Dinosaur, er Wagon, Train (part 1)

Captain Butler, ordered to guard a train of stegosauruses loaded up with supplies and destined for a remote Allied Venusian Expeditionary Force (AVEF) outpost, nervously checked the sun's position during breaks in the thick cloud cover. There was little daylight left and should the wagons, such as they were, not reach the fort before sundown, they would undoubtedly be captured in the oncoming darkness.

The fort's garrison anxiously peered to the horizon; their loan artillery piece trained prepared to offer supporting fire on any natives, should they appear.  A troop of lancers prepared their horses to ride out and meet the caravan.

The caravan's escorts roused their courage with rowdy songs of women, wine, and home.

All the while watched from tangled jungle by the cold reptilian eyes of a lone but fierce, lizard warrior, the leader of a warband sent to capture the wagon train and supplies

At his command, a detachment of Iguana Marines burst forth from the jungle and assaulted the column - attempting to block the way forward for the oncoming wagons.

Meanwhile, lizard archers crept stealthily through jungle, just within range of the lead AVEF unit. Their arrows let loose with deadly accuracy.

The fort's artillery crew spotted a velociraptor emerging over the crest of a hill and peppered it with shot, which forced it to take to the cover of the jungle.

The AVEF infantry held off the Iguana warrior attack, driving them back into the jungle. They then shifted to aid against the archer threat. 

Finally, lumbering behind came the first wagon.

At the call of a bugle from the approaching caravan, the fort's s gate lifted, and the readied lancers burst forth.

They raced to the sounds of battle ...

but did not notice the menace to their flank.

To be continued in part 2!