A/N: This chapter's gonna have some focus on what life is like on Resistance-verse Earth.

It's more exciting, dangerous, but more exciting.

Chapter 2: Welcome to Earth

Dear Santa, for Christmas I want my daddy to come home to me and mommy. Can you find him? I haven't seen him for a year.

Letter written by a six year old living in the ruins of Boston, Massachusetts

March 23, 1992

Earth, Terre Haute, Indiana

"Hello everybody, and welcome back to United Radio, I'm your host, DJ Zed, bringing news from Eastern Europe. Just two hours ago, a group of Zoners ambushed a Cloven raiding party, estimated fifty of the buggers downed. Let's hear it for our friends in the East! Now, on to our fleet's actions in space-"

"Benny, get your gear! We've got a Grim horde coming right for us!" The twelve year old boy looked at is father Wilson, who was already in full armor, and holding an M18. Benny nodded, switched off his radio, and strapped on his armor and carbine before moving beside his dad as the two walked through the tunnels and up the ladder to the surface.

"How bad is it dad?" Benny asked, slapping a clip into his weapon, and old but well cared for M5A2 Folsom, as the two moved to meet with the rest of the people in their section of the town.

"Ugly." Was the response. "Grims have been starving for months now. They must've felt that fresh meet was worth getting shot at. Leland wants us to hold the suburbs." By now they had reached the gathering. Over a hundred people, from children, teenagers, and adults, all armed with a variety of weapons, and twenty Howlers. "Right then," He began giving orders. "Ferin, your squad takes the center bunker, load up on machine guns and Marksmen and place Hedgehogs. Everyone else, onto the rooftops!"

People rushed to follow orders. Mines and traps were placed, weapons were readied, and people clambered to their stations.

Benny took position on one of the roofs, and took stock of his comrades.

There was Samantha Westwell, his best friend armed with a Rossmore, Marks Jamers, a 16 year old with a BM Razor, Chris Patell, fifteen years old and holding a Fareye, and Jarid Thompson, the only adult, using a V7 Splicer. They had all fought Chimera before, either hunting small packs or defending their homes, this was no different.

This particular area of the suburbs was arranged in a circle, with houses on the outskirts and a Bunker in the middle, with turrets jutting out from every angle. All of this didn't include underground tunnels that connected the areas.

"Everyone, hold fire till they're in the kill zone, we want to get as many of them at once. Now get ready, here they come."

Sure enough, a couple thousand Grims began pouring in from the distance, drawn to the houses, and by extension, the humans inside them. A few caught scent of the corpses of the last group of Grims in the middle of the enclave. Hunger overrode what sense they had, and they poured in even more eagerly, shoving and biting each other to get the first bite. They ignored the houses and charged straight into the middle, reaching the corpses.

"Now! All guns fire!"

Hedgehogs burst up from hidden positions, sending spikes that ripped through the Chimeran flesh, machine guns and weapons fire from the outer houses were added to the fire. Hundreds of dreams collapsed with screams, some of the living ones screaming again as their ravenous comrades feasted on their remains, so great was their hunger.

Benny emptied his clip and quickly slapped in a new one. Samantha fire incendiary rounds from her shotgun, setting entire groups on fire. Chris was firing with speed that only a human using the nerve enhancers of a Fareye could, each shot bringing down a Grim. A scream of "Molotov!" heralded Marks' throwing of the flaming bottle into another group.

Benny swore as a third magazine ran dry. "Biggest wave in quite a while, huh guys?" he said, firing a rifle grenade as he did so. Samantha just gave a dry grin in return as a concussions grenade sent another swarm reeling, everyone else was too concentrated on firing.

It was true though, starvation had pushed the ferals to attack Terre Haute, in search of anything that they could consume. The creatures desperately hurled themselves at the bunker. There was meat inside, they knew it, claws reached out to try to grab something, anything, that could satisfy their appetites. A few smarter ones began throwing rocks at the defenders on the rooftops. Taylor Paulse, twelve years old, took a rock to the face and collapsed off the roof and onto the ground, where her still form was beset by nearby Grims, which tore and bit each other to be the first to feast on the first true meal they had had in weeks. Taking advantage of the confusion, the Howlers swiftly leapt down and tore through the creatures with powerful jaws, stampeding through the weaker ones.

Even more Grims tried to jump onto the roofs themselves, disregarding the barricades in place to stop such an attempt. Blood splattered over Samantha as one of her shells blew one of the climbers into chunks.

Chris continued to snipe anything that came into range. A Grim made an impressive leap and landed right in front of him. "Fuck!" Chris exclaimed, falling over as the Grim swiped at him with its claws. A split second later a bayonet entered the creatures head, sending the corpse slumping back down onto the ground below. Bennys quickly ran up to Chris. "You alright?" He asked, nervous about his friend's health.

Chris nodded, still sweating. "Just scared outta my wits." He picked up his Fareye and resumed firing on the few survivors.

Finally the last Grim fell dead, with corpses covering most of the yard. Everyone took stock of their casualties.

They weren't as bad as they could have been. Only six dead, with a dozen wounded, in exchange for about two thousand Grims.

Wilson dropped down and picked up one of the corpses. "Come on guys, let's clean up this mess, SRPA will be happy to have more corpses to study."

Bennys moved to help his father and lugged another Grim corpse behind him, with his friends doing likewise.

Just another day on Earth.

New York, UED Fleet Headquarters

March 23, 1992

General Edward Kerel sighed as he looked at the Third Fleet's report. "Eighth attack this month." He commented the other occupants of the room, all leaders of the UED. "They're planning something." One of them noted. "These attacks don't have the strength to break through. They must be planning something."

A Holographic map of the Solar system sprung up, showing the locations of UED fleets, strongholds, mines, and known Von Neumann Mother ships. Small red arrows showed the attacks that had taken place, each one with just enough force to damage the fleet, but not destroy it.

"This is nothing like the first waves of attacks." General Doring muttered. "They normally assault with overwhelming force, hurling ships in the thousands. So why suddenly go to probing raids? They haven't even attacked the Terraformer groups on the Moon and Mars, they just keep rushing for Earth. They must be gearing up for something big, these little strikes are just to whittle us down, keep us stretched thin."

Kerel nodded. "We'll have to pull back. Get the Third and Sixth Fleets to move into Atmosphere, pull the rest into orbit, they'll be coming soon, they've had a month to prepare. Ground and Wet Navy forces are to ready for a large scale offensive."

Everyone else in the room nodded, whatever happened, Earth would be ready for anything.

Third Fleet, Earth Atmosphere, over Eastern Europe

March 26

Vengeance of Japan

Wolverine Squadron

"Nice to finally be back in the cockpit, eh guys?" Captain Howin "Herald" Yeager said, grinning to the squadron. A series of agreements and chuckles from the seven others were the response. Each Carrier had a few squadrons of fighters attached to it for atmospheric combat. Of course, that meant in space all the fighter jockeys could do was sit around, twiddle their thumbs, fix up their planes, and take care of the pets.

Needless to say, they were all more than happy to be back over Earth, freely flying their F-23s. Still, a grim atmosphere hung over them all.

"Hey, Cap?" Howin recognized the voice as his wingman, Erik "Ghost" Engel. "You hear the news? Brass thinks there's a big Neumann push coming. Think we can take it?"

Howin winced. Erik had just voiced the thoughts that had been on nearly everyone in the military's mind. "We've been fighting them for three years Ghost, we've beaten them on Earth before, and we'll do it again. For now, let's stay focused on the patrol." He replied. "Aye aye captain." Erik replied.

Still, Erik had a point, the Neumanns had proven themselves to be incredibly dangerous foes, if- when they launched their attack, things could get ugly very quickly.

March 28

Vengeance of Japan

"General Quarters! General Quarters! All hands to Battle Stations!"

Howin cursed, took one last bite of his eggs before rushing out of the mess hall and to the hanger, passing by other crewmen on their way to their own stations. He gave a quick nod to the technicians and fellow pilots before jumping into the cockpit. Flight Command began to give details. "The largest Neumann fleet seen to date has just appeared over Earth. Several groups of transports and Cylinders have broken away from the main battle and are making planet fall. We're going to meet up with ground forces and destroy the force landing in the Eastern European Lowlands. Wolverine and Leopard squadrons will deploy on CAP duty, while Grizzly and Howler Squadrons will provide close air support. The fleet will engage the hostile atmospheric ships and provide support when needed. Good hunting everyone."

And with that the first thirty-two planes took off, as another four squadrons moved to take their places.

Eastern European Lowlands

The normally quiet lowlands were filled with the sound of engines as thousands of Osorio MBTs, "David" Superheavy tanks, LAV III IFVs, M270 MLRS's, G6 howitzers, laser cannon toting Avengers, Armored Skirmishers, and a few Inquisitor Command vehicles roared across the plains. Above them several dozen Eagle VTOL gunships hovered overhead, ready to use their plasma cannons and rockets to deadly effect. In the clouds a few hundred planes of varying types kept the skies clear as the massive ships of the Third Fleet covered the sky with their forms. Even higher up, flashes could be seen as the two fleets in orbit battled for dominance.

"This is 17th and 23rd Mechanized with Third Fleet Shipguard here, we have Neumann forces in sight. Seven Cylinders, multiple transports, couple hundred Mantas, and a few thousand drones. Ground forces consist of thousands of infantry drones, hundreds of Quad Walkers and tanks of various forms, and a dozen Ultra class units. We are engaging the lead elements now, sending data for artillery.

"Copy that, alright, artillery deploy now and begin firing, rear elements to guarding positions, everyone else, full speed ahead, we're almost there."

Howin grinned and the mess of Neumanns came into sight. On the ground groups of humans both in and out of Power Armor, supported by IFVs and Stalker combat drones exchanged fire with Neumann forces. Already one of the Ultras and a few dozen Heavies had been destroyed by concentrated fire. The first volley of artillery cleared the immediate area, and the beleaguered troops cheered as armored elements began engaging the survivors. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, let the Fleet handle the Cylinders, we've got the Mantas and Drones, loose missiles, then break off for another run, don't let them get close. Good hunting everyone."

He then turned to his display, which showed his scanners finding the core of the lead Manta, which was right at the front. He grinned. "Wolverine One. Fox Three! Fox Three!" Two missile were released and sped towards the target. The first ripped off the armor surrounding the core, leaving the way clear for the second to destroy the core. As the Manta disintegrated he locked onto a second and loosed another three missiles, while the rest of the planes behind his did likewise. While he scored his second Manta, thousands of missiles tore through the enemy craft, whose tracking and range were severely weakened by Electronic Warfare and Jammers. Hundreds of drones were shot out of the sky, and combined with flak volleys from the Blazers, the Neumann air forces had their strength cut in half.

It was not one-sided however, Yeager winced as Wolverine 7 went up in a fireball, fire finally overwhelming her plane's shields and more fragile armor. It was a fate shared by many pilots.

However, it was obvious that the UED held the upper hand. This was punctuated as one of the cylinders was blown to pieces by the fleet's next volley.

"Get down dammit!" Captain Simmons of Rapier Company roared as he pulled Private Lezard back as lasers from a Neumann infantry bot tore through where he was standing a second ago. Lezard nodded his thanks before blasting the offender's head off with his Gauss rifle.

Rapier Company had been part of the advance forces pinning down the Neumanns. Now, a few hours later, they had taken fifty percent casualties but were still holding. More importantly, Simmons with Rapiers 1, 6, 7, and 9 were pinned down by a swarm of infantry bots and a heavy. The bots were simple, the heavy was not, as it fired its main laser, killing off three more of his men.

"That does it! Rapier 4, Rapier 5, take down that heavy now!" The two squads burst from their own cover, a wrecked Osorio, and sprinted into effective range. Two of their number fell from hostile fire, but the dozen survivors got into range. Several rockets and a pair of ion blasts ripped into the unfortunate alien tank's side, tearing it apart, both armor and core.

"Alright, Rapier Company, advance!" The remaining hundred or so members of Rapier Company pushed forward, gunning down the remaining bots, all while tanks and Armored Skirmishers tore into Neumann heavies and Ultras. Squads of men in Power Armor toted .50 caliber assault rifles while Avengers blew apart aircraft. A squadron of A-10s annihilated an Ultra, defying antiaircraft fire from the entire hostile army. The entire battlefield was a mess of broken vehicles and bodies, both human and Neumann alike. A trio of Neumann Walkers wiped out a small group of IFVs before being destroyed by a team of Osorios, who began engaging one of the Ultras, supported by a David. The Superheavy tank's massive laser cannon melted the Ultra's armor plating, concentrated fire finished it off. Precisions Gauss Rifle shots tore through weakened armor and into cores, while constant rocket, plasma, and artillery barrages ripped through more of the enemy numbers.

Not that the Neumanns weren't giving a good account of themselves. An pair of surviving Ultras wiped out a tank company with their huge weapons. A group of heavies swatted several VTOLs out of the sky. All across the battlefield humans and neumanns fought and died, with casualties going into the thousands for both sides.

Even so, the Fleet finished off the remainding Cylinders, their capabilities weakened in the atmosphere. With the skies clear fire began raining down on the hostile ground forces. The surviving hordes of bots were smashed apart in instants, even Ultras and heavies could not withstand the murderous volleys of fire. Within minutes the last of the attackers had been wiped out.

The UED lost about seven thousand personnel, a few hundred vehicles, and several dozen aircraft. Considering the scale of the attack, it was quite low.

The survivors turned their heads upwards, where the battle in orbit was still ongoing.

Codex:

Neuroi Types:

Infantry: Cheap to build and numerous, these 'bots', as they have been nicknamed by the troops, are disposable cannon fodder. They were only seen after the first year of fighting, where it was shown that UED infantry armed with proper anti-armor weaponry could destroy even the powerful Ultras. They are armed with a pair of arm-mounted laser cannons, and are mainly used to pin down and otherwise occupy opposing infantry. They come in tracked and bipedal forms, and have no core. Easy to destroy.

Heavy: Coming in walker and tank forms, heavies are the primary striking force of the Neumann ground forces. Armed with several high powered laser cannons, they are comparable to a modern MBT. However, they can be destroyed easily by concentrated fire from infantry, and a single Osorio tank can take one down with relative ease.

Ultra: The most powerful Neumann ground units seen to date. Walking and several legs, these behemoths tower over the battlefield. An individual Ultra is equivalent to a tank battalion on the battlefield. Advise engaging with Orbital and Atmospheric ship support, or David Superheavy Tanks.

Transport: The name says it all, large Neumanns designed to carry huge amounts of ground forces. Poorly armed.

Drones: Weak, numerous, expendable. Deployed en masse from Motherships and in smaller amounts, transports. Drones are cannon fodder. While strong in numbers, they are pathetic individually. It has been said that an amateur in a Great War era biplane could defeat one in a dogfight.

UED Technology:

Energy shields: From spaceships to military structures to tanks and walkers, most of the warmachines of the UED are equipped with energy shields based off of Chimeran technology. In general ,the larger the subject, the more powerful the shield. The most powerful shields actually reflect energy weapons fire back at their shooters.

Stalker Combat Drone: Built in reconverted Chimeran towers, Stalkers provide an anti-air and infantry support role in the UED. They are equally good against ground and aerial targets, as well as cost effective.

Osorio Main Battle Tank: Armed with a 120mm cannon, a coaxial 20mm autocannon, and a top mounted sustained laser beam weapon, and protected by some of the best armor known to man and an energy shield, the Osorio is the backbone of the UED armored forces. It is also capable of being transported by shuttlecraft.

David Superheavy tank: The Goliath was the most feared weapon in the Chimeran arsenal. The David was designed to combat them. Armed with a Mega laser cannon, a coaxial 220mm cannon, several homing laser clusters and railgun batteries, and a pair of missile bays. These powerful weapons are equally effective against the Neumann Ultras, boiling through their armor and into their vulnerable cores. They are also equipped with the legendary carbon nanotube armor, a trait shared only with the UED Space Armada.

Inquisitor Command Vehicle: The nerve center for a UED army, Inquisitors allow commanders to coordinate forces over a vast front, as well as command combat drones on the field. Their powerful scanners also allow them to locate Neumann cores, and transmit this information to forces on the battlefield.

F-23 Black Widow: The UED's air superiority fighter, designed to defeat any hostiles in the sky. Can be armed with a multitude of missiles and two Big Bulls. Protected by an energy shield. It also has VTOL functions, allowing it to be incredibly versatile when needed.

A-10: During the Chimeran War, even a few Stalkers could completely deprive humans of any air support, to counter this, the UED created the A-10. Heavily armed and armored, the A-10 can withstand multiple missile strikes even without its powerful shield. Neumann lasers have proven no more effective in bringing these fierce planes down.

Type 62 Gauss Rifle: Next generation sniper weaponry. The Type 62 hurls a .50 caliber bullet at several times the speed of sound. It has inherited from the Fareye the electromagnetic neural accelerator, giving the user the perception that time has slowed. It is powerful enough to penetrate Neumann armor, giving even the common infantryman a fighting chance.

M-18 Storm Rifle: A more technologically advanced M5A2, the M-18 is the standard issue weapon for the UED infantryman. Fires .303 rounds from a 50 round magazine. Also has a 40mm grenade launcher, and can be fitted with multiple accessories.

M3 .50 AR: A .50 caliber assault rifle for power armor. Can be fitted with multiple accessories. Excellent rate of fire, accuracy and penetrating power.

Life on Earth: Earth is, in simple terms, a Death World. Humans on Earth either live in large cities, protected by armies, fortifications, and a militia including the entire population. Or in smaller enclaves, usually in the ruins of destroyed cities. Wherever they live, no where is truly safe. Hordes of feral Chimera, from massive packs of Grims to thousands strong Widowmaker herds, attack human settlements every day, driven by an incessant and ravenous hunger. To counter this, everyone in every community, from childhood, are trained to fight. By 10 years old, if not younger, the average human can be formed into a squad and has more live combat experience than almost all pre-Chimeran war soldiers, and can be trusted to fight in a organized military conflict without fear. This goes doubly for those living in the Russian and European Wastelands, known as Grey Zones, where there are still Military Chimera survivors. The Zones are filled with Military Chimeran Strongholds, Cloven tribes, unstable energy eruptions from destroyed Grey Tech, and the never-ending Ferals. Even among the humanity's best, the Zoners are survivors.

Howlers: A Chimeran doglike subspecies, Howlers were one of the first groups to go feral. Eventually, they were domesticated, and are considered the next evolution of Man's Best Friend.

A/N: Howin Yeager is an Original Character, if Chuck Yeager or his family are in any way offended by him, I apologize profusely.

I am accepting names and descriptions for Pilots, crewmen, captains of spaceships in the Third Fleet, and Ground pounders. Please review and put up your name if you're interested. I can't guarantee I'll choose it though, or if I'll even get any.

Hope you've enjoyed it, please tell me what you think.