Jessica coordinated medical evacuations through the telepathic network.
"Wounded coming in from eastern sector—four casualties, two serious. Western sector has six wounded, all walking. Southern sector lost nine fighters, three dead and six wounded. Medical teams receiving now."
Lyra tracked the numbers grimly. First Line had cost them eighteen casualties—twelve dead, six seriously wounded. Acceptable losses for a defensive position they'd intended to abandon anyway, but still painful. Every death was someone who'd lived in the settlement, who'd trained under Satou, who'd believed in building something better than the human kingdoms' genocidal policies.
"First Line is lost," she reported to Seraphina. "Withdrawal is proceeding well. Estimate we'll have all survivors behind Second Line defenses within thirty minutes."
"Casualties?"
"Twelve dead, six wounded seriously enough to be combat-ineffective. We still have nine hundred and fifty-five effective fighters."
"And the humans?"
