[Fifth Fleet] Tami: We Have Returned.

[Kai]

For nearly three years, the overtakers of Tami had enjoyed an easy job. Yamatai, first unable to fight back, and later too busy elsewhere to bother, had left the planet completely alone. Aside from the occasional mishap, the planet was quiet, seeming content to be in the hands of the Mishhuvurthyar overlords. That quiet, however, was doomed to end, at least for the current owners of the forest planet, anyway.

Two groups converged on the planet from opposite directions, composed of forty-four vessels each. At their first deployment, nearly half of the ships remained behind, mostly smaller vessels, and a couple of carriers each. Seven ships in each group were quite large, and were backed up with the older Irim-class ships, as well as a number of Plumeria class gunships. The carriers, doing their part, began to deploy what fighters they had, backing up the more front-line ships. Already arrayed for war, it was clear they were looking to fight.

They soon got it. The first skirmishes began with a number of patrol vessels responding to these large groups, though the total number of patrol ships was less than either group of attacking vessels. However, the alarm had been raised, and the split groups of Yamataian vessels would note a number of ships coming in from closer to the planet. the second group to arrive was a wave of small, fast escorts, which, likewise, engaged in battle, arriving just as the first casualties of the battle occurred; faced with a tougher enemy, the Patrol ships couldn't do much aside from hold the line, just barely.

Cruisers, then, began arriving, and now the assaulting Yamataian fleet had a foe that was more than just an annoyance. instead of splitting like the two previous groups of defenders had, the cruisers decided to congregate on one group of attackers, resulting in them outnumbering their foes on that side, though, faced with heavier cruisers and battleships, the numbers didn't amount to an advantage.

The other group of attackers, however, didn't get shortchanged. or rather, perhaps they had. In lieu of the Cruisers, a large group of battleships had made their way over, and were now hammering away at the Yamataians. Finally, behind these battleships, a group of carriers arrived, splitting up, they evenly attacked the two groups of Yamataians, spitting out battlepods to counter the fighters that the Yamataian carriers had deployed earlier.

The stage was set, and the dance had begun. Deadly it was, and beautiful. Streaking beams of light, and smaller explosions lit up space surrounding Tami. Occasionally, the great shattering explosion and fire of a vessel taking critical damage could be seen. Even down on the ground, Mishhu defenders could watch the spectacle, and wonder if the Yamataians would get through.

 

[Kai]

For nearly thirty minutes, the two sides had been pounding one another, but neither side seemed to be making much headway. The space around Tami was swiftly becoming cluttered with the wreckage of ships, aggressor and defender alike. The group that the Mishhu had decided to send battleships at, however, wasn't doing too well, just as the Mishhu on the other side of the planet's orbit were being hammered, so that from one side of orbit one group appeared to be winning, but on the other side of the orbit, that was simply not true.

A flash of light distracted some, as another group appeared, about 50 more vessels, all Yamataian. Though mostly comprised of old Kyoto-class carriers and Plumeria gunships, there was the long, blade-like shape of the YSS Seion making a menacing streak through the center of the group. The Seion immediately made for the side of the planet beset by battleships, followed by its battle group, to add support, while the Kyoto carriers and most of the Plumeria ignored the battle and headed straight toward the planet, the Plumeria starting an orbital bombardment on any identified enemy position in an attempt to keep the vulnerable Kyoto from being picked off like the enormous metal turkeys they were.

The defenders on the ground, finally with something to fire at, began sending up an enormous volume of fire, and the Plumeria bombardment was immediately shown to be inadequate, with plenty of hidden batteries rising to meet the influx of carriers. The carriers, shook, rattled, bounced, and jumped as they smashed through the atmosphere, taking hits as they went. The first carrier through the atmosphere managed to avoid taking too many hits, but the one directly behind it was not lucky, and a critical hit to its engines caused it to careen off course, continuing to plummet to the ground even as the other nine had begun slowing for landing. The landing sequence, however, made the ships vulnerable, and with the inadequate support given by the overworked plumeria, two more of the carriers went down, though one was close enough that not all aboard were lost. The remaining seven carriers, however, managed to make their way down into the forest, a couple finding clearings, but most having to make their own. One Kyoto had the misfortune of landing within the perimeter of an NMX field base, due to engine damage, and was immediately set upon by enemy armor, with artillery and even some antiaircraft fire pouring into it as it sat there, helpless.

Infantry began to pour out of the Kyoto carriers as they could, those further in the forest having a much easier time than those nearer enemy positions, but one thing was completely clear- The Fifth fleet would never use those Kyoto carriers again.

 

[Kai]

Soldiers poured from the broken and torn wreckages of the Kyoto carriers, some taking hits as soon as they were out in the open, though most managed to escape alive. Fires burned, and the soldiers fled, turning their backs on the craft that had just barely managed to get them to the field of battle. swiftly, they darted about, disappearing into the trees, thermoptic camouflage turning on and obscuring their forms as they floated just above the ground using their gravimetric systems, though clouds of dust could be seen from the boots of the units who chose to preserve their precious battery reserves rather than move swiftly and silently.

Likewise, Mishhu began to fan out from the military compounds, searching for soldiers to attack and kill, hoping to defend their claim to this lush forested planet. Skirmishes began, the swift Ratatatat of LASR's, faced by the louder noises of Mishhu plasma weaponry, punctuated by the occasional explosion from a grenade, or series of pops caused by micro-missile hits.

The forest itself, did not get away unscathed- first the lumbering Kyoto carriers crashing through, and then the fires started by their downfall, followed now by the wild spray of gunfire and plasma. much of the undergrowth near the fighting and crash sites was now aflame, but at the moment, nobody bothered to stop it, as there were more important things to do.

It wasn't all chaos, however, as the squads of soldiers had orders to follow, objectives to secure, and a mission to carry out. small groups of units made an effort to avoid these initial skirmishes, swinging around and attempting to flank, or sneaking off toward a more important objective.