Pandora's Planet

Snap ran into the armory. He had no time to talk to his fellow squad mates. He was too excited.

Barely thinking, he grabbed his sniper rifle and his pistol. With that, he quickly lept into his pod. His first combat drop! Heck, his fist combat!

Meanwhile, his other mates began to get into their pods, Sergeant Claw, the squads griffonian leader, grabbed his shotgun, shook his head at Snap's bravado, and slowly stepped into his pod for his forty-third drop.

Ant Hunter, the groups support specialist, joined the weathered sergeant, grabbing a grenade launcher and assault rifle.

Dalla quickly walked into her own pod, her medical supplies strapped all over her body.

Finally, Drako fitted his machine gun into it's slot, and slid into his own pod.

With that, the pod doors creaked shut. The pods turned, allowing their occupants a glimpse of the world bellow. It was a lush blue world, with loads of green.

However, of more immediate concern was the trio of huge hostile warships approaching. As he looked as distant shots began to be exchanged, Snap's on-board screen lit up, showing the regiments colonel frowning.

"Charlie Squad, you are being en-tasked to secure a polar beachhead that connects to the main continent. It is lightly defended. When done, move on and disable the enemy ground-to-space cannon nearby. With the beachhead secured, our friends over at the Nova a landing zone. Good Luck." With that, the screen blinked out.

Claw's voice crawled over the com. "Alright, you heard the colonel, take that beachhead! Drako, provide cover fire. Ant, help me and Dalla take the beachhead. Snap Shot, set up, and keep an eye out for reinforcements. Take em' out if they are coming in. Move out!"

With that, the clamp on the drop pod unlatched, and the pod dropped,

Instantly, Snap grabbed braced himself. It was a rough ride, to say the least. As they entered the atmoshere, it was even worse. Snap tried his hardest to keep his stomach in, just barely winning.

Then they hit the ground. Hard.

However, Snap had been trained to get moving after it, and bucked open his pod,

Outside, his squad had already engaged in a pitched battle against the rebels. So far, it looked good. The area was a tundra, with only a little snow, but it was still blisteringly cold.

Snap popped his rifle out of it's holder, and went down low, setting up. He picked a target through his scope, and picked him off, nice and clean. He continued to do so until all skirmish was over. He looked around. No casualties. Yet.

Quickly, the group advanced up into the hilly area around the gun. When they got to the top of the hill, Snap stopped, and set his sniper up. His squad looked at him curious.

Snap smiled. "I know a few tricks. Just lie low, and when the gun blows, move in to mop up survivors. Go."

Claw nodded, and went down against the brown grass, crawling aliong towrd the gun. The rest of the squad followed.

Then, Snap started counting between shots. "One, two, three four, five, shot."

As he took aim, he got at the perfect angle. "Come on, timing, don't fail me!" he whispered.

Three,

His hoof was around the trigger...

Four,

Breath, and squeeze.

Five.

Just as the massive magical bolt left the barrel of the mighty gun, a smaller, sniper-sized bolt collided with it.

The gun was a carbon based energy crystal. The sniper was a cadmium based energy crystal. And we all know what happens when we mix two volatile elements, correct?

As pieces of the gun scattered all around, one almost bonking Snap on the head,

With that, Charlie Squad engaged. The enemy stood no chance.

As the battle concluded, a shuttle came down, to pick  the squad up. So far, so good.