As this is my first story, give me as much constructive criticism as possible. I welcome it.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything least of all Vandread, but I don't think there's much Vandread in this story yet for me to steal.
Year 12 BE: Light years from the Systems of Mejere and Tarak, the MAF prepares to defend its home world from an immense Harvester fleet.
Strategos Maeglos Anders of the Magellas Armed Forces smirked as she saw the Harvester Warships move forward. She had deployed her forces directly guarding her home world of Magellas. Her fleet of capital ships could easily defeat this latest Earthling probing attack. She issued her orders, "Spread out your fire we don't need unnecessary casualties by allowing them to engage our fighters.
The sensory officer cried out, "Strategos another Harvester fleet has just appeared on our sensors, it was hiding behind the third moon."
"This is Strategos Anders, Admiral Shelney I'm sending forces under your command to engage this new fleet, good luck." Shelney's forces moved into position to engage these new enemies. Anders expected them to do no more than delay the second Earth fleet until the first one could be dealt with.
"Strategos we've taken down the first flagship only 6 remain until we can support Shelney." The Harvesters activated their auxiliary thrusters reaching maximum speed.
"Strategos, enemy ships aren't opening fire; it appears they are intending to ram us. Anders expression turned from one of confidence to one of absolute horror. "All ships take Evasive actions now!" The Harvester warships, loaded with explosives crashed into the Magellas fleet and Anders stood frozen in fear as one collided directly with her flagship.
Shelney's fleet had just engaged the Harvesters when a massive explosion obscured the view of the other battle. He attempted contacting Anders but it was to no avail. "All surviving ships, I'm calling for a full scale retreat, everybody retreat to the planet." Alexis Shelney knew that this was just a matter of procedure. With 90 of the once proud Armed Forces wiped out he knew there was almost no chance of survival. Apparently the Harvesters realized that as well as they surprisingly made no attempt to engage. His soldiers had the same idea, and Shelney even heard some of them speaking about surrendering. He was still in disbelief himself. How could Maeglos Anders, hero of the First Earth War have been defeated so easily by machines? It was unnerving to the new Strategos, but as commander Alexis knew that he had to hide his feelings. His Comm. Officer gave him bad news, "Sensors detected thousands of pods falling towards the Yelneen Plains, what are your orders?"
Shelney cursed, "Form a perimeter around the drop zone with most of the army positioned to defend our major urban zones."
The army moved into position and Shelney knew it was only a matter of time before combat began. The troops were all looking to him for some kind of support in this dark hour. Shelney had no choice but to begin speaking,
"I'm not one for inspirational speaking especially in such a dark time but I beseech you, though we will all shall die this day, do not despair. That is what the Earthlings want, but instead I want you to show to them our true spirit. Let us force them to remember us and our glorious battle through the sheer power of human determination. I want you to die with no regrets, giving every last ounce of your life for the future of the human race showing those bastards our power! I want all of you to know that I will be doing the same!"
A resounding cheer issued forth from the Magellans and they looked from their defense positions to the growing mechanical menace flowing down from space.
Alexis Shelney stood watching as his troops prepared for combat against the attacking machines. The young and invalid had been evacuated from the urban area closest to what would soon be a combat zone, but most of the civilians had elected to stay and fight for their homes and their bodies. Shelney was feeling rather confident that they could repel this first attack when an officer arrived with some bad news.
"Strategos, Sensors have detected several dozen pods headed directly for our current position.
Shelney grabbed a blade in one hand and a disruptor pistol in another and yelled, "Then shoot them out of the sky!"
A wave of gunfire hit the incoming pods but they were too heavily armored for the attack to be of any effect. Voices filled the air as officers ordered their troops to prepare for combat. The pods hit the ground with explosive force knocking the nearest soldiers off their feet. Out emerged the Harvester Drones, spider-shaped machines with razor sharp blades at the ends of their legs, and the battle began. Disrupter fire filled the air cutting many of the Drones off from their remote links and rendering them helpless but they were too fast and soon hit the Magellan battle line. Blood splattered everywhere as the whirring Drone blades ripped Magellans to shreds before they could draw their melee weapons. The steel drone bodies were no match for the Magellans' diamond blades but the drones could cut through Magellan armor, flesh and bone with equal ease. Shelney saw several Drones break through the outer defenses and was forced into combat.
He ran forward and was met by three drones. He took out one with his pistol while another was downed by other disrupter fire the third leaped at him and Shelney was barely able to fend off the buzzing legs, lopping a pair off before stabbing through the main body destroying the automaton. Shelney pulled his sword from the destroyed machine and looked at the carnage around him. Blood and metal scattered the battlefield and as he looked towards the Plains Shelney stared down his doom. Thousands of drones surrounded two enormous structures hundreds of feet tall and armed to the teeth which were both slowly moving towards his position.