Mobile Infantry Team A-01 moved fast, sweeping through the narrow corridors toward Team K-12's last reported sector to extract any remaining personnel. Behind them, Selene followed at a measured but deliberate pace, flanked by a squad of Terran Marines. Calm and efficient, she deactivated one Federation-planted bomb after another with surgical precision.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Tychus Findlay and his Firebat unit were locked in relentless combat against the seemingly endless bug swarms spilling out of every crack in the asteroid's surface. They weren't as fast as the Zerg—but just as maddening. What made fighting the bugs unbearable wasn't their strength or speed.
It was their numbers—an unyielding, crawling tide.
The roar of flamethrowers and plasma rifles echoed across the rugged terrain, lighting up the battlefield. Carapaces melted, armor clanged, and the air stank of burning chitin.
"Hey! Rookies!" Tychus bellowed over the comms. "Kill these damn things faster! We're on a clock here, not a damn field trip!"
The newly recruited soldiers from the Underworld universe—an uneasy mix of Americans, Russians, Brits, Germans, French, and more—groaned inwardly. A few were on the verge of tears. Their childhood fantasies of becoming galactic heroes were crumbling under the weight of reality. These weren't the dumb alien villains from their old sci-fi movies.
These were bugs. And they could scale a Medivac dropship and scream like banshees while doing it.
Amid the chaos, Tychus caught something in his peripheral—sector nine o'clock was lightly defended. A lapse in awareness among the rookies had left a gap wide open. A cluster of bugs was already slipping through.
"Shit!" Tychus growled. "Firebat! Two of you—nine o'clock! Patch that hole or we're getting chewed up!"
The two Firebats responded instantly, shifting formation and blasting fire down the exposed flank. A wall of flame surged forward, stopping the incoming bugs cold.
THAK! THAK! THAK! Gunfire and explosions rang out nonstop.
"You idiots!" Tychus roared. "You don't even know where the enemy's coming from?! You wanna die out here today?!"
His voice thundered across the comms, crashing down on the rookies like artillery. Some grit their teeth. Others clutched their rifles tighter. All of them forced themselves to focus. This wasn't training anymore.
This was war.
It finally hit them—this wasn't some simulation, or even a conventional ground conflict. They were on the frontlines of interstellar combat, facing creatures that didn't feel fear or mercy.
And the only choice they had left...
Was to learn fast—or die faster.
---
John A. Warden Docking Bay – Fort Cassie
Tension buzzed through the air like static.
The combat ship John A. Warden, freshly landed from its orbital mission, now sat in the heart of Fort Cassie's docking bay—surrounded by armored transports and elite Mobile Infantry units. Troops moved with practiced urgency, unloading sealed cargo crates, each one stamped with the Federation's crest.
A young infantryman approached Carl Jenkins, who was briskly scanning through the cargo manifest on his holopad.
Mobile Infantry Trooper 02
"What's in those crates, sir?" the soldier asked, voice tinged with curiosity, eyes tracking Carl's swift stride between the containers.
Carl Jenkins
"That's your top priority now," Carl replied curtly, not even glancing back. His steps didn't slow, the holographic display flickering with lines of encrypted data.
But then—movement at the edge of the landing ramp caught his attention. A familiar figure emerged from the shadows.
Captain Carmen Ibanez.
Carmen Ibanez
"Carl, what the hell is this?" she snapped, her voice sharp with disbelief. "You took control of my ship without clearance!"
Carl stopped. Slowly, he turned to face her, lips curling into the faintest hint of a smile—as if seeing a ghost from a complicated past.
Carl Jenkins
"Good to see you again, Carmen."
Carmen Ibanez
"You hijacked the John A. Warden, you bastard."
Carl Jenkins
"Think of it as borrowing. I'll return her in good condition," he said calmly. "Besides, the ship belongs to the Federation, not to you."
Carmen Ibanez
"I don't care. I'm responsible for this ship. And I'm not letting you take it wherever you damn well please."
Carl glanced at the two armed guards standing beside him and gave a small gesture.
Carl Jenkins
"Escort Captain Carmen to the east wing. She could use some rest... and a proper briefing."
The two soldiers moved to approach, but Carmen lifted her hand—halting them with nothing but sheer authority in her stance.
She paused, then turned slightly, eyes narrowed with suspicion.
Carmen Ibanez
"Carl... what are you really after with the John A. Warden?"
Carl held her gaze, then spoke with quiet gravity:
Carl Jenkins
"This mission... it's going to change the direction of this entire war. And one more thing—what's inside those crates isn't just weapons."
Carmen Ibanez
"You still sound like the same propaganda-drunk fool from back when you were twenty-four," Carmen hissed, stepping closer, eyes locked onto his.
Carl Jenkins
"And I still like you just as much as I did back then," Carl replied with a small, sardonic smile, before turning away.
But just as he started to walk off, he looked back over his shoulder and added:
Carl Jenkins
"We're still friends... right?"
Carmen swatted away the hand of one of the guards who dared try to guide her.
"I can walk just fine," she said icily.
She strode off on her own, the two soldiers following from a cautious distance—clearly no longer eager to lay a hand on her.
---
Frontline – Battle Perimeter of Fort Cassie
Beyond the defense perimeter of Fort Cassie, chaos reigned.
Team A-01 fought tooth and nail, holding the line against an unrelenting tide of bugs that poured forth like a living flood. Bodies in Federation uniforms littered the mud-slick ground, crimson blood mixing with green ichor and shattered chitin in a grotesque mosaic of carnage.
But amid the slaughter, Selene led a ferocious counteroffensive with icy precision. Under her command, the remaining operatives of Team K-12 were successfully extracted to a waiting dropship at the designated evac zone.
Then came the warning—a sudden surge of enemy biomass lighting up the radar, advancing fast from the southwest.
Selene remained perfectly still.
Behind the tactical visor of her helm, her eyes narrowed. Her voice cut through the comms channel like a razor—cold, unwavering, absolute.
Selene
> "Switch to heavy weapons mode. Defensive position. Nothing gets through."
No hesitation. The soldiers of A-01, along with surviving elements of K-12, immediately shifted formation into a crisscrossed front.
The hydraulics of Terran marine exosuits hissed and groaned as they prepped for sustained combat, charging their primary weapons—the C-14 Impaler Gauss Rifle, a magnetic beast of a gun designed to punch through armored plating and tear through alien organs like tissue paper.
Selene stepped forward to the front of the formation, raised one gloved hand into the air, and then brought it down like a hammer.
Selene
> "Fire."
A sonic howl filled the air as dozens of C-14 barrels lit up at once, unleashing a barrage of 8mm armor-piercing Gauss rounds. The oncoming swarm was met head-on by a storm of supersonic death.
Alien bodies—Arachnids or something worse—exploded mid-charge, torn apart by hyper-accelerated projectiles that shredded their carapaces into scorched fragments. The stench of burning exoskeletons flooded the field, turning the air into a green-hazed miasma of death and ozone.
The soldiers from the Underworld initiative—modern troops drawn from the militaries of America, Russia, the UK, Germany, France, and others—stood frozen for a heartbeat.
They had never seen firepower this intense. Not in training. Not even in their wildest space war fantasies.
But awe gave way to terror as reality hit.
The bugs weren't stopping.
A second wave charged from the distance, screaming through the haze. As some of the Terran Marines ran dry, they didn't hesitate—they slammed bayonets into place with a cold finality and surged forward into melee.
C-14 bayonets stabbed into alien flesh like the spears of Spartan phalanxes from some twisted sci-fi epic. Each thrust cracked shell and spilled alien guts. Each twist of the blade brought another nightmare to a halt.
This wasn't glory. This was survival. And in the shadow of Fort Cassie, the line held.
---


Primary Weapon of the Terran Marine: C-14 Impaler Gauss Rifle
The C-14 Impaler Gauss Rifle is the backbone of Terran Marine firepower. Engineered for frontline infantry warfare, this weapon has proven its reliability across countless planetary battlefields—from remote colonies to the blood-soaked fronts of the Koprulu Sector.
Technically, the C-14 is an automatic assault rifle that fires 8mm metal projectiles known as Gauss Rounds. These armor-piercing "steel spikes" travel at hypersonic speeds and are capable of punching through two inches of plating in a single burst.
Despite being labeled a "Gauss" rifle, the C-14 utilizes a hybrid propulsion system. Traditional gunpowder is used for the initial firing mechanism, while internal magnetic accelerators—miniaturized capacitor coils—boost the projectile to full velocity. It's this magnetic induction system that gives the weapon its "Gauss" designation. Still, it's not without flaws: wet ammunition can cause malfunctions, though the standard-issue CMC armor provides substantial environmental protection for the weapon system.
On full-auto, the C-14 is capable of firing up to 30 rounds per second—a ferocious rate not recommended without strict trigger discipline. To counteract overheating and ammo drain, the weapon's capacitor system regulates firepower into controlled bursts, preserving efficiency even in prolonged engagements.
The recoil is considerable. But that's accounted for—the Terran Marine's CMC Powered Combat Suit is designed to absorb the weapon's kickback and even supplies power directly to the rifle, maintaining combat output in the most chaotic situations.
---
Ammo Types and Specialized Variants
The C-14 is designed with high operational flexibility, supporting a wide range of ammunition types depending on mission needs:
Armor-Piercing Slugs (Standard): Dense penetrators built to pierce through light to medium armor.
Depleted Uranium (U-238): A Marine favorite. Increases effective range by 25% and boosts penetration power significantly.
Hollow-Point Fragmentation: Designed by Ardo Melnikov. Expands on impact and creates massive tissue damage—ideal against biological targets.
Incendiary Rounds: Fire-starting rounds used to destroy light structures or create localized infernos.
Steel-Tipped Slugs: Non-lethal variant, used during capture missions or to subdue targets without killing.
Standard C-14s utilize magazine-fed clips, though belt-fed systems are employed in heavy combat scenarios to ensure uninterrupted suppressive fire.
---
Battlefield Capabilities and Performance
The C-14 excels in all conditions—dry, wet, toxic, or low gravity. It represents the pinnacle of Terran military engineering, designed to survive the brutal reality of galactic warfare.
Gauss rounds fired from the C-14 have proven effective in shattering the chitinous armor of Zerg creatures and, in high volumes, can even compromise the energy shields of Protoss units.
---
Trivia
Information https://starcraft.fandom.com/wiki/C-14_rifle
In the launch campaign for StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, studio Fantastic Arts built a real-life replica of the C-14 rifle as part of its promotional material. The replica included a cosplay-grade CMC armor suit and was sold as a collector's edition.
The price? $175,000 USD—and each bullet was priced at $900. With the C-14's fire rate, that's a whopping $9,000 per second just in ammunition costs.
---
A Brief Encounter and a Farewell
The gunfire had finally died down, replaced by the sound of heavy breathing and the metallic clink of armor moving through rubble and the charred remains of bugs.
An A-01 soldier turned to a comrade from K-12, both still shaken by the sheer power the Terran marines had just unleashed across the battlefield.
A-01 Trooper (whispering)
> "Their weapons... insanely powerful."
Heavy footsteps echoed closer. Selene, clad in a cold, intimidating leather jacket, strode toward the combined Mobile Infantry units of A-01 and K-12.
Selene
> "Which one of you is in command?"
Her gaze swept across the soldiers still repositioning into formation until Lt. Tony Daugherty stepped forward and gave a crisp salute.
Lt. Tony Daugherty
> "Ma'am. I'm the commanding officer of Team A-01. Thanks for the support."
Selene
> "You're free to go. And... stop leaving bombs behind. I don't have time to babysit your landmines."
Her tone was cold and direct. She didn't wait for a response before turning away.
Lt. Tony Daugherty
> "Understood, Ma'am. A-01, we're moving out!"
As the Mobile Infantry began to pull back, Selene signaled to her own troops.
Selene
> "Advance slowly. We've got enough ammo."
Her firm command cut through the air, followed by the synchronized movement of Terran Marines and Firebats as they moved in to mop up the remaining bugs.
But for a moment, Selene glanced back—curious at the almost feral killing drive radiating from her blue-armored unit. Silently, she mused:
Selene (inner monologue)
> They're getting too bloodthirsty... I need to talk to Kenthelion about this.
---
Confusion and Unanswered Questions
Team A-01 reached the landing zone, but instead of an open field and an orderly evacuation, they found another force still holding position.
Terran Marines, red-armored Firebats, black-suited Marauders, and white-uniformed Medics mingled with the remaining soldiers of A-01 and K-12. Many stood idle along the perimeter, hesitant—no orders, no questions, as if everyone was waiting for something... or someone.
Lt. Tony Daugherty glanced at the remnants of K-12, trying to ease the tension.
Lt. Tony Daugherty
> "Who's in command now?"
A soldier from K-12 stepped forward, his face tired but resolute.
K-12 Trooper
> "I am, sir. Major Varro's been relieved. He's in custody back at Fort Cassie."
Lt. Tony Daugherty (stunned)
> "Relieved? What the hell happened?"
Guy "Ratzass" Cunningham cut in, seething with anger.
Ratzass
> "Because of this insane suicide mission, that's what!"
Lt. Otis "Bugspray" Hacks, who had silently taken the reins, growled under his breath.
Lt. Otis "Bugspray"
> "Can it. Want to join the Major in a cell?"
Tony exhaled deeply, tension crackling in the air.
Lt. Tony Daugherty
> "Fine. We're heading back to the command ship... John A. Warden."
But as he turned skyward, his steps froze. All eyes followed his gaze.
The John A. Warden—their carrier—was pulling away, drifting slowly out of Fort Cassie's orbit.
Ogden
> "Is this some kind of joke?"
Lt. Otis "Bugspray" Hacks (dryly)
> "Appreciate the patience, Captain."
Lt. Tony Daugherty (calm, cold)
> "Forget it. We're going back to the Alesia. Everyone, on the dropships."
Mobile Infantry dropships began to descend one by one into the evacuation zone. From the cabin windows, the soldiers of A-01 saw a new wave coming in.
More Mobile Infantry dropships and Medivacs pierced the upper atmosphere of Fort Cassie.
Fresh troops disembarked:
Terran Marines in gleaming blue armor—Selene's unit.
Red Firebats with napalm cannons charged and active.
Massive Marauders with shoulder-mounted grenade launchers.
White-uniformed Medics who immediately fanned out across the field.
They moved with silent precision toward the heart of the fortress. No commands, no briefings. Just clean, disciplined military execution.
Lt. Tony Daugherty and Lt. Otis Hacks exchanged a glance. They had no idea who was in charge of this operation, or what kind of mission was being carried out inside Fort Cassie.
But one thing was clear—it was no longer their business.
With a silent nod, they led their troops into the dropships, heading back to Alesia.
---
When Selene successfully secured Fort Cassie's armory, a transmission from the Red Queen immediately lit up the main comms channel. Kenthelion received the notification in silence, his eyes narrowing as he absorbed the strategic data sent directly by the AI.
Without wasting a second, Kenthelion activated the emergency invasion protocol and ordered the warship Imperator Somnium to descend toward Fort Cassie. The mission was clear: reinforce Selene's position and lock down every supply route connected to the armory.
As the Imperator Somnium entered low orbit, its primary hangar bay opened wide. From within, a joint force of Terran Marines, Mobile Infantry, and the remaining combat units from the Underworld began deploying to the asteroid's surface. They disembarked with disciplined precision, fanning out rapidly toward the consolidation zones around the armory.
The modern soldiers from the Underworld—many still clad in their distinct battle armor—were quickly directed by Terran Marines to upgrade their gear. At the Fort Cassie military depot, they underwent expedited re-equipping procedures, receiving standard-issue Mobile Infantry equipment: HUD helmets, adaptive body armor, and the latest tactical tracker modules.
They were no longer mere survivors from another world. Now, they were part of an elite infantry unit, fully equipped and ready to continue the grueling war against the Arachnid swarms.
---
Kenthelion (via direct transmission):
> "Selene, I'm heading back to Alesia. Full command of this fortress is now yours. Eliminate every last trace of the Arachnids here."
He paused briefly, then added in a calm but resolute tone:
> "You have command of 5,000 soldiers — including the Zombie Wolfvirines developed by the Red Queen. They're fully stabilized. No risk of betrayal."
Kenthelion knew Selene was the only one capable of executing this phase of the mission. He also knew time wasn't on their side.
Selene eyed him with a flicker of hesitation.
> "You're sure you're not sending additional reinforcements? And... you're really not assigning a battlecruiser to escort Alesia?"
Kenthelion let out a quiet breath, a small, composed smile on his lips.
> "My team is enough. A thousand combat personnel, ten Zombie Wolfvirines, and a handful of Space Marines will be more than sufficient for what I need to do. But you stay alert. Contact me the moment anything changes."
Selene nodded.
> "Understood..."
She pulled Kenthelion into a brief embrace, then kissed him. Kenthelion returned the kiss without hesitation, calm and certain.
Without another word, he boarded the Medivac and departed for Alesia.
---
Kenthelion returned to the starship Alesia.
In the heart of the command deck—one of the Federation's most vital strategic war assets in the Starship Troopers universe—Emperor Kenthelion now stood as its official captain. Dressed in the Federation's formal command uniform, the insignia of honor gleaming on his chest, he stood firm before the helm console, preparing to take control of the ship's navigation.
With a single command, he attempted to reverse the vessel's direction. But the control panel responded with something unexpected: Alesia had already changed course—racing away at full speed.
Before he could process the anomaly, the bridge doors slid open with a sharp hiss—and Captain Carmen Ibanez marched in, her steps echoing across the floor.
Jonah immediately snapped to attention and saluted.
"Captain Carmen, what's happening with Fort Cassie?"
Carmen shot him a sharp glare, her eyes filled with suspicion.
"I was hoping you could tell me. Because so far, your ship's the only one still in orbit."
Jonah blinked, visibly thrown off.
"What do you mean?"
Carmen stepped closer, her tone cold and measured.
"W