And behind fell the tanks, AFVs, panzerjaegers and artillery carriers of the Vaterland in their very first Augenhöhlentropfensturm, an orbital drop storm.
* * *
“Vater unser, der Du bist im Himmel,
Geheiligt werde Dein Name… ”
Frederick was praying as fast as he could but could not tear his eyes from the vision blocks. The world of Daga Nine was spread out below him and the panzer was dropping into a cloud of fire. The kinetic energy weapons, coherent and those that had been broken up by fire, were dropping beneath him to the surface of the world and they were burning. The effect filled the sky with orange fire, a volcano of torrential energy, into which the panzer was falling, the volcano falling away just as fast. At times they seemed to catch up to it then the distance would open, close… open. It was like one of those dreams where you fell and fell, the ground always only inches away but about to kill you at any moment. Energy screen or no, he did not think that there was any way that they could survive. And it was, yes, getting very hot. Sweat was pouring down his face for more than one reason.
He could see some of the fire coming up, but it was insignificant to the power of the dropping weapons.
“I saw an Eye of Baal from the ground one time,” Harz mused. “That was what we called the Posleen drops. They would light the sky with fire in a great circle like a glowing red eye. Now I know what it was like from the top-side. I rather prefer this. And if you’re going to pray, Schutze, might I ask that you at least not babble the words.”
“Your pardon, Feldwebel,” Frederick said, continuing to whisper the Lord’s Prayer under his breath.
“Here, this will help,” Harz said as a bass male voice started to recite the Lord’s Prayer in Deutsch. Then a booming electronica synthesizer started up followed by a soaring chorus. “This is how to pray to the Lord, Schutze!” the track commander shouted. “For the Lord did say unto his people, make a joyful noise and rejoice for I am the Lord Thy GOD!”
Vater Unser (E Nomine)
Our Father
Vater unser, der Du bist im Himmel,
Our Father, which art in Heaven,
Geheiligt werde Dein Name,
Hollowed be thy name,
Dein Reich Komme,
Thy Kingdom come,
Dein Wille geschehe,
Thy will be done,
Wie im Himmel als auch auf Erden,
On Earth as it is in Heaven,
Und vergib uns unsere Schuld,
And forgive us our trespasses
Wie auch wir vergeben unseren Schuldigern…
As we forgive those who trespass against us…
…In nomine patris et filii spiritu sancti…
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Vater unser, der Du bist im Himmel,
Our Father, which art in Heaven,
Geheiligt werde Dein Name,
Hollowed be thy name,
Dein Reich komme,
Thy kingdom come,
Dein Wille geschehe,
Thy will be done,
Wie im Himmel als auch auf Erden,
On Earth as it is in Heaven,
Unser taeglich Brot gib uns heute,
And give us this day our daily bread,
Und vergib uns unsere Schuld,
And forgive us our trespasses,
Wie auch wir vergeben unseren Schuldigern,
As we forgive those who trespass against us,
Und fuehre uns nicht in Versuchung,
And lead us not into temptation,
Sondern erloese uns von dem Uebel,
But deliver us from evil,
Denn Dein ist das Reich,
For thine is the kingdom,
Und die Kraft und die Herrlichkeit,
The power and Glory,
In Ewigkeit…
For ever and ever…
…Amen.
…Amen
In nomine patris et filii spiritu sancti
In the name of the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit
Amen
Amen
In nomine patris et filii spiritu sancti
In the name of the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit
Amen
Amen
Vater unser, der Du bist im Himmel,
Our Father, which art in Heaven,
Geheiligt werde Dein Name,
Hollowed be thy name,
Dein Reich komme,
Thy Kingdom come,
Dein Wille geschehe,
Thy will be done,
Wie im Himmel als auch auf Erden,
On Earth as it is in Heaven,
Und verbig uns unsere Schuld,
And forgive us our trespasses
Wie auch wir vergeben unseren Schuldigern.
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
Vater hoere meine Stimme.
Father, hear my prayer!
Herr hoere meine Stimme!
Lord, hear my prayer!
Lasser uns beten.
Let us pray.
In nomine patris et filii spiritu sancti
In the name of the Father, and the son, and the Holy Spirit
Der Herr… ist ein Schatten ueber
The Lord… is my shepherd.
Deiner Rechten Hand…
I shall not want!
…Amen
…Amen
Vater unser,
Our Father,
Dein ist das Reich,
Thine is the Kingdom,
Und die Kraft,
And the Power,
Und die Herrlichkeit,
And the glory,
In Ewigkeit,
for ever and ever…
…Amen…
Amen
“Emergence.”
The Posleen tunnel drive was extremely useful, tactically, but enormously expensive energetically. The only really functional fuel for it was antimatter, which was both costly to make and extremely unstable. But there was no way that any ship could have enough fuel space, bunkerage, for fusion bottles to produce the same power with any reasonable range.