Under the ice, reinforced infantry holds a transfer node feeding heat and oxygen to a crater settlement.

Aggressive swarms of insect-like alien crawlers and chemical drones move through ducts, fog, and maintenance spurs to sever the flow lines.

They attack suit seams, collar seals, and exposed insulation instead of wasting force on armor plates.

ECM smears the comms, pressure venting blinds the chamber, and chemical mist starts eating through metal and equipment.

This is “Hold the Line” by Sascha Schmidt.