ILUM
Objective 3: Secure the Crystal Caves
Location: Ilum Crystal Caves
[member="Alezan"] | [member="Zsuzsa"]
The Niners were doing their part, the comlink activating every so often as other marine battalions updated command, but the marines under Chaf'arcar'usorn's command were moving faster and more effectively. Maybe it was luck that they weren't hitting much resistance, or maybe it was that good natured competitive spirit to do the best they could? Either way, things were going well for the Niners.
Until they weren't.
"Copy that, Sergeant Flaz'suz'safis, good pacing," Chaf'arcar'usorn commented to the comlink on his gauntlet, before he inclined his head and listened. Didn't seem like anything. He contacted command.
"Ninth Battalion reports tunnels one through five clear for topographers. Moving into tunnels six and seven now, over."
The confirmation came back, right around the time one of the Niners ahead began shouting a warning.
"Watch out, fallback!"
Ahead, down the icy corridor, a faint glowing heat could be seen. The Chiss' ability to see into the infrared spectrum made the emanating heat stand out considerably more so. Several other marines were moving back quickly, too, heads down and legs moving at speed. Before long they reached the main group of Niner One, before pointing further into tunnel seven, their voices raised.
"We've got an incoming Razhak, sir," A Private said, eyes wide within his helmet. "A
big one, too. We estimate about ten meters!"
"Alright, stay calm, we can handle this," Chaf'arcar'usorn said in a low tone, soothing, as he walked to the front of the Niners squad and pointed.
"Fire worm coming from that direction, soldiers. Get those stun grenades ready, I want a firing line, and when that thing rears up, aim for the gullet."
It was a plan, at least. Whether it worked, who knew. There was only one way to find out, and it looked like the moment had arrived. From around the passage, the coiling and slithering armored worm launched, the heat coming from it felt even from a distance. The Niners prepared, with Chaf'arcar'usorn and several others forming a defensive line, maser rifles at the ready...
"Wait, wait," Chaf'arcar'usorn said in a low voice, as the Razhak slid to a stop, beady eyes blazing, as it regarded the food it had been chasing that had now doubled in size.
"Open fire!"
The maser rifles lit up the icy tunnel, blasts of blue energy soaring through the space between marines and fire worm, the kinetic impacts pounding off the armored chitinous plating on its long body. In fact, it seemed that unique characteristic of the charric weapon was their saving grace, as the armor plating was pummeled by a dozen hard-hitting rifles all at once. And like a serpent, it recoiled, flaring up to display danger and aggression... and in that moment, with its mouth open and heat spewing outward, the stun grenades flew from the back of the line. Five of them landed, two missing, but the others were true - right down the gullet - and after three seconds the Razhak twisted and contorted, as the two stun grenades likewise exploded on the ground.
The marines took cover, their helmets absorbing most of the stun effect.
Chaf'arcar'usorn looked back, eyes narrowed, rifle ready. Ahead, the Razhak seemed unmoving, mouth ajar with all the serrated teeth showing. He ran forward, rifle held firmly in his left hand, before he grabbed the top of the mouth opening with his right and jammed the barrel inside. Chaf'arcar'usorn opened fire, blasting the inside of the creature for near half a power pack, before he was satisfied it was dead... to which the Razhak had a final death rattle, as it pushed forward with dead eyes, closing its mouth of razor-sharp teeth, swallowing the rifle and biting hard into the Captain's forearm armor!
"Sithspit!" Chaf'arcar'usorn cursed, as the internal heat of the worm began burning his hand and melting the armor, before the jaws locked and severed the forelimb completely.
"Arghh!"
The Niners rushed forward, the medic in the squad sliding down to his knees as he pulled the Captain away from the dead thing. The other squadies aimed rifles, waiting, ready to blast the Razhak if it moved again, but it remained still. Meanwhile, Chaf'arcar'usorn was lightheaded and had a kolto-wrap around the end of his missing forearm and hand. The medic looked concerned, and called in a evac.
"Looks like you'll keep the elbow, Captain, but the flesh around the bite is seared and the limb will have to be cut back to avoid infection," The medic frowned, as he helped the Captain stand with the assistance of another Niner. They supported his weight, before walking back down the way they had come prior. "Who's in charge, sir?"
"Regrou--regroup with Sergeant Flaz'suz'safis, keep moving forward," The Captain said, feeling the kolto kicking in.
"Don't get too close to those damned Razhaks, yeah?"
This was all Chaf'arcar'usorn needed. Well, at least the Ascendancy had superb robotic tech available, and the Captain was covered for injuries sustained, so a replacement limb seemed highly likely...
"Copy that, Captain," Another Private said, before opening her comlink and contacting the Sergeant. "Sergeant Flaz'suz'safis, this is Private Kale'san'ison... there's been an injury, Captain Chaf'arcar'usorn is being taken to medical. We've been ordered to join your command, should we continue down this tunnel and randevous with you ahead?"
