The piercing alert blared across the base and into Yasumin. “ALERT! All units, man your positions. Attack imminent. Deploy all forces to secure Yasumin. ALERT!” echoed the Big Voice announcement, rattling windows and stirring the city from sleep. Faces appeared in windows, and the streets filled with anxious civilians, their eyes fixed toward the base as military personnel flooded into defensive positions.
Inside the Tactical Operations Center (TOC), Colonel Rjion Merryclaw paced, his eyes flicking to the monitors as the ShadowPaw intelligence unit scrambled into action.
In the ShadowPaw barracks, Sergeant Lira’s voice rang out over the alert. “ShadowPaw, let’s move! Nash, Gale—you’re on KnightEagle prep. Get that bird in the air!”
Corporal Nash and Private Gale joined Lira, sprinting to the adjacent hangar. They tugged open the heavy clamshell doors and hauled the KnightEagle—a sleek, delta-wing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle—onto the tarmac.
“Base One, this is ShadowPaw. KnightEagle on the runway. Beginning preflight checks,” Nash reported, slipping on his headset.
Colonel Merryclaw’s voice cut through the comms. “ShadowPaw, be advised—KnightEagle’s ETA to Sacra-Hill is three hours. We need full data link active with NorthPaw and visuals ready as soon as it’s in range.”
“Copy, Base One. We’re on it,” Nash replied, turning to Gale. “Initiate the datalink and sync with NorthPaw. Let’s get a stable feed ready.”
Gale’s fingers flew over the controls. “Datalink engaged, Base One. NorthPaw, do you copy?”
Static buzzed briefly before a voice came through. “This is NorthPaw at Leythbrook FOB. Receiving your link, ShadowPaw. We’ll monitor feed stability until KnightEagle is in range.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Back in the TOC, Merryclaw’s jaw tightened as he checked the time. Three hours until they could confirm the situation at Sacra-Hill. Too much could change in that time. He turned to his assembled officers.
“We have three hours before we see Sacra-Hill. Let’s make every second count,” he ordered. “Update patrols around Yasumin and secure our supply routes. Any stations not actively defending are now Quick Reaction Force (QRF). I want a readiness report from each unit within the hour.”
His officers saluted and dispersed, each moving to relay orders to their respective teams. A tense stillness settled over the TOC as the countdown began.
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Two Hours Later
The TOC buzzed with activity as readiness reports came in from each defense position. Colonel Merryclaw paced, watching the clock, his mind running through possible scenarios and contingency plans. Every second dragged as they awaited word from Sacra-Hill. Finally, a message crackled through the comm.
“Base One, this is NorthPaw. Eagle Twelve is approaching visual range. Stand by for initial reports.”
Merryclaw’s voice was steady, but his eyes were hard. “Understood, NorthPaw. Patch us in as soon as you have eyes.”
Inside the KnightEagle’s control room, Gale and Nash watched as the video feed began flickering to life, revealing the faint horizon line. Nash activated the payload camera, calibrating the image as the TUAV approached Sacra-Hill’s location.
“Payload camera engaged,” Gale reported. “Visual coming online… now.”
Back at the TOC, the main screen displayed the video link from the KnightEagle. At first, the image was grainy, but it gradually sharpened, revealing the silhouette of a city in flames. Fiery tendrils clawed at the sky, smoke curling like a dark shroud over Sacra-Hill.
A stunned silence fell over the soldiers in the room, each one transfixed by the devastation. Merryclaw’s jaw tightened, his gaze locked on the screen. A few soldiers turned away, unable to watch, while others clenched their fists, faces hardening with resolve.
“Take a good look, people,” Merryclaw said, his voice filled with iron resolve. “This is the extent they’re willing to go.” He let the horror sink in for a moment, his own anger held tightly in check.
“Now,” he continued, his voice hardening, “let’s show them what we’re made of.”