Thea felt a forceful push against her body as the drop-pod abruptly accelerated towards the planet below, pressing her firmly into the belts of her seat.

The immense pressure made breathing a challenge, and she found herself struggling to draw air into her lungs.

She focused on the breathing technique that Corvus had taught them, grateful for his instructions during their preparation session the previous day. Without it, she was certain that her already laboured breathing would have been far worse, or downright impossible.

With her eyes shut tightly, concentrating solely on her breath, she could feel the entire pod shaking and vibrating from the ferocious forces at play outside.

They were still a fair distance from the planet's atmosphere, but the relentless acceleration caused by the massive booster atop the pod, along with the frequent adjustments from the manoeuvring thrusters at the sides, made maintaining an inner calm a daunting task for Thea.

Her thoughts were a frenzied blur, mostly variations of a single sentiment: 'Fucking Void! Why did I ever agree to this?! Fuck!'

After several long and harrowing minutes, Thea finally began to acclimate to the tumultuous conditions inside the pod. As she slowly regained control over her body and thoughts, she cautiously began to open her eyes, only to immediately be rendered breathless by the astonishing sight that met her gaze.

Thea's eyes were riveted to a data-screen positioned opposite her seat on the doors of the pod, which provided a live feed of the outside environment.

The view was dominated by the sight of over two hundred massive transport ships, each a leviathan of spacefaring technology. Their colossal forms were scattered across the starlit void, like a fleet of unimaginably proportioned titans preparing for an epic assault.

Their sizes varied, with the majority of the ships falling within the lower end of the scale, but even the smallest among them stretched over three kilometres in length. The larger behemoths reached an astounding eight kilometres, easily dwarfing everything around them.

The ship from which Thea's pod had just been launched bore the name "Vindictive Rain," etched in bold letters along its side - they had seemingly been transported away from the Sovereign for this particular assessment.

The pod was accelerating away from this massive vessel, and Thea could see its intricate details shrink as the distance between them grew.

The "Vindictive Rain" was a roughly 4km-long monstrosity, a hulking titan of metal and machinery, dwarfing most other vessels in the vicinity around it.

Its surface was riddled with a downright staggering number of hangar bays, cavernous openings in its formidable hull from which countless smaller craft were being launched.

The bays were veritable hives of activity, continuously disgorging a steady stream of smaller attack craft and drop pods, like a relentless tide of steel. Each launch was accompanied by an additional burst of light and energy as the crafts propelled away from the massive transport ship at rapid speeds, adding to the sense of relentless motion that imbued the entire scene.

Thea's eyes traced the length of the "Vindictive Rain", taking in the countless details that marked its rugged exterior. Deep gashes and scars, likely remnants of past conflicts, adorned the transport ship's hull, telling a silent tale of countless battles won and sacrifices made.

Layered armour plating, resembling the scales of some ancient, majestic being, formed an intricate pattern across the hull of the "Vindictive Rain." Innumerable turrets, most of which were larger than the biggest buildings Thea had ever seen, along with sensor arrays and communication dishes, sprouted from its surface.

As the pod continued its acceleration, the once gargantuan "Vindictive Rain" began to shrink in view, its elaborate details blending into a compact, streamlined silhouette amidst the glinting stars. However, as the distance from the individual vessel grew, so did Thea's view of the overall armada of ships in orbit around the planet below.

The rest of the armada in orbit consisted of ships with features akin to the "Vindictive Rain," yet each carried its own unique characteristics. Clad in similarly layered armour plating, they ranged from transport ships similar to the one Thea had just been dislodged from, to battleships with sleek, predatory lines and colossal behemoths, that Thea didn’t even have a name for, which were brimming with raw, intimidating power.

The largest among them were masterpieces of military engineering and technology, the likes of which she had never even thought possible before.

Their massively bulkier frames were not just for show either; they were adorned with weapons of an almost ludicrous scale, including cannons of unknown technology that could rival skyscrapers in height and numerous railguns with barrels extending several kilometres along the ship’s hull. These behemoths looked more like floating fortresses than actual ships to Thea.

From the gaping maws of their enormous hangar bays, they disgorged ships of various sizes and functions. Among them were carriers that seemed small only in comparison to their parent vessels but were massive in their own right. Easily capable of holding dozens of drop-pods, fighter crafts, and other specialised vehicles, these carriers were like floating starports, on their way to descend to the planet of Nova Serene.

Even the support ships, though dwarfed by the giants, were impressive in their design. They were equipped with advanced sensor arrays, communication dishes, and vast arrays of defensive turrets, each part intricately crafted to function as an essential cog in this grand war machine that was the UHF Navy.

'This view might actually be worth all this trouble...' Thea mused to herself, her awe gradually giving way to regained composure, allowing her to force air through her lungs once again.

Struggling against the massive acceleration towards the planet, which made even the smallest movement arduous, she managed to turn her head to see Karania in the seat next to her.

Her friend's eyes, wide and round as marbles, were fixed on the data-screen displaying the armada of ships above them. They seemed to be absorbing every detail, reflecting a world of wonder and fascination. Thea also noticed how Karania's fingers were rapidly moving, as if she were transcribing everything she saw and perceived onto an invisible data-pad.

However, this observation turned to concern when Thea realised that her friend hadn't taken a single breath the entire time she was watching her. It was as if Karania had been so struck with awe by the sight before her that she had forgotten the very function of breathing. Her face, usually so animated and expressive, was transfixed in an almost otherworldly concentration.

She waited a few more seconds, her eyes locked on Karania, hoping that her friend would snap out of her reverie on her own. But as the seconds ticked by without change, a sense of urgency overcame her. With great effort, forcing her body to cooperate under the immense pressure, Thea finally managed to speak up, her voice filled with concern: “Kara… Breathe!”

Karania's eyes, which had been fixed on the screen in fascination, suddenly flicked towards Thea at the sound of her name.

The realisation of her own halted breathing seemed to hit her all at once, and her chest heaved as she took in a couple of rugged breaths. A big smile then broke across her face, eyes twinkling with excitement and gratitude towards her friend. She attempted to laugh, but the massive acceleration of the drop-pod turned the sound into more of a strained giggle, mixed with a bit of relieved panting.

“This… Is… So… Awesome!” Karania managed to squeeze out under a torrent of laboured breaths with a massive grin on her face.

Seeing her friend return to her usual demeanour, Thea relaxed slightly and shook her head in amused disbelief at her friend’s actions, ‘I swear, she really needs to stop getting so engrossed with everything. It’s gonna get her killed one of these days…’

Slowly turning her head towards the other side, she saw Corvus sitting in his seat next to her.

His eyes were closed, his face serene, and his breathing impressively regular. It was a stark contrast to the chaos around them, and he looked so peaceful and almost relaxed amidst the tumultuous descent.

‘Has he done this before?’ Thea pondered to herself, a hint of awe in her thoughts as she observed his calm demeanour.

Shifting her gaze back to the data-screen in front of her, she found herself once again awestruck by the sheer scale of the UHF's Navy.

The grandeur had lost none of its impact, but this time she managed to keep her wits about her enough to notice additional details.

On the bottom right corner of the UI, she spotted an option for a different camera view. It listed ‘UP’ as the selected view, with ‘DOWN’ as an unselected but available option.

Her curiosity piqued, Thea began to search for some way to change the view. ‘How do I...?’ she thought, her eyes darting around the screen and then to the interior of the pod.

After some scrutiny, she found what she had been looking for. There, near her left hand, was a single button labelled ‘CAM.’

Pressing it with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty, the view on the data-screen in front of her shifted immediately. The 'DOWN' view opened up a whole new perspective, exposing the vibrant and chaotic scene towards which they were plummeting.

The first thing that caught Thea's eye was the expansive turquoise sea that spanned vast stretches of the planet's surface. The next thing she noted however, was not a natural occurrence, but rather the massive urban installations that covered much of the landscape of Nova Serene.

Above them, clouds that had once been soft and fluffy were now torn asunder, ripped apart by myriads of ships and drop-pods that had passed through them. The once gentle formations had been transformed into wild, stormy whirlpools, evidence of the UHF’s violent intrusion into this world's natural beauty.

But what truly took Thea's breath away was the sheer, unimaginable number of drop-pods and ships below Alpha Squad's pod.

It was an overwhelming sight; a metallic swarm that almost blotted out the majority of the planet below. The scale of the operation was staggering, and she felt a sudden realisation of how small and insignificant their single drop-pod was in the grand scheme of things.

The drop-pods, each a self-contained world for their individual squads within, were descending like a rain of steel, their trails streaking the sky as they headed towards their various destinations. Larger ships, with hulls gleaming and bristling with weapons, moved with a majestic slowness, acting as overseers to the frenzied descent. Meanwhile, smaller, more agile attack ships could be seen spearheading the plunge, darting ahead with precision and purpose, adding another layer of complexity to the orchestrated chaos unfolding below.

Just then, their drop-pod shook violently for a second, causing Thea's heart to jump in her chest, as the view of the outside camera tinted red - a signal that they had reached the planet’s outer atmosphere and would now begin the final part of their descent.

The moment was marked by a discernible change in the behaviour of the pod; what had been a controlled, steady acceleration now took on a more turbulent nature, and the once smooth surface of the planet below seemed to draw near with alarming speed.

With this transition, the interior of the pod seemed to awaken, the once deadly quiet giving way to an increasing sound environment.

The hum of machinery grew louder, and subtle creaks and groans emanated from the structure as it bore the stresses of re-entry. A cacophony of mechanical life began, composed of whirs, clanks, and the distant roar of the massive booster adjusting their course.

This cacophony of sounds served as a reminder that they were no longer in the cold vacuum of space, but entering the realm of a living planet, with its own atmospheric pressures and unpredictable weather patterns. The calm, almost serene trajectory of the drop had turned into a battle against the natural forces, a struggle that required the complete focus and expertise of the machinery carrying them.

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Thea's mind was pulled from these thoughts as a new alert flashed on the data-screen, indicating the next phase of their descent, and her grip tightened on the armrests as she braced for what was to come.

As the first drop-pods and ships below her reached some invisible altitude, the planet’s surface suddenly seemed to come alive all at once.

A series of brilliant flashes erupted from various points across the landscape, followed by lethal streaks of energy that shot skyward. These were, undoubtedly, the Stellar Republic's anti-air defences, a vast network of ground-based weaponry designed to deter or destroy any unauthorised entry into the planet's atmosphere.

The sheer scale of the defences was staggering.

From cannons capable of hurling hyper-velocity rounds to advanced laser emplacements with pinpoint accuracy, the array of armaments seemed endless. Missile silos unleashed barrages of tens of thousands of guided projectiles that trailed white plumes of smoke as they sought out their targets, while pulse weapons sent shockwaves through the sky, temporarily disabling electronic systems on affected crafts or downright ripping them apart.

The results were both breathtaking and horrifying.

Drop-pods that had seemed invincible just moments ago were ripped apart by the relentless onslaught, their shattered remains tumbling towards the surface.

Massive transport carriers, brimming with war machinery and troops, were torn asunder by concentrated fire, their flaming wreckage creating bright streaks across the sky. Attack ships, agile but no match for the sheer volume of firepower, were struck down by the hundreds, exploding in brilliant fireballs that momentarily outshone the stars.

The UHF's drop-pods and ships responded with evasive manoeuvres and counterattacks, as the in-built auto-cannons on the thousands of drop-pods came to life all at once, firing a relentless barrage of metal towards the incoming missiles below. The synchronised reply of counterfire created a web of intersecting lines and flashes as innumerable projectiles met in mid-air, resulting in a spectacular display of destruction.

These point-defence systems were highly sophisticated, their rapid targeting and firing capabilities guided by specifically designed AI and sensor technology.

Every split second, the automated systems analysed the trajectories of the incoming missiles, prioritising threats and adjusting fire to intercept.

Yet despite the precision and intensity of the counterfire, the sheer volume of missiles and other armaments unleashed by the Stellar Republic's anti-air defences meant that some inevitably found their marks. Thea's breath caught as she watched dozens of drop-pods being obliterated one after the other, consumed by explosions that left nothing but debris and a lingering sense of dread.

The scene was chaotic, the air filled with the roar of engines, the whine of point-defence cannons, the thunderous blasts of exploding missiles, and the constant communication chatter from the UHF command. The situation was volatile, and every moment seemingly brought new avenues of destruction.

But, as the minutes ticked by and the armada continued to forge its path through the onslaught, Thea realised that the overall death toll seemed comparatively light, despite the countless deaths that had undoubtedly occurred, considering the sheer volume of firepower levelled against the UHF's descend.

Then, without warning, a series of massive energy blasts raced past Alpha Squad's pod.

The sound was downright deafening, a thunderous roar that resonated as though the entire atmosphere of the planet was roiling in defiance of the energy threatening to set it ablaze. This cacophony shook the very bones of the craft, and despite the manoeuvring thruster's best efforts, it was thrown wildly off-course for a brief moment. Thea's breath caught in her throat as she watched the terrifying spectacle unfold on the data-screen, feeling the pod's violent lurch in her very core.

The blasts were of a magnitude she had never seen before nor imagined possible to begin with. They streaked towards the planet's surface below, each one impacting with the force of a small asteroid.

The explosions that followed were cataclysmic in their scale, sending shockwaves that rippled through the atmosphere and spawned towering mushroom clouds visible even from the drop-pod's high-altitude descent.

Entire landscapes were reshaped in mere moments, with forests obliterated, mountainsides levelled, and bodies of water vaporised wherever the beams connected with the surface of Nova Serene.

It seemed that the massive UHF battleships in orbit had pinpointed and analysed the defensive positions of the Stellar Republic, deciding with cold precision that their continued existence was no longer required nor acceptable.

Almost immediately, the firepower aimed at the incoming fleet of drop-pods and spacecraft diminished notably. Though it was clear that the bombardment had not destroyed all of the defensive positions, a significant portion of them had undoubtedly been reduced to nothing but scattered atoms.

This significant reduction in opposition came just in time, as the first drop-pods of their own wave reached the range of the remaining planetary defences.

As if obeying a uniform command, the auto-cannons mounted on supporting frames next to the doors of each drop-pod sprang to life simultaneously. Alpha Squad's pod shook violently once again as it began discharging its weaponry with a rhythmic, deep thudding into the oncoming swarm of missiles and projectiles.

Thea could glimpse the ends of two auto-cannon barrels—one on each side of the drop-pod's downward viewpoint on the data-screen—rapidly pivoting from target to target. They provided cover for the neighbouring drop-pods, creating a symbiotic relationship of mutual protection that helped keep Alpha Squad's drop-pod secure in the midst of chaos.

The sound environment had escalated to a level so loud it was now physically painful for Thea, her head throbbing in response. Between the immense gravitational forces created by the accelerating descent towards the planet, the drop-pod's continuous evasive maneuvers, and the ceaseless rumbling of the auto-cannons unloading, it was all she could do to slowly bring her hands together.

With significant effort, she managed to press a button on her right wrist.

Instantly, the deafening noise around her diminished to a more bearable level as the audio filtering system in her Spectre's half-helmet—which covered her forehead, hair, back of the head, and ears—activated. Breathing a ragged sigh of relief as the pain in her head subsided, Thea's eyes remained fixed on the data-screen.

The deadly spectacle unfolding before her was as horrifying as it was mesmerising, and she was unwilling to miss a single moment of it, despite her heart beating rapidly and painfully inside of her throat.

Suddenly, a countdown appeared on the screen in front of her, ticking down from 30 seconds to zero, accompanied by a stark warning sign that read, "Thrust Reversal Imminent."

Thea's mind raced to process the meaning of this message as she watched the drop-pod breach the remaining cloud cover below. As the vast landscape unfolded beneath her, rushing closer at a terrifying speed, the realisation of what the warning entailed struck her with force.

A single, stark thought penetrated her mind: 'Oh, fuck.'

It reverberated with dread as she braced her entire body, steeling herself for the overwhelming influx of g-forces that was about to hit.

The countdown reached its final seconds, and Thea's heart seemed to stop in her chest.

As the zero flashed on the screen, the violent thrust reversal kicked in. It was a sensation unlike anything she had ever experienced: a brutal, wrenching force that seemed to pull her very soul in the opposite direction. The g-forces multiplied, pinning her to her seat as if a giant hand was pressing down on her, threatening to crush her very being.

Around her, the reactions of Alpha Squad were varied but universally intense.

Karania, in her peripheral vision, was gripping her restraints, her knuckles white, her face contorted in a grimace of concentration as she fought against the overwhelming forces. Corvus, still looking unnervingly calm, had his eyes now open, fixed on a point ahead, his body tense but controlled.

From elsewhere in the pod, Thea could hear the sounds of her other teammates. Isabella's sharp intake of breath was almost lost in the roar of the engines, a hissing sound that conveyed both excitement and terror. Lucas's low grunt was a mixture of pain and determination, while Desmond's muffled curse was a verbal sign of the physical strain they were all enduring.

Simultaneously, the manoeuvring thrusters came alive, working in perfect synchronicity to align the drop-pod with its final trajectory. The craft bucked and jolted, shaking as if it were a wild animal trying to throw off its rider, but the complex calculations done by the on-board AI kept it on course.

The pod's exterior cameras provided Thea with a visceral view of the renewed chaos outside.

As they plunged toward the surface, the massive bottom-thrusters of the pod firing at full blast to decelerate them before their final impact on the ground, the sky around them was ablaze with anti-air ordnance, missiles screaming through the air with deadly intent, trails of smoke marking their paths. The drop-pods in their vicinity became targets, and Thea watched in horrified fascination as several were hit.

Explosions blossomed like deadly flowers, and the consequences were immediate and brutal.

One pod was ripped apart, its debris scattering across the sky, while another was sent spiralling out of control, flames engulfing it as it descended in a deadly spiral, before crashing into another pod that had been too slow to get out of the way.

The sounds of the subsequent explosions were muffled by the roar of their own descent, but the images were etched into Thea's mind, a stark reminder of the fleeting mortality in their current position.

Simultaneously, her own battle with the g-forces continued, a relentless tug-of-war that strained every muscle in her body.

Sweat beaded on her forehead, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she fought to maintain consciousness. Her vision narrowed, focusing only on the screen in front of her, the data there a lifeline to reality as the world spun and shook around her.

The proximity alarms began to wail, warning of incoming threats, and the auto-cannons responded, their staccato bursts a rhythmic counterpoint to the alarms. The pod jolted as it took evasive action, the g-forces threatening to black her out, but Thea clung to awareness, knowing that to succumb would be to fail in her goals of successfully making it through a drop-pod deployment.

Through it all, the drop-pod continued its inexorable descent, drawing ever closer to the surface of Nova Serene.

Just in that moment, Thea heard a familiar chime in her mind.

[System]: "Silver Respiration has reached Level 1."

Immediately, her breathing became slightly less laborious as the increased pressure resistance of her Ability made itself apparent.

Elated at the newfound benefit of her Ability, she mused, 'I really need to level this thing to 20 as soon as possible. These drops are painful...'

---

Finally, after another couple of excruciating minutes, the cacophony of battle abruptly quieted down. They had seemingly passed the threshold where the Stellar Republic’s anti-orbit defenses could reach them. Along with this newfound silence came a more stable descent, as the pod no longer had to constantly evade incoming debris, missiles, and other projectiles that had threatened its existence every waking second.

To Thea, the stark contrast felt almost serene, a brief reprieve in the chaos of their descent. She took a few deep, steadying breaths, working to calm her rapidly beating heart. The terror and intensity of the previous moments still resonated within her, but for now, they were beyond the reach of immediate danger.

Her body began to relax slightly, the tension easing as she allowed herself a moment to absorb the reality of what had just transpired.

‘Fuck me, this drop-pod thing is absolutely insane. Who even came up with this shit?!’, she internally mused, as her mind finally managed to form coherent thoughts once again.

The descent continued, now with a semblance of normality after the initial chaos, and the massive city landscape of Nova Tertius came into view through the data-screen. Stretching far and wide, as far as Thea’s eyes could see, the city was an amalgamation of towering structures, intricate roadways, and bustling activity.

However, what caught Thea's eye was the first operational base of the UHF on the planet, situated on the outskirts of the nearby mountain range.

The base was a hastily constructed one, only made possible by the efficiency and determination of the UHF's engineering corps. Layers of barricades and fortified walls protected the perimeter, and various buildings of different sizes and purposes were spread throughout the compound. Landing pads, filled with transport ships, drop-pods, and military vehicles, formed a maze of activity, and the sheer number of UHF personnel moving around gave the place a hive-like appearance.

It was evident that this base was a central hub for the UHF's invasion efforts in this area, and its strategic importance could not be overstated. The organised chaos of the countless drop-pods and other landing craft that had coalesced near this point spoke of a well-coordinated assault, with this base serving as a pivotal point for distributing forces, supplies, and commands.

As their drop-pod continued to decelerate towards it, the intricate details of the base became clearer.

Large, hastily constructed hangars housed everything from infantry support vehicles to advanced fighter crafts, while barracks, medical centres, and other facilities were in the process of being erected at frightening speeds.

Soldiers, engineers, and other support staff moved with purpose, and the whole area was alive with the sights and sounds of military precision.

Even amidst the hustle and bustle of activity below, there was something about the sight that was oddly reassuring to Thea. In a situation filled with uncertainty, chaos, and danger, the view of the UHF's presence on the ground, organised and ready, was a tangible sign that they were not alone in this fight against the massive city landscape that was Nova Tertius.

The drop-pod's descent became a controlled fall, its thrusters and stabilisers working in harmony to guide it to the designated landing zone a couple of hundred metres outside the UHF forward operating base. The massive city landscape of Nova Tertius loomed menacingly at the edge of the horizon in the background.

As the distance to the ground rapidly closed, Thea's thoughts were a whirlpool of emotions and expectations. The incredible descent, the view of the base, the glimpses of soldiers and machinery below, all converged into a single, focused reality: They were finally here, and the mission was about to begin.

With a final burst of thrust, the drop-pod touched the ground, its eight landing legs - having extended themselves near the bottom-thrusters - absorbing the impact with a mechanical grace that belied the violence of their earlier descent. The sensation was jarring, but brief, and then they were down.

The doors of the pod hissed open, after a brief moment in which the pod scanned the surrounding area for signs of hostile movements, the seals breaking with a pneumatic release, and Alpha Squad sprang into action.

As each of their indivdiual doors opened, Karania was the first out, her weapon at the ready, eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of danger. Corvus followed, his calm demeanour undisturbed, while Isabella, Desmond, and Lucas moved with practised efficiency. Everyone’s steps were somewhat shaky after the tumultuous descent, but their demeanours spoke of only one thing: Determination to succeed.

Thea took one last glance at the data-screen, a final reminder of what they had just endured, before grabbing her equipment and joining her teammates with shaky steps. The sight of the base, the organised chaos, the tangible presence of the UHF's might, was still in her mind.

As she stepped out onto the alien soil of Nova Serene, the roar of engines, the clatter of machinery, and the distant sound of orders and activity filled the air.

Alpha Squad's part in the battle for Nova Serene had officially begun…