Silence filled the bridge of the massive Bolo. All about her, the glow of lights flickered to life as communications were live with feed from Fleet Command. The rush of atmospheric entry of the Bolo came and went like a knife over the carotid artery. Behind her closed eyes, well with-in her mind's eye flitted topography lay outs, combat fatalities, mission capable units coming online and Fleet Command's primary goals. With the slightest thought, she sorted out her roster as the altimeter ticked down their ETA of landfall.
Spear Point Division. 100,000 'Tor troop units; 50,000 Heavy's; 20,000 Standard ground pounders; and 30,000 Eye units.
Ghost Division. 100,000 'Tor troop units; 40,000 Eyes with espionage skills; 40,000 Standard ground pounders; 20,000 Heavy's.
All 200,000 'Tor under her command all flickered green in her Sit Rep display. The 2,000 Light Tank supplement were ready as well.
The Bolo's system check went through listing with lightning speed its status:
50 CM Hellbore Cannons: Online
Indirect Fire Grids: Online
Point Defense Grids: Online and Stable
Anti-Personnel Grid: Online and Passive
ICBM's: Online and Standby
A rumbling vibration she felt through the Bolo alerted her to touchdown. Altimeter agreed they were on the ground and she opened her eyes, molten silvers. She unstrapped from the command couch and disconnected from the neural links. It felt good to stretch and once she was standing at her full 6 foot 5 inches, the female officer looked about the command bridge of the Bolo.
"Sit Rep. Now." She ordered.
Her bridge officers chimed off, reflecting what she already knew except for her Tactical Officer.
"Brigadier General Ar'ko'sa. Troop transports have touched down. Transport 1 is experiencing a sudden wave of heavy fire from native forces. Spear Point and Ghost are reporting losses." The male Atlantian reported.
Ar'ko'sa looked down to regard the holographs of the surrounding terrain and the positions of her units upon the battle table. She chewed her lower lip in a methodic rhythm as she analyzed her options. Her two divisions showed broken ranks pouring out of the besieged Transport 1, the status reports dropping rapidly on the vehicle as the result of it being snared in a kill zone. The units firing on them were mixed ground units that seemed to be having a grand effect only as far as surprise would hold out. Her hands went to the holographs and her eyes shimmered as she connected with the communications net again.
"Spear Point, spread Heavy's in a two one, three off pattern, suppressing fire upon locals. Eye's and Standards to assist Ghost in retrieving all units from kill zone. 40 tanks in semi-arc to our right flank; lay down carpet bombardments along the zone behind the skirmish line. I want retreat cut off and a clear line of sight. 10 miles deep will suffice. 40 tanks semi-arc and carpet bomb to our left flank as well. I want incendiary mortars fired every 1 mile in front of us in a full grid pattern to clear cut our front borders." her fingers moved as she drug unit icons on the holographs that relayed to the field commanders where to go and hold, or to advance and attack.
Sit Rep flashed status reports as her Tactical Officer spoke up. "We've lost 10% of our forces in this ambush. Transport 1 has suffered defense point failures and the attacks are pushing her cores to critical overloads."
Ar'ko'sa nodded without being flustered. "All units withdraw. Perimeter to be established around Transport 2. All units are to regroup at Transport 2 and await assignment orders. Injured to be evacuated as a secondary priority; corpse detail after the native attack is suppressed. Once clear of Transport 1, I want 5 second graviton push on Transport 1's left side. I am overriding her self-destruct sequence to a proximity and impact trigger. In 3, 2, 1, push."
She watched and heard all units confirm orders and pulled back in orderly retreat. A thrum from the Bolo hallmarked the gravitational push field ordered and Transport 1, severely crippled and her cores going critical rolled and crashed across the landscape to end in a holographic fireball on her battle table where the frontline skirmish had been. Sit Rep notated hostile units appeared to be terminated and the carpet bombing had proceeded on schedule clearing a 10 mile perimeter around the Bolo.
"Over all losses are minimal. 10,000 Standard ground pounders injured. 5,000 Heavy's injured, 2,000 Eye's injured and 3,000 Eye's dead. Ghost Division, split off 10,000 of your Standard ground pounders for Spear Point to shore up depleted numbers. I want standard Hellion Cluster formations. All units to push out into the surrounding terrain for recon and first contact skirmishing; respond with all sightings. We have been issued a no quarters parameter. Kill on contact unless enemy intel is guaranteed in a spotted target." Ar'ko'sa ordered.
Multiple affirmatives were heard and groups of 12 split off rapidly through the territory, the icons of Eye, Standard and Heavy lighting up in the groups showing a mix four units from each troop type division. She looked to the Helmsman.
"Head to sector F6 at cruise speed. Active sensor sweeps and pings." The Bolo moved forward, smooth as glass. "Launch scout drones. I want eyes on everything." Several scout/attack drones flitted from the Bolo giving her battle table a constant feed of live battle data.
Ar'ko'sa's eyes shimmered again and she spoke on the Fleet Command Channel.
Brigadier General Ar'ko'sa reporting. Bolo 1 is on the ground. We are inbound to coordinates specified in briefing. We had a slight disturbance and a 10% casualty rate; injured are on route back to a cruiser. We are proceeding on course and on time. Awaiting any further orders as we proceed.
She disconnected from the communications net and watched the holographs. Her fingers tapped several commands and readjusted several cluster pathways for optimal coverage. Her lower lip was chewed on even more. Her Tactical Officer gave her a long look, noticing the lip chewing. He'd seen his fair share of officers come and go in the Fleet, and was familiar with battle fatigue signs. The ticks were a dead giveaway of an officer about to come apart at the seams.
"Perhaps you should request some R&R sir and take some personal time from high stress command."
Ar'ko'sa just grinned hearing him. "Colonel Ta'ro'sa, this is my R&R. I requested this post as time off from the front lines." she went back to studying the holograms.
"Understood Sir." Ta?ro'sa saluted her and left the general to her lip chewing and to her musings.