09:00, AE91 July 13 - Elysium, Armored Carrier Phillip
"This is your target."
Commander Harriet Heavensward, Captain of the Armored Carrier EDFS Phillip and commanding officer of Task Force Xyston-02, plants her palms on the edge of the conference table. Below the scattered papers and cups of coffee the surface flickers to life, showing a topographical map of an area roughly ten miles square. Most of the landscape is dominated by dense jungle, and most of it is fairly flat--except for the northeastern portion, where you can see tall hills trailing off the edge of the covered area.
A red circle appears at the center of the map, on the northern edge of those hills. After flashing a couple of times, it expands in size, magnifying your view of the circled area. The satellite footage is distorted by active ECM and Chroma Effect, but you can pick out the important stuff. Quickly constructed buildings, supply dumps, weapon emplacements, armored vehicles--and, most importantly, a large area off to one side. It has been bulldozed flat and crudely paved; a refueling tank stands off to one side next to a collection of shuttle support equipment, and off to another side is a large communications array.
"Alliance forces have been using this staging area to resupply their forward bases to the west. We've had a hell of a time finding them in this valley, but now the same factors that worked in their favor are going to benefit us." The circle contracts back to its original size, and a dotted line extends from it, heading west. "This is the road they're using." Sure enough--if you look closely enough, you can see a path through the trees, flattened and even graveled in places. "Our intelligence says they have three Myrmidons of unknown type. One stays at the base at all times; the other two patrol the path down to a main road, about five miles away." A yellow circle indicates the point at the westernmost edge of the map.
"Our plan is this. The Phillip will drop you off at point Alpha--"an orange α lights up near the southern edge of the map, due east of the objective--"and you will proceed north to point Beta. Between the foliage and the landscape, you should be able to remain undetected there for a few hours." An orange β marks a spot roughly a mile south of the base.
"At the same time, the Phillip will circle around to the east, and monitor for the patrolling Myrmidons. Once we believe they are far enough away, we will signal you to begin. You will have a short time in which your only opposition will be a single Myrmidon, and what we believe to be no more than three armored vehicles." The captain looks up from the table, meeting each of your eyes in turn.
"Take out the heavy forces there, then destroy all the supplies and the support equipment for the airfield. Whether you take out the patrol walkers too is up to you, but I want that base flattened. We'll be waiting for you at point Gamma." A blue γ flashes about three miles north of the objective.
13:21, AE91 July 13 - Elysium, Santori Jungle
Being in the jungle borders on sensory overload. Even in the shade of the towering canopy, the heat is oppressive. Condensation hangs off of every surface, as if the world itself is sweating, and any exposed cloth or hair becomes saturated within the hour. The constant chirping of bugs, the calls of birds, and the chitters of arboreal mammals fill the air with white noise. The rot of the jungle floor hangs heavy on the air, mixing with the smells of flowers both pleasant and otherwise.
You dropped at point Alpha about an hour ago, and have been standing by at point Beta for almost twenty minutes. Your wait has been a long one. It is now over.
The com channel crackles to life, and you hear the voice of Phillip's comms officer. "Xray Zero Two-One, commence! Say again, Myrmidons, you are cleared to begin!"
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