REAVERS!!!

You hear the stories and figure they are boogie man tales to keep children in their beds at night. I'm here to tell you they ain't no stories that even get close to the savagery brought on by these soulless monsters. They just keep comin.
Blackburne got hit hard by Reavers tonight. We heard the ship coming in. We heard the ship crash over the ridge. No one really knew what had happened. We were enjoying, what we thought was, a very nice evening on the front porch of Firefly's. Thought the action was over for awhile. We'd already been hit two nights in a row and everyone was recovering from injuries and just relaxing for a bit. Should've known.
Security cams caught some movement in the SE, the direction the ship went down in. I went to investigate as we made sure the civilians were taken care of. Then they were there. I reacted immediately, backstepping and pouring rounds into him. He just kept coming. I managed to stave off his first attack as he got distracted and went after someone else.
I was heading for the new communications gear in the bar when my comm unit went off. Someone had beat me to it, the mayday was out. The few of us who were there implemented the SOP's (Standard Operating Procedures) we had discussed the night before. I started trying to suss out the situation so we'd be ready when the reinforcements arrived. We had one Reaver in the town attacking whatever and whoever it could. Even Milo, the local mutt, started playing dead when the Reaver came around. I chased him to the sewer cover and he was gone. I don't know how they fit into the lower drainage system but they do.
It was quiet again. By now we had militia crawling outta everywhere, our plan had thus far worked. Then, they were on us again, two Reavers attacking. They seemed like there were ten of them. They were fast and all over the place. The radio started going nuts with reports of their whereabouts and then the cries of the wounded could be heard.
We managed to regroup around the bar using the courtyard as our alamo and triage area. It wasn't enough. We had to get to the Med Pav for the advanced gear that's kept there. I took a small group of walking wounded and a few folks still able to fight and set off for the other side of town. It was another lull. They seem to hit us fast and hard and then retreat into the sewers, regroup, and then pop up in another part of town.
We made it to the Med Pav and the other radio that was there allowed us to keep in contact with the bar. Man was I glad I was able to get more than one transmitter, they saved the day. We setup a security perimeter around the Med Pav to guard and help heal the wounded. Brave, tough people we have on the militia. No one ever thought of giving up, not that surrender was an option. I watched countless people come in, get patched up and head right back out to the fight.
Belize did an amazing job coordinating her end of town. The fight raged on so long I lost track of the time. Times like these you don't think, you just act.
Next thing I know it's quiet. Im covered in blood, mostly other militia members blood and, reaver blood. The adrenaline scorching a trail through my veins like hot molten lead. I'm shaking. With no targets in sight and no outlet my body looses control. I walk back to the bar to see how bad we'd been hurt, hoping the shakes would die down before reaching everyone. I was able to regain control of myself as I walked into the courtyard. I wasn't alone, EVERYONE was scared, anxious and shaking.
We'd done it. We'd managed to pull ourselves together as a team and hold the town. We took some casualties. Some were pretty severe but none life threatening. We had at least one dead Reaver, 6 severe militia casualties and one MIA. Aeon was last seen chasing a Reaver into the Wastes. Immi was shook but stayed around tending to the wounded. Aeon can take care of himself, we'll see him again.
The reinforcements disbanded as the regular militia drifted inside for some much needed libations and nerve control. "Drinks are on the house!", I yelled as I made my way behind the bar. Nack was off world on business, his business. We don't ask and he doesn't tell. I knew he wouldn't mind though, I mean hell at least he had a bar to come back too. The hooch that was flowing free could be remade with our in house libation dispenser, the still. There wasn't a rosy cheek in the place, everyone was pale.
A few strangers came by the bar as we were regrouping. When I say strangers I mean STRANGErs. One guy had a specific message for Nack, "It's half past the hour with 10 minutes to go." He made sure we had it, word for word. Then someone from Mann's crew showed up. Best we could get outta him was that he thought Mann had been taken by the Alliance but wasn't sure. He's supposed to keep us posted. Just more craziness on a crazy night.
Words can't describe the savagery I witnessed this night, nor the bravery. It wasn't everyone for themselves anymore. We'd become brothers in arms, baptised by fire. For the first time since I've arrived on this rock everyone worked together and fought for the person next to them. It made a difference, it made all the difference.
Yes, we're still very much rough around the edges but we're closer than ever. For the first time in a long while I can see the future and have hope. I belong again and it feels good. Whatever tomorrow brings we will face it, and defeat it together.
Look out verse, we're the Blackburne Militia and Blackburne Downport is our home. Come Raiders or Reavers, Mutants or Purple Bellies, it's ours and you can't have it!