"Retreat!!"
After the remnants of the expedition fleet completed their third volley of fire, Captain Delatier decisively gave the order to withdraw.
At this point, every second they delayed increased the risk of complete annihilation.
"Yes, ma'am!!"
The crew on the bridge responded swiftly, their faces tense and focused.
The moment the command was issued, all personnel immediately began maneuvering the Paris-class frigate, turning the ship toward Campbell and accelerating.
Simultaneously, the communications officer relayed Delatier's orders to the rest of the fleet, ensuring all ships coordinated their retreat effectively.
From the bridge's observation windows, the dark void of space, streaked with plasma fire, quickly transitioned to the bright blue hues of Campbell's atmosphere—a habitable planet that glowed like a jewel amidst the chaos.
Outside, the remnants of the fleet could be seen retreating in unison, just as planned, each vessel turning back toward Campbell.
Now leading the rear guard, the Paris-class frigate took on the role of shielding the rest of the fleet.
From an external vantage point, one could see the frigate's side-mounted gauss turrets pivoting backward, sporadically firing at the approaching bio-fleet. The Paris-class frigate looked increasingly isolated as it held the line alone.
As the retreat unfolded, the plasma barrage from the Arachnid bio-fleet rained down like a torrential storm, with nearly half the concentrated firepower targeting the Paris-class frigate.
Boom. Boom!!
In mere moments, several plasma orbs struck the ship's golden energy shield.
Crack—Shatter!!
The shimmering shield, glowing faintly gold, overloaded and collapsed, scattering into fragments of light. With the shield gone, the Paris-class frigate was now fully exposed to the dangers of space.
The rest of the fleet fared no better.
One escort transport, just moments from entering the atmosphere, had its rear engines struck by plasma fire.
Boom!!
The engines erupted in flames, and the violent impact sent the ship spiraling out of control.
As it plunged toward the atmosphere, the spiraling vessel faced catastrophic consequences.
The friction generated by its uncontrolled descent ignited the entire hull.
BOOM!!!
The transport exploded, its crew unable to react in time or even deploy escape pods. The wreckage scattered like burning embers, descending toward Campbell's surface like a meteor shower.
On the Paris-class bridge, the crew watched their comrades' demise in silent grief and helplessness.
Now, with the Paris-class's shields down, it would take at least 15 minutes for them to recharge.
If just one or two plasma orbs struck the exposed hull in this window, the outcome would be catastrophic.
The crew's survival now rested entirely on the shoulders of Carmen Ibanez, who was at the helm of the Paris-class frigate.
The pressure weighed heavily on Carmen like an invisible mountain. Her expression was one of intense focus, her hands gripping the control sticks tightly as though she were physically tethered to the ship itself.
Under her guidance, the Paris-class frigate maneuvered quickly, angling its hull downward toward the planet.
As the ship entered the atmosphere, Carmen double-checked that the heat-shielding systems were functioning properly. She mentally reviewed each step of the process, ensuring nothing was overlooked or left unengaged.
The atmospheric reentry process was critical—any instability in the ship's orientation or miscalculation could result in disaster.
At this stage, even Carmen's exceptional piloting skills could only guide the frigate so far.
The ship's systems had to function flawlessly to survive the high-speed reentry.
Inside the bridge, the tension was palpable. The atmosphere was so heavy it seemed as if even a dropped pin would echo through the room.
Everyone held their breath, silently praying that no plasma orbs would strike during this critical phase.
The sound of their heartbeats seemed to resonate in the room, blending with the faint vibrations of the ship as it plunged downward.
Then, whether by sheer luck or the inaccuracy of the plasma bugs, the Paris-class frigate passed through the most dangerous phase of reentry—the "reentry phase."
During this phase, the ship's high-speed descent through the atmosphere generated immense heat and resistance, but no plasma fire struck it directly.
Within moments, the Paris-class frigate emerged from the upper atmosphere, preparing to decelerate and head toward the capital city on the planet's surface.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the bridge as the crew realized they had made it through the worst.
But—
BOOM. BOOM!!!
The momentary calm was shattered by the deafening roar of an explosion.
A plasma orb had struck the frigate's upper hull, causing a violent tremor that reverberated throughout the ship.
Though the explosion's force was not as devastating as it could have been—likely due to atmospheric interference—it still sent the frigate shaking violently.
The sudden attack left everyone on the bridge momentarily stunned.
The radar operator and communications officer closed their eyes tightly, bracing for what they thought would be the frigate's disintegration.
Carmen quickly seized control, gripping the sticks tightly and using every ounce of her skill to stabilize the ship.
Within seconds, the Paris-class frigate was steady once more, rejoining the rest of the fleet, which had already entered the atmosphere.
Finally, they could breathe easier.
The fact that the Paris-class frigate hadn't met the same fate as the destroyed transport ships was not simply luck.
The plasma orb's interaction with the atmosphere had significantly weakened its power.
In space, plasma behaves differently than it does in the atmosphere.
As the plasma orb entered the atmosphere, it collided with air molecules, causing the plasma to scatter and dissipate.
Though the plasma orb retained some of its destructive energy, the weakened blast was absorbed by the Paris-class frigate's alpha-titanium alloy armor, preventing total destruction.
"Whew…"
"That was close…"
"We're alive!"
As the Paris-class frigate rejoined the fleet, a sense of relief washed over the bridge crew.
Carmen took several deep breaths, her hands still steady on the controls as she reduced the ship's speed to match the rest of the fleet on their approach to the capital city.
"Communications officer," Delatier called out, glancing at the planet's nightscape through the observation window.
"Notify Major Kennedy to prepare for battle. The Arachnid bio-fleet will have full orbital control in twenty minutes at most."
Delatier's words, though measured, carried an undertone of urgency. She knew that soon, the defenders would face an overwhelming swarm—numbering in the billions.
"Yes, Captain," the communications officer replied, immediately contacting Leon, who had been waiting on the surface.
Delatier then turned back to the communications officer and asked:
"Any updates from the Human Empire?"
"After confirming they would send reinforcements, we've received no further replies," the officer said, his voice tinged with unease.
"I haven't detected any warp signatures either," the radar operator added, his brow furrowed as he scanned the holographic display.
"At the moment, only the Arachnid bio-fleet is within Campbell's gravity well."
Delatier frowned but offered her perspective:
"The Human Empire possesses advanced warp technology. Their reinforcements may still be en route and could arrive at any moment.
If their reinforcements are led by that Archangel… well, I imagine the bugs will be burned to ash in no time."
Her words sparked a wave of thought among the crew, who immediately conjured the image of the gene-primarch Saint Sanguinius—the angelic warrior with white wings, capable of soaring through the void of space.
Even as former enemies, the crew could not help but admire the Primarch's godlike combat abilities, which had once shattered their fleet.
The mere thought of Saint Sanguinius now fighting on their side brought smiles to their faces and eased the tension in their hearts.
With an ally like him, the pressure of the Arachnid swarm seemed far less insurmountable.
Sensing the shift in morale, Delatier spoke firmly:
"No matter what, we must assist the mobile infantry in delaying the swarm, buying as much time as possible for Campbell's civilians to survive."
"Yes, Captain!"
The crew responded in unison, their voices filled with determination.
After all, protecting civilians was the very reason they had joined the Federation in the first place.
Meanwhile, on the surface:
The capital city was a stark contrast to its usual lively state.
Instead of the bustling streets of summer evenings, where residents strolled under the stars, the city was now eerily quiet, illuminated only by the preparations for war.
Mobile infantry, assault troopers, mercenaries, and police patrolled the streets, fortifying positions and preparing for the coming battle.
The majority of Campbell's population, having been evacuated from other towns and villages, now huddled in shelters and subway tunnels beneath the capital, their safety hanging by a thread.
The city had become both a sanctuary and the Arachnids' primary target—a "heart" they would strike with relentless fury.
North of the governor's mansion:
Leon and his command team were busy finalizing defensive arrangements.
The northern main street was fortified with over 200 assault troopers and 1,000 mobile infantry, entren
ched within buildings on both sides of the road, forming a dense and sturdy line of defense.
Armor units, including the remaining tanks and armored vehicles, were strategically placed at critical intersections to bolster the defensive network.
Leon stood on the first floor of an apartment building, observing the sky through his helmet's visor.
Above, debris from destroyed warships streaked through the night like fleeting meteors, while flashes of blue plasma illuminated the darkness.
The signs of the orbital battle were unmistakable—intense and harrowing.
Despite the losses, Leon knew they had no choice but to brace for the inevitable.
Turning on his comms, Leon addressed the defenders:
"All units, stand ready! It's time to kill some bugs!!"
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