Post by EmperorMyric on Dec 17, 2017 13:35:49 GMT
With a tearing of light and energy, a flotilla of Spartan warships, centered around the Adrianople -class battleship Xerxes, tore out of lightspeed, slowing as it came into position over Tau Volaris. aboard the vessels, crews reoriented themselves after the traumatic experience of the rift-jump, necessary to expedite their arrival in-system: unlike the rift gate bombs used by the fleet as weapons, the rift-gate generators were stable enough to allow ships to pass through undamaged. the crews, on the other hand.....
"some times i wonder if near-instant transport is worth it" Captain Deikun muttered as he massaged his forehead. the effects of the transport affected everyone differently. some could withstand it with little more than a headache, while others...
Deikun watched as one of the monitor crewmen lurched away from her station and vomited down a refuse hatch.
such was the reason the Rift-transport was used sparingly.
as his crew composed themselves, he motioned his XO Patterson over to him.
"inform General Astinos that we've arrived, and she should prepare her troops for the descent immediately."
[=]
"FInally!"
General Maria Astinos snapped off her comm-device as she turned to address her group commanders. like herself, they were already clad in the bio-mechanical mesh armor that would protect them from the harsh atmosphere of the planet below.
'you've all received your operational orders: first platoon will rendezvous with the Tenebraeans, Second platoon with Carnaith. deploy to your units. Success on your mission. I'll see you on the ground." she said. Spartans weren't known for long-winded goodbyes.
as the commanders left, each deploying to their respective units, Astinos herself turned and grabbed the EVA helmet that sat on a shelf nearby. designed in the spirit of the ancient Corinthian helmet, modern electronics and features had removed many of the shortcomings of the original design. aside from the main HUD< it also had a feature offering full 360 degree POV, allowing the wearer to literally see in every direction without turning their head. it took a great deal of training to master.
thankfully, Spartans had a great deal of training.
her rifle clipped to her back in an accessible position, pistol on her belt, gauntlet-mounted blades sharpened and sheathed, Arm-mounted shield charged, the overall commander of the Spartan ground operation turned and exited her command chamber, carrying her helmet under one arm.
as she entered the deployment bay, she could hear the rhythmic tramp-tramp-tramp as troops boarded the landing craft that would ferry them to the surface. there was no idle chatter, no sense of nervousness. the 221st was beyond such things. the elite of Sparta's ground armies, "Ares' Heralds" as the 221st was known, had developed a reputation for fierceness and martial ability that went beyond any training, any equipment. Morale was as important as any wargear or training.
Silently wishing them luck, knowing some would not even make it to the ground, Astinos clipped her helmet into place and entered the world of war.
[=]
Tau Volaris’ perennially overcast skies, wracked with energy storms and dust clouds, presented and gloomy barrier to any who would dare encroach upon it’s shores.
Spartans were never swayed by such diversions.
off in the distant sky, a swarm of what at first glance appeared to be large insects appeared, before a large shadow suddenly emerged from the cloudbank. Immediately, unnaturally, the clouds twisted and swirled away in a perfect circle, revealing the night sky above.
as the psychic vault continued to descend, the attendants within watched carefully over the vital signs of the thin young woman, her black hair cut drastically short and her skin pale as a sheet and drenched with sweat, as, using the mechanisms of the vault as an outlet, she cleared the skies of the maelstrom of clouds.
around the massive construct, clusters of landing craft and assault pods hurtled into the planet’s gravity well, hurtling through the atmosphere in a ragged column. As they descended, long-rage AA fire and missiles began to arc up from sites on the ground. Here and there, some of the craft descending burst into flame as they were hit. Others glanced the edge of the psychic-created barrier, and were ripped apart by the barely-restrained energy.
but many more made it through.
countless more made it through.
and with shuddering impacts on the ground, the infantry pods landed, their barely-restrained fall halted by boosters. The sides sprang open and troops immediately deployed. Behind them, as the pods formed a loose ring, the heavy landers dropped down and began deploying temporary fortifications, shelters, tanks and vehicles.
overhead, the psychic vault hovered, the shuddering figure of the wytch within powering the device, leaving a gateway in preparation for the arrival of the main forces.
above, second strings of landing pods dropped into the atmosphere, deploying as ordered to link up with their allies, and the scout troops that had inserted weeks before to organize the landing zones.
the Spartans had arrived.
"some times i wonder if near-instant transport is worth it" Captain Deikun muttered as he massaged his forehead. the effects of the transport affected everyone differently. some could withstand it with little more than a headache, while others...
Deikun watched as one of the monitor crewmen lurched away from her station and vomited down a refuse hatch.
such was the reason the Rift-transport was used sparingly.
as his crew composed themselves, he motioned his XO Patterson over to him.
"inform General Astinos that we've arrived, and she should prepare her troops for the descent immediately."
[=]
"FInally!"
General Maria Astinos snapped off her comm-device as she turned to address her group commanders. like herself, they were already clad in the bio-mechanical mesh armor that would protect them from the harsh atmosphere of the planet below.
'you've all received your operational orders: first platoon will rendezvous with the Tenebraeans, Second platoon with Carnaith. deploy to your units. Success on your mission. I'll see you on the ground." she said. Spartans weren't known for long-winded goodbyes.
as the commanders left, each deploying to their respective units, Astinos herself turned and grabbed the EVA helmet that sat on a shelf nearby. designed in the spirit of the ancient Corinthian helmet, modern electronics and features had removed many of the shortcomings of the original design. aside from the main HUD< it also had a feature offering full 360 degree POV, allowing the wearer to literally see in every direction without turning their head. it took a great deal of training to master.
thankfully, Spartans had a great deal of training.
her rifle clipped to her back in an accessible position, pistol on her belt, gauntlet-mounted blades sharpened and sheathed, Arm-mounted shield charged, the overall commander of the Spartan ground operation turned and exited her command chamber, carrying her helmet under one arm.
as she entered the deployment bay, she could hear the rhythmic tramp-tramp-tramp as troops boarded the landing craft that would ferry them to the surface. there was no idle chatter, no sense of nervousness. the 221st was beyond such things. the elite of Sparta's ground armies, "Ares' Heralds" as the 221st was known, had developed a reputation for fierceness and martial ability that went beyond any training, any equipment. Morale was as important as any wargear or training.
Silently wishing them luck, knowing some would not even make it to the ground, Astinos clipped her helmet into place and entered the world of war.
[=]
Tau Volaris’ perennially overcast skies, wracked with energy storms and dust clouds, presented and gloomy barrier to any who would dare encroach upon it’s shores.
Spartans were never swayed by such diversions.
off in the distant sky, a swarm of what at first glance appeared to be large insects appeared, before a large shadow suddenly emerged from the cloudbank. Immediately, unnaturally, the clouds twisted and swirled away in a perfect circle, revealing the night sky above.
as the psychic vault continued to descend, the attendants within watched carefully over the vital signs of the thin young woman, her black hair cut drastically short and her skin pale as a sheet and drenched with sweat, as, using the mechanisms of the vault as an outlet, she cleared the skies of the maelstrom of clouds.
around the massive construct, clusters of landing craft and assault pods hurtled into the planet’s gravity well, hurtling through the atmosphere in a ragged column. As they descended, long-rage AA fire and missiles began to arc up from sites on the ground. Here and there, some of the craft descending burst into flame as they were hit. Others glanced the edge of the psychic-created barrier, and were ripped apart by the barely-restrained energy.
but many more made it through.
countless more made it through.
and with shuddering impacts on the ground, the infantry pods landed, their barely-restrained fall halted by boosters. The sides sprang open and troops immediately deployed. Behind them, as the pods formed a loose ring, the heavy landers dropped down and began deploying temporary fortifications, shelters, tanks and vehicles.
overhead, the psychic vault hovered, the shuddering figure of the wytch within powering the device, leaving a gateway in preparation for the arrival of the main forces.
above, second strings of landing pods dropped into the atmosphere, deploying as ordered to link up with their allies, and the scout troops that had inserted weeks before to organize the landing zones.
the Spartans had arrived.