Another charge exploded at the front of the troops. Screams sounded as the front lines ducked for cover, Rake dodged behind the next best large tree and saw the others do the same.

Their progress through enemy lands had been slow, the last week the entire army had been busy with clearing out the last lines of defense around the gate. The southern Gate had fallen, the remaining soldiers there had managed to destroy the shuttles and were now waging guerilla war at the remaining troops there.

The way toward the inner sanctum of the colony would lead them through a range of larger cliffsides and mountains. Climbing gear was already on the way but even with the equipment, it would take them at least two weeks before they got to their target.

Time was not on their side, with every passing day the enemy's defenses grew and the population had time to prepare.

The soldiers waited for the sound of gunfire but after the screams of the blast, victims subsided everything was quiet again. The slope they were climbing was steep and while the exoskeleton they were wearing increased their stamina their weight made finding safe footing difficult.

The assault on the bunkers had been more costly than command had expected, nearly one hundred thousand soldiers had died within the first forty-eight hours. Even now more soldiers streamed through the gates, dozens of carriers had arrived one after another in the system, according to high command this was the largest fleet to ever be assembled.

“Rake, we got new orders. A third of our troops are rerouted to the escape pod the enemy fleet dropped. The northern front is preparing for a large-scale attack and will meet us there.” Rachel was slightly tired, she got the least sleep since she had to attend the strategic meetings as well as brief her team on every step of the plans.

“How far to the target?” Rake checked the new direction they had to travel to and was glad to see it would lead around the mountains. The others would be climbing. Sarah behind him did the same.

“Fifty kilometers and a deadline of two thirty hours to get there and dig ourselves in. We move out right now, the other squad leads have been briefed.”

Rake nodded and followed Rachel away from the main bulk of the army. Mint had managed to weld a hook to the back of her armor, the minigun was dangling from it, leaving her hands open to climb or throw rocks at animals.

“Aren’t we lucky this time huh?” Rake nodded as Mint dropped back to walk with him.

“Seems like it.”

She retracted her helmet, Rake realized he was the only one that still wore it. He followed her example. For the first time since the attack, he could feel a breeze pulling on his hair. A smile appeared on his lips, he had nearly forgotten how the world looked without the interface.

“So how are you doing? Was your first battle right?” Rake was confused, the woman had barely exchanged two sentences with him when they were still on Arbol. Had he lost Sarah again?

He turned to see the medic right where she was supposed to be.

“Doing ok I guess?” If he had messed up something and not noticed she would probably tear his head off.

“You are not in any trouble, I am just trying to figure out how you are doing. Some recruits don’t deal too well with the first couple of engagements.” Rake raised an eyebrow, he had not taken Mint for someone that would ask something like this.

“We did what we were trained to do, not really sure what else I could have expected.”

“Well, you kept our medic alive. So, well done, every life she saved was partly because you kept her safe.” Rake nodded again, he had simply done what he was told.

Mint got quiet after Rake did not respond.

Time passed as they followed Rachel through the forest. The sun sank behind the horizon, temperatures dropped and Rake pulled up his helmet again.

In the dark night vision was mandatory for all troops. Behind them tens of thousands of soldiers followed, there was no chatter as the moon rose into the sky.

They were all tired but Rachel knew what she was doing if she kept pushing them she had a reason for it. All soldiers knew about her and trusted in her capabilities as a commander.

The night was suddenly illuminated by sparks flying off Rachel’s armor, the sound of a railgun hit Rake as he leaped forward and pulled the commander to the ground.

“Ambush!” Mint yelled as she readied her minigun and began firing a stream of bullets into the direction she thought the shooter had been. Rake felt something warm on his hands, Rachel was bleeding.

Cursing he pulled her behind a tree, more shots sounded and multiple soldiers were hit, two explosions tore the front line apart. Cursing he looked over Rachel, her face was covered in shrapnel from the projectile, it must have burst when it struck the armor.

The impact spot was clearly visible as the titanium alloy was deformed if the shooter had not hit the thick shoulder plating the bullet would have most likely punched through the metal.

“Everybody from up and advance! Rachel is alive and needs medical attention!” Rake yelled into the com as he pulled the small medkit from his back.

When he raised his head to see what was happening Mint just began another long burst into the darkness. The remaining troops were slowly pushing forward, Sarah was nowhere to be seen.

Muttering a prayer Rake hooked up his interface to Rachel’s. The display began spitting out data about her condition, her arm was dislocated, the shrapnel had not punched through the skull but he had lost two teeth and an eye.

The metal shards were still buried in her flesh, he would need to get them out before stopping the bleeding. Someone hit the ground in front of the two, Sarah had somehow managed to get to their position without getting shot.

She crawled up to Rachel and Rake disconnected with her hub, better to let a professional do her work in peace.

He carefully leaned out of cover to get a better view of what was happening around them and a laser evaporated part of his helmet the second he did. Cursing Rake got back into cover, he threw his helmet on the ground, the heated metal steaming where it hit the ground. All around him soldiers tried to get further towards the still invisible enemy, Mint had stopped firing, the ground was littered with corpses.

Two more grenades exploded next to Rake’s cover, the force shook the large trees around them, the heavy roots burst as a tree fell over. The thick trunk worked against the Imperials as it covered their advance and within seconds a full squad was taking cover there effectively firing from the new barricade.

Rake fired a short burst into the night, he couldn’t see any of them, but that did not mean the enemy knew he couldn’t see them.

“Enemy spotted!” Finally, a marking appeared on his hud, the imperial forces were slowly retreating as the Ercinee managed to gain momentum.

Rake stayed with Sarah and Rachel, his duty now was to protect the commander and the medic.

Sarah had pulled off the damaged helmet and was now extracting the metal fragments from the commander's skull. As soon as a cut was cleaned and the shrapnel removed the medic covered it with a paste that sealed to wound and would help the skin to regrow.

“Commander Saw here, all wounded personnel and squads with wounded members form up around commander Rachel and make camp. A medevac will be sent as soon as the colony has been taken.

All other troops continue towards the objective.

Sarah, second in command after Rachel has the command over the camp.”

The medic paled.

“Sarah here, all troops that will remain here gather the wounded at my position, all medics are to assist. Four squads will search the surrounding area, do not engage the enemy if you find them but get back here at once.”

Rake watched as the soldiers passed them, Nike brought Mint over to their position, the woman had been hit multiple times, her chest plate was covered in scorch marks but she was still alive.

All around them the remaining soldiers began cutting down trees and making a makeshift base of operations. The few tools they had brought were not made for cutting wood but they managed to complete the first wall within two hours.

Sarah patched Rachel up as well as she could and left her where she was to see after the other wounded.

A quick headcount revealed that nearly four hundred had stayed behind about half of them wounded. The army would barely notice their absence, still, Rake wondered what would happen to them.