The Valkyrie is rocking in the heavy anti-aircraft fire. The harness holding me and my suit in place absorbs most of the momentum but I still feel it. The technician doing final checks on my weapons has a hard time keeping his balance.
The anti-aircraft fire is getting denser as we approach the front lines. We knew they would come and we still weren’t ready. Our first lines of defense in this city are crumbling. We just have to hold out until reinforcements get here, but that doesn’t make the situation any less bleak. The outer city has little strategic value. The industrial sites were bombed in the first wave, then came the drop ships. The only reason we are trying to defend them is to buy time for the civilians to be evacuated while we maintain some air superiority over the space port and inner city.
“Mako 2-2, bandit 2 o’clock high.”
I hear the rattle of the top turret’s twin cannons.
“Splash.”
It’s been less than 24 hours and we already lost most of the settlements and bases on the planet. Only a few are holding out. We lost the orbital defense platforms first, the remaining fleet is trying to keep open the small flight corridor for evacuation. It’s a losing fight, we are going to die on this world.
“One minute!”
We are close, my suit is picking up comms from units in the area.
“They are everywhere! Misfit 3-1, broken arrow, BROKEN ARROW!”
“Sound off!”
“One, ready.”
“Two, ready.”
“Three, ready.”
“Four, ready.”
“Reaper 6-1, all units ready. Good luck everyone.”
The door bellow me opens, I hang freely by the harness. Staring into the near darkness that is only cut by bright beams of ground fire.
“30 seconds to drop!”
“Hold on 3-1! Reinforcements are inbound!”
We are almost there. I grip my weapon tightly, it’s going to be a long fall. The technician is at the release lever.
“Five seconds!”
I’m ready. I close my eyes.
“Standby for titanfall.”
The clamps release, gravity takes me, it’s going to be a long fall…