>>>[FOR THE BEST VIEWING EXPERIENCE, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU SWITCH TO ROYAL ROAD'S DARK/OLED BLACK THEME]<<<
===[ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST]===
----------------------------------------
image [https://i.imgur.com/wat8Jvs.png] image [https://i.imgur.com/PFKwO88.png]
===[SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION: SABER GROUP / OVERWATCH COMMAND GROUND FORCES]===
>>> Operation: FOREIGN FRIEND
>>> Initiator: The Revolutionary Department Of Intelligence SABER Group (On behalf of The Ostraland Commonwealth)
>>> Receiver: Overwatch Command Ground Forces (On behalf of the Global Strategic Coalition)
>>> Operation Goal: Airborne delivery of 55 T1-75MM recoilless Mighty Mouse weapons, initiate friendly contact between both parties, establish mutual trust and contacts with the Signals Intelligence Support Unit (SISU)
>>> Searching Transcript...
>>> Please standby...
>>> Initializing...
==[Begin Transmission]==
----------------------------------------
The forest was oddly silent. Sergeant Gomart hadn't been on Narva for long, but his time was enough to know that whenever the Kiote jungle got really silent, something was bound to happen. The calm before the storm. The shockwave before the blast. His squad of headhunters seemed to reciprocate that feeling. Overwatch Command had given them a seemingly random spot to sit and wait for... something. Overwatch was expecting something or someone to meet at the location, but if it was a group of locals or an fugitive unit of phantoms that turned themselves in - he had no clue. Gomart wasn't even sure if Overwatch knew what they were supposed to be out here looking for, and if they did know, they certainly weren't telling him.
"So... we get there and just wait?" Asked Private Braun in his thick German accent, "Seems like a setup to me, no?"
"Could be," Gomart told him. The location of the meetup was at the peak of the hill just a few miles north of The Nexus, close to the local town. Despite it's proximity to The Nexus, it was only recently liberated ground and much of it remained unsecured. The "elves" could've been anywhere in this area. Lurking in the shadows. Though, from what Gomart had seen with his month or so of being deployed out here, The "Avonians" didn't fight like that. Ambushes were rare. The Avonian elves liked to use massed assaults of dragons, behemoths and artillery to destroy a position. Ambushes weren't their tactic of choice. That was for the actual locals of the area. The "Warrior Elves", or so they were called.
Still, despite the lack of any sign that the Avonians were near - dragons, twenty meter tall death machines, clouds of chemical gas that could kill a man in under a second - he remained somewhat nervous. It was impossible to shake just how terrifying they were. Gomart had been in a lot of combat zones in his lifetime, too many in fact. But this... Planet Narva? This took the cake for being the most horrifying. It wasn't even close. Sure, Earth's wars were brutal. But you could always know what the enemy was capable of. Tanks were a tough nut to crack, but killable. Aircraft were even harder, but once again they could always be shot down. What the hell was a squad of Headhunters gonna do if a Behemoth were to show up right here? Even if it was unlikely, the fact that there was literally nothing they could do to defeat it was a fear all on its own. And there were rumors that the behemoths weren't even the worst that the Avonians could come up with. Damn this planet all to hell, caution would remain his guiding principle. He wasn't getting vaporized by a death machine today.
The Headhunters stalked through the jungle silently, moving through the thick verdant terrain swiftly. The wildlife was rumored to be dangerous, but they were armed well with full-color night vision. If they came across a threat that they couldn't kill, they would steer clear of it. He kept a tight grip on his gun as he remained observant.
From the distance, there was the electric buzz of their recon drone faintly humming over the jungle canopy, "The drone's picking up nothing. No heat signatures besides the animals. It's just us out here," Lieutenant Powers advised as she turned off the monitor attached to her wrist, "The point is in the clearing just up ahead."
"Good," Gomart said, "No surprises. Take up positions within the trees, do not enter the clearing. Got it?"
"Copy." His squad affirmed.
Eventually the clearing came into view. It was a rather large and inconspicuous field in the midst of the jungle palm trees and grass. There was evidence of a recent fire, an unnatural. Some of the trees carried recent burn scars and a few of the dead palms remained standing in the field. Their husks black with soot and ash, littering the clearing's grass.
"A fire happened recently," Said Corporal Shephard as he observed the decayed husk of a tree not too far away from the ridgeline.
"How much do you want to bet that it wasn't a natural forest fire?" Braun said.
"The drone is still searching, hold on. I'll get it to inspect the area closer," Powers turned back to her monitor. The electric whine of the drone zoomed over head, and the tiny quadcopter scanned the area.
Gomart inched closer over to her, watching the monitor on her wrist softly glow with the infrared feed. The camera zoomed over the black-and-white terrain of jungle, but ultimately there was nothing. Nothing. More -
Wait. Was that a, "Dragon," Braun said. The camera snapped immediately onto the shape of a dragon lying dormant on the far end of the field. Or rather, not dormant. It was difficult to make out through the infrared camera, but its size betrayed it. Luckily for the Headhunters, the dragon's body was cold. So cold that it blended in to the ambient environment around it, the body appeared gray upon a gray background. But it was there. Horns, half-iron scales. Massive wings capped with sharp spikes. It was all there, "Thank Christ, it's dead," Powers sighed, shivering slightly.
"I remembered a report that the armored division lost an Abrams around here a couple days ago. Whole crew, ripped apart. Not a single survivor. They think a dragon did it," Braun said.
"Dragons can kill tanks?" Shephard asked.
"Unlikely. I've seen the report too," Said Gomart, "The tank was hit by an explosive mine trap and they were swarmed by those robot dogs. The crew panicked, tried to flee, and then abandoned the Abrams when a fire started in the engine. Dragon came in and ripped up what was left of the tank, dogs tore apart whatever was left of the crew."
"Bloody fucking hell..." Shephard whispered.
"That wouldn't have happened if the crew knew what they were doing. So keep your eyes on a swivel. The dead dragon only means that the Avonians were here at some point. We don't know how long ago it was. Spread out, take up guard positions around the ridge," Gomart ordered and the squad obeyed. Filtering out with their weapons raised. They remained in the bushes to surround the clearing while also remaining hidden.
Silence. Nothing but the buzz of the drone. Each of the headhunters confirmed that their field of vision was clear from any threat. The drone picked up nothing. There was nobody here.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
Minutes passed by and nothing happened.
"Are we at the right spot?" Whispered Braun over his headset.
Powers again looked at her monitor before quickly putting it away, "Yeah. This is it."
More waiting.
Tense minutes slipped by filled with unease. It felt like a trap waiting to happen. Gomart couldn't help but keep looking over his shoulder for fear that they had already been spotted and were being stalked. But nothing happened.
More waiting.
And more waiting...
And even more waiting...
And then... nothing happened.
"You sure this is the right spot? What are we even supposed to be looking for?" Asked Braun.
"That's what it said on the monitor," Said Powers.
"Yeah, but what if it-"
Braun stopped speaking suddenly. Gomart craned his head to watch him in the distance. He was looking at vague direction somewhere far.
"Braun? What happened?"
Braun turned back to the squad, "You hear that? It sounds like a rumbling noise. Northeast. Range uh... I don't know. A kilometer out, maybe?"
Gomart listened. And he too could hear it. A low rumbling in the air. Much deeper and far more powerful than the whir of the drone. The headhunters kept an ear out. Listening as the sound intensified.
The drone ascended sharply as Powers ordered it to get a better view of the region. Still, nothing on the ground. But the sound only grew, to the point where it almost seemed like it was right above them.
"It's coming straight for us!" Said Shephard, "I think that's what we're waiting for! It sounds like an aircraft! A big one!"
They turned their attention towards the skies, as the rumbling evolved into a distinct screech! So powerful it threatened to deafen them! And from the skies above, came lights. White electric light flooded the field. Not from either the drone or the headhunters, but from the aircraft. The powerful lights illuminated all. Silhouetting the aircraft as its form materialized overhead.
Gomart almost couldn't believe his eyes. It was as big and wide as the behemoths were tall. Two massive wings stretched out from either side of it, keeping the iron giant afloat in the skies. Meanwhile powerful spotlights on the nose beamed down on the clearing. Three jet engines on either wing propelled it forward with incredible speed! Emitting distinct plumes of red exhaust as it pushed through. On the underside of its wing was a ten pointed star which briefly flashed in his vision before the aircraft flew overhead and dipped back out of view above the jungle canopy. It flew so close to the ground that Gomart could almost feel the wind blowing from its size as it flew past. There was a cargo bay that seemed open from the rear end of the aircraft that rapidly closed just before it departed. Gomart followed the aircraft even though it was out of sight, wordlessly.
"It dropped something! Airborne! Parachute!" Said Braun. He pointed to the skies. A massive steel container fell towards the clearing, before it was halted in mid air by two giant parachutes that guided it gently to the ground. The metal container also bore the same ten-pointed star that the underwing of the aircraft had. There was no mistaking it. This was the target.
"Aliens left us a gift?" Shephard asked.
"Scout it out. It could be dangerous," Gomart ordered. The drone descended, hovering over the package and illuminating it with a light of its own.
Powers shook her head, "No sign of any trap. It looks clean."
Gomart nodded, "Good. Headhunters! Rally!" He held up his fist and moved towards the package. The dust had already settled and it sat dormant in the middle of the field. Yet upon walking up to it, something inside it woke up. A sensor had been tripped, and the box lit up, swarming the Headhunters in bright red ball of energy!
In fear, Gomart took a step back aiming his rifle at it. A slot on the box opened up and from it boomed a robotic voice:
"ALLIED SUPPLY SHIPMENT. DETAILS INSIDE. OPEN THE BOX. MORE ON THE WAY. FRIENDLY FORCE. DO NOT FIRE." The voice droned.
Gomart was unsure of how he understood what the voice was saying, given that it was definitely Narvan in origin. He figured that it had something to do with the field of red energy. A type of translation magic of some form. It had to have been.
More slots on the box opened up, exposing large metal tubes to the Headhunters. The tubes had writing and insignias all across them. And they were accompanied by what had to have been rockets. The writing on one of the tubes "T1-75MM MIGHTY MOUSE ANTI-VEHICLE ROCKET LAUNCHER".
"Well I'll be!" Shephard exclaimed, "They gave us guns! I'll bet these can take down a dragon or maybe even a behemoth!"
"So that's what Overwatch wanted huh, we're getting supplies from the locals," Gomart narrowed his focus. He spotted the label, 'Armed Forces of The Ostraland Commonwealth' engraved on the box's metallic surface, "Ostralands..."
"Whoever they are, I think I might like these guys. Especially if they keep this up!" Powers said, "We ought to let Overwatch know!"
There was more. Paper. Instructions. Required reading. Those could be dissected later, but Gomart glimpsed their primary purpose. They showed off how to use the weapons, how to contact the Ostralands, and most importantly - what this was all for. "May The Revolution Always Be In Safe Hands," The text at the end read.
Gomart was confused at first by the line. Revolution? Perhaps it was just their motto. Interesting. He turned to his squad, "Contact Overwatch. Let 'em know that we just received a literal gold mine."
"On it!" Powers immediately went to her radio.
"Good... now how the hell are we gonna get this back to The Nexus...?"
----------------------------------------
>>> [SPRUCE GOOSE TO ANGEL. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOS NEST. EGG RECIEVED. FOREIGN FRIEND IS A GO. RETURNING TO BASE.]
>>> [UNDERSTOOD. GOOD WORK. DEBRIEF NECESSARY WHEN YOU LAND. MAY THE REVOLUTION ALWAYS BE IN SAFE HANDS.]
----------------------------------------
>>>[Verifying...]
>>>[Loading Sit-Rep A-12...]
>>>[Going through File Directory]
>>>[Standby...]
==[Loading Complete!]==
----------------------------------------
==[WEAPONS OF THE COLD WAR]==
image [https://i.imgur.com/6e1HgPP.png]
Name: T/B-12 "Constellation"
Type: Night Bomber/Strategic Bomber/Utility Aircraft
Country of Origin: The United Provinces of Oceania
Information: Air Superiority has for millennia been the primary force behind the success of armies across the world. From the Avonian Dragon Riding knights and Warrior Elf Griffon Warriors, to the flying Avian legions of Oran, and to the Pegasus riding crusaders of Bizonia - flight has dominated the battlefields of Planet Narva time and time again. And as time continues, air superiority has only cemented its necessity. And in this new era of warfare, jet aircraft engineered by The Commonwealth have emerged as a complete game changer. Commonwealth jet aircraft have become one of humanity's defining symbols, as humans for the first time in history dominate the skies above Planet Narva.
The T/B-12 Constellation is one of the mainstays of the Commonwealth airforce. A massive winged bomber capable of delivering hundreds of bombs precisely on target. Engineered during the closing stages of The Sacred War as a successor to the long-range B-100 "Super Lancer" Strategic Bomber, the Constellation arose from an emerging atomic battlefield and a need to deliver both nuclear and glitterbomb weapons via air from virtually anywhere on the planet. Though the Constellation would - luckily - never be used for its intended purpose as a nuclear strike bomber - it remained present in the skies of Narva. From the Oran Crisis, to the Kiote War, to the Zanican Straits standoff and countless other conflicts across the globe. The internal bomb bays are capable of destroying an area the size of a small city, and the bomb bays are so large that they double as a cargo hold for the rapid ad-hoc transport of equipment across continents. This versatility has made the Constellation an integral part of The Oceanian and Ostralandian Commonwealth's Airforces, and it remains a distinct thorn in the side of the Avonian Empire, which has yet to successfully shoot one down...
----------------------------------------
==[END TRANSMISSION]==