The modified cannons mounted on Oberon's light vehicle shot into the monster Swarm that was being slowed by squad three. Mouse had not been idle as the troops had been fighting out front. Instead he had been working out how to make the most of their final assets. He had been working on an inner ring of defences since Oberon arrived and shared his news. Defences that would now be pointless if the Swarm crossed inside the area of the dome. Instead they needed something new to help the recruits hold them back.

His modifications to connect the power of the Crystal straight to the trike had boosted the energy weapons mounted on it. Further tinkering had reduced the safety mechanisms to allow them an increased rate and strength of power.

As the first Swarm fell his excitement that they might succeed was cut short by the appearance of an even greater beast that smashed through the recruits. It slowed insignificantly as the pressure of the dome reduced its speed ignoring those it had knocked aside and aiming straight for the command tower and the Crystal within. Mouse stood stunned as the automatic settings on the cannons targeted the new threat and tore it to pieces. It was through the dome, obviously through the dome, they had failed.

Slim had been monitoring communications from and to Porta. Working with a lawyer to try and create a legal position that would remove the threat of the settlement falling into Prevail's hands. They had thrown thousands of credits they did not have in getting an emergency ruling on the matter with no success. The company with the larger presence of troops supporting a settlement in the ultimate defence of that settlement would become the legal owner.

She had been pissed off as the convoy submitted a report of fighting large numbers of an approaching horde and regular updates of their positions and numbers. They were preparing from the outset to have comprehensive documentation about their supportive and necessary role throughout the defence despite not linking with the Nidus command. The volume of information coming from their command vehicle was all well worded and put them in the best light showing the skills of the staff that were working within. Instead all she was able to produce were garbled summaries of the Swarm numbers and pressure on their troops.

This meant it took time for Slim to recognise the change in tone and content of their reports. She re-read the last communication. A second Swarm force was approaching from the East. They were withdrawing troops from the settlement to address the new threat. Slim looked out in excitement as the scouts and elite troops left their post stood outside the dome. She waited as half then three quarters turned and left her smile quickly fading. Two elite troops and four scouts stood waiting even though the bulk had left.

She raced back into the command tower and sent a communication to the lawyer. Six men by the dome meant that Libertas had the larger force, was this the change they needed? It took precious minutes and another three thousand credits to have the update processed and a judgement made. Slim slumped against her chair, she had just thrown good money after bad. Since Prevail had established that the entire defence was really one battle it did not matter where the troops involved were positioned if and when the Swarm crossed into the protective dome of the settlement.

At that point she stopped sending updates on the fighting to Porta. They had been played again and again by a superior foe. Prevail would spin a PR battle once the fighting on the ground was over about how they had come to the defence of a fledgling settlement. She could see the legal team dotting Is and crossing Ts to ensure they had complied with intergalactic law in their acquisition. She had thought that they would be protected if they were a company, more than they would be as people. It turned it that just changed the rules you needed to follow. As people the worst they were likely to suffer if they broke a contract was a fine.

A lightbulb went off in her head. People, that was her greatest skill. With the cost of a Crystal counted in hundreds of thousands of credits surely they had enough resources that they could buy those six men and women stood waiting to ruin their future. Slim ran out of the control tower with the intent to bribe each and every one of them.

"Ten thousand credits for you to break contract with Prevail and we will pay any fine that the company levies at you." She stood just outside the line trying to negotiate with the group. Four ignored her completely while two looked interested. She focused on them and waited.

"Fifty thousand, any fine and transport back to Earth." One on the end said back.

"Twenty thousand, fine and transport." Countered Slim. She watched as a couple more of the men in front of her seemed to be considering the offer.

"Look lady, time is not on your side here. I'm not budging and I know to a company with a settlement that's peanuts." The scout who had been talking replied.

Slim sighed, she knew he was right and had to get this finished before the Swarm came closer.

"Forty. Seriously we don't have the resources you think we do. Why do you think there are so few recruits protecting this base?" She pleaded with the man. He looked on in consideration for a moment before his head cocked to one side listening to his communication device.

"Done. Forty. Send me the contract." He suddenly changed his manner like he was the one in a rush. Two of the scouts that had shown the least interest in her offer had already turned and were running full speed back towards the outer wall of the compound.

"It seems it's not just me who is in a rush." She smiled and watched as all the scouts and one of the elite soldiers left. The stoney faced guard that remained smiled at her. It was a desperate move to try and negotiate with them but at least she was doing something. While the others in her group could all fight this was all she had.

"Well forty thousand credits doesn't seem that much any more. How about eighty?" Said Slim watching carefully as the sole remaining member of the Prevail force stood in front of her mere metres from the dome. He looked like he was now considering the offer.

"I may be a soldier maam, but I'm not so simple that I can't multiply by six. Forty by six is two-forty, but two-fifty is just a nicer number. Isn't it?" He gave her a hard look and took a half-step towards the dome.

"Look, I know it's just you but we really don't have those kind of resources." Slim saw a glimmer of hope as the man started to talk to her rather than look past her to the dome beyond.

"Well I suppose you shouldn't be out here thinking we would be stupid enough to listen to you then." He said taking a look over her shoulder as the dome flared. "Seems you're out of time." He shoved her out of the way and stepped towards the dome.

"Last chance." He offered as she looked up at him from the ground where she had fallen.

"We don't have the cash," she said, "but fifty thousand a year for five years. We'll protect you here and arrange transport as soon as possible. Please." She tried in desperation as he looked on.

"Pathetic, you really don't have the cash?" He spat in her direction and turned to step into the protective dome.

Slim squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down either cheek. It should have been silent as the soldier walked on so she opened them back up as she instead heard the cracking of a pistol.

Three shots were followed by three more as the stunned silence was filled with the screaming of the guard who had just stepped by.

"You see the problem here is that power armour takes time to redirect the energy from one area to the next. So while a single shot would be deflected and the second just drain the armour all three will always penetrate." Oberon looked on at the elite guard who had been knocked back by the repeated fire from his pistols. Three shots to each knee meant the man's legs were now a mangled mess rather than functional. He reached a hand down to Slim.

"I hope that offer of paying any fine is still valid." He said. He pulled Slim in front of him just as the energy weapon of the elite soldier started firing, his personal shield flaring up in defence.

"Unlike a defensive armour the strength of a personal shield lies in dispersing the energy and can take a few shots to the same spot." Oberon seemed unfazed as the rifle fire continued to land on him. He pushed Slim inside the protection of the dome and hurried after her. "There are limits to its power though."

They looked over at the man on the ground who had emptied the rest of the battery by firing in frustration into the dome. He now frantically pulled at in built tourniquets in the battle armour and reached for a medipen to help him heal. Oberon watched in a detached manner to make sure the soldier was stable before walking off to leave Slim recovering from the shock of what had just happened.