TFA3 5.1 – Standby Order
09:40, 3 Nov 2025
Even if officially he had already become POW, Prince Portho didn’t lose his freedom or privilege. He still enjoyed the lifestyle of a prince and could walk freely to every corner of Geko-01.
As Geko-01 was approaching Sommer Island, from one of windows in the bridge, Prince Portho observed the sea around the island. It was calm and peaceful. There was no sign of the destruction of thousand ships that tried to put a blockade to the island.
Actually, until this moment, if he didn’t see the footage of how the event took place, Prince Portho would still have a hard time believing that Battle Group A and C had suffered a crushing defeat.
Then, with casual steps Duke Fogel approach Prince Portho and said, “I just confirms it from Captain Kasino. Once we land on Summer Island, they will fly us to Castle Lagra.”
After lowering the binocular in his hands Prince Portho said, “So, we will not stay on Sommer Island.”
“No,” Duke Fogel firmly replied. “They want you to arrive at Castle Lagra as soon as possible. Moreover, Sommer Island doesn’t have appropriate accommodation for a prince.”
“I see.” After a moment of silence Prince Portho asked, “How long the flight will take place?”
“Around an hour.”
“That fast?”
“Yeah.”
“How about the others?”
“You can bring the female servants to the mansion they prepare for you in Castle Lagra,” Duke Fogel explained. “As for the engine crew and bridge crew, they will be sent to POW camp, but Captain Kasino said it’s a humanely POW camp and they will suffer no harm.”
“And the slaves?”
“They will have to stay in Sommer Island and go through some administration process. After that, they will fly to Lagra City in batches.”
“I see,” Prince Portho casually replied as Sommer Island getting bigger and bigger.
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First Lieutenant Caldwell was the second highest officer in Frogman Platoon. He served with US NSWG-2 before joining TF Amethyst and being stationed in Frogman Platoon. Actually, he loved his life as east coast-based maritime commando so much. Unfortunately, life had a nasty habit of going into unwanted direction.
One day, US Navy sent its latest Arleigh Burke-class to participate in a multinational exercise with allied countries. One of US Navy’s goals in this exercise was to test a few state-of-the art devices they installed in this ship’s hull. And as usual, NSWG operator was stationed to guard the ship both on the surface and underwater when the ship docked in the port.
Let alone the adversaries countries, even among the allied countries there was a habit to peek at each other new toy without permission, and a mishandling on this issue could lead into diplomatic shit storm. Therefore, to prevent the rise of unwanted circumstance, the security detail would only act as a scare crow. They couldn’t use lethal means under any circumstances.
Unfortunately, the situation in the field was not simple. When the uninvited guest showed a clear intent to kill, the security detail had no choice but to go beyond their protocol. And so, when six uninvited divers drew their combat knife instead of leaving peacefully after Lieutenant Caldwell and his team told them to, the underwater melee occurred.
It was four NSWG operators against six hostile divers, and the NSWG operators were not superman. When they were outnumbered by skillful divers who want to kill them, it was impossible to defend themselves by relying only in non-lethal means.
Long short story, after taking some fingers for later identification, and sent initial report about the event, Lieutenant Caldwell and his team let the current to drift away six lifeless body. Then, they continued their underwater watch.
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At first, the event just went by as if it never happened. Even when the USN intelligence learned that two of the uninvited diver was former frogman from the host country and shared the information through the backdoor, no rippled appeared to the surface. Especially, after the further investigation found a solid proof that the uninvited divers were being hired by an adversary country.
Unfortunately, six months later a domestic politician got their hand on the report about the event, and used it as leverage to ask concession from one of the US Navy airlift program. Worst of all, this politician was really good at rallying public support by stirring emotional reaction and put negative campaign on the program he had sight on.
In the end, the US Navy chain of command chose to sacrifice Lieutenant Caldwell and his team because the airlift program was too important to them, and that’s how Lieutenant Caldwell and his team ended up in joining TF Amethyst.
When, Battle Group C launched the offensive on Sommer Island, Lieutenant Caldwell and his team were happened to be stationed on the island. They were on a mission to survey the underwater terrain around the island. They then put their mission on pause, and participate in the operation to defend Sommer Island.
And now, Lieutenant Caldwell and his team calmly waited as Captain Kasino handed over Prince Portho and his entourage to Lt. Colonel Gillray and Rear Admiral Norrak. As for the former slave women and slave children, Lieutenant Kidd handed over them to a lieutenant from MPU.
Then, finally, Captain Kasino and the rest of the frogmen who participate on the ambush on Geko-01 were free. Wasting no time, Lieutenant Caldwell and his team walked over to them and exchanged some hugs with them.
“Welcome to Sommer Island,” Lieutenant Caldwell happily said.
“Yeah.” After looking at his surrounding Captain Kasino casually said, “This place looks like a giant rock.”
“It’s truly a giant rock.” Lieutenant Caldwell said before turning his gaze to the body bag being carried by Captain Kasino’s team. “Well, let’s put our fallen brother to the morgue, and then hit the bar.”
“Yeah, I really need some booze right now, the heavy one,”
After giving Captain Kasino a big smile Lieutenant Caldwell said, “Fortunately, we have lot of heavy poison here.”
Wasting no time, Captain Kasino and the rest of the frogmen followed Lieutenant Caldwell’s lead. First, they brought the bodies of the fallen frogmen to the morgue, and the officer-in-charge told them that a flight would took the bodies to Bluefin tonight. While tomorrow, General O’Neil would lead the funeral personally.
As for the unrecovered fallen frogmen, they would receive a sea burial and General O’Neil would also lead the ceremony personally. Unfortunately, the rest of the frogmen couldn’t attend both funerals because they had to stay at Sommer Island.
Then, after storing their weapon and equipment to the armory, all the frogmen went straight to the bar without exception. They drunk as if there was no tomorrow, and shortly after a bar fight broke out.
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The next day after his arrival on Sommer Island, at noon, as soon as the hangover from yesterday drinking was gone, Captain Kasino immediately went to Lt. Colonel Gillray’s office. The door was widely opened, but he didn’t just enter it and decided to lightly knock it to announce his arrival.
Once Lt. Colonel Gillray turned his gaze to him, Captain Kasino immediately asked him, “Sir, I come to report about my unit temporary stay.”
“Have a sit, Captain,” Lt. Colonel Gillray said as he pointed the chair in front of him. “Coincidently, I also want to talk with you.”
“Is that about the fight my men had in the bar yesterday, Sir?”
“Nope,” Lt. Colonel Gillray calmly said. “I come from Air Force, but I quite understand that lecturing a bunch of frogmen about their habitual bar party is waste of a time.”
Captain Kasino didn’t know how to respond the casual respond from Lt. Colonel Gillray, so he just said, “Thank you for your understanding, Sir.”
“You’re welcome,” Lt. Colonel Gillray said as he handed over a piece of memo to Captain Kasino, “And this is the official order for your unit. It arrived from Castle Lagra as soon as you secured the deal with Prince Portho.”
After reading the memo Captain Kasino turned his gaze to Lt. Colonel Gillray. “Chief Nate wants my unit to standby here, until further notice.”
“Yeah.”
As big question mark popped up on his forehead Captain Kasino curiously asked, “Do we have an ops in the making at the moment, Sir?”
“Other than defending the island, no, we don’t run anything else right now,” Lt. Colonel Gillray casually replied. “However, I received a notification a moment ago. In a few days General O’Neil will visit this place.
I have no clue about the purpose behind his visit, but my guess it’s related to the standby order you received.”
“I see.”
“So, I hope you maintain your unit’s combat readiness while staying here,” Lt. Colonel Gillray said in a drop dead serious tone. “In return, I will overlook your unit habitual bar party as long as no one dies, suffers permanent damage, or setting the bar in fire out of over excitement.”
“Understood, Sir.”
After a smile Lt. Colonel Gillray said, “Just a side note, the food here is good. We have Japanese chef who is skillful at both France and Japanese cuisine. The gym and gun range are only improvised facility, but it’s adequate enough.
The barrack and bar are excellent, while the nearby water is heaven for angler and diver. So, I think your men will not get bored easily and do stupid thing to entertain themselves.
And if you need something else, just come to me. I will do my best to give you a hand.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Question?”
“No, Sir.”
“Well, you may leave then.”
“Aye Sir.”
Without delay Captain Kasino left the office. He then gathered his men to brief them about the standby order from Castle Lagra.
*****