Chapter 775: Evacuation Mission
"Ultraviolet disinfection protocols, the most thorough kind," Dr. Hanson muttered. "A weapon that can only operate at night... it has significant limitations, but it's also easier to control and won't spread indefinitely."
Everyone in the warehouse breathed a sigh of relief, but no one cheered.
The scene before them was too tragic, and everyone knew this was just the situation in one refugee camp. What about the other camps? The entire planet?
"Hyperion calling ground forces," Matt's voice sounded. "Meinhoff Command Center has initiated emergency protocols. They are dispatching decontamination and cleanup teams into the refugee camps to search for survivors and incinerate infected remains. All external combat personnel are ordered to proceed to Assembly Point 3 for quarantine and evacuation from the planet's surface. Repeat, all personnel proceed to Assembly Point 3."
"Finally gettin' off this damn rock," Tychus stood up, the joints of his power armor clicking.
Raynor organized the team, and they cautiously exited the warehouse. The streets were littered with melting corpses; wherever the sunlight touched, there were virtually no living infected. But in the shadows and inside buildings, there were undoubtedly remnants.
They maintained a defensive formation as they moved toward Assembly Point 3. Along the way, they saw other small pockets of surviving troops and refugee groups, all looking terrified and hurrying along.
Assembly Point 3 was located at a fortified freight terminal on the edge of the refugee camp. It was already controlled by the Meinhoff garrison, with temporary quarantine tents and decontamination shower systems set up.
Everyone—including Valerie and her security team—had to undergo strict decontamination and medical examinations before they could board the dropships returning to the orbital port. The process was lengthy, but no one complained.
While waiting, Valerie saw Dr. Hanson in a heated argument with several Meinhoff officers and scientists. She stepped closer and caught fragments of the conversation.
"...must immediately conduct ultraviolet scans and sweeps of all refugee camps on the planet! The incubation period for this infection is unknown; there may be carriers who look normal but are already infected!"
"We have already mobilized all available UV irradiation equipment, Doctor, but the numbers are limited, and some camps have already... lost control. Comms are down, and our people can't get in."
"Then use orbital UV searchlights! Adjust the spectrum and conduct area irradiation! Even if it accidentally harms the uninfected, it's better than a full-scale outbreak!"
The argument continued. Valerie could tell that the Meinhoff authorities realized the severity of the problem, but resource constraints and moral dilemmas made it difficult for them to make a decision.
At that moment, Raynor walked over, his expression grave. "Matt just sent an update. It's not just Camp 3. Massive outbreaks have occurred in Camps 2 and 4, and... things have gotten worse."
"What's wrong?" Valerie asked.
"Some of the infected... seem to have undergone a secondary mutation. They are no longer entirely photophobic, just sluggish. Furthermore, a ranged variant capable of spewing infectious fluids has appeared, and... there are reports of structural traits resembling Zerg units."
Dr. Hanson heard this as well, her face turning pale: "Genetic instability... means they can evolve rapidly, even... fusing with other biomass. If the infected came into contact with Swarm spores, or if the Swarm devoured the infected..."
She didn't finish, but a chill ran down everyone's spine. The Swarm combined with a bioweapon infection? What kind of living hell would that be?
The dropships were finally ready. Valerie, Raynor, and the others boarded the vessels and lifted off. Looking down through the viewports, thick black smoke billowed from several refugee camp zones on Meinhoff's surface—they were burning the bodies. Beams from UV searchlights pierced into densely built areas like sharp swords.
The orbital spaceport's quarantine zone was currently overflowing with people, and the atmosphere was extremely tense. All personnel returning from the surface were sent into individual isolation pods for a twenty-four-hour observation period.
The Hyperion was also in a state of semi-quarantine, with only essential personnel permitted entry or exit.
Inside the Hyperion's briefing room, Raynor, Dr. Hanson, Tychus, and Valerie gathered once again. Matt Horner's holographic projection also appeared in the room. The atmosphere was heavy.
"The Meinhoff authorities have formally requested our assistance," Matt's hologram stated. "They admit they are incapable of handling the refugee crisis and the infection outbreak simultaneously. The infection is spreading to non-refugee zones, and might even enter the spaceport through undetected carriers."
"They are hoping we can help, at least... help evacuate the civilians who haven't been infected yet."
"Help how?" Tychus asked gruffly. "We're practically a refugee ship ourselves."
"They are willing to provide some transport ships and supplies, but they need combat troops to cover the evacuation operation." Matt brought up a planetary map. "The plan is: establish a temporary evacuation point in Meinhoff's northern polar region. The climate there is freezing, and UV radiation is intense (due to a thinner ozone layer), which might suppress the infected's activities. We gather confirmed uninfected survivors from the various camps there, and then evacuate them in batches using a transport fleet."
"Sounds like another version of Agria," Raynor rubbed his temples. "And even more dangerous, because the enemy isn't just the Swarm, but these damn infected."
"We don't have many choices, Jim," Matt said quietly. "If a full-scale outbreak occurs on Meinhoff and this transit hub falls, the entire outer fringe of this sector will collapse completely. The refugees will have nowhere to go, and the Swarm will drive straight in."
Raynor fell silent for a long time before looking at Dr. Hanson. "Doctor, if we set up an evacuation point at the North Pole, what will the infected's mobility be like in that environment?"
"The low temperatures will slow their metabolism and movement speed, and the strong UV rays will deal greater damage to them," Dr. Hanson analyzed. "But the status of the secondary mutations is unknown. Moreover, they might still recklessly attack concentrations of life."
Raynor then looked at Valerie. "Miss Valerie, is Far Star United... still willing to participate in such a high-risk humanitarian operation? I understand your mission is risk assessment, but this has gone far beyond the scope of ordinary risk."
Valerie had already received Ryo's directives: continue participating and gather more data on the infected, especially the mutated variants and potential Swarm-infected hybrid samples. She also needed to continue supporting Dr. Hanson's research direction.
"Risk assessment includes the response capabilities of all parties in extreme situations," Valerie replied composedly. "The crisis on Meinhoff is a textbook case for evaluating the interstellar community's ability to handle complex disasters. Far Star United will continue to provide assistance. My security team can take charge of part of the defensive command at the evacuation point, just as we did on the ground."
Raynor nodded. "Thank you." He turned to everyone. "Then we accept Meinhoff's request. Target: North Pole evacuation point. Mission: Establish defenses, receive survivors, and organize the evacuation. This will be the toughest fight we've ever faced, because the enemy isn't just bugs, but monsters twisted from our own people."
"And potentially a hybrid of both," Dr. Hanson added grimly.
"Whatever the hell it is," Tychus pulled down his visor, emitting a muffled voice. "Long as it's in the way, we're gonna blast it to cinders."
The plan was set. The Hyperion would serve as the command center and mothership for a portion of the evacuation vessels. The main Raider force, Valerie's security team, and a contingent of Meinhoff garrison troops would head to the North Pole to establish defenses.
And everyone knew the crux of this battle would be how to hold out against the tidal waves of infected through the night until dawn, utilizing the UV rays to purify the battlefield.
The nightmare of Meinhoff was far from over. And the true terror had perhaps just begun.