The primary base had existed on Xiatus Three for years as an outpost of the UED. On the edge of Terran space, much of the rest of the planet was unexplored. The purpose of the base was to monitor the system and detect any invasion attempts of the core Terran worlds. The base was built on a hill and the defenses were quite strong. Multiple missile turrets lined the edges of the hill and tanks set to siege mode overlooked the valley below. Bunkers spread out at equally spaced intervals provided additional defense. The bunkers generally were manned only by marines equipped with U-238 shells. Being on the hill firebats were of little use inside the bunkers unless the base was actually invaded, and the idea of the defenses was to keep that from happening. Ghosts patrolled the grounds on foot, ready to lock-down any attacking ship.
The supply of minerals was quite large, and since there had been no major attack against the base the amount of minerals and gas needed was low. After the base had been built not much more construction was needed. The primary command center was in a prominent position in the center with a comsat station linked to it. There were two more at the base, one with another scanner and the third with a nuclear silo, although no one though that the nuke would ever be needed. The production capabilities of the base, which included two barracks, two factories and three starports, could create a sizeable task force in a relatively small amount of time. There were two science facilities, one with a covert ops and the other with a physics lab, to allow battlecruisers and ghosts to be produced at the same time. Two armories had been built to upgrade weapons and armor faster but now both sat idle, although they were still needed so that the factories could build goliaths. With their charon booster missile upgrades, goliaths were an important part of the base's anti-air defense.
"Teal three-seven, you are cleared for departure," the control tower radioed to Captain Blythe, who was preparing for one of many routine air patrol missions around the vicinity of the base. To be able to know in advance of any potential attack, the area surrounding the base was watched regularly. Since they didn't expect any attack, the patrols were usually kept to just two wraiths. If they were suddenly overwhelmed, they could always quick cloak and high tail it back to base, where the attackers would likely be pulverized by the barrage of bullets and missiles. Blythe's mission this time was to head northeast up to the lake, then follow the river west until reaching the mud fields, and return on a southeast heading across the patch of raised jungle and back to the high dirt and grass formation upon which the base had been built.
"Roger tower." Teal three-seven, accompanied by his wingman teal three-eight, fired up their engines and left the vicinity of starport two. Blythe looked down and saw a bengalaas roaming freely around the open grass. He felt similarly free when flying his wraith. He was free to move about as he chose, unbounded by the terrain features.
"There's Yubichu Lake," he said to his wingman. There was a small grove of trees and bushes growing along its banks.
"It's things like that that keep me from getting bored on these missions," Captain Keets answered. "When we're out here it's almost like being a part of the jungle. It's rather peaceful."
"It is." The two fighters came left and followed their course along the river. Even the river itself seemed almost alive, for its direction and width were not the same at any two points along it, at least for as much of it that had been explored.
They came to the point where the river flowed around a field of mud and rocky dirt. There was little vegetation here and although the Terrans mostly kept to the base it was believed that from this point the river continued on into a desert region of the planet where it probably eventually dried up. The rock formations in the area were almost artistic, as if someone had arranged them into and abstract but almost beautiful array.
"Well, another run and nothing new to see," Keets commented.
"Did you expect anything?" Blythe asked.
"No, not really."
"For me it's not so much about the missions anymore. They're always the same. It's just about the flight and getting to enjoy a setting that most have to vacation to see."
"Yeah, that's a good way to look at it."
The two fighters turned again and assumed a heading back to base, leaving the seemingly empty jungle until the next patrol. Of course they missed the two eyes that were watching them from a small hole dug into the ground.