From: Heram
To: Orion
We’re overseeing a marine deployment on Higaflann with the aim of freeing some of the people who were captured when they decided to stay behind on Rok’Veru. Feel free to come up to the bridge and observe the combat action. It will give you a good idea of what to expect from our current line up of equipment. We can also talk about your current and next design effort. Sense the NMX already know we are here I will return access to our communications systems and the Polysentience
I have not had an opportunity to go over your new design in its entirety yet. My first thought is that a blunt nosed round type would be perfect for creating a supercavitation effect under water which would help satisfy our need of an underwater capable weapon system. We will also need to do a damage analysis for the various rounds and optimize some of the parts for the weapon itself.
Regards,
-Wazu
“When you sober up a bit,” Harm replied to Chad as the shuttle began filling with other power armored soldiers “Serious Jackassery while I’m eating leads to you getting the short straw on this assignment. If you happen to make it to the surface then we’ll talk about letting you fly again.”
"Remember, guys. If you all lag behind in the assault, I'm not responsible for whatever kinky shit Harm does to you when you're out of my sight. You know those nekos."
To which the disappointed response from harm came, “… you don’t want to watch?”
---
The shuttle doors would slide closed followed by a soft hissing as the interiors were over pressurized. Displays integrated into the sides of the shuttle would start showing the launch bay, the numerous dart shaped ground attack craft, and the single tank that they would have backing them up. The launch bay itself would depressurize and the outer doors would open, showing off a massive green and blue ball below them. Large golden balls of light were arcing up from the surface only to pop long before they reached the ship sending large flashes of light through the sky as the system’s star began to rise behind them, shadows stretching out from the various small hills and mountains below as light began to fill the surface of the planet.
Then a voice came over the group channel for the marines. “Hey Everyone this is GreenBean and I’ll be your escort for today. I’m in the fighter to your left with the cockpit.” He would then raise his hand, waving it at the pair of shuttles through the golden bubble cockpit of his fighter craft. “Green Squadron will be in charge of ensure your safe flight to the battlezone. In the event of an emergency exits are located to your sides and below you. Should your shuttle disintegrate on re-entry we will try and guide your power armor to the LZ manually. Sitting behind my is GreenHorn, he will be remotely piloting your shuttles and probably won’t wreck them…. AND GO!”
As soon as the pilot finished his little speech numerous engines ignited, sending the shuttles and their fighter escorts hurdling down towards the planet below with the tank taking up the rear, having to angle its body to coast down into the atmosphere unlike the other craft that were in a powered dive. The bright light of the shields straining against the atmosphere’s friction would soon fill the forward view screens as the ones showing the sides and rear started to get filled with a variety of colors. Long, glowing, strips of green, blue, and pink were starting to fill the atmosphere, the familiar black and white of stars and space being replaced with the colorful bands. Harm would chime in over the all hands frequency almost immediately.
“We’re experiencing some problems in contacting the ship, if we f..ly loose commun..ations then the plan d…n’t ch…e. Get to the …….d bring every…..e find back to the La..ing Zone.”
It was now that the NMX defense began in earnest.
“Bean, we’ve got two enemy craft approaching from our 8 o’clock.”
“Roger, Sending drones to engage.”
Two of the fighter drones would break off, changing heading and diving towards the NMX
shredder gunboats that were fast approaching. Both would pull straight up as the fighters approached, firing off their plasma cannons and launching a barrage of mini missiles. Even before the plasma bolts would hit the two fighters would lash out with their own missiles and lasers, the fast moving beams cutting through missiles and striking one of the gunboat’s almost instantly, cutting through the shields and tearing a gash in the right side wing. The handful of missiles from the fighters then got close to the swarm from the NMX, large, bright, nuclear fireballs then began to engulf the swarm as the Nepleslian missiles detonated in sequence.
The NMX began to dive back down towards the planet, pulling away from the fighter group but not before firing off all of their missiles. These were joined by missiles fired from the surface by tanks, emplacements, and other man portable systems. The NMX had managed to identify which ships were the transports and were now planning to remove them before they could drop off their cargo. For those onboard their only indication of what was going on were small points of light coming up from the planet to meet them and the sound of a worried Greenbean on the radio,
“Might want to hold onto something, We can’t contact the ship for anti-missile support so we’re going to have to deal with more opposition than we thought.”
The ground would continue to rush up at the shuttles as they began to pull upward, skimming only a few hundred feet above the ground as the fighters began swatting missiles out of the sky, flashing of light and large nuclear fireballs filling the sky until finally they began to enter the formation and strike the shuttle’s shields.
Greenhorn then yelled out, “Shit, GET READY TO JUMP!”
Both shuttles started to pull upward. Harm’s shuttle ended up disintegrating under missile impacts, the outer hull and shields peeling away to leave the power armored soldiers inside suddenly without anything below them.
The second shuttle ended up having its rear wings sheared off and engines damaged, smoke began to fill the cabin as it fell towards the ground, smashing into a cornfield and then bouncing twice before carving a large scar through the ground and coming to a stop.
---
Harm would use her power armor’s thrusters to slow her fall as the shuttle came apart around her, remembering to do the same for her auto-piloted marine, returning control to him for the moment. Her power armor would come down feet first, the shields training against the impact of the ground as it too carved out a small trench. Around her was a cornfield, and above her was the green, blue, and pink colors blotting out the sky. The glare of the sun was shinning through behind her, filling the area with a dim light. With the head high cornstalks extending in all directions very little light actually reached the ground.
Not to far away was the prison camp itself, built ontop of a small hill overlooking the cornfields. An empty, slight incline led upwards, extending a few hundred feet before the first 20 foot tall fence. There was another empty space stretching for 40 feet followed by another 20 foot tall fence. Tanks were positioned around the outside as were numerous watch towers designed to keep people from getting out. Additional storage pens were also located inside, each holding hundreds of people There were also various small buildings.
Flying overhead were the attack fighters, their lasers having already reduced the tanks and watch towers to rubble, numerous EMP strikes helping to wipe out any remaining shields as NMX infantry began pouring out of the buildings, taking cover where possible and firing their weapons at the attacking fighters.
“ALRIGHT,” Harm shouted over the com system, “Who’s still alive?”
