Chapter one 

New friends, new parties

we were strangers to these, these humans? we only knew they were being attacked, we didn't know the sins they had committed against those that were smaller then they, we felt compelled to help, and we were right to.  However, we needed to do more, much more once everyone was safe.-Omiko Kurita

Planet Unknown, Jump point Unknown, Time Unknown.

The Klaxons were going off, over 97% of the fleet had been accounted for there was mild to moderate jump sickness amongst 10% of the personal, thankfully virtually none were among the aerospace fighter and assault dropship units, which were at current launching.  Antious Focht was one of the mildly affected, he knew it was his age, as the fleet accounted for 98% of their ships his radar Precentor let him know by sensors what he could tell by eyesight, that they were in the middle of a furball.

Focht contacted Victor on board the Mjolnir Class Battle Cruiser FCS Yggdrasil, Kai on the Avalon Class Heavy Cruiser FCS New Avalon and Hohiro on the Kirishima-class Heavy Cruiser DCS Shiro.  Focht "are you reading what I am", Victor "hundreds of thousands of ships, those that are ingressing on the planet have temperatures on the cockpit below mammalian levels?", Hohiro "the vastly outnumbered ships and fighters seem to be humanoid but are vastly larger than us", Kai "there are ships roughly our scale and they are doing much of the damage to the cold-blooded ships", Victor "have you initiated contact with either side" Focht nods "getting clicks from the cold-blooded and standby from the humanoids", Victor "so these ships are roughly 10 times our length...", Focht "radar and emissions show the armor is much thinner, and the weapons are roughly analogous", Hohiro "how analogous?", Focht smirks "the lasers on the cold-blooded side are barely above our wargaming 'paint scratchers', the humanoid plasma weapon fire is closer to our lasers in damage, basically it's a mid-step to our particle projection cannons if we engage our PPCs I think will have an interesting effect on either side and oh by the way the humanoids have a kind of shield, I think our naval PPCs can handle it if required".  99.73% of the fleet accounted for...

Navarchos  Aertimus Bass watched as hundreds of starships blink into space above Tau Ceti.  Thousands of fighters, what appeared to be 'heavy fighters' and assault ships moved out from their hangers and dropship colliers.  Life signs seem to indicate Humans, there had to be nearly five million of them, the 'capital' ships were roughly 1/9th or 1/10th the length of his ships, but much more dense, their power was roughly 1/2 to 1/3rd of his ships, if  Dr. Niall Freeman's reactor was on those ships they would wipe the floor with both fleets.  "So Niall" Aertimus asked his brother-in-law, "you think they are friendly",  Niall "they maybe if you communicated with them".  Aertimus nodded "not yet, I want their fleet ready for battle before the insectoids rush them", Naill "you know you would be nervous if you were being told stand by all the time", Aertimus smirks "I would but as long as we are the primary target they can deploy their assets, which they are doing a great job of doing", Niall did notice with each passing second the screen looked tighter and better supported, though he wasn't a naval officer, he could tell Aertimus was impressed with what he saw.  Navarchos Bass shook his head "it looks like our insectoid friends are making the decision for us"

Over 100,000 fighters head for task force Bulldog's screen, having been warned three times the Bogies become Bandits.  Corsairs, Lightnings, and Transgressors, light aerospace fighters engage, the lasers they are armed with are both more effective and less effective then hoped, medium and large lasers, particularly the pulse upgrades shoot right through the 'fighter' craft hulls, those larger ships supporting with armor seem to do better against the inner sphere's task force lasers.  But they are quickly targeted by heavy fighters and assault dropships with PPCs.  When the bolt from the particle projection cannon hits the ship doesn't so much vaporize as particlizaled, little flakes evaporate off as the ship crumbles.  The Precentor Air Group issues orders, laser and projectile armed ships hold the line and slowly advance toward the humanoid task force, those heavier with PPCs and Gauss rifles (also very effective against Insectoid ships), he orders "GO FOR THE HEAVIES!!!".  A few wings of lighter fighters from up to escort them through the fighter screen.

Seminavarchos Tam looks in wonder, "they've taken out 20,000 of the insectoid fighters and destroyers they have no shields and right now they count their losses in melted armor".  Niall smiles "humans what will they think of next", Izzy smirks "those ships look a bit small for titans there Navarchos".  Navarchos Bass smiles "well now is the time to contact the enemy of our enemy with the goal of making them our friends..."

On the FCS Yggdrasil Victor is mounting up his on assualt mech Prometheus, three Claymores, four Avengers and six Fortresses are with nearly a full wing of Aerospace fighters escorting them into the world, they will interpose themselves between the large humanoids and what appears to be insects, Renny's Battalion will hold the left flank, Galen's on the right, I will hit the line hard pull back.  He thanks God he was able to change his Omni-mech's loadout, as effective as PPCs are in space he is nearly certain they will be as effective on the ground.

Victor watchs the riot of color that was going on around him, Innersphere warships firing lasers all colors of the spectrum, from blue to green, red to purple as silver streaks of the occasional gauss rifle projectile flies and the distinctive crueluen blue of innersphere particle projection cannons all lit up Tau Ceti's sky like young children playing with paint.  It was beautiful in its lethality.

As his Overlord class dropship, FCS Cincinnatus reaches the atmosphere, it's gray color scheme tempory marred by the orange and red fiction heating.  As he passes through the sky Victor sees every nation of Bulldog, as well as the mercenaries, fight in common cause, their weapons ripping through the insectoids fighters.  Heavier ships such as the Avengers, Achilles, and  Kaun Tis engaging Insectiod escort and capital vessels.  The atmosphere glowed with the debris of destroyed or crippled Insectoid ships.

On the Planet surface.

Joseph with the help of Prince's medical crew sedates Sorcha "looks like we will be getting plenty of help", Sorcha "from Uncle Aertimus?", Joseph having overheard the chatter "looks like humans are coming to the rescue", Sorcha looks as stunned as a sedated woman can be "from earth?", Joseph "don't know, but doubtful, there are over five hundred starships in orbit with human signatures, and hundreds of thousands of fighters and dropships, last I knew earth only had a couple of dozen ships to include freighters", Sorcha "maybe their from the future..." she giggles at her outrageous comment.  As she falls asleep Joseph readies himself to save Alesia and the other humans at the canteen from Myrell.

Myrell is not very happy with Lessy or how the battle is going, "well where did you get those reinforcements from she asks the tiny human" pinching her just hard enough to cause massive pain but minimal injury Alesia answers "I don't know", Myrell "there are five million pets, toys up there making my life miserable" Alesia smirks "well that's to bad", Myrell "it's ok, my family will go after earth and deal with them, even if we lose here your kind has lost overall, sad really since without you I couldn't exist, but hey we still get to see if Sorcha will come for you..."  
Lessy has learned through recent experience just how evil and Insane Myrell Lenki is, the gore, overturned tables, the humans she has skewed with knifes the size of ships.  She is afraid, but Alesia Nonahsdottir is even more terrified of what might happen to Sorcha or Joseph.  She prayed she would die so that she wouldn't be responsible for the loss of her best friend or her boyfriend.  The crimson fluid and gore on Myrell's boots show what lengths she will go to.  Alesia could only hope Imperial troops realize she is a traitor and dispatch Myrell, with her if necessary.

The battlefield was marred with blood, insectoid parts, craters from arterially and airstrikes.  It was a pretty world until half a billion insectiods invaded it.  The rolling, lush, rich and fertile plains were nothing more than black and brown mud with the occasional body part, blood or gore from the battle.  All things green, alive and vital had been leveled, burnt or crushed, not a tree remained, barely a patch of grass did...

Decanus Tigoni Belfsec moved from cover to cover, she was vaguely aware of how beautiful this world was.  Less beautiful after the insectiod invasion, they had uprooted trees, they had ripped the grass from the rich earth, the lovely blue shading that was part of all planets on this world seemed pale and pallid when such life could be found.  In fact, all life seemed to flee from the insectiods, even less advanced insects.  She hated to feel this way, but it seemed her foes were a plague on life itself.  

As Decanus Belfsec and her soldiers rested in a ruined apartment complex.  She saw red specks and corpses in some of the rooms, first in horror than fear and finally anger she knew that any of those bodies could have been Ted.  Her anger controlled, her fury focused Tig as she was known by her fellow Soldiers coordinated her two troops.  She would protect her human kin and pay the insectiods back for every drop of human blood they had spilled!  She and her Soldiers note in the distance other imperial Soldiers, Tig motions for her group to move toward the other Soldiers...
Antero's squad had been whittled down, he and two others were all that was left from his force.  He watched as a second three Imperial Soldier element head his way.  While calling fire on the Insectoids Centurium Antero received a message from the  Avalonian troops that a large number of human civilians were being taken to a dropship near him.  For what purposes, they didn't know, but it could be guessed they were going to be food to fuel this war.   He watched with grim satisfaction as hundreds of Insectiod Soldiers were ripped asunder by his artillery support.

The prince linked up with Decanus Belfsec's team, "Decanus you look wounded maybe you should rest" as he points to a line of mostly intact apartments, he hopes there aren't red spots or human bodies there as well.  He shakes his head "so many died, so much potential lost" the prince looks weary as Tig speaks up "Sir, we are going to need every soldier on this, and with my piloting experience I may be able to help keep that dropship grounded" she says with a satisfied smirk, Antero "I could order you to stay", Tig laughs "my husband is fighting those things out there" she points to the dark void of space, "I can't let him risk his life to save our people and not risk mine."  the Prince smiles "I haven't ordered you to join, you can 'observe'"  Tig nods and beams "I will be observing my weapons take down these frakkers... I mean I will 'observe' Sir."  Antero chuckles, "well there are plenty of craters and ruins from which we can make it there, by all means observer, look for a path."  Tig smiles she had been put on point!

It was into this hellscape of shell holes and ruined buildings that Centurium Antero ColVanos and his team of Imperial soldiers were preparing to liberate the roughly 75,000 humans captured, they saw the humans that were loaded in burlap bags and placed on an Insectoid dropship.  Centurium ColVanos knew those poor humans were food for the Insectiods.  The poor beings, having gone through so much, as he considers their current fate and how to rescue them, he notes two toy-sized planes flying over insectoid lines dropping fuel-air explosive, and inferno bombs on their front lines.   The aerospace fighters, Stukas most closely resemble the Acolyte, it is a fair bit larger and very much bulkier.

The two Stukas loiter they show their wing insignia a Board Sword clinched in the talons of a golden eagle wreathed in flame with a sun blazing behind the eagle, the markings were distinctive even at such a small scale to him.   After their bomb runs having scorched 10,000 insectoid warriors to death they pull off to the east to seek new prey, the Prince wishes them well.  
36 mechs, little more then large dolls to him burn in between him and the Black Insectiod dropship.  The ground on which they land is already festering, large portions are charred as Renny Sanderlin opens his mike and states "this is Brevet-Kommandt Sanderlin 10th Lyran Guards, we are taking up position north of indigenous forces, please coordinate local forces with me until Kommandt Cox and Field Marshal Davion can arrive."  As Brevet-Kommandt Sanderlin instinctively leads his Battalion into battle, shifting with the terrain ever closer to the insectoid dropship.

As 10th Lyran Guards armored regiments dismount, the Titans notice a cohesion and esprit de corps they wouldn't expect from humans.  Each piece of equipment finds it's place, every mech knows where it can find cover and advance to the next position of cover.  They watch as the energy weapons are fired on the advancing insectiods, for a moment they halt their advance, then to ensure their rout the Guards disgorge their autocannons, missiles, and gauss rifles into the mass of insectiods.  The Titans watch as the primary thrust of the invasion cracks and breaks under the coordinated firepower and maneuver of the 10th Guards.  The feld grau painted vehicles and mechs advance as their aerospace brigade makes it station.  With the fighters mostly gone they pick off leaders and key support elements allowing the guards to push forward wave after wave.  Finally reaching the Prince Antero's position.

Antero's force of six titans moves toward Sanderlin's Mech "Brevet-Kommandt" the prince is sure it's a rank, of some weight, can you cover us, there is a dropship that is harvesting your people for food, we need to save them" he states with urgency, Renny "Roger, who is it that I am speaking to?",  Antero "I am the commander of our forces here, do you have our flanks and rear", he notes a couple of four toy elements break off to support him "we have you commander" as laser and autocannon fire drop ever more warriors, Antero looks at Tig "lets save your husband's kin and lets live to tell the story of how humans untainted by titans saved the empire" Renny then patches in before Tig can speak "we have most of a company supporting you, is that enough",  The prince smiles "Brevet-Kommandt it will be plenty, thank you and thank all of you for your intervention here"
As the two mech lances from the 10th cover the Titan's force rear and flanks, Prince Antero and his Soldiers make a concerted drive toward the dropship.  They are aided by four Lighting aerospace fighters of the guards which strafe with their lasers and on the final push offload two tons of ammo each on massive cannon fire chewing up the remaining Insectoids in front of the titan's forces.  Tig is able to permanently ground the dropship as the 10th Guards 199th Lyran Mechanized Infantry and the 2045th F-C Mechanized Infantry Regiments begin to ferry the captured humans back behind friendly lines with the Titans providing near cover for the Guards Mechanized Infantry.
Joseph watches as professional Soldiers of Task Force Bulldog establish a line defending the humans, and pour a withering fire into the insectoid lines.  He had overheard something about a 10th Lyran Guards, who the Frakk were they, he sees four 'robot' toy elements covering each other, a humanoid-like one gives him what he figures is a salute, he apes it back the best he can as he gathers himself Myrell didn't make it hard for him to follow her.  Lots of human blood, lots of death at her hands, if he can take her down with his rifle he will, but he doubts she will make it that easy.

Victor is doing something foolish, unwise, and some would call stupid.  On the churned and muddy plains north of the settlement he is spotting for his six fortress class dropships.  Each fortress has a long-tom artillery piece as part of their armaments.  With nothing but black mud and clay left along with a million or so insectoids, Victor figures he can rain fire down on them without having to worry about friendly forces.  He figures if he doesn't kill them, or break them up at least the shock and casualties the artillery barrage will cause will make them unable to counter-attack.

Over the next three minutes by adjusting the charge and angles the 90 coordinated shells all land in the same instant, hundreds of thousands of insectoid Soldiers are either brown to bits, wreathed in inferno flame, or both!  As they shriek in pain thousands get a general sense of the spotter who unleashed this pain on their hive mates.  Over half are dead, and nearly half of those who still live are wounded, most to the point of the wound being mortal!  Still, they charge the man who caused them this pain and ruin!

Victor calmly withdraws, his PPCs and Large Pulse lasers slaughter dozens with every recharge.  He might have bitten a bit more then he could chew, as he considers this, cresting the hill is a Devastator, he knows the Fled Grau scheme, it's Deceptacon Six Galen Cox's assault mech, fresh from the factory as he adds his firepower to his prince's.

Galen shaking his head and smirking "Vic, I think you are begging for me to give you another uppercut."  Victor laughs "if you were serious about that threat you would have called me your highness or sire..."  Galen chuckles "it's not enough for you to land first you have to get the highest kill count even though we both know you are "AVERAGE" as a mech pilot, I would say remarkably so at handling that Timber Wolf of yours."  Victor grumbles sarcastically "my gunnery is above average thank you!"  Galen just nods and smiles "it is above average, but you are much better at leading, and calling in support."  Victor smiles genuinely "I just did that!"  Galen nods and frowns "all by yourself, Vic you aren't an MI-6 Special forces trained Rabid Fox operative, you are the Archon-Prince and believe it or not you are a decent one with the potential of being the best!"  Victor shakes his head and looks bemused "I am the only one to currently hold the title, so I am the best and worst!"  Galen as they continue to work their way back to the main 10th Guards lines "You are one hell of a leader Victor, but keep it up and  I will need to practice my boxing."  Victor smiles "promises, promises..."  as they reach the forward edge of the battle area for the 10th Guards, they see the 1st Kestrel Grenadiers and the 1st Federated Suns Armored Caverly form up on the Guards flanks.  Now Victor thinks we have the bulk of their forces in a crossfire.

Victor and Galen having done their draw fire maneuver, the rest of the guards have landed he has 1/3 of the insectoid forces in a crossfire, his aerospace support is decimating the latest surge of dropships from the 'small moon' that is invading this system.  Hohiro has landed the 1st Amphigean Light Assault Group, as well as 2nd, 11th and 16th legions of Vega.  The light Mech Regiments have established a toehold on the hive ship.  The legions of Vega were used to this having been formed in the dark days of the succession wars from prisoners and mechs one step from the scrap heap, they would raid high-value targets for one chance at glory and honor.  Now two of those High-value targets were landing to help.  Hohiro rushing to the front with the 1st and 2nd Genyosha had given the honor of securing the flanks to the 3rd and  Davion Heavy Guards.  Though they would rather be backing their own prince on the planet, both of the yellow bird's premier Regimental Combat teams understood and felt the honor that the heir of the Dragon giving them.  That and they had to stop this ship before earth and all their human kin were on the menu.

Back in orbit.

Seminavarchos Tam was at the tactical station looking at the holographs and screens, she also merely had to look out the bridge viewport, silver streaks of aerospace fighters and gauss rifles, rainbows of laser fire, the unique blue of Bulldog's Particle Projection Cannons and all the debris that her fighters, Earth and Avalon's Acolytes and the Spheroids aerospace fighters had created from the thousands of light insectiod fighters Mk. 203 and Mk. 604 fighter-bombers.  She was also getting updates from the ground, whatever their 'guests' had landed the tide had completely turned, the insectiods were now trying to self-destruct more than fighting.

Navarchos Bass leans back into his comfortable commander's chair (nothing beats fine leather even if it is a touch barbaric).  His science station reading and listening into Bulldog, his coms coordinating between Titans (Seminavarchos Tam is still texting their 'allies').  He was happy that as old as the Gryfon was having been through numerous refits it was still modern and spacious.  The classes before it were cramped as they tried to cram everything in, now they were consumer products or mothballed.  Aertimues thought sadly it might be a Titan decade or two before they needed to modify the ships so that they could accommodate human crew members.  He did think with a smirk, the modification would likely free up lots of space.

Navarchos Bass shares a look with Captian Gwenn and Lemm Tam, "anything new?",  Lemm being taciturn by nature states the facts "battle has shifted in our favor, ships from the task force seem to be moving to intercept the hive ship..."  Gwenn being a bit more expressive "hundreds of new types and sub-types of fighters, at least four variants of extremely effective fusion reactors, a weapon in common use that we only half know how it works, armor that is basic in its design but more effective then what we use.  Navarchos even if we took it to Titan scale we noted a bombardment from six of their shuttles, ah I mean dropships that we estimate took out at least 600,000 insectoid Soldiers.  They are small but their tech and equipment are effective even on our scale which is 24x theirs in height alone."  Aertimus silently chuckles at the same answer given by two remarkably talented officers in two amazingly different manners.

The bridge crew watches as the inner sphere's warships begin to clear the sector around the Hive ship of supporting Capital Vessels.  Blue bolts form Naval PPCs, a rainbow of Naval Lasers focuses on one Type VII Dreadnaught after the other.  So overwhelming was this mass of fire, that after 15 minutes only the hulks of the 16 Dreadnaughts in the sector remained.  As their aerospace fighters and assault ships clear the path Bulldog's warships begin to engage the type XI battlecarriers.  Izzy, "those bastards are cleaning up, Navarchos there won't be much left for Gama fleet."  Aertimus slowly nods "any word on the Acolytes?", Izzy "They should still be in the fight, but we have a lot more small tracks then we use to"

Ryan was recovering under the aid of some very attractive medical personnel.  Their hue was close to his, their accents were strange "do you speak Star League standard English?" she asks, Ryan Carey shrugs at the Star League part, but whatever they put on his burns seems to be working.  Beside him was one of those war machines that had landed,  the tall woman pulls her helmet off and smirks down on him "hey fighter jock when we heal you maybe you can pilot a real machine like a Woman!",  Ryan feels drugged but not bad whatever they use it's better at least in keeping him consense and calm "you have issues with men?", The Mech pilot chuckle "you all are ok, just women are a touch better that's all, I've been rude Major Danai Centrella  1st Canopian Cuirassiers, and you are?"  Ryan "senior Lieutenant Ryan Carey Avalon Guard," he says with a smile, Danai giggles "you don't look like a Fedrat...should mind my manners a bit better Victor, Galen, Renny and the rest are good and decent folks."  Ryan "Fedrat?",  Danai laughs with mirth "Fedrat before they unified would be Federated Suns, now it's Federated Commonwealth, you ain't one of them, you're a local boy aren't you?"  Ryan smiles, it hurts but it feels good as well "I guess you could say that", Danai smiles and caresses his face's good side "get some rest, we'll be linking up with your gianto friends and handing you over to their care shortly."  Ryan nods "they aren't 'giantos, they are Titans, please be Civil."  Danai grins "always Ryan, always"

Admiral Theodore "Ted" Martinez has gotten the good news Ryan's Acolyte crew did suffer injuries but no deaths, Ryan was the worst off and he was getting treatment.  The furball was decidedly less so as "Bulldog" bulldozered their way through the Insectoid fighters (types 203 and 604) and capital ships, even now their frigates, and battlecruisers were forming up in a sphere to pummel the hive ship with their Naval Laser and PPC fire.  His eight acolytes were at 40% power.  He and the rest of the crews were taking out middling masses of fighters and Dropships, basically pruning the Insectoids.  Ted would be placing a call to Navachos Bass in a half an hour, once the Acolyte's power dropped below 30%, either their speed or their firepower suffered and he would be close to that by then.  

He wasn't looking forward to the call, though he and his wing had provided time and delayed the insectoids they were still in advanced aircraft that on the Empire side "pets" were not suppose to have, let alone fly.  He knew Navachos Bass well enough that on the grand level he likely supported humans creating and producing such things as well as flying them, but on the here and now level, well there would be consequences for developing the Acolyte.  Consequences that for him would be minor in the scheme of things, but for Niall and Daren well the could lose some very important friends (at least for a time) and be in some political hot water for a while...

Secretary-General Ridgemont was pacing on Eryn's hand, Eryn shrugged her shoulders, the battle as far she could tell was going well, it looked like a couple of the newcomer's ships were disabled, more by insectiod ramming then by insectoid firepower, and those ships were small toys to even her.  She had good news Sorcha was safe and sedated, the '10th Lyran Guards' hand linked up with the prince's contingent while the '1st Kestrel Grendaries and the 1st Federated Suns Armored Caverly" were mowing down the insectoids.  Eryn asks "what's a grenadier? and where is Kestrel?", Ridgemont "ambassador a grenadier is heavy infantry that uses thrown bombs or 'grenades' to open holes through enemy lines, Kestrel, not a clue, these boys aren't from this earth".  Eryn "I can use a bit more information, I am going to see my husband, you want to come with", Ridgemount smirks and nods, Eryn "good, perhaps with our new allies we can move the empire further towards what we both hope it can be",  Ridgemount "we can only hope"

Niall "those blue death rays work well...", Navarchos  Aertimus Bass smiles "yes they do, now how many of those toy robots have they landed", Seminavarchos Tam "400, plus a few hundred what appear to be small tanks, they have even more inbound, their tiny ships seem to have taken out their ability to go into hyperspace.  Niall "not sure if that's intentional or sheer luck, but you have to give to them, they are wonderfully coordinated, their armor is better then ours, and that cerulean blue bolt works better then anything we have."  Aertimus smiles "this could have gone a lot worse, hopefully, those dozen or so 'fighters' that aren't moving are merely disabled, our fleet has gotten the 'push off' since they started to fight 'bulldog' in force."  Niall "yes the Troji doesn't seem quite as impressive or necessary as they pelt that hive ship with shot after shot."

Focht smiles nearly 12 Mech Regiments and 40 Armored have landed on what they are being told is a hive ship.  This Seminavarchos Tam is only sending text information and vital coordination information, the excuse is the level of damage to their fleet, it seems to Focht and his ESM that repairs are going well and that they are adding a good amount of additional firepower to the fight.  Focht "communication officer, please patch in Brevet-Kommandt's Sanderlin's gun camera feed and communication records, knowing that a couple of them are building-sized might allow them to open up a bit"

back on the surface.

Danai remounts her Summoner, they had secured it through the Wolf Clan in exile for her use.  She loved the Omnimech and being part of Bulldog was the only way she would have seen one for decades.  Her spotter had reported on the 'Call for fire' that Victor did.  She giggles if Omi Kurita wouldn't separate her entrails from her body Victor would make a good mate for her.  He was smart, bold, loved his people, he would be a good man behind her great woman.  That he rules several dozen times the number of worlds she would, was secondary to the 22-year-old woman.  She smiles as she leads her two regiments to link up with those Fedrats as her Aerospace wing keeps the skies clear.  She notes in sadness how the lush grasslands with small corpses of trees rapidly become a murky wasteland when they enter where the Insectoids had been.

Danai "1st Canopian Cuirassiers six, to Field Marshall Davion", Victor smirks, he likes Danai, a lot like his sister Yvonne, expect Danai is a female supemeramist, Yvonne is well Yvonne Victor "send it", Danai "one Acolyte crashed near our operational area, Caponian medics have treated are preparing to hand over crew to imperails, over" Victor considers this "Roger, just keep an eye on them, I get the feeling some of those imperails aren't very happy to see humans fighting even if it's alongside them...over"  Danai nods and directs the medics treating Ryan and the others to not to leave him, Danai with a forrow forming on her head "Field Marshal it seems after your troops estblished their line and drove thier assault back that most of the insectiods are self-destructing...", Victor "Break, Break, Break, Yes Major, so what I was doing with my troops first, but since you got there, is clear the sector, take two, maybe three hours to ensure the areas is clear and start loading up your dropships OVER."  Danai nods "Roger, sir then we fight on that hive ship" some good shots a glory she thinks.  Victor "yes, Major and keep your self-save, don't think of the glory you will get, keep our folks alive and I will decorate you for your leadership which is how you should be decorated!  Understand?"  Danai sadly smiles to herself "Wilco sir, 1st Canopian Cuirassiers six OUT"  She wonders if his brother Peter is dating anyone.

Prometheus pulls aside the largest living thing Victor's ever seen.  As he does Victor is still thinking on the conversation he had with Danai, she's bright, level-headed, and will be a good leader for her people, though she is moderately "Kurtian" when it comes to martial glory.  She would be much better off leading her people from the front and keeping them alive!  He sees some of the remaining Insectoids with fight in them and fires his PPCs killing dozens of warriors. He smirks, 'need to keep her away from Peter' she would beguile him in a month, marry him in a year and have at least six kids by the end of the decade!  He shakes his head, away but not blocked from, a bit of seasoning both will be fine he smiles at both the thought and shoots. 

Prince Antero has almost gotten back to friendly lines with all 75,000 humans safe.  He notices the mech beside him, little more than a squat robot-like toy, he sees the warrior inside focusing and aiming.  Antero notes the Insectoids are again in retreat, he then proceeds to kneel and gently taps Victor's mech, He patches into his commlink "Thank you, we couldn't have saved all of them without you, we also wouldn't of all made out without you".  Victor "no problem, once you are safe I am going to check the rear", Prince Antero "that's a good idea, may I ask who supported and save all these lives, including me and my soldiers?", Victor "just lending some firepower", Prince Antero "you did more than that I will let my father know of your and your soldiers bravery", Victor "we only did our jobs", Prince Antero "well you have a made a friend at our royal court, the heir apparent", Victor smirks "so your a prince huh", Prince Antero "yes I am, and likely have more power to make sure you and your soldiers are properly thanked for your sacrifices",  Victor "you may think so...",  

Prince Antero "who are you, by the way, I have spoken with this Brevet-Kommandt Sanderlin, good man, brave soul but definitely not a commander of this force",  Victor "Renny he's a great guy, if I can convince my dad I would have him date my sister Yvonne", Prince Antero "So is this a class issue", Victor "kind of, my Dad would prefer a political marriage but if Yvonne was to fall in love with Renny he would back it or my mom would hide him", Antero "so you are from a prominent family back home", Victor "you could say that, due to an accident of birth I am likely to inherit my family's business, I keep looking to ensure I have the best folks around to help me and ensure our 'product' is as good as possible".  Antero smirks some realization takes places "so your name friend" as he picks up Victor's mech and turns it around, the battle here nearly done.  Victor smiles "I am Field Marshal Victor Davion",  Prince Antero "I suppose Field Marshal is higher then Kommandt", Victor smiles, Antero sees the smile through the cockpit, Victor "it's in the highest range", Antero shakes his hand to the Mech's 'hand' just avoiding damage.
 
Antero "family business, would that be royalty?", he sees Victor smile and shoulders drop, Antero "well if it means anything you have to rule less then 60 worlds and 50 billions then I will",  Victor smile sadly "900 worlds over 5 Trillion humans".  Antero drops to his knees and hugs Prometheus "brother you are the answer to my father's prayers", Victor gets very uncomfortable "I am already kinda of engaged and I really like women", Antero smirks "I am already married, and I don't think your quite my younger sister's type, I think your touch small for her", Victor "I think I am really small compared to any of your ilk" Victor chuckles, Antero pulls Tig into the hug "Tig meet Victor Davion, Victor Davion meet Tig, Tig is married to human and has a son with him nearly 1000 times the size of his dad, and yes it's HIS son."  Victor's mech goes into standby "you mean folks our size can reproduce with folks your size", both Tig and Antero nod, Tig "in fact the leader of this colony is the first such hybrid, Sorcha Freeman, you should meet her, I think she'll like you even if you are a royal",  Victor "is she that sister you mentioned", Antero half-smiles "no, she's a Republican....", Victor "ah, well then I will have to introduce myself so that I can really annoy her", Tig "how would that be", Victor "using my entire title and name, like this I am Archon-Prince Victor Ian Steiner-Davion, how may I be of service", Tig laughs out loud "if I didn't have Ted, Victor, if I didn't have Ted..."

Sorcha slowly awakens as she watches a large toy robot pass by, it's squat, it seems to have pods on either arm and on its cockpit, it has a silly spooky ghost, that she thinks is very cute.

Victor is checking the rear, if they get hammered there they could still lose, he sees another of these giants moving on a group of buildings.  His infrared picks up a smaller one hiding with what appears to be an unconscious little human, she's clutching her a bit to tightly and shaking, he doubt's it's to aid her back to consciousness to talk...