The squad stopped near the area where the Demon Eagles are circling about, fighting off the Ravens. In a distance not too far, they saw the convoy of Scourge tanks and two new vehicles the squad haven't known yet.
"Alright, which one should we help first?" Kirin asked, looking at both the starfighters and the convoy. "We should help their Eagles" Sterling suggested and Marve agrees. "But their vehicles... They are being overrun!" Terra pointed at the convoy. The convoy puts up a fight and is able to fend for themselves. However, as they talk, some of their soldiers are getting hit or shot down by the Zakana and their defense is slowly decreasing.
"The Demon Eagles are fast enough to survive for long! We should help the convoy!" Chirlin suggested. "Niela?" Kirin and the squad looked at her, waiting for her answer. "I will let you decide, but be quick!" She said. Niela felt anxious as usual, being the person in charge. But knowing that there are people's lives on the line, she brushed off her fear and focused.
In no more than five seconds, the squad noticed her perked up. "Miss Kirin! We will go to the convoy and help them from there. With your eyes, there's no impossible, right? When we are there, we can help the convoy defend, and at the same time, you can use your eyes to help the Demon Eagles up there!" The squad looked surprised.
"Miss Kirin, I would like to have a company to go here and help us" She turned to Kirin. "Roger that" Kirin briefly saluted. "The soldiers said that they came from the outpost north of us, right? That must be outpost A. Once the convoy rescued the soldiers in outpost B, we will march with them back to A, which was the last one on the list Miss Lonara has given us" Niela gasped for air after she finished. Kirin pats her shoulder. "Breath, Niela. Running out of air while giving instructions won't do you any good" She grinned.
She then turned to the squad. "You heard her. We will join their formation and help them fight. With my eyes, I will assist both the ground and the starfighters. I will call a company right away once we're secured inside. When they arrive, we will ask the convoy to proceed with the rescue and we will accompany them back to outpost A and continue our task" Kirin confirmed their mission.
With their planned strategy, they drove ahead. The squad speeds through the Zakana and approached the convoy upfront. "Hey! We came from the ruined outpost! They said you're on the way to get them!" Kirin shouted at the Narukh'za as they disembark. The convoy's formation starts with a Scourge, an unknown vehicle, a Wraith, the same unknown vehicle, and a Scourge at the end.
"Arkula! Every one of us here on your planet knows you're helping! There's no need to tell anyone else!" The convoy lead's commander spoke with them from the hatch of his Scourge. "Roger! Keep up the fight, we will help you until you can rescue that small group from the nearby outpost" Kirin replied. "Much appreciation! You can man one of our Virka as a gunner, the last one. A Scratcher with poisonous projectiles shot through the armor and killed the gunner. If one of you is brave enough to go for the seat, you're welcome to do so" The commander pointed at the last Virka on the line.
Virka is a wheeled armored vehicle of the Narukh'za, it only has four wheels. Its overall appearance is rather small, with an almost round turret and dual minigun mounted. It has a support driver seat, mounted with a Zat-5 machinegun from the Narukh'za. Virka is the model made after they successfully stole the blueprints from the Krygstek, which is the blueprints for the Arkulan wheeled vehicle, Varen.
It has advanced tracking and locking technology inside its turret primarily for shooting enemy starfighters and battleships in the skies, but its miniguns can be lowered enough to fire at ground units. With these capabilities, the Virka has a double purpose on the battlefield. Despite its idea being stolen from the Arkulan Varen, it doesn't have any spaces for passengers inside.
"I only have a Resolver! I can't shoot long ranges! I can be the gunner!" Chirlin jumps up repeatedly to get their attention. "A child?" The commander got confused as he saw Chirlin. "What? Your lord hasn't told you about any kid in my squad?" Kirin smirked. "Apparently not, Kirin Solana" The commander replied.
"Ugh, why do you guys keep calling me by my full name?" Kirin complained as she instructed the squad to get in position. "Young child!" The commander called Chirlin. "Enter the Virka by the top and let the crews teach you about our wonderful creation" He said. "Wonderful creations?!" Chirlin tried to sound surprised.
"Buzz off. You guys stole this idea from us AND Krygstek!" Kirin said as she climbed up the commander's Scourge. "Ours have greater combat efficiency, Arkula" The two glared at each other for a few seconds.
Chirlin climbed up the Virka and looked for the hatch at its turret. Touching every surface, she held a small handle but the hatch didn't budge. She tried again and she felt the hatch unlock. Excited, she jumped right away.
She landed on a chair and immediately sat down. "So cool!" The interior is illuminated by a big screen where she can see the battlefield. "A child?!" One of the crew shouted. "The convoy leader said you would teach me how to use this!" She turned around to talk to them, and as she looked back to the monitor, she saw a small hole to her right.
"If that is what he said..." One of the crews approached behind her. "You control the turret with that" She pointed at the controller. It has two handles attached to the vehicle and its grip is pointed up. At the top of each handle are buttons. "You press this to fire, right?" Chirlin held the control and looked at the corner of her eyes while lightly tapping the buttons. "Yes, if you want to move the turret, just push and pull to wherever. Move it vertically if you want to move the guns, well, vertically" The woman crew taught her.
"You want to lock a target, feel for the button at the right stick, it should be behind" She said. Chirlin taps the right handle for the button. "Found it!" She said once she felt the button. "See that green round reticle at the middle? Point it to the Zakana and press the button. The guns and the turret will lock on the target and will follow it, so you only have to shoot. The turret won't let go until the target is destroyed, lost, or disengaged"
Chirlin moved the turret by pushing the left handle up to the right and pulling the right handle down to left. "So cool!" Chirlin can't contain her excitement. "These are not toys, remember, young Arkula. If you shoot one of us, this vehicle will be your grave" The woman crew warned her. "O-okay..." Chirlin got frightened and nodded. Setting her fright aside, she focused on the screen and looked up the skies.
"I will stay here with Chirlin!" Niela positioned herself near the Virka Chirlin is on. "I will go with you!" Terra moved to her side. The others spread out to cover the entire convoy. After a few seconds, the Virka fired its miniguns, emitting continuous blasts and sending out powerful energy the two felt. "I-is that Chirlin firing?!" Terra looked amazed. "I... I think so...!" Niela looked up to its miniguns, still firing.
Chirlin took out a Raven at the skies and let out a happy shout. "That's definitely her" Terra giggled. "I don't know why but they allowed her to shoot. A Narukh'za vehicle, even" Niela sighed. The convoy kept fighting against the Zakana.
In the leading Scourge tank, Kirin calls for Lonara. "Kirin! The situation here got worse! I promised you three companies, but the Zakana is putting up a harder fight than we expected! I can only send you one company!" Lonara spoke first. "Damn it! You should have sent us there first!" Kirin shouted. "No, we won't back out from our promises! These Narukh'za will die if we waited any longer!" Lonara shouted back, Kirin was taken aback. "Fine! We need that one company you're mentioning in our position. We will help this convoy and we will all drive back to outpost A!" She said. "Great. I will send out the Boar Company! They will be there in fifteen!" Lonara nodded.
"What is a company? Do you have Krygstek with you?" The commander asked and Kirin just stared at him. "Boar Company, that's great. We need auto-cannons than large calibers" Kirin nodded, satisfied with their reinforcement.
Boar Company is one of the supposedly three companies assigned to Kirin's command. It consists of ten Varen, with the two being the commander vehicles, with a full capacity of eight soldiers in its rear passenger space, four Bogue fighting vehicles, and three Badger fighting vehicles. The personnel carriers carry eight-man squads, with a total of fifty-one vehicle crews. The company has one hundred and thirty-one soldiers.
"You heard her. She has sent a reinforcement here. Hold tight and try not to die" Kirin told the commander. The convoy's strength to fight increased dramatically as Kirin simultaneously supports them and the Demon Eagles.
Kirin would shout out a command to shoot in a direction where a group of Zakana is amassing, shoot at any Ravens that had higher chances to damage a Demon Eagle, repeatedly changing the soldiers' formations according to the situation. Kirin would contact Chirlin with her telepathic ability for targets as Chirlin is wearing quake protection rather than a combat suit. The defense lasted until the Boar Company arrived.
The soldiers disembarked not too far from the convoy and proceeded on foot. The armored vehicles cruised to give them cover. Firing from all sides, from small arms to automatic and large cannons, the company slowly advanced until they reached the convoy.
The company positioned its armored vehicles to surround the convoy and join the defense. After securing their positions, the captain of the Boars met up with Kirin. "I'm Captain Carlos Karthen, at your service, Miss Kirin" The captain and Kirin exchanged salutes. "Glad you made it here safe, Carlos. You encountered the Zakana on the way here?" Kirin asked. "Plenty, Miss Kirin, but it wasn't much trouble" Carlos said and both of them nodded.
"If you see an opening for your convoy, go for it" Kirin told the convoy commander. Now that the convoy is heavily reinforced with a larger perimeter, the Zakana is rapidly decreasing as they continue to charge. The battle didn't last long, the Zakana realized the situation and moved away. With few persistent Zakana, the gunfires don't cease.
"We will move now, Arkula!" The commander told them and his convoy advanced ahead towards the outpost. The company and the squad stayed behind and defends their route. Kirin stood up to Carlos' Bogue with him. "I never thought we will see our colors in ceasefire with the Narukh'za" He told Kirin. "Me either. It was a Loyalist who made the deal. If we help them out of the planet, they will stay out of here for good, or at least, not anywhere near our bases and towns and cities" Kirin said.
"You will be surprised when I say this. The Loyalist I mentioned was very grateful" She chuckled. "That doesn't sound like a Narukh'za!" Carlos also chuckled. With the Zakana decreased in numbers, it only needed a small fight to fend them off. The two were chattering with ease. "Nice Bogue, cap! I miss riding these at Valorna during our war with the Krygs" She complimented his vehicle.
Bogue is an Infantry Fighting Vehicle made by the Arkula. The idea of the Bogue comes from the idea of Varen's auto-cannon and rocket assault. The Bogue is made to be tracked and has thicker armor than the Varen, increasing its weight and engine power. It can still transport soldiers to the field but it is only limited to three passengers, unlike the Varen. The Bogue wields the same auto-cannon as the Varen, and has two variants with the secondary weapon, dual-laser mounted and dual R-92 missile mounted. It is manned with three crews.
"Yes, I'd rather command a Bogue than the Badger, Miss Kirin" Carlos nodded and looked to their right.
Badger is an upgraded version of the Varen. It doesn't wield an auto-cannon and a rocket pod and instead has a smaller variant of Pura's main cannon and coaxial Justice machinegun. The company that made the Varen created a new blueprint that replaces the Varen's auto-cannon and rocket pod with a smaller version of the main battle tank Pura's cannon. With the idea of mounting a large cannon in their wheeled vehicle, the hull went through drastic changes in hull shape and size, though it still has some resemblance to the Varen. The engine and its suspension are greatly improved to be able to carry the cannon. It has eight wheels instead of six like the Varen.
"If you're skilled enough, you can take down anything with a Bogue" He added. Kirin nodded in agreement. After a while, Lonara called in. "Kirin, the Loyalist is notified. The Narukh'za should be in those frequencies now" She told Kirin. "Great. How is the base holding up?" Kirin asked. "We're holding. I don't see any reasons for the base to fall"
"Look, don't worry about us. I will call if things have changed. Stay with the Narukh'za until every one of them in this region is secured" Lonara insisted and dropped the call. Kirin grunted. "Narukh'za..." She muttered. "Miss Kirin, I don't trust them. Never in my life have I seen the Narukh'za relying on our help" Carlos laid his suspicions. "Hate to admit it, but they are better on handling the Zakana" He added.
"And to think a Loyalist would rather ask us for help rather than calling for her allies" He looked to their right, far to the convoy who are now getting the small group of soldiers in the outpost. "What do you think is she up to?" Kirin asked him. Carlos scratched his chin. "Did the comms detect any increasing Narukh'za signatures?" He asked. "Lonara would have warned us about by now" Kirin shook her head.
"We've never seen this kind of tactic before" Carlos said. "Well, at least we had our suspicions. If they try anything, we will be ready" Kirin sighed. They fell silent and watched their surroundings. Thinking of the possibilities of the Narukh'za's tricks, the two couldn't make up a conversation. Before they can, they heard the convoy approaching.
"Here they come" Carlos stood up from his Bogue and rallied his troops and prepares them to move out. Engines of the vehicles filled the surrounding, with the troops barking orders and their stomps on the sands. The company gets ready to move with the convoy.
"Averthos, you're still here?" Kirin called down the Gallant to join the convoy. The convoy passed through the company at a moderate speed. On a Virka, they saw Chirlin on top of it along with some Narukh'za soldiers. Once the convoy arrived, Niela called for her. Chirlin jumped down from the moving vehicle and rolled through the sands. "Chirlin!" Niela and Terra came to help her up.
"Hey, careful kid!" Kirin shouted at her. She then regrouped her squad and rode their Lancers. With the company and Kirin's squad joining the Narukh'za convoy, they marched ahead towards outpost A.