Shattergrounds

Title: Rescue from Off Campus Housing
Game: Evacuation - 300 points

The Bhai University campus was crowded with refugees and wounded. The Quantum Anomaly Zones (QAZ) were hitting many communities hard, and Haqqislam was doing what they could to assist any and all who came to Bhai. Waqf al-Badawi was a massive endeavor and Maih’s unit was working with the Doctors, and aid workers in any way that they could. The HNS adh-Dhi’b has been in repair for a month now so most of the crew were working as volunteers where they could on the campus. The ship's Roc was seen coming and going, the hastily painted Red Cross and Red Crescent on the hull and wings of the ship clearly visible. Trucks and cars traversed the large campus, tire trails showing where the roads between the tents and prefab buildings were.

Maih had a box of snacks and games under her arm as she waited for a truck to pass in front of her before darting across the path. She passed several large tents containing people displaced by the QAZ’s. Each tent had a few families that shared them, and a few appliances such as cooking tops, and bathroom facilities. Finally after walking for a bit, Maih came to a tent with artwork scrawled around it and the sounds of children inside yelling and laughing. Moving the flap to the side, she saw Fahim, the Khawarij standing in the middle of the tent, two children hanging from each outstretched arm. He was crouching down and standing up while spinning, the children holding on until they cannot hold on anymore and tumbling away with laughter.

“Alright, snacks are here, let’s give the work out a break!” she called out.

Dropping from Fahims arms, the kids came running over to get snack pouches, about 12 children in total. Many of them had bandages, and one was missing a hand, victims of the QAZ’s. They were all orphans, having been found wandering around and brought to the camp. There was hope that most of them will be reunited with their parents, but only time would tell. Sitting with the children and eating the pouches of cookies, Maih looked to the Khawarij, saying, “There are reports of disappearances of civilians in the suburbs off the campus. It was requested that we take a look.”

“Huh, any information besides that?” The large superhuman looked comical with a tiny bag of cookies in his hands as he ate.

“Not really, it’s closest to the QAZ at Jaulan Plateau so there's concerns a QAZ creature got loose, but that would be a first. Either way, we are heading out in a couple trucks at 1400 to take a look. Be sure to be at the motor pool by then.”

“Aye Ra’id.”

The old trucks rattled along the road as the roar of Sekhmets’ motorcycle followed alongside. Mau was laying down at the feet of the soldiers in the lead truck, as Kepri absently scratched the large cat's head while watching a holovid. As they traveled, Maih briefed the team on their objective. They were to evacuate the civilians in the area, and hunt down the cause of the disappearances. Most of the area should be abandoned, and no communications had been received of other operations in the area.

As the trucks ground to a halt, Task Force 27 hopped out and gathered around Maih as she reviewed a map of the area and began designating spots and routes. With the areas of focus designated the team split up into their teams and headed for the designated assigned areas. As Maih was wrapping up, a tall woman with long dark hair and a giant katana on her back walked up with a grin, “G’day there Major! M’ names Beasthunter Linda Groening assigned to your unit by the Free Guild. Rumor has it we got one of those Qwaz Gribblies out of its place. I am here to ensure it gets put back in its place now, right?”

Looking the woman up and down and raising an eyebrow, Maih responded, “We can handle beasts ourselves just fine, but thank you.”

“Righto, you fought a giant beast with a hide as thick as a Jotums shield before have you? You know what to do when a Kreilok spits acid on your face?”

“What in Allahs name is a Kreilok?” Fahim asked as he walked up.

“That's what I thought would be the answer, eh big and tall? That's why I am here. I am a professional.”

“Right, okay.” Turning away, Maih addressed Asil Tilki, “Alright lieutenant move them out, let’s get this area covered-”

“Ra’id! We got unknown contacts due east, heading into the AO, no response on ping.” The voice of Haley Tiffah, the Zhayedan heavy weapons specialist, called out.

Combined Army:
Smoke suddenly bloomed up among the buildings as Daturazi leapt into action, catching sight of the Haqqislamite soldiers. The large form of the Charontid directing them moved along a building and raised its HMG at Haley, its multispectral visor giving it a clear view through the smoke. The alien nightmare did not count on Haleys acute intuition though as a missile suddenly rips through the smoke and impacts it square in the chest, blowing the alien mechanoid apart. A Q-Drone engaged the Ghulam Missile Launcher, Moustafa and while rounds ripped through the air, nothing found purchase as they hit the side of the building and walls.

A Shrouded moved silently among the habitation modules towards a woman caught in the middle of the street. The Shasvastii soldier grabbed her roughly by the neck and dragged her back towards a waiting beacon to extract her. A daturazi was quick to cover the beacon in smoke, as a Liberto moved up through the street towards the Haqqislamite squad.

Taking cover behind a small home, Fahim was watching down the street, seeing a few civilians trying to run for cover, keeping their heads down. Seeing one at the corner of their building he called out, motioning for her to come to them. The woman, in her early 20’s, came running over, but her movement was off. The Khawarij suddenly felt something was wrong as the hair on the knape of his neck suddenly rose. Quickly drawing his scimitar, the woman's features shifted dramatically as her mouth split open, and a wicked blade came down on the man.

The blades rang out as they met, the super-soldier parrying the first blow. The shasvastii speculo came at him again though, but he easily side stepped it, cutting down into the back of the alien, and spilling its blood into the street. The killer collapsed to the ground, dead. Stabbing the corpse one more time for good measure, Fahim flicked his blade clean and sheathed it, picking his gun back up.

Haley thought she saw a shimmer in the air on a building across from her, but lost it quickly.

Haqqislam:
“Ra’id, I believe there is a camouflaged trooper on a building your 12 oclock, marking on overlay.” Haley reported to Maih.

“Got it!” Maih responded as she motioned for Palavi, and Fahim to remain still.

Moving along the side of the house, Maih multispectral visors picked up the shape of the Noctifier as it began raising its missile launcher. She got off several quick shots but its armor caught the hits with resounding pings and pangs. She continued firing, her rounds hitting the wall, keeping its head down. Finally after a moment it tried to stand back up to get a shot, but her rounds hit it squarely in the chest, knocking it back onto the building, dead.

“Overwatch down on this side. Sekhmet, can you clear out overwatch on this civilian in the street?” Maih asked over the comms.

Smoke bloomed among a group of buildings, as Sekhmet tossed a smoke grenade over a wall into an alleyway. Revving the bike, she wheeled out into the smoke, Mau lopping along beside her. Hefting the chain rifle, the two burst from the cloud in front of the Q-Drone, and a suppressing Caliban. The street burst into fire as Mau jumped onto the Caliban, its SMG blazing into the cat, and red hot chains tore into the Q-Drone as it opened up onto Sekhmet. Only one round winged her as she spun her bike, the Caliban knocking Mau off to lay in the street bleeding. The chain rifle roared again blasting into the Caliban and the droid Kiss in the back taking them both down.

“Mau take cover, I got this!” She roared as she gunned the bike further into the Combined Army lines.

She drove fast behind another group of enemy soldiers, two daturazi and a Taigha creature. The small alien tried to spit acid on her as she drove by, but it splashed harmlessly on her armor, as both daturazi tried to twist around. One caught a full length of red hot chain, while the other shrugged it off and roared at her.

In the main street, Maih, Fahim, and Palavi ran for a civilian cowering by a barrier. Grabbing her and trying to calm the woman, Palavi quickly led her to an evacuation beacon guarded by Asil and her fireteam. Getting the woman's biometrics coded in, the haris team quickly fell back behind a truck for cover.

Combined Army:
Taking the initiative, a Daturazi rushed forward, smoke grenades flying and filling the area of the modules with smoke. He then grabbed the neck of the Liberto fighting with them and chucked it forward, “Go kill, fish!”

The Liberto, annoyed but in agreement, began running forward and laying a mine in the street under the cover of the smoke. Once its trap was set, it ran forward out of the smoke, its shotgun raised as it got Fahims team in its sights. They all dodged to the side, but Maih was too slow, the pellets tearing into her. She collapsed to the street, as a round from Talibahs rifle ricocheted off the Liberto’s armor. Undaunted, the alien creature continued to rush forward, its shotgun roaring as Palavi dodged behind a wall, and Fahim rolled under the shots to come up onto the Liberto, his scimitar again drawn.

The Libertos shots though found purchase in Leila, and Haroun, downing both hackers, their blood spreading into the street. Talibahs second shot went wide as she missed the quick alien.

Haqqislam:
Fahims blade flashed as it quickly cut down the small aquatic alien, ending its offensive. Sheathing the blade, Fahim took stock of the squad and motioned for Palavi to remain in cover as he advanced up the street, taking a forward position. Kepri and Ein-213 moved forwards quickly. They found another civilian hiding against a small house and Kepri moved to calm them.

“Ein! I got this civilian, there's one in the street ahead, see if you can go help them!”

“Yes Kepri! Ein will save the civilians!” the Rafiq beeped.

Kepri took the civilian and quickly dashed around the house and up the building that Asil’s team were defending and the evacuation beacon. Setting the civilian down, she quickly keyed in the biometrics and was returned with a confirmation. In the street below Ein raced to get to the child cowering in the street.

Combined Army:
The Combined Army force was in disarray. On the rooftop with the EI beacon, the Shrouded stood, anger burning in its eyes as it watched the humans ruining their plan. Seeing the remote running for another civilian, the Shrouded took its animosity out on it, the Combi Rifle hitting it in the leg and knocking it to the ground before, but the alien neglected to notice both Neema and Haley watching him with their Missile Launchers, and the impacts of those missiles blew apart the top of the building. In the alley below a Daturazi tried to run forward but caught Haleys Missile, blowing it apart.

The voice of the EI was heard in its soldier, “Withdraw, there is nothing more to be accomplished here.”

Palavi and Talibah began administering medical aid to Leila, Haroun, and Maih as Fahim led a party to retrieve the bloody and bruised Sekhmet and Mau. Asil took stock of the unit, as her geist reported to Haqqislam High Command what had happened. Video of the engagement was forwarded as well as evidence. The unit worked to help a few more civilians, loading them into their trucks as they all withdrew back to Bhai University campus.

Haqqislam: 3
Combined Army: 1