Slim had returned to the command tower after being nearly crushed to death by Mouse in an aggressive celebratory hug. She frantically caught up with filing reports. The first had been suggested by Oberon to ensure his actions were not put down to the company. It outlined his actions and requested advice on managing the fallout. Next she checked the ongoing stream of reports that she could access from the Prevail command to Porta.

"Elias." She activated her comm device. "You need to see this."

"Busy right now Slim, come to the med area." He sounded stressed as he replied.

Outside the exhausted troops had started to pick up again as they finally had a chance to rest. Elias had made each squad responsible for checking their own members were ok and reporting any major injuries. Harmon from squad two had failed to report and was found unconscious between two Swarm his left leg crushed and bleeding from a stab above the knee. They had rushed him to the second building which they were using as a first aid area. Ten of the other recruits were there already with minor injuries that needed a mixture of splints, stitches and bandages to resolve.

All attention was now focused on the major injury to Harmon's leg. In pulling out the Swarm limb that had stabbed him the bleeding increased. Elias activated the tourniquet on his battle armour and took a medipen to stab in around the wound. He then pressed a nanoweave bandage over the area to further stem the bleeding. The mix of technologies quickly stabilised the problem. The medipen increasing the natural healing abilities and using nano-tech to deliver the nutrients to the right place while healing key cells that would speed the repair in the body. On top the nanoweave bandage was designed to apply pressure and pull tissues together adapting to the lower grade nanoweave that was in the standard bodysuit that recruits wore.

Once Elias was free he checked in with the squads again to find a grey mark next to Maia from squad two. He hesitated to bring up the information that he knew he would find. The mark meant dead. It hit him like a blow to the chest. It wasn't that he was unused to death even of those next to him while fighting but the idea that he had failed one under his command. A recruit whose name he hadn't even learnt yet. He acknowledged the report suggesting the body be brought to the first aid area.

It was not surprising that he was a little numb and slow to respond as Slim rushed into the room.

"They're pulling back." She said, waving her console at him. "The Prevail forces." She stopped as she saw the expression on his face. "What's happened?"

"We lost one." He replied. "Maia from squad two. Killed in action."

"Ah shit, she was a nice kid. I'll sort it." Slim said processing the information much quicker. "Here though, look at this."

The response to Maia dying from Slim was what Elias needed. Death was a common thing especially in recruits with limited skills. He couldn't let it stop him getting on with his job. He knew what Slim meant by sorting it, different companies had different procedures to complete when a contract they held was terminated by the death of their employee. It shouldn't be an everyday thing to deal with death, but it was expected. There was something there though that for their company it would be nice to be a little different. Something that meant the people behind the paperwork were respected and acknowledged. Elias pushed this thought to one side as he took the console and scan read the information within.

"If this is right, we have a problem." He said looking Slim in the eye.

"I know." She stressed the second word. "There's a reason I ran over here to show you."

"Alright, point taken." Elias gave her back the console. "Thank you."

The report was both informative and confusing. There were approximately two hundred Swarm left from those that attacked from the East. Easily within the ability of their remaining troops to wipe out. Instead it stated that because of their defensive position being compromised they were withdrawing back to Southwatch.

"Shit." Said Elias. "They're fucking trying again."

He looked at his map and the marked position of the command vehicle. Retreat would bring them back past LIbertas again drawing the remaining Swarm to their location. Dropping the console he ran out of the med building and boosted himself up so he was standing on the very top of the command tower. From this position he could see the surrounding area and watched as the command vehicle and the quads appeared from behind the ziggurat. The light vehicles used shoulder mounted weapons to shoot down the few remaining Swarm that were engaged with the recruits holding the flank. Free from attack the recruits fled back into the troop carriers that had already started driving away to join the command vehicle in the lead. Once the last man was in and the rear loading platform lifted the convoy picked up speed to drive past Libertas once more.

On the other side, without the support of the light vehicles the troop carriers simply drove off leaving a broken line of recruits who were struggling to maintain their defence against the last of the Swarm from the initial horde.

"Mother fuckers." Said Elias. His head was still reeling from the fight before, the loss of one of his recruits and now he saw how callously Commander Daggart could treat his men. The majority of the Swarm were appearing around the northern edge of the ziggurat but there were enough headed south that he had no doubt without help the recruits wouldn't have a chance.

"All eyes up." He opened the general command channel to all his troops which included Mouse and Slim.

"We have a new problem and a new threat." He said calmly.

They looked up as he stood on top of the command tower, his imposing figure unintentionally outlined by the sun which gleamed off the metal components of his armour. They stopped talking and stood up or if already standing stood straighter as he addressed them. He watched on as those with injuries left the med building. There were a mixture of expressions looking up at him. Some of admiration, respect and others determination to succeed in any challenge he could throw at them.

"I'm not going to lie. I need as many of you as are able, but we don't want to be held up if your injuries are too severe. All those ready to fight again form up." He didn't need to raise his voice using the comm, instead adding a hard edge to the words form up, his command evident in the tone.

It took moments for the twenty-three remaining recruits to all take their place in the space in front of the command tower. Elias looked on proudly as the last member limped into place.

"Right. Here's what we are going to do." He said, aware that time was once again not on their side.