The outpost Rid has been secured by their lord, the second Loyalist Karuga's army. A company and a small squad helped the outpost garrison hold off the Zakana assault until the army arrived. With the outpost now surrounded by the dark, void-like black presence of the Narukh'za, the Arkulan soldiers grew fearful for their safety.
Despite fighting beside the Narukh'za on the outpost, the Arkulan military had an unthinkable history of conflict with the fierce soldiers. Doubts are devouring the minds of the Arkulan soldiers as they watch them gradually overwhelm the counts of the Zakana present in the vicinity of Rid.
Driven by fear, the captain in charge of the company named 'Boar' called out to the most considered legend of the Arkula, a woman named 'Kirin Solana'. Equipped with experimental artificial eyes perfectly made for battle, the Narukh'za leader has marked this person as the highest priority and its reward is a position to the Loyalists and a lot of willing warriors as their army.
The Arkula is aware of this fact and marked her as a very important person in the military. However, to the present day, Kirin has faced a Loyalist but was spared. Because of this, Kirin grew curious of this Loyalist, as she knows the Narukh'za way isn't likely the way she was shown. When the Zakana attacks, though still has hatred towards the Narukh'za, Kirin gave the Loyalist a chance for her trust and helped the Loyalist's soldiers from the sands, with doubts in her head.
With the captain's request, together with the fear of being outnumbered by the Narukh'za, Kirin is pressured to call the Loyalist to the outpost.
"Since your army is here, we should be moving out" She said. Karuga looked around them. "The Zakana is still fighting back and our guns are still blazing. With my Bastion's starfighters bombing the sands, it can be dangerous" She replied. "Then tell them not to bomb our way!" Kirin shrugged.
"Unless you need assistance during your departure, we won't be able to guarantee your safety from its payloads" Karuga said. "Fine! We can fight our way out of here. Tell your army" Kirin then told her allies to prepare for exfiltration. In the meanwhile, Karuga informed her army about their withdrawal from the outpost.
While the company prepares to leave, Karuga approached Kirin. She turned to face her. "You might think you have done a small help, but every second of you helping my soldiers is precious to me, Kirin. The Narukh'za will surely notice your efforts of kindness" Karuga said. Kirin heaved a long sigh. "Sure. It wasn't a 'small' help, we sent out a company here to hold out until the rest of your army arrives" She replied.
Karuga placed a hand on her chin. "I have been hearing about this 'company'. When we hear that certain word, we think about the Krygstek. But I see that is not the case here" She smiled to show her interest in knowing the answer. "Company doesn't instantly mean the Krygstek. It can mean a business, someone's presence with people, or in military terms, a slightly large group of soldiers, usually around a hundred troops" Kirin saw how fascinated the Loyalist about the information.
"Come on, no way you've lived your life this long without knowing this" Kirin smirked. Karuga slightly chuckled. "Of course, I know what the word 'company' means. We have never used that word on our service" She said. After hearing this, Kirin slightly tilted her head. "How do you measure the size of your military then? How do you even lead them?" She asked.
"The way we lead our army is entirely different from each other. Loyalists lead their army in their own way. In my case, I have divided my power. I lead my ground troops, and my Devoted leads my fleet" "My Devoted, Ladrak, he introduced himself to you and confronted you without any intention of aggression" The two stared at each other for a second.
"...That's it? How about like... a squad, or a battalion?" Kirin asked and the Loyalist remained quiet. Her expression suggests she had no idea about what Kirin has asked. "What the..." Kirin rubs her face in confusion. "You mean to tell me that this whole time, we have been fighting you without anyone else leading a group or more within your army? Your army just scatter around and follow orders directly from you?" Kirin asked and Karuga remained silent.
Kirin scratched her head furiously. After their conversation dies out of confusion, Kirin was informed that the company, along with her squad, is ready to move out of the outpost. "I will tell you one last time. Even if my army doesn't aim at you, there will be some strays and misfires" Karuga warned Kirin one more time.
"It's fine, just... don't try to aid us on our way out" Kirin then turned to Carlos and her squad. "Stick close and don't scatter, she has told them not to fire in our direction but we still have to be careful. We will go out from the same way we came in" Kirin pointed to their left. She then scanned the Arkulan soldiers. "Everyone ready? Let's move!" After her shout, the company moves into action.
Kirin's squad and herself rode in the company's vehicles and headed out southwest of the outpost. As they near the gate, the Narukh'za soldiers stopped firing under their Lord's order and it was Arkula's turn to fire. The Narukh'za soldiers watched the Arkulan company exit through the gate guns blazing from lasers and auto-cannons to small arms. They formed a column.
Once they made it outside, some Zakana focused on them. Some of them move towards their back, attempting to surround them. Some soldiers were able to shoot some flanking Zakana, but they needed more firepower at the front for their push to be quicker, it wasn't enough. However, even under their Lord's command to cease fire, the Narukh'za soldiers watching them started to shoot, aiding their flanks.
"The Narukh'za have open fired!" Carlos alerted the company. Kirin quickly looked behind and analyzed the Narukh'za's direction of fire with her eyes. "They're covering our flanks, but watch them closely" Kirin stared at them for a few seconds before focusing back on their path. With their armored vehicles, the Zakana that were trying to stop them were thwarted, shot dead or scurried away. With their exposed flank, the Narukh'za helped clear some of the Zakana trying to surround the Arkulan soldiers.
With little to no harm, the Arkulan convoy made it out of the outpost's vicinity safely. The Narukh'za watches over them until they disappear from their view. The convoy wasn't exactly safe yet, however. Without the Narukh'za's starfighters, the convoy is exposed from flying Zakana. They found themselves shooting above. Some of the Ravens above them were headed to the outpost, but some switched to the direction of the convoy. The flying Zakana started to fly in a circle to observe the convoy.
Despite the convoy's attempt to drive the flock of Ravens away, they kept accumulating. Kirin ordered the convoy to move double time. The soldiers on foot embarked on their armored vehicles and drove ahead with speed.
As the convoy distances from the flock, the formation of the Ravens changed into a straight line, heading towards the convoy. Without the soldiers on the ground, the Ravens noticed their firepower reduced, the whole flock dove straight towards them.
"They're coming!" Kirin alerted them. "Close all hatches!" As she commanded, all vehicles closed their hatches, securing themselves inside. The straight line of Ravens drew near, and acids started to pour upon the convoy. Inside the vehicles, they heard sizzling noises around them and hopes that the armor won't be melted away.
Normally, a group of five or ten Ravens is not enough to melt any of the Arkulan armors, but the convoy is dealing with a big flock of them. There were thoughts of them melting holes in their vehicle.
The Ravens kept spitting acid at the convoy until they flew by. As they did, the convoy open-fired in an attempt to drive them away. The lasers were effective at scattering the flock, but with their small bodies, they were agile up in the sky. They form together right after they are separated by the lasers.
"This is not good, Miss Kirin. These Ravens will never leave us alone!" Carlos spoke. Before the flock spat acid on them, Kirin has used her eyes on them and had them calculated, every Ravens. Inside of a Bogue, Kirin watches the flock closely. Her eyes repeatedly indicated danger within a small time, opening their hatches right now was a death sentence. They had to rely on the armored vehicles' weapons.
"Can we go faster than this?!" Kirin replied to Carlos. "Negative, Miss Kirin. We have a Gallant on our formation. We're matching their speed" Carlos replied. With the skies infested with Ravens, the Gallant's spacecraft had to retreat back to the base and was unable to pick the Gallant back up. "Averthos, how are you holding up?" Kirin contacted the Gallant.
"Our driver reported our engine is slightly damaged" Averthos replied. "Oh no, not your engine" Kirin looked up again. There is no window for her to raise up and fire at the flock and return back down safely. "Niela! How is your squad?" She then contacted Niela.
In a Varen, the squad is waiting in the vehicle's passenger space. Kirin's voice came through Niela's helmet, bringing slight comfort to the squad. "W-we are fine! We heard sizzlings everywhere, but we are fine!" Niela's response brought comfort to Kirin. "Okay, stay put. Don't open any hatches. There are chances that those Raven can hole our vehicles, so be wary every time!" Kirin then cuts off her comms to the squad.
"How far are we?" Kirin asked Carlos. "More than twenty klicks, Miss Kirin. We were in the last Narukh'za outpost way up north of our base. With our current speed, we will be able to get there in an hour or longer, depending on how bad the Zakana can deal" He replied. With that last reply, the convoy goes on in silence.
After a while, they stumbled upon an outpost. Kirin was quick to warn the convoy. "Do NOT enter any outposts! Change our direction DIRECTLY back to our base! We have little time out here, we don't have time to retrace our path using outposts!" She then used her eyes. Within them, she opened up a map. Remembering where the outpost before them, she looked up north of the map and directed left. "There! Eleven 'o clock, direct! Turn left and we should be facing the base's direction!" With her command, the convoy changed and diverted slightly left.
As they drive ahead, more Ravens are starting to join the flock, increasing the danger the convoy has to face. "They're everywhere, Miss Kirin... More Ravens are approaching us, if we don't get them in time, we will run out of ammunition. We will be vulnerable" Carlos calmly said. "However, we might survive long if we break formation and scatter. Every time they form a line, many of us are hit with their acid. I've thought maybe, we can separate from each other and lessen the damage?" He added. Kirin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but I got a better idea!" She said then spoke to the convoy. "Alright people, change of formation, form a ring!" With that order, the convoy moves to change their positions.
After a brief adjustment, the convoy's formation is now shaped as a ring encircling a double-line formation inside. The ones with the most ammunitions left are the ones forming the ring and the rest are inside in a double-line formation. "This formation..." A Varen driver looked around in astonishment. Kirin laughed. "We don't use this formation, but I'm glad you can do it without getting in a mess" She said, proud of the drivers.
With the ring formed, their line of fire spread instead of a straight line. The Raven's straight line dive attack is easily intercepted with gunfire from multiple directions. After a few attempts, the Ravens are reduced greatly. Noticing their loss, the flying creatures ceased their aggression and stayed up above, giving the convoy some breather.