When a job needs to be done...

[Whitescar]

On planet Dornier V, a desert world on the fringes of the known universe, a decades-long crisis has finally started to spiral out of control. The fiercly loyal warrior-monks of the Deheneb Federation have finally began to yeild in face of superior Coalition firepower as the mechanized divisions of less-trained and motivated soldiers rolled over the fewer, but hell-bent defenders.
As the war efforts become more desperate and even the proud leaders of the Deheneb finally start to understand the need for progress and technological advance, the Coalition is advancing almost unabated towards the Federation's capital cities.
One of these fortress-cities, Grentuil, has made a bold decision that defiles the proud heritage of the Deheneb warrior-monks; Grentuil sent out a plead of aid. Such cowardice has not been seen by the Deheneb in many generations of hardships, but at this desperate hour, desperate measures are not to be left unused.
And so it was decreed that any and all mercenaries, be it battle formations or individual soldiers, would be formed into a single fighting core, the 67th Deheneb Combined, in an attempt to keep the city from falling under relentless Coalition attack.

Grab your guns and roll out your tanks, this is going to be ground combat in the far future of the 41st millenium...

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee rode at the head of the Vulpine tank corps Antikorper. He had detached is unit and had them withdraw to another sector after finding this was not a substantule planet for conquest diring thier planet hopping campaign agienst the Humans. The Vulpa gazed across the desert wastes as his tank rumbled out across the wastes, reminisant of an old German Ausf E 1 Tiger tank this piticular craft was defended by an over under double barrel plasma main gun and two forward and rear heavy repeating plasma bow guns, the ones inthe rear were actually located within the engine room. Atop the weapon that Fusalamee now stood out of the hatch looking through his field glasses was a mounted heavy repeating plasma gun. Fusalamee and his crew of six other Vulpa had been in the desert for mant days and had seen no one. "Hunter Lord Fusalamee, I am picking up someting on the scanners sir." Langulamee, his right forward bow gunner slash radar and radio operator said. Fusalamee decended the ladder and closed the hatch and walked over to Langulamee's station. Vulpine tanks known as Shieldrunns were massive fighting vehicles from which an entire crew could live and fight. Fusalamee patted the Vulpa's shoulder. "This is good, continue tracking thier progress and we shall see what they are about. All hands prepare for combat, we have an unidentified ping on the radar. Take your stations and go." Fusalamee walked over to his combat harness and allowed the three screens to lower and light up before him. Moving his hand in petterens as he moved certain icons onthe screen he snarled. "Now how in the hell did you get so close before we detected you?" He said to the image that began showing up on one of the screensshowing the outside desert.

[Whitescar]

Force Commander Francis Graham, an otter in his mid-thirties, closed the vox link to his forward Vyper unit and looked at the real life tactical map being projected on the command desk within the Aries-class Mobile Command Vehicle. Around the table were his three closest field commanders, all looking up as he closed the link, awaiting his orders without looking expectant. Francis thought about the situation and nodded more to himself than to the three Captains. "We have a hostile armoured column approaching from the west and a division of Deheneb 64th tanks moving to engage them. Without support, TaCom estimates the friendlies will take up to twenty percent effective damage. We shall hence provide support..."
The captain directly across Francis looked at the map. "Sir, we could deploy our Titans around here..." He drew an arc behind a large dune formation some ten miles from the enemy's and Allies' estimated battle zone. "... We could provide effective indirect fire support on their rear elements and even force them to divide forces." The man next to him nodded. "And with a pack of Mirage tanks acting as a hunting pack right next to the ledge, we could easily defend ourselves against any mobile detachments they might send after us."
Francis nodded and looked at the proposed firing lines. "Very good. What about our top cover then?"
The final captain, a female fox, looked at the battlefield and seemed to think about something for a while before speaking her mind. "Piranhas will provide top cover and take out any enemies before they get to a firing position on the ledge. With a flight ceiling of four hundred and distance of 6 miles from the dune, they should be safe from retaliation fire..."
She turned the map sideways and drew firing lines and LOS to concur her estimates. The otter looked pleased. "Very well then. Keep the infantry in reserve behind the Titans, but mounted. Other than that, execute as planned..." And with that, the plan was set in motion.

[Hunter_Tier]

Langulamee watched with fear as the screen began showing a series of images pop up on the screen. "Sir! Multiple contacts! I'm reading a full contengent, we've landed in a f***ing rats nest!" Fusalamee snarled at the complacentcy of his command. "Find our armor tell me someone's out there." Langulamee shouted without turning. "Negative sir! All available armor is too far out it will be too late before thay get here sir." Fusalamee thought for a moment, he knew that the nearest flight base was much too far away for him and his crew to call in support he furrowed his brow and snapped his fingers. "Find thier frequency and see who it is were dealing with. I'll bet it's the locals. The Humans aren't smart enough to set up an ambush such as this. If it is the locals we'll stand down. They have enough problems dealing with the Humans, they don't need to be fighting us as well. Send out a message and let 'em know we're here to help." Langulamee nodded and began tapping out a message of confermation. "This is Vulpine Hunter group Five Four Five Antikorper. Repeat, this is Vulpine Hunter group Five Four Five Antikorper. We have receved a distress signal from this area report status over. Repeat, this is Vulpine Hunter group Five Four Five Antikorper. This is Vulpine Hunter group Five Four Five Antikorper, do you copy over?"

As Fusalamee sat in his battle harness and awated the judging moment where he would either have to fight or be welcomed he kept a level head. They had receved a message of aid but found no real Human presence here at the time. Fusalamee had split his forces long ago in an attempt to find the beacon as the scanners could not pick up exactally where the signal was comming from because of the planets natural interfearance. A fight with a bunch of locals was not something he was looking forward to. His mission was to hunt Humans and to provide assisstance to ensure future trade. It was the ready assisstance trading policies that the Vulpa had followed that had let them fund thier war with the Humans that had lasted the better part of Fifty years so far.

[Whitescar]

"Sir, the 64th are hailing us. I bet they think we're hostiles. Should we deploy IFF?" An InOps lieutenant spoke up, a bit amused by the message he was hearing.
Francis picked up his headphone and listened the transmission through. He tapped on the reply vox button. "This is Force Commander Francis Graham of the Deheneb 64th. We were under the impression that you were attacking the Coalition tanks rolling at you from your north, north-west. We're here to provide some fire support..."

The Deheneb 64th call sign basically encompassed all mercenaries, so Francis and his soldiers used the term to describe both themselves as well as their allies who were not from the planet. "Sir, enemy tanks closing within firing distance in twelve minutes..."

Outside the Aries Titan Self-propelled utility gun walkers moved into position as ordered and deployed stabilizing flaps that helped them fight the recoil of their 150mm guns as the guns were raised to their ballistic elevation. The utility guns could be used both in front line combat as well as indirect artillery support, hence their name. However, the delicate drive systems made the vehicle commanders prefer attacking at range and indirectly though the walkers themselves were well enough armoured to withstand full frontal war and the legs could easily hold walking atop enemy tanks, a feat that usually took the enemy by surprise as their tank colonnies were suddenly destroyed by a single Titan casually stomping them all to the ground.

Aries Mobile Command Vehicle: (http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/damocles.htm) (The Aries looks similar to the Damocles, but has a holodesk in the back and more room for command personnel. Basically the Damocles, but stretched.)

TITAN Utility Gun: http://www.cncden.com/cnc3_pics/Titan_high.jpg

[Hunter_Tier]

Langulamee turned to Fusalamee and told hin of the situation. "Sir, they think we are sone combat unit that rolled some of thier forces, what should I tell them?" Fusalamee shook his head. "Don't thies bumpkins know who we are? For Christ's sake we've only been ar war with the Humans for over Fifty years now. Fine, fine, whatever, Tell tem who we are again and let them know we haven't seen or heard a flippin' soul out in this desert for over three months now. Unless thoes Humans we shot down three months ago were working for them we should be fine, but I've never seen the ECA Humans do nothing but slaughter and enslave furrs in the years of my life. Tell them were not hostile, that were here to help, but as God as my witness the first round that comes our way we will turn hostile." Langulamee nodded and transmitted a message of intent of aid with non hostility until fired upon. The five Vulpa looked to thier commander. Fusalamee had been a tank commander for many years and had always managed to somehow come through wether by brute force or as in this instance, deplomacy. Fusalamee honestly hoped deplomacy would be the call of the day. "Sir, message patched through I'm attempting to bring then up on the comm so that you may speak to them yourself." Langulamee said from the radio. Fusalamee nodded. "Good, maybe it will do us some good for them to speak to a commander." Fusalamee folded his arms across his chest and waited as the message came through.

[Whitescar]

"Sir, they want to speak with you in private..." The vox officer said and patched the link after a nod from Francis. "This is Force Commander Francis Graham of the Deheneb 64th, own designation Steel Talons. We were under the impression that you were part of the same unit. We have hostile tanks on our sensors moving towards you along the road. They're about to move within firing range of our artillery units, but if you hurry, you can get your tanks within the ruins of the city to your right and hunker down. Any help would be appreciated, but you can simply sit and watch the fireworks too..."

=====

Down the paved road almost lost beneath the sand came a heavy tank column that intel suspected was headding for a flank attack. The vehicles were quite modern by design, though still track-driven and not repulsor-lifted like the newest tanks of the era. Hover tanks were much more mobile and at a particular size-range, provided adequate armour to rival tracked MBTs. Normally, an air raid would have been called in to kill the tanks, but due to the sizeable number of AA vehicles it was not deemed cost-effective. Hence, the Steel Talons had been despatched to eliminate the hostiles before they treathed the Dehenebian lines...

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee nodded to Commander Graham in respect and began in a heavily German accented voice. "This is Hunter Lord Fusalamee of the Five Foruty Fifth Antikorper. I'm not sure how your sencors are reading but I only have a company of tanks roving this planet as hunter killer units. I can bring them in if you will allow me to patch through thier IFF siginatures, but it will be some time before they ever get here. As you can see it is only us " The Vulpa turned and spoke to some one off screen in German and turned back to Commander Graham. "Commander Graham we are reading seporate signatures now... someone on your end is either patching them through or the sand dosent carry as much magnitisim here. That will be a negative on the watching A Vulpa never watches someone else do battle I am going to bring our guns to this fight. I look forward to speaking with you in person Commander Graham, I tend to not enjoy the... inpersionality of thies trensmissions. One of my crew ishall be patching through our IFF code right now." The Vulpa grinned... or at least what looked like a grin through his split lower jaws that acted like mandables. "Do make sure your boys don't hit us. I'd hate to get upset over something as petty as a little firendly fire. Hunter Lord Fusalamee out." Fusalamee changed the screen to show the desert after leaving Francis with the battle field humor and began his orders.

"Milenlamee I want you on the for'ard guns just incase this gets interesting, Cortulamee you're in the rear. Man the rear guns and keep an eye on that engine, hell you know what to do just make it hot. Langulamee Keep onthar radiop and see if you can raise the Obvious Captain Reed is still in orbit so he should pick pick up our signal sooner or later. Hortulamee I want you on the main guns, keep an eye on our heat signature and have both cannons fire in succession. I shall have us under The Veil and keep us moving to make it harder for them to hit us. Dokenlamee I'm going to want you to man the morter. Let's see if we cant teach thies morons why the Vulpa are the most leathal creatures alive!" As the Vulpa went to thier posts Fusalamee drove the tank forward, the air around it shimmered and waivered as he activated The Veil, a cloaking device that the Hunters employed in thier own persional armor. The tank rumbled into position, Fusalamee already calculating the range and fireing pattern of the artillary and keeping a safe distance from the drop zone.

"Enemy IFFs confirmed Sir. Someone over there must like us, the colum is all lined up in a nice neat little row." Langulamee said without looking up from his station. Fusalamee smiled pleased at the situation the tanks were using the high dunes as cover it would be hell for a tracked vehicke to get over the dunes. "Hortulamee I want you to fire on the for'ard vehicle. Take out the troop transport and walk down the line." Hortulamee furrowed his brow. "The troop transport Sir? With all due respect they pose no threat to us Sir." Fusalamee nodded still smileing "This I know. Here we have the highground and yes they pose no threat to us, but to themselves..." He allowed himself to close his eyes drinking in the pleasure of trumping, yet again, another stupid tactic used by the Humans. Hortulamee smiled as well after seeing the joy in the situation and bowed his head in respect. "Yes Sir. By your orders." Fusalamee waived his hand at the screen with disinterest. "Langulamee, if you will, play us Kreisler, Liebeslied, I always was fond of his works." Fusalamee eased back into his chair as the hunting refains of the viloin filled the tank and the fireing commenced. Hortulamee fired on the troop transport slagging it as super heated plasma splashed across it incenerating all the occupants within and turning the surrounding sand to glass. The cannons roared at the colum in succession as Fusalmee nonshalantly ambled the tank under the cover of invisability to another fireing position to confuse and offset anyone observant enough that saw the plasma ark into the air as it smashed it's way down the line. With the high walls of the sand dunes the colum was unableto go one way, reverse. Deeper into the artillary's metal storm Commander Graham had prepaired.

[Whitescar]

"Keep a fifty metre perimetre so you won't get shot up..." Francis replied before closing the link. He turned to his Captains and nodded. Almost instantly, the fire command was given and the Titans began their barrage. Heavy shell after heavy shell flew through the air and hit the convoy in blasts of heat and shrapnel, turning tanks and transports into heaps of burning, twisted metal...

=====

Though taken by surprise, the enemy convoy remained far from defeated, the commander immediately sending a hunting pack of broad-tracked medium tanks after the artillery units while the infantry got out of their transports and dug in and began to set up anti-tank weapons. The convoy dispersed from the road and began tracking the illusive killer, the commander telling the AA tanks to saturate the area near the hostile's last known position with heavy calibre machine gun fire. If any rounds hit, they would detect the enemy for engagement. While this happened, the tank commander realized a pair of track marks moving paralel to his vehicle. "Gunner, turn left to our 9! AT shell!" The commander had the target somewhat lined up, but he needed confirmation. He fired the co-axial machine gun. The rounds plinked off the invisible vehicle's sides and the gunner suddenly knew what to shoot at. "Fire!" The commander yelled. "Brace!" The gunner replied as he stomped on the firing pedal...

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee chuckled as the rounds peppered his armor. "Milenlamee, if you please." Milenlamee was stationed at the gunnery station of the dual forward bouble barrel heavy repeating plasma bow guns. The guns thundered an sent the area awash in plasma glassing the surface. "Laugh und shrien." Fusalamee whispered and Hortulamee leveled the main cannons at this minimal threat. The twin cannons roared compleately obliterating the command vehicle as Hortulamee walked the rounds down the line. The tanks slowly ambled around the wreackage that had formed a chokepoint and the Vulpa panned the barrel to the right to take out the ones that were trying to get around. Out of nowhere a tank to the left explodes in a fireball and a troop position becomes a glassed out pit. Doken lamee was having a time with the morter with the way Fusalamee was movingthe vehicle about but he was still making his kills. He was mainly focused on the entrenched positions the creatures were pitifuly trying to set up in thier haste to kill the Vulpine Hunter tank.

"Sir! confirmed transmittions receved from four of our tanks. They are on thier way but it will be some time before they get here." Langulamee said. Fusalamee simply nodded. "Good. Hortulamee keep up the barrage, I'm going to do my best to keep us from getting hit too badly. Let's see if we cant end this quickly." The Vulpa continued thier assualt on the colum moving and knocking out tanks, moving and taking out hastily set up positions, but never dareing to settle for moving into the range of the artillary. Fusalamee was no fool and he knew he could sit back here comfortably and take cover dodging behind the dunes if he felt absoultly nessessary.

[Whitescar]

The Titans kept pounding the convoy,sending vehicles flying as the rounds hit close enough or simply incinirating those they hit squarely. The medium tanks moved over the dunes as they gunned their engines and closed in on the Artillery positions. However, just before they could get over the dune separating them from the "squishy" atrillery vehicles which could have easily decimated the tanks on their own too, five Mirage tanks suddenly popped up out of nowhere and fired their main guns. Five multi-spectral lasers pierced the hostiles in one go, melting through their armour and igniting the ammunition magazines. With the situation secure once again, the Titan commanders could concentrate on blowing things up...

=====

The colonny's second in command was quick to react to the hunter amongs them and gave orders to search for the track marks of the concealed tank and engage. Suddenly the prey startedd to fight back in earnest...

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee droped the tank back behind a dune and waited, he could havesent out a pare of his troops to conceal thier tracks but the soldires wouls have given off heat signatures where as the tank mached the area around it. At the base of the dune Fusalamee waited, the tanks would come to him and he would just retreat again. It would be a slow process but at least he'd be drawing them away from the artillary guns. One by one the tanks appeared ovetr the hill and one by one they ecploded in heaps of slagged metal as the Vulpine Hunters fired upon them. Fusalamee moved the tank back having Hortulamee hold his fire while he repositioned the tank for another assualt of a similar nature. Once again one by one the tanks wouls creat the hill and one by one they'd be shot down before they hd time to lower thier guns. Such a manuver was risky at best but Fusalamee had three things on his side, one he had the advantage on concealment. Two the enemy armor colum did not have the heavy artillary nessessary to knock his tank out of commission, only the pesky mortars upon which he intended to make them payfor scratching the paint on his armor. And three, Every time the tanks crested another dune Commander Graham and his men had a clear shot at them where as Fusalamee choose to simply manuver around the dunes. The enemy was fighting harder, thier was no doubt about that, but you always do fight harder when death is imminant.

[Whitescar]

The tank colonny was being annihilated and confusion and desperation began to show as the last elements of the force finally dispersed or tried to retreat. As they did so, the Piranhas, held in reserve, swooped down to gun the deserters before they could escape, their powerful guns making a mockery of the tanks' thin rear plates. Lucky for the pilots, the AA tanks were almost all dead and their crews in a state of panic and confusion, making accurate engagement of fast-moving fighter aircraft almost impossible and allowed the Piranhas to operate without significant AA fire.

The Titans finally ceased fire and let their barrels cool while the Mirage tanks moved out to mop up the survivors, their Multi-Spectral Prism Cannons searching for targets while they moved under the relative cover of their stealth fields.

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee dreamily drummed his fungers on the arm of tehe chair as the last notes of the pianio played, the battle was drawing to a close. "Well fought Sir shall I play Franz Schubert - Ave Maria For Violin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY0-VNKgLaU) next?" Fusalamee smiled as he unstrapped himself from the combat harness and stood up to walk over to the armory locker and begin opening it. "Yes Hunter Knight Langulamee, that would do nicely. Open it up on the external speakers, I shall be stepping outside for a spot of hunting and I do love to hear that piticular piece as I do my job." He selected a scoped plasme long rifle and walked over to the elevator to begin his acent to the top of the tank where he had stood scanning the desert with his field glasses earlier. The elevator raised him up to the outside and a hatch slid closed beneath him. He lifted the rifle to his shoulder as the haunting refrains of the viloins filled the air and the soldiers stupidly stood up trying to decern where the music was comming from. White hot plasma lancedfrom the rifle and Fusalamee worked the bolt priming action like an old pro as he swept the barrel to another target.

A soldier watched with fear at what was happening and took to running. Fusalamee swept the barrel up and led the target just enough as he slowly squeezed the trigger. The shot came as a suprise to the shooter and the target, just as it is supposed to. Fusalamee had clipped the top of the creatures head off and smiled with a sweet deicadance as he was allowed to watched the look of shock spread across the creatures features before it fell to the sand. "Hunter Lord, I apologuise for the interuption but I have contact with Captain Reed and our tanks, what shall I tell them?" Langulamee's voice came in over the radio at Fusalamee's side. He sighed but shrugged, fourteen kills from one position wasn't bad. He keyed the decent and spoke as he came into the tank. "Tell Captain Reed that he is to maintain orbit and stay on station. So you were able you get all fifteen of our tanks hmm? Tell all of them but the Odysseus, the Achilles, the Agamemnon, the Jason, and the Theseus, to continue thier search for the Humans. Have thoes Five tanks quit whatever it is they're doing and get here two hours ago. That will give us thirty good, solid, Vulpa at our side. Go ahead and kill the external feed and put on Felix Mendelssohn : The Hebrides (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3MiETaBSnc)Overture, but turn the volume down I need to speak with Commander Graham and beg his pardon in traspassing upon his territorry and see if he will harbor us within his base." Langulamee nodded "Yes Sir." as Fusalamee placed the weapon back into the armory closet. The music came on as he strode to his chair and sat back down and keyed the glyphs needed to patch a link through to Francis and his crew.

"This is Hunter Lord Fusalamee, I wish to speak with the Commander Graham."

[Whitescar]

The armour colonny had been turned into a long line of burning wrecks of twisted metal and scorched bodies. The Mirage tanks had mopped up the last pockets of resistance with ease before returning to the Steel Talons.

=====

"Sir, it's the Vulpa again..." The comms lieutenant spoke up. "Alright, patch him through..." Francis replied, eyeing the destruction left in the wake of the Titans' massive display of firepower.
"This is Force Commander Francis Graham..."

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee bowed his head in respect as Francis's features showed up on the screen. "Ah, gutentag Commander Graham, maybe now it is that we can get back to the business of becomming aquinted better. I have Five Vulpine tanks enroute to this position my radio officer has already patched through thier IFF signatures, we come offering aid but do beg your pardon for encroaching upon your territorry without your permission. If you would have us, just direct me to the nearest motor bunker that would be large enough to accomidate my small detail and myself and you and I could meet face to face and discuss what should be done as my support arrives."

[Whitescar]

(You said you had an elevator on your tank. What size of vehicle are we talking about? :P )

Francis nodded as the Vulpa's head came into view. "Likewise, Hunter Fusalamee. We do not hold any particular territory, so your pardons are not neccessary. Neither do we have any significant repair or engineering facilities for land vehicles, since our force is self-sufficent. The nearest motor bunkers are at Grentuil-city, some hundred clicks behind us. However, I am not the one you should be talking with. The Dehenebian HQ would be the correct authority to discuss your air for the war effort with. I am, nonetheless, willing to meet you in person at my command post..." He tapped a command rune and the Aries sent out a signal ping which marked its current position. "Meet me here if you wish. The Dehenebian HQ can be contacted via Long-Range Communications channel 17."

[Hunter_Tier]

((OOG)This is the tank (http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fs earch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dwarhammer%2Btanks%26b%3D22%26 ni%3D21%26pstart%3D1%26fr%3Dmy-myy&w=500&h=375&imgurl=static.flickr.com%2F2111%2F1964662279_aac13 dae1d.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2F131879 93%40N07%2F1964662279%2F&size=126k&name=tank+pictures+co...&p=warhammer+tanks&oid=bef1b8d85e17b360&fr2=&fusr=wynn.kevin&no=39&tt=927&b=22&ni=21&sigr=11lslr2qa&sigi=11g9ipjbf&sigb=12s7ncui2), the one at the top to the left. Now you see why I wasn't overly concerned with getting attacked. "Laughs")

Fusalamee looked away from the screen to speak to someone in thier strange language, he then turned his visage back to Francis and nodded. "I shall speak with them soon, as of yet though you are the commanding fielded officer so it will be you I speak to first. I shall see you shortly." Fusalamee killed the link of the image and brought up the quardnates Commander Graham had given him. "Dokenlamee I'm resetting the controles to your command, Hortulamee you shall assume command in my absence. Take this baby right where she needs to go and I shall adress Commander Graham in person." He stood up and swept his leather trench jacket about him as he stepped to the elivator and accended to the outside. " As the elevator lifted him up he called out. "Milenlamee If you would go ahead and put on Afternoon tea a dozen set of scones for myself if you please. We may be having company. The hatch sealed behind him as the other Vulpa called out thoer orders with thier tea as Milenlemee made his way to the kitchen. Dokenlamee set the tank to a heading to the exact of Francis's settings as Fusalamee rode the outside of the tank standing by the main guns as per tradition of a Vulpine tank Commander meeting another ranking Field officer.

The Vulpa were bound by honor and tradition that dictated thier day to day lives and set most outsiders illatease watching them preform some task that seems compleatly mundain to them. As the Tank arrived Fusalamee couldnt have asked for better conditions as he met the Commander. The desert wind blew lightly as to keep off the heat but not heavy enough as to pick up the sand. He stapped from the tank and bowed before the Commander in respect. "You are Commander Graham, I am Hunter Lord Fusalamee of the Five Fourty Fifth Antikorper. My current station of command is over my Shieldrunn division. Please pardon my ignorance of your full station of command but let us this put aside. Now, you all are in some spot of trouble as we understand it. The Humans? Mercinaries? Rader bands get out of controle? Let us speak of thies things where the sun is not boiling hot." He said waiving his hand at the sun with the haughtiness reserved only for officers of a high rank. "Do you enjoy Afternoon tea? I'm sure my crew is already having thier enjoyment of the occasion. We could speak of our matters and my involvement if you'd have me."

[Whitescar]

While the Vulpa tank rolled towards the Steel Talons force, the group of six Mirage tanks moved unseen to escort it, closing in on both sides so three tanks were on either side of the massive vehicle. Though the Vulpa vehicle obviously had the size advantage and packed much more firepower than the six OCAVs, the Multi-Spectral Prism Cannon armament of the MBT-sized tanks would be more than enough to melt through almost any opposition and at this range, would turn the tank to a pile of molten slag within moments, if it decided to act in a hostile manner. This was merely a precaution, but the tanks held their their camo generators on and guns trained at vulnerable parts. The Steel Talons had faced similar super-heavies before and knew a thing or two about them. At this range, the main guns would be unable to track them, so the first shots would land on the defensive sponsons. That would take four tanks to destroy in one go, leaving the last two to target the tracks. If it would have come down to it, the tank would be immobilized and defenceless in a split second...

Francis stood outside the Aries and drank water from his canteen as he watched the tank rumble towards him. He didn't appreciate such humongous vehicles for many reasons, but the psychological intimidation factor was obvious even at this range. Staring down the four barrels of death made him feel a bit uneasy, though he knew that the Mirage detachment would do its job if need be. To him, assigning the tanks to cover the approaching super-heavy was merely another strategic move and training exercise for the tank crews. After all, his organization treated everything as an exercise. Training, day-to-day survival, combat, diplomacy, everything was merely yet another exercise to pass and improve from. It was this ideal of constant improvement that kept the 13th a hair's bredth ahead of its competitors and enemies.

The term Steel Talons was hence in all actuality not the real name of the combat unit. No, in reality, they were Strike Force B-77 composed of the 12th Armoured, 59th Flight and 27th Mechanized Brigades of the 13th Black Operatives, an extremely covert military pirate organization located in an undisclosed quadrant of the known galaxy. During any operations, the task forces were given secret identities such as the very popular Steel Talons, allowing them to operate without giving any clue as to who they really were. Since these identities were circulated from time to time, each code name had created a real identity for itself, making the Steel Talons actually appear in some battlefield reports time after time. This helped keep up appearances since large mercenary groups don't just magically decide to come into existance. Especially not groups equiped with weapons such as the Steel Talons...

After the Vulpa had greeted him Francis bowed in turn, his diplomacy training reminding him to greet in the same manner as greeted so as not to possibly upset the other individual with a possibly offensive means of greeting. Neither hand-shaking nor saluting were universally accepted means of greet, so most 13th diplomats allowed their counterparts to greet first.
"The proper rank would be Force Commander, but terms are insignificant. Like I mentioned earlier, I am in no position to negotiate deals between the Deheneb regime and mercenaries, but I can brief you on our situation. On the matter of Afternoon tea, I do not personally enjoy hot beverages in field conditions such as these, at least not before the temperature drops, but if you do not mind an outside, though shaded environment, I do not oppose." He gestured at the netted FCP (Forward Command Post) behind the Aeris where the netting provided a good shade and a couple of fans kept the air moving, cooling the few soldiers working on the maps and comms equipment.



(Mk.7 Optic Camoflague Ambush Vehicle (OCAV) "Mirage": http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4MUf6T4VzPw/SbAH3pUUccI/AAAAAAAAGio/6bO1mMAozUo/s320/command-conquer-mirage-tank-papercraft.jpg
The Mirage Mk.7 is a state-of-the-art ambush vehicle with superb handling, speed and rough-terrain capability. Its hull is double-tracked, allowing it to sustain up to two destroyed tracks before being completely immobilized, as well as increasing mobility. The tank is relatively well-armoured, but its main protection comes from the Optical camoflauge suite that disguises the vehicle during travel as well as when stationary. Thanks to the improved system developed by 13th scientists, the tank can either become entirely transparent, disguise itself as an enemy vehicle or turn into any static object of the crew's choosing. The tank is relatively light, even though it packs a medium-sized fusion reactor, and the extra-wide tracks allow for good weight-distribution. Hence, the vehicle leaves little tracks on almost any surface it traverses.
The main armament is a fixed-firing Multi-Spectral Prism Cannon that has enough punch to boil metal off the skins of armoured vehicles as well as the tendancy to disperse when hitting smaller targets, allowing the weapon to engage both infantry and vehicles without need to choose ammunition or power-levels. This versatility makes the Mirage the second work-horse of the 13th armoured brigades, though it lacks any (significant) Anti-Air equipment in addition to its machine gun armament. The vehicle also has to get quite close to its target before firing, since atmospheric disturbance will make the Prism cannon beam disperse very quickly. However, thanks to the tank's camo equipment, this is usually of little concern...)

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee bowed in respect "Force Commander Graham, begging your pardon." He nodded and followed Francis to the FCP and walked toward the table littered with it's maps and instruments. "It is our tradition to have our enjoyment of tea during the day, morning, luncheon, noon, and night. I am not sure how many Vulpa you have worked alongside before but we tend to do things a bit... differently." He glanced briefly at the maps and was never not amazed that the arcane paper maps never really did, or will for that matter, die out. "Do take in understending Force Commander Graham that we come not as mercinaries. A merk wuld demand some form of payment. I come as a Hunter Lord with a contengent of Hunter Knights an soldiers at my command for your support. We demand no payment for your forces and mine have a common goal. You all want aid with the displacement of certain forces that have the ability of opposing my troops, we want the peace of mind that when we leave this planet it will be exterminated of all Earths Corps Alliance Human soldiers. Commander Graham, i am unsure of your previous dealings with Humans but we Vulpa have found thies creatures to be pests who want nothing more than to enslave those of the furred breed and send them out into the forced labor camps on the asteroid mineing colonies." Comtempt and eire leaked it's way into the posh Vulpa's voice and he brought his black leather gloved fist to his mouth to cough into and regain his composure.

"I beg your pardon Herr Force Comander. Now, to the business at hand. My tanks shall arrive within half a cycle of one or your days. So... by sometime after what you all would call midnight they shall arrive. But, I need to know where you would have us best deployed. The Shieldruns I brought to the surface are actually the medium guard versions... I've had to direct my other forces elsewhere. Are you all expecting an attack? By glancing at your maps it looks as if you all have learned to form up a better defence than have a balence offence. This is good but truly worries me... is thier something you haven't told me Force Commander Graham?" Fusalamee furrowed his brow under his shiny black billed Uniform Cap and looked hard at Francis. He had heard rumors of terrible forces at work but had fomally dismissed them as warzone rumors. Could it all be true though?

[Whitescar]

Graham nodded at a radist who opened a holo-link to the Dehenebian HQ. Soon enough, a small flickering green figure appeared on the table next to both Graham and his guest. The male coyote was dressed in a long plain robe with intricate stitching along the hemm, a traditional Dehenebian attire for a warrior monk. "This is Venieri M'Kellar, commander of the Deheneb 64th." Francis said as the figure bowed his head. "He is my contractor for this war and will brief you on anything he sees relevant..."
Francis stepped back, allowing the two to discuss without interferance.
"Ah, yet another who comes to our aid." Venieri began. "Like Commander Graham already said, I am the unit commander and responsible for the defence of Grentuil city. Coalition forces are treathening our independance and need to be driven back. We have fought them time and time again, but they never seem to be willing to understand that armed conflict isn't the right way. Until recently, our own defence forces held them back, but their new weapons proved too much. Without off-world assistance, we would already be dead. You must understand that our world is very small and distant. No conflict has ever come here as no one cares about our existance. We seek to end this conflict quickly before more attention is drawn to us. We do not wish to escalate the war, only live our lives honorably and without Coalition oppression..." The coyote explained. "If you can and will help us, we would be grateful and help you in return the best we can..."

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee bowed at the holo "Commander M'Keller, it is a pleasure to speak with you. I am Hunter Lord Fusalamee of the Vulpine military, Antikorper division. I brought a comany of medium guard Vulpine Shieldrunns to your planet as hunter killer units to be used agienst the Humans. As you very well may know, we Vulpa have been at war with the Humans of the Earths Corps Alliance for over Fifty years now. As to mercinary work I would have to direct you to the Vulpine coucil, all I persionally want in return for my services is any information you all may be willing to give me as to the locations of any ECA Humans. We Vulpa also believe in the pratice of the old custom of "fair trade". Before we have formally leve this planet you will be approached by a reprisenitive of the Vulpine council and they will confer with you or your superiors on the opening of new trade routes to your planet. As you well know Commander M'Keller, an army fights on it's stomach. It is through trade that we have been able to continue our war agienst the Humans."

Fusalamee shrugged. "They have thier slaves, we have trade. In the end we shall see who shall come out on top. Now to the business at hand. I am comitted to stopping thies creatures whom oppose you all as they and I have already had a quite nasty encounter." A Vupa wearing a black uniform just like Fusalamee's, reminisant of an Earth's 1940s German SS come walking in carrying a covered ceramic stien holding one paw under it and one by the handle. Fusalamee turned instinctively at the sound of boots crunching on sand and the Vulpa stopped before Fusalamee clicking his heels and bowed. "Hunter Lord, you were absent during Afternoon Tea so I took it upon myself to bring you your stien. I beg your pardon of the intrusion Hunter Lord." Under normal circumstances Fusalamee would have shown hiseire but this was Afternoon Tea after all. "Thank you Milenlamee, I prase your concern. Have th crew treat themselves to the scones you had set aside for our guests. Company shall not be comming." Fusalamee bowed to the Vulpa in dismissal and Milenlamee began returining to the tank. Fusalamee sighed as he turned back to Venieri M'Kellar after taking a sip of the stout sweetened brew. "Now, where was I? Ah yes. My first concern is you have recruited thies mercinaries to protesct you all yet I've been roving thies deserts for many months and have seen no sighn of your forces before. This tells me that you all keep a tight perimeter around here which leads me to beleave that you all are under attack pretty regularly. Tell me Commander M'Kellar, exactially what kind of numbers are we up agienst?" Fusalamee took another sip as he waited on the Coyote's responce.

[Whitescar]

M'Kellar allowed him a faint smile. "It amazes me how you could traverse these plains and not encounter any hostile engagements. But perhaps you happened to be in the right places at the right times. Our city is being attacked from the Nortern quadrant, though what you have encountered here in the form of Commandeer Graham's Steel Talons is but a rearguard, protecting the flanks of the main battle line. We are being drowned under the numbers of enemy tanks and infantry. The Coalition has devised new and powerful weapons that it can mass-produce. Though our soldiers are trained to their peak and armed with the finest our craftsmen can provide, for each of ours that dies, a dozen foes should die for this to be even remotely balanced. Shortly put, we're bleeding our forces white though the fields are red in the blood of our enemy..." Venieri shook his head. "Any assistance will be met with our sincere gratitude and great rewards. If you indeed wish to partake in this fool's errand, send me your troop layouts and we will find a task worthy of your stay."

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee reached to his lapel and keyed his mike. "Langulamee I need you to go ahead and send thier commander the IFF signatures of our fielded tanks, you might as well send out the signature of Captain Reed's Obvious (http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/CCS-class_Battlecruiser). Though I doubt anyone would take a pot shot at a Vulpine battle cruiser if we needed him to break atmosphere, it's probably be best we let them know that what ever they have Captain Reed could call in the fleet if he gets hit badly enough. He's a little too glass happy when it comes to planets if you ask me but that's the Navy for you. Foxes with big toys that they hardly get to use." Langulamee came back in confermation and Fusalamee nodded turning his attencion back to Commander M'Kellar. "As you can see Commander M'Kellar we are hunter killer units. I am currently rallying five of my tanks to this location but that is all I can spare. I have a Vulpine battle cruiser currently in orbit that I can call upon to glass entire countries and a fleet I can have to glasss this entire planet but trust me, we only reserve that kind of tactic when we are dealing with a planet that has fallen entirely. Your planet is wirth fighting for. As long as even one of your people draws breath and, ansestors willing, as long as my Vulpa are able to lift a weapon we shall stand beside you."

[Whitescar]

M'Kellar was not entirely sure what this whole glassing meant, but he pretty much guessed it had something to do with massive amounts of destruction, something the Deheneb did not wish to partake in. "For that I am grateful, though I must readily state that we prohibit any of our allies to use any significant area-of-effect weapons on the Coalition forces. Though I have no doubts about their power or of the fact that using such means would shorten the war significantly, it would only breed more violence later on. We must win the war, but also the minds and hearts of the Coalition civilians. We want this war to be the last fought on our planet..." He bowed and the holo transmission was cut.

Francis looked up from the papers he had been attending to while the two discussed and took a data-slate from a courier who had brought it straight from the Aries. "One thing's for sure. The Deheneb have a surprisingly effective working military..." Fusalamee's unit had already received its first set of objectives from DHQ.

The data-slate began with a simple info over the 64th Dehenebian regiment and all of its current units, among which were the Steel Talons. It then proceeded with an overview of the situation in mid-range detail, vaguely showing the troop-locations of allied units and predicted hostile movements as well as the attack-patterns and strengths of enemy units. Finally the briefing stated a few lines of objectives that were to be met within the coming three days:
-Move your forces to co-ordinates shown in ref. A.
-Take over front-line duty from 9th "Bengali" Tank Unit.
-Hold perimetre secure until further orders, expect hostile mechanized elements and artillery raids.

"Well, I guess we're on the same side now..." Francis said and flashed a smirk. "Hope you find some worthy opponents for that big tank of yours, though I'd watch out for Coalition air support. They have pretty mean Tank-Hunter planes. Cost us two Titans last week. Luckily we have our own birds to keep their bats away..." He gestured at the four Piranha fighters being refueled on the light support landing pads that had been set up for them. The fighters were a very important part of the Steel Talons for without them, the armorued battle group would have suffered many more losses.

Francis tapped on the micro-bead on his ear. "Fall in." The six Mirage tanks moved away from the Vulpa tank and once they had arranged themselves in a neat block three wide and two deep, they disengaged their mirage fields, allowing the technicians to inspect and refuel them.

(Piranha Space-Atmosphere Heavy Fighter: http://malaveldt.deviantart.com/art/Piranha-Fighter-Concept-42408788

The Piranha SA Heavy Fighter is of an old and rugged design, but constantly improved upon by 13th scientists. The only two things in common with the original model created over five hundred years ago and the current version being tested are the fuselage shape and interior light. Everything else has been re-wamped, improved, lightened, turbo-charged, simplified, re-designed and modernized, making the ship an excellent choice for all operations requiring air-cover or support.

The ship is based on a fixed-wing design because it out-performs movable-wing designs both in reliability and atmospheric aerodynamics. In space, the ship is perhaps at a slight disadvantage, but thanks to its vector-thurst engines and plentyful manouvering jets, the difference is only marginal.
The hull is armoured to withstand a multitude of different weapons, ranging from energy to kinetic to chemical. Though un-shielded, the Piranha is still a sturdy little bird, capable of shrugging off a considerable amout of anti-air fire and even close-misses from proximity missiles, rivalling the hull of the notoriously reliable Thunderbolt.
The main armament consists of two wing-tip mounted laser cannon which allow the ship to engage a multitude of targets both air and ground. Though the cannons are effective against even tanks, they require many successive hits in order to melt a battle tank's plates. Due to this, most Piranha pilots attack from the rear or target vulnerable areas such as sensors and external fuel-drumms as primary. However, when the target proves too tough for the lasers or when attacking enemy star ships, the Piranha can revert all energy to the positron rifle located on top of the ship. The Positron rifle sucks up almost everything the powercore can provide, forcing the ship to become less-manouverable for the immediate period of firing. However, the shot produced is well-worth the slight inconvenience as the positron beam has enough power to pierce through most known battle-ship armour and shields with ease, causing massive structual damage for a fighter of its size.
Many times have smaller ships such as frigates been decimated by a squadron of Piranhas working in conjunciton with assault bombers. During approach, the enemy ship will target the bombers with their defence fighters and turrets, seeing them as the largest threat. However, when the bombers tie up the defences and draw them away, the Piranhas do the real dirty work and suddenly rip the Frigate to shreads with their positron rifles. A full wing of 24 fighters can make short work of any small-to-medium star ship and cause significant damage to larger targets.

Most ground-targets will die from a single positron rifle shot, though super-heavies and War Titans have been known to survive successive hits, though rarely more than two or three.)

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee had just lied through his teeth to the Coyote.
In all truth the Vulpa never really cared fo the populace of a planet after they had hunted the Humans there to extenction. The Vulpa were nortouriously cold and craeless we dealing with others when it came to war. Numeous times had Fusalamee himself called a withdrawal and hasd the cruisers in orbit commit a sudden launched attack agienst all orbital installiations and take out all long range sencors and communications compleatly isolating the planet. The Vulpine heavy cruisers would thn open up ther plasma cannons and in a joit attack would burn the entire planet clean. Forests would be reduced to ash and glass as the super heated plasma passed over head. Entire oceans would be boiled away and the atmosphere would dissapate within the period of Fourty Eight hours. It had happened to many planets where the Vulpa "knew" Humans were there but could not find them or wen it looked as if the Humans had won the planet.

The Vulpa were callous to all but thier own, but with the Humans and thier wonton crulity most creatures rathered the Vulpa anyday under the addage "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

It was true the Vulpa instated the ways of Fair Trade with thoes they let live but in all acutallity they already had the recorces to continue thier war for many, many years. And, unfortunately for most of the universe, no one knew of thier home panet, or even thier home galixy for that matter. Many say they just come from the Void as creature that act as they do with as many ships, and troops, and equipment as they have could not be natural. Nobody knows for sure. All that is known is that the Vulpa are efficent in thier brutality, even if they cant be fully trusted.

[Whitescar]

Graham had already sent an intel request back to InOps HQ where his request was being processed and information on the Vulpa was being gathered. However, he needed little in the form of intelligence files to know the Vulpa were up to no good. There were a few things that gave that away, amongst them being the seemingly senseless rage and hatred against Humans and a war which they couldn't hope to win. The second was glassing, which he himself knew was a ruthless tactic reserved only for cowards, incompetent commanders or insensible and mindless causes. They also looked like they were up to no good. Thus far Francis had yet to meet a race that looked evil, yet was not. Oh, and they had skulls on their caps. That was never a good thing... (<Monty Python pun)

"Though I enjoyed your stay, we need to get moving. The Coalition will most likely target the area with long-range artillery within a few minutes..." Graham said matter-of-factly. He wanted to get moving.

[GRINadorse]

If you are laid off from your job temporarily put on short time when you are 16 weeks pregnant and go on job seekers allowance, are you still expected to look for work, even though it could be a risk to your pregnancy and you have a job to go back to in a couple of months anyway? Or do they not push you to look for work?

[Hunter_Tier]

((OOG) Pun cought, nice! Oh umm... GRINadorse wrong thread.)

Fusalamee nodded and popped his neck turning his head this way and that. "Good, I am feeling up to par as to spilling some blood upon thies sands." In all actuallity the Vulpa had the Humans on the run. The Humans simply could not keep up a war of such tenasity for very much longer, though all this has happened before the incident on the planet Narssisia where the Humans will unleash thier "super weapon" that would nearly doom them all. (A bit of forshadowing for thoes who have followed the Vulpa/Human wars)

Fusalamee looked to his tank and spoke into his communicator as he approached. He finished his tea in a single draught and smiled.It had been a good campaghn so far. The Humans on the run, fresh blood to spill, and soon he would be off this little back water planet and back with the Fleet to hunt down the Humans on a new planet. He had heard the bases on Narssissia would be in need of assisstance before long. Maybe a little snow and forests would be a nice change to endless wastes of trackless desert. He clambored up onto his tank and walked across the hood of the massive weapon. "The artillary should be easy enough to spot. If they are anything like the Humans they will begin a lighting assualt led by planes and screened by tanks. They will try to remain stationary and attempt to take out any oppisiton with the planes or thier long range guns. This is only if they attack like the Humans do." Fusalamee said with an air of alufness. "Of course what do I know." He continued with a smile. "I have only been in the military for over Two hundred and Ninty four years now." The Vulpa laughed at the joke made at his expence shedding some light to the fact Vulpa age only one year to a standard Human's seven.

[Whitescar]

"Well, I shall bid you good hunting, then!" Francis said and snapped a salute before the Vulpa went to his tank and drove away. Francis turned around and went into the Aries, sitting down and opening the Holo-Net 3.0 link and looking up what InOps had found about the Vulpa. After reading half of it, he pretty much knew what they were all about. "Contact the Navy HQ. I want a transport ship ready to extract us in twenty minutes on my command." He told his radist who went right on it. "Deploy a tracking team and plant a locator beacon on that Vulpa tank. I want to know where it is and the moment it tries to leave the planet, we're leaving too..." He didn't like the idea of being left behind on a planet about to turn into glass.

[Hunter_Tier]

As Fusalamee decended into the battle caccon Langulamee looked to him with a nod. "Hunter Lord Fusalamee we have recived a message from Captain Reed." Fusalamee nodded as he made his way to his chair. "Patch him through, I need to speak to him." On the screen the picture of a grey uniform clad Vulpa appeared and bowed. "Hunter Lord Fusalamee, I have recived a transmission that you may be requesting evak before your tour of duity, Is this correct?" Fusalamee shook his head. "That will not be nessessary. I have not found the Human enclave yet I have found the inhavitants of this dustball to be at war with eachother. If I assist them in thier little war they may help us in finding the Humans to the end that we would not be waisting our efforts in scouering this planet for another twelve months. We can be on Narsissia in no time and we wouldn't have to call in the Fleet for a full carterization of the planet." Captian reed nodded at this. "That is good. It is always some Admerals a** to have to kiss to get the authorization to call in a few of thier ships for a glassing." Fusalamee nodded. "Plus this way we can be rid of this place without incident. Stay on station as I may have to call you in for an emergency dustoff or an area bombardment Hunter Lord Fusalamee out. Bring the tank about and set her to the quardnates they patched through for the arty strike." He smiled dangerously. "We're going to punch right throught the muddle of those fools and show them what the red face beatdown looks like

[Whitescar]

With the Vulpa out of the way, Francis could order his forces to move back to their front position. The mobile landing pads were quickly dismantled and the miniature camp was packed into the tracked vehicles. Finally,the Steel Talons moved away, the Titans stomping forwards through the endless sand plains alongside the Mirage tanks and other tracked vehicles while the Piranhas provided top cover and the Vyper units watched out for ambushes. HighCom has designated this a "collars up" warzone.

After they were roughly five minutes on the way, the first artillery shells dropped down around the destroyed convoys position, a feeble attempt at exacting revenge.

(Sorry it took so long to reply. I had to stay in bed while my body coped with swine flu...)

[Hunter_Tier]

((OOG) Hey it's cool just take it easy, that stuff aint no joke.)

Fusalamee drummed his fingers on the arm of his chaire and he accessed the battle. "Bring her about to bearing two, seven, zero, and set her to a heading of three, five, five. This will put us directly in themiddle of thier arty strike but we will be able to set our long range scanners to pinpoint thier locations to relay to the Steel Talons for our possable withdraw if things get too heavy. It will put us in range of thier guns if thier scanners can reach that far but they will be in range of our guns as well, so it will be an even fight. Remember boys, all were trying to do is run out and find where they are, who better than the Vulpa. Not like thier stuff could take the abuse. Langulamee!" "Yes Sir!" "Play for us Tchaikovsky - None But The Lonely Hearts... I do beleave that shall be fitting to this situation." "Yes Hunter Lord." Fusalamee relaxed as the tank roared forward sending twin rooster tails of sand behind it as it took off with a suprising speed for a viechle it's size. The tank sped towards the screen of artillary fire headless to the potencial danger.

Enemy IFFs began showing up on Langulamee's screens and he turned to Fusalamee with a smile as the tank shook under the fire of the shells. "Sir we got them! Enemy IFF's confirmed!" Fusalamee smiled and nodded. "That is good I shall continue evasive manuvers as best to my abilities and keep us in the open to draw thier fire, lets find our stations gentlemen ad show those blokes what for. Langulamee if you'd be so kind as to patch thoes IFFs through to Force Comander Graham. Oh and by the way put Handel - Sarabande (http://www.youtube.com/user/ClassicalMusicOnly#p/u/18/JSAd3NpDi6Q)would you?" Langulamee nodded as the Vulpa made thier way to thier stations and began manning thier weapons. The tank came alive with plasma fire from her twin main guns and her morter launcher. Fusalamee did his best to avoid as much fire as he could and was greatful the bluffs were not using plasma with it's charastic splashing damage it was apt to cause. "Fire freely my brothers! Kill them as if your lives depend on it! We are the Vulpa, we shall hold the line as our support comes." In all truth Fusalamee had no idea if support would be forthcomming he did however understand the importance of opportunity, and if he could create enough opportunity for Force Commander Graham to deploy his forces the two factions could wipe thies heathens from the face of the planet. Fusalamee grimanced as his tank took a near direct hit from a shell. "Sir! we've lost all outside comms!" Langulamee shouted throwing the hissing headset from his ears. "ShiBe." Fusalamee muttered "Graham where are you?" He whispered to himself.

Fusalamee knew what he had chosen to do was souicidal at best but it had to be done if he and his Vulpa had any hope of actually helping Force Commander Graham to earning thier trist and gaining theinformation they needed in finding the Humans who had dug in on this planet. Fusalamee smiled and acted every inch the Hunter Lord he was as to inspire confidence in his troops. "Langulamee." "Yes Sir?" The Vulpa said waggeling a finger in his ear where it eas still ringing from the sudden burst of static that had came in over the headset. "Can you still play our music?" Langulamee didn't answer right away as he checked his controle panel and keyed a few glyphs then turned back to Fusalamee. "Yes sir. Our auditorary systems are still active, it's just our comms that are down." Fusalamee nodded "Good turn on oue external speakers and play
Beethoven - Egmont Overture (http://www.youtube.com/user/ClassicalMusicOnly#p/u/22/VP7RnuCmM00) that sould confuse the hell out of them at least." He chuckled a moment. "Cortulamee, how much longer begore we can enact the Veil?" The mechanic yelled from somewhere in the rear of the tank. "Give 'er about another five miniutes sir and I'll have her back online. I'm just waitin' for the coolant coils to recharge to be able to erace our heat signature." Fusalamee nodded. "Good, good, as soon as it's back online give me a shout and we can go unter the Veil and slip away from this position."

[Whitescar]

This had not been planned at all and Francis really itched to just let the Vulpa get a little lesson from making suicidal charges without support. <Would serve him right... That artillery battery is over a hundred miles from where the shells hit the ground. He'll be having a hell of a ride to the target...> However, he reckoned that the Vulpa would do more harm if he actually got to the enemy instead of dying on the way, or if he was sensible and retreated. "Halt the colonny, turn the Titans to maximum elevation and launch smoke grenades. Let's give him some cover..." The Titans stopped almost dead in their tracks before pivoting around to face the Vulpa's general direction and raised their gun muzzles to 45 degrees. The auto-loaders screeched and whined as they loaded the smoke charges in and on Francis' orders, fired in unison. The earth shook with the massed recoil of the walkers' guns as they sent two dozen heavy smoke shells into the air, their trajectory estimated to be somewhere between the Vulpa tank and the Coalition Heavy Artillery unit. Had the plea for aid come much later, the Steel Talons would have been out of range. The Titan's range was great, but it was not a dedicated artillery piece, so it was hard-pressed to match the ranges of the enemy guns. With the volley fired, the Titans moved off again, fearing that someone had managed to recursively plot the smoke charges' origin and were now directing return fire. The Steel Talons were again on the move...

"Hunter Fusalamee, What are you doing?! You were under no orders to attack. That smoke screen is not going to last forever. Get out of there now if you value your life and ride. You have over fifty clicks to target!" Francis shouted in the vox, but with the Vulpa tank's comms wrecked, his words fell on deaf ears.

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee growled and slammed his fist down on the arm of the chaire as another round his uncomfortably close. The smoke screen that started to fill the area however brought a smile to his lips. Cortulamee poked his head back in from the rear of the tank "Sir the Veil is fully operational and I've fixed the blowers so that we may be able to cover our tracks." "Good." Fusalamee said as he actifated the Veil. "Let's get the hell out of here before we're torn to shreds. He slammed the accelerators in full spin twinting the tank around and shoved them forward in full retreat back to the lines under the cover of invisability a nonexistant heat signature and blower fans stationed right behind the treds to erase any evidence of where they had been. "Langulamee Kill the external feed we don't need thoes fools following us, you still have thoes IFF signatures?" He asked as the tank pitched and bucked from the wild retreat. "Yes Sir Hunter Lord, but it won't do us any good if we cant patch them through to get them out." Fusalamee shook his head. "Never you mind that. Just print them out and we can pass them on to Force Commander Graham and he can have his men punch them in manually. Cortulamee!" "Yes Hunter Lord!" " I want thar radio fixed so that we contact our troops and possably get in touch with Captain Reed and the Obvious to draw a glassing in on thoes cunts." "Already working on it sir!" Cortulamee called from somewhere in the rear of the tank. Fusalamee drove the behemoth on at full speed back to Force Commander Graham's lines. The move was stupid and suicidal but Fusalamee knew his tank could withstand a beating unlike anyother piece of equipment around here. It didn't mean he was invunerable, but it did mean he could go where others would be torn to shreds and be able to get what he needed and get out. "Approaghing Force Commander Grahams signature Sir." "Langulamee head outside and hand him thoes quardnates and lets see if we cant gain an upper hand in this little battle. I doubt thoes morons know where Graham and his men are so this should be interesting for us to all just to sit back and let the long guns pick them off."

Langulamee unstrapped himself from the combat harness and picked up the papers and placed them in a container tube for safe transport as he ran across the sands. Fusalamee pulled right up alongside the command vehicle beforedisengaugeing the Veil and Langulamee popped out of the top of the tankrunning toward the vehicle. "I need to speak with Force commander Graham! I need to speak with Force Commanger Graham!" he shouted as he ran forward. He reached the hatch and banged on it with his fists repeatedly. Langulamee hated being outside of the tank. Bad things always happened to tankers when they were outside of thier tanks, it was the bad luck.

[Whitescar]

"We have something moving in. It's bulk is massive, but... there's no visual although triangulation says it should be right there in the plains..." One of the Titan crews reported to Francis as the colonny closed in on their given positions near the city's outskirts. The outlines of the skyscrapers could be seen against the hazy sky, the misty clouds of sand dust failing to completely hide the tall structures in the setting sun.
"It must be the Vulpa tank. Let it through, but keep your guns loaded." He was answered by the sound of the mechanism loading a shell into the barrel breech. "Aye, sir!"

=====

When someone began banging on the Aries' back ramp, the tank screeched to a halt before a small slit opened up and a gun poked out, quickly followed by a door opening up beside it. "You just couldn't use the radio or approach us without a cloaking device on? That could really help not getting yourself shot up ya know... What's the matter?" Francis stated.

[Hunter_Tier]

Langulamee snapped a smart salute by clicking his heels and bowing. "Hunter Knight Of the five fourty fifth Antikorper peporting Sir. With all due respect Sir we of the Vulpa understand the importance of decresition. The enemy still dosent know our position but thanks to Hunter Lord Fusalamee we now know thiers. We have zero radio contact but we are fully operational otherwise. Hunter Lord Fusalamee wanted wanted me to give this to you Sir." Langulamee said holding out the document tube for Francis to take. Langulamee held his bearing infront of the Force Commander as a true Vulpa... or a Marine. It was uncanny the similarities in thier actions but they were effecent and right in this case. Sneaking up on Force Commander Grahams armor colum was not a smart idea but doing so under the pretence of not wanting to draw the enemy to thier position was a move that had to be respected.

[Whitescar]

"Well get that radio fixed and next time disengage your camoflague well before you reach our perimetre. We could have shot you by accident..." Francis replied sternly as he took the tube and unlatched it. After a quick inspection, he handed the co-ordinates to the radist. "Forward to DHQ and LRMBs, they'll know what to do..." The Titans lacked the range to engage the heavy artillery units and also the firepower. Of course they could do some damage, but it would be insignificant in comparison to what the LRMs could do. If money had not been an issue, Francis would have employed his own LRM units, but using missiles to target enemy forces indiscriminately was quite wasteful. However, against high-prize targets such as artillery companies, they were well-advised.

"I believe the Dehenebians will thank you for your intel, though I would personally not advise using as reckless tactics as those you have displayed thus far. You are worth more to this war alive than dead..."

[Hunter_Tier]

Langulamee bowed again in his dismissal. "I shall inform the Hunter Lord." And took off. Outside the tank Cortulamee and Fusalamee were standing outside repairing the damaged radio as Langulamee ran up. "Well, what did he have to say?" Fusalamee asked in thier language. Langulamee bowed and began. "They chastize us for our tactics but otherwise are greatful Hunter Lord. It was nothing of much concern Sir." Fusalamee nodded as he watched the mechanic work his magic. "This much I figured. They tend to underestimate our armor compairing it as to the grade of thiers when they haven't been the ones fighting thoes ignorant Humans in this planet hopping campaighn we seem to be in. See yourself to your station Hunter Knight Langulamee, you have served me well. Dismissed." Langulamee bowed again and at that time Cortulamee looked up from the last bolt he was tightening on the retaining plate of the radio antenna and nodded. "Job's compleate Hunter Lord. She should be good as new. Uhh... Sir, may I be as bold as to ask you a question?" Fusalamee smiled at the news of the radio being fixed and was backed by Langulamee shouting. "I shall test her on one of your tanks you called in Sir for a report on thier status." As he decended in to the tank. "Good Hunting." Fusalamee managed to say goodnaturedly before the hatch closed. "This is good news, come let us seclude ourselves back inside and you can finish your peliminary scans of the craft. I don't mistrust Force Commander Graham to mistrust us so I am anticipating them to try to pull some little stunt like thoes members of the Fillyaw Division back on Da Rar did and try to place some kind of tracking device or listening devise on or abord our weapon. Let us see to it they don't."

Cortulamee nodded and followed Fusalamee back into the tank. Fusalamee was paranoid but he was paranoid with a reason. It was bad pratice to think you can get over on someone who's trying to help you like thoes soldiers of the Fillyaw Division did. Fusalamee was furious when he found the listening device they had placed on one of his tanks that he had the entire village glassed under the pretence of them being spies for the Humans. It was hard to tell what was scarier, the fact that ten thousand creatures were simply wiped from the face of a planet without a trace or the fact that Fusalamee truly thought they were spies.

[Whitescar]

Francis nodded at the intelligene officer who stood waiting inside the Aries. The man raised his paw to his ear and spoke a word. Outside, a small unit of infantry, all equiped with the IT-33i Optic Camoflague system, moved in on the Vulpa tank. However, the 13th weren't born yesterday and they knew that placing any foreign objects on vehicles could either show up on the vehicle's own sensors or at least warrant a search. That was why they had better systems for tracking things. Especially on sandy planets such as this...

The group ran silently up to the tank's rear and while the rest prepped the tracker, the lead soldier took out a marker and bent down beneath the tank. He drew an invisible mark along the bottom of the tank as far as his hand would reach before putting the marker away. Meanwhile, the rest of the group had prepared what looked like a large soda can. The thing was activated and the hatches sealed, rigged to explode if anyone tried to open them again. With that, the probe was released ie. dropped to the ground where it quickly drilled its way below the sand, leaving no trace of its existance. With that done, the team packed up and moved away, still invisible and sweatting from the heat-retaining gear they had on to provide momentary invisibility to IR scanners. As they retreated, a Titan walked past them, conveniently erasing their tracks from the sand, leaving no trace of their small intrusion...

=====

"Is it done?" Francis asked. The Intel officer nodded. "We can test it if you like, sir?" He suggested. Francis shook his head. "Not yet..." The probe would send out signals only when contacted, so as to minimize the possibilty of being detected. Even though the signals it did send were already almost nigh impossible to detect due to their special nature. Most normal scanners did not search for psi-range signals since most races did not even know of the existance of such things...

Francis ordered the colonny to move out and take up positions around the city defence ring until they were again needed. DHQ was anticipating an evening assault...

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee strode to his chaire and sat down. Langulamee looked up from his station smileing. "Sir, I have Captain Reed on the channel, everything is green." Fusalamee nodded "Good, have him preform a running glass with the quordinates we gathered out in the field that thoes cowards of the Steel Talons were afraid to get to show thies fools we mean business." He swept his hand out in front of him. "Wipe those fools." Langulamee nodded and relayed the message to Captain Reed ofthe Obvious.

Farther away out on the sands the artillary still boomed and lobbed thier long AA rounds across the many miles they could cover and the military commanders of the lines peered throught thier binoculars to possabily catch a glimpse f the armor that was hidden across the sands. From the sky ,like a giant bird of death the Obvious broke atmosphere remaining high in the sky to avoid the little pea sized cannons below. In the bridge of the Obvious Captain Reed stood at the helm. He had his bridge custom altered to resemble that of a sailing vessel the wrap arond walls fitted with screens to depict what the senery was outside and an actual ship's steering wheel on a raised dias to steer the vessel. The stations for the crew were standard to Vulpine desighn but all Captains wer allowed thier eccentrictacies. Captain Reed turned the wheel gently prepairing for a hard dive and accent. "Prepaire a few of the for'ard guns for a full surface glassing Mister Adams. Drop em' right on top of Hunter Lord Fusalamee's quordinates he gave us earlier. We don't want to take out the entire group, we just wanna show em' we mean business." "Aye aye Sir!" The Vulpa saidand Captain Reed kept the ship in it's dive.

It was truly a sight to behold, the heavy cruiser had broken atmosphere and was now making a shallow dive toward the planet's surface when the forward guns opened up, smashing into the land with such force the shockwaves of the heavy plasma rounds hitting the eath could be felt for miles. Captain Reed pulled his ship out of the dive and accended back into space laughing like a pirate captain of old at the destruction he had caused in no less than five miniutes time. Thier were still many of the enemy left but with a demoralizer like what just happened it was a dice throw wether they would give up under a heavy enough attack led by Force Commander Graham and Hunter Lord Fusalamee, or if they would go into a frenzy knowing thier time had come to an end and begin desporately fighting for thier lives. Fusalamee banked on the latter happening more than the former.

Across the sand from the armor colum was creatures runing andscreaming from fright and plasma burns. The entire area was white hot and much of the planet's surface where the rounds hit had been fused into glass. Plasma had a bad habit of causing a "splash effect" when it landed, causing the space it hit to spread out much farther than before. Equipment was compleatly slagged and more than haf the artillerary was gone while some creatures unlucky enough to be caught in the blasts and become wounded were nursing fearsome wounds, many dying from shock rather than from bleeding out as the plasma splashed across them taking off an arm or leg much like shrapnel. It was a glorious devistation to the Vulpa.

[Whitescar]

Francis looked in horror as the space ship broke through the clouds and began battering the far-away artillery unit with its main guns. <IDIOTS! Why didn't that Intel memo read the Vulpa were utterly incapable of following orders?! FRAK!> He picked up the HoloNet tranceiver and contacted Fleet HQ. "Stand by with Firestorm squadron. We might need extraction, pronto..."

The same thoughts went through the mind of the Dehenebian General as he watched the pic-stream from his forward scouts. <Dear Lord, they just fucked us all up...> "GET ME THAT VULPA, NOW!" He roared inside the relative safety of his command bunker. Within a matter of seconds he had a link established.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE?!" He roared to Fusalamee the instant the Vulpa's face appeared on-screen. "You've been hired for less than a day and already you're furthering our downfall! What the fuck went through your soddy excuse of a brain?! I Explicitly said NO glassing operations. NO WMDs! NO Area of Effect weapons! Don't you think the Coalition has access to mercenaries too?! Do you think they don't have access to WMDs? What you just did might begin an all-out nuclear holocaust!" He was furious and for a good reason. This war was being fought on a gentleman's terms as far as weapons and escalation went. Only conventional forces and weapons were being deployed, since both parties recognized that if they started shooting nukes at each other, there wouldn't be much of a planet left to settle after the war ended. That minor glassing operation might very well make the Coalition believe the Deheneb were becoming desperate and employing WMDs or Area of Effect weapons in a last-ditch effort to defend themselves. It didn't take a mastermind to figure out where that train of thought went. The only suitable counter, so that the Deheneb would not glass the entire Coalition, would be to swiftly wipe the Deheneb off the face of the world with a massed WMD attack.

The end of this world, it suddenly seemed, had just come a heck of a lot closer...

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee smiled at the commander the whole time he ranted and waited his turn. "Now you listen to me you sorry excuse of a leader, the minute you think you can push us around I'll call in my fleet and have this whole planet wiped; job be damned. I'll glass this entire planet if I so please. I'm still not sure that you quite understand my station. If you can sit back there and piss and moan about them fucking up a few little hamlets and villages then you have a lot to learn about warfare. Shit happens, people die. If you get off your dead, lazy ass and fuck those bastards up you won't have to worry about that shit now will you?" Fusalamee never broke his smile nor his pleasant tone as he spoke; his words dripped like honey and were as deadly as an adders' bite. What no one knew as of yet was the Vulpa had already began thier offensive long ago by disabling any orbital defense platforms and communications arrays just incase the Humans decided to seize them. The planet was defenseless and isloated. The only way they would be able to get out an interstellar message was if some ship was stupid enough to break the Vulpine blockade set up. Captain Reed was not the only ship on station. Six other heavy cruisers were hidden around surrounding moons waiting for the advancing Human fleet. War was comming to the skies of the planet and the Vulpa were palying the "Lame Duck" by posting only one cruiser out in the open on a seemingly OC planet. So far it was working like a charm; the Humans advanced and the Vulpa lay in wait for them to blunder right into thier trap.

Fusalamee would not divulge this tasty bit of information, oh no; it was bad business to tell someone that thier entire planet was defenseless from an interstellar war. Fusalamee would save that little bit for last. "Listen to me, my cruisers can track these WMDs by thier heat signatures. Nukes give off a LOT of heat, especially in a desert. Also, they will need a targeting array from orbital satillites to get a traingulation on any fixed position on your planet. One, my surrounding fleet can destroy these weapons from space as a HALO defense. I can gaurentee a targeting average of seven out of ten. That's not bad factoring in response time and the size of the small fleet I have brought with me. And two, From space we can keep a continuous pulse that will disrupt the targeting of any missles to the point to where they would have to point that mother fucker directly at you and by then those assholes would already be dead from Force commander Graham's forces and my own I currently have stationed here planetside."

Fusalamee was done talking to the coyote like a chastizing father and was now going to talk to him like a man. "Now the next time you loose your bearing and yell at me I'll see to it that it's the last time you do that again. You've had your warning, we're doing more than you know to help so just calm down and cowboy the fuck up and get off my channel. You're cluttering up my comms." He clicked off the comm and shook his head at the ineptitude of the backwater hillbillies he was for some reason beyond helping. Cortulamee approached Fusalamee and bowed. "Sir my scans are complete. I have found an anomoly so I turned on the disrupter. It's probably just a loose connection or a fuse that's on the fritz but I thought it better to be safe than sorry." Fusalamee nodded. "Thank you Hunter Knight Cortulamee, keep me posted on any updates and take care of them accordingly." Cortulamee nodded and walked away. Fusalamee began keying certain gliphs on his screen and began talking as he got his tank underway. "Langulamee inform Force Commander Graham of the situation with thier stupid little WMDs and shut that bastard off as soon as he cranks up trying to give you lip. Try to be nice and reassure him that we ARE still on his side but let him know that if he fires on us I'm bring hell to to his door in a handbasket. All hands to combat stations and prepare for assualt. If these bastards take mind to, I don't put it past them to take a couple of pot shots at us. Let us prepare to mop up whatever scum that is left over from the glassing."

The massive tank spun about and moved out toward the hellish land that his air strike had created.

[Whitescar]

"You'd better mark my words..." The coyote spoke slowly and with malice dripping with every word. "One more stunt like that and I am considering you more of a threat to our safety than the Coalition..." The Coalition was going to retaliate. That much was sure, but how, what would be left for time to tell, though the Deheneb General was almost certain atomic fire would soon start to rain down upon them all.

====

Nukes, it seemed, were not the Coalition's answer to this threat. They were the workhorse of the WMD threat posed by both sides, needing neither satellite navigation nor fixed locations to fire, relying on inertial guidance systems and mobile launchers kept hidden and safe from outside looks and able to deploy and launch within 4 minutes. Though capable and effective, especially with multiple re-entry vehicles and decoys, the nukes were designed to attack ground targets at massive distances.

Realizing that the Deheneb had somehow recruited a space cruiser to aid in their war effort, the Coalition retaliated with a trump card for which they had recruited off-world assistance to assemble. Up in the Northern Hemisphere lay a most secret installation which deployed to target the Vulpa ship. A human-built Hypervelocity cannon. Unlike the MACs and Super MACs of old, the Hypervelocity cannon built upon the same principle, but allowed for Surface-to-Orbit fire. The Needle-like projectiles it fired in bursts of three were more than capable of shattering through battleship hulls on their own and thanks to an ionized sleeve field, they passed through both the atmosphere and enemy shields with equal eaze, making a mockery of most starship defences as well as coping with the problems of friction associated with surface firing. For the very same reason MAC rounds could not be used effectively in a fleet support role. The rounds would simply burn up during their trip through the atmosphere.

The Hypervelocity cannon reared its ugly head, a weapon that would be later re-named the Nova for its effect on star ships, deploying from within the relative safety of a mountain and targetted the Vulpa ship as it sat above the planet, cocky and assured all threats to it had either been dealt with or would run into an ambush. It never knew what hit it...
The massive weapon fired thrice within the space of half a second. The rounds, each the size of an apparment building, travelled at nigh light speed as they left the barrel and crossed the insignificant distance between the cannon and its prey. The devastation was catastrophical...

=====

Francis sighed wearily as his radist informed him of a Vulpa calling, once again. Just before he managed to tell the man to patch it through to his ear bead, the scanners went wild as three massive signatures had nipped overhead. Francis stepped outside the vehicle and smelled the air. "Nova..." The tell-tale scent of ozone was in the air, the by-product of a chemical reaction that insued when the ionized slugs travelled through the atmosphere at ridicculous speeds. Francis had fought both alongside and against Nova cannons before and knew they were a worthy adversary as well as a deadly ally. Though they lacked mobility, being completely immobile, a well-placed Nova cannon would be a bitch to both assault and to overwhelm and as long as it was operational, it would control the entire hemisphere it was located on. No star ship safe for a Battleship of the Emperor or Apocalypse classes would dare close in mano-a-mano with it. Even a pack of ships would be hard-pressed to get it. And if there were further guns...
He was snapped out of his thoughts as the radist coughed. He nodded and the link was patched. "What now?" He snapped, not bothering with any pleasantries. "This better be important, because if you haven't noticed it, there's a war going on and I can't keep answering your social calls. Get pay phone and talk to the girls, they'll listen..."

[Hunter_Tier]

Captain Reed saw what was happening and could do nothing about it. He and his troops were going to take The Path. "Brace for impact!" He screamed as he threw the wheel hard to the left trying to bank the heavy cruiser and make it a smaller target. The three rounds hit the Obvious bow mid and stern ripping through her hull and compleately crippeling the ship. The Humans saw this and slowed thier advance the Admeral Laask furrowig his brow in puzzelment at what had just happened. "Send out fighters and mop up any survivors. Watch for any movement and find out what the hell is gong on down there." Fire had erupted within the broken hull of the Obvious and Captain reed coughed through the smoke. Vulpine ships had thier command center built streagetically towards the center of the vessel to where onky a mortal wound to the ship could stop her. Lights flickered and sparks erupted from stations of the dying vessel. "We've been hit sir! Three heavy rounds bow, amid ships and stern. We are leaking coolant I'm reading a compleate engine overload within three human standard hours!" Captain Reed sighed. He knew he didn't have much of a chance but he had to spring the trap. He just wished he could have lived to fight again. "They say a good decoy can deceve the enemy, an even better one can live to do it again. I want all available fighters to the Lance boardig crafts, launch all Prowler fighter craft. I want every Dragon dropship in the air too. Every mech, every EVA suit, I want every Vulpa off this boat yesterday."

Captain Reed looked at the floor of his dying vessel and sighed. The crew looked at him knowing what was going to happen the only one not looking was the Bowsun dierecting the evaucation of the ship. The cannons fired the canister like Lance craft to fly directly to the Human fleet like a hell bound turkey mixed with a babbon. The Prowlers that were able to launch through the flames and wreckage o the destroyed craft and ship debries linked up with the too few Dragon dropships. Thier were some mech in the sky surrounded by Vulpa black clad in thier EVA suits, all of which looking all too sew out in space .as they desporately made thier way to the surrounding Vulpine fleet still hiding behing the orbital moons.

Captain Reed knew the ships were too far out for the cannon to reach out andtouch when the figh came to them. He turned his head skyward to look at the viewer screens. Many of which were cracked and destroyed but one still shown clearly. It was a picture of the sky showing the stars of this systems version of the milky way. He smiled, it was pretty. "Sir... all non essentual crew have abandoned the ship. What are your orders." It was not a question it was a statement. The Bowsun knew what was going to happen. Captain Reed sighed and took out a cigar and lit it on deck using a matchbook. "Anyone want out now, here's your chance." The crew remained motionless. "Were with you sir. Come hell or high water." Captain Reed smiled and walked to his wheel grabbing the spokes with a new resolve. "Pile on all sheets while I pointherright at em'. Were going to fly right into thier teeth and take the fight to them." The vessel turned and and engines flared propeling the crippled ship forward. Themain guns had no crew to man but the auto cannons could be directed from the bridge.

Th Obvious passed th tiny Lances like a whale passing a fich in the ocean as it sped toward the Human Flagship Saint North. Admeral Laask shouted as he berated the crew around him as the huge ship filled his vision. "FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! Kill that son of a b**** now!" Cannons of the entire fleet fired on the ship as it carrened forward but it was too late, any fire they directed on them would not matter now as they had momentum on thier side. The Obvious missed the Saint North but slammed into the Texas amidships. The battleship reeled in formation hitting and damaging another battleship. Abord the Obvious Captain Reed drew his Naval dagger and limped toward the panel. Dead and dying Vulpa surrounded him some quietly weeping others saluting thier wounded Captain as he preformed his last duity of captancy. Reed slammed the knife into the slot in the panel ans turned it like a key. It was a relay that overloaded the engines causing the Obvious to explode taking the bettleship with it and destroying another. Three other ships were badly damaged and a cruiser was taken compleately out of comission by a piece of shrapnel that sliced it copleately in half.

Fusalamee watched what he could of the scene from the surface saluting the brave captain as he gave his life to go to his ancestors who took the path before him. "Tel the Force Commander and our tanks that we are redirecting our forces to that cannon. We're going to take it out." In space The Vulpine fleet sprang from hiding and directed thier fire on the unsuspecting and confused Human ships. The intersteller war had been joined between the Humans and the Vulpa.

[Whitescar]

"Fleet Command, we have hostile battle groups exchanging fire, be advised. Evac time reduced to half. Remain on standby until further request..." Francis spoke quickly over the HoloNet. Back at the Maw fleet base, the three Firestorm-class frigates that were being held at the ready to extract Francis, if it came down to it, were soon about to be joined by two other Firestorms and a Thyanshi-class battle cruiser, the most powerful ship in the 13th armoury. To date, none had been lost to hostile action and only three had ever been stricken from active duty records.

Francis shook his head as he heard the Vulpa was going to engage the Nova cannon. "Happy Hunting. Hope you have the fuel and excess armour plating to get to it. It's only five thousand clicks from us..." The Hypervelocity cannon was beyond any Dehenebian unit currently deployed. In order to get to it, one would have to cross through the entire Coalition land mass, and the multitude of military units, bases, cities and defence lines that lie on the way. The Nova was out of reach for anything safe a drop troop...

However, Francis had better things to attend to than the Nova and the problems it caused. In the event of an extraction, he would have drop ships quickly ferry his units away to the awaiting ships somewhere on the Southern Hemisphere, keeping them safe from the Nova as well as over Dehenebian air space.

Right now, he had to direct his forces to repel a Coalition mechanized attack that was moving in from the left flank. Hundreds of IFVs and APCs were putting the pressure on the regulars stationed in the trenches and it looked like the Titans would be seeing front line combat after all...
"Steel Talons move out. All Titans, barrel up Kay-Pees, you may fire at will. Targets of opportunity." They were going to smash straight into the flank of the attacking force, hopefully ripping the heart out of the advance. The space battle was of little concern to him compared to loosing the city in one blow. After all, the safety of the planet was a mere side-note on his contract. The city falls, he gets no pay and that means his superiors get angry, something Francis did not wish happened.

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee snorted and looked to Langulamee. With out he even saying a word Langulamee nodded. "Directing all available tank crews to find that cannon sir We should have a rough estimate of her location by her fireing sequence." He turned to face Fusalameee with a smile. "Sir, you're not goi to beleave this but the Ganymede, the Danae, the Actaeon and Bellerophon are already enroute! They said before Captain Reed took the Path someone bounced then a triangulation of the area the cannon should be andthey aren't too far away. Field Commander Stubbs said he'd take fullresponsability of the assualt and is requesting the Europe to join before they begin." Fusalamee nodded but still curled his lip at the loss of a good Captain. "Later we shall remember the life Reed lived but for now we have a job to do. All guns, pick your targets and go! It looks like Force Commander Graham has gotten a fire under his a** and we don't let anyone have a party without us being there too. Prepair for assualt!" He roared and tacked the tank into a shallow ravine made by the dunes. The tank opened up with the long guns on the heavy armor but the various anti personell guns were having a good time chewing through the tropops that were trying to amass and rus past thearmor and take the city. "Hit them again! And again! And again! Kill them! Kill them all! If they get to the city we are screwed!" Fusalamee shouted as the tank became a hornets nest of plasma fire both heavy and AP rounds.

[Whitescar]

The Titans strode over the dunes and as soon as their considerable hight allowed for clear LOF, they opened fire. Kinetic Penetrators, rods of depleted plutonium, pierced the thinner side plates of the IFVs and APCs racing towards the city and its defensive lines. Artillery fire from the units positioned at the cityskirts provided back-up, sending countless high-explosive shells amidst the tide of vehicles, showering them with shrapnel and forcing them to change course, causing collisions and even the occational kill when a shell landed squarely ontop of an enemy vehicle.
Direct-fire AT guns were having their work cut out as their barrels glowed hot from repeated firing and streaks from ATGMs were still visible long after having been fired against the first wave of attackers. Small arms fire was sounding everywhere, both from the dug-in defenders trying to pick off the supporting or disembarking infantry that assailed them as well as from the Coalition troopers laying down suppressive fire as they ran towards the Dehenebian lines.
In the background, a constant beat of autocannons gave the battlefield a sense of tempo, the Coalition vehicles firing their main guns at the defence line and now at the newly-arrived mobile targets. The Titans kept themselves at long range, not wishing to get up close and personal with even such puny weapons as 40mm chainguns. Though unable to pierce the Titan's armour plating, it could cause damage to the drive system and punch through the protective ferroglas canopy. Instead, they moved from dune to dune, using the sand heaps to soak up most of the fire while still engaging targets with deadly accuracy, the Titans almost achieving a one-round-one-down -ratio.
The enemy attack was being supported by dive bombers and heavy artillery, but because the Coalition vehicles were already so close to the Deheneb lines, most of the supporting fire had silenced. However, the air was still full of Coalition dive bombers, seeking out targets from amidst the clouds. Both the Titans as well as the massive lumbering tank were great targets, but eventually the greater kill found its place in the sights of the bomber pilots. Soaring down from above, they fired their cannons at the weaker rear plates of the Vulpa tank before releasing a couple of rockets and AT bombs.

The Steel Talons would not have any of that and their two AA tanks quickly began targetting the dive bombers, putting themselves on the target list while so doing. The four Piranha fighters also joined the fray, challenging the Coalition planes in a pretty one-sided dog-fight. The bombers were no fighters, so they really didn't fare well agaisnt the Piranhas, but there were so many of them that the Steel Talons aircraft could not keep every enemy plane from executing its strafing runs. They could streatch only so far...

"Good work people! Keep it up! Number 8, fall back, you're leaking hydraulics fluid!" Francis spoke over the vox and directed Titan-8 to fall back after having taken a few hits at its pelvis joint, the rounds severing the hydraulics cables and now the walker was limping. He couldn't have half-working machines in the front risking the lives of their crew...

[Hunter_Tier]

The heavily Armored Vulpine tank rolled to the front to cover the retreat of the wounded equiment the rounds bouncing harmlessly off the heavy armor. "Tell Force Commander Graham we can cover the retreat of his equip. Have that morter direct it's fire on that curssed anti tank crew." The tank shuttered as the tank shook under the cuncussion of another boming run that Fusalamee was just barely able to miss. "
And would someone do something about thoes d*** planes?" The turrent of the tank went skyward and the dual barrels began acting as anti air. From the sky a detachment of Prowler (http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/acatalog/la2store.jpg) fighters broke atmosphere and banked to join the fray. The sleek fighters srarmed the skies fireing thier plasma chain guns on the relitively smow bomber craft. "This is Hunter Lord four fifty seven Alenka I have been seporated from the rest of my squadrom and have managed to piecemeal some form of aerial fighting force. who do I have the misfortune of speaking to?" Alenka banked her fighter craft hard to the left and presued the bomber to fire on it dringing it down in only a matter of moments. She could see Hunter Lord Fusalamee's tank but who was that he was helping? She swooped in low and raked the ground low and fast and managed to cruse with her craft only a meter off the deck as she opened up with her gattling plasma guns before pulling out of the dive and swooping back up to circle the skies hunting more prey to shoot down.

Fusalamee had Langulamee patch him through to Alenka over the open channel. "This is Hunter Lord five forty five Fusalamee. Hunter Lord Alenka it seems that we have gotten more than we'd want here. I have more tanks in the area but before you came along we had no real air support. Alenka nodded as she smiled to hear a friendly voice over the channels. "Hunter Lord Fusalamee, good to hear from you sir. I wouldn't concern yourself too much over air superiority, I have squads coming in all over the place so we should be in no hurt over planes."

[Whitescar]

Once Titan-8 was out of direct field of fire it stopped and began laying down indirect fire. It had reduced mobility, but was still far from not combat capable. While the Titans thinned down the mechanized units, the detachment of Mirage tanks drove at full speed to intercept the ones that got too close to the trenches. When any hostile vehicle looked like it was going to break through, it suddenly found itself under fire from tanks appearing out of nowhere, their short-ranged prism cannons vaporizing the armour straight from the vehicles' hulls before disappearing once again.

With the sudden crippling of hostile air power, the attack soon lost steam and the last Coalition vehicles found it better to retreat rather than give up their lives needlessly. The sands in front of the fortress city were littered with the dead as well as many dozens of destroyed machines.

"Bloody good job people! Tea and medals for everyone..." Francis said with a joke over the vox. They had executed a sound, almost textbook defence operation. However, had the opposition had guns that could actually hurt the Titans with anything else than lucky glancing shots, it could have been a very different story. "Fall back into the city for repairs. We're getting some kit upgrades..." He had requested packages of adaptive armour and railguns to be fitted instead of the utility guns the Titans currently packed. He suspected they might be facing more direct conflict and did not wish to find his units out-gunned by anything. The armour upgrade, however, was for a completely other reason...

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee and his Vulpa looke at eachother in confusion obviosly not catching the joke. "Tea? Now? Tea time has passed a few hours ago...." The Vulpa didn't understand but they knew the calm would not last. Fusalame nodded as he nodded to Force Comander Graham over the vid link. A fine victory Force Cmmander Graham. We shall accompany you all and hopefully you and I maybe able to discuss a few things. Though you and I have our own objectives I beleave we should... how to say... lay the knife on te table a it were. On honor I look forward to our meeting." Langulamee looked to Fusalamee without saying a word, Fusalamee sighed and stood walking to the elevator. "As soon as we stop Force Commander Graham and I have some things we need to discuss, I tire of this little game he and I are playing and I swear by the Path if I have to play it any further I shall have this entire planet glassed. I hate back biteing but I know as long as I hold somethng up my sleeve he shall try to trump me. I don't wish to fight him so I intend to speak to him on the terms of honor and have everyting out on the table that way he will hopefully trust us more and we wont have to worry about watching eachother for fear of one slipping a blade between the other's ribs. Vulpa to your stations Langulamee contact Hunter Lord Alenka and have her land her flight crew with our tank. We'll stay together for now and disperce ourselves into thier units if things go well but if he decides to piss on my boots we're leaving this dustball." Fusalamee rode the elevator to the top and waited as he rode the tank to the rally point to speak to Graham on honorable terms. Fusalamee was too old for the backbiteing game. That kind of thing was reserved for the Humans and thier subjects.

[Whitescar]

"Oh for Gods' sake..." Francis muttered to himself. Not that the Vulpas' "Help" wasn't appreciated, but they seemed to become larger a liability by the minute. Escalating the engagement to a part of a galaxy-wide war was not something his contractors liked.
He thought about what to say for the rest of the ride into the city where they moved to the prefabricated engineering bays they had erected almost immediately after arrival on this sand ball. While the Titans underwent their modifications, Francis got out of the Aries and streatched. Sitting all day inside that cramped vehicle did not do good to him.

[Hunter_Tier]

Upon reaching the rally point Fusalamee jumped from the tank landing at a crouch with his hand out to support him for jumping from such a moving vehicle. The Vulpa stood dusting himself off and strode confidently toward where Force Commander Graham stood, he did notbow he did not give him the greeting of the day. "You and I need to talk." He said bluntly. It was obvious he was upset and turning him away would only cause a situation. "You and I have things to discuss and s*** to straighten out. I have some apologies to make and you do as well but I'm about ready to say f*** this place and bounce. Now do you want to work together or not?" Fusalamee breathed calmly which by the eire that lay in his tone he was not mad but very displeased.... Much like a cop would be if they pulled someone over for drinking and driving.

[Whitescar]

"I have no beef with you other than you're making life hard for both me and the rest of the mercs here as well as the Dehenebians. I'd much rather the fighting only happened on the ground or in the air, not in orbit too. Since your arrival, not even a day ago, this war has spiraled out of hand and you want us to work togeather? Prove me that you can be of actual assistance and not continuously make things worse and things might start to get along a bit better..." Francis replied with a hint of bitterness in his voice. He was a calculative man and any extra variables only made his task that much more difficult. Especially so when those variables started dropping plasma showers on everyone. "You stated that you were here for our good, yet you have done very little to further that. Instead, you almost instigated a nuclear holocaust. If you were part of my team, I'd have you court-martialled or shot for such incompetense..." His voice was steady and betrayed no irritation. He merely stated this thoughts on the matter without political correctness. "Always speak on the opposition's terms" he had been taught during his diplomacy training.
"Weather you stand and fight or cut and run is up to you. Nevertheless, you do have a sizeable amount of units with which you can redeem yourself. Start showing the Deheneb that you are here to actually help them out rather than being a trigger-happy rogue. Living inside a tank like that makes one complacent and uncaring of life around oneself. Being protected by half a yard of armaplas breeds a different type of officer than those whose only protection is three inches of dirt and a flak vest. You might find yourself courageous, but to us you appear foolhardy at best. Fight WITH us, not on your own..."

[Hunter_Tier]

Fusalamee kept his features and tone level as he spoke to the force commander. "I'm not sure where in your military it states that support officers should be doing your job for you but we would have lost a great more number of livees today had it not been for my assualts. War follows us Francis." Fusalamee said bluntly disreguarding all forms of formality. "We Vulpa have been at war with the Humans of the Earths Corps Alliance for over fifty years now. We are a support unit. My tanks are hunter killer units, yes that much is true, but you have to understand we are used to fighting a war where we have no collateral damage because we are in an island hopping campaighn. Had it not been for my division of the fleet the Humans would have come here and enslaved every last one of the creatures or slaughtered them all. Entire worlds Francis. Think about it. I've seen more worlds than most of your troops have had hot meals. This planet to me is just the same as the last I was on, and it will be the same as the next. But, since you all are the first fighting force that I have seen that have somehow managed to last longer than twenty four hours so I shall be willing to work with you. As soon as my tanks arrive we shall act as an armor spearhead/support since our armor plating and guns are heavier than the ones you all carry. Hunter Lord Alenka will act as air support but for now since you all have so much collateral we shall act as support but as equals. I am not a subordnate and niether are you but I shall be depending on you for your leadership because if it were up to me, well." Fusalamee shruged. "I'm pretty sure you've read the report of what happens when we compleatly loose a planet. If a planet is salvageable we will save it but if not we destroy it." Fusalamee sighed and shook his head holding out his hand in an offer of peace. "So here's to a new beginning and hopefully to a better campaighn. Will you allow an old Vulpa to fight alongside you... partner?"

[Whitescar]

<Fifty years... Fifty years in contact with Humans and he thinks he knows them...> Francis thought to himself. Humankind was everywhere. He had fought against them and with them and knew that Humans were perhaps the most powerful single force in the galaxy. They had been at war amongst themselves and against alien threats for tens of milennia and though they've been bloodied like no other race, they had never ceased to fight and always struck back. Anyone in a prolonged war of attrition against them would be ground to fine pulp and flushed away. However, he still held the humans in great value for their sense of real honour. He had watched worlds literally burn with the heat of battle and still the Humans found the need to reclaim them. They had returned to worlds overrun hundreds of years ago and reclaimed them, driven out the invaders ten decades later. Even while the planet itself had been destined to be doomed, the humans had sent in more troops to keep back the enemy so that the civilians could be evaquated to nearby worlds before finally putting up a glorious last stand against insurmountable odds, taking down horrendous numbers of the enemy and dying to a man.

To him, Humankind was perhaps one of the worst enemies one could face if total eradication was concerned. Battles against them could be won, but not the war. They held over a billion worlds each with a population in tens of billions. There were simply too many of them. The only thing keeping Humanity in check was its internal strife and the mistrust between the different officials within their bureacracy. Humankind was in a state of stagnation and that was fine by him. He did not need any more Apocalypse-class warships patrolling the void or Warlord BattleTitans to ruin his day on the field. He had once fought against one of these divine or diabolical (depending on which side of the barrels you were) creations of the Human engineer-priests and regretted it every single day of his life. The massive war machine had been the last defence of the Human capital and it had single-handedly held back an army, its humongous weapons carving the heart out of the invading force. He had lost over half of his team that day, every single soul obliterated in one shot of the Warlord's massive Turbo Laser-Destructor. Humans truly were the masters of war, even if they had to sacrifice ten fold the lives of the enemy to win, they had the men to spare...

<No matter> He thought. <It's their war, not mine. They'll find out their folly sooner or later...> But for now, the Deheneb could use the Vulpa's military power to kick the Coalition's arse and when it was time for diplomacy between them, Francis had already cashed in his pay and left this world...

So, all things considered, he could find more use of the Vulpa, if they behaved, than what the possible risks to his own unit were. Sighing, he took Fusalamee's hand and shook it. "Fine, but try not to rush about so much. Co-ordination never hurt anyone, partner..."