Chapter 4

The Federation arrived. Their fleet burst out of the warp and into the space opposite of the Imperial ships. The Valhalla and other smaller carriers launched their fighters and bombers as the frigates and corvettes surged forward, the battle had begun. Huge volleys were exchanged between the lines of capital ships and the smaller craft closed the gap between them. The volleys clashed homes of both sides, hulls were ripped open, the ships attempted to dodge incoming fire and the lines shifted as a result. Fighters engaged in deadly, bloodthirsty dogfights as they tried to escort the bombers into position to strike upon the enemy. All around it seemed like a hail of bright bolts were shooting between dark objects as smaller ones swarmed around them. The truth was that it was a barrage of destruction raining down onto the different groups and sections of ships as they tried to band together and visit the same upon their enemies. Greyman looked on from the control tower helpless as the swarm of messages erupted from the terminals and monitors around him. The staff in the tower knew exactly what to do and they reacted to the panicked voices with clam and informed advice. They also coordinated the strike groups within the fleet that the command centre on-board the Valhalla could not handle. His facial expression was one of panic, anger and frustration at inactivity. The cannon on the base fired out repeated, well aimed bursts at the ensuing battle.

Soon however, a the landing craft of the Federation were once again launched at the moon to take out the base and ground cannon. They dodged the chaotic battle in the stars and descended low so they soon skimmed the surface of the moon. AA rockets were launched at them which turned a fair few of the landing craft into fireballs which hurtled down and smashed into the ground. The rest however dropped their occupants of tanks and troops at several locations around the base where they then advanced upon their targets. Greyman did not stand idle in the tower but instead alerted the defenders that they had trouble and then sped down to the ground level where he could assess the situation and the force arrayed against them.

Meanwhile Gharret was close to the landing strip where fighters zipped in and out. All around him and his squad rockets burst up at the fast approaching enemy and both wreaks and shuttles both descended. A group of Federation bombers soared towards Gahrret and his men. They ran to the cover of a dugout across the landing strip but the bombers reached them first. Munitions crashed all around him and his men, one soldier was thrown forwards a few feet by the force created by the plasma burst. Another landed on the right side of Gharret and caused him to be taken of his feet and plummet onto the ground. As the recruits sprinted past their fallen sergeant a veteran of the 3rd extended his arm and caught his superior, using his momentum the man literally pushed Gharret onto his feet and the two ran on together quickly catching up with the panicked recruits. As they almost reached the hardened bunker a bomber who was lining up a shot was struck by a rocket from a nearby AA emplacement. The craft raced to the ground faster than the soldiers could. It exploded in a force that knocked Gharret off his feet along with everyone else. As he recovered himself he saw an assaulting group of Federation troopers and vehicles racing towards the strip and hangers. Gharret raised his rifle and fired off a burst that hit home on one of the troopers. The rattled sergeant then jumped up and grabbed the soldier which had previously helped him and headed towards the hangers. Along with the recruits their direction changed from the pointless bunker and too where a tank and a few squads of Imperial infantry were gathering.

After another sprint there they gathered their breath and turned to face the oncoming enemy. The light tank fired off a few rounds which forced the troopers to dive for cover at the end of the landing strip. Gharret and his squad quickly shot off a number of rounds out and towards the troopers who soon returned fire. A solider near him received a bullet which instantly killed the man, his missile launcher fell to the ground where it lay not far from Gharret. He ran at it just as a missed Federation missile exploded close by. The chunks of concrete sprayed everywhere. He picked up the launcher, aimed it and fired it at the Federation tank spraying heavy shots at the bettered Imperial tank. He grabbed it by the attached strap, yanked it up and took a firm hold of it. From there it was a case of aiming carefully and launching the missile. The warhead cut it's way through the air and found it's mark straight in the enemy vehicle. The tank exploded from the inside, completely ripping itself apart and throwing shrapnel everywhere. Gharret looked around and saw that the landing strip was destroyed, all the planes had left and there were many more Federation troops past the retreating ones. So the order was given to retreat back to the main base on whatever vehicles could be found, and quickly as the bombers were returning.

Back near the base, Greyman reached the main entrance which was under light fire from a platoon of Federation troops a distance away. Most of the recruits were nervously firing a few shots off before ducking under the sandbags and the veterans were letting off well aimed bursts from high positions. However the younger female Gharret was stood on the wall that had been constructed and was spraying off rounds in all directions on full auto. Casandra complemented these with foul language which was also being sprayed in all directions

"Come on then you bastards! Scared are you eh? What are you doing you cowards, get up and fight!" As Greyman arrived and saw this he looked up to the veterans who had clearly tried to get the girl to act sensibly but had realised that it acted as a good distraction. The Marshall however had no problem with manhandling the idiotic private and so grabbed her firmly by her shoulder armour and pulled. He hauled her behind the nearest sandbags where she fell down hard just as a volley of bullets landed near them. Greyman responded by leaning out of the cover and firing off a few rounds, he did this several times. However he was interrupted by the private as she grabbed him and started yelling

"What the hell do you think you're doing, I..." She could not finish however as she found the Marshall's weapon was slammed into her ribs. This forced her down onto her knees, clearly winded. Greyman shouted at her

"You're a private and I am a Marshall! You don't need to like the chain of command but I do expect you to follow it. Do you understand?" The girl looked down at the ground with gritted teeth but the Marshall continued "Do you understand?" Finally she answered with a sting in her hurt voice

"Yes sir"

"Good, now contain yourself, you are no good to anyone dead other than the Federation"

For now this served to bring the private back into line and she remained at the barricade, occasionally leaning out to fire her railgun. By now however the enemy troopers laying down light fire had massed along with several vehicles and now proceeded to fully assault the main entrance.

Immediately as they proceeded to charge down the top end of the crater they were on the whole base lit up with rounds coming and going. A heavy tank rolled down fast and let off it's main cannon which smashed just above the main entrance shattering the wall and making the rubble fall down with a crash. However a missile which was launched from a platform on the roof collided with the turret of the tank making it burst off and spun into the air before crashing down a few metres away. By now though the troopers were upon the Imperial entrance and the two sides clashed with a fury. The veterans that were positioned on height jumped down and engaged alongside the recruits. Greyman was in the centre of the melee and sparing with a trooper. The enemy soldier raised his weapon but Greyman had quickly unsheathed his knife and while knocking away the rising weapon dug the blade into the man's chest. As the enemy fell, the blade was attached the end of the railgun as a bayonet. Greyman looked around the chaos and glimpsed Cassandra fighting a losing battle. In an instant he sprinted towards here, knocking aside anyone in his way. By the time he had reached the girl she was on the floor and being choked by a very angry trooper. Greyman continued to run towards them and raised the bayonet as a lance. It struck home and went straight through the man who released his grip on the half dead girl and grunted out in surprise.