The hivemind is conquering for me? Chapter 866: Turbulent Void

There was no debate. No artillery was going to be rough against the numbers we were up against. But we outmanned the Drakoshi almost ten thousand to one at this point with more reinforcements on the way.

I still didn’t like the fact that the battle plan had changed from a tactical siege to a meat grinder. But I agreed with Serena. The Drakoshi were a bit simplistic in battle, but they were not idiots. For them to give up a large portion of their troops and place them outside the fort.

They were sacrifices. I don’t know for what. If it was to bide for time, they could have just gone through a normal siege. So for them to boldly ’declare’ open warfare. My gut was not sitting well. Something felt off. Something felt wrong.

Making my way over to Skaja, I pulled her aside and let her know my thoughts on the matter. She agreed.

"I know. It sucks, but honestly I actually agree with queen bitch on this one. We can’t just let them park up under their dome of aerial defence. If they want to meet us on the battlefield head on, we need to do that. But I will state again. This is going to suck."

I nodded my head, glad she felt the same way. Sure fighting in the open was technically better than another siege, but still. I couldn’t shake the feeling.

"Skaja. I want you and all the Psionic squad on the right flank. The Praetorians, Gabrielle, Sithrik and I are going to go left. I want our flanks secured no matter what."

Skaja hummed in agreement. "Sounds good. Better for tactical withdrawal as well if things go tits up. In the centre that is much harder to do."

I didn’t respond to what Skaja said in any manner, but she and I both knew that was what I meant as well.

I then turned and walked away and made my way to where I was needed. Thankfully, since I wasn’t the main leader anymore, I didn’t have to give a speech this time. That was all Serena and I was grateful for it. I just closed my eyes and drowned it out, preparing for the battle to come. With one simple thought in my mind.

’Onyx. I cannot believe you have done this. Again. I am going to bonk you with the stick so many times. Stop ditching me.’

...

The bad bug was currently talking to a small disc in one hand while holding a box in the other. "Yes, I am certain. Apollo is going to ask me to do this. I am just skipping the whole critical time part. Don’t worry your wires about it, it will be fine."

Onyx was walking along in an underground cave with a smile on her face. Her vision was a little foggy on the future, but she knew she had to do this. Just as she knew she was going to get punished for leaving Apollo again.

But his safety tops hers.

"I am still not comfortable taking your word on a conversation that has yet to take place, but I understand the directive. Query, Are you almost there?" Astra’s voice asked through the small disc.

"Just up ahead. I can already see the small amount of light pouring into the place from above. One tiny little spec, just as I said."

"Understood. Activate my updated scanner functions and I will tell you where to place them. Just make sure you put the gloves on first."

"I am aware, the hive might not use technology, but we understand how it works, we aren’t stupid. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We still need to set up the Apollo proofing first. Here. You protect the basket, I will be back shortly."

Onyx then gently put down the box, the gloves and the disc on top of it before changing her form. Sixteen feet tall standing straight, Onyx looked upwards to the ceiling of the cave and jumped with all her might. It was quite high, prompting her to grab onto the sides of the caves a couple of times as a relaunch point, but she made it.

Once up there she began to eat upwards, following the small beam of light piercing through the cave like a beacon in the night.

It took her forty minutes to devour all the biomass above her before it softened enough that she could just dig with her swords. Not long after that, she was struck in the face by a large mound of dirt as it gave way followed by a lot more light.

Risking it, she peeked her head out slightly to mark the terrain. She looked up at the sky, past the atmosphere to mark the stars. But to truly make sure, she jammed her tail into the side wall of the large hole she had made and injected a barb to act as a biomass landmark.

With that done she dropped back down hundreds of feet and all her mass landed on the ground unimpeded without even a sound or vibration. She then walked back to the box she had left behind, transforming into her humanoid appearance and picked up the gloves and put them on.

She then picked up the disc and called out to Astra as she opened up the box.

"I assume you have had time to scan? Tell me where to put them."

...

Morale was already high. All the taking of ground the last month had been astronomical for the Phalanx. So many lives saved. But in the section of the battleline I was in, the left flank, that was even more true.

Six Praetorians, a Sentinel and his allies. The Phalanx were elated. The best chance to survive the confrontation to come was here, no questions asked.

I was also pleased to see that mixed unit combat was being put into place so the Drakoshi don’t just mow down the Phalanx. There were tanks and other heavy armour to protect the men.

I could also see a few knights scattered about, but the Castellans and the main forces of the order of the guardians were also positioned on the right flank.

The centre might be our weak spot, the sacrificial lambs of the massive formation, but with the numbers we had. It wasn’t going to make a difference.

As I thought this, a voice suddenly spoke beside me, catching me off guard.

"You have a tense aura about you right now Apollo. Is everything alright?"

Phoebe was stood beside me, looking out at the horizon in front of us.

"I just have a bad feeling about the upcoming battle is all. I am still battle ready. Don’t worry."

"Ah. I see. I am glad you feel it too. The void is turbulent Apollo. It should be calm. Be prepared for anything."

Phoebe then walked away back to the other Praetorians, at which point I realised they were all staring at me.

Rolling off the embarrassment at being caught lacking special awareness, I cleared my mind and got prepared to fight. And at a perfect moment to as seconds later I heard in my short range communicator that we were to begin advancing at once.

...

Kragg was stationed in his mech, looking out at the horizon. The humans were on their way according to their intel. He had chosen to fight on the left flank. The scouts were reporting the large Chassis of the humans were on this side and Kragg was actually excited to try out his creation against theirs.

But that was just the tip of his excitement as a lightshow suddenly began overhead.

The Drakoshi navy, which had been stuck at a standstill for months and months suddenly began to break formation and began a large-scale naval fight against the Spartari vessels. This would of course cause a dilemma for their command, splitting focus from the large conflict down here, but that wasn’t the reason Kragg’s face was at threat of splitting in two.

No, what he was smiling about was what that naval conflict signified. What it represented. He wasn’t sure how the message was sent out or why it was happening as he only got the news mere hours ago, but he wasn’t going to turn down a gift like this.

A gift that spelt victory.

He was brought out of his hubris quickly though as one of his chain of command was waving at him on the wall.

Deactivating his sonic suppression field, he asked. "What is it?"

"Boss! The other load of bosses wants you on the other side of the walls. A show of strength. I know you said you weren’t gonna do that, but-"

Kragg raised his mech’s arm.

"No. It’s alright. I’ll do it. Tell the bosses I’ll hop over the walls by the time we can see the humans on the horizon."

His underling looked surprised by Kragg’s decision, but ultimately nodded and ran away.

Kragg smirked. It wasn’t like him to be reckless, to leave a perfectly sound fortification.

’But with what is coming. The odds of my untimely death have gone down to the point it’s near impossible. Heh. I should enjoy this battle. Release the braindead Drakoshi within one last time. As it might be my last battle as a mere clone.’