Posted by: TacticalStats
« on: July 05, 2020, 09:10:28 AM » Intense winds swept over the rolling hills as lightning traced across the sky towards the horizon. The liquid methane ocean steamed like dry ice as it slowly shrank in size from the sudden swing in temperatures. This swing, directly a result from the orbital strikes, was measured to drop the temperature by four hundred degrees Celsius. This bottomed the planet, now named after Admiral Simard, to negative three hundred and twenty degrees killing any life that may have adapted to live here. A renewed series of kinetic strikes indicated that this process was not finished.
The speed from shells struck into the ground lifting dirt and debris dozens of meters into the air before the ensuing explosion vaporized the impact zone. The dust created was propelled high into the atmosphere adding to a new layer that continued to make it difficult for the suns rays to reach the surface of the planet. It would take a scientific study to determine how long this dust would take to fall back down to the surface and a warming period could begin. For now, it was acceptable because these strikes were saving the lives of the hundred thousand men and women now fighting in this alien environment.
They fought without proper equipment and inferior weapons. Limited intelligence was very costly in the first two years as the robotic centurions could hide in the smallest of gaps. When the first few bunkers were located the praetorian mechs as the grunts called them chewed through men and armor the same. The hundred square kilometer battle zone was nicknamed devil’s paradise.
Major Odis Accardo was here to change this fact. His regiment was newly researched and given specialized equipment to battle not just the defensive installations but the extreme weather itself. Every soldier had a heated suit, every vehicle was specially insulated, and his command center could keep communications going through the most intense of storms. It was in this center that he now sat watching the assault take place.
The intelligence given to him by the other majors was vital in setting up his attack strategy. This final orbital strike was accurate in breaking what looked like the enemy’s final front line. His 35c variant tanks were in the lead as the Agariste and Fe-212s fell in behind. The infantry would all be made up of his specialized squads and they were moving in as autocannons and artillery began to fire.
Devil’s paradise was a scene out of no man’s land missing only the barbed wire. The terrain was difficult to pass and gave the enemy plenty of high percentage shots. Dozens of tanks were sacrificed to get over this obstacle and it was difficult for Accardo to watch. This was true even if there was no other way to make it to the few bunkers that were left. On the other side of this small ridge sat the ruined city that started all this bloodshed.
Radio communications became increasingly difficult to keep track of as the squads of infantry made it into the bunkers. What was clear was the effectiveness of his equipment. No longer slowed down from heating sources with limited operational time frames the battle could continue. The reports were promising as instead of a few robotic defenders incapacitated the casualties became more even.
“We are in.” The voice came through the comm as the final bunker was breached. Rifle fire could be heard, and two distinct explosions followed. “That is it. The command center is destroyed.” Major Accardo leaned back in his chair allowing himself to exhale for what seemed like the first time in hours. It was over.
Six weeks later Odis Accardo found himself walking through the ruined city. “Was it worth it?” He spoke somberly towards the scrawny man digging through rubble.
The man pushed the stones aside seeing that this section of the ruins had taken a laser strike from orbit. “Hopefully, it wasn’t all destroyed.” He stood up and turned towards the major. “The navy could have done a better job with avoiding this destruction.”
“We all have a lot to learn from this planet. It did take over a hundred thousand lives to get us to where we are at.” He looked down what he assumed was once a street. Towards the end of the path sat a large circular building with a gaping hole in its domed ceiling. “How old is this?”
“That is a difficult question to answer. The robotic defense force seemed to maintain constructions to present day while this area is tens of thousands of years in age. If we could find some bones, then we would have an accurate date to announce but so far that gem has eluded us.” The scientist continued to walk forward towards the intimidating building ahead of them.
The two men walked through the small opening to the circular building and made their way through a series of rooms average in size. Most were completely empty until they entered the fourth. The wall was eaten by a mold that surprisingly still seemed to carry life with it even after this sudden drop in temperature. “Definitely going to get samples of that.” The scientist said pointing to the left. “I’m curious what paint was used.”
“Paint eating fungus?” The major asked as he instinctively stepped away from the wall.
“Not just paint, computers as well it would seem.” He pointed to the metal ledge that had a series of small rotted square frames still lying on it. “We are going to find things here, but it is going to take a long time.”
The idea of finding a working computer seemed impossible to Odis as he looked at the decay in front of him. It had to be tens of thousands of years old. “Who were these people?” He asked out loud.
“They are the Verdon Ka and we are very close to deciphering their language.” The scientist said this as the major stepped into the large central room. An octagonal concrete pathway made up the exterior as a three foot high metal fence lined the edge. Looking over this edge saw a drop of over fifty meters to what at the bottom looked like piles of various rocks. In the center sat a massive pillar that stretched up all the way to the ceiling with a series of walkways that led into this structure. This was something industrial and in good enough condition that something useful would come from it.
The speed from shells struck into the ground lifting dirt and debris dozens of meters into the air before the ensuing explosion vaporized the impact zone. The dust created was propelled high into the atmosphere adding to a new layer that continued to make it difficult for the suns rays to reach the surface of the planet. It would take a scientific study to determine how long this dust would take to fall back down to the surface and a warming period could begin. For now, it was acceptable because these strikes were saving the lives of the hundred thousand men and women now fighting in this alien environment.
They fought without proper equipment and inferior weapons. Limited intelligence was very costly in the first two years as the robotic centurions could hide in the smallest of gaps. When the first few bunkers were located the praetorian mechs as the grunts called them chewed through men and armor the same. The hundred square kilometer battle zone was nicknamed devil’s paradise.
Major Odis Accardo was here to change this fact. His regiment was newly researched and given specialized equipment to battle not just the defensive installations but the extreme weather itself. Every soldier had a heated suit, every vehicle was specially insulated, and his command center could keep communications going through the most intense of storms. It was in this center that he now sat watching the assault take place.
The intelligence given to him by the other majors was vital in setting up his attack strategy. This final orbital strike was accurate in breaking what looked like the enemy’s final front line. His 35c variant tanks were in the lead as the Agariste and Fe-212s fell in behind. The infantry would all be made up of his specialized squads and they were moving in as autocannons and artillery began to fire.
Devil’s paradise was a scene out of no man’s land missing only the barbed wire. The terrain was difficult to pass and gave the enemy plenty of high percentage shots. Dozens of tanks were sacrificed to get over this obstacle and it was difficult for Accardo to watch. This was true even if there was no other way to make it to the few bunkers that were left. On the other side of this small ridge sat the ruined city that started all this bloodshed.
Radio communications became increasingly difficult to keep track of as the squads of infantry made it into the bunkers. What was clear was the effectiveness of his equipment. No longer slowed down from heating sources with limited operational time frames the battle could continue. The reports were promising as instead of a few robotic defenders incapacitated the casualties became more even.
“We are in.” The voice came through the comm as the final bunker was breached. Rifle fire could be heard, and two distinct explosions followed. “That is it. The command center is destroyed.” Major Accardo leaned back in his chair allowing himself to exhale for what seemed like the first time in hours. It was over.
Six weeks later Odis Accardo found himself walking through the ruined city. “Was it worth it?” He spoke somberly towards the scrawny man digging through rubble.
The man pushed the stones aside seeing that this section of the ruins had taken a laser strike from orbit. “Hopefully, it wasn’t all destroyed.” He stood up and turned towards the major. “The navy could have done a better job with avoiding this destruction.”
“We all have a lot to learn from this planet. It did take over a hundred thousand lives to get us to where we are at.” He looked down what he assumed was once a street. Towards the end of the path sat a large circular building with a gaping hole in its domed ceiling. “How old is this?”
“That is a difficult question to answer. The robotic defense force seemed to maintain constructions to present day while this area is tens of thousands of years in age. If we could find some bones, then we would have an accurate date to announce but so far that gem has eluded us.” The scientist continued to walk forward towards the intimidating building ahead of them.
The two men walked through the small opening to the circular building and made their way through a series of rooms average in size. Most were completely empty until they entered the fourth. The wall was eaten by a mold that surprisingly still seemed to carry life with it even after this sudden drop in temperature. “Definitely going to get samples of that.” The scientist said pointing to the left. “I’m curious what paint was used.”
“Paint eating fungus?” The major asked as he instinctively stepped away from the wall.
“Not just paint, computers as well it would seem.” He pointed to the metal ledge that had a series of small rotted square frames still lying on it. “We are going to find things here, but it is going to take a long time.”
The idea of finding a working computer seemed impossible to Odis as he looked at the decay in front of him. It had to be tens of thousands of years old. “Who were these people?” He asked out loud.
“They are the Verdon Ka and we are very close to deciphering their language.” The scientist said this as the major stepped into the large central room. An octagonal concrete pathway made up the exterior as a three foot high metal fence lined the edge. Looking over this edge saw a drop of over fifty meters to what at the bottom looked like piles of various rocks. In the center sat a massive pillar that stretched up all the way to the ceiling with a series of walkways that led into this structure. This was something industrial and in good enough condition that something useful would come from it.