The Shepherd’s Path, Part 25: Revelation
New Jerusalem’s isolation lasted until 728 NJ (6136 AD)l when a mysterious fleet of ships identifying themselves as the CEF 7th fleet gated into the system. The CEF observed the primitive armies of the various powers on the planet and judged them to be a non-threat. The Shepherds remained hidden, using centuries of experience to keep their strength unseen by these new visitors. Shepherds’ leadership set up a mission to contact the new arrivals. This diplomatic mission met with the CEF commanders’ multiple times, though what exactly transpired remains unknown to all not involved. When the last meeting was over, the CEF Admiral left and ordered his fleet to withdraw from the system, declaring he would no longer support the NEC. A brief power struggle saw him and some 75% of the fleet, including almost all the warships, break contact and jump out of the system. The remaining forces were stranded aboard their troop transports, now short on supplies and equipment, and were forced to make a decision. Seeing the pathetic nature of the defenders, they opted to continue their assault on the planet. They concentrated their landing zone in one largely uninhabited region to maximize their limited forces’ effect. As their units made landfall, Shepherd space forces struck. The remaining CEF ships in orbit were destroyed or captured, cutting off the ground forces who then found themselves attacked by an enemy far more advanced than they had anticipated. The initial landing zones, concentrated in forested regions to prevent observation, soon turned into furnaces as local forces lit them ablaze. The unique silicon-based composition of the trees burned off into ash which clogged CEF combat vehicles and caused breathing problems for infantry. Without the ability to take in air, hovertanks essentially became slow, static defenses. Frames fared better, but the failure of their hover systems put them at a mobility disadvantage against angels. The Shepherds struck repeatedly. and within weeks had functionally annihilated the invaders’ command structure. The CEF was reduced to a handful of highly fortified bases set up in the landing zone. Cut off from any hope of escape, the remaining forces fought much more ferociously than would typically be expected from the CEF on the defensive. By the time these pockets were liquidated, over 20% of the Shepherds’ pre-invasion combat strength had become casualties. Despite the Shepherds’ best efforts, a small significant portion of the invasion force managed to evade capture and would go in to form holdout cells across the planet.
This invasion would be called the Revelation for two reasons: first, it revealed that Earth was coming back and wanted the planet no matter the cost. Second, it revealed the scale and capability of the Shepherds to the planet’s inhabitants. Up until now, the Shepherds had played a complex game of movement and operation that caused the militaries of New Jerusalem to underestimate their strength. When the organization was forced to openly confront a CEF invasion, however, reports of the full scale of the fighting revealed much to keen observers. While this was a significant setback to the Shepherds’ goals, it did allow the Shepherds to step up recruitment and the acquisition of raw materials. Factory complexes began operating at full capacity to replace and expand their fighting forces. Captured CEF personnel were also allowed to join the Shepherds after a brief “re-education,” which helped boost numbers quickly. Despite the Jerusalemites’ prejudice against them, GRELs proved particularly receptive to joining the Shepherds after a brief processing period in a camp. Later Terra Novan observers would propose several theories ranging from simple physical and mental pressure, to mind control, to the Shepherds somehow being able to manipulate the GREL programming.
The forest around Soldier Jackson-798 was burning. Walls of flame and smoke surrounded him and the entire LZ. A few quick commands and hand signals rallied his troops from their task of finishing off the locals that tried to contest their landing. A dozen odd looking walkers, along with perhaps twice their number in regular vehicles lay wrecked on the forest floor. The bodies of the enemy lay scattered all about, many of them unrecognizable. Surveying the carnage, Jackson-798 couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. The human officers of the fleet had been on the verge of a breakdown as the landing started. Being a Jan class GREL leading a frontline infantry platoon, though, Jackson-798 wasn't privy to the full details of why. The briefing reports had said this planet had little to no defenses, and what there was would be low tech and easily overcome. Looking around, Jackson-798 mentally confirmed that assessment. Still, nothing had gone according to plan, and he was unsure why some 60% of the forces earmarked for this landing zone had not arrived yet. It wasn’t just the later waves either, fully half of the first wave never landed. Maybe they had been rerouted?
As the CEF forces rallied from their quick victory, the smoke let off by the flames began to take its toll. GREL troopers were forced to dawn rebreather units and got away with little more than a temporary cough, but the vehicles were not so lucky. Several tanks and APCs were down with clogged filters and the officer in charge of this landing ordered all units to make best speed out of the forest, on foot if needed. As Jackson-798’s platoon moved out, he saw a wounded enemy soldier sitting behind a tree, propped up against it.
Walking over to the man, Jackson-798 could hear him mumbling, some kind of prayer by the sounds of it. This whole planet is full of maniac zealots he thought to himself. A quick glance at the man’s wounds revealed he would not survive. The man looked up at him, his eyes struggling to stay open due to the loss of blood. He started coughing up blood, or at least Jackson-798 thought it was a cough at first. A few seconds passed before Jackson-798 realized the wounded man was laughing.
“What’s so funny?” asked Jackson-798.
The wounded man stopped laughing and said “The angels of steel will be here soon. They will come for you.”.
“We have destroyed them. None may stand in the way of Earth.” Jackson-798 said as he motioned around him at the wrecked walkers.
The man started laughing again. “Those! Those are but nothing compared to the angels of steel. They are pale copies of the agents of divine justice that will bring their wrath upon you”. Jackson was about to reply when he heard the sound of incoming shells. Dropping to the forest floor in an instant, Jackson-798 watched as shells hit the landing zone. Looking back, he saw tanks explode and the small forms of infantry thrown about like ragdolls.
Beside him, Jackson-798 could hear the man still laughing as the barrage began to lighten up. He gestured at Jackson-798 and looked him in the eye. “I told you, they are coming for you. Run, and you might make it out alive.”
Incredulous now, Jackson-798 retorted “Who is coming?”
The wounded man raised his hand up some more and pointed out towards the forest. Jackson-798’s eyes followed the man’s hand and saw the dark shapes moving in the woods towards him. At the head of each figure was a glowing light, some were small other’s were larger. Adrenaline kicked in as his eyes widened and his mind processed what he saw. How did they get so close without us knowing? He thought to himself. By that time his conscious mind had caught up with his eyes and had begun to process what he was seeing. The figures coming towards him were clearly combat walkers but not any he had seen and certainly not like those his force had already fought. Jackson-798 knew every CEF walker and even many from other worlds but these were different. Less boxy, more humanoid at least at the surface and the lights looked disturbingly like eyes or visors. He could see one type had what looked like wings coming off of its shoulders while another carried a massive two handed gatling gun like a laborer. He saw another with a pair of swords, were they on fire? It was hard to tell in the blaze. Behind them was the squat form of tanks, or at least he thought they were tanks until he saw the legs.
His gaze was still transfixed on the new arrivals when Jackson-798 saw the wounded man’s hand go down out of the corner of his eye. He looked back at the man, he was clearly dead now. Laser and heavy weapons fire tore into his platoon, and the screams of dying men filled the radio. In the middle of a battle in a burning forest, Jackson-798 felt a chill as he tore his gaze away from the dead man. The dead man's face would haunt Jackson-798 for the last few minutes of his life. The face of calm serenity broken only by a knowing grin, like someone who knew the punchline of a joke but had to hold it in.
