As requested, which made me very happy may I point out, by many people, here is the next chapter. Equally, Jedi are arriving.
Skirting the protective canopy of battlecruisers, the fleet of cruisers and destroyers got into range for the launching of their ground assault forces. In full view of the ground observation posts they moved into position and began to launch their ground forces. Huge landing barges, small swift gunships and dozens of short range fighters began to descend. The gunships that shot in ahead were packed with hundreds of assault troops, all of them prepped and ready for their new engagements. The barges were lead by one particular barge that was full of particular specialists who were busily checking their armour and equipment before they landed. Over their heads, their leader was giving them a quick rundown on what to expect, as well as any footage on hand for their education. As the first of the assault troops entered the atmosphere, they looked out on the changed cityscape. Considering what they could see, which wasn't much, they were not very happy about the idea of making their landing in a city that could very well turn into a death trap.
"All pilots, be on the lookout for anti aircraft turrets."
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As the lead craft settled on the permacrete, the Covenant made their move. Even before the troops had disembarked, a single fuel rod round impacted on the stern of the craft and chewed through the metal. Three plasma grenades on the sides added to the brilliant explosion that tore the craft and all inside apart. As soon as that order had been given, the rest of the hidden aerial artillery opened fire. From inside hidden shelters and camouflaged positions, anti air Wraiths opened up. Out of tiny garages and speeder bays jumped up Banshee's and out of the spaceport came one of the gigantic Type 47 Scarab walkers. The descending barges and gunships were caught in the hailstorm of plasma fire and the vast majority of them were torn to shreds. Banshee's descended on the slower gunships and the unprotected barges and they cut through them with a precision and skill that was almost unmatched. Or at least, they did until the enemy fighters that had been assigned to defend their transports came screaming in behind them and began a dogfight that would forever be told in the memories of Correllians for generations to come. This still did not protect the transports from the fusillade of plasma shells that the Covenant continued to fire.
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But as could be expected, the reality was that the defence could only fire so many rounds per second. Most of the shots they had fired since they took the attackers by surprise had not had the same success. The GA ships were dodging the fire better at this point, and the defence were limited by their numbers. Admittedly, they had utilised a lot of the Correllian defence weaponry and were using it as well, but they had less success with unfamiliar tools. Just to add to the difficulty they had, from above the GA launched their second wave of attacks. Joining in the fray, the GA fired their orbital cannons. Any emplaced weapons had to be abandoned as giant beams lanced down from the sky and ripped gun emplacements to shred. Only the Scarab's quick movements enabled it to escape destruction in the same fashion. Sixteen of the forty two Anti Air Wraiths that had been assigned to the ground forces went up in smoke in the bombardment.
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Utilising this as a significant distraction the first of the assault troops landed in one of the main Square's of the city. Leaping down the troopers began to secure the site, only to run into incredibly dense fire from the defenders, who had almost immediately moved to defend the site. Sniper fire and lethal plasma began to rain down on the invaders, followed by grenades and fuel rod rounds. Impacts from these shots began to shatter permacrete and tear through bodies. Then one of the gunships lifted off, hovered and turned its guns on the surrounding area. Laser fire smashed anything its way and the Covenant retreated before the incredible strength of the gunships, more of which began to arrive and add to their hail of fire, adding in missiles and other instruments of destruction. Then the first barge landed.
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Inside the landing barge the troops waited patiently for the order to disembark. A sudden, quick shock told them that the barge had touched down and the officers shouted for their troops to get ready. Blasters were unslung, grenades primed and all final prayers said. As they stood ready, the armoured shell of the barge opened and light pierced through the opening hatch.
"Forward!"
Charging through the open hatch, the troops surged for the surrounding buildings in a flood. They got maybe halfway. From hidden positions on the ground floors and basements of the surrounding buildings, plasma cannons and Pulse turrets opened fire accompanied by standard plasma rifle and beam rifle fire. GA troops collapsed in waves. But this was only the beginning. More barges dropped out of the sky and slammed into the ground, sending dozens of Covenant staggering with the impacts. More and more assault troops began to disembark, their blaster fire lancing into the hidden foxholes and, more often than not, striking a target. With the return fire, the plaza turned into a veritable hailstorm of energy bolts, each one striking somewhere and adding to the confusion. More and more transports began to make their landings and soon the Covenant found themselves bringing in their secret weapon.
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From the surrounding buildings came a sound that none of the assault troops wanted to hear, the snap-hiss of energy blades igniting. Out of the shadows they came, dozens, no hundreds, of sword wielding Elites. Terrified laser fire impacted on their shields, but the stronger shields of the swordmasters held and they appeared invincible, shots hitting them, but not damaging them in any way. Then they reached the lines of the assault squads. It became a massacre. Instantly among their enemies, the Elites made short work of them with efficient swipes and controlled lunges. To close to risk hitting their comrades with friendly fire, the GA tried to get into close combat, but only achieved the result of having their numbers drastically reduced. The Sangheili swordsmen sliced with their weapons, and the weapons, though not as hot as a lightsaber, diced armour and weapons alike.
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Spearheaded by the energy swords, the Covenant drove the invaders back, smashing a deep wedge back into their beachhead. Fresh transports were unable to land with the number of struggling bodies on the ground as the Covenant created chaos. With the ground forces thus occupied, the heavy artillery returned their fire to the sky above. Plasma streams once more filled the air as they opened up. The tide began to turn in the Covenants favour. But it was during this all important stage of the battle that the special barge, the one that the GA were relying on, landed.
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All the combatants below felt themselves being moved out of the way as by an invisible force. The Field Commander, on the edge of the battlefield with his secret weapon, watched as the warriors continued fighting, but not in that one area. For a moment he pondered what this new development, then he turned to his new battalion.
"Be prepared!"
Quickly, he turned his attention to the communications suite next to him. "Inform the Supreme Commander of this new development. We are going to the front."
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Back on the field, the transport slowly lowered its opening ramp as all around it the battle raged. But even those without the highly trained and honed senses of the Swordmasters could feel it. There was a power on that one barge that outshone everything else. All of them disposed of their immediate enemies and began to converge on the transport as out of the opening walked figures. Robed figures, hooded figures, figures carrying things. With a gesture from their leader the figures flicked their wrists and beams of light sprang from them. Jedi.
As they say in black and white movies, bum, bum, bum!!! Duals begin next chapter