Chapter 25

"The only easy day was yesterday!" one of the mottos of the Navy SEALs.

Word came in quickly to the Sol system about the impending attack, but they knew they had a bit of time. It was only a small sliver of time, but they had one, and they would not waste it. Endymion gave the command to Mars and left it there, knowing she was more than capable of handling herself. Two CT cruisers would go in, but carefully, considering how they had figured out how to watch out for neutron surges when a ship under cloak was in the area. They would have to be swift, dropping off the team, going back out, doing orbit work, and then going to the next phase. Normally, it was to get the team out and get to safety, but in this case, the team was to stay there and attach themselves with the resistance, raise some Cain, and prepare things for the Marine invasion. Mars relayed the mission and said in her normally fiery way, "Well, are we ready? This is going to be hard."

One saying, "Hey, if it don't suck, we don't do it", answered this.

Another said, "They only easy day was yesterday!"

This was followed by a loud cheer from her sailors, and she said, "Then we know what we must do. Let's get her done!"

"READY TO LEAD, READY TO FOLLOW, NEVER QUIT!" was the thunderous response.

With that, they all rushed aboard the cruisers and prepared for launch. For them, there was no fanfare or even notice to those around that particular naval base that anything was going on, for they wished to keep it covert as could be. With a quick thrust and tall wake, they were gone, and then vanished from view.

During this time, Ceres and Jupiter were preparing for the fight. Jupiter knew that her Shore Police may not see actual direct fighting considering their job, yet, at the same time, if they were needed, they may end up on the land invasion. Therefore, they both gave the briefing. The first thing that happened before that was a system-wide alert for all active military personnel and reserves to report to their stations, as well as the world guards of all inhabited spheres in the system. For 500 years, things like this had been trained for, but this was the first time in all that time that it had not been a drill. However, instead of there being issues, it went like clockwork in instinct. The reason for this was the fact that the people of the Sol system now lived for an incredibly long time, much as it had been in the Old Moon Kingdom. This was due to the Legendary Silver Crystal. It was the scouts and the royalty that had the advantage to the near immortality they had due to their close proximity to the crystal when Serenity had used it to rescue the remainder of the human race I the aftermath of the Great Cataclysm. There were some that were there that had been around for at least 200 years, so they had remembered how it had been and all the changes that had passed in that time to keep it up to date, so there was leadership in place to make sure it all went off without a hitch. Once the naval and marine side was in place, the general briefing was broadcast fleet-wide and system wide.

Jupiter was the first on, and she said, "The Silver Millennium Kingdom has seen peace for 500 years, and has always hoped that this peace would never be shattered. However, the grim reality of the situation has reared its head. It is possible that we could have maintained that peace longer had we not decided to explore the reaches of our galaxy, knowing that not every race we encounter may be friendly to us. However, there was an evil out there waiting for us, and evil that, had we not explored, it eventually would have found us. The truth is, that could have been worse, because, if he had not encountered what we did when we did, it could well have been that what would have hit us could have been far stronger. Further, it could have been a disaster, considering what happened at the battle of Nekonia, because we would have lacked the actual combat experience to repel the invasion. Though it was a sad day for us, the bloody nose we got gave us the wake up call we needed, and now we are more prepared than ever, with allies, to face the enemy. We of the Shore Police may not see actual action, considering our job of ship security. However, we may aid the ground attack on the enemy home world, so the purpose of my phase of this briefing is to inform you to be ready to fight. You may be shoulder to shoulder with you army and marine cousins in this fight just to have bodies on the ground to overwhelm our foes. Yet, know for certain that you will be vital in the occupation that will most certainly come should we win the day. You will be vital in restoring order to a defeated foe, keeping the people safe from those who would seek to exploit the situation, as well as from those elements who would seek to become terrorists and try to keep up a vain effort to win an already lost war. Therefore, fight bravely and well, stay strong, and keep vigil: you are vital to the cause."

Ceres now took the lectern and had his say: "As always, the Marine Corps will be leading the way into places angels fear to tread, as we will be the first to contact the enemy on the ground in the invasion directly. They will already be shaken because of the work of the SEALs heading there as we speak to soften them up and put them in derision before we come. Yet, no matter what happens with them, know that your foe will fight fiercely, because we already know that they fight with no honor, and are bloodthirsty warriors who do not know the meaning of the word 'mercy'. However, they have declared that a fight with them will be one with no quarter, and that means, if that is the way they wish to fight…well…we aim to please, and we will oblige them. Therefore, when you strike, hit with a sledgehammer blow! Make them pay for the decades of interstellar crime, and show them the wicked price for this! Remember, there are many there that want peace. If they wish to aid us, we shall do all we can to make that happen. We are not there to wipe them out, but to make sure that they never become as they are now ever again. We will help those people who wish for peace to know freedom, and help those that wish for war realize they never should have wished for such. Understand this: not every one of you is going to outlive this. If some of you do not have the stomach for the fight, opt out now, for we shall have no cowards in our ranks. 500 years of peace could have made us complacent, and lazy—not ready for the fight. However, as you know, all those years that I spent, first, as a Command Sergeant Major, and then as your supreme corps commander, complacency is one thing I have never tolerated, and so I know each of you is ready to do what is expected of him or her when the time comes. Therefore, if your fate is to pay the ultimate price, then make sure you die well and bring a few of those fools with you as you do, and die like a Marine! Go into the afterlife and meet the cheers and glory of your fellow Marines that have gone before you to welcome in a brave warrior that honored them by not shirking their responsibility and gave all to assure victory. Quit ye like men, and prepare for the fight!"

Everywhere there was a Marine watching, a thunderous "OORAH" was heard. Ceres knew they would do their jobs.

While that was happening, Venus was addressing the fleet. She stood up tall and proud, spoke with the eloquence of a politician, and said, "Centuries of training and design are soon to meet in what shall be the greatest naval battle in recorded history. The Navy has always been there to extend the arm of strength to the lands from which they came, and it is no different now. They have always cleared the way, and insured that the extension of the fight was carried to the shores of the foe. This means that we must fight well. We learned some valuable lessons from Nekonia, and after the skirmishing that we have done that has led up to this point, we are ready to fight hard. We shall be the ones to make first contact with the foe, and will face some of the harshest fighting. Yet, I know you all can stand proud and strong, seeking never to dishonor your vessel, your comrades, your homeland, and your queen. Make them squeal, and make them regret every ounce of what they did at Nekonia! As Admiral Horatio Nelson said—now is the time for all good men to not give up the ship…"

At that, one of her advisors tugged her elbow, and she leaned over as he whispered into her ear, turned red, and then said, "…to come to the aid of their country."

With that, she ended her speech, as red as a beet.

Meanwhile, the CT cruisers began to approach their targets. They rolled in at full impulse power to assure that, if they were detected, there would be no time to react. They were fortunate that they were coming in during the day. The fireball they would create would have been far more visible and detectable at night as they entered the atmosphere. While that was going on, the resistance began to place bombs and traps in military areas preparing for the fight. The ships landed well out to sea and then, still cloaked, approached. Then, just outside of view, the ships stopped and anchored. Land shuttles designed for military use were then released, packed with SEALs, which submerged and headed for land. They approached north of the city well north, and were met by the resistance movement. Mars came out and embraced Usagi, and then greeted Kurge and Bleetra. Bleetra then asked, "I still cannot understand the mission."

Mars got a smirk on her face and said, "To raise as much Hell as possible!"

The ships, now having fulfilled that phase of the mission, took off. They then achieved orbit, and then found the space stations that were tending to the needs of the vessels there, and there were several in anchor. With that, they opened a bay and started to shove out the back mines. They were designed to spread out and surround the area where the ships were in anchor and then attach themselves to whatever moved from there, but not to friendly vessels. However, as the last of the mines were laid, they were heading out, and ran right into two heavy cruisers outside the mined area. They insured that they did what they could to keep from being detected, but the vessels were able to see the surge and the slight star pattern distortion that normally comes with a cloaked vessel. Because they had come head on, it was easier to catch them, and battle stations were called immediately. Being detected, being cloaked did them no good, and they came out, knowing that they may have to fight their way out. Because they were torpedo cruisers, they could pack a punch, but this was more than what they could handle. Thus, they fired a volley and started to try to get out of there. The Gnarl cruisers shook from the hit, and they were hurt, but not nearly enough. They fired at the fleeing ships, and one of them was hit in the warp engine. It did not destroy the ship, but the ability to warp out was gone. The good ship tried to swing around to get survivors, but the wounded ship chastised them to get out of there. After minor protest, they complied, and the Gnarl focused on the wounded ship like vultures. It was not long before a few other ships outside of the minefield joined them and pounded mercilessly the wounded ship. The escaping ship was silent, knowing the fate of their friends, and knowing the sacrifice they were willing to make to insure that the mission went forward. They would not be forgotten.

Planet side, the SEALs were unaware of what had happened, and continued to march. However, they were more careful due to the seeming extra amounts of security that was cropping up. The crown was indeed aware that the Amazoness Quartet and Usagi were still at large, as was the princess. Now, with the attack in space, they had to figure something was up. The vigilance therefore was at a heightened state. They thus retired to the underground caverns to plan. After a few days, the SEALs went to work. They worked in the dead of night laying bombs on shore defenses and batteries that could hit both planet and airborne targets. Once that was done, they started their asymmetrical warfare. That was when they, with the resistance movement, started to make their first attacks. They would sneak in and hit ammo dumps, weapons factories, logistics facilities, housing for the troops, and such like. Things were blowing up as if it was New Year's Day! Squila was furious. It was frustrating to her to have a foe that seemed to strike like ghosts. Any time they were actually engaged, they had the most mysterious attacks. Along with standard shoulder arms, they also seemed to hit with strange flame attacks of various kinds. They also seemed to be able to anticipate the movements of her troops before they were even made. This made it seem that they were impossible to kill. In fact, they could not even score a hit, and that their foe was just as skilled hand-to-hand as they, if not more so. Their leader with the stringy black fur on her head seemed the most vicious. One tale told of how she, with just three others, entered a troop supply warehouse, and prepared to demolish the place. They were engaged, but they were already heading for cover as if the foe knew they were coming. This was followed by a firefight, and that term carried more than one meaning. The one obviously in the lead then screamed some loud phrase that seemed like gibberish to them, considering they knew not the enemy tongue, and then a flaming bow formed in her hands, followed by a shower of flame bolts that kept the foe at bay. However, with all the fire attacks, they were actually being able to defend themselves and accomplish their goals at the same time. The four managed to slip out, and the soldiers barely got out of there with their skin intact. Many needed supplies were going up in smoke. If it came to the point where they had to defend the planet's surface, (and because this was about the third time they had been attacked on the surface, making such an invasion more likely,) they would be hurting. However, asking for terms was far out of Squila's mind. All it did was make her more enraged. Indeed, a bad omen was cast over the kingdom.

While all that was going on, progress in exploration was still happening. The new world Serenity was still being studied as was intended when the UES Artemis first landed there. Yet, as they studied, they came across the most unlikely thing. There were Nekonian scientists amongst them, considering that the Nekonians really did not have anywhere to go at that point, and threw themselves into the service of the Silver Millennium Kingdom. They were doing a dig, and came across the first evidence that any kind of sentient life had been there. In time, they uncovered what looked like a settlement, and it appeared to be about 200 years old. As they were now doing some fine-tuning on the exploration, they came across some computer storage devices, and the blue team attached their laptop super-servers to them. They were then slack jawed as they saw the language was Nekonian! They had not yet learned to be proficient in the tongue, but the Nekonians were more in shock than the others were. As they read, they could not believe that such information had been lost. It seemed that, back then, Nekonia and the Gnarl were actually allied! They were working to settle worlds, and this world was designated as a place where they could establish a cooperative society and they intended to call it something that would mean "planet of peace." After sitting in some stunned silence, the Nekonians started to cry. When asked why, their lead scientist said, "This means two things: we have a chance to save two societies! We can have a new world upon which to live, and we can bring about this treaty as a negotiation tool to bring a lasting peace…if we can dethrone their ruler!"

One of the blue team then said, "Further, if we are able to capture their leaders alive, we can use this violation of the treaty between your two worlds as a mark of war crimes against them."

Suddenly, in the brink of what looked like it would be a bloody war, a cause to celebrate emerged, and celebrate they did!

The news came to Serenity and Endymion, and Serenity said, "Yay! We can put an end to this war!"

However, Endymion said, "Darling, I don't think it will be that easy."

She looked depressed right away and said, "Why do you have to take the fun out of it?"

Luna then added, "Your Majesty, convincing their ruler to recognize the treaty may not be as easy as that. Besides, they think they are the ones wronged by us, and even if they were to acknowledge the treaty, they would still come after us. They aided in the destruction of Nekonia for far less."

She got depressed again, and both Endymion and Luna began to console her. Endymion then said, "We will do all we can to ensure that this is a short fight."

She embraced him and said, "For the sake of our new child, please, make it true."

He caressed her, not answering, not knowing if such a promise could be honestly given.

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