The Church of Light falls...

The night sky whistled by as he descended toward the planet, the planet's atmosphere buffeted around his insertion pod jerking him around a little. He kept his eyes forward on the view console, watching the telemetry and other readouts register. The computer lit up an indicator lamp, indicating he had penetrated the planet's atmosphere blackout phase. This was not his first combat drop and with the numerous and repetitive simulator drops he was not surprised as indicators and tracking solutions began to register.

The computer AI program began executing as decoy echos and other advanced electronic counter measures were initiated. The pod jerked suddenly as he shifted in the webbing, he could feel the physical decoy measures launch from the pod, which would offer further confusion to the enemy below. He pulled up his display and calibrated each of the various team members information to flow into his command module.

He waited as the pod continued its descent.

As another indicator light went to red, the skies blossomed as the enemy ground commanders began to throw everything his way, they were smart and just as determined to remove his unit before they impacted against the ground - they knew what to expect after that. The computer kept feeding him telemetry into his display unit as the pod continued to descend, now the pod's maneuvering thrusters were firing designed to increase his mobility and avoid the deadly fire from ground below. His unit knew the risks associated with the drop, they knew their enemy as well.

He braced himself for impact as the skies became suddenly calm, a quick glance at the casualty counter indicated that almost 70% of the pods would hit the ground intact. He smiled inwardly as an early discussion with intelligence indicated they would lose almost 60-80% of the pods, well perhaps the tech boys with their jamming and penetration tools deserve some additional credit. He considered that for only a brief moment, his mind already dismissing it toward performing their job, just as he was about to do the same.

Confirmation codes were streaming across his display, as each checked in. The night had been lit up by their descent and he knew that not a living member of his unit was within his strike zone as planned of course. His objective came to life on his heads up display as he begin keying the command sequences to active the six other lifeless pods nearby. The seven pods of his strike squad fired off their foam impact canisters, each impacted against the ground to form a cushion for the pods as they slammed into the ground at almost the same time. The technique had a two fold objective, first it ensured the survival of the pods and their contents, and second it would drive fear into anyone still nearby.

A nearby farmer witness the impacts, he would be considered a casualty of this war. He had only heard stories and rumors, but right before he died his mind confirmed those rumors. Upon impact the pods heat was transferred to the foam substance which created a chemical reaction of sorts. The kinetic energy of the pods impacting the ground provided the required pressure and force to complete the reaction as the explosive force and power burned clear a two mile diameter area around the impact. Burnt and charred dirt and organic matter was all that remained after the impact, a single wooden support beam still stood upright where the farmer had been standing. The wind blew away the flames that licked at it, though it had already been charred.

Captain Jeremy Horis breathed in the air of this world for the first time, as his pod opened up letting him drop to the ground. Information began to pour into the display unit as he looked around, surveying the landing or impact spot. He flexed his sore muscles as he noted all six machines had come online, he sent an acknowledgment command back to each and then activated their war programs. Each one acknowledged the order as they went online, no longer in test or transport mode.

He knew them all by sight, though other commanders laughed at the thought as they were only intelligent machines all programmed exactly the same, but he disagreed. Each had its only particular quirk or mannerism he had grown attached to over the years. Each of the six machines, floated or suspended itself above the ground using the marvels of whatever the tech boys had came up with. Each was an array of sensors, electronic counter measures, weapons and defensive systems as well as the most important piece - one of the most sophisticated self-aware intelligent computer available in the known universe. Each was linked up to the Captain providing almost instant feedback as well as an extension of himself. He knew everything they knew as well as each forming a collective amongst themselves - all of this accomplished as he thought or spoke.

The Confederacy was not going to allow this planet to be held by the new established Order of Light. He chuckled inwardly, the church's order had over stepped their own boundaries this time. Oh he knew they were well funded and most of the soldiers that fought on the side of the church, served as confederacy marines or even jump troopers like himself - but it mattered little. The Confederacy had sent in ten jumpers, each like himself had an assortment of deadly war machines.

SNP-01's unit rocked as its rifle systems picked out a moving target closing on the position of the pod, three cracks of sound was all that was heard as the jeep bounced and slowed to a halt no longer moving toward them as its occupants were as lifeless as the machine that had killed them. Jeremy looked over as he adjusted his combat armor's final seals and retrieved his own rifle, a high powered Confederacy sniper weapon, with enough kinetic impact force to penetrate most armor plating that would be encountered.

He moved SNP-02 out toward where the jeep had originated as the rest formed up and began moving more slowly in that same general direction. A target became available as each processed and hacked defense systems the enemy was deploying, a window opened up so to speak as SNP-05 launched a tactical nuclear device at the target. The small town flared, boiled and vaporized in mere seconds. The enemy's defensive guard was still trying to close the hole in the defensive screens and weapon systems, but unable to accomplish the task as quickly as the war machine processed its data, they died along with the town.

As SNP-02 crested the ridge, the enemy's front line forces fired. The Captain could see the night light up with explosions, lasers and even projectile rounds as they attempted to penetrate the shields of the war machine. The Captain moved two more units up immediately to reinforce SNP-02 as each interlocked their phased particle shielding. As the Captain crested the ridge as well, protected by each of the machine's shielding as well as his own, his long range vision systems began to pick out targeting solutions for this engagement.

The enemy had fortified the area, heavy defense cannons were in place as well as various defensive screens designed to disrupt the detonation of nuclear particles. This was command one designated by the Confederacy's intelligence spooks, he could see the telltale patterns in the rock structures indicating an underground bunker as well as other fortified defensive measures. His linked sensors began to feed various information from wind speeds to target distances, acquisition locks began to appear as each machine targeted or selected targets based upon their quirks. He smiled somewhat as SNP-01 acquired a heavy combat support unit, each man in the unit receiving its own telemetric lock as the war machine decided how to drop a single explosive shrapnel weapon to eliminate as many of the unit as possible in one shot. SNP-05 was providing critique to the selections and offering additional data feedback such as ground density scans.

A stray round struck his armor suit throwing the Captain back somewhat, he shook his head slightly as SNP-04 behind him registered his elevated body response. His anger was evident, but he fought to suppress it as he continued his analysis of the tactical situation - a certain element of chance was almost always present, while most of the unit under his command were multi-drop jumpers there was always the possibility of dying. He smiled as drop zone two acknowledge all clear, the church seemed to have a little problem shining today, or perhaps it was shining too much.

He nodded his head at SNP-05 watching it moved slowly forward, its targeting acquisitions begin to engage a few of the front line soldiers and heavy tanks the church had acquired. The three war machines near him no longer quiet.

*No understanding of why you hold us back?*, asked SNP-02. SNP-03 echo in his mind as well, indicated the war machine was as anxious as his brother, *Captain, do not let 05 have all the fun!* SNP-06 grunted as usual, *The enemy is not engaging with sufficient force or firepower to overpower our shields and ZNP-03 just indicated drop zone six just cleared.*

The Captain chuckled speaking out loud as he normally preferred, "Hold on, glory is only achieved when it is earned", which almost always left an eerie affect on those that were around who happen to only hear half of the conversation - though at the moment one would say the enemy cared little if he was insane or total aware of his faculties, their objective was simple - stop him.

His tactical long ranger scanner finally picked out what he was looking for as he nodded in its general direction, "Seems I have found my targets, SNP-04 primary target now visible - confirm?" SNP-04 reached out with its sensor net acknowledging the order, *Bishop Verimere and Lady Kiloran are both present on the battlefield.* The Confederacy wanted those two confirmed dead before mass destruction was authorized.

The Captain dropped to a crouch position as he brought up his rifle, integrated sights began receiving the telemetry from the war machines and the orbital satellite that had been left in geosynchronous orbit above each drop zone. He flicked his safety off as sighted the two targets, acquisition icons locked on to each. He squeezed off two rounds killing one of the highest commanders of the Church of Light and the woman standing next to him, one of the most powerful senators in this part of the galaxy. As he rose to turn around, the war machines surrounding him received their acknowledgment to engage, as a smile faded from his lips. The battle was brief as always, as the dust settled the Captain turned to look back at what remained.

Scanners from the various war machines swept through the area, an occasional crack was heard as a machine took out a survivor or perhaps someone trying to run, when the Confederacy sent in jump troopers there were no prisoners and no survivors ever. SNP-03 suddenly became excited as an energy level spiked on the scanners, each of the members of the unit focused on the dust rolling from an area near the two commanders the Captain had killed. The energy spike began to shape itself as it emerged from the dust and ruins, it was a single Mark-X combat war machine.

As the Captain considered this new threat, an indicator revealed that drop zone three had went dead, signifying that for the first time since he had been a commander a jump trooper unit had been engaged and destroyed while on the surface of a planet. SNP-06 sighed, *Was Lieutenant Polizky a close friend?* The Captain frowned, "There will be time later to grieve, first lets deal with this machine..."

Count: 1986