"This way." Basilus lead the way as he entered the one named Hill.