Oily black smoke drifts across the scene: blackened and twisted buildings are clustered around - many missing roofs, caved in windows.
Amid the scene of destruction stands a Thunderbolt. It's grey and maroon paint job is scored and scratched in some places but the insignia of a red rook chess piece in grey shines bright on its torso.
At the mech's feet several infantrymen cluster -they all wear odd medlies of armour, leather and fur. One grim faced fighter hoists a light machine gun like it's a toy cap gun - he appears to have a string of dirty looking human teeth strung around his neck.
Next to him another one - apparently a woman, although it's hard to tell under the mound of furs, cloth and equipment - pulls off her combat helmet to reveal a Mohawk and tattooed scalp.
With a pop, the Thunderbolt's cockpit opens like a clamshell. Without bothering with a ladder, a figure begins to clamber down using improvised handholds
He lands in a crouch and grins at the infantrymen towering over him.
The mechwarrior is short and stocky with short dark hair cropped to stubble on the back and sides. His hair and short beard are slightly streaked with grey - especially at the temples and around the mouth - and while heavily built he's starting to develop a bit of a belly under his cooling vest.
Most notable is his left hand. From the wrist down it's a steel replacement, complete with skeletal style fingers.
A long barrelled Python auto loader hands from a leather holster at his belt.
"Snaga, let's get these streets cleared and look for any civilians," he says.
The big infantryman with the teeth collections grins. "Si, Colonel Cavalli. We check."
Hooting orders in a guttural tongue, he polices up the unit and they move out.
As Cavalli strides forward, real and metal thumbs stuck in his webbing belt, there's movement ahead.
A patch of rubble shifts, forming into a crouching, hooded and cloaked form. Even with the movement, the figure almost totally blends in even as it raises a rifle to its shoulder.
Cavalli sees the gunman and begins to claw at his pistol as the first shot rings out - raising his mechanical hand, Cavalli stumbles back as the round smashes into the metal hand and carries it away.
Still reeling he manages to draw the pistol and attempts to aim as the Blakist fires again. There's as spray of blood as Cavalli crumples to the ground.
The Blakist begins to move - but is interrupted by a furious howl - the big infantryman is back, a machete raised in both hands overhead. There's a meaty but oddly metallic thud as the blade lops off an arm.
The screaming soldier brings the blade down again and again.
- drone footage captured in Marsdenville South, Donegal
