// Onyx

  Northern Mountains, Ariel Reinforcement

  11 miles North-East of Omega

  “Altitude! Warning! Altitude!

  Reaper-1 and Reaper-2’s onboard systems shrieked through the comms as he took evasive manuevers to avoid the sudden flock of reptilian beasts descended upon them from the clouds

  “Pull up! Pull up! Pull up!”

  The ground surged up fast. R-1 and R-2, under Onyx’s control, dropped their noses, slicing downward; violently twisting away from eachother to avoid hitting the ground, and each other. The G-Force warning reminding the AI that this was not a manuever designed for human pilots, and most likely, the UAV itself.

  Two miles off to the rear, the Omega’s lone helicopter hovered over the mountain that separated the northern lands from their own valley. It stood as a lone guardian and overwatch as its radars were either being jammed, or the storm was causing electrical fits in the sensitive equipment.

  “Tango! Rear! Tango! Rear!”

  Reaper-2’s systems barked as the flock – 4 of them – trailed after the unit like missiles. Onyx pieced this together through the malfunctioning radar and visuals from the helicopter. Using that, pushed Reaper-1 into a hard bank, pushing the throttle and redlining the drone near its failure point to loop wide to flank. The beasts began losing ground on R-2 as it leveled out and maxed the throttle.

  That was when a massive black leviathan verison of the monsters broke through the cloud. It was the size of a sea-faring container ship, twin winged with a span as wide as it was long. Alongside its appearance, more of the monsters appeared and took up formation around it. And they didn’t seem to be concerned with the drones dancing with their brethren below. Rather, they seemed more interested in moving in the Omega’s direction.

  And fast.

  With R-1 getting into an interception position to assist R-2, all that remained as the goalie, the Helio. Despite the radar interference, it managed to lock on and fired two Longbow Hellfire missiles before following up with its chaingun. Its underbarrel weapon ripped away, spewing perceptable molten melt in a high arch in a circular fashion.

  The missiles streaked through the the air like comets before they crashed into the flock.

  Two front most monsters were obliterated – leaving mist with meat chunks that splattered gainst the rear monsters. Serving only to antagonize them just before the rain of tracers fell on them. The rounds exploded here and there, with most of them missing to fall to the prairie below.

  The leviathan roared in anger – a thunderous command-born scream that made the flock surged forward. But Oynx had already painted a laser on the large target and emptied the rest of its payload. Six AGMS screamed outward towards the flock.

  Strangely, a thin line appeared between the Helio and the leviathan. It didn’t appear on the normal view, but it did on thermal imaging. A ball of light appeared before the target’s open maw and now all radar was lost just before a small sun appeared for a brief moment. Onyx jerked the machine backward and to the side.

  “Pitch! Pitch! Pitch!”

  The system screamed at the AI as he popped countermeasures as a beam of light followed him.

  “Flares! Chaff! Flares! Chaff!”

  The beam followed closely before veering to chase the trail of chaff as the helio skimmed the rocks below.

  “Altitude! Altitude! Altitude!”

  He shot forward using the momentum as the flock descended upon him. The cannon opening up to spew light that startled the beasts as flames broiled in their mouths. It was but a moment before the ones it passed to regain their confidence and figure that it couldn’t attack backwards. They began exploiting it as the pack congregated at its rear, and began to spew flames that sent off the tail sensors.

  With the tumultuous storm raging around them, the helio’s abilities were diminished compared to the fix-winged drones, but it didn’t hamper the monsters as they fish in water.

  Crosswinds pummeled the comanche while the flying lizards embed and flowed with the winds until Onyx could no longer stem them off as two of them latched onto his underbelly on the turn and torn into him.

  R-1 lined up on the tangoes chasing R-1 before unloading all 4 AGMs. Somehow, they detected it and broke off as the missiles followed in tow. One dove downward, missile following – predator and prey plummeting. The monster flared its wings at the last moment and angled up to skim the floor. The missile didn’t have that agility and crashed into the valley floor to deonate into wave of fire and rock that splutterd for hundreds of feet.

  One missile contacted but injured – most likely fatally – as the monster struggled to remain in the air.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  The remaining two crashed into each other in an attempt to zigzag and the remaining two AGMs engulfed them in flames and smoke — leaving behind meat confetti.

  R-1 was then RTB’d and turned tail, charting out to the south to avoid the horde as it past and act as overwatch. However, that plan was smashed as the drone’s RWR warning blared. Onyx attempted evasive manuevers, but without countermeasures, he could only jerk to the side as beam of light cut through the drone. The feed fizzled out to leave only energy readings that confused the AI.

  The last drone repositioned to flank and attack from above but its slow nature meant that the leviathan turned its attention to it with ease. Onyx decided to just fire from there. Its camera locked onto the beast, and unloaded all the hellfires. They all burst forward, cutting through the rain as another beam of light.

  The transmission ended and Onyx found himself in Opal’s datascape – planted on his rearend and starting up at the red “---ERROR—” floating above him. He switched gears and began forming his defensive strategy as he contacted Opal with his combat report.

  [Opal: Report noted. Syfa is still in the reconstruction phase. Consult with Oki and the human. We need as much intelligence on the threat. Preceed as you see fit. The human town I’m in is also facing monsters as well.]

  [Onyx: RTB Seaking?]

  [Opal: No. Delivery will take place. Include all six LF standby units in it as well. I will need them.]

  [Onyx: Contingency?]

  [Opal: Contingency. What is the ETA on the targets?]

  [Onyx: Wilco – from this point, ETA is expected within 20 minutes.]

  [Opal: All resources are at your disposal to handle the threats. Order of protection dossier submitted. I will be unable to assist. Humans have announced a high threat climate and I will be apart of the town’s defense.]

  [Onyx: Acknowledged.]

  The dossier was a short list of the protection order from highest to lowest priority – a triage list: Core, Syfa, Syfa’s inner circle, and the the villagers. It was noted that all mechanical assets were to be considered expendable before anyone on the list. That left Onyx with little manuevering room, but he hadn’t considered losing any of them an option before the list.

  Onyx updated the manifest on the Seaking. While doing so, he sent a command to two Light Frames closest to the village bay. They were to bring Oki to the design station above the AutoForge where Opal designed her androids. No permission had been given for them to enter the inner-core area, leaving the command room beyond physical entities’ reach. Thus, that would work.

  At the same time, a command and several Light Frames peeled off their redundant patrol around the Autoforge. They left for the holding area after they took his personal drone and a laptop. Hostilities between the two races may be high still with Syfa MIA from the village, and her mate may kill the human. This was for the best.

  Kailany, Human Mage

  Omega Holding Cells

  Militant, yet clean.

  Kailany observed, once again with unabated interest, as the “golems” moved in front of her cell.

  For the time she spent, the young mage had spent her time in the strange spacious metal cell, she had never felt in danger. The life she lived led often landed her in holding cells within enemy territory. Each time, as a female, the dangers she’d been under were nothing new to her. Those situations were delicate, time consuming and required the a clinically detached perspective to survive. A view she had mentally prepared herself when she was captured.

  Nothing had happened to her. That fact alone had caused her more distressed in the first few days than any torture by the Emerald bastards had ever done to her. She had an expectation, and it was not being met. Rather, she was given far better meals than she had back in camp. The golems never harassed her and she slept on a heavenly bed that she knew broke her tolerance for simple dry leaf beds.

  They had not harmed her. Respected her even. Meals were on a routine schedule and never missed. Clean, cool water on demand from a spout over a metal sink. A strange seat to expel waste and another contraption that cleaned the user’s rear with a jet of water. All things she… Couldn’t live without. Her magic had replenished and there were no anti-mana devices around. She could escape, but…

  They broke her. Kailany couldn’t go back to her own world anymore. As a prisoner, she lived in a comfort her own lord struggled to have. Maybe even the Emperor himself.

  What did that mean for beastmen under whomever ruled here? Certainly more grand.

  Those kind of thoughts came to an end when the routine was broken.

  Two of the golems entered the room — one more than usual, and that wasn’t until she noticed two strange devices. A thicker, matte black square in one golem’s hand and a stragle spider-like thing cradled in the other golem’s hand.

  “Hello, I am Onyx.” The Spider thing spoke. “What is your name?”

  Kailany was conflicted as both excitement and looming dread clashed within. She answered after steeling herself for whatever outcome would come from this. After all, Kailany was topped on magic and without anti-mana devices nearby, she had a good chance of escaping if they left her alone momentarily.

  “I’m Kailany,” She answered.

  “Kailany, I have questions that I believe you have the answer to.” The golem said as the second golem that carried the metal square began to—

  “What is that?!” Kailany gasped.

  The square opened up to reveal tens of buttons, along with what looked to be some sort of display. It shone similarly to that of a Manaboard – but it was too thin – too small – to be considered a mana-display board. Last she heard was that the Academy’s prototype had been the size of a mansion just to get it to display simple words and letters!

  “This is a laptop,” Onyx said. “Please keep your attention on the screen. I want you to observe combat footage from a few minutes ago.”

  Kailany wanted to question more. So much more she wanted. The device in that golem’s hands was a technological miracle! She may have —

  Images flashed across the screen and she watched the battle play out. Once the screen displayed a close enough shot, the mage knew what it was.

  “... Those are dragons…” She said in awe. “That… They should be dead… H-How is that screen showing their vestiages?”

  “It was recorded via our UAVs as they attempted to intercept them,” Onyx said. “At the moment, we estimate that they will enter our airspace within ten minutes if they retain their current speeds. I need information on the enemies.”

  Kailany stared down at the screen and decided. “How about a deal?”