Brown looked across the ammo crate to lieutenant Aeva and two other men. In his hand rested two cards. He looked down at his cards then back up. 'One hundred credits, oh hell no.' He thought to him self.

"Fold." He said putting his cards down. Knowing that Aeva, despite her looks was one of the best poker players around.

The two men looked at him with a confused looks. Then the next one spoke up. "I see your hundred ,and I'll raise you fifty." As he said this he slid three small silver colored bars to the center of the crate. Aeva only responded by sliding her share into the center pile. "Show." He said reveling his hand. Aeva gave a slick smile and turned her cards over.

His hand a full house two queens on the field two tens in his hand and one ten on the field.

Aeva's hand four of a kind, four queens.

"Fuck." He almost shouted.

"And that son, is why I don't gamble with her." Brown said with a smile. A small buzzer sounded In his ear. Bzzzz, bzzzzz,bzzzzzz. Brown pressed and held to button on the side of his helmet silencing the noise. Brown stood up. " Its time.lets get the men packed up and ready to roll out." He said to Aeva in particular. And in minutes the area sounded of engines and soon the convoy was off. But leaving one member to provide some extra backup.

The convoy started down the small path towards the town. It wasn't going to be awhile till they arrived, so Brown went through some of his notes on what had happened in the last two hours.

10 min into 2 hours) Returned to drop zone

11 min) Sensors report five natives leaving town heading towards another suspected city.

30 min) natives reach destination.

45 min) we requested additional reinforcements

1 hour) the three ' airships ' stop their course

1 hour 2 min) reinforcements arrive. One Trident, two sniper teams, Four ammo crates.

1 hour 30 min) Sensors report 40 native, reinforcements, heading towards town. One native in the center of the formation registered strange power fluctuations.

1 hour 35 min) poker game starts

1 hour 50 min) poker game ends, convoy is mobilized.

1 hour 53 min ) native reinforcements arrive.

1 hour 55 min) now.

Brown took a deep breath and closed the list. A small smile spread across his lips and he gave a small giggle. ' This'll be interesting, I'm gona have fun with this. For their sake I hope this isn't a trap. Brown turned his head back towards the driver.

" Driver, what's our ETA to the town?" Brown questioned.

" Our ETA looks to be about five minutes sir." He responded quickly.

Brown sat quietly as the convoy moved forward. Three minutes latter the convoy came to a quick stop at the edge of the forest. Two sniper teams left the safety of their APC's and took positions in the tree line, seamlessly blending into the dark forest behind them. And in less than thirty seconds the convoy got moving again.

"Sir." The driver called Brown over.

"Yes what do you got for me." Brown responded moving towards the drivers compartment.

"Check the forward scope sir. The natives defiantly prepared for our arrival." He answered as Brown pulled up the scope footage.

"Well shit." Brown said finally impressed with the 'roadblock' the natives set up. There sat two hastily built guard towers one on each side of the road. On the road itself sat the cement dividers but twice as high. Stopping any direct view behind them. But brown simply pressed a button on the console switching to sonic imaging. Behind the wall were at least thirty ponies in armor.

" What should we do sir?" The driver asked. Brown paused for a moment.

"Just follow the plan." Brown answered.

"Yes sir. And we will be approaching the road block shortly."

"Good" Brown went back to the rear of the vehicle and sat down. The red light illuminating the compartment. Suddenly the vehicle stopped and the light turned green. The rear hatch lowered and sunlight flooded the compartment. And again the soliders filled out and took formation In front of the APC. Brown slowly excited the rear of the vehicle grabbing a megaphone on his way out, and proceeded to the front.

Author's Note

Sorry progress has slow. But in the meantime have a little preview of the next chapter.