Human Coalition | Site A | written by: Ian

Jiro Nakamura

The whole ship shuddered when the CA ship plummeted out of the atmosphere behind the Fiery Class drop ship and threw magnetic grapplers into the right side, just off the rear starboard entry hatch.  

“Starboard, rear, prep for contact”.  Lt. Kanagawa spoke calmly over the comm system.  “Slow them down, don’t let them near the cockpit.”

The Domaru and Shaolin in the loading bay found themselves attacked from all sides, fighting off intense firepower from a small link team and a Speculo that revealed itself as it closed in to fight the Monks.

One after another, the Monks, the Zhanying agent, the Zuyong HI, and the Lu Duan fell to the overwhelming firepower of the link team, but buying precious time and space for the team to hold the cockpit.  Only Ryu, the Domaru, held out in the loading bay, trading blows with a green skinned alien.  The alien didn’t seem to want to fight, only holding Ryu from attacking the other aliens searching the deck for gear.  

On the top of the ship, Asura crouched and held tight with his magnetic boots on the top of the ship.  He was there to make it difficult for a team to climb over the ship, or attack the windshield.  

“What the…  Lt, there’s something on the- “

“Asura? respond!”.  

Lt. Kanagawa tried several different comm systems, but his HUD indicated that Asura’s vitals signs were gone.  
“Damnit.  They got something on the top of the ship, and it’s probably headed here.  Everyone watch the windows.  Jiro, leave them a little present to slow them down a little.”

The ship rocked suddenly and violently, throwing everyone off their feet for a second.  Lights on the control panels started blinking red everywhere.  The pilot started throwing switches and shutting down systems as the drop ship shuddered and bucked in the air.  

“You better do something, they’ve taken out both the engines!”  The pilot screamed as the ship started to flounder in the thick choppy air.    “I’ve still got stabilizers and drift engines, but not much else.  We’ll be on the ground in three minutes if you can keep them off my back!”

Suddenly the left windshield smashed in from a blow from a giant sword.  A blurry shifting shape pushed through the windshield and roared as he landed on the floor of the cockpit.  Jiro realized quickly that he could attack this monstrosity with his hacking device.  As he was pushing data towards the creature, a blur of black and red shimmered into focus behind him and a Ninja blocked his data hack and pushed a more aggressive data assault at the enemy.  The creature shrugged it off, but the Ninja pushed again and immobilized the massive alien.  

Lt. Kanagawa charged the creature and swung his katana at the beast.  He sliced into the creature once, but most of the blows bounced off the chitinous armour the creature had covering his body.  He swung again and again, as the creature roared but could do no more, as his armour was hacked and locked into place.

“Jiro! Drop the blast shields and switch to secondary visuals!  Protect the pilot and assist in any way!“

“Ren, check the hallway, shoot anything that comes close.”  The Guilang slipped out the door, silent as a ghost.  Only seconds later, the thump of his combi was heard, but a hiss of napalm and a wave of heat indicated that he had a taken a bad hit from one of the alien bots with flamers.  Dammit.  Another name to add to the list of dead.

Jiro dropped into the second seat in the cockpit, and connected to the data stream of the ship.  He patched power distribution systems to stabilizer controls, shut doors to rooms that could still contain aliens, and tried to calm the computer system any way he could.  

The pilot held on tight to the controls, and brought the ship down through the atmosphere to within sight of the spaceport Emperor No Ken.  The ship bounced slightly as the alien attack ship disconnected and shot back into the air, taking the alien survivors with it.
“Ground Control.  Have medvac units standing by.  We’ve had some casualties on the ship.  And feel free to have the Navy try to blast that ship out of the sky, since they don't seem to be doing anything else useful.”  The Lt. swung his helmet over to look at Jiro. "Good work, Corporal.  But remember, if you tell anyone about the Ninja, I'll have you checking personnel files for errors by hand on a remote outpost til you die of boredom or suicide.  Got it?"

Combined Army | Site A | written by: Ben

El-Shiva-Ra

El-Shiva-ra could hear the klaxon’s ringing aboard the Fiery Class drop shop. Such a sweat tempo it was. The Corax Spec Op imaged the symphony she would create when the screams of the dying humans were layered to it.

The Med-Tech Obsidon withdrew from the entry portal; it’s chitins frame retching as it pulled it’s plasma cutters back into its innards. The doorframe still dripped melted metal. Two slave drones slithered alluringly around it. Even as one part of its body closed another chitin plating opened and slim tendrils extended dripping with ooze handing thermite charges to Agent Sheskiin; even as a third tendril planted an explosive charge on the drop ship’s engine core.

El-Shiva-ra crushed the overwhelming urge to slice into the metallic EI creature and see what manor of horror lived inside.

‘Hasht! You’re on point.’ issued Agent Sheskiin as she and Agent Hasht fired up their nano-screens. The trillions of little cybernetic insects flying out front of both created a perfect shield. Each one was equipment with a mag-dampener that created a small vacuum around it. Individually they did nothing but deployed in the trillions they formed a powerful wall that reduced the inertia of incoming projectiles; effectively mobile barricades. Perfect tools or the uncluttered hallways of a Yu-Jing space craft.

The EI had ordered the ship captured or brought down. The Shasvastii knew better. To capture the ship would result in it being shot down by orbital military platforms and crashing the ship would result in the same outcome; all Shasvastii would likely die. El-Shiva-ra was part of a dying race that was looking to rebuild after a near species extension level event. She would not be wasting lives at the beck of the EI. Agent’s Sheskiin and Agents Hasht had agreed at the mission briefing.

The trio of specialists entered the ship and eliminated the crew with such efficient brutality that the Morat Aggression Force would have shuddered had they known what the Shasvastii were capable of. Those red faced fools never would; it was the Shasvastii way to appear less then more thought the Mistress of Lies.

With a minimal of casualties, limited primarily to EI constructs,the cargo holds were liberated of their experimental tech and the trio exfiltrated back to the Micro Ghost ship. The EI ‘worm’ sealing the way behind them.

The Mistress of lies laughed as she and her crew disappeared from the radar screens of every incoming human defence craft. The Fiery Class Yu-Jing drop ship made a safe if not awkward crash landing.

‘Sleep safe and spread well’ whispered El-Shiva-ra. It was an old saying among the dying Shasvastii. She whispered it to the seed of the Speculo Killer the Corax Agent had planted in the hold of the craft. Another surprise for another day...

Human Coalition | Site B (Aborted) | written by: Dan

Agent Meyers

* == ATTN: HIGH COMMAND

- = WARSHIP KOMAGATA MARU AMBUSHED EN ROUTE TO [redacted] SECTOR BY E.I. MORAT FORCES. = -

- = SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES - REPAIRS REQUIRED - ETA DELAYED THREE CYCLES MINIMUM = -

- = SRGT KIRPAL SINGH AND AKAL CONTINGENT REQUESTING PERMISSION TO PROCEED AHEAD IN SHIPS BOATS = -

* == ATTN OFC COMMANDING, KOMAGATA MARU

- = MAKE ALL SPEED TO [redacted] SECTOR - SITUATION DIRE = -

- = PERMISSION GRANTED FOR AKALIS - SEND ALL AVA PRSNL ASAP = -

- = RELAY OP CODE 1762-B13-B11 TO LOGISTICS OFFICER MONTOYA = -

~ ~ ~

The galley was quiet, save for a dull clink of cheap tin spoons on cheaper tin bowls. The men were not in a jovial mood. Most had been shaken from their bunks at 04:00 that morning to the sound of boarding klaxons and small arms fire. The raiders had been repelled, but at some cost. Many of the men seated in the galley had lost friends, or even brothers, that morning. The three men seated in an alcove opposite the main doors were done their food, and were talking in low voices.

"I don't understand what there is to be concerned about," said Raman in a hushed voice, "They send their officers and clarks and pencil pushers out to the frontier all the time. What's so strange about that?" He was a burly man, barely within the weight tolerances for the new grav chutes but he was competent and solid. He wore a corporals stripes on his sleeve.

"This one isn't right. You don't think it's odd that his intercom showed no distress call from his quarters?" The answering man had a thicker accent, and was tall and lank. He was folded up into the corner like some giant gangly spider. The man's eyes were furtive and darted back and forth across the room. "And he didn't report to a rally station, which means he just stayed down there...with them." His eyes went wide momentarily then got thin and suspicious again.

"Maybe he used his brain and hid in his room Jit," said Raman with a smile. "It might have saved us some trouble if more of the civillian personnel had done the same..."

"Not to fan the flames of rumor," the third figure remarked, his face still in shadow, "But I did hear that corpse detail found three of the apes down there. They had all been killed with a short blade. None had fired a round." This last point made even Raman raise his eyebrows. All three were silent for a moment, until Jit raised his head and spoke once more.

"You know Rikesh told me there was blood on the mans shoe when he came aboard." He let that hang in the silence for a few moments, then looked from Raman to the shadowed face. "Why would a logistics officer have blood on his shoes?" Neither man answered, and the silence grew heavy around them. Then it was broken by the definite sound of dog boots coming towards them across the mess hall. The man wearing the boots was short and solidly build, with a neatly manicured goatee that was beginning to show some grey through its native black.

"Such matters are not for our lowly minds, my friends," mumbled Kirpal Singh with a knowing smile on his face. "Perhaps if we had found two or three of our commandos in such a state, then I too would be concerned." He paused, looking from face to face with a serious but reassuring glare. "But for now, let us just be content that he seems to be on our side." He raised his voice so that the entire mess hall could hear it. "I wish to hear no more rumor mongering, my lads. We have enough to concern ourselves with. See to your equipment, I am trying to find us a way to get our boots on the ground faster than this ship can be repaired."

The 'yes sir' that thundered through the mess hall was resounding. It was even loud enough for agent Meyers to hear it several decks below, causimg him to pause momentarily in the act of cleaning a very mean, very efficient looking combat knife. He smiled.

Human Coalition | Site C | written by: Cam

Sister Katherine

"Agent Pulaski, incoming transmission from Admiral Kadivar."

"Thank you trooper, patch her through please."

The Admiral appeared on Katherine's dataslate. "Salaam alaikum, Agent. My thanks and congratulations on your successful mission. I might add that churro you're holding looks delicious."

Katherine smiled, "I'm honored Admiral, thank you. And yes, it really is lovely. The Aconticimentos are people of many talents."

"I was informed of your talents prior to the mission. I was told you not only saved a trooper incapacitated by one of the alien's vicious chain rifles, you managed to get her back into the fight. Our doctors expressed sincere admiration, something we don't experience too often when dealing with the Great Power. I mean no offense, you know the cordiality that exists between our government and your Order."

"Believe me Admiral, you're not the only ones that have concerns about Pan Oceania's medical standards. I was grateful to be able to make a contribution today, but most of the credit belongs to the Aconticimento engineers. The Morats weren't expecting us to respond to a pinprick with an HMC."

"Haqqislam aspires towards peace, Agent, but those beasts exist only for war. While I can never rejoice at such a slaughter, nor will I ask Allah to forgive us. Once again, our gratitude. I understand communications with the sphere are limited under the current circumstances. Would you like me to relay a message back to your Order?"

"Yes, please Admiral. If you're able to contact Revered Father Pyotr Gundyaev, could you please give him the message that I thought there were going to be Sogarats?"

"I'll assume this is an inside joke Agent, and that your sanity is above reproach."

"Once again Admiral, my thanks. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a party to get back to. Salaam."

"Wa alaikum salaam, Agent Pulaski. Admiral Kadivar out."

Combined Army | Site C | written by: Kris

Gungo Boom

Gunfire sounded in the distance. There could have been an explosion. Gungo Boom couldn't tell. He was covered in blood, some of it even his. This thrice accursed Morat unit that had been assigned to escort him on this mission failed miserably. Oh well, he thought, they paid for their incompetence with their lives...

It was supposed to be a quick insert and simple control mission. Grab a field hospital off some squishy humans and then hand it to the frogs. What could be more simple. Except instead of some weirdo Haqq guards those monkeys hired out a Pan-O merc unit. WHO BROUGHT A BIG GORAM TAG! The Morats weren't prepared and now Gungo was laying in the dirt playing dead while the humans collected their wounded. Oh boy, high command was going to have a shit when they found out about this.

Gungo was interrupted in his thoughts. A human guard was walking by checking the Morat dead. Most likely to make sure they WERE dead. Come close little monkey...As the guard got close Gungo silently unsheathed his knife. Gungo gave a slight cough and the human guard spun around. Just in time to get the flicked knife between the eyeballs. As he got up he collected his weapons. Night would be here soon and he needed to disappear before the monkeys found their dead guard. With a sigh Gungo Boom ran between the rocky outcrops surrounding the hospital and disappeared.

Human Coalition | Site D | written by: Brad

Brother Roderick

Roderick headed towards the extraction point. The Morats succeeded in evacuating after they had destroyed the mainframe and taken the memory core from the corrupted sentry bot. Today the knights succeeded in recovering a sepsitorized Kaplan and Roderick had gathered bio data on the strange alien species known as the Preta.

The battle itself was hard fought, the Morats gave as good as they got. Both sides suffered heavy losses. The magister knights began a valiant and heroic last charge to capture the entombed doctor and to recover another Kaplan but unfortunately their sacrifice was in vain. Now they are with our father in heaven and their bravery will be remembered.

While the battle may have been in the Morats favour, they didn’t cover all their tracks and the research facility has been recovered once again. "As long as alien filth keeps falling to our holy fire and blades humanity will prevail!" said Roderick to his remaining troops.

Combined Army | Site D | written by: Kyle

Treitak Goran

“Damnit! MUST I DO EVERYTHING MYSELF!!?” Goran was pissed, even though the covering fire provided by the hulking Sogarats was absolutely fantastic. They at least did their job, blowing the Mainframe to hell from a distance. On his order, they pressed forward to the centre of the combat zone to guard the crash coffins. Goran had just finished intercepting the remote on the other side of the med-centre, ripped out its memory core AND ran his ass over to the extraction zone. The Yaogats around him proceeded to get shot to Hell, along with the Vanguard hacker who was supposed to not get killed so early – then again those bullets were meant for Goran, so, he couldn’t complain too much about that one.

“Ok I am coming back to the Med Centre, going in from the right and I’ll make my way across. Give those crazed knights something to run aimlessly into, preferably bullets!”

The Pan-O knights had just made off with a Sepsitored Kaplan, some form of "rescue" mission? After checking two of the crash coffins, only to find them empty, Goran took note that the Knights seemed to lose all sense of reason. They were trying desperately to reach the one remaining Kaplan, running straight into a hail of munitions, unsuccessfully at that. As the last of the knights fell to their deaths, it was time to leave. Goran could see the doctor cowering in the last crash coffin, but there was no time left to get him. The day was hard fought as it was, and let’s be honest – that doctor would probably just kill more Morats trying to “save” them than what he was worth. “Time to go, grab the wounded and let’s get to the extraction zone, we are leaving that doctor here to burn” Ordered Goran.

Sogarat Rotak replied over the comm “Confirmed, final objective not acquired”, in what Goran thought was a relieved tone of voice...

Human Coalition | Site E | written by: Tom

Johnny Silvini

Johnny Silvini peaked his head over the balcony railing just in time to see Sgt Winters, taking cover behind a car in the middle of the street, stop moving as if frozen in time then a few seconds later disappear in a flash of plasma. "Ow, that's gotta hurt, hope he's ok"

There were explosions everywhere in the theoretically abandoned city and Johnny got the feeling his new associates were dropping like flies. Looking back towards the dropship there was a quick blur of movement and another flash of plasma and pieces of what was once a hidden sniper flew everywhere. "Crap crap crap crap crap, I'm not getting paid enough for this, where's that friggin' hacker!"

Johnny caught a glimpse of movement below him and went quiet, seeing a dark, gross looking shape sprinting through the shadows. This was the Charontid bastard that had massacred his buddies, and from the look in it's... face? it seemed to be thirsty for more blood. Johnny briefly considered a heroic leap off the balcony to avenge his comrades but his sense of self preservation quickly prevailed "I should... um... report back to hq. Yes, that's it! Back to hq so they can deal with this thing later. Phew!"

Combined Army | Site E | written by: Derrick

Shivra Cahst

 "Keeskreet we have failled in our mission. We briefly had the fugitive hacker in our posession but then the human forces arrived. Their resistance was stronger than anticipated. By the time my forces nuetralized them the fugitive hacker managed to activate his cloaking device and slip away." Reported Shivra Casht.

Keeskreet responded "Nevermind the Intellects power was felt, we shall track down the hacker again. Hopefully your thirst for blood will be tempered by the mission parameters next time. If nothing else remember the intellect does not want out right annihilation, that could be done before either of us finiashed our next sleep cycle. We have to turn these peoples. For that we need a little more subtlety." He looked down at his work top obviously dismissing her.