Sorry for the delay n the update. Several factors including job hunting, laziness, playing a lot of Destiny, and reading has delayed my writing. So as a way to make for the additional week or so the chapter is longer than my usual 3,000 words. All so I will be changing my update schedule to at least once a month for this story. Read and Review. It helps the Chapters come out quicker. Enjoy.
Chapter 12: Planetfall
Scutum–Centaurus Arm
Surface of Nerti
"Incoming! Hostile AA batteries opening fire!" shouts Seva, the leader of Nightmare Seraph Squadron off of the Shadow of Intent. "Highlight positions. Dive to the deck and go full evasive!" The forty teardrop shaped fighters push their throttles to the max. As they pull dozens of gees in a screaming power dive, the pilots transmit the firing points of the missiles and guns. Weaving through the death filled skies the forty fighters trail a pillar of blue exhaust as the ground gets closer by the second. Pulling up at one hundred and fifty meters the overlapping sonic booms are drowned out by the artillery duel above them.
The Guardian laser batteries power up and begin their diagnostic sequence once the Burning Heavens was confirmed to be entering the atmosphere. It took one minute from when the operators turned the guns over to the fire control VI to start shooting. Dozens of ear-splitting cracks reverberate through the rocky terrain. As orange-red beams of light race skyward. The clouds darken and spit lightning as huge amounts of energy are released into the atmosphere.
In low-orbit Indo snarls at the increased surface fire, "I want those lasers destroyed! Once those batteries are locked in, I want a full bombardment of the area. Grid smash those slaver scum! Tell the Burning Heavens toignore the lasers and concentrate on destroying the anti-air sites."
"At once my lord." Replies the bridge crew. They move with swift purpose to relay their master's wishes.
First Officer Elwa 'Nadom tilts his head to Indo and says, "Orders have been sent and acknowledged. Preparing to fire in 4… 3… 2…1… firing, the lights dim briefly as a broadside of hardlight rounds and plasma torpedoes erupt from the orbiting warships.
In the center control room of Nerti's defenses sits General Roka Graf' Faros, swearing heavily. The Guardian lasers should have destroyed that damn ship. No barrier system can stop lasers and the lasers built into the surface have enough power to burn through cruiser armor in a few shots. In addition to that problem, his anti-orbital weapons have been destroyed by something… plasma his lead engineers said, plasma and something else. "Have all soldiers head to fall back positions and wait for the bombardment to stop. AA guns will continue to engage hostile aircraft. Let's make a dent in their numbers. Ensure that a distress signal is sent to the Hegemony that someone is attacking us and send a fleet!"
Earthquakes are felt in the command bunker. Dust and loose siding from the walls create a fine mist in the air. Choking Faros orders, "Status report now! What in the hell was that!?"
"Sir," replies a sensor tech, "It seems that all lasers batteries and the surrounding area has been heavily struck from orbit. All outpost and sensors are not responding within a kilometer of the batteries."
"Shit. Any damage reported on that ship?"
"None sir. If the scans of its energy levels are anything to go by then we barely scratched it."
From the heavens dozens of beams strike planet. The hardlight rounds cut through armor, dirt, and rock effortlessly. The landscape explodes as the bond between atoms is removed in a blue-white flash. The plasma torpedoes following create rivers of lava that rapidly cool creating eerily green tinted flat tombs for dozens of batarian soldiers caught out in the open.
"Shipmaster enemy anti-ship weapons destroyed, damage to shielding 15%. Thermal bleed through has damaged armor sections 47B and 51C-80C. Nightmare Squadron has uncovered the hostile AA batteries. Our invasion forces are approximately thirty-five seconds outside the guns observed engagement range."
"Very well task pulse lasers and hardlight cannons to destroy those cannons. Hopefully we will draw their fire sparing our brothers a needless death!" replies Voro.
His weapons systems officers relays the orders and begins to coordinate the salvo with each battery that stud the two kilometer long battlecruiser. On the outside a series of flush protrusions that line the venereal and dorsal hull swivel gracefully and quickly. The pulse lasers barrels extend just outside the protective turret. Larger bulbs do the same except when they are charging to fire it casts a blue-white shadow on the still glowing hull, bright with tongues of fire from re-entry.
In each local fire-control station status lights change from a blinking red to a steady green. These indicators are automatically transferred to the CIC. The AI of the Burning Heavens announces that the weapons are locked on and ready to fire. "Be ready to re-task pulse lasers to interception duty." Orders Weapon's Systems Officer Anwa 'Aebos. His underlings acknowledge the command without averting their eyes from their sensor and targeting screens with a short nod he turns to the shipmaster and says, "All weapons are to fire on your command Shipmaster."
"Fire! We are endangering the lives of brothers with every shot those guns fire!" Growls Voro in a predatory manner.
Bolts of fire pour out from the ventral and lateral sides of the cruisers. The bolts and beams pass missile and shell as the sky once again is filled with fire. The leading escorting Seraphs shield the transports with their lives. Spots of flame and wreckage form as aircraft get plucked from the skies. Slowly the AA fire lessens. The guns go silent either from annihilation or the fear of it. The assault pods carrying the spec-ops units get lost in the clutter and jamming fields and hit the barracks and CnC Bunker Complex in force.
In tight groupings the drop pods hit the open grounds of and surrounding roofs. Several flights of Seraph fighters break off from the swirling dogfight and provide cover for the assault squads. Plasma rounds stitch across the ground burning the dirt and fusing bone. Heavy energy rockets wipeout towers and heavy weapon bunkers. The strike lasted thirty seconds before the fighters break off. As the dust settles and smoke bellows in the sky the cloaked figures move through the rubble, quick radio commands flash through heavily encrypted channels. Snipers take overwatch positions as the riflemen and assault specialists move to the blast doors. They wait motionlessly as the horizon is backlight with explosions and the lights on top of the doors start flashing.
With a slow mechanical grind the heavy blast doors open and several platoons of Hegemony marines pour out into the courtyard. They don't see in their rush to secure the now ruined remains of their bastion the one hundred and fifty cloaked sangheili, unggoy, and mgalekgolo warriors slip into their main combat base. Leaving the hunters pairs with a fire team each at the first internal strong point the elites continue forward. Each room is cleared with surgical precision, breached with plasma torches the four man teams clear the rooms with short bursts of carbine fire. The green beams cut through the red darkness of the emergency lights. The technicians and security guards wear little to no armor. The radioactive bolts cut through them like butter. Only soft grunts are heard as the planetary command is cut down one by one.
The marines protecting the courtyard get a garbled radio message from the defense complex. The commander sends two squads to investigate. Failing to get the proper radio responses he decides to send half of his command to reinforce the bunker complex. As the Batarian marines break cover and head to the blast doors their unseen watchers send a simple message, "Execute!" The doors slide open revealing a shimmer in the air. A current of confusion ripples through the ranks as the Imperium commandos drop their cloaks and open fire. The hunters and grunts unleash a torrent of radioactive beams into the stunned aliens. The posted snipers open fire with their beam rifles. The purple silver lances carve through the skulls of Batarian officers with each pinging whine.
Before the marines regroup and overwhelm the outnumbered commando's flights of banshees and vampires dive-bomb the courtyard sowing more death and confusion. As the aircraft enter their screeching dives the embattled infantry scatter. In this brief break in the small arms fire two companies of airborne rangers jump right into the rapidly cooling ground. As they engage the enemy at close quarters the sangheili zealots draw their blades and charge. The five hundred batarian marine contingent is massacred. With the main command center wiped out the remaining marine contingents and the various merc bands are left isolated and vulnerable.
In the open ground surrounding slave pens the lead phantoms drop off their loads of infantry and supporting armor, they have to suppress the outer defenses to allow for the poltergeists to deploy the bulk of the legion. The whine of the plasma cannons of the gunships are over shadowed by the high-pitched crack and sonic boom of a dozen heavy mass accelerators. The ground is pitted and cracked as the Imperium vanguard desperately seeks any cover in the open ground. The leading infantry and armor teams are savaged by the heavy towers and trenches at the base of the walls. Watching her warriors die in futile attacks the Ultra in command snarls in rage as another one of her wraiths explode, her command is borderline mission ineffective. She roars into the company wide comm net, "All warriors take cover and mark positions with active pulses!" Switching frequencies she calls for a saturation strike from the Burning Heavens.
Instead of Voro voice she hears the deep smooth bass of Indo, "Hold your ground Zealot. Orbit strike withheld. Assistance inbound." With that the comms click off. Assistance, she thinks, she doesn't need more warriors. What she needs is overwhelming firepower. A resounding BOOOM is heard as a large object lances through the atmosphere trailing a cone of fire. The impact before the walls throws up a choking screen of dirt, rock, and smoke. A hissing sound is heard, of rapidly cooling metal. A mechanical grind and electric whirl soon replace the sounds of its arrival.
The fighting stops as a large shadow moves out into the open. It stands at almost fifty meters tall, with three decks clad in silver purple armor. Its sloped back holds three of heavy turrets arranged in a triangle. Each turret mounts the same firepower as an anti-air wraith. At the apex of the slop rests a single heavy plasma cannon. Along its flanks rest three heavy automatic plasma cannons to a side. They are to ward off infantry that come to close. Its most fearsome weapon sits in its bulbous head, a three prong grey metal hard light cannon.
The firing stops as the behemoth stirs, each step an earthquake as it seemly awakens from a slumber. Its head charges a brilliant white, then with a cracking sound akin to lighting it fires. A stream of explosive hard light strikes the guard towers as the other weapons douse the walls and trenches with lethal doses of heat, concussion, and radiation. The towers erupt into flame as the heavy plasma cannons delivers bolt after deadly bolt.
The Scarab braces its self as the main gun charges and unleashes a five round burst. The first three open up several gaps in the walls. Screams are heard as the armor plated metal is torn apart. Some are crashed, others ripped to pieces by shrapnel. The las two rounds detonate over the gaps. Bodies flare as the tens of meters wide energy fields wash over them, vaporizing organic components and destroying inorganic ones. The defending fire slackens as zealot orders her remaining forces into the trenches and breaches.
"All surviving transports load up on infantry and charge the breaches, secure the breakthrough! All remaining tanks follow the transports. Any dismounted mounted infantry charge the trenches! Cover the Scarab as it supports us and the next wave. Leave none alive!" she roars and draws her blade with hiss. As one the remaining warriors rush the scared and stunned defenders under a hail of fuel rod rounds. The bright green flashes illuminate the battlefield with ghostly images as the Imperium's vanguard rush onto the fused and broken ground.
Riding down in his personal phantom Indo's mandibles tighten into a predatory smile. "It seems brothers that the invasion is going well and the only thing left to do is crave the head of this rotten planet from its shoulders. The Burning Heavens will vaporize every outlaying/non-essential building in the complex! We are only going after the so called governor and his party guests. Everything else will be glassed! Steel your hearts and prepare, for we move, in twenty!"
The sounds of rushing air and the dim of battle is momentarily drowned out by the roar of war cries of his chosen warriors. The four phantoms, escorted by a full squadron of seraph fighters, dive into the smoke choked skies surrounding the governor's palace. Above them casting a long menacing shadow sits the Burning Heavens.
"Aebos have our sensors confirmed the Fleetmasters primary target?" asks Voro.
"Yes Shipmaster. The planetary leaders are located here," pulling up a 3D holographic map of the complex. The projection highlights a bunker located fifty meters below ground. "We can level the entire place and leave the bunker untouched for the Fleetmaster"
"Good Aebos. You may fire when ready."
An eye watering whine cut through the dim of battle. Those not actively engaged in the dance of death winces as they watch the CCS class battlecruiser rotate in place. Its flanks and belly glowing. Every embattled merc and Hegemony marine dies for the nearest cover and prays for mercy as air ionizing from the energy build up.
It fires. Wave after wave energy craves through the air. Leaving dust, smoke, and fire swirling in its wake. The defenses of the palace complex fire in last ditch salvo of spite. They are melted away. Section after section is consumed. The innocent dying along with the guilty. The section of ground is cracked and pitted. The kinetic force craved great gashes into the ground. The lasers melting metal and earth into molten rivers as the plasma torpedoes flash fry everything. It lasts for five minutes, a spectacle of destruction that silences the battlefield as those on the ground witness the wrath akin to gods.
The phantoms hover above the burnt remains of the palace. The extreme heat rising in steady waves rocks the gunships as the pilots try to compensate for the distortion effects. The side hatches open and out jumps seventeen black armored special operations ultras, two white armored Helios guards, and a single figure clad in rich gold armor with maroon trim. With swift crisp movements they fan out and cover the landing zone. In a low crouch amidst the twisted bones of the palace complex the phantom pilots rev their engines and dust off. They enter a tight wobbly circle flying pattern close to the assault team with the squadron of seraph fighters flying several elongated figure-8s to ensure rapid aerial devastation of any surviving resistance coming from the brunt out wreckage of the hundreds of square meter complex.
The strange glass-like earth crunches under the armored hooves of the sangheili. With a quick move of the head by Indo the twenty warriors disappear. In five groups of four the warriors spread out and follow the waypoints projected in their helmets. It takes them less than a minute to sprint to the three uncovered bunker entrances. Attaching a thick grey concave disk to the three blast doors the engineer in each fire team waits for the results of the scan.
"Sir there are at least ten soldiers guarding the area immediately surrounding the door. The scanner cannot see much further in than five meters."
"Very well," replies Indo." Turning to his demolitions officer he commands, "Frame breaching charge. Blow the portal inward! All warriors pulse grenades thrown at four meters deep. Plasma at two and seven meters as well." He sees acknowledgment lights click in his HUD.
Moving out of the way his underlying lays the antimatter charge strip along the frame. Pressing a button the door is shorn off its mountings in a purple-black flash and is thrown into the bunker at high-speed. One marine is cut in half and pinned to the wall. His screams grow faint as his guts fall from his body along with a river of blood, staining the dull grey metal a rusty red. His squad mates, harden slavers and killers, turn white at the gruesome death.
They peer out of their protective alcoves looking for targets but seeing nothing but the air shimmer from the plasma bombardment. Clenching their rifles to their shoulders the palace guards wait in grim silence for the attack. What they don't expect is a dozen grenades to appear from thin air. Glowing white and orange orbs fill the entrance with a laser light show of death. The plasma grenades thrown at two meters mask the entry team from the enemy's sight. The pulse grenades force the stunned defenders back into to cover or risk being vaporized by the hardlight pulses. The plasma thrown at seven meters traps anyone trying to leave or reinforce the entrance way.
Half of the guards die in the energy release the other five die screaming as plasma swords cleave into their bodies with ease melting flesh and boiling organs. The sangheili leave the writhing aliens to their fate. "Fan out leave none alive. Once the leader is killed we shall depart!" orders Indo as he motions with his glowing plasma sword.
Verkir and his guests are sitting in the balcony overlooking the main command and control section of the bunker. The atmosphere is an all pervading dread. A few of the people present give small terse smirks as they think this must be what the weaklings that they prey on feel. Verkir is shouting at his chief of security, a former Asari Spectre, to kill the invaders and present their heads to him. The Spector is currently listening to her guards teams die one by one. Screams of ghosts, demons, of invisible killers flood the airways as Indo and his strike team slaughter all before them.
Power goes out in the command center. Emergency lights bath the area in a dim red glow. Five different sections of the wall glow white hot and burst inward spraying the any unfortunate in its path with liquid fire. Screaming and the hiss crack of the strange alien rifles that spit neon green bolts from thin air. Grunts of pain and horridly shouted orders join with the deeper staccato chatter of the mass effect guns. Chaos that leaves everyone dead be it by carbine, blade, friendly fire, or martial prowess. The command center is left looking like a red painted charnel house.
Verkir and his guest look down in horror. The people assembled in the balcony room have the same acts let the same messes without batting an eye. Now that they are on the receiving end of this violence they are scared. The single door begins to heat up. The crowd moves out of its path in a jolt like frightened prey. Most draw small pistols others just stand there looking grim and pale.
BOOOOOM!
The door flies inward making a dent in the far wall. A single golden orb is thrown in next. The room is filled with a glaringly bright yellow light. As the assembled group rubs the spots from their eyes an electrical whizzing sounds breaks the silence. Three figures emerge out of nothing. To Verkir and his guest the aliens look like humanoid dinosaurs clad in ancient style armor. Holding what look swords and spears. A few of the guests worked up their courage and opened fire.
The pistol rounds were stopped by a shimmering shield, thinking that it was their barriers they kept firing till their pistoled overheated. The shields held. Eyes grow wide at this. Those same eyes narrow in fear as the creatures before them start laughing. With a roar they charged.
Keva ignites both his main blade and the small dagger length blade on the bottom of his spear. Lashing out in wide fast sweeping circles he craves a bloody gouge through the crowd. Some use omni-blades and daggers to fend off his jabs and slashes. With a laugh he removes their limbs with a twitch of his energy tipped guardian spear.
Hel believing this scum is not worth his true combat style is dispatching his targets with single savage thrusts or stabs. Leaving the person to die in agony. His other hand does not wield any weapon save his clawed hand. One of the Batarians spat at him in defiance, Hel tore the man's heart out of his chest. He tossed the strange looking organ away as its former owner drowns on his own blood. With a growl he moves to his next victim.
Indo draws his second sword and rushes into the crowd, blades held at his sides. Moving with speed and grace that rivals a tornado he lops off heads and limbs with each lighting fast slash. The pistol rounds spark off his shields as he brings his swords across the weapons cutting the gun and their wielders in half. Soon all but one are dead. With a snap kick Indo hurls Verkir into a desk and grabs his slumped form by the throat.
Hissing into his hear Indo ignores the weak mewling protests, "So worm your death will herald a new age. Be gone." With Indo places Verkir's head in between the blades of one of his swords. Ignoring the smell of burning flesh, he beheads the crime-boss/planetary ruler/admiral with a flick of the wrist.
"We are finished here. Send out a distress single to the Citadel once we have left this region of space." His warriors nod and begin to fall back to the transports. All over the planet the fighting slowly grinds to a halt as the remaining hostiles are killed. The Imperium gathers their honored dead and return to their waiting ships.
The Batarian Hegemony received the garbled distress call sent by Nerti. Not thinking much of the message, it takes them several days to decide how to response. Since the High Command has not received anymore message from the base they decided to send a small cruiser group consisting of four frigates, two cruisers and a seven hundred meter long battlecruiser. This force is led by Count Ban Von Shree it will take them roughly two weeks to arrive at Nerti.
While the Hegemony High Command drag their feet another organization is using this opportunity to further their delusional goals. In the glow of a red giant, the Illusive Man smirks as he is reading the intercepted distress signal that was sent from Nerti. "Miranda scrub this message clean and forward it to the Alliance only. However wait one week before you do so Kai Leng has to set the stage properly." He cuts the vid screen with a wave.
Looking over to another, "Leng make it look like that Alliance attacked the planet. I want plenty of evidence for the Batarian's to find. Then I want to wait in orbit of Nerti and when both fleets meet stage an incident to provoke a war between to the two. No witnesses as per your usual operations of course."
Lastly he sends a message to the Citadel that has geth encoding elements about an outpost in the Hades Gamma Cluster, Dis System. That should do nicely. Shepard needs to get his priorities straight about Saren. With a smile he goes to arrange to information regarding Saren's interest in Noveria on several of the soldiers he has sent to the Dis System.