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Erika had been watching the Moholi move towards them when the sudden detonation of mines decimated the survivors and 2 of her forward scouts, too late to save them she yelled for a halt of all units and immediate minesweeping procedure to be conducted by the remaining Redbacks with Zytone's supporting and keeping overwatch.
Slowly the GH force consolidated and maneuvered its vehicles to have the URSA stationed at the front of the pack, able to withstand a mighty amount of damage compared to the Balaena and PA. The captain waited with baited breath as they finished reforming before ordering their own deployment of smokescreen, their allies would be able to navigate to them well enough via comms if needed but right now she had no idea if they were being targeted and without confirming with the front lines firing off missiles could result in friendly fire the company definitely wouldn't tolerate.
"GH 9 Rings to FEU and NDC, the Moholi have been wiped out, we can't check for survivors because of a fucking minefield those bastards dropped in our lap and currently cut off from you. We're underequipped to clear them but can provide plenty of cover and some strategic long-range support via missile. Just send us some targets and your own location and we'll be sure to give em hell."
The large URSA vehicles had the best sensors of the group and were set to work trying to improve the accuracy of their maps and target tracking while little else could be achieved, both the Redback scouts and Zytone defenders had grouped up and encamped around the large vehicles keeping watchful eyes on everything around them. Several engineers had pulled another Redback into one of the mobile repair stations to dig the shrapnel out of the side panels and make sure nothing was leaking or burning before sending it back out to the defensive line. Spare bubble grenades were passed around to both Zytone and Redback pilots alike, they wouldn't stop a significant shell but it's better than nothing.
GH force is holding position and digging in/fortifying outside the minefield so others can come to them if they can traverse it or clear it, plenty of guns facing forwards and requesting fire targets from the FEU or NDC nearby to assist with cover
"Lochos, what do we do with the survivors?" One of Alexis' platoon leaders asked her as they surveyed the results of the skirmish.
"Their prisoners of war. Arrest them, make sure they can't cause trouble, put some guards on them, and prepare them for transfer when we are able to get some relief." Lochos Alexis answered, looking ahead at the next part of the battle. The anti-air guns. The NDC scouts were already ahead of them a little bit.
With a moment of consideration, she decided to join the NDC scouts. "Allright, we need to swing around and approach that anti-air battery from behind. Once that's down, we'll have more freedom of movement. Skim the ground, we don't want to trigger more mines if they have them." She ordered.
The NDC forces pushed steadily around the flank of the hill as the Ravager at the top as the NMX ambushed turned from just that into a nearly one sided slaughter as, Heavy PA and mecha or not the enemy had skylined themselves against a much larger force already arrayed directly infront of them instead of the exposed rear and flanks of the reds in the minefield. The Rippers and Reapers, already committed lost a chunk of their number just pushing down the hill at full burn as shields broke under heavy autocannon fire.
Their plan was obvious, however, the few Variables already partway up the hill could not react to the smaller and faster suits until they were already in their midst as mini-missiles and automatic particle fire bathed and temporarily blinded the Varaiable tanks as at least four Rippers and two Reapers used them as cover from the lower NDC vehicles fire as they zipped around the larger frames; Attempting to outrun missiles as they tried to remain in blindspots and wear down joints and optics in a hornets swarm of a dance.
The Ravager likewise joined the fray. Losing one of its massive primary arms right away as it moved it infront of the fire from bellow the mecha opened up an alpha-strike of chainguns and plasma past the Variables and into the sides of the flanking NDC vehicles as it gave a jaunty leap forwards and let gravity take its course.
The Ravager fell paralell to the hillside until it landed its feet on a ledge right above the embattled variable tanks trying to defend against the PA; The rock face breaking its fall as the ravager crashed right through it as it deployed the Zesu claws on its good primary arm and cleaved right through the nearest Frame as it passed by as it, dragging the quadrupedal tank down with it until it tore off the claws and cartwheeled down the slope behind the Ravager.
The NMX Mecha landed at the base of the hill to the flank of the NDC with its remaining forearm shield up as it absorbed several rounds from an autocannon. But clearly outnumbered it did not advance into their midst but instead unleashed the might of its many mini missiles and larger into the air as it gave another leap and burned in full backwards away from the NDC as its missile barrage blanketed the duskerian vehicles until they passed around the hill and it too was out of sight.
With the ravager in full retreat, the few rippers and reapers were left alone and tried to do the same but by the air. One ripper managed to be the only one to escape back up the hillside while the rest either succumbed to combined arms fire or attempted to retreat and were swatted from the skies.
While this went on the Reds got into a ranged firefight with several tankettes as the less numerous tankettes zipped about soaking up as much of the concentrated fire as they could with their shields while supressing the stationary red IFVs with less accurate mobile fire as the smokescreen slowly enveloped them and drones dismounted only for plasma explosions to make anything not hiding behind one of the IFVs have their lifespan cut short to just moments.
There were only a few of them. At most a delaying tactic as was evident when an implosion a hundred meters behind the reds left a crater a distance away as the artillery attempted to adjust to their postion.
There was a small return barrage, however, as the NDCs command vehicle performed counter battery to an unknown effect while they waited for the next and final barrage that would end them as it did the Moholi.
And then, as the mine clearing plows had just begun to push forwards one of the Tankettes cooked off and exploded as the NDC flanking force came about the other side of the hill and the very first shot from the lead unit pegged right through the already strained shields of the tankette like tissue paper.
Within moments between the two forces there were just five tankets remaining and with no ability to cross the near kilomiter they would need to get back to cover...
To the south the Ipexfor were able to secure just the one sole prisoner after she executed those few wounded survivors. Near hysterical the neko, indeterminate of age due to the youth of their species fought and struggled not to attack but with all her might to hold onto the ground and a nearby boulder as the first of the Separa carefully searched her for hidden weapons or booby traps. The girl seemed terrified of the large group of powered armored Separa who, well aware of the strength of older variants of neko, managed to carefully and safely restrain the enemy combatant and secure her under guard to be moved back to friendly lines once the coast was clear.
It was at this point that the mecha of the FSC corporation passed them by in their spearhead push towards the forward anti-air battery.
Space - High Orbit
The entire section of localized space was on fire as the late-coming elysian vessel pulled closer in system. Already tagged in the local net at most the lone vessel was too low-priority to be tasked any safe passage through the system by the friendly fleet as now unreliable sensors played havoc on an entire system jammed by several sets of electronic warfare and countermeasure methods being thrown about.
Only getting close to any of the pockets of vessels would yield their identity as even from the bridge of the Argo itself tens of thousands of miles away as the Argo approached the planet could the dance of lights all around the planet and deeper in the system be gleaned as the two fleets had broken up into a hundred smaller engagements.
There were wrecks and hulls everywhere. At least fifty vessels floated not under their own power in orbit around the planet, some still firing while others were dark and broken up; Only recognizable by their largest parts as Mishhu frigates floated lifeless and independent coalition militarized and private vessels were hulled by powerful aether-particle weapons.
One such vessel cut across the Argo's bow less than three kilometers out as a three-hundred meter long Coalition destroyer with half its amidships exposed to the void burned past them with a single engine still flaring and all three others engulfed in flames as its prow-mounted railguns fired bellow and past the argo just as a missle streaked into its flank and the subsequent explosion broke the destroyer in half.
The void war had gone on for hours. And would likely for days or weeks to come after these bloody moments the old bird knew. Even as they caught sight of the flagship; The largest vessel in system, it too had its share of holes as the entire top of the armored super frieghter was pock marked and buckled in several places even as its few weapons fired at impossibly distant targets while its few escorts fired point defense weapons at missiles and torpedoes fired by NMX fighters attempting to cripple the massive makeshift dreadnought.
Getting closer to the flagship eventually brought them under its ECM screen as the Argo joined the joint sensor net and their optics practically exploded with the scope of combat going about the system as communications were blanketed by several hundred vessels all relaying information both standard and panicked.
When the freespacer admiral finally deemed to take his attention from the battle long enough it was hours before a window opened up to dock with the flagship and unload his men.
The only way down planetside was either out a pod or taking a ship directly down to low-orbit chased by fighters.
The next window wouldnt open up for days, thought a sacrafice-vessel was being prepared. Already crippled they would shoot it towards the planet and drop from it while the already damaged ship slingshot around Osman and then drifted for all eternity thereafter outsystem.
They could spare enough room for one company of the elysian forces while the rest would have to wait for the next window...
Osman
It was the FSC mecha who saw it first.
Taking the cliffiside above the AA emplacement they were able to rain down hell on the four mobile vehicle batteries with their anti-air weapons aimed elswhere. Disabling the four was all it took to cripple the force bellow as the mostly non-combat support cats and a handful of squids scattered with small arms at best to the east and some unfortunates to the west into the open arms of the NDC scouting force and the IPEXFOR where they, armed, were caught in the open.
Elevated as it was none of the FSC pilots saw the NMX auxilary vessel past the mountains to the west when it final breached the clouds after losing its fight with gravity.
But they saw it when the western horizon in the late-days light grew a brighter tinge of flashfire-orange as the vessels reactor detonated just 12 miles, 20+ kilomiters away with the force of a ten-megaton bomb as the massive vessel made to carry an entire army detonated and turned the western horizon to fire.
The very clouds were blown away and equipment all in the theater flickered or was interrupted while in some cases even died altogether as a weak EM-Pulse hit them first as in the instant the fireball expanded it then retracted to suck all the air and fire back in as it imploded in a vaccuum a mile wide on either side before exploding once more as the very sky turned orange and red as fire was thrown in every direction.
Coming from that direction the shockwave passed. Even as far as Durandium Cockatrice it hit with the force of a punch to the chest as, behind it, a wall of pyroclastic flow was visible travelling in their direction a half hundred meters tall.
As the dust and fire cloud spread, the interference gathered enough that mixed with the EMP cut off the tactical map though close-range communications in the theater still worked for now.
At a distance of five miles out the cloud of ash had lost its visible lethal heat but still closed the distance towards them the continuing 15 miles and would reach them within a quarter hour...
As the Duskerian Variable Tanks wrapped up their battle against the NMX Power Armor and Ravager, their sensors and tactical maps began to flicker and malfunction, a sign of the broader communications disruption that would soon overtake the theater of the allied ground assault. The tank platoons of the 23rd had been hammered by the NMX power armor, and the Ravager had managed to all but destroy one of their number. Field repairs would be needed to ensure that the force would remain at full fighting strength, and the more heavily damaged vehicle would have to be sent for more expensive overhauls.
For now, though, the pilots of the 23rd's armored platoons took a moment to breathe and relocate. Orders had come from their command element to relocate to higher ground as the oncoming pyroclastic flow threatened the low ground, and all elements of the Duskerian forces on the field had received similar orders.
The command element of the company, along with the armor platoons, pushed north into the mountains, hoping to use the height gradient to protect themselves from the oncoming environmental threats as they gained clearance from the enemy forces. To the south, the scout group did its best to push for what high ground was available as they called for an airlift that might or might not arrive in time, but was at least an option thanks to the efforts of the FSC forces that had disabled the enemy AA vehicles.
The Duskerian forces are headed for high ground to avoid the pyroclastic flow that'll arrive soon. To the north, the command element and armored platoons are making use of the mountains to gain elevation and separation from the enemy, and to the south the scouts are using the hills to try to get enough height to buy time for an airlift to safety from the transports that originally deployed them.
The various Jimmy Drones that were not destroyed reattached themselves as the Pioneer's Multipurpose Armored Vehicle's mine plow carved a channel to exit. Being that there was only a single plow, something the Reds were going to have to ad-hoc a solution to later, the remaining 12 IFVs formed into bounding columns As the first 4 IFVs made their exit, they formed into a wedge and kept their focus on the retreating Tankettes, raining AP-Incideneraty rounds on them. The remaining 8 focused all of their attention back on the NMX light infantry while they waited their turn to bound.
Once all 12 were finally free of the minefield, they proceeded to north to place the hills between them and the wall of fire coming their way. Limited to their tracks, they did not have the advantage of climbing mountains like the frames. The forward 7 IFVs continued to fire at the tankettes while they remained and the remaining 5 alternated their firepower between the Light Infantry and the last known position of the Target Acquisition Platoon hoping to either keep their heads down or make themselves more visible to target.
1. Reds are exiting minefield while taking shots are the Tankettes and Light Infantry
2. Once they are out of the minefield, they are cutting north to put the hills between them, taking shots at the retreating tankettes/Light Infantry/TA platoon)
Consus Floros - a dashing Plebeian (now dashing Caelisolan) male formerly of the Elysian Celestial Navy many, many, many, many moons ago, before Elysia’s leadership had spit on the sacrifices made by half of Consus’ family and surrendered to the spawn of the Devil - closed the comm channel and looked back over his shoulder at the imposing form of the Patrician behind him. “Your orders, Sena-I mean, sir?”
After throttling a momentary flash of annoyance - caused not by the slip-up of the pilot sitting in front of him, but by having to once again rely upon godless heathens, this time the unholy flesh-and-metal abominations that called themselves “Freespacers” - with the knowledge that there truly was no other way planetside, Barachiel responded, “Get us docked with the flagship, Floros, then activate the atmospheric containment barriers. Once Evandrus verifies that they’re holding, wait for my signal to open the appropriate door.”
“Of course, Se-sir.”
“Leitus,” continued the room’s sole Patrician.
“Sir?” said the man sitting adjacent to Consus, an almost palpable look of anticipation adorning his features.
“Relay my instructions to our beloved engineer and instruct Alpha’s decani to prepare their contuberniums for combat. Don’t worry about notifying the members of my contubernium - I’ll take care of that myself. Oh, and one last thing - tell Aurora to prepare my Ezrael. It’s long past time it saw action.”
Leitus’ expression was akin to a predator who’d just found a warren full of delicious prey. “With pleasure, sir!”
Barachiel didn’t blame him, as he, too, was immensely eager to finally take the fight to the enemy after such a long wait; unlike the decidedly enthusiastic Leitus, however, he had an image to maintain - and much to do in the meantime besides sit in a rather comfy chair.
“Very well. As operating a vessel is admittedly beyond my capabilities, I’ll leave you both to it, then; Uriel is in command once I depart and until I return.”
With a salute - the mere act of which would have induced heart attacks among some of the more conservative members of his peers, as Senators were not supposed to salute their lessers - Barachiel thus left the confines of the bridge, hand already reaching for his communicator. There was much to do, and so little time to do it in…
Planet Osman, Very Low Orbit
Sacrificial Ship
Cargo Bay
In hindsight, it had been rather impressive that the motley crew under Barachiel’s command had been able to get themselves armored up and ready to go within two hours, given how extraordinarily green most of said crew’s members were - some in fact, had even required assistance in donning their suits of Tethys (or Anthedon, in the case of the three Patricians not belonging to the battle-hardened veterans of Barachiel’s personal contubernium) power armor, such was their inexperience.
Such things, however, didn’t seem to faze Barachiel, who took it all in stride as he carefully navigated his way through the crowd of assembled crusaders - the Senator hadn’t bothered wasting extremely precious training time on trivial things such as parade formations - towards the front of the Freespacer vessel’s cavernous cargo compartment. What he cared about was the battlefield performance of the men and women under his command - and he knew just how to squeeze out even more of that very, very, very important performance.
Upon reaching his destination, the Patrician - clad in the hulking (and rather nightmarish, thanks to how poor the room’s lighting was) form of his Ezrael power armor - turned around, boosted the output of the armor’s external speakers to maximum, made sure that he was broadcasting to the Argonautica…
“My crusaders, today you are about to embark on the most important mission of your lives. You are about to take part in the greatest crusade in history, the liberation of this world and the salvation of your people from the tyranny of the hellspawn who raped, defiled, and desecrated your homes, your families, and your future. Though many of you are untrained in the art of war, that is of little consequence, for you all have endured hardships and sacrifices that few can imagine. Just by standing here, you have displayed boundless courage, piety, and devotion in the face of a cruel and wicked enemy hellbent on enslaving your people and destroying our way of life. Your deeds here will earn you the respect of your peers and will earn you the grace and favor of God Himself. When you leave this planet, you will be the finest warriors this sector has ever seen.
Today, however, you face a test, the first of many to come. Today, you will storm the gateway to the enemy. Today, you will face one of the most heavily defended positions on the planet, fortified by power armor, mecha, tanks, mines, and anti-aircraft artillery. You will face the full infernal might of the Mishhuvurthyar war machine, which will unleash its lasers, plasma, bullets, grenades, swords, and missiles against you. Today, you will face the a critical moment of this crusade, the moment that will decide the fate of your people, the moment that will determine the future of Elysian civilization.
You may wonder, why us? Why do we have to do this? Why must we risk our lives for this cause? The answer, my crusaders, is simple: because we are the ones chosen by God. Because the three hundred and seventy of us are the only ones who can do this. Because we are the only ones who make this happen and save our people from a fate whose horror and depravity is only surpassed by Hell itself.
You are not alone in this fight, either. You have the support of thousands of your fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, who are fighting with you on land, in the air, and in the void. You have the support of millions of people back home, who are praying for you and cheering for you. You have the support of the entire sector, which is looking up to you and counting on you. You have the support of the angels and the saints, who are watching over you and interceding for you - and most importantly of all, you have the support of the Lord, who is with you and for you.
You also have the advantage of faith. The enemy does not know the true God, the true religion, the true salvation. The enemy does not know the power of the prayer or the power of the miracle. The enemy does not know the strength of your spirit, the strength of your will, the strength of your love, or the strength of your faith. You have nothing to fear but fear itself. You have everything to gain but victory. You have everything to lose but freedom.
So, my crusaders, I ask you to do your duty. I ask you to follow your leaders. I ask you to trust your comrades. I ask you to fight with honor. I ask you to fight with valor. I ask you to fight with zeal.
I ask you to fight for your people. I ask you to fight for your freedom. I ask you to fight for God. I ask you to fight for your future, and your children’s future.
I ask you to fight for Elysia.”
The ship then began to buffet and shake as it plowed into Osman’s atmosphere. Right on time, as usual, thought the Patrician with a smile as he - without bothering to turn around - smacked the control panel for the cargo bay door behind him, causing said door to open and reveal the fiery halo of superheated plasma beyond that lay beyond. “Alpha Century, the light is green! First Contubernium, raise your shields and follow me!”
And with that, Barachiel Valeria gracefully fell backwards, allowing himself to plunge through the ship’s barriers - and the ferocious whirlwind of scorching plasma they were barely holding back - before righting himself and diving towards the arid planet below.
Osman - and the spark that would rekindle Elysia’s long-dormant heart - were waiting.
Sorry it took so long to write this up. Anyhoo, without any further ado..
Barachiel has ordered the Argonautica to keep close to the Stupendamonia. The former is keeping its Beam Eyes online to act as an additional layer of point defense for the latter, but - to avoid drawing attention to itself and stressing its questionably-stable power grid - will not be utilizing its Battle Cannons unless an emergency occurs.
Alpha Company has made a HALO jump for the planet on a trajectory intended to keep it well outside of the range of the Mishhuvurthyar anti-aircraft battery. It consists of the following:
Barachiel’s Contubernium, consisting of:
Barachiel himself, in an Ezrael Mêlée Power Armor.
3x Patricians, each in an Anthedon Power Armor. All are equipped with the Patrician-sized version of the Hippeis Xiphos.
Two of them are equipped with Standard Service Rifles (with attached Dresde Underslung Grenade Launchers) in addition to their Transphased Plasmatic Pulse Rifles.
One is equipped with a “Zeus” Lightning Slug Shotgun in addition to her Transphased Plasmatic Pulse Rifle. >:3
6x Caelisolans, each in a Tethys Power Armor.
2nd, 5th, 6th, and 7th Contuberniums, consisting of:
10x Caelisolans, each in a Tethys Power Armor.
3rd, 4th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Contuberniums, each consisting of:
1x Patrician in an Anthedon Power Armor. They’re equipped with a Standard Service Rifle (without an attached Dresde) and the Patrician-sized version of the Makhaira Xiphos (save for one, which has a Patrician-sized Hippeis Xiphos) in addition to their Transphased Plasmatic Pulse Rifle.
9x Caelisolans, each in a Tethys Power Armor.
All of the members of the aforementioned contuberniums are also equipped with varying levels of Sperion mini-grenades.
As the blast wave approached, the Separa'Shan escorting the prisoner warned them and pushed her into a crevice near the top of the hill that would protect them from the effects of the blast. They would take the blast on their shields and armor to protect their charge who couldn't protect herself while she was in their custody. The rest of the expeditionary force grounded, moving to where they could best protect themselves from the blast, readying to follow in the wake to try and take advantage of the aftermath.
The thunderclap of sound and pressure reached its second reverberation as it it the theater weak from dissipation of distance but still enough to give discomfort to the ears and wash over those exposed in the landing fields like a strong breeze.
That, of course, was just a precursor to the approaching wall of black and night-grey that streaked its clouds with red as the friction and static caused random jolts of red-orange like veins of fire to travel like lightning bolts between the folds. Over the distance of so many miles it had slowed its incredible push outwards but as a result had curled in on itself and coiled and expanded up as a result causing the could of hot ash and smoke to fall onto the combat theater instead of roll into it as it loomed over and then dropped down to earth from a mile above as if the sky itself had fallen down on them making the entire theater be blanketed at once instead of over time.
It started like several seconds of snow as first the day became night as a blanket of ash and smoke loomed above them. Then ash fell like snow, warm to the touch and mixed with the occasional still warm ember that from any vantage looked as though it was raining black and firefly red until moments later the thicker smoke fell on them like a sudden tide.
It was hot. Stifling and uncomfortable but not overly dangerous as the moment the blanket of ash fell slowly and lightly but in such volume that when the ambient temperature rose to 110-farenheight it was insulated as those without armor or outside of vehicles found trouble breathing as uncomfortably hot air and choking smoke hit them with no escape. It was eerily quiet too, the insulation of the smoke and ash deafening everything as even the NMX positions paused to acclimate.
Each man and woman of the coalition found themselves utterly alone as even their nearest comrade not close enough to touch seemed to dissapear into a fog of smoke ans ash as goggles, visors, and optics were coated over with ash that smudged when attempting to remove and insulation made only those close by able to be heard as though they were trapped inside a hot and muffled box.
South
To the south the Ipexfor Separa force were the best off. Encased in powered armor their sensors could pick each other up even in the low visibility allowing them to coordinate even if they found it harder to orientate in a dark so thick of ash and smoke that even thermal or low-light night vision optics showed them only as far as their hands could reach.
The scouts of the NDC were not as well off as they could only keep moving uphill until the hill leveled out and flattened to show them several sources of light that while obscured through the choking and blinding smoke were large enough to make out as the burning wrecks of vehicles as, unable to propperly orientate the scouting force had blundered right into the anti-air batteries of the NMX that the FSC mecha had destroyed.
Silhouetted in the bloom of the fire were forms running around is a mixture of confusion and purpose as neko scrambled mere feet away from them. Some were wounded, crawling or pulling themself on the ground while ash-blanketed forms on the ground could only be dead around the vehicles where they had been caught in weapons fire or burned even thoroughly enough to overcome their hemosynth.
Others wandered or stumbled around without purpose trying to recover the situation as a few likely command figures ran around to grab individuals and shout orders at them too muffled to hear to any of the scouts.
One such figure ran up to one of the teams of scouts, seemingly out of nowhere and, her mustard uniform and armor tainted black much like their own grabbed one of them and, pulling him down close to her before he could react started shouting unintelligibly while pointing at one of the vehicles that had yet to cook off but was clearly disabled while pointing prolifically. Her face was close enough to make out that while she was wearing goggles of some kind the ash had so smudged them that even as the likely officer or NonComs hand wiped at them likely half blinded her as the scout was shoved and the Nmx neko moved to grab another nearby neko and point at the same vehicle and shout orders as the soldier then ran towards the vehicle where a few coordinated neko were attempting to drag out thrashing wounded.
With everyone half blind and covered in ash the Nmx had not even recognized the NDC scouts. But looking around to take stock a good number of their men were missing; Lost somewhere in the ash and smoke as even on the hill they stood upon the NDC scouting force could not see more than a few meters without losing the terrain in the dark.
They were, however, close enough to make out the much larger and very identifiable form of an advanced-form Mishhu as its silhouette was shown briefly in the backdrop of one of the vehicle fires with a large uncountable group of likely Neko around it or following behind as it passed by and likely began to take charge and restore order.
North
To the north things were better off. The NDC and Fujiko forces, mostly in their vehicles had made it a semblance enough to cover and were sheltered inside their vehicles as they pushed north fast but not fast enough. It reached a point after the ashfall that optics had become blanketed and obscured and even visual mediums like windows were blackened as vehicle interiors slowly climbed in temperature and those few outriding our poking out of hatches found that looking around visually offered little better option.
As some lights of more quick-thinking commanders kicked on made it easier to see about the land had turned from arid desert into a hot tundra but with ash instead of snow in the midst of a flurry of ash and embers.
Close enough to see each other, the NDC and Reds by the occasional sweep of light they could not see well but by object permanence and context could at least identify that they were on the same side knowing where each other had been before. Radio communication still worked too, to much relief but was not crisp or clear and at best could speak within their own forces close by with even communications hundreds of meters away between the two allied forces required constant repeating of calls and static so thick that only high volume and pressing of receivers tight to ears could make out one of three words if it was said loud and slowly.
Whats more neither force was under fire any longer from what they could tell. With the powered armor retreated and the Ravager withdrawing the only possible threat was a lone Tankette and whatever forces remained on a hill that they could at best guestimate its direction as residual magnetic lance from the blast wreaked havoc with optics or compass alike.
Low Orbit
The elysian saw it wash over the theater they were dropping into as the expanding wave of black spread for close to fifteen miles as the glowing epicenter rose to the west like a pimple of fire.
It was not the only one...
To the east, as they fell, they could see others and many more around for hundreds of miles as starships and their broken debris rained on Osman like a meteor storm. Some where full-sized starships like near where the would be dropping. Others space debris not fully burnt up in orbit creating streaks of fire before impacting planetside though their firey descent was more brilliant than whatever their impacts had been.
A few were actual envelopes of fire-raising to the sky in areas unsure of population where larger starships had failed to crash-land or detonated from the force of their reactors going critical.
One spot to the east was actual weapons fire as lances of blue-purple light briefly flashed from orbit to the ground before disappearing just as fast as several lances struck a small area at once creating bright pops of light that while small compared to a detonating starship would likely be devastating for whatever was being fired at be it a friend or foe.
They saw all this and more as they fell. Including ground to space batteries firing past them as lances of black-purple energy passed within hundreds of meters of them and past them at their ship which had already moved entire kilomiters away and was just a distant dot shriking in the distance.
As they grew closer to the ground it became obvious that their LZ would be in the ash and smoke storm as well. A town was down there, no longer visible but at least its general area taken note of, and there were friendly forces there as the battle-net was referenced of their last known positions before the smokescreen had covered them and the net stopped updating due to interference. Whats more there were some discernable shapes as craft, and mecha flew above the smoke moving north and west bearing friendly local tags that, as the Elysians fell moved out of sight and were obscured as their world became ash and smoke.
Even with their natural abilities of flying it was not a smooth landing being unable to find the ground until they did. No less than three elysians hit the ground with fatal force and one with recovery enough that he would only be crippled as his legs. pelvic, and part of his lower spine vertebrae were semi-liquified with only his armor saving him. The rest had recovered and slowed enough to survive on their armor shock absorbing properties though it had been anything but an easy landing and critical as they had gone from landing in a combat theater to losing their bearings as ambient static from the friction in the area and charged lance from ambient energy made their ability to orientate near impossible other than by the consistent raised earth and flat trac despite the coating of ash part of his wing had landed on and identified a major highway.
Added that to the pressure from one direction lessening in another, they could tell which direction was west and which was east at least.
Knowing how far out they had landed, however, was not as easy...
Two figures - both clad in power armor, albeit of vastly different sizes, and both spotless (courtesy of said armor’s energy shielding) despite the ash falling around them like snowflakes - walked down a deserted and broken highway whose asphalt was, coincidentally enough, also covered in coal-colored ash.
“Just like that time in Hell, eh, Barachiel?”
“Indeed it is, Omael, though I distinctly recall the overwhelming stench of brimstone and Nekovalkyrja permeating the air. I presume the contuberniums have finished organizing themselves?”
“They have, and it’s as you feared - Europa, Hyllus, and Agapias are all dead.”
“A shame; clearly, we should’ve spent more time on landing drills. What about Laomedon?”
“He was in too much pain, so Hekate knocked him out. With medication, not her fists.”
“Noted. Instruct the Mnemosynes in their armors to enter automatic mode; I’ll provide the necessary codes.”
“They’re to follow us as we advance? If you don’t mind me saying so, that seems rather… macabre, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Come now, Omael, you of all people should know that all of my subordinates are permitted to speak freely in my presence - and although it is indeed quite macabre, there’s no other alternative. The armor is too valuable to leave behind, lest the tentacled forces of Satan find it, the Argonautica is too far away to send them back, and the airspace is much too dangerous to send a shuttle as originally planned.”
“I see your point. What shall I relay to the Decani?”
“Instruct them to get on line and advance westwards in a century wedge along the highway - odd ones on road’s left, even ones on road’s right - until we reach town. Reaction to contact shall be at each Decanus’ discretion - though they are not to scatter - until I issue orders to the contrary. We shall fly approximately one meter above the ground.”
“Noted. What about the dead? Shall they participate in combat as well?”
“No, Omael, they shall not. They are to seek cover and avoid combat at all costs; as competent as the Mnemosyne onboard each Tethys may be, I don’t trust them enough to subject it to the trials of battle.”
“Acknowledged….” - a paise as Omael switched channels to the century’s command net - “…attention all Decani! I have orders from our Lord. First, third…”
The Patrician known as Barachiel Valeria smiled beneath the imposing faceplate of his Ezrael Mêlée Power Armor. Omael was right - their current situation was indeed like the good old days of the Second Elysian War - and yet he also wrong, because this time…
This time, Barachiel had the tactics, the technology, and the lack of oversight - from an inept War Council incapable of finding its ass with its own hands - necessary to actually emerge victorious.
Definitely not my best post, but I wanted to get something out to keep the plot moving. Anyhoo, Barachiel has ordered Alpha Company to head westward along the highway (towards the town spotted while descending) in a company wedge, with odd-numbered contuberniums on the right side of the highway and even-numbered contuberniums on the left side of the highway. All of the Elysians are floating a meter above ground and traveling at 70 kilometers per hour in order to travel as far as possible under the cover provided by the explosion.
Oh, as for casualties…
2nd Contibernium: 2 soldiers (Europa and Agapias; both dead)
All of the casualties are Caelisolans, and those that perished have safely respawned onboard the Argonautica.
Edit: Sorry it took so long for me to fix my post - fell sick yesterday with something that’s given me a splitting headache. Anyhoo, the Elysians are unaffected by the ash due to Barachiel - who’s dealt with somewhat similar situations before in Hell - instructing his soldiers to keep their armor’s energy barriers online even after landing.
Clearing their way out of the minefield had greatly delayed their efforts to reach some form of cover with the hills to the north. While the blunt of any force was mitigated, the hot ash blizzard was not something they had any means of mitigation as the IFV's optics effectively became useless. She, the rest of the vehicle commanders, and their squad passengers were going to have to poke their heads out.
Being an unmanned turret, when LTJG Cygysudu Hunegu popped her head out, she did not have the advantage of height. Not like it mattered with this hot ash blizzard blinding them. She even had to pop off her vehicle crew version of the Yuuki Type helmet to see anything as the micro cameras were becoming obscured. While she was somewhat protected from breathing in the ash with the lower visor maintaining a decent seal for her environmental suit, all she could do was put her hands up and remain just high enough above the rim of her hatch to attempt to limit how much ash assaults her eyes.
The poor rifleman (Gunners were deemed too important to risk right away) that lost the series of rock-paper-scissors poked their heads out of the rear hatches to gain a greater awareness of their visual surroundings to the side and rear of the vehicles.
"Specialist Strong!! I can't see frailing Green tits out here!" one of the rifleman, Servicemember Apprentice Radcliffe of 1st Platoon, said once she realized wiping the visor with her gloved hand was not really doing anything.
"Take your damn upper visor off Radcliffe!" Strong replied back, amazed that the Lily Type could not figure out the obvious solution to the problem. He looked around at the rest of his squad, fairly comfortable from the registered rise in temperature. "That goes for all of us, don't lose your upper or the FDC is going to use you as biomass for your replacement." Specialist Strong ordered the rest (including himself) to "dress down". If one of the squad is going to be uncomfortable, they all were going to be uncomfortable.
In another IFV, 4th platoon's 3rd Squad decided to turn on their Yuuki Type Helmet's Video Synthetic Apereture Radar to compensate for their lack of vision. An Extreme High Frequency (EHF) Radar that provides high-resolution video (not colored) in all weather conditions and cloud cover, it was definitely having trouble seeing anything clearly past a meter. Everything beyond that becomes too fuzzy to be completely reliable without a ton of signal proccessing assistance from a ship-grade (or more) AI, something their IFV's Olivias were not really designed to do. There was also the issue of any radar detector turned for the less common higher frequencies could be lit up close enough in this hot ash blizzard.
Radcliffe turned on the squinted her eyes as she saw movement 2 o'clock from her IFV towards the front of the armored column. "Contact, 2 o'clock. I can't make out the color, but looks like dark blue with red highlights." she said on the entire company's battlenet.
"All vehi *static* halt!" Cygysudu Hunegu said, seeing a better look in the fleeting light from above. She then switched over to the NDC's frequency on the coalition net. "Glad to see friendly faces remained unscathed from that explosion. Can't raise the forces to the south, too much interference in this ash to get a clear signal that isn't *static* at us"
"How are your sensors?" she asked trying to assess her options of navigation. Alpha Company had two options, hunker down where they were and wait for the current weather conditions to end. But she did not have the scientific equipment or the technical know-how within the company to assess when exactly they would be. There was a mission that needed to be fulfilled and intelligence to gather, which led into the 2nd option: making their way to the town, clearing a section of it for themselves and hunker down on the objective.
They would have to go "Hands across Fujiko" if they have to with the Demon Squad taking point.
Delaying action until after Alex's post. But most likely they are going to slowly push towards terrain they recognize and move towards the town.
Though it took a moment after encountering the Mishhu Nekovalkyria for the 23rd's scouts to collect themselves, the well-trained veterans were quick to take stock of the situation. They were surrounded by enemies, and with many of their number still lost in the soot clouds that choked the sky. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, but that it would be best to not leave before doing some kind of damage to their enemies, the party of scouts swapped the ammunition in their silenced rifles over to the heavier "quake" rounds that were rated to defeat hardsuits and supposedly, according to their training, could give powered armor pause. The scouts hoped that it would do the job against the advanced form Mishhu and create enough chaos to escape.
As the soot-caked nekovalkyria in mustard fatigues left to attend to the Advanced Mishhu, the scouts leveled their rifles and opened fire, the sound of their fire deadened by the soot in the air and the suppressors on their weapons. Unloading their magazines into the Mishhu and the nekovalkyria near it, the scouts then made a run for whatever was the nearest source of cover in order to break line of sight and begin the search for their vehicles and the other members of their contingent.
The Hydra LAVs were out there, along with the other survivors, and they represented the only remaining chance at safety for the group of infantry.
North
To the north, over the shaky remnants of their radio network, the 23rd's main force moved slowly down the mountain, attempting to avoid skylining themselves against the mountaintop and to instead gain cover in the hills. As the column of variable tanks and its command vehicle moved down the mounainside, the vehicles initiated a computer linkage, pooling their processing power in order to clean the messy sensor returns that they had been receiving.
It was not possible to eliminate the sensor degradation, but through raw computing power and sensor meshing the armored column was able to return their sensors to high enough fidelity to positively identify the 1st FEU before the headlights from the 23rd's tanks illuminated uniforms almost identical to NDC ones.
Upon receiving radio communications from the 1st, Captain Devereux responded after ordering the column to halt near the FEU units.
<<This is Captain Devereux of the 23rd, it's good to see someone else survived. We've lost contact with other elements, though our sensors are about as clear as they're going get out to a hundred meters or so, but it gets fuzzy after that. If you link up with us, we can try and utilize your sensor data and share the picture back to you.>>
To the south, the scouts that found themselves in the Mishhu lines are attempting to disrupt enemy operations by murking the local officer and then booking it to try and find other survivors from their unit. To the north, the bulk of the 23rd are doing sensor-meshing and utilizing onboard processing to basically trim out the errors from each element's sensors and then mash it all back together in one image, enabled by the fact that all NDC equipment has a pretty high degree of connectivity and processing power.
Cheers and huzzah could be heard from the Nepleslian Red infantry in their primarily maroon with onyx accents (though the vehicle schemes were reversed as onyx did not stand out as much) as linking with the NDC forces was confirmed. The 12 remaining IFVs neutral pivoted in their place to face south again (at least 180 degrees should be south). The turrets of each remained facing in the same sectors of front, rear and to the sides though the IFVs right next to the NDC forces adjusted their facing to the opposite to avoid flagging them.
<<This is Captain Devereux of the 23rd, it's good to see someone else survived. We've lost contact with other elements, though our sensors are about as clear as they're going get out to a hundred meters or so, but it gets fuzzy after that. If you link up with us, we can try and utilize your sensor data and share the picture back to you.>>
"Understood, we will add our sensors to your own shortly." Cygysudu Hunegu responded back as she then began ordering the platoons and squads to do so. The Nepleslian Reds were experimenting with interlocking their sensors and processing power, but it was not remotely as robust as the NDC nor designed with foreign networking in mind. While the Nepleslian Reds could share their sensor feeds to their parent IFVs and the IFVs can share with each other (though not sharing processing power), they could not effectively connect with the NDC in a similar manner.
"Ma'am, I am having a hard time understanding the NDC's networking protocols. My sisters are also reporting a similar issue in their attempts to connect." Cygysudu Hunegu's Olivia AI reported. "Going to attempt routing though the... oh it worked."
"What worked?" Cygysudu Hunegu asked, almost afraid of the answer.
"Zen Armaments' Jessie Combat Droids appear to have the proper drivers to understand. I will attempt to copy them for our own use, but for the time they are acting as a decent enough relay." the Olivia responded again, almost sounding proud of itself. "Slaving units A1, B4, C3, and D1 to myself."
"Our sensors should be feeding into yours now. Considering the local weather at the moment, we are going to establish a foothold in the town." Cygysudu Hunegu radio'd back to Captain Devereux about their battle plan. Considering the greater importance of the town than the hillock they were trying to secure, Cygysudu Hunegu wanted to make a more defensible position/finally take action against the NMX infantry most likely planning the same.
Shortly after the squads of Heavy Mechanized Infantry started disembarking from their IFVs with the surviving Jessie Droids detaching again from the rear of them. After some guidance from LTJG Cygysudu Hunegu, the infantry guided the IFVs into a staggered echelon before extending themselves out into a wedge formation to the front of the IFVs to give greater forward awareness with their staggered use of their Video Synthetic Aperture Radar, relying the feed to their digital mind implants to generate an augmented reality in their vision as they are directly connected to their Paradin suits. Did little to help their breathing discomfort though as their lower visors did not quite make a decent seal over their noses.
The six Demon IIs, lacking the ViSAR system, were regulated to remaining in 6 of the IFVs, using their Ultra wideband radar and other sensors to try to detect enemy forces in time.
Alpha Company is making an attempt to navigate to the town/refinery, looking for any ambushes along the way with the NDC doing what they can to clean up their sensor "sight".
Moments before impact
“Let ‘em have it!” the captain ordered to his squadron of U-1s, flying in a tight bombing formation. Rocket after rocket blazed from their wing mounted pods as the jet-like craft soared overhead. With payload fully dispensed and the shockwave on the horizon the squadron pulled up into an aggressive climb.
As the pressure wave bore down on them the U-1s reduced their incline to 45 degrees, noses facing the incoming blast, “just like last time, pilots. Three, two, on-(static).
Each jet’s shields glowed bright cyan across their bottom sides as the impact rocked the crafts, the heat and pressure catapulting them upwards as the aerodynes rode the wave up an additional 3 klicks into the sky. Warning lights flashed and alarms blared as the jets were thrown about. Pilots making a series of quick maneuvers and partial transformations to regain control as they fell back into a loose formation joined by the 4 Wahoo interceptors that’d hung back.
“Pilots, check in,” the captain ordered, still sorting out his instruments and taking in the new situation. One by one pilots checked in, battered but surviving. “Captain Baracca to Captain Hurcule. Did you save those Corona’s?”
The PA clad captain replied from the door of a gunship, “yes sir, beginning rescue and support operations.”
Switching frequencies he made a general call to his allies, “Corona’s returning to provide support and medevac! Call out where you’re at!”
In the skies, Captain Baracca called his next target. “Alright boys, let’s do it. That artillery isn’t gonna be silent forever,” he exclaimed, then ordered, “we gained plenty of altitude for this. Wahoos, saturate their last know position with HEC rounds from this altitude. At this range you’ll be untouchable but watch for interceptors. Unicorns, we’re gonna make a strafing run and put those guns outta commission. Let’s go!”
As his U-1 rolled into a sharp dive the rest followed, leaving the Wahoo’s alone once more. Doing some quick math the four interceptors began taking turns making sweeping dives to fire their twin RGCs at the obscured location of the enemy artillery. All the while the U-1 flight lined up their run. Having already expended their rockets they would be relying on their PGP cannons and wingtip mounted PLWs along with the two U-1s that had brought an RGC with HEC rounds. With any luck, this situation would be resolved with sufficient amount of high explosive.
The 4 Wahoo interceptors will begin bombarding the last known position of the enemy artillery with high explosive light artillery shells.
The U-1 squadron is still 15 strong and is descending to make a massive strike on the enemy artillery with graviton cannons, smart lasers(TAM autotargetting for infantry and missile swatting) along with 2 HEC firing units for bombing operations. Naturally the Wahoos will stop firing when the U-1s get close to avoid blue on blue.
The 6 Corona gunships are going to begin Search and Rescue/support operations for friendly forces in the attempt to retreat wounded soldiers and pick off any straggling enemies that still have fight in them.
The dawn of the second day rose. From the west a scar of yellow and orange to shilhouette a tower of smoke as throughout the night the remains of the NMX starship burned even after the blast as even durrandium and dura-armor were rendered combustable and would be for some days as decks and insulation acted as charcoal to keep it hot.
Men, women, and serpents rose as the sun sunk its claws into the horizon and fought its way to dominate and blind as many rose from ditches and cover, the whites of their eyes and their moving shapes the only indication they there were seperate from the near ten-inches of soot-snow that covered them. A Gopher on lookout would write from his vantage point the blanket of black that was kicked about like dust as his comrades removed their soot-stained goggles and used half again their canteen supply just to rinse the taste of ash from their tounges as one of them rubbed the black, dry carbon between his fingertips as he rested on his heavy machinegun that still watched over the graves of dead NMX powered armor the Duskerians had laid waste as if they would rise once more.
It was quiet as well.
The shooting last of the shooting, for any could tell had broken three hours after what was guessed sundown not that many could tell with the clouds of ash blotting out the sun. The NMX had not routed, not known to but for a single rear-line artillery unit that away from the action had moved south to the nearby highway but lost it in the ashen snow.
The Elysians had found them, however. Two particle batteris and a handful of neko and nepleslians crammed on the tops and hanging about had turned as though a fist put upon the hornets nest when the Elysian powered armor had fallen on them; The two artillery batteries now too just smouldering wrecks surrounded by the occasional mound of a corpse buried in ash.
As for the other NMX, many had been scattered or lost themselves. Some had wandered towards coalition groups, lost in the ash with their comms and optics not working to be captured or in most cases, killed. Some, in the absence of higher authority took to a direction either alone or in groups in the case of the remnants of the NMX light company that once dug in and had held to well against the moholi had dissapeared without a trace but for a few of the wounded lost in the chaos to be captured by the Reds and NDC when the sun rose.
An entire mechanized comapany to the north of the Ipexfor had disappeared without a trace, neither running into any coalition force or even the Elysians to the west when they had finally found the settlement and eventually held ground when the impossibility of identifying friendlies and enemies became impossible.
The settlement, see best by the Scouts of the NDC on their elevated position that had almost seen them dead from their ambush when an Advanced-type Mishhu had soaked up enough fire to kill three of his kind had taken the priority fire while some attentive neko had returned fire even not knowing if they were enemies or not. It had been costly even with the chaos and the element of surprise when, throughout the night a seemingly endless number of enemies decided it was all for one and one for all and simply fired at anything that moved had created bedlem while at random points fleeing or lost neko would run into their position either to attack or look for cover.
It was quiet now for them too. A handful of men holding the hill against nearly a hundred, now were only corpses buried under the ash they too were caked in like specters all as they looked over a kilomiter away at the settlement as ash was kicked up like dust as coalition vehicles all now painted in ash-black moved into the town from various dirrections.
Jacobstown - Day 2
The settlement of Jacobstown was silent as the grave as Coalition vehicles from Operation Durandium Cockatrice moved cautiously through its streets in a wave. Men, snake, red, and others alike entered buildings to find nothing but empty homes and businesses greeting them as they finally linked up with the Elysians in the center of town near one of the few three-story buildings that was some kind of town hall.
A flag had been raised, unknown if it was some local banner or the NMX as it now waved black as comrades regrouped and set up positions, various leaders entered the now occupied town hall, their boots or tails leaving black marks as the first to step on the ivory-white tiles for some time.
The town hall had not been abandoned long. Clear signs of it being used as some kind of headquarters by the NMX due to the destroyed or abandoned equipment and makeshift barracks was apparent. As well as in an underground cell likely used by some local sheriff a single NMX neko still in mustard fatigues with her hands cound together crudely with some kind of thick metal restraints no doubt meant for her kind, and a fresh hole directly in the center of her forehead that passed several inches into the wall where the deserter, traitor, prisoner, or whatever she was had been executed on the way out, a Duskerian medic confirming the death.
A force of Blue Gophers had already moved to the nearby mine as soon as things were set up; Claiming their expertise in tunnel fighting they would emerge later in the day with a few fresh Neko prisoners who had taken shelter and little more for their trouble and seven dead men.
A town abandoned. A mine secured.
Jacobstown was one of a handful now in coalition control as with more time on hand as their forces moved to secure the town for any more loose survivors Operation Durandium Cockatrice was finally connected back to the greater coalition.
"I've heard the same report from three of the other four theaters that have managed to check in." The Warmaster informed the coalition leaders in jacobstown as unlike in her Commander-type drone body the hologram on the recently set up holo-table in the town hall was a six-inch tall little girl with tiny wings and a cute military uniform as she hovered with her arms crossed, looking at their tactical map.
"Three other locations have been cleared of local residents. Each time the settlements appear to have been taken by the NMX and their populations removed by force in the case of some evidence left behind. The fourth is a small settlement of five hundred about forty kilometers to your north over the mountains where a small FSC detachment managed to drive off a small force of the NMX.
It appears as though the squids went for easy targets and left any well protected settlements or locations for softer targets. My sisters are still working on assessing the information but we're working on the assumption that the NMX were after the local populations in these areas more than their resources or logistics.
As for the battle up here..." She paused, making a cute tch sound before continuing.
"We're holding an uneasy stalemate with the NMX that's consolidating into a wide range of cat and mouse games but they're pulling ahead after we lost the Ebon Way, one of our few cruisers to a lucky torpedo. Shes not sunk but limping out-system with a few other more damaged vessels that cant risk staying in the open or making for the FSC starbase where at least half of the enemy vessels are positioned against. Every ship we lose is a nail in the coffin while every ship they lose is just a delay until more of their vessels arrive at any point and tip the scale.
As for ground loss out of the seven drop sites, three others than yourselves managed to take their objectives while about nine thousand men from a combined three other drop sites either failed in their objectives or in the case of one were wiped out in their entirety."
"You've done well." Abigail nodded, looking up at the weary and now black-uniformed officers and war leaders assembled. "Get situated in Jacobstown and take the next few days to rest and tend to your wounded, a ship from one of our sponsors with the Mercer Mining Corporation will have a window opened for it in the next day or so and will land nearby to take possesion of the mine and audit its condition and that of the refinery in town that they lost when the NMX took over. Their ship will have limited medical and amenities and should be used on all of your men regardless of health to check of parasite infestation. I likewise will be sending down a small team from the FSC to take posession of your prisoners; Your theater ended up with more than the others so far and is likely to bear more fruit in regards to intelligence.
The prisoners will officially be held as prisoners of war under the rules of the Kikyo Charter until the durration of the conflict. The FSC corporation has dedicated a number of facilities they can be held and interrogated in. After the conflict, they will be turned over to the local government and most likely a number will end up in the hands of larger players such as the Yamatain and Nepleslian governments.
The next major offensive is planned for our next drop window in four days. Supplies will be delivered before then by an FSC convoy in the next day so hold position and recover until then, Warmaster out."
The holo screen faded as the small fairy disappeared as the silence was broken by one of the Gophers officers bringing in a large wooden crate that clanked with bottles and began passing around the locally acquired hooch.
Operation Length: 2 days.
Wounded: 65
KIA: 340
Enemy POWs: 51
% Of Osman Secured: 4%
Thanks to the signal processing from the New Dusk Conclave's forces, the heavily distorted image from Alpha Company's Video Synthetic Aperture Radars were coming in a little clearer that at least there was a reduced chance of tripping over a rock now. Not that would have been an issue as the ground increasingly became difficult for them to walk in as the ashen snow gotten deeper requiring the soldiers to lift their knees very high or even mixing hopping into their movement as they traversed the terrain towards Jacobstown at a snail pace. Alpha Company was instead reliant on the 9 man Demon II's at the very front of their formation for pathfinding.
But it was quickly decided that the pace of movement within the ash blizzard was impairing the men and women of Alpha Company to make reasonable progress. Stopping in place, the company established a perimeter around the FEU's IFVs and the NDCs' tanks. Digging impromptu foxholes as best as they could in the conditions, the hunkered down for the weather to improve and thankful for the Paradin Infantry Armor Kits the Fujiko Development Corporation was willing to spend on them.
Operation Durandium Cockatrice - Day 2
"Reds, Rise!" the familiar female voice stirred the Nepleslian Reds awoke as the standard mix of industrial metal and a military march known simply as "The March of the Reds" filled their eyes. Cybernetics or internal speakers of their helmets, anyone tuned into Alpha Company's general communication network was listening to it.
One by one, the ashen stained forms of Alpha Company's infantrymen rose up and assumed a kneeling position as squad and platoon leaders began getting accountability of their servicemembers. It had been known from the sentries set up that most of the ashen blizzard had let up a few hours before sunrise. But there was still enough particles in the atmosphere until now that prevented getting a clear look of anything beyond 30 meters from the perimeter they had established.
But it didn't take long for the most astute of the servicemembers to realize they had set up their perimeter well within visual (and firing range) of the hillock they had been engaging the day prior. A series of orders could be heard barked by the Cygysudu Hunegu and platoon leaders as they reoriented themselves to commence an assault on the hillock once some initial levels of scouting was initiated to understand the situation.
Promptly one of the IFVs launched a small RHI-O1 recon drone. A simple quadcopter design, it was an expendable device designed with one purpose and one purpose only: to gain visuals while stirring up a hornets nest from afar. Controlled by the IFV's Olivia AI, the recon drone ventured forth to establish vantage point looking down at the NMX's series of ashen covered trenches and defensive walls they NMX had used effectively against their light infantry merc counterparts before the artillery properly ended the Moholi.
The recon drone flew at a low altitude to elict movement and pot shots from the anticipated light infantry's impaler rifles. But when there was none, the recon drone started flying a search pattern to allow the Cygysudu Hunegu to gain a complete picture of what was on the hillock, quickly spotting the entrance to the rear.
"Alpha and Charlie platoons, establish overwatch. Bravo and Delta, secure the objective." Cygysudu Hunegu ordered highlighting positions on the company's battlenet. Like a somewhat oiled machine the company's IFVs, infantryman, and Jessie Combat Robots performed their tasks and drills as efficiently as they were able as a number of Pioneer sappers met up with Bravo and Delta as they neared their entry point, Type 45 Particle Rifles and Sakura "Bushi" Carbines pointed upwards and forwards.
Their wedge formations turned into a column as they walked along the rear defensive wall. Before they reached the the entrance, Servicemember Apprentice Rothstein of Bravo Platoon tripped over a slight mound due to not paying attention to where he was going. But when a rather audiable moan of pain was heard, a rifles swung over towards it.
"Oi! Rifles up and forward!" Specialist 2nd Class Rojas said, reminding them of where they were. "Rothstein, Harris, Chervony, and Ferrari inspect. The rest of you prepare to breech once the pioneers give the go ahead."
Ensuring they were not flaggin anyone with their weapons, Harris tapped Rothstein on the helmet to give the go ahead to pull who ever from the ash. A Raijin Type Artificial Nepleslian, the tall man quickly swung his weapon onto his back and reached down to grap whatever piece of cloth he could and lifted up to reveal... that he was grabbing a half passed out but heavily wounded raven haired NMX Neko by the poor woman's sports bra.
"Alright Rothstein!!" one of the watching platoonmates said over the platoon battlenet. It took a few moments for Rothstein to realize where he was holding her to elicit such a response and for the Neko's fight or fight response to kick in once her mind realized the tall man with the strange helmet was not NMX. Despite Rothstein being moderately stronger than the NH-29 Neko, he was not prepared for her to use her Inertia Control to knock him backwards and make vain attempts to claw at him to kill him.
Struggling to wrestling with her quick and vicious movements, she promptly went limp on time of him when Servicemember Chervony, also a Raijin Type, used the buttstock of her Type 45 Particle Beam Rifle at the back of her head.
"Looks like someone is already trying to seduce the local population now, doesn't it." She said as Harris and Ferrari moved to restrain the neko with restraints prepared for NH-29s specifically and marked their position for medical assistance.
"If you are done Rothstein, Chervnoy, get back in formation." Rojas barked at the two, though more to keep them on task than any real anger in his voice. Secretly he was a bit jealous someone else got first squeeze.
Jacobstown - Day 2
Alpha Company marched into the town, pushing or carrying the wounded NMX Nekos and Nepleslian thralls they had captured from the abandoned hillock. While there was disappointment from the lack of combat, they were proud enough to plant a Nepleslian Red flag right in the middle of it to show they were there and conquered. The wounded were either too tired to put on any fight half way to Jacobstown or were too shocked that they were offered medical treatment and food for them to try to off each other as their masters demanded it.
Those that were not tasked with prisoner watch and security, systematically entered and cleared each building on their path towards the rallying point in the center of the city. It was quickly noticed that the town was abandoned. Some dwellings still had entertainment systems on, toys scattered on the floor. Another was left untouched saved for what was left of the kitchen after a grease fire of abandoned cooking in progress, evidenced by opened cans of food.
The puzzled Reds assembled into a makeshift encampment with their IFVs as Cygysudu Hunegu entered the former NMX headquarters for a briefing. IFVs were sealed in groups of 4 after servicemembers tossed in cylinders of aero nanite swarms designed to both clean and inspect the interiors of the IFVs for invaders be they be microbes, rodents, or parasites. The swarm, connected wirelessly to the IFV's Olivia, eventually run their course and gathering into a small cube that gathered by the pioneers for recharge and repackaging. The downtime allowed for the hungry servicemembers to finally start eating the xenolite rations they were issued. Being Reds, Tomato Beef was the first 3 sticks to be eaten.
Headquarters ((OOC-Mood Music: MechCommander Victory Theme))
After the briefing from Warmaster Abagail, Force Commander Stevenson promptly appeared as a chryon within Cygysudu Hunegu's vision after the insignia of the Fujiko Self Defense Force (FSDF) first appeared as a warning. "Hell of a drop Sub-Lieutenant, but a small step in achieving victory for not just the coalition but also for the Nepleslian Reds. Your Olivias have delivered the latest reports after the disruption caused by the destruction of that Mishhu warship. Judging from what I know, expect that to be a not uncommon occurance." Stevenson said before his face failed at disguising a sigh.
"Rolling into that mine field was not the best look for Alpha Company, but considering the situation due to those knuckleheads of the Moholi at the time, it is understandable. Your swift actions after the destruction of Lieutenant Harrison's IFV and direction of the pioneers is what saved you and the servicemembers under you that day." Stevenson said before pausing for a moment, looking away for a moment.
"Lieutenant Harrison and the rest of Alpha's causalities are currently in the process of beginning their next iterations. Assuming they don't decide they want to be entirely new individuals, they will remain on the Spirit of Hope for the foreseeable future. As such, I am giving you a field promotion to full Lieutenant and giving you command of Alpha Company from this moment forward. I do believe that makes you the first among your sisters to achieve command of a company. May you be a beacon to open the eyes of the rest of your sisters still under NMX control.
Use these next few days to rest, you have earned it. But I also want you to gather as much information and intelligence on this new NMX implosion artillery. It is a grave threat to our operations and it is best for use to develop a means to counter it somehow. Also you might want to wash down the IFVs and search every nook and cranny of the Ironbloods for parasites. Also double check everyone's combat suits for breaches. Everyone should be checked as the warmaster suggested, but individuals with breaches are to be scrutinized and the logs of their homostasis nanites extracted for analysis. It is still unknown how effective those nanites are at detecting the chemicals of Mishhu parasites.
Any questions?"
With a shaking of her head no, Stevenson continued.
"You are dismissed then Lieutenant. For Fujiko, for the empire." he said before his image was once again replaced with the FSDF insignia before the chyron vanished from her sight.
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Starship Troopers - Klendathu Drop 
