With heads held high, roaring undecipherable chants of war and yielding primitive hand-held weapons; the rows upon rows of reptilian soldiers stamped forward towards the reported location of the human survivors. Although now advancing as one army movement, conquering ground was at a slow rate, due to each soldier stamping along in time with the collective war chant. But they moved without pause and with one aim – human flesh which was the trophy.
The reptilian operators on top of the stone vehicles formed the rear of the marching troop convoy. For this battle they disengaged the spring coils, and instead each vehicle had a pair of reptilian soldiers pushing from the rear and pulled at the front by others.
Although he gave the original order to march, Larsst could not be out on the ground with his troops for this battle. Business of higher priority required his presence elsewhere, so the massacre of the human survivors was to be supervised by the Troop Masters. Well a small group of humans may be kept and first bred as slaves; and as part of a later dinner menu.
Many of the reptilian soldiers had not been above ground for long periods, and so while they showed obedience and followed orders; they had no time in which to get accustomed to the open air environment. The different climate conditions and terrain might be new to them and present obstacles which they had to overcome.
Long before the first reptilians reached the tiarian mother-ship, they saw the dome from afar. Due to the loud war chanting, the rows of troops did not catch the sound of the small leafed projectiles flying through the air which now descended upon them. Most of these sap grenades hit the intended targets spot on as the soldiers within the rows marched shoulder to shoulder. Many soldiers fell as the sap poured over nostrils and mouths, with the air intake blocked.
Although becoming more confident and filled with adrenalin as they came closer to the mother-ship, the reptilians underestimated the human defence measures. As the troops marched, they looked ahead and not at their taloned feet which stomped earth flat. And as a result most of the remaining first row of soldiers fell and suffered leg wounds as they landed in the deep trenches. With no consideration for injured comrades, the rows of troops behind pushed forward; walking over the injured reptilians.
And the combat soldiers neither looked up at the sky, nor considered making a quiet advance. So at first the troops did not notice the rainbow coloured line spread across the sky above the mother-ship dome. Even as the line split to create the vortex doorway, the reptilians did not deter from the orders received. The ground beneath the heavy scaled feet shook. The trembling was strong enough for even the reptilians to realise that the cause was not the stomping march.
In confusion and without an order being given, the first row, and those behind came to an immediate stop. Although the rows to the rear at first had not been aware of the cause of the shaking, they soon did to as the mother-ship ascended. Troop Masters, who realised that the intended target now made an escape from the planet, shouted orders to attack and whipped the soldiers into motion.
But as the reptilian soldiers increased the marching pace, prompted by the kill instinct, the high inter-twined rows of bramble laid as a defence measure by the tiarians; prevented further movement forwards. By the time the first soldiers cut through the bramble, the mother-ship's basin was fifty metres above them; and the top of the vessel's dome entering through the vortex entrance. Although they did not reach their target, the reptilian army considered the event as a full success. They had forced the humans to leave. Earth's surface was now under reptilian command and control.