A desolate landscape of sand and dirt confirmed from satellite images and outside of space.
Confirming landing point for Team A-13.
. . .
The barren planet has carbon dioxide and xenogen confirmed in the atmosphere, with the latter toxic to Humans, Eves, Avians, and Paramorphers.
Tread with caution.
. . .
It has been ten years since the invasion of the Gorgons of Planet Serpentine. Finding Unmodified survivors on Planet Erthe remains difficult, as most became products of the Gorgons' experiments.
Make sure to use the scanners to check for the untreated and save them before the treated can get to them.
— • —
Do you know what it means to feel alive?
Living another day where you may not know when the experience is lost?
What is keeping you alive from the easy way out?
And what purpose does that meaning hold for your choice to survive?
— • —
. . .
The battlefield is often as brutal and deadly for those whose hearts are capable of courage. Yet those without it become enslaved to our enemies and fight against us from the opposite side, never-ending.
. . .
Erthe.
Former home to the Humans and the animal kingdom.
The Humans were a civilization from ten years ago who started the technological advancement towards space, meeting different inhabitants of other planets and creating a space nation to unify them in harmony.
However, they were taken over by the Gorgons of Planet Serpentine, a race of noble humanoid snakes such as the Medusans. They took Planet Erthe and most of the humans hostage, turning the once lively planet into a wasteland and making them into their servants and slaves. All animals were hunted down one by one to serve as experiments for their future plans, disposed of or used as food to feed future Gorgon generations.
As a result, the Starway Galactic Defense Force was formed to fight against the snake race and save the humans from their mind-controlling techniques, even if the SGDF had to go against the former inhabitants themselves. And today was any other battle they've fought.
. . .
Within the dusty atmosphere of the desert-like planet, a war was breaking out between two armies. Those with cybernetic masks on their faces couldn't breathe the xenogen air unlike the Gorgons and treated Humans on the other side.
"Glaive's up! Hurry and pass on the oxygen!"
Countless medics ran around the military base, filled with space soldiers injured, fallen in war with their corpses either intact or not, and those who were at death's door. Oxygen crystals were supplied to soldiers unable to breathe xenogen or else they would flare up and explode.
The one named Glaive was choking from inhaling xenogen earlier from the battlefield, which is why the air crystals were being plugged into his new and temporary mask to give him the necessary oxygen to breathe.
"You're good now, buddy!"
Glaive's captain patted his shoulder as he sat up, checking up on the rest of his squad to make sure they are still in good condition. The base camp will be on the brink of being taken over by the Gorgon army if the SGDF aren't in top condition to fight against them.
Every two weeks the Starway Galactic Defense Force would send in four armies of four squads to Erthe to search for human and animal survivors, supplies, and potential bases for temporary shelter.
Some squads survive, some get destroyed, or all become unpleasant sacrifices. A repeated cycle just to save humans and animals, and destroy the Gorgons.
'Why bother to save the human race and ertheling animals?'
A question often asked receives various answers, yet many are subjective in what they believe in.
So the given answer is simple in the Starway Galactic Defense Force.
'Because if we can't save them, history will repeat itself. Just how it did on Planet Neptis and Juran.'
Planet Serpentine will continue to endanger many other planets until it's the only one left in the universe. If the SGDF can't save Planet Erthe and its inhabitants, who will save the others from their end?
"Captain! The Gorgons are marching close to us with the Modified Humans! Almost everyone is injured or dead, we can't keep fighting any longer!"
A female squadron member with long blonde hair and wide pointy ears comes into the medical bay towards the captain, who answered her quickly.
"Where are the Wereshifters and the Hydrids? Are they on the frontlines?!"
"They're growing tired the more we continue on! The Paramorphers and Eves are also losing their strength and oxygen levels due to the increased concentration levels on xenogen!"
"Shit! Even if we send in the Avian and Cyber reinforcements, their limits in Erthe's atmosphere are incredibly short!"
"Captain Latras, we need you in the war room!"
A voice spoke out through Captain Latras's earphone communicator, prompting the man to run out of the medical bay to the meeting tent. In it, three other captains were discussing tactics on a digital map layout of the battlefield until they turn their heads to Latras's entry.
One of them with pointy ears like the female soldier greeted him as they replayed the audio screen in front of everyone.
"Captain Latras, Captain Eelen, Captain Agata, and Captain Finon! The Avian and Cyber Squadrons are on your way!"
Latras had his eyes on Eelen after listening to the audio message. "You requested them?! Eelen, you're risking their lives in a highly-concentrated environment!"
The Eve captain calmly replied to the Wereshift captain, as he was the one to keep the peace within the war meeting. "Latras, it was them who requested to be deployed. I only met their wishes, but on the other hand we do need air reinforcements."
"But!"
"Latras!"
The man shook and shut his mouth as he looked towards the woman with long, pink hair tied into a ponytail and glistening, aquamarine eyes. All Paramorphers share the same trait of gem-like eyes, and it was the same for Captain Agata.
"We don't have enough time to pull through with this base, so let's trust the Avians and Cybers to succeed with this battle."
"Agata is right, we can't afford to lose more of out soldiers now! While the Avians and Cybers can be around in the xenogen atmosphere for a short time, they have the strength to push back the Gorgons and the Modified Humans for us to survive another day in this camp!" Captain Finon, the other female captain with ice blue hair with a darker shade of blue ombré, added onto Agata's words for Latras to consider. "With this extra time, we have to create a vantage point here for all teams finished with their missions to group up with us, so Captain Eelen! Please begin the briefing!"
Captain Eelen nods and taps the digital screen on the command table showing the locations of the other teams steadily making their way to Base A-13, which was the current location here.
Teams A-9, A-10, and A-11 respectively, will arrive soon.
"Avians and Cybers deploying into Erthe, stay safe and watch your oxygen levels. Your mission is to support Team A-13 into suppressing the Gorgon army enough for the other teams to arrive as reinforcements, then return to HQ to recuperate."
A robotic operator spoke to the two species from the headquarters base behind a screen, making sure their oxygen levels, equipment, and conditions were good to go.
"May the universe be with you."