Roy barked out, "GEAR UP!  I want us out and on the ground in seconds, everyone better have everything they need when this bird touches down or you're gonna have my boot-print embossed on your backside!"  He did a last check of his armor, checked his assault rifle...one of the Barretts was still broken down in its gear bag, he'd set it up if the situation warranted.  He reached down and gave Larry a pat.

"Guess we'll find out if you like fish, Larry," he said, with a dangerous grin, before calling out, "Thirty seconds to ground!  Be ready!"

Henry checked that Mila was ready, and sat holding his shotgun. This wasn't how he liked to visit a new planet.

Garrat was ready to go, he looked like a pitiless machine in his visored helm but an evil chuckle ticked out on the com, “Why sgt-mgr, I didn’t know you could kick that high.”  He runs out and to the right as soon as the door is down.

    The  three  Shuttles    Touched    do In a  Tri=leaf  formation.. Some  Aqra   scouts, or  troops  were in the   trees and the Bubble  Guns  Opened Up.  trees and Bodies  were torn up  by the twin 50  Cal MGs..

 The  Mechs  Broke from thier  clamps on the shuttles, and began   to fan out towards the   Lake.  Duke  Came out of the Hold  with the   5 man  squad  of support  troops that followed the Mechs.. 3 rifle man..a COM man and a  rocket launcher. The Diamond  and the  Spade 's trioops  poured out  as they followed their leads..


 Stoly came on the COMs,Alright Folks?...  we  touched down a good  10 miles closer to the   Lake then we were supposed to...i gues that thick  Atmo made the  ride   a bit  rough...anyway..that Gives them Transport shuttles  and Big Uglies Lotsa  room behind  us  to Set up  As they looked  around   they notcied the  grass, Knee High was   very moist , as was the soil.

 they saw  red   Lines  as   the headed  noses  of   drop shuttles  Burned through the  air  to Land  Behind them,,Fighters, Like Flocks  of  Birds, Flew   over  and  around.. The Hermes Fighter  wing..   firing ahead of them heading towards the Lake.  An explosions that sent   large metal arms    Fling into the air,  Told the  Troops  that the   Fish folk had mechs.

  Will  said over the COMs,woooooieeeee.. this beats the 9 hells  out of walking down corridors...

    not to Far from the  Shuttles, the Gava transport touched  down... scores of Little  Humans  with  Blue  'capes' or  tiny blue  tunics  cahrged out... The Bounded through the   grass, like  rabbits .. Two   Aqra    tropers  were engulfed  and   torn to  bits , then the  Gavas  Moved on.... one Gava picked  Up a side  arm and  fired  it  rndomly into teh trees  in front.. Limbs breaking off as they were truned to ice.

   Larry      Lunged Out and Followed Roy... He Let out  a Long  Savage  Roar...

  The Roar wa sanswered    500 Yards  behind   them  as Nivaian  poured out of thier  transport  with  at least  6 more  Largs..

............

 behind  then.. the  drop  shuttles and Big  Uglies   landed.. Tanks  na d troops  flowing out   like  dark Blue water...  a wave  of them  Moved    topwards  the Moutnains/..EWSN  fighters  strafing the   slopes   to knock out    any  defesne.. the sky was  full of ESN  Metal fallign  from the sky.. some  100 miles  away the twisted burnign  front half of  a Burning Aqra Battleskim was falling..

  Naragrans    Came out of  their  Own Transport  one of them  still had  a flight  helmet webbed  to its  back.. then  began to  scuttle into the trees near the Gavas...

..................

     when the    Duces  began to  touchdown, Shadow  snapped  orders,..Look for   things  on the  ground that aren't us.... look for things that might blow up.... when you reach the Lake... fire at any  Buildings   that are   sticking out of the water...or  close to the surface.... and Most of all... shoot up those landing Craft.... If  fighter s  show up... then You break off   if you flight  leader  agrees.. right now?>.  the folks on the  Ground are the  thing  we have to protect...

 the  Fighter   wing   flew over in two waves , except  for the Felrites that were still dancing with     figthers  , just above  the Atmo.

 An Odd lookign take.. shaped Like a Crab, with Legsa  instead of  tracks,  and  two independant  Pulse  cannons on the top  was  Blown to bit s  By shadow's   37 MM...  up and  down the    fighter wave  similar  fountains  of    water  rising  , or  fire  gouts.. as  37 MM rounds hit    the ground or the target

 Musette called,..theess ees much like crabbing... only... with  fighters...

 Gia   giggled,..we reach the beach.. we  will be  digging the Clams...

     Garrat wished she hadn't said that about clams.  Pill boxes would be a natural defense for aquatic people and they were damn had to find at times until they found you.

    He moved foreward looking for cover, trying to sefely reach the trees where his size would go from being a disadvantage to an advantage.

    His eyes were peeled and his big gun was ready.

 Over  ALL COMs  On COM 1...attention.. I  am goign to Free  up COM 4... we  will be  able to hear everything  from   their  side.. they will be able to hear everything from outside... if you must transmit ..Use COM 1  for  just fleet...unless.. you want them to hear...  Beth Out...

 within seconds  the Music  on COMs    4  'broke up"..though it  continued  on COM 3   and COM 2....Most...Empire forces  did not use  COM 1 , as they upgraded  over the  years.

 Cross  talk....

 "...Humans  Have  Gava with them!...… Large Bug Creatures  ..not Creshains... they are   eating and Killing My Men!..."


  " Nivarians!.. they Have  the Runnign beasts...  be careful..shot theem on sight!..."


  "...Mech  Two of the..( explosion..static)"


…….

  our  side...


 Gava"...AHHH!!!!!!  GRRRR!!!!!!.. ACK! ACK!.... HAHAHHAHAHAHA! "


  Naragrans,"... seek out.... destroy water people.."


……………………………..


 with this was added,...  the  howls of the  Hammer Vas  and Darts..... The Novas  were said not  to have the Howl, which bothered  some piltos, ebcause the sound  reminded  the Demon folks of their flying 'dragons".


 It wasn't   Until  the figthers Zipped towards  the Lake  and the Landing Craft comign up from below... that  the  High scream of the Nova  engines Cut through the   air  Like the 'nails-chalk board thing....though thepiltos   could barely  hear it..outside it was savage....  there  wouldn't be  any Novas  sneaking up on any one...anything  soon.


…………………..

  Lyri directed  her    people Forward..Ma-Ti had  her sniper  rifle   reasy  as she Moved to the tree line..they had  been very lucky... the  Aqra were  caught off  guard, never  thinking the Fleet would Invade  while the  Planet Defesne   fleet engaged them...Now?.. troops  were on the Ground, figthers  in the air..and more  coming down by the second...

 Meanwhile   the first 5 or so   Landing Craft comign up from the deep  were   Blown to Bits  my 37 MM  fire.. the  azure blue  of the lack.. darkening  around  the   dead machines  as bodies  bled out....


……………..


 on the east Coact… the  Aqra on that  side , in the ocean were ending larger   waves of landing craftmand figthers  emerged  from the water... The   APF forces  had  Installed  a  few  Guns on the  top of the Mountain.. and were trying to get more in.. those  Guns  fired..Hard ammo at the  shoreline... Landing craft  exploded...  and even misses, shredded  troops  that able  to   dismebarl the   Egg shaped , 6 legged  crafts...

 once they reach the shore  the Legs  deployed   and  Mouth Rams  came  down... The Aqra, had to take thier own beach!...


 meanwhile  fighters  from other Vangaurd ships tangled with the air support, or strafed  the  beach... the APF  wouldn't have  enough guns to stop them, they were  just  slowing the  flow....

  But, near the foot of the Mountains.. some 5 miles from beach … the  Ape Folk Landed... When the Commander   COmed that his people   had  disembarked.. the   shelling  was shifted  to  land in the water to damage or destroy the craft doing from the Deep ocean..


 the Dark Blue Line of Ape folk Moved through the trees..  as the Light Blue of the Aqra   surged  from thier  landing Craft.... fighter s still gave  aid to the Ape folk.....But the Aqra  ha d No clue what they were  about to run into...

---> Hangar Dec

Forming up on Waggles fighter, Harry concentrated flying the Bee so as keep swirl of emotions at bay, wondering how her life had become such a god awful mess in such a short space of time and there was absolutely nothing she could do about any of it! Though perhaps there was one ray of sunshine in all of this, her hand coming up to gently stroke Hamlet's head as new mascot stared out of her cockpit at the planet before her.

Glancing out the side of her cockpit she would watch as An'Teela and Justin made their attack run on one of the new corvettes; a trail of frozen liquid briefly pouring from the Angel's fuselage before the flow was cut off by one of the many safety measures within the fighter "Not bad...though it looks like one of those guns tagged you Teela" Harry commented as the Angel moved to rejoin them, with Harry meanwhile preparing to make her descent into the upper atmosphere.

Quickly adapting her flying style for the thick and humid atmosphere of Aqra, automatically making the required adjustments to her controls as she "buzzed" over the top of trefoil of landed shuttles to strafe the edge of the clearing with a barrage of pulse cannon shots so as to drive back any enemy lurking within trees, allowing the ground forces to exit their transports unmolested before ascending back into the sky to search for a target.

 The Aircreaft pounded the Landing craft    that seem to 'fly' under  the  Surface,  but once  hitting the shore..    6     Legs  Unfolded and the things   walked  about  30 yards  onto the sand and  short grass , Jaw Like   ramps in teh  front opened and   Aqar troops   poured out in their Light  Blue Uniforms.


  troops  seem to 'appear' on the shore.. streams of them... Until it was seen by over ehad  Fighters that the Uniforms blended perfectly with teh water..at elast..from up there.

 As B Flight  flew  Upards...havign  strafed  the  water  and the   Buidling  parts   sticking out of..or just under the surface,  Shadow Opened  His COMs,...  Hey...Headers?  I don't see  any  red aircraft.. Just  these  targets  the Aqra are sending up?..... Got alot of Flight leaders   down here..and 6 times more    Pilots  who would love to meet you... or?.. do you not  wanna get you're ass kicked?


   Frans  Called out,..Shadow?... a Flight  of  Aqra  to the  east... they may be covering troops.... get rid of them, we'll Harrass the Beach with  Fitz's flight.. Howe and Steele have the otherside of the LAke...He-La  is  covering our troops moving in.. the Cats...are playing with thier food   in the Black..


   Got it.. we'll be back after  we  take care of them.... B-Flight break off  .. Waggles  -Harry to port....Teela ,  Justin to the starboard... me  and  My sword Maidens up the Middle.. Fighters  first.. then the  ground troops.. if you see armor, or Mechs.. take them out..
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:08, Fri 25 May 2018.

Acknowledged 19, out replied Justin as he powered back on the thrusters allowing the flight to get ahead of him before he and rolled the Nova over moving from the Port to the Starboard side of the Flights formation. His eyes sweeping across the different coloured dots showing on his HUD  identifying Allied and Enemy targets. Locating the flight Starboard of B flight. 124 Do you want the fourth or fifth he asked, referring to the five bogies.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:26, Sat 26 May 2018.

"Lucky hit from one of the guns I didn't finish off. Hazards of the Dance, Harry." Teela said as she pounded some of the structures with her Pulse Cannons. She heard the orders being given and broke off her attack.

"Copy that, 124 out," she said and formed back up with Justin, copying his roll to move to the starboard side of the formation. "I'll start with the fourth and see if the fifth is still flying once I'm done."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:14, Sat 26 May 2018.

"Roger that, moving to engage" Harry responded as the Bee gracefully moved over to the Port side with Waggles before moving to intercept the incoming Fighters. Targeting the fighter furthest to port Harry would open fire with her pulse cannons, waiting until she was nice and close before opening up with her 37mm. Regardless of whether or not she dispatched her target or not she'd make a sharp turn to starboard. Twisting her fighter round to try and come in behind another target and firing her cannon once she'd lined up her shot.

  All around thier  region  Blue  Fighters  ( or  Gold and Blue with Nivarians  refusing to  cover the sacred sun color)  flew around, some danced   with   Aqra  fighters,  some    strafed  enemy troops and LAnding  Craft..    More  fighters   were  beign send over the Mountain to  help thin out the Thousands of  landing craft comign from  the Ocean to the  East of the Mountain.

 Aqra  Fighters  starting to get into the  air  Now, One surface  Base lost all its   aircraft   as two fights  from  the Atlas strafed  the 9 hells out of them, leaving the base   in flames and  scores  of   Bodies  on the ground

 Harry  and Waggles   flamed  two of the Mist  Fighters... Just as  Frans  Guessed, below  them was a column of   odd  lookign  tanks  walking  down the   round  with  some 100 troops.. they were double  timing to reach the  'beach  head" the  shuttles set up...some 5 miles to Go.


 Teela  and Justin  each flamed   a Vapor  that  were in the front of the   Troops... Shadow  , Flores   and  Kat  torched   3  of the   4 in the  Center.. the Flight   leader  trying to escape  with flashing  Light   telling  every one , who he was..

 Make  sure that Armor  doesn't survive... and chew  up as many troopers  as you can...

………….

  As  Harry and Waggle s  saw   Sahow  and his wings  shoot through..an Odd then   Happened in Harry's   cockpit...  Hamlet shifted, as if  he was looking  .. whether it  was the   hits she  was taken from Gun fire..or the turn she made.. her eyes  followed the  Haster's  eyes... out of  the Sun... 7  Blood  read  Hammers...new  Hammers... Hammer  VIIs....  and they were just hitting their power ons… before that.. screens just through them 'dead metal.."

In reply to An'teela (msg # 22):

Justin grimaced at Teela's comm. Should I quit the field now 124, and let you finish off the Battle yourself, or will you be letting me get a look in on this fight.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:28, Sat 26 May 2018.

  Shadow's  Voice  chuckled over the COMs,..ground  targets  are good.... they might not  be as flashy, but it will save trooper's  Lives..well..i mean..ours.. no worried  about thiers..

 Shadow , Kat  and  Flores   Came  across the  forest  road   firing the best they could Flores   Blew up a walking tank.. Kat  Killed  a few  Dozen troopers..  Shadow shot  a  samller  vechile that might have  been a COM  wagon or  Command  car.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:38, Sat 26 May 2018.

  The Battle  was something from an Aqra Horror  movie..Humans… Sanri, Occui.. other   Races  they have never  even  met were on their  planet!..and attacking!


 The Capital  city had  already taken some Damage, and  down south   things  were whistling down  from the  sky into the ocean to   explode  send   massive   shock waves that  Killed  those  two  Close  and   shattered  or  Damaged the  wonderful Building the Aqra  were so proud of.... teh ships that  attacked  the southern Hemisphere  did not let up.. round   after  round hit the shores  and the  water... drop ships  were landing on either  Short of the Southern Ocean,..and Gavas.. thousands  of Gavas,, some wearing Blue..Some  were native… but they were  fighting along  side the ESN.

 Aqra didn't  get any mercy from the Gavas... Humans  or Apefolk  fought with them, protecting them   from  armor   and such, while  the Gava swarmed troopers  tearing them apart,  Bow s were  being taken from Aqra  and used  against them.... films  would catch  Gavas  and  Ape folks   stealign a bite to eat now and then...



,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


 Bck up  at the Landing Zone,   the Herme s assault  force reached the   tree  line... Not  far away     B flight was     chewing up somthing to the  north east...


  the small figure s of the   herme s wing  could be see   flying  back and  forth over  the Lake... Then.. for the first time.. they saw  each other... The 'lucky' troops that hit the beach  before the fighers got there  were  charging forward, only to come  eahd on  tot eh shuttle  forces the  whole way f down the    Line shout  so f  surpsie  and  anger   and the trops  clashed towgther..

 Larry shot  awad  Of Roy   tearing   fish folk aprt at the legs to maim them as he  ran around in a circle...

 The mechs  encounter   trooper    and   thier   weapons  let loose  Boddies  and  tres  alike began to  Fall..

  Just  down the Line  from them  a Nivarian  was    truned  white  By a Frost gun,  but the  Shooter   Died  as one of the Niavrian Largs   tore  its ehad off..

Teela growled at the tone and words Justin used. She took a deep breath before opening her comms. Her voice was strictly calm, cold, and professional with none of the humour and warmth it usually held. "Please forgive the error in communication on my part, 19. I'll take the fourth. 124 out."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:15, Sat 26 May 2018.

Roger that 124. 25 out Manoeuvring his Nova to Teela's Starboard, Justin positioned his kite for a better firing angle on the oncoming Bogies. 124 If you want to mess with the Aqrain Heads we can do a quick cross over. Over
This message was last edited by the player at 03:59, Sat 26 May 2018.

"Copy that, 25. Crossover on your mark," the Angel replied.

Sweeping towards the oncoming Mist's Justin quickly calculated distances, acceleration and time. Seconds before they were in targeting range Justin commend on 2...124,  1, 2. then rolling the Nova low switching position with Teela. Quickly bringing this bogie into his sites he squeezed off two bursts at what he hoped would be a befuddled Pilot.

Teela made the crossover with Justin at his mark and quickly lined up her target before firing controlled bursts from her 37mm cannons as well as pulses from her lasers, marking how the humidity in the air refracted the light, if it did so in any visible fashion.

  The two  managed  to  Burn the   Aqra  Fighters.. they both  felt the    shaking of thier  aircraft as pulse  gunners    on the walking Tanks  opened up on the   ESN figthers as they passed over  head.

"Huh...I guess he does like fish..." Roy mused aloud as he watched Larry taking limbs off Aqrians before racing on to the next target.  He smiled grimly, and gestured for the team to gather around, so he could call out instructions.

"Okay...Lirg, I want you and the Felrites to be our center.  Lt. Hirr, you're in charge of that group...keep Larry covered, try and keep up with him, and kill anyone he leaves alive.  Az-El, take the Scots with you and cover the right flank, we'll cover the left.  Any of you hit any stiff resistance, call for air support...the air is full of our fighters, Captain Nilsson's up there somewhere...help will be coming fast.  Don't be stupid and try to punch through if you hit determined resistance, but the faster we move, the more off-balance we keep them.  Let's move..."  He gestured for the ESN team to come with him as he deployed to the left of the line of advance that Larry was establishing.  Any Aqrian that became visible got a quick burst of fire sent downrange at them, as he hustled forward, trying to turn Larry's point of penetration into a broad wedge cutting into Aqrian domain.

In reply to J a T (msg # 33):

Sweeping through the Smoke which was what remained of the Bogie the Nova was buffeted by pulse rounds from the Aqraian Tanks, attempting to knock Teela and himself from the sky. Zig zagging to make targeting him more difficult Justin glanced over his shoulder at the attacker below. 124 Have you had much exposure to Close Ground Support? Over.

  Breaking off as  ordered  the   weapons began to  Fire Heavy weapons    fired  Behind Larry ( no one trusted them self  to  lead him as he ran about like  some demonic shepherd  dog.

 Will was firing  at Aqra he saw in small Groups  Next to him, Rolfe's  grenade Launcher  coughed  as it sent rounds  Behind  the   Aqra shredding   troops


 Teh Aqra  were  determined..  heat rounds    hitting  troops    burn through   armor and sometimes  sent  people ablaze.. cold  round   Turned folks   white  as the   fell to teh  rgound, dead, or clutching limbs that  looked  like  tree  branches after  a winter  rain.


  But, the Aqra  faced Horrors   as well... screaming Fighters   bring  death in forms of  Lazar, Pulse  and Hard ammo HE....Gavas  , Ape folk and Naragran, not only killing   them But  eating  them on the run..


   some of the transport troops fired the  weapon that scared the  Aqra  the Most... Streams of  Brining Liquid, that adhered  to thie r   bodies  and Burned... or started  Blazes when  sticking to certain  tress  and   brush.. the High O2 fed the  flames   even as the  think moisture  tried  to  squash  them.. leaving  Bright  flames and Heavy smoke  The   Stuart tanks     churned up swamp like  soil as they formed  Flanks   for the spear head.. the encounter s with   Crablike Tanks, went  to the  faster  little    tanks.. as  marked   But   bulb-like   explosions, sending   metals and Bodies  through the air...

 The Panzers  found they were too heavy  for this  battle  filed..  and set up as artillery.. Firing   Over the  ESN heads, towards the Lake and the Sides.


  Doc Henry and Mila followed the  wave   of   Dark or Royal  Blue..Mila did not seem happy Splashing around   in the muck... Henry  got the image of her     diving into the water, if  and when they reached  the shore.

 One thing  Henry noticed... Leeches , much like  earth leeches, were as big as hotdogs..  Mila Yiped  as One   attached   itself to her  left  Flank.. when he looked around he   saw them sliding off  armor of  his  comrades... But   swarming to the dead and   Filling Up on the blood.


 Roy Noticed  Officers in the  Aqra  had  small Blue Lights on their  helmets .. and Two of them were not  far from him  shouting orders into  COMs


 Garrat's  weapon    fired, opening  Big Holes  in Aqra Bodies.. Minnet was not far from him calmly   firing bursts   from her  Heavy Pulse into  groups of  fish folk..or  even.. moving  Brush, surprising Aqra who that they were being  sneaky

…………….

 The Mechs were making   a decent  dent in thier  end of the line.. some  of the  small tanks  to thier   left Tearing into  the   troops.. Aqra mechs  looked formidable , but thier  cockpit  glass shattered easy enough  with Minigun rounds... Mechs were no good, with dead pilots.