"The War was decided in the first twenty days of fighting, and all that happened afterwards consisted in battles which, however formidable and devastating, were but desperate and vain appeals against the decision of Fate."
― Winston Churchill
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Sergeant First Class Thomas Mitchell from the 301st Siege Division, lazily sat on an ammunition crate, idly watching the preparations for the upcoming invasion of an alien planet. This was Humanities trail of fire. These people, his brothers and sisters of the 301st Siege Division would be the very first humans to set foot on an alien world with hostile intent.
Engineers getting the gear and various other robots into place. Drop pods hovering high above him, as they get lined up for deployment and countless squads and platoon leader rounding up their respective squads and platoons to give them final instructions and checking everyone's gear thoroughly Nobody was taking any chances and even though no one wanted to admit it, everyone was on the edge or frightened to their very bones. Thomas could literally see the anxious expression carved into his comrades faces. A few were having their 'last meal' allowing themselves to be spoiled over like little children, by hot, beautiful nurses. Giggling all the way. Blissfully forgetting the fact that some might not come back in one piece, or come back in a body bag. Brothers and sisters who, mere minutes ago sat by your side eating and laughing like there would be no tomorrow, would be dead and gone in a matter of seconds on the battlefield. The flirting nurses and waitresses could all be talking to dead men walking as far as they knew. Even they were in mortal danger.
One flaw in the plan, one overlooked eventuality, could lead to a savage complication. Giving the enemy the chance to fight back. A chance to win. And that's all it takes. One unlucky hit and they are gone. The shields could fail due to some system malfunction and that would be it. Death always hung over their heads eagerly awaiting its new customers, which humanity in its past centuries, never failed to supplement. It seemed as if where ever Humanity would go, war, hatred and death followed them not far behind.
But it was little moments like these that made them forget in what kind of place they were living in. A soldier, young private as green as he could be, boldly snatched one pretty blonde nurse into his lap and soundly kissed her in front her friends and his comrades, earning loud catcalls and sharp whistles of approval. The kissed girl seemed to have gathered her wits just enough to slap him across the face and resume the kissing session.
In that short moment Mitchell allowed himself to lose himself in his memories, going back to his six year old twins and their mother, recalling her marvelous blue eyes, when a loud bellow, demanding attention, broke him from his thoughts.
In front of him stood his 1.93 meters tall, a bear of a man, squad leader Master Sargent Peter Winscott.
"Squad, ten-HUT!" shouted Mitchell and was soon joined by four fellow soldiers, as they stood ram rood before their squad CO.
"At ease." the gruff voice of the Master Sergeant replied with a slight grin on his face, easing his subordinates worries. "Alright people, it's the day of the day's. Hour of the hours. In exactly thirty minutes WE will RIDE into battle. And this," Winscott dramatically and pointed his right hand above him "will be our horse!"
At the exact moment Winscott uttered his last word, a large shadow moved above the assembled squad which revealed itself to be one of the large Alliance POD-33 Drop-ship 'ZEUS'. Easily surpassing 80 meters in length this behemoth of a drop-ship hovered above the assembled troops and engineers as it was loaded up with ADV pods and various prototype attack robots.
"Fuck me..." muttered the Field Medic of the Squad, Corporal Rick Hudson, the bad mouth and joke cracker of the squad. Thomas had served two tours with him and knew him as a good, reliable soldier and experienced Medic, having worked at the ER in a military hospital until, his voluntary reassignment to the front lines
This battle would be the field testing ground for many newly invented weapons and warfare methods to face this new alien threat, with the 301st and the rest of the invasion force playing the role of the guinea pig. A shudder ran down Mitchell's spine as he shook his head clear from these disturbing thoughts and what if scenarios.
Master Sergeant Winscott eyed his subordinates before continuing "We have our orders and as we speak, Spec Ops have eliminated numerous key targets and Xeno Individuals of High Importance and hung them on a tree." The assembled soldiers chuckled darkly, their eyes burning with the promise of bloody retribution for Shanxi, more so the survivors of this brutal Siege, namely Amanda Dubious. From the corners of his eye, Thomas could see the fine, delicate hands of the young Private, tightening into fists and unconsciously shook in barely restrained anger. Quicker than Mitchell had thought possible, Amanda's stormy gray eyes locked onto his, reflecting her unwavering resolve and her sharp observant gaze, able to catch even the slightest detail from miles away. A skill of a true sniper. Before Thomas could react, Amanda reverted her gaze towards their CO, though her hands were now slightly more relaxed than mere moments ago.
With an almost unnoticeable satisfied grin Thomas turned his attention back towards his Squad Leader who now supplied them with their mission "The first phase will get a go with our bombers, spreading love and happiness among those freaks. After we have sent most of the planet to kingdom come, the second wave will unleash our 'hounds of war' as the Predator robots decimate what ever retarded, oblivious alien sonva bitch that dares to raise their filthy arms against Humanity." the tone of their CO was easy going with the Squad having a hard time to loud back laughs or amused grins.
"And then we come in." gone was the nonchalant and was replaced with infamous, stern Master Sergeant Winscott, a combat hardened veteran from the Shanxi Siege.
"Colonel Montag has ordered our company to take position at the south east sector of a Turian town called Valkir. Population numbering over three million. Our job is to secure a landing zone. Objective two, is then 'pacify' all citizens in south east sector and get them to holding pen setup by the Engineer divisions. Third, search and destroy ANY kind of weapons and ammunition our sabotage ops and bombing runs might have missed."
Mitchell blinked and blinked again uncertain if he had heard and understood everything correctly, looking around confirmed he wasn't the only one, with Amanda furrowing her brows in confusion and Corporal Hudson as pale as a chalkboard. The other two members of the squad also had confusion clearly written on their faces, so Thomas rose his hand, signifying his desire to ask a question. Receiving a nod of approval Mitchell asked the question that was going through everyone's mind.
"Sir what do you mean with 'pacifying?"
Winscott let out a long breath and gravelly nodded "Exactly that, I am afraid. Our job is to bag and tag more then five hundred thousand Xenos."
If the Master Sergeant knew what the reactions of his soldiers would be, he wasn't disappointed and was spot on. Mitchell's eyes widened and mouth fell open in disbelief. Dubious shouted an appalled, furious "NO!" her face a grotesque visage of anger, hatred and vicious fury. She couldn't believe she would be denied her vengeance.
Hudson as always spoke first and asked questions later when he ranted in sheer disbelief "Are you fucking serious top?! Bag and tag half a million XENOS! Did Command smoked too much meth or something? How do they expect us to handle that, did they forget Shanxi! I am pretty sure more then half of our troops will say ' eff all that' and go on a bloody rampage! Who is this moron who came up with this stupid idea anyway?"
Winscott surprisingly calm to his troops after such an insubordinate outburst, as he had expected such a reaction placated with strong, stern words "Can it Corporal! I know how you guys feel like with such orders believe me I do! But orders are orders. May they be from High Com or from a fucking Xeno loving faggot called Hummel."
"Fucking asshole." muttered Amanda as she angrily crossed her arms defiantly. Thomas said nothing merely grunting in approval as to his left, the fifth squad member voiced his opinion, his voice having a slight Pakistani accent.
"I have to agree with Hud' on this one sir. Even if we do soften them up, we know next to nothing about their culture, behavior and so on. What we would think could pacify or show these Turians friendly behavior, could be very well an act of war considered by their people and might cause a violent reaction."
Hudson without giving his superior the chance to reply jumped right on in and continued "Kal's right top. Those things could be so fucked up looking that we couldn't be able to tell the difference between these fuckers telegraphing an attack or hailing for a cab!"
What ever patience Winscott seemed to had evaporated in an instant as his burning glare bore itself through Hudson's skull immediately silencing him as Winscott vicious snapped "Cut the crap Corporal. One more word and I'll have your ass on maintenance duty at the ships' reactor for the duration of this war!"
Hudson tried not to gulp as he unconsciously inched away from the seriously pissed off Master Sergeant, with Thomas seeing the chance to ask some 'productive' questions "How are we supposed to pacify the alien population? What resources do we have at our disposal?"
Winscott seemingly glad to hear a reasonable question replied with his normal, stern tone "We get the Peacekeeper prisoner chips and have rather lax Rules of Engagements. Anyone who resists, or is deemed to risky is to be eliminated."
Amanda grinned a wolfish grin, like a caged hunter eager to go out for the hunt. Thomas however was slightly disturbed "Sir, Peacekeeper AND shoot to kill order for those who resist imprisonment? Does Command realize they are declaring an entire planet and it's population, fair game?"
Command wants to have as many people as possible, to force the Turian leadership to the table."
The fifth soldier with Pakistani heritage once again spoke up "Sir, is Command even realizing that they stretching on our capabilities? What of the millions if not billions of pissed off humans, who many are in this invasion fleet right now, will do with such orders?"
Corporal Kahled Fulani, the engineer of this squad was one of the calmest persons Mitchell has ever seen. Full black beard, nearly covering his mouth, Kahled was not a person one would think to go to the army in any way. His legendary team always with him, Kahled was something like the squads psychologist, always having time for his friends and comrades, ready to listen to their problems without being forceful or pitiful. He just listens and understands, which is the reason why any of the squad is willing to go to him for any sort of advice, because they knew they could count on him.
"Montag will undoubtedly keep us on a tight leash. Our tour would most likely be search and destroy mission, taking xenos chance to fight back away, before he even realizes he has them. People, this is the first time humans land on an alien planet with hostile intent. We are at war. Our target planet has a core temperature of minus twenty-four degrees. Currently Intel say it is almost below minus thirty. These xenos, Turians are a highly violent, militaristic folk. Every one is considered a soldier at the age of fifteen. Our bombardments and new tech is supposed to disable any eezo weaponry rendering the Turians defenseless and taking their offensive option before they can even make use of them. That however doesn't mean they aren't dangerous. Be prepared and stay on your toes, exercise extreme caution. This is their land. And they will undoubtedly fight however they can to protect those they hold dear. Remain vigilante and we will get out of this in one piece. Prep five minutes." with these words MSGT Winscott stepped away from his team to give them room and let out their emotions. And also to make a call at home. One may never know.
Mitchell sighed heavily as he looked after the retreating form of his squad CO, undoubtedly marching towards the 'putting green' were soldiers could relax or call their families. Mitchell had talked to his wife and kids just the other day and didn't think he could do it today. He might not have the guts to go planet-side if he would see the smiling face of his beautiful wife and the shy glances from his six year old son and daughter. He just couldn't bring himself to see them again.
"After this OP I call them." Determined Mitchell as he glanced around his squad mates immediately aware of the thick, almost suffocating tension. They were trying to hide their fear but Mitchell could see straight through. Everyone who says isn't afraid of going into combat is god damned liar. Or incredibly retarded. Or has a suicide wish. Going through a metal corridor, enjoying your last moments of silence and peace, which could very well be your last moments of your life, was almost maddening.
In some corner Mitchell caught a few soldiers praying to however god they praised. A priest was going around collecting and giving letters, tokens of luck and presents from the soldiers families.
Mitchell sighed as he prepared his new Lance class gear for Assault troopers. His main weapon a HM-51 was a compact, streamlined weapon firing plasma coated HE rounds and is capable of producing it's own ammunition through the highly advanced and improved 3D printing technology He looked to his left and saw squads engineer Kahled making last minutes checks on the squads combat drones and automated turrets. Behind him was the Squads FNG. Specialist Yusuf McKnight checking his exosuit and innocently 'played' with his light plasma machine gun.
Barely out of his teens and one of the fresh recruits, with the age of twenty-one the youngest Squad member. Black hair, slightly longer than regulation with a young face girls might say handsome or cute, but to Mitchell he looked like a small child. He was thin, which was ironic given his role in the squad, and his brown eyes scanned the data-pad with unwavering attention.
Thomas moved towards the new guy who immediately snapped to attention when he caught a glimpse of the Sergeant First Class. Chuckling lightly Mitchell waved him off as he spoke "How are you holding up McKnight?"
"All good sir just a little nervous that's all." Jordan replied almost like a child to his parent.
"We all are Yusuf, so don't worry. Just remember your training and stay on our lead, you'll get through this. And maybe after the war you might manage to get a few ladies on our victory tour too." Mitchell joked and almost laughed as the young Specialist coughed up and turned red in embarrassment. "I already have a girlfriend sir." he replied and Mitchell nodded approvingly.
"Good since when have you been together?" Thomas inquired.
"About six months right after high school. Knew each other since we were babes but I never really had the guts to go for her. She is just too damn good for me." McKnight chuckled as he lost himself in memories a dreamy grin on his face, as if he couldn't believe how lucky he was. "Wanted to study and become a teacher back on Eden. But then Shanxi happened." Jordan's happy voice was now replaced with solemn, depressive air, his eyes gazing at the empty air.
"Did your girlfriend call you, sent you messages?" Mitchell asked hoping to get back on a bit lighter topic.
"Aye sir. Almost every day, starts to get annoying too but at least I know she cares and I know she feels the same as I do for her." Yusuf said confidently.
Hopefully for you, she is being sincere and it doesn't end up like other relationships. Thought Thomas as he clapped the young rookie on his shoulder and continued on to check on his squad.
To the far end near a tank was Field Medic Rick Hudson sharpening his titanium knife. "Yo Hud! How are things going at your end? Not sinking into melancholy eh?!"
Hudson looked towards the source of the disturbance and grinned "With all the fond memories I have of home, how could I not!" loud chuckle erupted from the two as Mitchell raised a skeptical eyebrow and questioned "Oh yeah, how are things back at home for you anyway?"
Hudson's laughter lessened to dry nervous chuckles as he remembered something not too long ago.
"What did you do to my daughter ya' horse bastard!" slurred an angry man his loud, menacing bellow nearly shattering Rick's eardrum as a well aimed fist shattering his nose.
"Brilliant mate! Utterly brilliant. Fantastic even! Marvelously made a bunch of new friends, although they don't show it that way and did all sorts of crap." Hudson spoke quickly without taking a breath, something Thomas was used to.
'Makes one wonder why he ever became a doctor for the army?' thought Mitchell wearily.
"The nurses of course!" Hudson piped up almost immediately after Mitchell finished his trail of thoughts.
"You did it again didn't ya'?"
Hudson merely shrugged and purple, blueish wisps of smoke and tendrils began to form around his head.
"Dude you forget who I am sometimes." Hudson admonished slightly with a mock hurt look on his face.
"Never mate just keep your usual level head in battle and for the duration of this OP. Don't want to get sloppy." Mitchell said, without any trace of the once easy going, joking person. Now replaced with the 'dehumanized' soldier that was SFC Mitchell.
"Course sir." replied Hudson with the exact same tone which would surprise quite many comrades who didn't know him from the battlefield or the field hospital.
Before Mitchell could say anything else he felt a strong hand grabbing the back of his suit and dragged half across the hanger, both persons never catching Rick evil grin as he chuckled good kindheartedly.
Thomas let himself be dragged to a dark corridor with no other soul in sight and quickly found himself pressed against the cold unforgiving metal wall with his eyes catching sight of a pair of familiar gray pools, radiating with lust, anticipation and a hint of fear.
Before Thomas could react or say anything he felt a pair of soft, deliciously full lips on top of his own. He tried to resist but only for a moment before giving into the wonderful feeling that surged through his body and melted away all of his troubles from his mind. He closed his eyes with a grin on his face as he kissed the sharp, stormy eyed woman back with as much fevour as she gave. Amanda gave out a pleasure filled moan and allowed Thomas' eager tongue entrance as the two battled for dominance. Their hands freely roaming each others bodies, massaging them as they reached new heights of pleasure, deepening the kiss. Amanda long full brown hair that went past her bosom was now tenderly entangled with Thomas hand as they deepened the kiss.
For what seemed to be an eternity, the pair of them were free, seemingly on a different plane of existence. The worries of the galaxy, the war, the upcoming battle and the soon following hardships ceased to exist for these two in this very moment.
But all too soon it ended as the two lovers slowly both against their wills broke their kiss yet remaining close enough to feel the soothing breaths of their respective partners. A life sign. One that may not exist in a few minutes. Thomas looked at the gorgeous, doll like face of Amanda Dubious, her beautiful, entrancing eyes sadly still closed and simply watched her breathing heavily after their heated kiss.
"I could get used to it." Thomas murmured as he barely suppressed a chuckle awaiting an iconic sarcastic or witty comeback from Amanda but instead she opened her eyes and her gaze was filled with something, Thomas could not identify especially if it was in a dark corridor.
"Promise that you don't get yourself killed." Amanda whispered her voice hard as steel refusing to show weakness.
"Yeah." replied Thomas breathless completely surprised by Amanda's question. Amanda said nothing but locked her wild, gray eyes with his dark brown orbs daring him to interrupt her.
"You haven't seen what I have seen Tom. You weren't on Shanxi, in the middle of the street as the shadows of their damned ships darkened the skies. Or how they ripped their way through civilian refugee camps, absolutely taking no mercy as they riddled them with bullets and left their broken corpses to rot. And you weren't there when they laid fire to our planet, burning it to a crisp and damning the unlucky ones beneath a sickening cloud of radioactivity. These... monsters, are not to be underestimated, like they underestimated us. I know how they are and I want you to survive this Tom, so please Tom. I am begging you don't die. Promise?"
Thomas was dumbstruck after Amanda's emotional speech and lost himself in the those magnificent gray pool crying crystal tears, letting him know she was sincere. Letting him know that she has seen things no one ever should have witnessed. Not even your worst enemy.
"So do you M'." whispered Thomas softly as he caressed her lips. He felt her tongue begging for entrance which he did not hesitate to give and was lost in pleasure and happiness, as Amanda's tongue roamed in his mouth with grace and elegance as Thomas soothingly rubbed her back, pressing her perfect body close to his. Too soon the kiss ended, with Thomas moaning in disappointment.
"We should go." Amanda muttered a hint of uncertainty in her voice as she refused to look Thomas in his eyes, her gaze firmly remaining on the cold floor.
"Right." muttered Thomas checking his suit and rubbing his neck nervously, Amanda tying her long magnificent hair back into a compact knot.
"Ladies first, off to the kitchen." said a Sergeant First Class with a cheeky smile on his face.
"Castrated patients following close behind as always don't they." with what could argue as a warning glare from the Private, just as old as her officer.
Gulping and unconsciously crossing his legs Mitchell followed Dubious after gaining some distance and readied himself for what is to come.
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The Quarian medics were in a conundrum.
The strange survivor was unlike anything the healers had ever encountered. The 'human' body was impossibly complex. Once Kar'Donna had announced the need for a medical team the Quarians set up a treatment room for a Levo-DNA patient. Once the Captain and his team had dragged the near dead male to the ship the Quarians began a large scale medical examination of their patient. The lack of appropriate medical data forced them to use guesses and estimations based on what little they could find that was similar between the human and the other galactic races.
The Human had a skeleton similar to a Quarian, with only a difference in the number of fingers. The Skin was like an Asari. The muscle system was frighteningly similar to both the Krogan and the Turian: thin musculature with limitless potential and an ability to regenerate after extreme strain.
Several dozen times the medical and science teams had to read and re-read the Salarian's Shanxi report to understand what they were looking at. It was annoying, inconvenient and worried many of them that the necessary treatments would not be provided if they had to double and triple check their treatment methods.
Unbeknownst to the two dozen Quarians in the medical bay with him, Captain David Anderson was awake.
Shortly after his false fainting in the ruins of Shanxi the Captain left his body in a trance. While his body was in a state very similar to naturally induced unconsciousness his mind was fully awake. The ruse was commonly used by school children to skip classes but would be revealed by any magnetic resonance imaging, or far cheaper a surface level telepathic probing. The Quarians lacked the human methods to detect such a juvenile deception, and thus Anderson was free to scout the intentions of the new race.
The light violet glow of Anderson's mental powers was barely noticeable under the bright lights of the med bay. It was lucky that thought transcended all language or else more taxing and noticeable abilities would have to be used.
"...What odd skin... It's nothing like an Asari. Why?"
"...I wonder why the hand has five fingers? Why would they need more than three?"
"...How did it know the Turian language?"
"...I wonder..."
"...What if..."
"...when did..."
The Quarians had plenty of questions, but so far no hostile intentions. A good sign.
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General Williams stood tall on the bridge, his cybernetic arm behind his back and his right arm steadying a crutch as he gazed with a stoic expression at the first planet that would feel the wrath of the Alliance war machine. Altakril was an ice planet with harsh conditions, brutal to its residents and had nothing of the beauty of a traditional garden world. No green fields or mountain ranges or azure blue oceans, like his former home world Shanxi. Shanxi was a paradise turned to hellish, apocalyptic wasteland. A lifeless husk. With countless of people, millions over millions dead, families separated, shattered and destroyed.
And here was Williams now hovering towards a planet, a colony belonging to the same savages that shattered his home and destroyed his family. He thought he would face a world familiar to his home, see what the Turians hold dear and repay them properly, make them feel the same he felt when they rained nuclear fire upon his planet. But instead Williams was faced with tiny, insignificant, ice rock! These aliens, these vile creatures that dared to lay fire on a beautiful, peaceful, harmonic world into something that had no resemblance to their own living standards. It disgusted him deeply to see these ordinary, dull pointless maggots, who thought themselves as a higher, superior life form live on such a disgrace of a planet. It wasn't even an earth like planet, just a rock of snow and ice.
All this internal conflict was hidden underneath his stoic unforgiving expression. The Alliance wanted to keep the planets residents hostage as a bargain chip. They didn't say in what state they would have them.
The voice of one of his communications officers called out to him "General, the decapitation op was a complete success. All needle teams have eliminated their targets and set up the bombs."
"Good. First wave is a go. Make sure that you'll burn down every military location to the ground and raze the city. The less people we have to monitor the better we are off. Do it."
The entirety of the Ninth fleet released its swarms of deadly bombers and after a few seconds, literally unleashed hell. Hundreds of thousands of missiles and rockets were launched with destructive intent, ready to raise hell. As the bombers and missiles flew their deadly course tiny, orange flames appeared on planets surface, sending apocalyptic shock waves throughout large parts of the planet.
"Ground side UR-86s detonated, Turian eezo tech offline." reported a weapons officer and a grim, satisfied smile broke through the stone like expression of Williams.
"Secure geostationary orbit and have rearguard deployed on that damned relay and create a kill-zone. I don't want any surprises." Williams said gruffly, his voice completely lacking of any empathy or mercy for his enemies. May they be soldiers or civilians. Just like the Turians have done back on Shanxi.
"That cockroach Hummel wants a bargaining chip, I'll give him a bargaining chip."
"Time of impact?" questioned Williams his hungry, hateful gaze never leaving or blinking the Turian colony.
"ETA two minutes." said another bridge officer, his hands dancing across a holopad fulling several tasks at once.
"Fascinating..." mumbled Williams absentmindedly as the bombers and missiles raced towards the doomed planet.
"One minute thirty seconds."
All over the fleet anticipation and sadistic glee began to take over the men and women of the invasion fleet. Their eyes widened and unconscious grins began to find their ways across the many crew members faces.
"It is almost like in my old days as a sniper." Williams chuckled lightly as he slowly but steadily raised his cybernetic arm, pointing towards the alien planet.
"One minute."
The various rockets and missiles have long since surpassed the bombers and continued their deadly travel towards the planets' atmosphere like the golden horde of Genghis Khan.
A dreamy expression appeared on Williams face as his trigger finger leaned towards the unfortunate planet with its unsuspecting residents, to the millions of millions missiles streaking towards their victim, like a punishment from a vengeful god.
"I reach out," the race was almost over as the payload reached the lower atmosphere of the planet spreading all across the planet, almost blacking out the skies with its masses.
"...and boom." Williams left hand expanded imitating an explosion just as seemingly the whole Turian planet caught fire. A few officers had to squint their eyes as they witnessed this unholy retribution. Not a single inch of the planet remained untouched by this merciless, mindbogglingly strike of vengeance. Bright golden flames shot high into the heavens breaching lower atmosphere.
There was complete and utter stunned silence across the Ninth fleet as they witnessed the effects of their vengeance The bombers broke through the ash clouds delivering their deadly content and once again wild, angry bright orange flames flickered across the planets surface, consuming everything in their path.
And then the silence of the Ninth fleet was broken with joyful cries and tears of happiness. Gleeful, hollering laughter over their enemies misery echoed throughout the invasion fleet.
"Do you smell that mates and lasses? That's smell of victory. Delicious but just too short." said a grinning bridge officer who earned a few chuckles and laughter but not one reprimand.
Williams allowed his men and women their taste for just revenge but quickly reminded of the other half of their job. "Alright people show is not over yet. COM's give second wave a go. Let us unleash our hounds."
"Aye, aye sir."
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Lieutenant Lang's eye was giving the Alien vessel a thousand yard stare, her gaze peering down the scope of Anderson's rifle.
Many in the team were antsy about Anderson's plan. "How long are we gonna wait for the captain?" Specialist Johnson asked, his trigger finger resting a half inch from activating his weapon. The team had spent the time the captain provided by being a distraction and set up a half dozen nests to hide in.
"We wait for the Captain's signal. Keep your gun steady." Melissa's eye never moved from her target, the hydraulic parts of the ship's door.
If Anderson sent one signal by psychic pulse, the team would rush the ship and take it over. If he sent a pass phrase from his helmet radio, they would walk out peacefully and use soft touch Psionics to encourage a peaceful first contact. Several of the surviving specialists would use a full mind control if necessary.
Anderson had promised them a way off the planet. The captain had never failed them before.
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Altakril was under siege. That was an undeniable fact once you heard the sound of the air-raid sirens blaring all throughout the major cities and populated areas, the helpless cries of the families desperately seeking shelter in this great confusion. The Men and women getting their weapons and readied themselves to fight off whoever dared to threaten their homes and families, just as the cries and screams of terror reached new levels when the skies for explainable reasons began to darken until finally blocking the sun, covering almost the entire colony in darkness.
There is this calm before the storm, one where only the most primal creatures on each planet know, instinctively that they should find a place to hide as quickly as possible. It is a known contradiction and somewhat ironic that the intelligent species of this universe don't obey to that rule as they stand stock still, trembling in primal fear unable to move an inch as curiosity and fear battled with each other, until it was too late. The Turians of Altakril stared in wonder and a sense of foreboding dread at the spectacle taking place high above them. The experienced Turians, veterans who had seen conflicts and bombardments knew what is too to come and were the first to move as they rushed throughout the crowded street and desperately urged their fellow friends and comrades to safety.
Before anyone could as much as blink or move a muscle, countless numbers of impossibly large rockets and missiles exploded with a terrifying force shattering the ground beneath their feet in a kilometer wide radius. Deafening howls and the terrible screeching noise of these monstrous weapons swarming across the heavens laying waste to anything that crossed their path, tortured the Turians senses and bodies in unimaginable ways, as even the bravest Turian shook in bones fear. Mighty explosions sending clouds of ashes and debris into every direction, significantly increasing the damage. Mountainous skyscrapers collapsed under the inflicted damage, burying countless unfortunate people underneath. The ground tore wide open, as gigantic holes appeared on the ground devouring entire city blocks in flames as the rockets impacted.
It was pure and utter devastation. The deafening sounds of destruction and chaos and death and those awful, horrible howling noise of the waste laying missiles seemed to never end. A new noise joined this destructive symphony of death, a far sounding whistle that steadily multiplied, like an angry swarm of hornets. And with them came the flames. Those horrible, orange flames with this disgusting sticking matter, eating its way through the armor, clothes and flesh to the unfortunate victims bones like acid. Though the Turians didn't know it, they had experienced one of humanities most feared weapons in their arsenal.
White Phosphorus.
The toxic gas stole the oxygen right out of the air and suffocated those unlucky enough to survive the initial strike. The sickening gas, burning it's way through the Turians airways into their lungs, causing massive fatalities best not to be described.
But the siege of Altakril did not end there. Just as the last rockets and missiles and incendiary bombs impacted upon their targets, numerous titan-like air ships appeared out of the skies, forcing their way through the clouds of dust and death that hung over so many cities, towns and villages.
As the ships drew closer they released countless of pods and the Turians fearing another bombing run once again pulled back to their hiding places. However no more deafening, sanity robbing explosions came as once the drop pods opened thousands upon thousands of large robotic beast-like creatures jumped out of their cargo hold and began to hunt down any Turian they could find. Many ran in fear of the new threat only to be pinned down and bitten on their necks. The swift metal monsters injecting them with the Peacekeeper bio-chips. Many Turians tried in vain to fight back and fire their weapon at these robots only to discover their guns, grenades, and omni-tools were rendered inoperable. Possibly to some side effects of the bombing. Defenseless and weaponless the surviving Turians tried their best to evade their invading foes, but only prolonged the inevitable end.
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A day on Shanxi passed before Anderson's eyes blinked open slowly. His body felt refreshed from the Quarian's treatments, at least in comparison to the aching irradiated mess he had been when he approached the leader of their guard.
The Quarian medical team rushed to his aid, many of them using their glowing wrist translators to ask in Turian what he needed. The chorus of voices was overwhelming and only assured him that he was about to make the right decision.
The captain's voice was dry and scratchy, needing water to sooth its ache. However badly he wanted water, something else was more important. "My helmet...?" he asked in English. He noticed the confused looks and quickly elaborated in Turian, "I need helmet. Head armor. Radio." He stated in his crudely copied Turian.
There were many disadvantages to ripping knowledge out of the minds of the dying. Anderson gazed at the helpful Quarians as he lifted his helmet from the hands of an assisting Quarian.
"To anyone that can hear me, this is Captain David Anderson of the Human Systems Alliance. Bonfire. I repeat Bonfire. We're going home."
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Horns and sirens echoed throughout the every Alliance ship over Altakril, as the main invasion force prepared themselves for landfall. The Invasion consisted of two Corps. 1st Infantry Crops focused their efforts on the northern half of the planet while the 2nd Infantry Crops took over the south. Both Corps had three major objectives:
1.: Secure a landing site and setting up Command post and holding pens for future prisoners.
2.: Capture any live Turian and put them into quarantine in said holding pens.
3.: Destroy any Turian military equipment and locations.
Their focus where the large metropolitan cities and towns and the dozens of military camps and bases, scattered all across the globe. More than eighty thousand soldiers ordered to control more than thirteen million Turians hostage.
Among these countless of troops were Mitchell and his squad, moving with hurried pace towards their designated drop pod, their Master Sergeant taking the lead.
A sense of finality dawned upon these countless brave men and women as they entered their respective entry pods. With a solemn face Mitchell entered the drop pod and strapped himself into his seat, fixing him in place. He let his gaze wander making sure to look everyone of his squad members into their eyes. A last appreciative nod as a sign that it was an honor to have known these men and women, should the worst befall him. His gaze stood still when he laid his eyes upon the beautiful face of Amanda, who looked him straight into his soul recalling their mutual promise from earlier. Without saying a word Amanda's face plate slid down concealing her face and sealing her helmet air tight.
A long, deep rumbling signaled the squad that they were being loaded into their ZEUS drop ships and soon their time would come.
All six soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder within this small tin can like pod with their squad leader in the middle of the pod surrounded by his subordinates.
"Remember your training people. Don't get too cocky and we'll get through this." said the unwavering, steel like voice of Master Sergeant Winscott, as they all felt how the ship began to move into what seemed like to be the high atmosphere. It was almost time.
The Division wide communication system turned on with Colonel Montags identification code and the iconic US Marines hymn played over the loudspeakers, resonating throughout the hearts of the troops raising their spirits to unimaginable heights.
Rick Hudson bobbed his head to the rhythm, took a deep breath and sang
"Forth we go into the fray. Hearts and minds set, to kick some arse."
"Hud' please for the love of Allah and all that is holy stop singing or I'll make sure to sterilize you." Kahled said with a no-nonsense voice.
Amanda openly laughed comically, while Mitchell successfully managed to suppress a chuckle.
"Damn Kal' that was low." muttered Rick lowly before hearing a loud clicking noise. That was the signal.
This is it. Mitchell thought somberly as his helmet slid closed and his advanced Heads-Up-Display activated showing a countdown. ETA 30 seconds.
"We'll make it." Winscott said confidently and just as these words left his mouth the timer had ticked down, a loud bang resonated throughout the small pod and all passengers felt the pod accelerating until it broke sonic barrier and raced to the planet. Down into the unknown. Down until the fray. Their possibly last good fight.
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Author's Note:
Ladies, Gentlemen, un-addressed beloved readers. This invasion of a Turian world (and the wide scale slaughter of its population) was brought to you by my talented co-writer/beta writer NathanHale2. I recommend his Harry Potter/ The last of us Crossover: The Line. Having read it, and helped NathanHale2 with his ideas for it, let me just say it's slow to start but will mind fuck you in later chapters. Having learned where the story is going to go I can only say it has the potential to kick a metric load of ass.
While your at it my valued reviewers/readers if you would, send me ideas and requests for what you would like to see further on in this story. If you have a world you want to see turned into a warzone feel free to mention it to me. (I got bored making notes of planets listed on the wiki, seriously researching planets gets old quick. Particularly if you don't get to see them for yourself.) If you have something you want to see me add in, give me a review or personal message to tell me. If the idea has merit I will add it in. Have a character you want added, send me a bio.
In short review please! (Mostly because I use my hits to review ratio to determine my worth as a human being.)