"Machines with legs and machines that hover, why not just have one type. The grav-lift keep the vehicle free from mines, so why even have vehicles that touch the ground?" a guardsmen stated.
Mhmun watched, before a hovering vehicle pulled up to them. Anakin and Obiwan opened the hatch, entering the Sabre fighting tank, and Emely smiled.
"Offering a ride master Jedi?" Emely asked, smiling.
"We have 5 of these, if you would like, you can ride the sides to aid in the fight." Kenobi said.
"So, you want to see what we can do?" Emely questioned.
"Yes, Miss Emely, would you like to ride inside the saber tank?" Anakin asked.
"Hmmmm, I think I'll ride with mister Kenobi." Emely said.
Emely climbed on the Saber tank, as Mhmun and his land speeders caught up. Mhmun looked at Anakin, before nodding.
"The forces have landed and now are on the approach. The target seems to be a large dig site." Mhmun explained, pointing in the direction of the dig site.
The hover tanks moved into a large tube along a road. They waited, before they saw a handful of vehicles moving on the road. The Saber tanks opened fire with a missile barrage, destroying the vehicles, before the marines took aim at some tanks, their bolters piercing the thinner sections of armor, and blowing up inside of the droid tanks. The main attack began soon after on open plains.
Ground Armored Tanks rolled over hills, only to be destroyed as the marines took aim and fired a bolter round into them. Unexpectedly, asteroids came down, burning their way towards the ground, until they slammed into the ground.
"Must be debris from the destroyed ships?" Anakin said.
"No. Imperial forces! Charge! Kenobi! Halt your forces lest you wish to see them caught in our battle!" Mhmun commanded, his voice enthusiastic.
The Saber tank slowed down with the republic's vehicles, while the Imperial vehicles drove forward, the baneblade staying behind. Mhmun gripped the bolter mounted onto the Land speeder, and opened fire. The dust from the impact was not yet set, hiding the action, but the sounds of battle rung out, bolter shots and revving made it clear, along with trailing lights of flames something was occurring.
The smoke cleared, and in the dust were more marines stood near what almost looked like escape pods, but the walls had fallen down. The droid forces were getting slaughtered by the sudden arrival of these marines who had large packs. They noticed one marine carrying a banner of sorts, showing a shadowy world with red cracks across it, with the flaming blade imposed over it. The banner carrier climbed onto the side of the land speeder.
"Flame bearer, shall you lead the charge?" the banner holding marine asked.
"I will." Mhmun said, as he climbed out of the speeder, and approached a rhino.
"Commander Cullen, your forces shall take the left flank. The Republic will take the right. We shall take the center, the signal will be commenced by the Republic. Assault Squads, det pack are available, you will target supports on the main digging apparatus and other large vehicles." Mhmun ordered.
Cullen rode by in the massive armored vehicle, the Baneblade. Behind him were 2 tanks with glowing blue barrels, followed by two more long barrel tanks, and a armored vehicle with smaller turrets.
"Ok, we have 6 Leman Russ battle tanks, with those being the special, executioners. I got some Las cannon chimeras, and my guys are setting up a fall back zone with heavy weapons prepared just in case. But the Eye of Lazarus is a hardy war machine, she will not fall so easy." Cullen explained.
"Well done Commander Cullen." Kenobi said.
"Now let us assault the enemy line. The Space marines will need time for their heavy equipment to land before they can properly deal a cutting blow." Cullen said, closing the hatch on his tank, before rolling forward.
"Advance!" Kenobi said.
The two forces advanced and neared the marines, who were using cover they had created from the impact of their drop pods. The Republic and Imperial forces moved forward, and blew up a wall, before the marines joined the group with their own heavy armor, land raiders, land speeders, and a whirlwind missile platform.
AT-XTs blew open a wall, as the Saber tanks sped out, destroying a generator as the walkers and imperial forces dealt with the droid tanks. The forces were split between dealing with droid tanks and armored vehicles, and the massive building in the center of the area. The Astartes pushed through, surrounding the split force and diving them groups in half.
As the Executioner fired it's plasma gun, the tower's fuel pipes burst, causing the structure to begin to lean.
"Looks clear." Kenobi said.
"Perfect, now, what is it we are looking for?" Emely asked.
"That is what we are hoping to figure out." Kenobi said.
Suddenly, a wall exploded, and a large ship appeared, as another took off.
"Holy shit! That thing is heavily armed!" Cullen said, looking at the Protodeka weapons platform.
The tanks fired their cannons, and even a plasma shot hit it, but did minor damage. The executioners turned, blasting charged plasma at the weapons platform, only for the damage to be less than effective. The Baneblade was able to destroy one of the many guns, but the fire power difference was made up for in numbers of weapons.
"All tanks, pull back! That thing is too big for us to handle!" Cullen said.
A homing missile blew up a tank, as the republic forces engaged the tank.
"We have to do something." Emely said.
"I have an idea, but it is dangerous." Mhmun said.
"What are you planning?" Kenobi asked, dodging turbo laser fire.
"Strike cruiser! This is Flame Bearer Mhmun, master of the Blades of Flame, we need a lance bombardment on our position!" Mhmun said.
"Signal getting messy due to all the debris around the area. We will bombard the zone we have your coms in, clear the area." the captain said.
"Lance bombardment? Are you going to launch more material rounds at it?" Kenobi asked.
"Nope! Everyone! Get the Holy Terra out of here! This place will be brighter than the sun in a minute!" Emely said.
"Anakin, where are you?" Kenobi asked.
There was no response. The digging machine's supports exploded, making the large tower land on top of the Weapon platform used by the droid army, trapping it.
"Anakin, report!" Kenobi said.
"We got to get out of here! Seek cover!" Mhmun said.
His Rhino dashed by, with Kenobi following, concerned for his Padawan.
-meanwhile, on Rhen Var-
"Commander? What's your status on that mysterious fleet? Commander?" A robotic voice asked.
"The fleet retreated, control of the planet is secure." A techpriest said, mimicking a droid's voice.
The Tech Priests created the illusion the Imperium had fled, using this to gain intel as the Astartes investigated the planet.
"Captain, we will be on transport to Thule, as the Force Harvester is nearly completed." a man's voice said.
"Understood, the ground forces will load up, and we shall rejoin with you on Thule." The techprist said.
