“We need to get ranged weapons on this. Can our spy-sats get us some targets?”
“The Normanza class isn’t that easy to destroy, the new armor plating technology we’re using just makes it tougher. A few harpoons should take care of it though, can’t shoot them all down.”
“We’re able to send a Viper to tag targets.”
“Let’s do it. And would you happen to have a more…” She looked down at the table, strewn beautifully with carefully prepared food and drink. “…More suitable venue for commanding armed forces? No offense.”
“Well Joint Forces Command in Arcadia is where all the main things happen, i’m sure you passed by it on the way here if you took a car from the airport. It’s the big facility on the outside of the city.”
“You can guess the rest” William looked at the hologram and studied it.
“It’s your home, sir. I can set up anywhere; but this just got a whole lot more dangerous, and a whole lot more personal.” Coraline looked up at her wife, and Nimona took her hand and squeezed.
William nodded his head in agreement, “Please, come with me. We’ll head to JFC Arcadia and oversee the fighting from there, that is if everyone here is fine with it.”
Velhaus spoke up for once, “Aye, from the Command Center in JFC we’ll have a front row view of the whole thing.”
“Sounds good.” She turned to Caroline and spoke in a soft but authoratative tone , “Take Cora and get back to the hotel. Keep in touch with Lance.”
The two took things and said goodbye, and exited after the first lady gave her wife a quick kiss. The car they’d came returned, and they were gone.
Nimona grabbed her purse to go and smiled grimly. “So should I call another car, or have you got us covered?”
“We gotcha, Velhanz will drive” William tossed the keys to the Presidential Limo and gestured Velhanz to go get it.
“Oh, and no drifting this time son” He added as an extra measure. Marlene came back dressed in a female version of the Class B service uniform which replaced the trousers with a knee length skirt.
Velhanz left the room and went to the garage. After a few minutes of waiting, William gestured Nimona and Wilson to follow him outside where Velhanz had pulled up to the front. He opened the door for his mother, father, and the two leaders. Then getting back into the driver’s seat and driving off towards JFC.
Nimona raised her phone and allowed it to hang steadily in the air. “Hard Light Suspension. Cutting edge stuff.” She explained. The small device extended into a network of screens describing the situation, which appeared to be deteriorating rapidly.
Velhanz drove off and soon they were on the outskirts of the city. Few cars were passing by and a SSSC escort kept it that way. He suddenly grinned as he listened to Inertia D music. None of the passengers in the back seat being able to see him or know what he was doing due to the wall separating the front from the cabin.
In the cabin news coverage of the war from the Arcadia Tribune was playing on the built in T.V. Over the intercom in the limo, Velhanz informed his passengers of his plans.
“Sorry dad, but everyone please hold on to something” The car gradually started to speed up as the turn up ahead came closer every second. He stepped on the break and turned, drifting around the corner and continued on driving like nothing happened. The car soon halted to a stop in front of JFC Arcadia and they were permitted into the command building.
Nimona closed all her screens and stuffed the phone back in her pocket. Climbing out of the car she asked William, “Will I need a badge or something?”
“You’ll need a special pass, I can get you one” William showed his ID card to the sentries at the door who saluted him before he even showed the card. He beckoned the two leaders to follow him inside where a secretary gave them two IDs. William then walked to the CIC where the staff saluted him and the delegates. Marlene joined her fellow officers at a table to the right of them. He gestured for them to sit down in a chair. Inside the CIC, the only things illuminating were the big holo screens broadcasting data.
“Please shut off anything that can record or take pictures, specifically phones.” William turned and stared at the main screen in deep thought.
“Gotcha.” Nimona fiddled with her ID a little, then sat in one of the seats and began to sift through the information all around her. “Hey, quick exception to that, you might want data on the reactor the rebels stole. I have it here.” She held up her phone, which appeared only as a thin sheet of plastic in its dormant state.
“Alright, thank you”
“Let me just…” Nimona trailed off and hit a few glowing screens on her phone. “Here we are.”
With a a swipe of her finger, the schematics to the reactor appeared on the table.
“Here’s what I know. If they steal the fuel and make a bomb of it, it’s 500 kilotons maximum. If they can push the reactor supercritical, however… It’s more like a megaton.”
“That looks like a problem. How will we resolve it?”
“We could send in a black ops team or special ops to take care of the issue…”
“The 25th Alpenjäger Division is currently heading towards the front right now, they specialize in rough terrain” William said. He turned to type something into the display beside him, and a satellite image popped up. He then zoomed in on the wreck of the UNV Polaris.
“If i’m correct, this island is one of the rebel hideouts on the Line.” William pulled up a satellite image from a day before, which showed the fascists coming out of a hidden hangar and loading crates onto the civilian cargo ship identified as the S.S. Kobayashi Maru.
An Island off the Coast of Luzen
At dawn’s first light, the fascists woke to a sound they couldn’t quite place at first. Almost like the buzzing of an insect, but deeper. Though it was faint, it was very slowly increasing in volume. Horror dawned on one of them as he recognized it as the engines of a plane. Looking up, he gave a shout.
A large group of aircraft was flying overhead.
The fascists immediately started preparing and manning their anti-aircraft defenses. By that time, the air was filled with the unmistakeable sound of bombs screaming down to earth…
Coyden, Stratarin
A somewhat young man, dressed in a Strataric general’s uniform, walked into a large office. His face was serious, his back was ramrod straight, and almost imperceptible bags were formed under his eyes.
Approaching the long desk near the back of the room, he snapped to attention. “General Secretary, sir!”
General Secretary Drugov looked up. “Anatoly,” he nodded. “Please,” he gestured to a nearby chair, “sit.”
Anatoly Baryshnikov, Minister of Defense and War, was obliged to do so. After settling, he spoke again.
“I have come to deliver news of the bombing operation I ordered on the Setznan fascists.”
Drugov made an impatient motion with his hand. “Go on.”
Anatoly produced a paper from a pouch. “In the words of one of the pilots,” he cleared his throat, “‘The target was neutralized, as we were ordered to do. I am reasonably positive that there is no longer a fascist presence on the island. Regrettably, we lost quite a few bombers due to anti-air…’”
“Yes, yes,” Drugov cut him off. “They did their job, and killed our enemies. Good.”
“Since we are now in a state of war, I would request permission to lead the Strataric forces in this conflict personally.” Anatoly stood. “I am far more use to this country there than here.”
The General Secretary shook his head. “I need you by my side, Anatoly. Your very presence near me makes me stronger to the minds of my enemies.” He thought for a moment. “Send General Korzhakov. He’s more than competent enough to deal with this… rabble.”
With no further comment, Anatoly gave a slight bow, straightened, and strode away.[edit_reason]Misspellings[/edit_reason]
Executive Building, Tretridia, 9:14 AM PST
Foreign Minister Bartholomew Smith was sitting in his office, thinking on the… complicated relations with a nearby-nation-that-will-not-be-named. His secretary walked into his office and placed a paper on Smith’s desk. He read it. Apparently a nation next to Setzna, Stratarin, had declared war on the UIRF. “Interesting.” He had concerns on how they would affect to important factors in the war: the progress that the flotilla just north of “The Line” had made, and Aelitia’s involvement of the war. He sent a memo to the Defense Minister about what happened, and considered what Tretrid should do next.
Ninth Emberitian Fleet, UNV Virgo, Small unnamed island Near Luzen. 0210 Hours
The Emberitian Patrol Destroyer pulled up alongside a nondescript Setznan fishing ship of similar size.
“Cannons loaded, Commander.” Reported an ensign.
“Target locked!” Called another. The target was the warehouse that reportedly contained the majority of the rebels’ AA-defenses.
“Fire!”
The destroyer’s lone magnetic cannon rang out as it propelled numerous metal projectiles into the structure. After five shots, the building collapsed and exploded.
After twenty minutes of search, however, a search crew could identify no traces any military vehicles had ever been there. The cannon wasn’t that thorough. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the six-person search team watched the deck of the Virgo detonate in a ball of fire.
Setznan Command Center, Arcadia
Nimona’s phone lit up with another report. As she read, her face darkened further.
“Oh no…” She turned around her phone to show to the two other leaders.
“There’s been another attack.”