Reservoir Dogs

[Bishop Cain]

The ship rumbled as they flew through the clouds and over Nimban, Bishop currently standing up and holding on to the ceiling handheld. Lex stood beside him and there was a squad of soldiers all behind them as they also held onto the supports above as they flew in the troop transport. Bishop was decked out in his full gear, his armor, and typical weapons along with his pouches being restocked as well. His helmet was clipped to his hip and when he glanced out the window to the right, he could see multiple transports as well flying in formation beside them.

This would be a full assault and Lex could see the same thing on the other side. Their target was a base on Nimban and they certainly had the defenses that warranted the forces they were bringing. Turning to glance at Lex for a moment, he kept his gaze on her for a few seconds longer before looking back to the men and facing them. Lifting one of his gauntlets, Bishop pressed a button, showing a small hologram of all of their transports approaching the base. "Heads up ladies, we have about two more minutes before we enter their airspace. Scanners picked up they have AA, I recommend you hold onto something tight if we aren't able to get in undetected."

Turning back around to face front as the men grumbled slightly, Bishop turned his head to glance over at Lex, "I'll lead the main force on the ground. You take another platoon and flank from the east, we'll only be able to take them head on for so long." They had discussed this before back in the war tent and while people would be suspicious about leading the front charge, Bishop was the first to offer to be in the front line as he usually did. Even right now, he clenched his fist on the other side away from Lex, the adrenaline already flowing through him and putting him on edge.

Despite what was happening between him and his C.O, it was completely pushed from his mind and every part of him was now dedicated to the mission. Lex would be able to tell after having served a few missions with Bishop, it making him have a certain fire in his eyes. "If I can, I'll try to regroup with you before we assault the first wave of defenses." They had to go through a few lines of emplacements and bunkers/emplacements before reaching the base and that's what made the main charge of this so dangerous.

 

[Lex Kyrst]

Lex stood near Bishop as the ship slowly made its way towards Hutt airspace. War had been declared very recently and the Republic wasted no time in deploying its troops. She was back in her full gear and ready to get involved in the fighting, standing near the exit ramp of the ship as the entire thing rocked back and forth as they descended. This was what she had been preparing her unit for, and the day was finally here. She didn’t know how many of them would make it home alive after their deployment, and the thought would weigh heavily on her.

She heard Bishop call out and she looked over at him, giving him a nod. Lex wanted to argue with him about leading a force head on, but they had no time. She simply sighed and looked away, “Keep them alive,” She muttered, preparing for their descent. The ship entered the airspace and almost immediately alarms began to blare, “Shit,” She looked around, “I think being undetected just went out the window,” Lex looked back at the men, “Be prepared to drop, we-“

A tremendous explosion resounded behind them as the ship took a hit. Everyone that didn’t hold on was thrown and tossed about the ship as it began to spin through the air. Alarms blared, and the pilots screamed about being hit and comming back to base. Lex cursed out loud and she barely remained on her feet, slowly making her way to the exit ramp and punching the button. The ramp lowered and the forests and mountains below was becoming more and more visible. The moon was high in the sky and she could see a trail of smoke pluming from the front of their ship. The scenery before them fell in and out of view as the ship began to spin and spiral through the air.

“KEEP TO THE OPERATION! GET READY TO JUMP!” She yelled at the top of her lungs and over the alarms screeching all around them. One of the soldiers was cowering in the corner and she yanked him by his gear and pushed him to the front of the line, “Get it together, soldier!” She barked at him before she double checked his parachute and shoved him off the ramp, “GO GO GO GO!” She nudged soldier after soldier down to jump and land below. This was as close to their drop off point as they could get and the pilot had already ditched, the other dead from the hit.

There was another massive explosion as the ship continued to fall apart and Lex remained to ensure every single person got off. She turned to Bishop last, not giving him a chance to say anything before she shoved him off harshly as well. All he would see was another massive explosion behind him as the ship finally gave away. It was impossible to tell whether Lex managed to get off or not. Their drop would land them scattered all over the forest in enemy territory.

 

[Bishop Cain]

Bishop slipped on his helmet, it hissing as it secured itself and the HUD inside came alive and fed him information. "I always try." He replied back, his voice slightly robotic from his helmet as his eyes were locked behind the black visor. When Bishop checked the map and saw that they had crossed into Hutt airspace, the alarms immediately sounded and that whole plan had failed in a matter of seconds. Still holding onto his handheld, Bishop gazed out the window and down towards the ground. Bishop saw was about to come and he snapped his head towards them before yelling at the top of his lungs, "EVERYBODY HOLD ON!"

Some of the soldiers listened but some couldn't be saved, the ship rocked heavily and the men were thrown about. With the combination of force and their gear, the who's who weren't thrown around could hear the snapping and breaking of bones as the men were killed. With the remaining pilot able to stabilize the ship enough, Bishop helped push the soldiers off the transport as well, telling them to move and get off before Lex turned to look at him. It seemed like the both of them had the same idea and he moved to push her off but he tripped once another explosion rocked the ship.

Lex recovered faster and before he could deflect she managed to push off and Bishop suddenly felt the rush of the win all around him as he fell through the sky. "LEX!" Bishop shouted out but it was easily drained out by the wind and he watched as the transport soon was engulfed in flame with Lex on it. Not able to find or keep track of her, Bishop spun back around as the ground seemed to rush towards him while he fell. Recounting on his training, Bishop pulled for his parachute when it was time and it snapped to life as he saw other parachutes pop up around him in the sky. Glancing around him, Bishop was able to see other transport in the sky being shot down.

One exploded instantly the moment a missile hit it and another a part of wing broke off before it crashed into another ship and took both of them out. What seemed like thousands of lasers flew above, some from soldiers on the transports to the AA, fighters, or whatever else was in this meatgrinder now. Bishop landed roughly in the dirt, rolling for a few feet as he grunted before disconnecting his parachute from his back. "Tuts! Are you there? Do you read me!?" Standing up and taking cover behind a tree, Bishop was able to spot a few more soldiers scattered around him and he signaled for them to group up, most of them scanning each other to make sure they weren't the enemy.

The part of the forest was silent, the only sound being the shots happening above as they more explosions and tearing of metal. The soldiers were sprinting to Bishop, taking the trees as they were now close enough to speak, each giving a call sign to each other to make sure it was them. Bishop hoped he'd hear Lex but not one of them was her. "Bishop, we don't kno-" One of the soldiers that walked up to him suddenly got shot in the head, a gaping hole in the side of it as he collapsed to the ground. Suddenly the entire forest became its own light show, there now being Cartel in the forest as well as they lit it up with everything they had. "TAKE COVER!"

Volleys upon volleys of bolts came in, the forest now turning into its brutal battlefield as Republic and Cartel forces exchanged fire. The ferocity of it was devastating, multiple trees' groaning before falling over and echoing around the forest as they were cut in half from the amount of shots going through them. Bishop was currently behind one of the fallen tree's, multiple other pub soldiers behind it as they were all returning fire. There were already multiple dead bodies littered around them, some cut in half or limbs were blown off. "Return fire on their position! Chaz, see if you get a flank on them! We need to divert some fire off of us!" Bishop ordered, the designated man nodding and taking a squad of shoulders with him. The explosion rocked as missiles and grenades were thrown and fired, columns and craters of dirt formed and made everywhere as Bishop fired back into the forest.

 

[Lex Kyrst]

Lex was thrown from the ship as it exploded, and the impact sent her tumbling towards the earth below. She rapidly descended and saw everything whizzing by, the ship nothing more than a burning ball in the sky that shot towards the trees. Lex quickly reoriented herself mid-air, releasing her parachute to slow her fall as she descended towards the treeline. One of her shoulder pads was damaged and useless already, and she worried she suffered some other burns elsewhere. Thankfully she had her helmet on and avoided injuries there, touching down on the ground below as discreetly as possible.

She knew right away she was separated from her group, the other parachutes having disappeared deeper into the forest. Lex got up to her feet and paused to check out her injuries. Her left arm took some burns and the right shoulder pad was entirely destroyed. She tried to comm her unit but she heard nothing but static, “Hello? Does anyone copy?” There was no response, though she occasionally heard a voice in between. She gave up on trying to communicate and drew out her rifle, keeping a low profile and moving through the forest.

The night sky was lit up with red and other colors as blasterfire erupted all around them. The trees near her were set ablaze, the barks cracking and splitting as they collapsed. Lex kept running, moving towards where she had seen the other soldiers land. The entire operation was jeopardized with their positions betrayed, and they no longer had the element of surprise. The Hutts had known they were coming, and that thought would haunt her. This had been an ambush and now her soldiers were likely getting slaughtered like pigs.

“Bee do you read?” She shouted into her comms, but she was sure he didn’t hear. Lex looked up, spotting a Hutt insurgent crouched with a rifle and some camouflage on him. She didn’t hesitate as she lined up her rifle and blasted him in the back, dropping him at once. Lex quickly made her way over to him, grabbing his comm and datapad in case he had intel they could exploit.

Meanwhile, over where Bishop was, there was a massive tank that emerged in the horizon and it fired a huge blast directly towards his group. This blew through the trees and set the forest ablaze, creating a massive inferno that would force them to have to emerge out into the open. Lex spotted this from a distance and quickly made her way towards it, spotting insurgents moving in to set another ambush for the soldiers that would be driven out. She grabbed a grenade and lobbed it over from behind them, causing the small group to explode. If Bishop emerged from the other side, he’d be able to spot her.

 

[Bishop Cain]

"COVER FIRE NOW!" Bishop shouted at the top of his lungs for the other soldiers to hear, him and the rest popping out from their cover and laying down suppressive fire into the forest. They could see multiple Cartel soldiers fall down, sparks flying off where they were hit as they forced to find better cover. With them pinned down, for now, another squad of Pub soldiers came up, each with their own grenade launchers as they aimed up into the air before launching their ordinance. Grenades dropped from the sky where the cartel was, the ground rocking from each grenade as they could hear screams from men and women.

The clump of trees they fired into all groan, most of them slowly tipping before falling down and creating waves of dirt to sprout up. Most of the trees were no caught on fire, smoke filling the sky as burning limbs dropped to the ground. Bishop ducked back under his cover, grabbing the shoulder of one of the men and dragging him over to Bishop, "We need to get moving. Get Sanders to push the right flank, I want mortars in the back and set to pelt them." Slapping his shoulder, the soldier gave a nod before rushing off to follow orders.

Glancing to his left, he could see one of the platoon commander pinned and trying to return fire. As Bishop lifted his rifle and fired downfield, taking out a couple of Cartel members, he sprinted towards the commander before one of the transport ships fell from the sky, it a burning comet as it fell right between Bishop and the men. Being launched back from it, Bishop crashed into a tree before roughly falling to the ground as he could feel his bones pop and other parts part of him. Shaking his head as he was dazed, he could see men run out from the ship, smacking their own bodies trying to put out the fire before falling to the ground and trying to roll. Picking up his rifle with a groan, Bishop shot behind cover again as he peeked behind the trunk of the tree and fired a few more shots.

Seeing a pack of Cartel mercs run up, Bishop popped the pin off one of his grenades before tossing forward and into the main clump. They all screamed grenade but it was too late, the spot exploding into gore and blood as Pub soldiers stepped out and swept up the rest. One of the squad leaders slid right beside Bishop, "Sir! What are your orders, were being picked apart out here!" Bishop was breathing hard from the combat but he looked over to the squad leader, "We have to keep pushing forward. The longer we wait, the more causalities we'll take." The squad leader nodded before issuing orders through the comm, telling the men to push up.

Bishop gave a nod back before slipping out from his tree, taking a couple steps forward with his rifle raised before he spotted a tank approaching from the horizon. "TANK! MOVE!" Every single one of the Pub got up to their feet, shouting to each other to run. But the tank didn't wait, the sound of it firing echoing out throughout the entire battle as they heard the snapping of trees and explosions of fire. Bishop nearly lost his footing as he heard people behind eviscerated or worse being burnt alive as more burning trees fell. That's when he saw more Cartel exit out from in front of them and he realized it was a trap but he soon saw a grenade come in and wipe out the entire group thankfully. Bishop didn't stop sprinting and he rushed through the mist of red right before colliding into Lex as they fell to the ground with him on top.

Bishop's armor was covered in mud, dirt, blood, blaster marks and about anything else to show that he hasn't been in a pretty fight. Staring down, he realized who it actually was underneath him and relief flooded through despite the situation they were in. "Tuts.." Bishop murmured before touching his helmet's forehead to her's. That's when they heard another shot from the tank and another chorus of screams and sound of breaking trees. Rolling off of her and touching a finger to his ear, "Get rocket's on the hills, take that tank out!" Hitting another button on his gauntlet, it connected Bishop to another squad, "Hunter, get your men and provide cover for the rockets. We need that tank out if we want to live through the night."

 

[Lex Kyrst]

Lex saw the group blown up and she heaved a sigh of relief, saving some Pub soldiers from certain death. She quickly spoke into her comms, “Evans do you copy? What’s your position?” She drew back into cover, aiming to set up to shoot more insurgents from her vantage point. No one responded and she had a sinking feeling that the unit she planned to lead had been wiped. There was nothing but silence and she grimaced, “-Lieutenant Kyrst?”

“Yes! Where’s Evans?”

“He’s down, this is Miles,” The man was half panting as he spoke and she knew he was running from something, “Only three of us alive!” She heard gunfire in the back, as she pulled up the datapad she stole from the dead merc, “Listen to me carefully! I want you to take the team one klick East of where the tank is. There’s a communications tower there. Blow it up and it’ll wipe their comms.”

“Copied, over.”

Lex put the datapad away and looked up right in time when Bishop ran over and collided into her. She fell back and was sent tumbling, and she quickly whirled around and put him in a headlock before realizing who it was. Lex laughed under her helmet as he pressed his helmet against hers, “God damn am I glad to see you,” She said wearily as they got to their feet. They had no time to celebrate as another blast from the tank tore through the trees and forest. The tank was slowly beginning to advance and there was a small group of insurgents trailing behind it.

Lex looked towards the tank, aiming her rifle to take out some of the accompanying mercs. With the element of surprise, she took out two of them before they began to scatter. One of them lobbed a grenade towards her and Bishop and she jumped to the side, “INCOMING!” She hoped Bishop sprang out of the way as well. The explosion resounded where they had been, and Lex immediately trained her rifle to shoot at the man that threw it.

The group was returning fire now and Lex felt a bolt tear into the armor on her chest. It was enough to send her flying back, but she managed to stay on her feet. It was pure hell where the tank had fired, and she could see some of her men rushing out while on flames. The sight was painful, and it was a reminder of how horrific war could truly be. For all their training, nothing could prepare them for the visceral realities.

Lex turned back to the group arranged behind the tank and found them suddenly being picked off. The squad leader Bishop had ordered before and his team made quick work of the men, though they took some casualties in turn. This cleared a path towards the tank from the back, “Come on!” She shouted at Bishop as she rushed towards it, “Give us cover fire!” She shouted to the squad leader as she made her way towards the tank.

She knew this idea was crazy, but she had no desire to actually destroy the tank. Lex hopped up onto it from the back and quickly began to climb up. There was man positioned outside that aimed his gun at her and she barely managed to draw out a pistol and whip him in the face. Lex did this repeatedly until his face was a bloody pulp and she shoved him off the tank, crawling up to the top of it, “Help me pry it off!” She quickly looked around for ways to lift the hatch, “I’ll drop a grenade in to take them out,” She barely finished her sentence before the tank fired again, the force almost causing her to fall off. The impact killed of several more soldiers and their numbers were quickly dwindling.

 

[Bishop Cain]

Before he could react to Lex's words, he snapped his head to the tank that was coming in, burning branches caught in its tracks and leaving a burning trail wherever it went. They would have to take out this tank if they wanted this mission to be a success at all for the Republic. Sliding out his rifle, Bishop firing down at the insurgents before one of them lobbed a grenade at the two of them. Running already before Lex shouted out her warning, the explosion happened behind him and he was propelled forward before rolling into the dirt and coughing out loud before reorienting himself.

Standing up from where he was, Bishop shook his head once more as dirt and other pebbles fell off his armor. He could see Lex already in another firefight and he rushed to the nearest tree. Seeing the men rush out, engulfed in flame and feeling themselves be burned to a crisp, it was an ugly sight but they had the battle to win and it would be for their fallen comrades. As Bishop readied his rifle to fire at the insurgents again, he found the previous squad he sent out to follow through on his orders, taking out the rest of the mercs that hid behind the tank.

Bishop followed behind her, firing off at targets that popped here and there as more and more bolts kept flying. One bolt came in and clipped him in the side, making him fall into the dirt but quickly getting back up to his feet as the armor ate it. Spinning his gun at the man, Bishop took him down after a few more shots before chasing after Lex. When they reached the tank with Lex already pummeling someone, Bishop climbed up after her and looked at the hatch. He tried finding a button or something else when he heard Lex's plan but the tank fired and the power of it both threw them off their feet.

Bishop let out a grunt as he roughly fell to the side of the tank before shooting his arm out and catching the side of it, preventing him from completely falling off as he glanced over at the destruction and death the vehicle was causing. Comming the men, "Spread out! Make yourselves less of an easier target!" Hoping that would wake some of them up, Bishop started climbing back up the tank and commed Lex now, "Tuts!? You still there?" When he reached the hatch and managed to catch Lex in his vision, he looked back down at the hatch, thinking what to do before just giving up and grabbing onto the handle of it. Using all the strength he could muster, Bishop let out a yell as the veins in his arms started to pop out and the lid slowly started to lift.

Bishop lifted it enough to where she could toss it in but not enough for the men inside to be able to shoot at her. When she threw the grenade in, Bishop immediately dropped the hatch and closed it, "MOVE! MOVE!" Diving over the side and into some nearby bushes, he crawled to a fallen log for some cover as the tank shook violently before just sitting there lifeless as smoke wafted up from it.

The battle was still in effect but the Cartel was being pushed back now, the men firing on the Pub forces but still retreating. Glancing up from his position, he could see the formation of bunkers and emplacements there, still firing down on the soldiers and on the dropships. One of the ships caught flame again, it flying directly towards the ground with a groan before crashing into another set of trees and knocking them down before being set ablaze. "We need to get to those bunkers now! Hunter, form up the right flank. Do not let it fall!" The men on their right side immediately went into action, squaring up and pressing forward as Bishop now took the tank as cover, "You think you can still operate this thing?" He asked Lex over the sound of blaster fire before peeking out and shooting his own shots.

 

[Lex Kyrst]

“I’m here!” Lex shouted back as she hastily climbed up to the top of the tank, almost being knocked off herself. The chaos was fully erupting around them, and she felt the heat of the inferno from the trees and forest ablaze. She was sweating beneath her armor and she felt some of the smoke beginning to seep in through her helmet, a testament to exactly how horrific it was outside.

She helped Bishop as much as she could with hoisting the top off. As soon as they did, one of the soldiers inside aimed and fired a blaster at her. She grunted as she took the blow to the shoulder, almost enough to send her flying back. It cut through the armor and into her flesh but she didn’t relent. Through the small crack that was present, she shoved the grenade in, popping the hatch back down so they were cooked inside. Like Bishop, she fell off the edge, rolling into the grass and clutching her new wound.

Lex gritted her teeth as she rose from the ground, half limping back towards the fray. That was when she heard a voice come in through the comms, “Lieutenant Kyrst! This is Miles. Communications tower is down!”

She had to smile at that, “Good work, soldier, fortify that area. Over.”

Lex followed Bishop’s line of sight, spotting the bunkers where the Cartel had set up shop to shoot down the dropships. She made her way back towards the tank, nodding at Bishop, “I can work it,” She ignored the bleeding wound on her shoulder, hoisting herself back up onto the tank. This time, the hatch came off easily and smoke rose up from inside. She dropped inside the tank, ignoring the gore and body parts littered everywhere.

“I’ve commandeered a T-45 Infantry Tank Serial Number 8401. Do not fire on this tank. I repeat, do not fire,” She commed her unit as she began to switch to controlling the tank. It was different than what she was used to, but the controls were close enough. Within moments, the tank was mobile and she slowly aimed towards one of the bunkers where she could see a group of mercenaries aiming turrets at incoming ships. Within moments, she fired a volley directly at them, setting them ablaze at once. The explosion rocked through them, wiping out an entire line of the insurgents. Lex didn’t stop there and she began to advance the tank further into their territory.

 

[Bishop Cain]

Bishop saw the turret turn as Lex answered his question, firing a blast directly at the bunker as the large plasma bolt soared through the air. It easily cut through the trees before hitting one of the bunkers directly, a massive explosion rocking the line as they could see mercs climb out of their manmade trenches on fire and screaming. The entire line was ablaze and the fire was spreading, having must have hit an ammo storage. The fire was getting worse, embers and smoke all in the air as Bishop was drenched in his armor. He had a few burn and blaster marks but he could push through the pain.

Bishop saw the bleeding wound on Lex but she was already in the tank on the move and he was going to fall in line, following behind it tightly. Letting her focus on the tank, Bishop comm'd the squads around him, "Form up on the tank! We use it as cover and push to the bunkers." Multiple Pub soldiers spilled from the tree's, forming up on Bishop and firing at the bunkers and ducking behind the tank's armor. Multiple mercs tried to make a counter attack, rushing out of the forest and trying to swarm it but Bishop and the squad on him kept them off. Some of them carried rockets on their back and Bishop shouted to the men, "Focus on the explosives! Don't let them take out the tank!"

Bishop aimed down the sights of his rifle, squeezing the trigger of his rifle and emptying his power pack into a pack of bushes as multiple men dropped to the ground. They were getting closer and closer to the bunkers, their advance slow and steady but all of a sudden a beeping echoed throughout the entire ground. Bishop looked straight to the ground, seeing a blinking red light and he heard Hunter shout through the comms, "SEEKER MINES!" The red lights stopped blinking and the mines popped up in the air, spikes erupting from it as it started to spin. Bishop dived to the ground immediately, small and violent explosions rocking through the entire forest.

Bishop was propelled forward violently into a tree, smacking into it before falling to the ground as he gasped trying to fill the air in his lungs. Half of his armor was charred, trails of smoke rising from different spots and paying thanks to the thermal suit for being able to save him from that. Rolling over to his side, it felt like someone hit his head with a hammer and his ear was ringing, making him be able to hear anything. Glancing around, everything was blurry and hard to see but he could understand the chaos around him. The seeker mines did their damage, the explosions taking out mine and the spikes they had working as well, multiple bodies having the blades sticking out of their helmets or chest.

For Lex, the tank shook violently when they went off and it suffered minor damage but nothing extreme. The mines were anti-infantry and she could hear the painful screams of men and women through her comms. Some wept and others just couldn't stop yelling in pain. Bishop woke up from his daze and he looked around, finding one soldier drag another with a blown off leg behind a tree. Crawling over to the fallen tree, Bishop comm'd Lex, his voice strained, "You need to push the tank forward, give us a clear path. We'll follow behind you shortly." Medics rushed over to the wounded, addressing whoever they could first as the soldiers who could still fight started opening fire again. Bishop did the same, reloading in a new power pack before resting his rifle on the tree with a grunt and opening fire at the nearest targets.

 

[Lex Kyrst]

Lex was inside the tank and advancing, firing up another hit on the bunkers. She could barely hear the chatter over the comms from here, and it was getting more and more difficult to breathe. She heard the explosions outside, but she had to focus on her task, which was to push back the insurgents. Lex heard Bishop issue out some orders on the comms, but then she heard the dreaded call about the mines. Tremendous explosions rocked the exterior of the tank, and she felt it reverberate even where she was. Lex was thrown back, her head harshly colliding against the back of the tank’s cockpit.

She groaned in pain, quickly recovering as much as she could. She heard the screams outside and it filled her with dread, “Bee? Hunter? Miles? Are you all alive?” She screamed, not hearing any responses as she coughed and sputtered. The tank shuddered from the blow, and she was dazed from the hit. Lex scrambled back up when she heard Bishop’s voice come in to push forth. Lex groaned at the suggestion, “We’re getting killed out here…” She despised the idea of pushing towards where there were more mercenaries.

Nevertheless, Lex pushed forth, driving the tank through the raging inferno left behind from the mines. Trees splintered, the forest fell apart and flames erupted all around. Thick smoke made visibility almost impossible and Lex had to rely on the terminal to map where she was shooting. She fired another volley at the bunkers, and it tore through the remaining insurgents, and it cleared a path for the Republic soldiers.

The fires blazed, but for a moment there was nothing but silence. The turrets stopped firing and the other dropships were able to unload safely without any being shot down. Lex pushed the tank towards where the bunkers had been. After a while, she finally opened the hatch and climbed out of the tank, covered in the blood and guts of those dead within the tank. As she hoisted herself up, she took her helmet off for a moment, coughing and trying to breathe in fresh air amidst all the fumes and smoke all around.

Lex jumped down from the tank and made her way over towards where the insurgents had been taken out. She had her rifle on her and looked through the scope, scanning the area to ensure no one else was there. Lex sighed as she lowered her rifle, “Area’s clear…for now. Let’s set up camp,” She muttered, trudging over to where she could find forestry away from the fire.

As the other ships landed, she knew they would have the area fortified. Lex made her way over to a tree, sliding down to sit at the trunk of it. She had her helmet off, sweat pouring down her face. She took in all the chaos and fire before her, reaching down to drink from a pouch. It had been a flagon of whisky she carried with her, and she silently mourned the lives lost as she took sips from it.

 

[Bishop Cain]

Bishop heard Lex's retort through the comms but he didn't feel the need to reply back because he figured she knew. If they tried to retreat then they could lose more men and trying to stop now would be worse. They had to push forward and Lex appeared to have the same thought as she eventually advanced the tank forward into the inferno and the bunkers. As she drove forward, small explosions went off underneath the tank and revealing more seeker mines. But the armor of the tank could accept the beating and it began clearing a path for the soldiers to rush through.

With the tank firing rounds into the bunkers and destroying structures and men, the Pub soldiers followed behind the tank before she halted fire, rushing forward into the bankers to pick it clean and make sure they had complete control. Bishop limped slightly towards the bunker, his rifle hanging idly to his side as he held one of his pistols in his hand. Glancing up, he saw the ships fly overhead freely, the AA guns destroyed. They landed down gently in front of the remains of the bunkers, dropping their hangar doors as men carried out supplies and medical gear.

As Bishop approach the bunker, Hunter spoke through the comms that he would set up an overwatch with his squad. Just giving an affirmative, he quickly found a wall and simply pressed his back against it before sliding to the ground. The battle had been long and hard and while he wanted to find Lex, he needed his own time.

---​

It was night time now, Hunter and Bishop together in a separate room of the bunker. There was a table and other pieces of furniture spread around. But a massive part of the wall had been blown out and gave view to the fire that was created. It was going the opposite way so they were safe and it was a bright show to watch. Hunter sat in a chair, his feet on the table as he threw a card on the table, "Five up," Bishop glanced over to the table, currently sitting on top of a barrel with his back resting against the wall. He raised his hand before selecting a card and tossing it down on the table, "8 down," Hunter peeked from his hand and shook his head, "Shit..."

Both were dressed in their armor, Bishop having restored the damaged pieces as Hunter did. Both of them had their helmets off, Bishop wanting to smoke a cigarette as he took another long drag, watching the fire as it spread further and further. He enjoyed Hunter's company and they were forming quite a relationship, the man having proven to be a capable soldier and leader. Hunter was easy to pick out because of the tally marks he had going down his helmet, each one for Imperial lieutenants and higher positions he's taken out. It's what caught Bishop's attention in the first place.

Both just sat there continuing playing their game, still ready for action but both of their rifles placed on the wall by the door. Bishop was dead tired from the battle and every person who participated in it needed a break from it. They had lost a lot of men and woman today and it caused him to take another drag from his cigarette, thinking just of how much more they had to go through.

 

[Lex Kyrst]

It wasn’t long before the thudding of footsteps echoed close by, and it would no doubt alarm both men till Lex groaned her arrival. She stepped through where a door had been, walking into the room where she spotted Hunter and Bishop. Lex had her helmet off, and her face was completely covered in soot and debris. Sweat matted her hair to her face and she was still injured. Nevertheless, she had happy to see some of her men alive. Hunter quickly moved to get off his seat to offer it to her, but she simply held up a hand, walking over to a separate corner of the room.

“I can’t get through to Miles,” Lex muttered, more than a little concerned. Miles and his men had been instrumental in knocking down the enemy comms tower, but there was no way to tell if they had been ambushed as a result. Lex took off the outer layers of her armor, hissing as she peeled off the bit that clung to her shoulder wound. She reached for kolto, applying the salve to her wound. She was down to her armorweave now, moving the material aside to look at the wound for the first time. It was deep and close to festering, and she winced as she applied the kolto.

“I’ll do a check around the perimeters and see if I can’t comm them,” Hunter rose up from his seat. He was the least injured out of all three in the room, and he went over to pick up his rifle.

“Don’t go far, I can’t lose you as well,” Lex gave him a firm glance, and he nodded in turn, tilting his head towards Bishop before leaving the room. She continued to work on her wounds, wiping down the grime from her face as best she could. Her armor was completely covered in the blood and guts of enemies and allies alike, and she despised it. Lex took another swig of her whisky before she gazed out towards the fires.

“We lost a lot of good men and women out there,” She sighed, “We’ll lose many more before this is over.”

 

[Bishop Cain]

Both men heard the footsteps, Bishop and Hunter glancing to each other before each drew out their pistol and aimed it at the door. He had it aimed right for the chest if someone walked in but he heard the groan and he knew it was as long as Hunter. Both turned on the safety before holstering their blasters. When Lex stepped through, he saw the condition she was in and it pretty much explained everyone else in the camp. It had been a rough situation taking the hill and they had suffered a lot of casualties to do it. Bishop gave a nod to her before returning his gaze to engulfing fire, it lighting the sky in an orange hue.

When she mentioned she couldn't find Miles and Hunter offering to go scout for him, Bishop turned his head towards Hunter before giving him a nod as he started to make his way out of the room. They couldn't lose him as well, Hunter and Miles were two of the biggest reasons they had won the battle. Lex's thought to take the tank, however, saved the day, able to push through and destroy the bunkers with it. Taking another slow drag of his cigarette, Bishop exhaled it out of his nose before looking over to Lex when she spoke.

Without saying a word he hopped off the barrel and made his way towards her, nodding to the table, "Sit," Leading her over to the table, he waited for her to hop up to equal their height slightly before stepping in front of her. "Let me," Bishop murmured softly before leaning forward to inspect the wound on her shoulder. Gently taking the Kolto from her, he peeled back the armor weave as far as he could to reveal the wound before leaning in and applying the Kolto to it. "We lost 92 men, 14 injured and incapacitated." The fingers from his other hand pressed into her tricep lightly, holding it in place. "They know we're coming now, the next attack will not be easy."

Finishing applying the Kolto, Bishop lifted his gaze to her's before cupping the side of her cheek and tilting her head to look at him. Without another word, Bishop leaned in to kiss her hungrily, it evident as his hand slid to the back of her neck and deepened it. After a moment he pulled away, murmuring softly, "I thought I lost you when our transport exploded." His touch lingered on her cheek when he slid it back, his eyes boring into hers. "It terrified me." Bishop eventually dropped his hand before looking at her wound again, "It won't be comfortable but you'll be alright."

 

[Lex Kyrst]

Lex continued to struggle with the kolto, her thoughts entirely elsewhere as she thought of all the lives lost. She was distracted as Bishop suddenly commanded her to sit and walked over. She was about to protest, but decided it wasn’t worth the energy. Lex sat down and let him work, her gaze going beyond him and towards where the fire was. Pain that had nothing to do with her external wounds throbbed within her, and she had no way to apply anything to it. It was a pain she would have to bear and carry wherever she went.

As Bishop matter of factly rattled off the numbers, Lex’s teeth grinded against one another. She hated hearing it, but she knew there was no avoiding it. She bit her lip as he pushed into the wound, her mind entirely elsewhere. Lex looked up just in time for him to lean in. She hadn’t been expecting it, but she didn’t stop it either. Part of her wanted to protest, and it reminded her that they were still separated by their hierarchies. However, she found it difficult to say anything, and she could only focus on his lips, and the sweat and grime that was between them. It was gritty, it was rough, and it was something she didn’t even know she needed. Her fingers curled into his hair and she leaned into the kiss, giving into it and pouring her fears, pains and despair into it.

When he pulled back, she gazed into his eyes, grief clear on her face, “All those people, Bishop…they followed my command,” Her voice was hoarse, “They trusted me with their lives and I failed them. They went into this believing in me and I let them down,” She took shuddered breaths, trying her best not to show any emotion. In her mind, it wasn’t permitted to do so, despite her eyes being red and the slightest cracks showing in her resolve. As he dropped his hand, she caught it, entwining her fingers with his while looking away, “There’s no turning back now,” She looked out towards the fires, “We’re stuck here until the war is over, and it’s only begun. We might never go home.”

 

[Bishop Cain]

Lex's fingers wrapped around his hand before they both intertwined them willingly. Bishop looked at her, able to see the clear pain and misery on her face from the number of lives they had lost. He gave her hand a light squeeze, "They all knew what they were signing up for Tuts. They know the dangers they go against and why they fight against it. You didn't let them down, right now we're all standing in this bunker. If you had let us all down we'd all be buried right in the dirt." Bishop glanced down at her armor, seeing the dirt and blood and other marks that spoke loudly at what they had gone through.

"We will have a lot more battles ahead of us but I intend to return home just like the rest of our people out here. If it takes weeks or months, however long, I will get my men and you back to their homes." Bishop leaned his head forward, his forehead connecting with hers as his other hand cupped her face once more. Despite the grime and sweat on both of them, Bishop didn't care, he just appreciated her touch and the connection between them at the moment. With the ferocity of the battle before him and how bloody it was, it was nice to be around someone who didn't intend to shoot someone at the moment and Bishop appreciated it.

Bishop looked at Lex, casting his own observation again. He couldn't figure out whether she was in shock, symbolizing grief or just beating herself up to hard. He could see the hints of her armor breaking away and Bishop didn't really know what to do or what to say. After a few moments though, Bishop just went back to what worked before and he tilted her head to look at him before he leaned in and kissed her again. It was tamer this time and Bishop kept his hands mostly to himself this time, just savoring the taste of Lex. With his eyes closed and one of his hands sliding into her hair, he murmured against Lex's lips, "I have not lost faith in you despite what has happened. You will lead us to victory, I know you will. The men still count on you and I still count on you." Bishop kissed her again, ready to pull away if she wanted him too but right now he just wanted his mind to be only by Lex and not the death that surrounded them.