Operation: Operation Empire

Location: HMS [Redacted], Somewhere off the coast of Argentina

Unit: Special Boat Service, Royal Navy

Date: May 3rd 1982, 8 pm Local Time.

"Right so..." Mclaw paused, "The original play, proposed by command, is stupid. Command found out the hard way that our friends in the SAS can't counter Argie radar and quick response units so... it's up to us."

Around him sat 27 other SBS troopers. All elite killers leaning on their dark green bags. They were part of this suicide mission assigned to them by British military command.

"The Argies may know we will come for their Exocets but we'll beat them into the ground before they notice we have arrived," Mclaw instructed, "I had to go to the top to acquire these, met with Big Lizzie herself and had her make a demand to Thatcher or she'd do something. Honestly loved seeing that play out."

Mclaw paused, bringing up a map of Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego, "This is the plan, we will be testing the new United States Experimental six-man submarines," Mclaw flipped a page revealing a picture of what was soon to be known as an American Seal Delivery Vehicle, "We will take the seven Sub's each with a set of scuba gear and deploy under the harbour, from there we will split into our troops and cause as much havoc as we can."

Mclaw paused flipping the board again, "The first troop will plant the bombs on the jets and the second troop will hide explosives in the Exocet Missile Stores. Only when we have all exited the base will we will detonate the explosives, any questions?"

A soldier called out from behind the crowd, "What if we can't make it back to the rendezvous point?"

Mclaw paused for a second, "Then we will make the trek to Chile and be transported back to the UK from there, the submarine pilots will be radioed and brought back to the main ship."

Everyone was silent, there was nothing left to ask, so Mclaw continued, "I expect everyone here to memorise the paths you will take to your objective, especially you Captain Kyton."

A young man looked up only half paying attention to Mclaw's briefing, "Huh?" he said confused.

Mclaw stared him down, "I said, you need to memorise the plan, I'll leave the board up."

Captain Kyton replied, "Shouldn't you tell us the exact route?"

Mclaw sighed, "Personally I prefer my troops being creative and trying to make sense of it on their own but if you insist," He paused pointing at the map, "The two units will head up the Rio Grande river covering the submarines and knocking out anyone who would endanger the mission, we will paint Argentine flags on the submarines so hopefully if civvies see it, they will think it's friendly."

He paused, "However if we get caught... we have a crate of a very special item which means we won't even have to get close. Which I'll use if the time comes."

He started to rack his brain again, "After we land, both teams will walk about 6 kilometres till they reach the airfield," he slapped the board with the palm of his hand, "Then we will enter the airfield and split into our troops, troop A soldiers will be with me while troop B will be with Captain Kyton. Kyton will lead his troops towards the north side of the airfield before entering and planting bombs in the rocket stores. My section will have a difficult job as we have to find the aircraft stationed there," Mclaw pointed to the map again, "The fighters could be located in three possible locations, in the fuel depot, on the runway or in a hanger."

Kyton nodded, "How the hell do you plan on getting unnoticed on the runway?"

Mclaw twisted his head, with an annoyed look pasted on his face, "I'm getting there," he paused before answering, "That answer lies in the case... it's a Boys AT rifle chambered in .55 Boys Calibre and highly effective against light armoured vehicles like let's say... grounded planes." Mclaw smiled as he looked at the unsure faces around him, "C'mon guys, cheer up a bit, if needed we could just wear the recreated captured Argie uniforms and walk straight onto the runway..."

The soldiers' ears perked up as they heard about the recreated uniforms.

Kyton stepped forward, "However, wearing these uniforms will make us spies and no longer soldiers."

Mclaw groaned, "Yes you are correct, captain," Mclaw turned back to his men, "Anyway as Maggie is reluctant to declare war we wouldn't be POWs anyway. But there is no way in hell we are gonna be captured, everything understood?"

A unified "Yes Sir," came from the crowd before everyone stood up and started to get ready.

***

Bubbles rose to the surface of the water. Leaving a trail of white spheres floating and popping above the seven subs under the water.

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Each equipped with four SBS soldiers and two American pilots, the miniature submarines propelled themselves through the water, they lurked like a pack of wolves hunting for prey.

Suddenly, the coastline came into view, it was extremely sudden, walls of stone lined each side of them and the bed of the mouth of the river started to look like it was almost rising. Mclaw looked over the side of his submarine and reached for his noise maker, it was a small steel tube made purposely to make sound underwater, he shook it three times then paused then shook it another three times. The deployment vehicles rose to the surface, each soldier readied their rifles carefully releasing the cocking handle so it didn't make too much noise, then forward assisting to make sure the rifle had a bullet readied to fire.

Each trooper watched an angle, ready for combat. No one could sneak up on them without being noticed.

"Two smokers, armed with submachine guns on the right side of the bank, 100 metres," the pilot whispered back to the soldiers. Mclaw and another soldier aimed at the idling Argies.

"On my mark," Mclaw whispered, "Three, two, one, mark."

Two precision shots flew out the barrels of the suppressed rifles causing a spray of blood and both enemies to collapse to the flaw.

"Targets neutralised," Mclaw whispered and the pilots continued into the Argentine night.

Mclaw put a hand into the sky and the vehicles floated to a halt. Mclaw and several soldiers jumped off their submarines and swam to the shoreline.

Quickly he had everyone leave the beach and enter the grassland. The submarines turned to leave and stay around the mouth of the river. Over his back, Mclaw slung a rifle bag containing his Boys AT rifle along with two spare magazines.

Completely undetected they marched on the airport. As soon as they reached the gate Mclaw touched it not feeling a single vault of electricity pass through it, the gate was as cold as ice.

"Runner, inform Squadron B that the fence is not electrified, they are free to cut through," Mclaw nodded at a young SBS soldier before the soldier moved into earshot of Captain Kyton.

Mclaw turned to his unit and called up another one of his troopers who held a pair of wire cutters. The soldier made several precision cuts in the fence before the rest of the team climbed through the fence onto the runway.

Suddenly, the mission experienced its first crack...

"¡Detente ahí! ¡Esta es un área restringida!" someone shouted in Spanish, outside the gate.

Mclaw immediately drew his silenced Browning Hi-Power and gunned the man down within a second, two shots entered his forehead causing him to slump to the floor.

Mclaw exhaled bringing his pistol down to his side, "Inform Kyton that we may have been compromised and we need to hurry this up."

A soldier behind Mclaw nodded and reached for the microphone on his radio.

Mclaw walked over to another soldier and crotched down, "Sighted any planes yet?"

The elite shook his head, "No sir, there seems to be nothing on the runway, but I can't see the fuel depot or inside the hanger from here."

Mclaw nodded before turning to everyone and indicating to get up and move. One by one they started to move through the cut fence before leading off into the tall grass of the main runway.

The runway was dead silent, the Argies had no idea they were there, they had got away scot-free, for now.

Mclaw turned to the rest of his men pointing out a door to the back of the hanger before they reached a half-broken down wall no more than fifty metres from the hanger.

A platoon of what seemed to be thirty Argies stood in their way. Whether it was smoking or playing cards they were distracted from their surroundings, not ready for the surprise that was about to hit them.

Each soldier aimed at one target, ready to flick on anyone that was left standing.

VRRRROOOOOOOOOOOWWWW

Suddenly something flew overhead at over a thousand kilometres per hour.

Everyone looked up the aircraft was carrying a set of two Exocet missiles. Within seconds it was gone, disappearing over the ocean.

Mclaw's eyes widened in realisation, and quickly he stood up, he didn't have a second to waste. Pointing his M16 at the unprepared military personnel, he opened fire. Quickly he was followed by his allies. Suppressed gunfire lit up the walls with suppressed bullets being flung towards the enemy.

Argentinian forces didn't have time to react, they were too slow.

Mclaw spun around, "Inform command that we may have a problem, tell them that an enemy Super Étendards is airborne armed with Exocet missiles, we need to scramble fighters," He paused, "Everyone else, we continue the mission."

Running passed the dead bodies, Mclaw kicked the door clean off its hinges. Seeing it was a long hallway, he flicked to the left. Two targets.

Mclaw let off three bullets, the first slammed into the forehead of the first man with the second hitting the other soldier in the centre of the chest. The third sliced through the second man's eyeball, sending chunks of his brain across the wall.

"Two enemies down, Hallway clear, next pair up!" He said so the soldiers outside could hear him.

Immediately, two troopers swung through the door rifles aimed down the corridor. Mclaw pointed to a large opening to his right. The soldier nodded and moved forward. Quickly they breached the next part of the building.

"Three enemies dead, one casualty! Next pair!" One of the soldiers yelled.

The rest of the soldiers entered the building and Mclaw fell back in line.

"Seven jets located, final room clear, no doors or windows," Someone spoke, "Looks to be three Super Étendards and four A4s."

Mclaw entered the main room, still clasping his pistol grip and barrel, "Get these bombs planted, back of the wing touching the main engine, we want these jets immobilised and obliterated."

A few soldiers started to plant C-4 Plastic Explosives on the jets.

Several clicks sounded out through the hanger, all bombs were armed. Quickly, everyone gathered near the exit of the building.

Suddenly, the droning sound of sirens filled the air.

Mclaw raised his left hand, looking at the time, 7 am...

They exited the building, expecting to be contacted straight away, but nothing came.

All they heard was the sirens, no rifles, no machine guns.

As they looked across the runway, behind the fuel depot, several A-4 Skyhawks exited on the runway, all equipped with air-to-air sidewinder missiles. Mclaw slung around his Boys AT and lay by on a nearby bank, giving him a clear sight of all the A-4 Skyhawks.

One of the soldiers lay down next to Mclaw, "Shit, sir what's the plan?"

Mclaw nodded slowly, "Get everyone back to the river bank Sergeant, I'm gonna reek a little chaos."

"With all due respect, Sir, we aren't leaving you behind," the Sergeant said.

Mclaw looked back to his men, "Well I'll be damned, I thought you all hated me for signing us up for this stupid stunt."

They all nodded in approval.

Mclaw turned back to his AT rifle, "Well then, I guess it's time to use that strength and guile."

Mclaw paused, "Let's do this."