Neil skidded to a stop at one of the boulders that cropped the slope, dirt and stones skipping away from his feet as he ground to a halt. Whistling, he clambered atop the boulder, placing his right foot steadily forward and his left foot at the back of the rock, near the earth. He leveled the plasma rifle, and aimed down its sight. The weapon was bulky and solid, but he held it well enough and kept it steady. 

The Knights ran down the slope like warriors born. They might be hopelessly outnumbered, but Space Cavaliers were known for their effective combat prowess and their shock and awe tactics. Neil had a hard time focusing on his aiming, wanting to get a front row view of when the combat truly began. The Xenonids were out of range for him, at least effective range. But the Knights opened fire as one, their powerful plasma carbines lighting up the area, even under the wide open Fornax sun. 

Glowing and green, the plasma slugs were fired with unerring accuracy, slamming into the Xenonids unfortunate enough to be within range of the powerful weaponry. Even their durable carapaces couldn't withstand them, melting near instantaneously, not even being able to screech before their bodies were shorn through with abandon. And even as the wave of aliens still came, the Dark Cavaliers advanced as well, slowly turning themselves into an island in a sea of enemies scrabbling to get closer to them. 

Neil suddenly realized he had them in range, and set his plasma rifle to full auto to help keep the approaching horde under control. He grinned as he pulled the trigger, his rifle kicking hard as he laid down fire on the right ridgeline, making sure no Xenonids flanked them or had a clear shot to town. Unfortunately a few seemed to have taken notice of him, and one or two made it past his firing line to leap toward town. He just hoped the militia were up for the task. 

A screech woke him up from where he was aiming, and a Xenonid the size of him leaped at him with terrifying force. He barely got the rifle around in time to hit it square in its thorax, ducking as the now limp body hit the slope behind him. "Flamer sounds good right about now," He breathed, putting down the rifle for his other weapon. If anything, this would be more effective crowd control. 

Below him, the Knights fought like competent veterans, shooting the leaping Xenonids and even getting in a good rifle butt hit or two, but slowly they were being pushed back. One Dark Cavalier was hit by two of the alien beasts, his armor holding steady for their initial strikes, but with the third bite it began to be crushed by the diamond-hard pincers of the beasts. If Astador had not cleaved through them from behind with his gleaming force-blade, it would have been a fatal experience. 

"Fall back!" Astador called, his jetpack roaring with flame as he took a flying leap back up the slope. Despite the furious speed and strength of the Xenonids, the Knight's jump-packs carried them at least twice the distance of their bestial leaps, if not thrice. Unfortunately, one of the Cavalier's was hit as he tried to jump back, and was torn to shreds by four of the Xenos, his armor crumpling beneath their savagery during the redeployment. 

Neil backed up the slope slowly, hearing the crack of a weapon behind him. He looked up to see Sayeeda, hitting her target with every shot. The militia beside her were stark white with fear, but with a veiled threat from the Captain they began to cock their weapons and fire to aid in the Cavalier retreat. They didn't do much damage, but it was better than nothing. Neil set fire to the surrounding edge of the hillock, the liquified concoction melting stone and earth, and any Xenonid that was unfortunate enough to get too close. Behind the still-too-large horde however, the large beast Sayeeda had spotted earlier was gaining traction. 

The beast was akin to the smaller Xenonids, with multiple limbs and pincers, with bony armor. But it had a saurian appearance, and a huge mass of teeth with black, dead eyes sunken beside its giant maw. It must have been 5 meters tall and over three tons in weight, if any of them had to guess. Upon its back was a protrusion that dripped some extract Neil did not want to get near. 

"God, that thing reminds me of my step mother." Neil said into the comm. "Big, butts into things it shouldn't, and just ugly as sin." 
[@Penny]