I'll Just Invite Myself, Thanks (FT; Closed, ATTN SCU)

[The Gataja]

Gamma Quadrant, Unknown Location
Command Base Kapezi Maso, 8:30 am Galactic Time

******************

Akazi Ukondewadiso reclined in his chair, letting himself relax for a moment, to enjoy the quiet and stillness of the station around him before it would surely explode into activity in the next hour. His claws dug in slightly to the fabric of the arms, enjoying the resistance and give as he flexed his muscles. It had been a nice opportunity, gaining this post from the Bask for the next operation they were planning. It was quite ambitious, he had to admit; they were definitely moving at quite the pace for their plans, but considering how everything was going mostly to plan, he couldn't see a reason not to. Thus far, beyond some scattered donation funds, giving weapons to hapless civilians, and a conference, the galaxy had done nothing. His eyes opened, pupils expanding to take in all of the light that could be used in the darkness of the control room, taking in the consoles and the Gata'ja who quietly worked them, the light from the holographic displays occasionally flickering lighting up the metal architecture of the room, and the circle of screens above their heads that remained dormant for now. This was all his now, and he intend to make full use of it.

*”/Kudzutsa/”

The lights of the room blinked on, filling it full of bluish-white light, with each of the eight screens turning on, a vision of white with a symbol for each screen in their language, and the Gata'jans on his staff for this room stiffened and stood up to face him in greeting. He rose himself, the soft rasp of his robe mixing with the soft clinking of his fetishes and trophies as he regarded each of them in turn. The other three of his pack, his family in the greater community in the Ammudzi; he could feel their emotions on their pack link. Nervousness, pride, eagerness, the ever eternal hunger they were faced with, and more. Whenever a Gata'jan rose to position in the Bask, their pack was elevated with them, joining the ranks of the elite Mlenje, being granted access to training, resources and equipment that was the very best in the Ammudzi...and possibly their secrets, should the Elder in question reveal anything. Ukondewadiso was one of those who shared everything with his pack, for who else could he rely on but them when he was burdened.

He sent calming waves over the link, and watched the tension ooze out of them slowly, until they were calm and ready once more. He began to speak as he could hear the faint signs of conversation and movement as his command began to wake the forces of the station as he raised his eyes to look at the screens, which began to blink in with preliminary reports on their forces.

“/Have we finished selection of our victims?/”

Wankhodo Koyamba, his personal right hand and one of the best specimens of the Wankhodo Caste had ever produced. His body was scarred with marks of countless battles and hunts, and around his neck he wore the front teeth of one of their *bukhondo proudly, the sign of a veteran hunter. Smiling, he replied,

“/We have, Akazi. The prey have been prepared and pointed out and we are ready to descend upon them like the sheep they are./”

A smile and nod, before turning to the next. Tchire Yachiwiri gazed back, a fond smile bright on her face. As a member of the Tchire Caste, she was one of the brightest minds he had the fortune to know and had explained many things to him during their late night talks. His success in handling tasks and the politics of the Bask was often due to her influence, not his own 'grand mind' as it had been called, but that of his mate. Another nod, her smile faded into practiced focus and he spoke again,

“/Have we completed preparations for our other mission?/

/That we have. The Wofufuza Caste is ready to begin their task. Our influence and eyes shall spread around the devastation you sow./”

Finally, he turned to the last, always dependable Wanchita Thanthwe, solid engineer of the Wanchita Caste, he had helped with many projects over the years and serving to negotiate with that caste during the problematic times that had protests over Bask policies or what was felt to be an imbalance in the roles of the castes. He had put his heart and soul into designing and constructing this station for him and it showed in the craftmanship and design. Placing a hand on his shoulder, the last question spilled out:

“/Are our forces ready?/”

A toothy grin in response.

“/Of course. Our forces ready and waiting, hungry to begin their work.”/

Ukondewadiso nodded and stepped back to face all of them, giving each one a last commanding stare before a flick of his right hand had them returning back to their stations. They had work to do, and they knew it. The ritual of preparation and ensuring all was ready had been completed, it was now time to unleash the storm they had built. The first screen flickered and the symbol ballooned to consume the whole screen before changing to the face of another Gata'ja, who inclined his head in respect to the Elder.

“/Wankhodo Chadzaoneni, awaiting your will. Are we to be finally unleashed?/”

“/You are indeed, Wankhodo. All preparations are complete, and the Bask has given me the signal to begin. You are cleared to begin offensive operations, your target, as per your brief, is the Solar Cooperative Union. They are a minor state that has had the misfortune of falling into internal chaos, with two factions battle for control. Their defenses are weakened and stretched, and we have chosen the planet of Gebrant. Their forces there are minimal, so you will have only a token force, but your mission will be one of collection, not warfare.”/

A disappointed hiss escaped the other Gata'ja and an understanding coo followed from the Elder.

“/I know, but we all have our roles to play. Engage and play with the enemy forces as you wish, but your focus is to collect any food, technology, resources, and prisoners you can get. You will have a *Zaolinga force with you to aid with this. Any questions?”/

The other shook his head, placing a fist over his eyes and bowing his head, signalling his acceptance of the other's wisdom. “/My role is clear. While I wish it was to do more, I shall fulfill my responsibility to the Gata'ja with every fibre of my being./

/I have no doubt, *wina. Now go!/”

The screen blanked out, moving to a view of the force as it moved out from the first docking section of Kapezi Maso. The large bulk of the Paketi-class Battlecruiser Mwankhanza Kuwala had been attached to the hull by many large tubes, clamps, and repair docks, which began to reverse and left go off the dull black hull, hissing of chemicals and expired coolant jetting out as entry points slid closed and the ship began to power up. Lights flickered on all over its metallic skin, its engines moving frrom a cold light blue to a fiery and angry red, a flickering of energy as its protective fields kicked online to guard the vessel. It's docking rings began to turn shifting in preparation for the force coming to it, the smaller classes of ship that could not travel long distances on their own due to the limitations of the Gata'jan Zophukiranso Drive. They moved into position and clamps were extend from both sides, colliding together in a firm embrace, the ship being shunted closer to the hull to reduce sensor signatures and prevent unnecessary damage from transition to realspace. The N'gombe, the Mavu, the Mkongo, and the Chokwawa classes, all settling on like its young.

When the process was completed, the vessel signalled its readiness to the station, which dropped the energy shield blocking access to the hangar/shipyard and it made its lumbering way out, hooked nose exiting first followed by the rest of its bulky body. It was escorted by a nearby patrol, even as it was unnecessary from a military standpoint, it was a typical send off by their forces. Fellow brothers and sisters in arms in the Wankhodo caste giving them a silent farewell and call to return before they jumped. They broke off at the designated point, where a giant circle structure was stationed, covered in guns and hangar bays, patrols of strike craft flitting about its surface constantly while forces on guard nearby remained watchful.

As the Mwankhanza Kuwalaapproached, the smaller craft scattered as the structure began to shake slightly, points of light appearing on the inside section of the ring, which exploded into existence of a black and white static wall of light and visual chaos, the gate having finished linking to its twin far off on the other end of the Ammudzi. The vessel lined itself up with the gate and seemed to pause for a moment. On the bridge, Chadzaoneni was going over the final checks from the forces attached to his ship, each captain reporting in their forces and readiness, each name shifting from gray to green at his touch. With the final one, he sent a confirmation message to all of them, and a message packet was attached, going to the ships that were to be involved in the attack and their orders.

He had been watching the system in question for the past few weeks, inspecting the light escaping from it in the darkness of space between systems, watching this Union tear itself apart between Corporate and Federal forces. Transmissions, energy discharges, pulses of their star, they had caught it all and had a strong idea of the forces in system, which were pitifully small. Careful insertion of automated drones which took orbital snapshots of the planet over this time frame and shooting out their message in a burst of radiation that also consumed the drone had also given them the layout of the city they would be hitting. It should be a simple operation, the jaws around the throat of a tired animal and the savaging of its meat before moving on, leaving it as a decaying carcass for others to swoop in on. Tired of lists and waiting, he finally had the chance to strike instead of watch. A pity he wasn't go be involved, or be any fight of worth. With a sigh, he gave the command,

“/Timayamba,/”

and the ship charged into the gate, vanishing from site, shortly followed by space revealing itself once more as the gate shut down once more. At its end, it would reappear, and then begin its long list of jumps to reach SCU space.


********************

SCU Space, Planet Gebrant
2:30 pm

The small garrison of three Federal vessels in orbit of Gebrant were grim wardens of a world at war, a messy conflict happening on the surface as governmental duty met the sheer greed of corporatism in the language of blood and bullets. Their worry was only to keep supporting their soldiers on the ground and worry about rebel forces. So when space distended and shifted, alarms ringing as an obvious FTL signature was detected, battle routines would begin as they expected a Corporate force to warp in. Surprise would fill their ranks as a massive, singular vessel of alien design would appear a decent distance outside of their engagement zone. As sensor data filled in the picture of the vessel, they would begin to see an odd design; it had large circular rotating rings around it, covered in bumps,making it seem distended, almost sick. Images would relay a vessel covered in black metal blating, with an angular design, resembling a giant knife pointed straight at them.

No messages were exchanged, no demands given, no greetings or offerings of aid. Their picture would bloom as the rotating circles would come to a halt and the bulbuous lumps would begin to detach, the lumps clearing up into ships as they cleared the disruption field that was being emitted that had confused them before. Six vessels were shaken off of the beast and then began to charge towards the Federal force, one vessel of medium and five of small tonnage that quickly entered a formation as they approached. The largest was in the middle, three were out in front in a bent semi circle, and two behind the core vessel.

As they began to approach the engagement range, energy levels would spike as weapons were powered, and target locks would start setting off alarms in the Federal forces. The two vessels in the rear, Mavu-class Missile Frigates, began to unleash their first salvo of missiles, plasma cored, armor piercing ordinance that came screaming towards their targets, tiny engines red-white as afterburners kicked in.While the three frontal N'gombe-class Attack Frigates raced forward, eager to get into range to unleash their powerful kinetic cannons on their forces, brief flashes of light precluding explosive shells crossing the distance between with hellish intent. All managed by the Mkongo-class in the center, waiting as a followup force should this initial attack be rebuffed.

As one unit, with no hesitation or communication, they came for the Union forces on this planet, all obeying the attack given to them by their commander, by their very culture and biology.

The command to hunt.


************

Let me know if there are any problems with this SCU.

ORBAT:

1x Mkongo-class Cruiser
2x Mavu-class Missile Frigates
3x N'gombe-class Attack Frigates

Translations*:

Kudzutsa: Awaken
bukhondo: War Wolves
wina: Young one
Timayamba: We begin

[The Solar Cooperative Union]

Beta Quadrant, Gebrant, Federal Embargo Sector
2:29 PM

The bridge of the Endless Solace was about as placid as a warships command center could be, of course that meant it was alive with activity. In the center half-circle command station was Captain Huxley, a young officer fresh out of the Academy in Poltaur who had expected to spend his service patrolling the peaceful inner-worlds, but now he was at the helm of a Lancer class Patrol Frigate, its crew of 130 men and women at his command. He hadn't quite familiarized himself with the crew but they were professional enough to show him the respect afforded to an officer. On either side of the Endless Solace were two other Frigates, the Doubted Break and Ageless Vengeance, both identical to his own vessel. The flotilla of vessels was there to support the contingent of 210 Marines that were tasked with destroying the Corporate Garrison planetside. Huxley had grown up on Strinda in the upper-wards and so he was subject to both the influence of Corporate life and the near endless advancement of Federal influence, he knew that the Corporatists had valid grievances with the Federal Government but he found the slaughter of countrymen to be the most deplorable course of action possible.

So for the past week he and his contingent of Federal forces had been in orbit over Gebrant, a backwater by any measure. The briefing had made it very clear that anti-fungals and repellent would be needed in abundance to fight an effective land-war. Huxley had seen the images from his command center, ancient fungal colonies stretching skyward and filling the role of trees on Gebrants alien surface. The tepid sickly colored water swarmed with parasites and other nasties eager to get a taste of mammal. The capital, Banko City, was built on a raised platform supported by a angular tower which also served as the city spaceport. The corporate defenders had thrown together a hasty defense that was insufficient to stop the Marine landing, but as the fighting moved deeper into the colony it became a much more even fight.

Huxley snapped to the present as the ships sensors came to chaotic life, unknown signatures in system? Corporate forces obviously, Huxley pulled his life-hood on and strapped into the Captains chair.

"Battlestations! Get us in a redoubt position!"

The two ships on either side of the Solace swiveled so that their broadsides were facing the enemy, while the Solace itself kept its spinal cannon pointed forward, however when one target became many the situation changed. Huxley knew they were outgunned, and since the ship wasn't showing up as a Corporate Profile it was clear something else had found them. Within moments the cyclonic barriers were alive as missiles closed in, artificial-gravity stopped and the three ships broke formation. All three of them were host to several Point Defense lasers but the swarm of missiles promised to overload the marginal defenses. Brilliant streaks of light jumped out from the three federal ships, several of the missiles being destroyed or damaged enough to veer of course, however it was not enough. The Doubted Break shimmered in golden light as its barriers flared with the first and second impact, then failed with the third. A fourth projectile made contact at the bow of the ship and exploded in horrific radiance, the electromagnetic containment field on the Frigates spinal cannon failed and pure energy cascaded the length of the ship, shattering the craft and killing everybody on board.

Huxley knew the fight was lost and so he ordered retreat, the two surviving ships banked away from the closing enemy while still belching railgun rounds at the encroaching aliens. They began to enter the atmosphere, hoping to reach Banko City in time to salvage what appeared to be a desperately bad situation.

[The Gataja]

Chadzaoneni gripped the sides of his chair in anticipation as the swarm of missiles from the first salvo shot towards their prey in orbit, the rest of the force already initiating a hard burn to get within engagement range with their other weaponry. They were just as eager as he to close with the enemy and start doing damage. They weren't given the buffet they had wanted, but they still intended to eat every last bit on their plate. To their credit, the enemy quickly caught on to their plight and responded to improve their chances as best as they could. The two flanking vessels put themselves in a position where their flanking guns could sight on his vessel, while the middle vessel remained forward, probably a spinal weapon preparing to be used. Their commander realized the situation, to Chadzeoneni's irritation, and the formation broke apart, the vessels looking to escape their fate, even as the missiles closed in.

Point defense lasers engaged, filling the space around them with a light show, as bursts of hot light were ejected with precision into the empty void in the paths of the missiles. The burst of ECM used by the Gata'ja was still inhibiting their targeting to an extent, and the missiles own suites and countermeasures were kicking in, allowing for some evasion. Even so, there were explosions as missiles were struck and filled space with light and voiceless sound, even as more kept coming. Energy barriers kicked in as missiles rushed in to make their impacts.

One vessel was able to halt one missile, and then another before the golden field of energy evaporated as a third came rushing it and unleashed it payload of bluish-white energy that ripped a giant hole in the vessel's superstructure. A fourth hit the bow of the ship and overloaded the main gun, tearing it apart in a dazzling display of light and shrapnel, utterly obliteration. He was a tad disappointed, he was hoping for more of a cohesive wreckage to get some of the crew and study the technology, but ah well. War made it so one could not be too choosy.

Return fire began to come in, sporadic but determined, kinetic shells shrieking towards his forces as the two vessels began to retreat. Oddly, they were heading towards the planet as part of their retreat; Chadzaoneni held his chin a moment as he considered. The only reason he could think of them for them to do this would be to try and warn their forces and get them off planet, and he couldn't allow that. The incoming railgun slugs managed to find a target as twin strikes, one from each of the remaining vessels, hit one of the N'gombe Attack Frigates, punching through its shields, while a second shot from the spinal impacted across the back of the ship, tearing a giant furrow in it, leaving a wake of explosions, shrapnel and bodies as it oozed fuel, listing to the side and coming to a stop in space. The other two managed to avoid the shots and upon seeing the retreat, opened comms.

/”Mkulu, we have chased down one of the prey, their corpse lays cooling in space, but we have two others make atmospheric entry. Your will?”/

With a wave to his officers, his side of the channel opened, acknowledging the initial request.

/”You are to take your force and move into atmosphere, engaging the vessels as best as you can, but maintain distance. We want to keep them distracted, not force them to do something drastic or suffer unnecessary losses. Just enough to cover our ground forces. Leave the Mavu's in orbit, they can provide ortillery support and catch them if they make for space again.”/

/”As you dictate, as it shall be done.”/

Turning back to his bridge crew, he began to focus on the next phase as the channel closed.

“What is the status of our Zaolinga force?”

“They are detaching now, sir, and will be making a jump to orbit to begin the ground section of the operation.”

“Very good. Tell them to proceed.”

Three large freighters detached from the Mwankhanza Kuwala, escorted by several wings of Gata'jan strikecraft, as they made their way to the planet. The fighters clamped onto the hulls as they initiated a minor jump, brief static spatial errors that warped the local spacetime before they vanished and then appeared in orbit, engines burning to get them pointed at their target and beginning descent. It was being timed to occur a minute after the Mkongo Cruiser and the two Attack Frigates flanking it began their own descent towards the combat zone. They were to arrive a few miles out, focusing on the two vessels, and engaging with long range weaponry, seeking to get into a duel with the remaining forces, locking up their airspace and aerial control capabilities.

As they began their descent, their black hulls lighting up as their shield resisted the air pressure and fire of entry, the three freighters began to their descent, planning to come up low behind some raised terrain to keep them out of sight of the SCU vessels guns and to allow them to deploy the platoon of Gata'jan Wankhodo caste warriors they had who were to raid the location that had the conflict ongoing, grabbing people, resources, anything, though most of that would be handed by the Wanchita salvage teams, going in after they cleared an area to ransack it and bring it back.

Wankhodo Diso checked over his equipment one more time as part of the precheck his pack Paketi was ordering before they began deployment. He tapped one of his pack mates on the back, their hands quickly doing a check of their backpack and armor, running a diagnostic that blinked green and ensuring all his supplies and ammo in his pack were undamaged before patting his shoulder indicating he was all set. He did the same for the one in front of him, giving her the go-ahead before going finishing his check. Diso hefted his Kulumidwa Ambiri AM-7 Pulse Rifle, clicking off the safety to see the barrel open up as blue energy filled in the space between, hot energy ready to sent out its payload wherever he fired it. Satisfied, he put it back into safety mode and the pack finished as one. With another bark of command, they jumped up and followed their Alpha into the dropship as they could feel the shuddering of the freighter easing up, indicating they had finished atmospheric entry. Even out here, they could hear the dull thumps of kinetic weaponry; their forces must have already engaged the prey's remaining vessels above them.

Their force was divided into three Gawo, all three making up the Wirzana that had been assigned to this mission. His Awiri was the 1st for the 2nd Gawo. The three [i[Gawo[/i] would land at three sections around the complex being fought over by the divided Nyama forces. The first would engage the 'Federal' forces, whilst the second would engage the Corporatist ones. They would only do so to make it a three-way fight, instead of coming down hard enough to convince them to unite against them. The third would guard the Wanchito convoy as it started to scour the fallen and the complex itself, grabbing what they needed, as well as any other complexes that needed to be hit. The ramp closed up behind their pack as they were the last to enter the dropship. The engines rumbled to life, as chatter sounded from up front, a request from the ship to open the doors so they could deploy. Shuddering began as the doors opened and the dropship lifted off, engines burning as they moved forward out into the atmosphere. As this happened, his suit's comm sparkled to life as their Paketi began to speak.

/”Alright, here we go. We're gonna be to landing rather close to these nyama, so be prepared for the teeth and claws of the enemy as soon as we hit the ground. Move by Awiri, follow your training and don't take any foolish risks, and we'll all finish this hunt safe and sound with minimal effort. They have already been fighting each other, their ammudzi being too weak to understand that if they worked together, they would not be suffering as they are now. This is something we understand inherently as Gata'ja.”

A chant of roars and hisses followed as Diso grinned behind his mask, tongue flicking over his teeth in anticipation. A buzz over the communication in the holding bay sounded they were coming up on the landing zone in one minute. There were clicks of acknowledgment from all the Paketi's and then theirs spoke to them.

”It's almost time. Do the Wankhodo caste proud and show them what happens to prey. For the Akazi, for the Ammudzi, for the Gata'ja!”

They roared the chant back as the the doors began to open. The dropships had exited out of the three freighters, one per, each escorted by a squadron of fighters, while the rest remaining deployed as a protective screen, as they were their way off-planet. The SCU and Corporatist forces would see the three Gata'ja vessels come roaring down the plain outside of the complex, and began engaging the Endless Solace and Endless Vengeance.Turrets popped up and deployed that had been hidden during the descent, acquiring target locks that sent the Federal ships alarms shrieking as they began to fire, electric discharges puffing as shells with explosive and plasma payloads were sent hurtling toward them, with supporting missiles though not as many as before. The cruiser moved into position behind them, their own turrets popping up and aiming, and barrages of energy bolts began to burn through their air toward them, peppering the enemy vessels. It was a definite problem, but no hard hitting attacks were coming yet. If these spinals were as powerful as Chadzaoneni anticipated, firing them in-atmosphere was dangerous and/or impossible, especially for the forces they were trying to save. It was a risk, but they had more forces and the missile frigates acquiring orbital positions to support.

With the air thudding with capital grade weaponry, the three dropships and their escorts wasted little time moving in. They found clearings or if there were none, their escorts dropped their explosive payloads, rendering defenses, buildings, and natural materials into cinders and splinters for an LZ to be established. Once prepared, they landed and disgorged their forces, twenty Gata'ja each to make up sixty total, an entire platoon in common terms, who began to make their way to their objectives. On their armor was an exoskeleton that contained their jump jets and grappling devices, which they began to use with efficiency as they hopped from point to point, occasionally using a grappling to secure a point and pull themselves to it and scrabble up with their powerful claws with agile efficiency. Moving with each awiri, they headed towards the fighting/.

*****************



(OOC: Stopping here so you can reply and also give me an idea of layout and setup of forces, as that determines things.)

awiri: Pack, Gata'jan term for the basic social unit as well as basic foundational force for the military, equivalent to a squad.
Gawa: Gata'jan designation for a section sized force
Wirzana: Gata'jan designation for a platoon sized force
Paketi: Alpha, designation for pack leader as well as commander for pack-based operations.
Ammudzi” community
Nyama: prey

[The Solar Cooperative Union]

Gebrant.
Banko City.
123rd Marine Force

"Hostile forces are moving in Atmos Sir!"

The report of a ensign was the singular object of Captain Huxleys attention, the junior officers scholarly voice couldn't help but betray fear as he kept his eyes locked on the projection before him. Huxley steeled himself and wrapped his hands around the arms of his chair, he closed his eyes for a half second and whispered a silent prayer before clearing his throat and trying to sound as confident as possible.

"Men, prep for atmospheric combat."

Union ships were never meant to do battle in the diverse and substantially more stressful situations that an atmospheric battle would entail, the odds of significant losses were near 100% and every member of the crew knew it. However, in spite of the dismal odds, they knew they had a mission and retreat was not the conduct of a Federal soldier. So, with grim faces hidden beneath thick fire-hoods and shrapnel masks the 140 men and women of Endless Solace cracked their knuckles and hardened their resolve.

In moments their dedication victory was no longer hypothetical, the enemy was on the planet. Huxley was going to engage in knife-fight doctrine while his other ship held back and supported the ground forces.

The Endless Solace roared forward in the lower atmosphere of Gebrant, its massive thrust-drives skipping on sonic booms as the frigate advanced towards the alien force that was squaring up to attack. It closed the distance, its fore shields glittering with atmosphere and incoming fire. Within moments the Endless Solace was within a kilometer of the enemy formation, its point defense lasers erupting in near constant action to swat away incoming missiles. Finally the Frigate slammed hard into the enemy formation, alien craft on either side of the sword shaped frigate. The missiles of the enemy would be far less effective here, or so Huxley hoped, and with a target on either side, all 20 Railguns could be brought to bear.

The rectangular barrels of the railguns roared out rounds at a round per second, sending ultra-dense slugs shrieking through the air in either direction at many times the speed of sound. White hot heat sinks sprung out of the turrets at random intervals, sending up clouds of steam in the humid air.

---

Special Major Maya Selzezki was anything but timid, the sixty tally marks scratched into the faded blue pauldron on her left shoulder was a testament to how many times she had faced death and won. Up to her waist in rancid water and cut off on a contested planet was no different as far as she was concerned, it was the enemy that was the real variable. Luckily the initial advantage granted to the attackers had now fallen to her side of the fight. Luckily her unit had not been in active combat when the first communications came in, thus they had ample time to prepare a makeshift defense.

In front of her was a large clearing in the near endless fungal mangrove that covered the planets continent, clear was a generous term though, as it was filled with water and littered with stumps. The Federal force was in cover behind a collection of crates and loading vehicles at the base of the wide ramp that led to the cities cargo dock. Several yards behind them was the large flood gate that opened into the base level of the Colony, the towering structure stretched skyward to accommodate thousands of residents.

Maya watched as the enemy shuttles disappeared behind the thick fungal trees, and held her breath. Moments later, strange looking creatures emerged into the clearing. A whoop from behind her was the last sound Maya heard before her helmet activated noise-cancellation as the clearing came to life with the sounds of hell. She raised her Mag-Repeater and depressed the trigger, sending an invisible line of death lancing forward into the advancing enemy, all around her Marines did the same. She couldn't help but grin beneath her helmet as the AOS-4 Tornado Gunship emerged from its concealment behind the smothering mangroves and hover into a firing angle over the clearing. Its twin chain-guns raked across the advancing enemy force, explosive rounds biting into the mud and fungus around the hostiles, Maya watched as many of them spasmed, seized or shuddered with the force of an anti-vehicle round connecting with their flesh. Alien blood sprayed across the sloshing swamp water.

Overhead the railguns of the Ageless Vengeance barked out death at the trundling enemy dropships, the volley connected with two of the dropships and the results were extreme. The first dropship to get hit bloomed into a fireball that swallowed the craft entirely and send man-sized fragments scattering through the air, the second dropship was cleanly torn in half and both segments went tumbling into the swamp. Maya felt hope surge in her chest at such destruction, but the enemy reply came shortly after. A hostile weapon reached up from within the mangrove and slammed into the Gunship, the right turbine flared exploded, sending the craft into a corkscrew descent, eventually its mindless tumble carried it into the side of the colony. Overhead the Frigate was shuddering as its shields glittered, and in front the enemy kept up their advance.

Maya cursed herself internally and then gave the order with a spin on her clenched fist, the movement coming up as a tactical retreat in the HUD's of her men. Without turning their backs the defending marines kept up the fire as they retreated up the ramp and into the colony. A handful of Marines were slouched over in the water, a few more were hoisted over the backs of their comrades, all in all the ambush had been successful but not successful enough. With a growing sense of dread Maya slammed her fist on the flood-gate emergency lock and watch the slab of titanium and steel slam down, buying her men and the colony perhaps a half-hour.

[The Gataja]

Atmospheric Skirmish


Aerial CQC


The commander of the small detachment realized what was going on as soon as the sensors lit up with the increased energy output of the two vessels, and the sonic booms radiating out in the air behind them. Steeling himself, the Gata'jan began to shout out orders for his part of the battle.

“Navigation, divert all non-essential systems to the engines, have all three ships began to move backwards; we need to draw the out and away from the combat zone, or they'll rip our ground forces apart! Have the Mavu squadron keep pace with us in orbit; we'll need their tubes soon.”

In an odd reciprocation, the Gata'jans engines flared, the red glow of the engines almost flaring to white as its engines were pushed to their limits. The three vessels began to move backward at a hefty clip, not immense, but they didn't want to harm the engines so as to be trapped on the planet, and most engines were forward thrust, not backward. Still, they were managing to keep some distance between them as the Federal forces barreled forward. It was inevitable that they were going to catch up to them and from the angle of their burns, they were planning to get in nice and close. This was a terrible position for them; they were not set up for long drag out fights. Still, they had endured some fire in orbit and they were outnumbered. Should their force falter or need reinforcement, it would get it; both sides knew this fight was over the moment they arrived; it was a matter of how much the humans could make them bleed.

“Operations, get me firing solutions on the enemy frigate class, this...” A quick look at the displayed tag they were getting from the readings on the ship. “..Ageless Vengeance. Focus our guns on key sections of its shielding, we need to tear through it; prepare several target packages using our sensor data. I want to carve them up in preparation for the feast.”

As the two Federal vessels, began to close in, the turrets and guns of three vessels, still rapidly screaming backward as fast as they could, began to turn and focus on the form of the Ageless Vengeance. Light filled the chambers of the barrels of the forward facing guns of the Mkongo-class Cruiser, as plasma mixed with igniting agent and hard energy beams cut out, crashing with the intermittently flashing shields of the frigate, purplish flashes of cascading light as the two forces met, energy burning away energy. The shields would shudder under the brunt of these weapons, for they were the heaviest guns the cruiser could bring to bear, followed by the batteries of light plasma turrets, firing rapid fire, barrels glowing slightly from the heat, filling the air between them with fiery smears of light and plasma that peppered the shield like a rain of meteors on a world.

The two Attack Frigates flanking the cruiser added their own salvoes, their flanking kinetic cannon batteries turning as one and lighting up the frigate, white flashes of electromagnetic discharge from their rails, hurtling shells filled with explosive and plasma cores hurtling towards the shield. They crashed into it, spending their momentum into the wall of energy before the crushing off the shell reached the core and ignited it, large explosions going off as it continued its forward momentum. Shots were sent the way of the Endless Vengeance when the opportunity presented itself, but it was initially focused to let loose as much firepower as was possible towards the frigate.

The Mavu in orbit were keeping pace as ordered, their engines enabling them to make short burns, as they coordinated the data from their sensors and the ones from force engaging, preparing another wave of missiles that was launched so they could arrive right behind the ones launched by the three ships, letting the first wave get eaten up by the point defense guns, the second wave coming in to hit the shields with explosive and plasma missiles. They were still getting eaten up by the point defense guns, which prompted the commander to shout out his next wave of orders.

The vessel shuddered slightly as the the shields lit up with a bright sheen of light blue, the dark, heavy blue of the layers underneath converting to light blue as energy was consumed in chaos of kinetic energy meeting plasma as the frigate unloaded both flanks of railgun batteries into the vessels around it. It had rocketed forward to place itself right in the middle of the formation. As it had come into knife-fight range, the two Attack Frigates had slowed slightly so they pulled ahead of the cruiser, allowing themselves to take the damage while pummeling it as much as they could, letting the cruiser work over it from the front.

“Communications, pull off the squadrons off the freighters, we need them over here now! The ground operation will have to fend for itself without their aid. All squadrons are to converge on the frigate; as we strip away its shielding, I want them hitting its point defense guns, while we focus on its main weapons. We need to get those missiles punching through!”

As the air crackled with the weapons of war, a swarm of Dzino-class FSF (Fast Strike Fighters) descended upon the beleaguered frigate, the slim crafted shifting and diving through the air, squadrons forming with the ease of repetition but the slight jerk of inexperience. They began to make runs on the frigate in between salvoes, timing it to hit just after the point defense guns swiveled to handle the next wave of missiles to strike with concentrated force at key parts of the shield, seeking to blast or slip some of their payloads of heavy cannons and missiles to strike as the PD guns themselves, working to strip the enemy of their defenses.

While the aerial battle began with a vengeance, and the ground forces began to initiate their operations, other shuttles and dropships were deploying on the outskirts of the facilities, deploying squads of Wankhodo caste soldiers guarding groups of Wanchito caste workers, who began securing sites and combing them over to grab key bits of technology, resource depots, even pockets of people if they were hiding or trying to escape the fighting. Nothing would be wasted here, as was their code. Their sensors had given them the most likely spots to hit, so they had a listing, but they would hit the outer ones and move in, letting the ground forces distract the enemy until they could move in further.


************

Ground Battle

Hot Drop

The first thing any soldier learns, any ground pounder from any nation, creed or race takes to heart surviving their first combat zone and refreshes with every tour after; it is that no plan survives contact with the enemy. Sometimes, on those rare days where you control every aspect that you know you've won the battle before you've fired a shot and the enemy just has to learn that through blood, you see the day it does survive that contact. This was not one of those days. The flight in had been smooth and without fuss, trees passing under them at a rapid pace, interspersed by fog banks. The loose formation of the escort Dzino FSF strikecraft guided them in, as they headed for the first drop off point, as per the plan put forth.

It was a clearing, more swamp that ground, but they were used to that with the swamps from back home, with stumps they could use for cover and points to advance from. The sensors began to ping, as they detected the soldiers up ahead, and a single ping was sent over the comm. As one, the soldiers around Diso, and him, stomped their feet once and hissed. Fresh meat was sighted; their job was to hunt and kill, as simple as that, and they were ready. The dropship swooped in, hovering low above the ground, just enough to make it an easy drop for the Gata'ja, who began to rush out, dropping in twos, brief flares of blue fire as their jump jets eased their landing into the water. Squalid water splashed around them, as they sought to find cover, rushing to what positions they could find. Stumps, raised bits of ground, some debris that had been left behind, what they could find. Diso found himself in a dip in the ground, sidled up with the rest of his awiri as even more were deployed. All three dropships deployed their cargo of troops, and then began to fly up, twin guns deploying from the sides and missiles locking into place in their tubes as they prepared to assist in the assault.

The air was charged with energy, as cacophanous crashes of light and sound exploded above, slowly moving away as the aerial forces clashed with the Federal defenders. Their escort swirled around once and then flew off, causing some of the warriors to murmur concernedly with each other. They had been hoping to use that escort to break up any concentrated advance of the enemy; but it appeared the aerial battle was going much more intensely than predicted. Still, they had their dropships for support, so they'd be able to make inroads. Battle discipline was already kicking in, hand signals and clicks and lights over their communication suites and HUDs indicating their orders and movement commands. The platoon spread out into its three sections, bursting up over cover and rushing to the next one as they came to the edge of trees surrounding the clearing.

Diso's comm clicked on once, the command Alpha speaking in clear tones, voice tense with anticipation.

/“All sections, move up; enemy concentration up ahead, prepare for assault.”/

His packmate gripped his shoulder, and Diso reached over doing so to him and the rest of the awiri. They had trained through hell and back together for this opportunity, but death always waited around every corner for the Gata'ja and a packmate lost was expected but dreaded all the same. They clasped each other one last time, knowing it was likely they wouldn't seeing each other again, not as one unit like they were now. After a moment to collect and prepare, the order was given to advance, ad spring together as one, they rushed out. In three lines of men, each had their path set out before them. They broke through the treeline, seeing swampy ground with more stumps, a light fog over everything, leading up to a massive gate that was opening and the line of scrap forming a defensive line for these Akunja who found themselves their prey today.

It was not long before the noise of combat began, as they rushed forward, seeking cover, muzzle flashes and loud grinding and hissing could be hear as magnetic weaponry opened fire, rail rifles and guns opening up on their positions. This was a killing ground, there was not any significant cover that they could use to their advantage. Sprays of blood marked the Gata'ja as they were shredded by the incoming rounds, tearing through the first line as they struggled to find any position they could find. Most of the first line dove into the ground, pulling up their pulse rifles and returning fire, fiery blue plasma bolts stuttering the space in between, sizzling the air and dispersing the fog as they buried their thermal energy into the barriades, and across the line, the flesh and armor of the humans. They were rewarded with curses, cries of pain and harsh rattles as their fire stabbed deep into the enemy.

All across the sections, alphas began to issue the command.

/“Awiri, deploy your Chishango!”/

The second and third lines stopped at their spots behind the first line, and pulled a pair of devices out from their side, planting them into the ground. They were boxy rectangles, bulky emitters of some kind on the front and back; they were planted in the ground, several feet between each other. They were then turned on, and lights flickered on them, and the box separate, the bulkiness being two of these put together and rising to form a square formation that blazed with energy to form an energy shield to be used for cover. Diso ducked behind his cover, several bursts of shrieking metal racing over his head as he focused on the humming of his shield ahead of him, trying to calm his heart as it rammed its way against his rib cage. Hands trembled as he fought with the burst of adrenaline and fear; this was his first combat drop and already he was falling to pieces. He couldn't bring himself to join the firing going on, Lakuthwa JH-3 Focus Rifles and the Pulse Rifles began to report, increasing fire against the enemy position. The second wave focused on the left flank, the third on the right, even as the bloodied first began to withdraw, crawling back under cover of their brothers and sisters.

The words of his Mlenje trainer began to swim through his mind, guiding his actions through the panicked haze and guiding him.

/”Worry not about the sound and screams of battle, they are mere distractions, the cries of mbalame in the treetops preventing you from listening for the Buluzi you are tracking. You have to block it out, let it fade into the void of your breathing. Inhale draws in the sound, exhale it into nothing. Do this for every aspect but of yourself, your enemy and your weapon. Then follow your instincts and you shall conquer every battlefield, every hunt you experience.”/

His claws gripped into the stock of his gun as he leveled it over the position, bringing his gaze on the enemy line. He saw one armored human ducking down behind cover, as splashes of plasma raked its position, the metal heating up and weakening under the barrage. It rose up again, firing in sharp, controlled bursts, sweeping over the battlefield. Two Gata'ja blasted out their blood onto the ground, one collapsing to the ground and desperately attempting to keep its organs inside, howling all the while in pain while the other shuddered, grasping the ground for purchase before lying still. Focusing his sight on him, he began to breathe and focus, shouting, hiss and whine of weaponry and the thudding of capital grade weaponry above surrounding him.

Inhale.

Exhale.

The ships were gone, an inky void of space consuming them all.

Inhale.

Exhale.

His fellows and their cries of victory, despair and pain were gone, replaced by the sweet caress of nothingness.

Inhale.

Exhale.

All had faded but that human, ducking down to avoid a burst that would have taken its head off and rising up, preparing to fire again.

His claw depressed the firing mechanism, and the gun heated, light rising from blue to red, discharging its burst of plasma, pulses of six to seven for each pull. Three times he fired in short order; the first caught the human on the shoulder, causing the human's gun to spray over its comrades head as its body jerked to the right, the second caught the human in the chest plate, heating and spraying its protection in every direction, causing a howl as its own armor began to cook to its own skin, and the third burst punched through the weakened chest plate, spraying out hot blood and metal. The human coughed and slid to the ground, its life spilling out over its allies and the ground. Letting out a breath, the void retreated, reality rushing it in to fill the vaccuum, the roar of battle returning. Before Diso could feel pride in what he had done, things began to go to hell.

There was a high pitched whine as an alien vehicle roared into the air from behind tree cover and angling its twin guns spinning up and spitting hot death at the Gata'jan force.

/”Enemy gunship! Everyone, down NOW!”/

They all ducked, Diso having to be dragged down as explosive rounds pocked the ground with miniature craters. The first wave, trying to escape to their own lines, simply launched themselves forward, jump jets igniting and some even grappling to the shields or other trunks of trees to try and escape. The gunships fire scythed through their line, laying more and more to the ground. Limbs were cut apart like wheat, heads mulched in bright pops of gore and bodies were torn to pieces in instances as firepower won out over bone, flesh and metal. Screams were ended quickly under the assault, the surviving humans redoubled their attack, pinning down the Gata'jan force further.

The command Alpha struggled to get access to his comm, as a shield next to him flared white and exploded in a flare of overstressed electronics, forcing him to dive to the side as the resulting implosion sent a Gata'jan flying back, right into a burst from the gunship, pasting him and covering Diso and his awiri in gore. Diso reached up with numb hands, as he peeled off a part of one of his former comrades face as the alpha began to shout over the comms.

“We need aerial support now, get that damned gunship off of us!”

The three dropships roared in, engines hot, guns already beginning to retort towards the human position, coming in low over the trees to make it harder to detect them. It wasn't enough, however, as the plan's contact with the enemy caused a change. The Ageless Vengeance, thought to have been consumed in the aerial fight had not been so lax to leave its forces undefended. A section of its guns lashed out, collapsing the first dropship into a fireball, shrapnel raining down on their force. The dropships, sensing the danger, began to conduct evasive maneuvers, trying to angle back and away from the conflict. Fate was not kind to the second set of pilots, as a shell cut their vehicle in half, flames exploding out from its bisected belly and crashing to the swamp, cratering twin spots with heat and kinetic force. The third rapidly retreated, clicking a terrified apology before shrieking back towards the freighters.

“Ancestor's Bones!” The command Alpha swore and grabbed one of his fellows, hiding behind a wrangled mess of shield and a body of his fellow packmate.

“You, get the fleet the message that the enemy frigate is not taking the bait! If we assault too deeply, we're going to get mauled!”

The Gata'ja nodded his head vigorously, hands moving too fast over equipment to try and get a hold of the orbital forces. The Alpha turned to Diso and his pack, grabbing them and throwing them beside him. Numbness reigned over him, as he tried to clean off the remnants of a Gata'ja from his armor, his stomach roiling with disgust and raw emotion.

The Alpha's voice swam into focus. “We need to take down that gunship! You and your pack are to provide grenade suppression on the enemy position. The second section will drop that gunship! Now, hit them!”

The barking commands that had been ingrained in his skull since training caused them all to move, Diso following suit with his brethren, lead hands grabbed the grenade off of his belt and priming it, energy gathering inside, electrical preparing to ignite the plasma agent inside. His alpha, Mantha, roared out.

“On three. One, two, three!”

They hurled the grenades as one, launching them into the air where their internal electronics took over, locking onto the targets set by their HUD and rocketing at them. They slammed into their positions, exploding out with force and plasma energy, melting the position and any flesh behind it, shocking the enemy force to buy them a window. Shrieks of pain sounded as humans dealt with searing hot energy on their skin, with fellows trying to help them,drag them out of harms way or keep them from hurting themselves further. Thus distracted, the second section opened up, with three Woyerphala UG-1 Anti-Armor Focus Rifle, the longer and bulkier rifles gathering in energy into a solid blast that lashed out, striking at the gunship, one taking out an engine, the other hitting the side of it, and one lashing right at the cockpit. The engine exploded, sending it into a spin of death that saw it collide with the wall of the colony. Even as the gunship died, the Gata'ja rallied, firing increasing on the human position, even as heavier weapons began to be deployed, light machines beginning to spit heavier streams of energy at the already devastated makeshift barrier.

One of the Federals, clearly the commander, made a motion and the force began to retreat, a few carrying limp or slightly struggling injured comrades, firing out to cover their retreat. Realizing their intent, the Alpha roared into the comm unit.

“Third section advance now! Don't let them close the gate!”

One third of the remaining force hopped out from behind shields, bursting from point to point with their jets, firing wildly in the direction of the Marines, but it was too late. As they began to gain on them, a human fist slammed the control and a massive gate closed shut, locking them out of the colony. A cut off curse died in the command Alpha's throat, as he ordered for the force to stop firing. The air ceased sizzling as the firing slowed down , coming to an end, leaving only the cries of the wounded and the sobbing of a few overwhelmed recruits. Pack by pack, they began to take care of their own, seeking out their wounded and their dead, collecting them even as the Alpha began to assign defenders to protect their position from a counter attack. The ships were still battling overhead, so they could not dawdle.

Diso gripped the side of his helmet, tearing it off and pulling himself over a crater spot, still smoking with a tiny flame that was snuffed out as he loosed his stomachs contents on the ground. His body shuddered in the afterthroes, the adrenaline exiting his system leaving him jumpy and confused. Looking about, he could see the ambush had done quite a number on them. Over twenty Gata'ja were spread out over the ground, in some cases literally that caused Diso more dry heaving, or were just horribly injured or enough to be out of the fight. What wounds that could be slowed or treated were, medical packages placed on open wounds, tattered remnants of limbs, and broken bones, and they were shifted off back into the tree cover, placed in a small quickly constructed outpost. The human bodies remaining were dragged over and butchered into makeshift rations for the force as it rested. The Gata'ja believed in eating using your resources at hand to maintain supply, and this included people.

The commander looked at the gate, speaking with some of the veteran soldiers, a gesture or two indicating they were trying to determine how to proceed from here. A packmate eased Diso into a sitting position, and helped him drink from his canteen and clean himself up.

“M-My apologies Bwenzi, it's just..”

A hand stalled any further words, helping him imbibe more water.

“Worry not, I was like this during my time in the Homeworld Conflicts early on. We all lose ourselves on the first tour. There is no shame in fear or horror at battle; the destruction visited upon our bodies and lives in war is bloody and terrifying to behold. We have a greater duty, however, that will push us beyond the confines of death and fear. Take this moment to collect yourself and then be ready to move.”

Diso nodded and curled into himself while Bwenzi moved over to the circle around the Alpha. There was a brief noise of acknowledgement from the circle before they turned back to their conversation.

“Alright, that gate is too damned strong for us to take down, even with our explosives. I've notified the Wanchito caste force, but they're not going to come here until we have engaged the defenders and that ship is distracted or destroyed. Which means that for us to continue the assault, we'll need another way in.”

Another voice piped in.

“Sensor scans identified a wall all the way around and pretty thick. We could blast it down with orbital ordinance, but that'd take time we don't have and assets away from the aerial fight. We only really have one option for this.”

Bwenzi nodded. “We climb up and over the walls. The enemy is expecting time to recuperate, rearm and plan with intel from our fight. I say we take the fight to them.”

The Alpha grinned. “..which would make it so their guns would harm their own forces and citizens if the capital ship gets involved. We'll have to be quick and careful, but I like this idea. Very well, get everyone ready to move. We have transportation coming in for the wounded, they'll be taken care of.”

With a bow of their heads as acknowledgment the circle dispersed, informing all of the packs of their new orders, assisting in getting the shaken ones on their feet. A quick meal of nutrient bars and water was had, then the force began to move. It was divided into two, one of the section Alphas being put in command Alpha position of the second force. They crawled and crept their way around the ways away from the gate, getting to an equidistant point from each other on it before beginning their climb. They activated magnetic clamps on their gloves, along with their natural agility and claws, began a slow climb up the walls.

************


OOC: Gonna have my guys crest the wall next post, so you can set the scene for the colony and its layout, plus ALL DA SHIP FITEIN. Also some music for reading under the Hot Drop and Aerial CQC links for the readers.

chishango: shield wall
mlenje: hunter
akunja: foreigner, degrading term for non Gata'ja.

ORBAT:

40/60 Gata'jan Wankhodo Warriors, 15 dead, 5 seriously injured.
7x Dzino-class FSF Fighter Squadrons, eight fighters each.
2x Ngombe-class Attack Frigates
1x Mkongo-class Cruiser
3x Mavu-class Missile Frigates

[The Solar Cooperative Union]

Atmospheric Skirmish

Huxley pulled his survival hood down over his head as the acrid smoke of burning electronics and failing filtration systems poured into the bridge, around him his subordinates did the same to preserve combat effectiveness in the increasingly hostile environment. He surveyed the scene before him, his ship was being pummeled as expected, the brilliant white cocoon of the shields glaring with duress, each impact widening the cracks in the ships life-saving defense. The young Officer watched as the point defense turret in front of the bridge was raked with enemy munitions, the Titanium-A shell crunching and melting for a half second before the entire system burst into a ball of unrestrained magnetic energy and shrapnel, unspent rounds and fragments danced towards the slim viewport at the front of the Bridge. Huxley instinctually dived backwards, tearing himself from his combat harness as the fireball and metal carried through the viewport. Around him the bridge crew either attempted to avoid the wall of oncoming death or were caught unaware, likely absorbed in their critical tasks. Even as the bridge and point defense was broken, the railguns continued their rabid fire, belching out rounds until heat sinks melted in their slots, eventually even the defiant railguns fell silent as the titanium-polymer hull began to fail under the onslaught.

Huxley held the former arm of his command chair that had driven itself through his abdomen, small wisps of pungent smoke seeping through the spider-web cracks of his survival hood, the HUD flickering on the fragmented faceplate. He fell as the ships thrust began to fail, the smoke and flame around him began to subside as the current of air pushed it away. The frigate was moments from falling out of the sky, Huxley watched through the ragged hole along the side of the bridge as the muddy water grew closer and closer, Huxley closed his eyes and felt the warmth of home a final time before his Frigate slammed into the earth with incredible force, erupting in a spectacular cluster of explosions as loose fuel and munitions met in a fiery confrontation.

Above the fallen frigate, the second Frigate kept up its desperate battle, now closing in the same pattern as its destroyed counter-part, however this time it did not hold back in any capacity and closed in on the largest enemy ship within meters of each other, railgun barrels practically scraping the pain of the enemy.

The Colony

Maya looked around at the chaotic scene before her, the large open platform of the colony cargo dock stretched out before her, here it was a quarter kilometer to the base and entrance of the massive angular structure that housed the majority of the colonists, on top a communications array blinked with indicators and electricity, the large dish crowning the structure. She noticed the spot where the gunship had crashed, a black scar on deformed concrete. On the platform around her men and women tended to the wounded, deep plasma burns leaving telltale black spots on armor and flesh. She looked herself over for a moment, noting the spots where grazing enemy rounds had left shallow craters in her armor. The platform had once been a sleepy trade-port but had since been converted into the garrisons primary camp, a boxy APC sat anchored to the ground with its rear door open to reveal the mobile command post within, plastic and permafoam bivouacs were clustered around it with personal effects and rations propped up against their sides. Maya brought up her command interface and began to assess the situation, momentarily considering surrender before dismissing the idea entirely.

"Alright, second squad is on security, watch that gate or any other potential entrances, first squad take a moment to rest...
any one left in third squad report to a medic."

Unfortunately, third squad had been caught in the open by an enemy plasma grenade, the image of carbonized marines tumbling into the brown water remained in the front of her mind.

She knew these attackers were here for anything they could get their hands on, especially the colonists. Luckily for her the ongoing conflict on the planet had prompted the residents of Banko City to find shelter in the colonies thick concrete shell, the once middle class interior was now home to makeshift tent cities in the larger open areas and overstuffed rooms wherever refugees could fit. The layout of the colony itself was much like a shopping mall, a enclosed space with a large open plaza home to a park and recreational facilities with large walkways extending up the sides of the tower, connecting enclosed neighborhoods to the main atrium.

Maya's contemplation was short lived however as blinding hot plasma bit into the ground next to her, involuntarily she spun around and fired before shouting a desperate order into her command HUD.

"They're over the wall! ENGAGE! ENGAGE!"

[The Gataja]

An explosion burst from the Endless Solace as a wave of missiles burst through the weakened energy field, ripping apart the point defense gun, sending sharps of red hot metal scattering over the hull, lines left by their passing as they began to fall to earth over the colony. Yet another gun had been silenced, further expanding the area the squadrons could operate in, giving them a hole to focus on the shielding, which is exactly what the commander wanted to see.

/”All squadrons, focus your assault on that shield area; if we can punch through that, we have a shot at laming the prey, where we the pack bring it down and finish it off.”/

The remaining lights blinked in acknowledgment, though one went suddenly dark as tracing fire from a point defense gun lit up one of their fighters, turning it into a streaming fireball in the sky, its death throes quick and final. They had already lost eight of their craft to their guns; not horrendous losses, but time only favored the enemy if they couldn't get more of that vessel damaged. It was at this moment the transmission was received from the ground forces.

/”Mkulu, we have reports coming in from the raiding force; the frigate has driven off their dropship support. They say we need to get those guns focused off of them if they are to get a chance at the colony!”/

Dammit; these humans were taking too much time to bring down. He began to speak but was interrupted as another salvo of guns from the frigates pounded one of the N'gombe vessels, whose shields fail and kinetic rounds lanced into the armor, ablative systems shrieking in pain, sending metal debris everywhere as explosives pocked the armor, causing the vessel to start reeling.

/”I want that frigate destroyed now! All guns, fire on the Ageless Vengeance!”/

At once, the barrage unleashed on the frigate was vicious, energy beams and salvoes of plasma bolts filled the air, collapsing the other vessels shielding and raking the armor, a cascade of tiny explosions as its guns, both point defense and main, were picked off one by one. The strikecraft turned aside from striking the Endless Solace, and redirected themselves, aiming at a weakened section of the vessel where the bridge was located. Like a swarm of locusts they descended on the ailing beast, which attempted to lash out with what guns it had, but the barrage was becoming too much. The fighters slipped through, losing one or two of their number to the defenses when their retort came; fire belched missiles from their tubes and the space between with filled with angry blue bolts of plasma that all came cascading down on the bridge, ripping it to shreds. All the while, missiles rained down from orbit, targeting the rear areas and engines, seeking to bring the frigate down, and a lucky strike finally took one of the engines out of commission. It lurched to the side and began to drop, as its ability to remain aloft failed and gravity resumed its dominion.

It would not go down alone, as its remaining guns had focused on the Attack Frigate and over two more waves of shells, the ship could not handled more. The superstructure failed, parts and entire segments of the vessel peeling away, a stray shell igniting a weapons magazine, and ripping the ship apart even more, sending three pieces to fiery oblivion on the swamp floor, followed by the massive explosion of the Ageless Vengeance as it burned out its last on the floor.

With two of its three vessels destroyed, the human commander had opted for an insane gambit, gunning straight for the largest vessel. The commander wasn't about to give him the satisfaction, even as it bore in straight at them, the ship shaking as it focused its might down on him.

/”Navigation, get us below that ship, we could use our top side batteries to batter it while getting us away from the worst of their return fire! All other craft are to select the weakest point of their shielding and focus on that spot!”/

The Mkongo-class began to shift, its engines flaring white and jets pushing it down as it began to duck under the weapons of the frigate. Its weapons pounded away at the energy shield protecting it, making it flare white as shell after shell spent its kinetic energy on its surface, but it was a hardier vessel than the Attack Frigates and was still standing. It began to move to go under the belly of the Endless Solace, to strike it from there. As ordered, the missile frigates in orbit, as well as the strike craft and remaining Attack Frigate focused their efforts on one key section of the shield. Plasma blasts of all shapes and definitions, followed by waves of missiles crashed into his section, seeking to bring it down.


************


The climb had been steep, but they had made it careful going; they needed to be swift to prevent the enemy from recovering too much, but giving away their position early would turn this into a massacre. One hand after the other, with each lift and press they got closer. It allowed Diso to calm his raging stomach and try to get a handle on his nerves; Bwinzi was right, they were here doing the work of the Ammudzi, and the Bask that ruled it; he couldn't let his fear overcome him. He kept repeating that mantra to himself, even as his limbs shook as he tried to pull himself up, images of his dead comrades still in his mind. There was a brief pause as they looked up to view the aerial battles, watching as the enemy lost one of their vessels, wreathed in fire, even as they brought down one of their own with it. Anger and revenge burned in their veins; the prey needed to learn that they were beaten; they should lie down and wait for the teeth to end their misery.

Each group was climbing the wall on opposite sides of the camp, which they began to come into view as they crested the top of the wall. Diso's eyes quickly scanned the layout of the area, something they were all doing as they prepared to make their way down. This seemed to be a large open cargo dock of some kind, the remnants of the old trade still around in spilled crates and materials, though they could see the humans had parked an armored vehicle in the middle, a command outpost of some kind by the layout. Off in the distance was the main structure and the base that ran this facility. There were also shoddy tents and basic living quarters set up around where the colonists had retreated to when the fighting began it seemed.

With a click on their communication units, their reconnaissance ended and they climbed down, one or two remaining on the top to serve as overwatch, setting themselves up sniper positions to support the coming operation. The humans were still regrouping, tending to their wounded and taking stock of the situation. Perfect, they were off-balance just as they had hoped. The groups made groundfall, quickly readying their weapons and ammo, along with the remaining Chisango. The two groups of twenty, found what cover they could, behind crates, boxes, vehicles, tiny structures, or even the shields as they deployed them. As soon as they were in a semblance of a position, the order came and they began firing, which started the humans and they began to answer the second call to arms.

This time, however, they were the ones being ambushed. Each group had a Moto Dzombe D-3 LMG set up, which started opening up on either side. The first group attacked first, the LMG focusing on cutting down all they could as they others opened up as well, a couple grenades thrown to take advantage of their clustered groups, as well as harm their supplies. Once the humans had reacted and gotten to positions to engage this line, the second group moved up and began to hit the flank, striking where they were weakest, another LMG opening up. The air was filled with heat as plasma cut the air to come down on the cover and bodies of the humans; metal heated and melted under the onslaught as they came down hard on the humans.

War did not rest, and neither did the Gata'ja until they had finally broken their enemy.


**************
40/60 Gata'jan Wankhodo Warriors
5x Dzino-class FSF Fighter Squadrons, eight fighters each, fifth squadron down to 6 fighters.
1x Ngombe-class Attack Frigates, 1 destroyed.
1x Mkongo-class Cruiser
3x Mavu-class Missile Frigates

[The Solar Cooperative Union]

Maya scrambled in panic as enemy fire slammed around her, sizzling deep black marks into the concrete and steel of the cargo dock. She watched on her HUD as life-signs blinked out in a rapid cascade of death. All around her the battered marines stumbled backwards, some offering bursts of fire in reply to the aggressors but most breaking for better cover. The LMG's opened up a moment later, rapid lines of death clambering into the tents and crates that had served as home for so long. Maya could not stop, one misstep, one stumble and she was dead. Finally she reached the APC and dove into the vehicle before slamming on the emergency seal, hydraulic lifts overclocking to slam the thick titanium-composite door shut. She took a moment to survey the scene in the cramped vehicle, six other marines were hunkered in the vehicle, all of them badly burned or hurt.

Maya was no tanker, but she knew her way around a weapon system like the one mounted atop the APC. She tore the Trauma pack from her back and threw it to the most intact marine before sliding her feet into the pedals that directed the turret. The gun mounted on the vehicle was archaic but effective, a duel 20mm autocannon might be hundreds of years old but that did not diminish its ability to punch holes. She pressed the more modern sighting mechanism to her eyes and swiveled the weapon around to face the attackers. In the large open space she could see more than half of her force dead or dying, and cruel aliens creeping forward in a measured formation. She noticed the few hostiles on the wall and decided they should be the first to die. A depression of the trigger let loose a small burst of FMJ 20mm rounds, the sharp tungsten tips slapped into shields, armor, fabric and eventually living flesh. She watched with sick satisfaction as those who where caught by the cannon were shattered into gory mists. The turret kept up its firing, swiveling on the advancing enemy in a desperate effort to turn the tide.

As powerful as the cannon was and as thick the armor, the vehicle was no fortress. The hostiles reacted, their same weapon that shot down the gunship connected with the turret itself and fused it solid. Maya reeled back, molten metal biting at her ceramic helmet. Collapsing to the floor of the APC she saw hopelessness in the faces around her, desperate lines creased tired expressions. Something rocked the vehicle, it seemed the enemy were closing in for the kill. This was it, a dozen years in the navy, two more for SDD and a silver star for courage, a zero g operations certification and she was going to die in an overcrowded APC on this backwater. She could only imagine what these creatures had in store for the colony, hoping that any death would be quick or none at all. Maya Selzezki laid back and closed her eyes.

---

"Bolt Actual this is Bolt-2 closing for approach on X-Ray position."

"Alright copy that"

Three corporate CAS craft shrieked low over the fetid swamps of the planet, sending towering tails of brown water rising high behind them. The GRU-12 Dancer was the apex of atmospheric battle, a arrow-head shaped pulse jet armed to the teeth. As the small squadron of Attack Craft zipped onward the mayhem of battle came into view, had they been on this approach two hours ago it would be to attack the Federal forces entrenched around Banko City. Now, in a share of solidarity with their human and Unionite counterparts they closed on the encroaching aliens that were here to take their planet.

The left Dancer broke off from the formation to do a screening run, carrying forward while the other two banked up. The pulse jet raced over the cargo dock, loud enough to burst unprotected ear drums and unleashed a payload of airburst bombs. They burst above the advancing enemy, flinging ball-bearings in a umbrella of death. Moments after impact the ball bearings exploded into significant balls of fire. The two other craft slammed back around and closed in for a follow-up round, panels slid back to reveal pods of guided missiles. Both let loose a hydra of the missiles, thin white lines marking their path as they closed on the cargo dock. Fire bloomed upwards as high explosive munitions came to life.

---

Ageless Vengeance was destined to die, fires burned and systems failed without contest, but this was not to say it would go down meekly. The commander, clutching shrapnel in his thigh ordered the ship to hold position as the enemy cruiser slid beneath them. Enemy rounds slammed into the belly of the frigate, sending fires burning through the halls and surviving crew scrambling to higher decks. The commander let out a sigh and gave the order.

"Drop us on them"

And so the order was carried out, thrusters ceased function and the 400 meter long warship came crashing down onto the enemy craft that had moved beneath it.

[The Gataja]

The battle raged further, if you could even call it that at this point, as Diso joined the other thirty-nine Gata'ja in pouring fire in on the force. It looked like the Alpha had made the right call to immediately pursue and engage; they had been settling down for the moment. He could see the remains of cooking fires and military-grade meals before they had doused the area in plasma. His mask was lit up by red and blue flashes, as he timed his shots and fire in three shot pulses, concentrating on injuring or putting down the humans he was sighting. They had surprised them, but they couldn't let them get organized, and turn this into an even fight. They had them wrestled to the ground, they needed to put their foot on their throat and crush it until they stopped struggling. He could hear the counter response before he felt it, sharp whines followed by sizzling as bullets spent themselves into oblivion on the shield in front of him, flaring white with each impact. Keying his comm, he shouted out the position of humans who were beginning to gather a defensive line.

“/I have sight on three targets bringing fire onto the left flank! We need to bust up that position!/”

The reply was swift and crisp. /”We see them, good spot [i]dzino.”/[/i]

There were three angry hisses through the air as three streams of light burned to end the lives that had posed a threat to the attack, sharp cries and shrieking screams cut off as plasma lanced through their armor, and then flesh, filling the air with the smell of burnt flesh, in addition to all the discharge from the plasma fire and the smoke from the humans weaponry. As the bodies began to pile up, Diso began to look around for more targets when he saw one making a beeline for the armored vehicle that was their center, a group of the remaining humans clustered around it as they tried to make a stand against the attack. Raising his rifle, he began to fire more bursts after her, recognizing her as the commander of the first ambush; with every shot, he imagined the faces of his friends and comrades, eager to get some payback for their deaths back in the swamp. She managed to duck out of the way of his fire, however, be it sheer luck or skill, even as the plasma shots skidded past her feet and arms, as some of his fellows saw his target as well and tried to bring her down.

Another crackle from his helmet com: “/We've got them on the ropes, each flank is to send out a pack each, to start hammering their line and start dividing their defense. The remainder and the snipers are to remain suppressing the enemy until we can get the first two out. We will signal when we want the next ones to head out. Sniper teams are also to relocate to new angles while this is going on. Everyone else, keep the heat on!”/

As commanded, two packs were selected, on for each flank and his was the one on the left flank that was picked. Bwinso clapped a hand on his shoulder as his teeth started to chatter in fearful energy. A tight squeeze before ushering him forward as they collected their energy shields, and began to hop forward, the set of tiny jump jets on the outside of their armor finally revealing themselves in bursts of red flame as it aided them in their movement. They were moving from point to point, zig-zagging and random walking across, firing bursts from their guns as they did so, with answering ones from the right as they advanced on the APC. Which is when the gun turret on top activated with a spark of electricity and swiveled around, beginning to acquire targets. He could hear Bwinso's voice roaring over the waves before fear and instinct took over his mind.

/”The vehicle is live, we have heavy fire incoming!”/

It was thankful that the snipers were in the middle of moving when it began to target them first, whipping around in response to the warning from Bwinso. There had been four in total, with two teams of two and they bolted, sprinting and flying in various directions to avoid the assault. Two went in either direction on the wall, with the other two falling either into the colony or back outside. Heavy cracks of thunder sounded as the gun opened up on the wall, their movements still too slow to avoid the gun fully. Hot lead cut through the air, streaks of angry fire that tore into their bodies and suits of the ones on the wall. Fire lanced through one spinning it around in almost a comical twirl for another burst to finish the scene and cut it in half, each one going in a different direction as guts and blood spilled out, painting the surrounding area in their strange greenish blood.

The other lost a leg and an arm to one burst, shrieking in pain as it was then sent hurtling to the colony floor with a sick meaty crack and made no more sound. The one diving into the colony received the next burst, which it managed to somehow dodge with a burst of its jump jets, but the targeting computer of the APC had already reacquired them and fired another wave of bullets their way and literally tore them apart in the air. The final one managed to avoid death by grappling himself to the outside of the wall, tightly holding on and trying to shut out the dying screams of the rest of his pack, tears streaming down his face as he waited for his chance to come back up and aid in the fight.

/”All flanks, charge forward now. We need to keep moving or it'll simply tear us to shreads. Front packs, neutralize the defenders, those closest behind them, I want that vehicle dead!”/

Diso roared out in challenge, his bestial mind kicking into gear as his thinking mind went into ravening terror as the gun swiveled to target them and began firing, the bright flashes almost blinding. The humans remaining lit them up as well, recognizing this was their final chance for survival, and a swarm of bullets filled the air, cutting down even more of them. Plasma bolts were sent back at them, cutting apart cover, armor and flesh alike as the first two packs came rushing towards them. Behind he could hear the rest of them coming, running, jumping, hopping, going as fast as they could in all directions that they could to avoid the fire. He could still hear the screams of those hit and the baying shrieks for those unfortunate enough to not die upon impact. The turret suddenly swiveled towards his group and fired, and they scattered at the behest of their alpha.

Jump, dodge, duck, roll. His mind was a list of one word actions as he processed his actions. He saw he was close enough to the line when a human turned its gun on him. His arm shot up, and he activated the grappling unit attached to his wrist, stabbing into the humans shoulder, who jerked back, only to be rushed back forward as Diso began to reel himself towards it, his hand pulling out his combat knife and thumbing the energy activation, coating the metal in a hot plasma field. They crashed into each other, a thundering burst of death from the gun above as they rolled over each other. The human began to punch and grab at him, trying to fight something smaller than himself, still attached by the grappling hook inside their flesh. He brought the knife down, stabbing into his stomach, feeling the initial halt from the armor before the plasma seared through it and could feel it searing the flash, causing a flush of blood over his hand and a gurgling scream above. It thrashed, a stray punch knocking off his helmet and reeling his head back, but his instinct kept him going, arm working swiftly to slice open his insides, and its guts poured out just as energy fell from its limbs as its lifeblood left it and it died, slumped over hjim. He could hear the sounds of combat around him, humans struggling with his fellows as the remainder of the two packs came in. With a roar, he shoved off the body and looked up, seeing a human strangling one of his own, who were slicing and stabbing their claws at them but couldn't coordinate enough past the humans strength.

Rushing forward, the human's head turned, their eyes meeting and at their reaction of fear and shock at his features, he let a grin fill his face even as he came at them. One hand reached down for a gun at their feet, but he hurled his knife at them, forcing them to dodge that before leaping forward to tackle them, pushing them off the Gata'jan as they grappled with each other. It was a well-known fact to them that most of the enemies they fought were simply stronger than they were in a one on one fight, their bodies were not prone to as much muscle mass, being more of the lithe and agile variety without specific training and diet, and the size difference made it easy for them to be grappled and simply crushed on the ground under the weight of their adversary. So when in close combat, it was important to keep moving and attack in small bites and slashes, before moving around or away.

Diso crawled over the human, slicing and cutting with his claws and teeth at the leg flesh he found himself at, feeling the flesh give under his natural weapons and blood flow into his mouth, igniting his battle rage even further. The human's leg gave but a backhand sent him sprawling, he could feel a tooth crack under the pressure as he slammed into the APC. It lurched forward, delivering a punch to his gut which doubled him over, followed by a knee to the face that ended the cracked tooth, forcing him to spit it out with more blood. As another punch came down, he cut up the arm, forcing it to withdraw it with a hiss, and then coiled before launching himself at them, feet first, connecting with their chest sending it stumbling back. Diso landed on all fours, ready to spring at the human before it snarled in rage and pulled out a pistol, aiming right at his face, causing him to tense as he recognized he was dead.

Until two arms of the Gataj'an who had been recovering on the ground reached arm and claws stabbed deep into its eyes, causing it to wail and shriek in pain, the gun dropping as it clawed at the hands on its face. Diso rushed forward, putting his claws and teeth to work on the sides and other leg of the human. Within moments, its struggles had ended, its face and lower body a ruin of blood, bone and viscera. The other Gata'jan licked the blood off of its fingers and gave a complimentary click at Diso who answered it, proud of their kill. Their awareness kicked back in as they saw the other humans had been finished or were being finished off in the case of one who was being subjected to the hunger of a Gata'jan pack, angry at their losses and taking it out on its flesh. The turret was still booming through the air when a triple shot from the anti-vehicle rifles silenced it, sending fiery shards everywhere as it went down. A pack of Gata'jan, hastily put together of survivors from two packs were sent around the pack, placing a charge to blow open the door even as the other Gata'jan began to clean up their wounded and take defensive positions facing the colony, using some of the buildings and crates as cover.

Maya would see and hear the explosion as the plasma charge pierced through the door, melting a large hole that sent white hot metal onto the marines near it, inflicting pain and burns on the already wounded humans. Then they would a single figure holding a weapon in two hands in the open doorwau, and depressed the trigger, filling the tiny cabin with a large stream of plasma, incinerating all touched as they hosed down the interior of the APC. Only once the screaming stopped did they finally let their claw up, leaving the smell and sight of melted bodies, armor and electronics. Stepping back, the Gata'jan collapsed into the arms of one of its packmates, beginning to shake and weep as the other comforted them as best as they could. Diso looked around, starting to come out of it and take stock of what happened. Over twelve of their number had been killed by the looks of it, the bodies gathered and put over in one of the buildings nearby. The remaining sniper from the wall had come in, face pale and sitting over one of the bags, looking at it with a mile-long stare. He began to look around for his packmates, trying to find them; he approached the other Gata'jan he had saved, who was cutting up the dead human and saving its flesh for a meal later.

“Have you seen the rest of my pack? I can't seem to find them.”

She looked up at him, her gaze stony with the effort of holding something back. “They're gone, mnzanga. We were the only two of both of our packs to make it here.”

His blood ran cold at the others as his mouth worked to say something, anything, in response. Whatever he was going to say was stolen from him when shouts rang up.

/”We have incoming aircraft! Get to cover!”/ They began to split up even as the corporate craft made their first run over the cargo bay. She grabbed his hand and jump, putting her jets on full burn, bursting away from the APC area as several airburst bombs exploded over it, sending a bunch of pellets down that exploded into a firestorm. Those that had remained at the APC were shredded and consumed with flames, one blue explosion going up as the one holding the plasma thrower had her pack exploded from the heat, obliterating her and anyone near her in the blast. Diso began to react, activating his own jets, jumping back towards the wall with the other survivor, hurtling themselves forward even as the other two roared back over, unleashing waves of missiles.

The sniper had been on the edge of the camp, gazing at the bodies when he heard the call and jumped up, grabbing his gear and heading off deeper towards the colony. The swiftness and force of the attack just after they had begun resting, in an ironic twist on what they had done, had obliterated most of the force that had remained. The commanding Alpha and the core of the force had been around the APC, and were now burning bodies, a few letting their pained state of living known to anyone who would listen.

Retribution, as before, was swift. Two squadrons of fighters had been peeled off the aerial attack and sent after the three aircraft as the Alpha's last command before the strike had hit. As they continued to wreck the cargo bay area, over thirteen fighters came roaring in, agile dart-like black gunmetal fighters which unleashed their own missiles and bursts of plasma cannon fire as they swarmed over the three to punish them for their attack.

The aerial battle itself was going well, even with two of the squadrons peeled off to handle the colony situation. The commander watched with satisfaction as the fire poured into it was taking its toll; the shields had failed and fires were bursting out from multiple holes in the armor, even as more were placed as their weapons and missiles continued to cut apart the vessel. The point defense guns had been sliced to ribbons by the fighters, and his own ship was pouring every gun and weapon they had into savaging the belly of the beast.

“Keep up the attack, it won't be long until they will be crushed like the others. Then we can turn our attention to the colony.”

“Sir, I've got strange readings here.”

He turned his gaze to that of the crewmember manning Operations.

“What would that be?”

“Well...the enemy craft seems to have cut power to its engines.”

He cocked his head in confusion until realization dawn and blood began to fill his ears at what they were doing.

“Operations, divert energy from weapons into the shields, halt all firing and have Engineeering pour power into the engines and get me reverse thrust! They're trying to drop on us and crush us with them!”

The vessel ceased firing and began to move back as fast as it could, all of its jets across the vessel firing as it tried to get away from the fiery doom which had begun to descend with increasing speed as gravity was allowed to take control once again. The field around the Gata'jan cruiser pulsed white at intervals as energy beyond normal capacity was pumped into its system, but even as it withdrew at a decent clip, it wasn't enough to avoid the vessel. The wreck of the Ageless Vengeance, as it was still pummeled from above, slammed down onto the cruiser, the shields flaring completely white under the strain, beginning to heat and even melt the metal of the hull that had come into contact with it. The vessel shuddered and rocked as it continued to move, the crewmembers holding onto whatever they could as the vessel's nose began to be pushed down, with the rest of the body going up. The shields blew out as the pressure overcome their reactor's ability to devote energy to it, and the vessel crashed down onto the front area of the cruiser. The force crumpled the armor, causing it to buckle in and crush several sections, which began to drag up as the engines continued to try and draw them back out, the rest of the ship being pushed up into the air.

The commander was flung from his chair and the rest of the crew forced to the floor as the impact shook the ship with incredible energy. Gripping the chair as everything began to slide forward, he gritted out an order.

“Report!”

One managed to grip onto his console, keeping himself up even as he looked at the screen. “The enemy vessel is still descending, but its forcing ours up. At this rate, it's going to tear through the front and send us rocketing through the air.”

“Prepare an emergency burst for the jets and have all remaining non-essential power for the engines. And warn the crew to brace themselves, this is going to be rough.”

Outside, the battle between ships came to an end as the Federal ships weight crushed the front section under itself, ripping it off the ship in a spray of sparks and shrapel, a large section of crew screaming in terror as they began to fall to earth. The contained velocity of the engines was let loose with the other ship now continuing its descent and it was sending rocketing back flipping over itself sending everything not held down crashing everywhere. Crewmembers were slammed into consoles and bulkheads, machines were ripped from bearings and slammed down onto floor, machine and Gata'jan alike. The bridge crew hung on as best they could, enacting the counter measure to try and balance themselves out. The engines flared and the jets burst, those that remained, bringin the flipping to a halt and managing to keep them afloat above the ground. An energy field had burst into being at the damage up front when it had been sheared off, managing to keep necessary oxygen from leaking and minimizing the damage.

On the bridge the commander was unconscious, and one of the bridge crew's body was a pile of broken bones at the base of one the walls. But they had managed to survive, with a heavily damaged ship. Communication was sent upward, informing the fleet of their status and how the operation was going, even as the enemy frigate consumed itself in a fireball on the ground outside of the colony. One of the bridge crew, as per protocol, was selected as new commanding officer until he was seen to and awakened again to take on his duties. The remaining ships were sent to hover just outside the colony, regrouping and taking stock of damage, casualties and remaining munitions for the ground and aerial operations.

*************

4/60 Gata'jan Wankhodo Warriors
5x Dzino-class FSF Fighter Squadrons, eight fighters each, fifth squadron down to 6 fighters.
1x Ngombe-class Attack Frigates, 1 destroyed.
1x Mkongo-class Cruiser, heavily damaged, unable to continue fighting.
3x Mavu-class Missile Frigates

[The Solar Cooperative Union]

Maya's eyes shot open to a world of pain, soot clogged darkness and terrible sound. Where was she, what had happened to her men, the colonists? Had those monsters taken her alive for some horrible fetishistic torture in their ships? Would she even get the privilege to die? Those grim possibilities were quashed as her hearing returned in patches and she heard a familiar voice. It was her corpsman, dragging her by the slot at the back of her armor, the APC a few meters away. She noticed the thick smoke pouring from it, and recognized a distinct smell of burnt flesh. A second glance indicated the smell was coming from her, where her athletic legs had previously been there was now a horrific sculpture of ceramic armor fused to flesh and bone in an abstract mound. The corpsman kept pulling her, dragging her along the ground behind him as he struggled on towards the colony habitat. It seemed they had lost, the creatures now free to have their way with the colonists who had already lost so much to senseless violence.

The teeth chattering shriek of strike-craft came into the world as fast as sound could move, hyper-powerful engines roaring onwards. Maya watched the anti-personnel bomb erupt over the clustered aliens and rain its telltale death onto them. Shrieks and hollers rang out from alien tongues as a mix of hyper-accelerated shrapnel and fire swallowed the cargo dock, secondary explosions from the APC and unused ordinance only amplified the effect. Maya's dilapidated HUD displayed a new signature arriving from the opposite direction of the alien assault, a data feed attempted to display on the fractured face-mask and instead came out as a half discernible tidbit of information. A Corporate Corvette, thats what that new blip on the map was. Overhead the strike-craft were being closely pursued by dozens of enemy fighters, however the battle hardened pilots and supplemental computers were holding their own. Thrust-vectoring combined with pulse jets meant that the craft could make near 90 degree turns in an instant, the missile pods continuing to fire deadly projectiles at their pursuers even as they dodged away. It was clear the strike-craft were not trying to escape, they were buying time for the evacuation of the colony. The numbers were no in their favor however as the dozen or so enemy craft closed in, two of the strike-craft exploded sending a shower of fire to the earth.

Maya had noted through her agony, that the corvette had come to rest between her and the corpsman and the colony, she imagined she could hear the bustle of civilians as they were frantically loaded into emptied cargo bays and hangars. A bolt of energy interrupted her imagining, it slammed into her last team mate and sent him reeling forward. The corpsman lay still as the wound in his back sizzled, Maya drew her pistol for what she knew would be her finale. She propped herself up on the body and took aim at the soot caked creatures that were advancing on her, she counted two, maybe three of the impish monsters. They didn't see her, or assumed she was dead, not unfair considering her legs looked like a Dali painting.

She depressed the trigger on her ChemMagnum pistol, a conventional bullet slung forward by potent exotic reactions.

It caught one of them in the leg, inhuman blood and tendons erupting from a sickly looking leg. It fell to its side, blood gushing around it and its comrades whipping their heads to see what had happened.

Maya squeezed the trigger again, a second round belched forward. Once again it found its mark.

The second one to get was caught in the throat, it didn't seize up or fall over. The creature grasped at the ragged hole in its body and turned to its third comrade, uttered something and then collapsed. Maya raised her arm a third time but felt a burning fist slam into her chest and send her sliding limp to the ground. She turned her tired eyes skyward and let a weak smile find its way onto her face.

Overhead the three strike-craft had been joined by a dozen others, descending upon the panicked aliens like eagles on bats. They were the dull orange of corporate hardware, and despite her mission to secure this planet she found the sight of a former enemy to be a welcome sight.

---

The upper-atmosphere of the swamp-world was disturbed as five warships slapped out of phase-space. The largest was a strike carrier who immediately unloaded its payload of bombers and fighters onto the planet below. The other four craft were Battle Cruisers, hulking angular warships with dozens of turrets and missile pods coming to life as they entered the combat zone, closing on the alien ships that hung over the planet.

Without so much as a hail or broadcast the cruisers unleashed a pointed typhoon of nuclear tipped missiles, more than sixty Pluton class anti-ship nukes shrieking at incredible speed towards the unsuspecting aliens. Shortly after the cruisers opened up with a barrage of spinal cannons, five slugs slammed forward at half the speed of light. This force had been intended to dislodge a significant federal garrison and was set to make quick work of the battered invaders.

[The Gataja]

Breath burned in his lungs, as his arms and legs pumped, weapon abandoned as he and the other only survivor of a pack burned their way towards the colony. The reinforcing strikecraft were pounding the entryway to the colony relentless, the ground still shaking with every explosion, and the air was becoming filled with the smell of smoke, the acrid tang of explosives and burning flesh. A few other stragglers had managed to make their way away as well, a haggard two packs trying to find their way out of the place. Ahead of them was the sniper from the wall overwatch team, issuing commands and encouragement from their communication sets. They were all following as they made their way to the colony.

The comm buzzed. ”Keep going, we are almost there. Once we get close enough to the colony to get out from the strikecraft, they won't be able to engage without harming their own populace. Once there, we can signal for pickup!”

Diso could see the colony coming up in their vision. The boxes and storage containers they had been passing were thinning, and he could see the ordered lines of a road leading up to another sealed gate. This one did seem less durable than the others, being a transport than a defendable location, but thankfully they weren't having to get in. They didn't know if they had any more soldiers inside and they didn't have enough explosives to really get through anyway. One of the Gata'ja looked to their right and cursed, fumbling for their weapon. Diso and the others turned to see two new situations facing them: the loud roar of a powerful ship engine as an enemy light class ship descended over the route they were taking, making this into a kill zone if they continued forward.

They could see movement from the colony, probably convoys of civilians being evacuated from the conflict zone. The second was the the remaining group of the humans they engaged. One of them was dragging what Diso could recognize as the leader of the human resistance, who looked very badly burnt from plasma spewed into the APC they had holed up in. It looked bad, definitely would require surgery to fix and probably would also remain somewhat disfigured. A vicious glee suffused itself through his system, starting in his gut. Good, for all the friends he had lost today, she deserved it.

Then the one who had noticed them drew his gun, and two others stepped up, anger and revenge obviously brewing in their minds. The sniper tried to stop them, but one of them shrugged him off, hissing at him.

“They killed our packs, fool! Blood demands blood!”

“Hasn't enough been spilled here today? We have fulfilled our objective, our duty is to leave and regroup!”

She spat, glaring him in the eyes. “Damn your duty and your mission. That mission got my pack killed. You can run if you want. Those who want payback can follow.” The other two growled in assent and followed as she turned around. Diso moved as if to join them but the other Gata'ja grabbed him.

“Don't. Any more violence here won't bring them back. Getting us back and ensuring some of us survive will.” She continued to drag him, even as his eyes followed their advance. The proto-Alpha had leveled her gun, and fired a shot at the human dragging the injured leader, searing a hole in his back, drawing a scream as he fell to the ground. A victory hiss was sounded as they closed in to feast, thinking both were dead. Diso watched with numbed senses as the injured human raised her gun and fired, a slug tearing its way through the air through the Gata'ja who fired, causing him to howl and drop his gun, clutching the open wound that burbled green blood over the clasped hands and onto the ground. The other two snapped their heads around to focus onto Maya and prepared to spring forward and tear her to shreds. Another press of the trigger, another round shot out, catching the one on the proto-Alpha's right in the throat, bits of flesh and blood spraying out. She reached out and wiped her face as the other clutched his throat, working his mouth trying to say something before pitching over to writhe out his last moments on the ground. A raw and primal cry tore itself from her throat as she launched herself at Maya, a fist coming down to crack down on her jaw, sending the gun spinning away from her hand. The human's head dropped, clearly unconscious from the blow as the female Gata'ja raised both hands in preparation to claw her to death. This was a mistake, as either it caught the wrong kind of attention or it made her noticed as a hail of kinetic rounds from a strike craft lit her up, tearing her body into separate pieces that fell twitching on the ground. There was another burst for the wounded Gata'ja on the ground, leaving another meaty smear, before it roared up and away, closely pursued by two Gata'jan fighters, plasma cannons blaring away after it.

Diso finally managed to tear his eyes away and stumbled along with the others, the sniper leading them to the wall and closely following it, trying to remain out of view for the chaos that was going on. At one point of the wall, he stopped them and began to engage his grappling tool. Realizing what his plan was, Diso and the other Gata'ja engaged their own, shooting up to dig into the top of the tall, testing it to make sure the line was taught. Once this was completed, they began the arduous journey up, listening as the injured Gata'jan force engaged the new wave of reinforcements. As they climbed, Diso gazed out, seeing the Gata'jan fighters weaving in and out of formation as they sought to overwhelm and crush the human opposition. Explosions pocked the air as craft exploded, kinetic shells, plasma bolts and missiles impacting and doing their deadly work, with a fighter dodging through the use of the battlefield and a flare to draw it off. There was an exchange of fire between the corvette hanging over the colony and the damaged vessels that were gathering just outside, but it was mostly deterrent fire as each had reason not to engage.

They cleared the top of the wall with a hop and began sliding quickly down, risking the danger for increased speed from the outside. “Diso, Manala, I'm setting a destination on our suit HUD's. That is the location of the nearest collection force, which should be finishing up salvaging one of the outer settlements. If we are to get off this damned planet, that is the way we need to take. Now, let's move.”

He looked at both, making eye contact and getting a nod, grabbing Diso's shoulder who was having trouble focusing, the numbness from all that happened overtaking him. “You can make it, you've been through this much. This is the final stretch; then we can eat like kings when we get home, yeah?”

Diso gave a small smile and seemed to perk up, something sparked in him and he felt the discipline return. “Y-yeah. Home.”

As one, they tensed and began running, off to find their salvation.

****

The fleet was having a hard time of it; they had just managed to finish off the defenders, and now reports were coming in that the ground force had been annihilated by this sudden reinforcement of the system. The commander had ordered the fighters to engage, to buy time and hope for some survivors. An enemy corvette had arrived just above the colony and was holding off any advance on the colony itself. They could overwhelm it if they focused their fire, but that'd risk the colony and burned and splattered meat would not be worth the transport.

“Sir, we're beginning to overcome the enemy's fighter screen; they're going to make us bleed for it, but we should reestablish aerial control within the next few minutes.” To punctuate their words, a Gata'jan fighter spun out and exploded, a human craft roaring through, getting nicked on a wing by a blast of blue-white energy as another one came in hot on its tail.

The commander held a hand to his head, a bandage being applied by a member of a medical pack that had been sent to the bridge after the fight had been completed. Dried green blood was caked on one side of his face and he looked exhausted. This fight had taken the toll on him and he was getting tired of this situation continuing to explode.

“Good to hear something going right for us again. Contact the fleet and let them know we need additional support if we are to fully subdue this planet and finish the operation. They had to have seen where these reinforcements came from.”

As he spoke, the communication console activated and a hologram of Chadzaoneni appeared. The commander rose to salute, but a hand from the medical team stayed him. Chadzaoneni began to speak, glancing off to the side as if checking something.

“What is the state of the operation?”

He let the air leave him with an irritated hiss. “Manageable. We've finished the main defenders of the colony, but a corvette and a fighter wing have revealed themselves, and we have word the ground assault has been almost completely destroyed. We're working on retrieving them and the salvage teams. We need more fleet support if we are to finish securing this planet for supplies.”

“Well, unfortunately, we no longer have the time for that. I can understand why you haven't seen it yet, considering the condition of your vessel. Five more human ships have appeared in the atmosphere and have swept your orbital support clean and we read more fighter and bomber wings heading your way. You have about ten minutes before they arrive; I have already informed the salvage teams. We are leaving this theatre; they have managed to salvage plenty of materials and meat from the outer areas and this was meant to be a minor raid. The casualties we have sustained are beginning to approach not acceptable rates to make this a worthwhile operation. I suggest you leave as soon as you can. We will hold position as long as we can to extract you, but the window is beginning to close commander.”

The Gata'jan straightened, adrenaline pumping through his veins as ice settled in his stomach. “Understood. We will be joining you shortly.”

With nothing else to say, the communication winked out and the commander began opening communication lines himself. The officer protested and he waved her off with an irritated huff. “You're too injured to do your duties at the moment and we cannot waste time. We need to gather everyone we can.”

****

“Please, you can't do this! We have done nothing to your people-” A swift crack with a rifle stunned the older human before he was shoved into the container and the door was shut, the magnetic lock shunting into place with a dull thud and a hiss of hydraulics. The guard punched his companion's shoulder lightly, a quiet congratulation on finishing their part and moved to surround the container as it was picked up and began to move towards the loading bay of the vessel. Others were finishing up other containers of people or salvaged technology and resources. Hastily deconstructed buildings, food, mineral ores and raw gases they managed to grab, along with a decent haul of humans. It'd be enough to feed a large amount of Gata'ja for a couple weeks, so it was a worthwhile haul, and they were only one group.

V'hash noted the progress they were making on his holopad, ticking off requirements as they went, coming to the final one with the last gate being closed on a container. “Very good. Begin preparations to leave the planet. We have the haul we need and we are the last.” A sound from the forest behind him brought his head whipping around, hair flying wildly as the pack guarding him formed up into a defensive stance as they prepared to deal with possible human attackers. Only to find three blood and ash smeared Gata'jan Wankhodo warriors, looking exhausted and panting for breath. The guards looked at each other; their condition and presence spoke much of the situation at the colony. Two moved out to helped them, when one waved his hands and began to speak between breaths.

“No time...colony force destroyed....unexpected enemy reinforcement...need transport off-world.”

V'hash stepped forward, watching as one detached his helmet and dry heaved what was left his meal onto the ground, the other grabbing his back and murmuring to him. Unsure eyes met the one speaking, who looked strained, if one was to put it lightly as he grit his teeth to repress whatever had happened.

“Is this all of you?” A grim nod. He closed his eyes and uttered a silent prayer, blessing their haste to the Hunting Grounds of their ancestors. “You have done your ancestors proud, warrior. We have gathered much of what has been needed and we would be honored to take you with us. We were just about to leave and-” His holopad beeped with an update, blinking red to show it was urgent. A claw slid over to reveal the message and his eyes widened.

“We are leaving. Leaving now. You, tell everyone to leave all non-essential items behind to get everything back in the ship. And have the ship began takeoff procedures immediately.” The guards froze a moment as they tried to deal with the whiplash of orders and then sprang into motion, many grabbing and moving items themselves, spreading the word, causing the camp to spring into a level of activity reminiscent of an anthill. The lead warrior laughed mirthlessly.

“More problems then?”

V'hash hesitated to inform them but nodded in agreement. “Yes. Another enemy force has appeared and destroyed our orbital support. The fleet commander has ordered that we withdraw; any more expenditure of Gata'jan resources and lives is not necessary beyond this point. I would suggest you and your companions get on the ship. We are leaving within the next few minutes.”

Wordlessly, he moved over, ushering his two companions into the vessel. The leader and the other survivors seemed to be supporting the younger male Gata'ja, who had begun to shake and twitch.

Ah, it must be one of the new recruits. A pity he had to learn the lesson of war so quickly, but it was best this was in V'hash's eyes. Besides, it was the duty of the Wankhodo to fight and die for the Ammudzi. They had to learn its price eventually.


****

The human force would have arrived only to see the three Mavu-class missile frigates, who detected the arrival too late and had begun to reposition and acquire target locks when the wave of nuclear missiles and kinetic slugs arrived. Gata'jan cried out in horror and panic as the wave came and crashed against their shields, which flared bright white as the nuclear explosions washed over them, the generators struggling to keep up the field against the assault. The kinetic slugs finished the score, ripping through the shield and driving a hole through each vessel, one being hit twice and ripping into several pieces, explosions rippling over their hulls as the rest of the missiles made their mark and the shield generators exploded. The energy reached the missile bays and fireworks lit up the atmosphere as all three crews were wiped out of existence. The squadrons of fighter and bomber craft would descend to see the Gata'jan formation, leaking energy and some decks still on fire for the main cruiser, as they huddled together in a formation.

The remaining Gata'jan strikecraft retreated back into the hull of the cruiser and as the human vessels broke orbit and began to descend, weapons hot and ready to drive off the alien menace, they left on their own accord. All of the vessels gained a blue field around them, crackling and twisting with the current of the atmosphere as the energy built and then they jumped, leaving the colony to screams of frightened colonists, the celebratory cries of the corvette and its remaining craft, and the bodies of both Gata'jan and human strewn about the entry areas itself, with only one injured human remaining to tell of the battle. The ships reappeared near the fleet, as Diso, Manala and the leader leaned exhausted in their seats on the salvage tug, which was moving to reacquire its docking on the flagship. Their status had been reported to Chadzaoeni, but he had ordered for them to rest and they would be debriefed after they had returned to Ammudzi space. With being the only three left alive of a sixty odd force of warriors, they could be allowed to rest. Manala was already asleep, head on Diso's shoulder, who was beginning to fade himself, exhausation winning out over the horrors. The last had begun to remove his gear and sort it, preparing himself to rest.

“Hey...”

He paused, turning around, seeing Diso struggling to stay awake. A wan smile appeared on his face.

“Yes, young one?”

“We...we didn't get y..your name.”

A full blown smile broke across his face as he reached over and helped remove helmet and took his weapon from him, storing it in a nearby locker.

“You need to get some sleep. We're all going to need it soon.”

Diso moved as if to rise, but Manala's grip tightened and he slumped back, drifting off into slumber. Before blackness claimed everything, he heard one last thing.

“It's Daruk'h.”

*****
End of Operation

3/60 Gata'jan Wankhodo Warriors survived.
3x Dzino-class FSF Fighter Squadrons, eight fighters each, third squadron down to four fighters survived.
1x Ngombe-class Attack Frigates, 1 destroyed.
1x Mkongo-class Cruiser, heavily damaged, unable to continue fighting.
3x Mavu-class Missile Frigates, destroyed.