“With fifteen marines on the ground we’ll draw too much fire, especially if they have mobile anti-aircraft rockets, they can chew through our shields before we get away”, you scream at Rico over your mike.
Thinking to yourself, you quickly calculate what you have left to work with – six marines, one TigerCat and one Rhino.
“Tombs”, you command the last Rhino operator, “Focus all your attention on those birds...get them out of the air. TigerCat-Two, you cover his ass and make sure the marines don’t take him out. Sergeant”, you say to the Marine Commander, “I want you and your men to hold off the approaching marines off as long as you can – I’ve got a plan.” With that you run back to the Scythe. As you run into the open, gunfire rips the ground apart around you. Blue pulses fly past your head. Suddenly you realise that you can be taken out any second by a lucky round.
Looking back over your shoulder, you see the TigerCat opening up on the marines that are firing on you. It’s red tracer rounds kick up a dust could infront of the firing marines and they have to dive for cover. This gives you the precious seconds you need to make the ramp of the Scythe. You run up the ramp and dive inside.
Within seconds you drop in behind the ship’s controls.
“Activate weapons systems”, you command the computer. Outside you see one of the Rhino’s rockets streak towards a Guhl ship. It is consumed in a ball of fire as it hits.
“Good job Tombs”, you say over your mike.
“Weapons activated”, the computer announces. “Choose weapon please.”
Outside you see your Marine Commander and his men take cover as they come under heavy fire. The TigerCat is spitting return fire at the approaching marines, but only enough to keep the Rhino safe as it fires another rocket at the remaining aircraft.
Perfect approach, you think looking at the oncoming marines.
“Vulcan Canon”, you reply to the computer’s question.
A red cross appears on the heads-up display. Quickly you place the headset on. Immediately the red cross on the heads up display follows your head movement to point in the direction you are looking. You aim the red cross directly at the line of marines and press the fire button on your controls. Immediately you can hear a loud roar as the Vulcan cannon erupts outside the ship. A powerful stream of plasma rounds cross the sky between you and the enemy. It cuts the approaching lines to shreds. With a steady hand you walk the fire of the cannon across the enemy line.
Your eye catches another rocket streak across the sky. It obliterates the last Guhl aircraft. Returning your focus to your gunfire, you release the fire button. The area in front of you is left in a cloud of smoke and dust...no movement.
“All fighting units keep on guard. The rest of you, move the LMCU and spare parts onto the ship right now – move!” you command over the airwaves. Remaining in your seat, you scan for remaining targets.
That was a bad hit, you think to yourself. Losing one TigerCat and one Rhino was not part of the plan. At least now you have the equipment you need.
Five minutes later the cargo ramp whines as it closes.
“We’re out of here”, you say to Rico. With that the engines complain as they lift the heavy cargo off the ground and you fly away.
“Man, I’m relieved to be off this dirt ball”, you say to Rico.
“Don’t celebrate just yet”, Rico says. “We’ve got three bogeys following us. They’re too far to fire just yet, but they definitely are following us.”
"Do we launch a decoy into space and land and see if we can mislead them or do we turn and fight?"
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