Primo protectores eius. (First Protectors)

Year :4042
Time : 1100 Greenwich time
Unit 1st Battalion, 375th LDT, 78th fleet of the 1st fleet battle group.
Location: Drop point in front of Everfree forest.

You ever see those movies and think "Those bad guys are going to get it now". This is one of those moments because there was a very pissed off ground commander who wanted payback. "Gerad this is Bravo and Charlie company, tell the artillery to stop the barrage. We're dropping now".

Up above the jump masters checked the vehicles one last time before pounding the side to let the crews know that they were good. Each of the twenty drop ships released their IFVs, the vehicles hitting the ground and instantly opening fire on the approaching coalition forces who by now had taken on hell of a beating, well whatever they had sent up had taken a beating. "All IFVs are on the ground and commencing the offloading of their squads". One of the company NCOIC relayed to Gerad who felt a wave of relief wash over him meanwhile another TDS-25 landed behind the IFVs who began to fire into the remaining enemy forces who in turn began to fall back. Those who did stay and try to fight were swiftly cut down by a soldier from Bravo or Charlie.

"Solar Fury, one is on their way back, considered critical". Gerad said as he led his unit out of the river and to regroup with the two IFV companies who along with Alpha Company made up 2nd battalion. "What's the status of the patrol base First Sergeant"? HE asked as he began looking through his P.M.D for any casualties besides the one he had sent up and much to his relief finding no others. Then again the patrol base had the IFVs at their disposal and were already dug in for defense where as he had more or less started a hasty defense which had achieved it's goal of sparing the village behind them the attack. "No casualties though IFVs have a few scratches on them but that's it. Hopefully we get some M35A4B's because the enemy can fly and rifles can only do so much for air defense and the IFVs main canons can only elevate 35 degrees. To be honest sir what we need is a fire base down here". Those words made Gerad pinch the bridge of his nose. "I'll put in the request for both, chances are we'll only get the M35s. I know the fleet commander wont risk a fire base with the area being so hot down here. I'm going to talk to the guards and see if they need anything besides our firepower". With that he motioned three soldiers to follow him.

Meanwhile Alpha and Bravo company were already digging as some light construction equipment had been brought with them. They couldn't build a fire base with it but they could easily bolster the defensive line which would soon span a total of five miles starting at the forest and forming a hook around the outer most area of the village. They made makeshift machine gun nests from fallen trees and the dirt, lined the shallow trenches with Nano plating to keep them from getting stuck in the mud while the IFVs from Alpha and Bravo were corralled into a staging area to act as QRF and the original IFVs that landed first were spread out along the line to provide better fire support to each area. Along the front of the trench lines spikes were placed to detour any ground force into kill boxes and slow the enemy.

Gerad POV: He approached the village to see the corporal from before who seemed relieved to see them. "So...I take it you're staying"? He asked with a hopeful chuckle to which Gerad nodded his head. "We're protectors of freedom and the innocent so we wont be leaving till they leave and have surrendered". He said jerking a thumb towards the enemy lines to which the corporal smiled and respond. "You know you took out 10,000 of theirs and only lost one of your own? I've never seen fighting like that or soldiers move so quickly. I'm glad we didn't anger you otherwise we'd be finished by the end of the day". A soft chuckle escaped the LDT commander as he shook his head. "Same, genocide isn't right. So is there anything you guys need such as food, medicine, water, or communications with your higher ups"? He asked.

"I'll have to take you to the captain. He'll handle all that stuff, I'm not in any position to do anything but fight sir". The Corporal said humbly and motioned for Gerad to follow who in turn motioned for the three soldiers to stay put and "Socialize" with the smaller creatures.

Following the corporal he couldn't help but comment. "While you may only be in a position to fight I can tell you're a good soldier and a leader. Some leaders don't lead from the front and instead of sending someone from your group forward you came yourself. Not only that but you put the well being of your troops at a high priority and you were smart for pulling back because it saved your lives and made our job easier. You're a natural leader and I hope they make you an officer out of you someday". He said with a soft smile as they continued through the town. Several civilians looked at him scared or unsure and who could blame them? They were probably shell shocked to hell based on the shaking and there were no sounds of children laughing or playing in the streets.

He hated the sound of a dead city or town. He had walked through too many to count and the silence was always deafening. Sometimes in the cities where terrible loss had happened he could swear he would hear families going on about their lives before they were shattered like glass when hit with a stone. He remembered the broken and burned bodies, smoldering and twisted in unnatural ways, the mass graves he had seen one too many times.

The walk was short but silent as they approached what he could only believe to be the town hall, well what was left of it. Many windows were broken out and there was a hole in the roof of the structure. Something had hit it but what it was he didn't know, maybe catapult. Opening the doors with the corporal leading he could hear the activity in the hall stop as all eye went to focus on him, some readying their swords though it wouldn't do much against the superior armor and reflexes of the LDT.

"Well this is quite the setup you have here". He spoke with a soft chuckle as he looked around. "You all can relax, if I wasn't on your side then the opposing force wouldn't have been stopped. I simply came here to offer aid". His tone was even and cool, no hint of fear nor did he show any contempt for them.

"What aid can you offer us"? The pony commander asked who ,he had to admit, looked exhausted. Gerad smiled softly and activated his tac-gaunt. "What I'm offering is food, water, medical care, and a chance to get some sleep. An army runs on it's stomach and sleep. A fatigued soldier is liable to make more mistakes than one that is well rested". He said and pulled up a display of a ship with the words under it U.S.I.S Saint Raphael.

"This is the U.S.I.S Saint Raphael. It was ordered here by our high command to provide relief supplies to your people with various things Equines can eat such as fruit and vegetables". He said and expanded a menu which he placed on the table in front of him. "In total this ship alone is carrying 24.8 million tons of food, 30 million tons of water, 15 million tons of medicine, and 40 million tons of assorted medical equipment, temporary housing, and beds along with sanitation products". Letting the commander see the list he smiled a bit. "And more is on it's way in terms of building materials so you can reconstruct but that will come after the war".

The pony commander looked up at Gerad and then back down at the listings of various items to which only a few he recognized. "And what do you people want in return"? The commander asked with a sigh. Gerad only shook his head. "Nothing except knowing that another light in the universe hasn't gone out. We don't give and then take things from a tired nation. Their choice to give us anything is theirs alone and we always offer membership into our empire which we respect any turn downs but that too will come after the war. For now I simply am offering you aid supplies".

The Pony commander seemed to think for a moment before looking at Gerad once more. "I accept your offer though what my leaders say is different. I know for a fact that we don't have the supplies to treat the amount of wounded here and people are beginning to starve. Since it is my job to protect this village and it's people I'm exercising my authority on the mission to allow you to bring much needed supplies in to the town".

This made Gerad smile in a friendly manner. He lived for this shit, fighting and protecting. God he loved it but he loved saving lives even more because not only was it good PR but it also ensured that a country could bolster it's forces in the end. "I can have them down here in an hour and medical staff can start treating your soldiers right away to get them back fighting".

Nodding his head the pony commander sighed in relief. "I will admit that I am hesitant to accept your help but we need every good thing we can get right now. Please, if you can save lives and give our people some type of hope, we could use it".

Gerad nodded his head. "I'll send the requisition form up and we'll get your people treated. Thank you for allowing me to speak, I promise you wont regret this". With that he turned and walked out the door back towards the three other LDTs who were currently surrounded by a few children who were asking them more questions than a 35 Mike. "Alright everyone, time to return to the line". He called to the three soldiers who gently set one of the kids down before following him.

"Solar Fury this is Gerad. I have sent up a requisition form for supplies to be landed at the village. Village will be LZ Alamo. Make sure those supplies get here quick, the less time it takes the more lives that can be saved". He said as he continued to walk towards the new trench line that had been dug. "Solar Fury copies all. It's been passed on to the Saint Raphael, ETA is 30 minutes for the first half of the supplies to get down their". As those words were said he entered the trench line where some soldiers continued to work. Some water from the river had been diverted to the from of the trenches to further slow hostile ground forces. Looking over everything Gerad sighed and whispered to himself.

"In war, even the land bears the scars of battle".