Your troopers are spreading out as they advance across the square, heading for the main road leading toward the center of town. You check your tactical display and confirm the positions of the other platoons. They're spread out across several blocks, moving forward as part of the first wave designed to neutralize any rebel threat. More drop ships are inbound, you know, with Fleet personnel ready to start delivering the vaccine. Your platoon is going to wind up somewhere between them all, ready to respond if anything happens.
The platoon gathers in a defensive position stretched along the first block of the main street; the leading elements hunkered down at the next intersection while your rearguard keeps watch on the empty square. You can see the meteors in the sky as the second wave of drop ships descends toward you, and so far, the rest of the Hoplites are advancing without incident. You and Amori walk along the edge of the street, confirming the placement of your troops and trying to get a sense of the town. A few civilians hurry along the far side of the street, keeping well clear of your troopers and disappearing into buildings as quickly as they can. You can see some faces watching from windows, but the mix of adults and children reassures you that these are just families staying clear, rather than soldiers in ambush.
The command circuit crackles to life with terse reports of possible rebel activity, but you struggle to hear everything over the roar of the new drop ships as they circle in to land behind you.
Suddenly, the cracks of distant shots echo along the street, followed by the snap-booms of Astral force assault rifles and their explosive rounds. Amori pushes you toward cover, and you struggle to hear the reports as you duck and run.
Your tactical display indicates a flood of hostiles two streets ahead, right where Lieutenant Taiwo's platoon is. Even as you glance up you see a dust ball rising in the air, followed seconds later by the awful thump of a distant explosion. Taiwo's voice comes on the circuit, requesting support. You grip your rifle—this is what the reserve platoon is for.
Before you can issue an order, though, you're knocked down by a blast of hot air from behind you. Staggering to your knees, you look back and see fire and black smoke rising from the remains of a drop ship that had just set down.
"This is Foxtrot Delta," you hear Halliday screaming on the radio, "landing zone under heavy fire!"
The big guns of the drop ships explode to life, but even as you watch another rocket lashes out from an unknown location in the square. It impacts the armored side of another drop ship as Fleet personnel scramble for cover.
"This is Echo Leader," Taiwo's voice comes crackling over the circuit, "my position is overrun—requesting immediate support!"
You freeze in a moment of awful indecision. Do you advance your platoon to support Taiwo's and continue to push the rebels back? Or do you retreat and provide protection for the drop ships?