"…" – Regular Speech

="…"= - Inside Head

{"…"} – Dragonese

["…"] – Translation Collar

*"…"* - Telepathic Speech

#"…"# - Radio/Telephone/PA System Speech

"…" Other Language(Russian, German, French, and ETC)

If you see a mixture of two or more of the above, that means they're using them all at once

Chapter Ten: Operation Northern Star – The Assault on Farum – Task Force Therian and Isotxian POV – Part One

North of Frederikkssund, Zealand – In Route to Blackwater Outpost

7th Independent Mechanized Corps – 132nd Armored Division

September 19th, 2243/2011 – 0243 Hours

Goff's company and their mechanized infantry support advanced slowly up a snow-covered dirt road between two fields as they moved toward the location of the Blackwater Outpost while the dragon riders followed behind them in the air while the Battle for Zealand ranged on in the distance

#"Hey Goff is that the outpost just ahead of us?!"# Hans shouted to Goff over the radio

Goff immediately pulled down her periscope and looked ahead and saw the darkened outpost which was only about two or three miles away from them

"Yeah that's it!" She shouted over the radio, "Let's stop here so our infantry support can disembark."

#"Jawohl!"# Hans replied as Goff changed the frequency on her radio

"All platoons, halt here and form a line facing that outpost, only engage if they start firing!" She shouted, "Infantry, disembark from your transports and stack up on my tanks and keep your field guns in the rear!"

#"Affirmative, all units disembarking from transports now!"# The Second Mechanized Infantry Commander replied as his men and the men of the other mechanized battalion began to disembark from their M113 APCs while their gun crews unlimbered their field guns from their trucks as Goff contacted the Dragon Riders while Goff's tanks formed a line facing the outpost

"Hey do you Vikings up there have a visual on what's going on inside that outpost?!" Goff shouted to them

#"I'm seeing movement, but it's too dark to see anything!"# Hiccup replied

"Roger that, keep your dragons in the back until we start moving forward!" Goff said to him before switching back to the company's main frequency

"Chadaface tanks load smoke shells and get ready to lay a smokescreen in front of that outpost so the infantry can advance!" She shouted while scanning the outpost's perimeter wall for activity with the night vision activated, spotting Blackwater troopers on top of the walls with their weapons pointed in their direction

"They're waiting for us." Goff said to herself

#"All tanks get ready to spray the top of that wall with your machine guns, we need to keep them pinned down for the infantry!"# She shouted as she manned the cupola-mounted 12.7 machine gun via the control console

#"We're ready to roll out Captain!"# The First Mechanized Infantry Commander said to her over the radio

"All tanks report in!" Goff shouted to all tank commanders, who immediately reported in over the radio, "All tanks move forward at slow speed and as I said, keep those mercs on the walls pinned down with your machine guns!"

#"Let's do this!"# Ealar shouted as the tanks moved forward with the infantry moving behind them as they opened fired with their machine guns at the Blackwater troopers on the walls, pinning them down

"You Vikings go do your thing!" Goff shouted to the Dragon Riders over the radio

#"Our pleasure!"# Hiccup asked before they flew over the line of tanks toward the outpost, attacking it from the air

"Chadafaces! Fire your smoke shells after we cross the road ahead of us!" Goff shouted to the crews of the Chadaface tanks

#"Yes Captain!"# A Chadaface Commander responded

#"Goff after we cross the road, anybody with a RPG on those walls will be able to fire down at us!"# Hans shouted

"Shit you're right!" Goff shouted as she contacted the dragon riders

"Keep an eye out for RPGs on those walls!" She shouted to them over the radio

#"We're on it!"# Astrid replied

"All tanks activate your active protection systems just in case they start throwing RPGs at us if you haven't already!" Goff shouted as they started to cross the road which was when the Chadafaces fired their smoke shells, creating a smoke screen

"Ealar! Run over that fucking gate!" Goff shouted to Ealar

"Yes ma'am!" He replied as he accelerated toward the front gate of the outpost, crushing it beneath their tracks and allowing the infantry to storm into the outpost

"Doctor Ripper is in the house you mercenary schweinehunde!" Gustav shouted as he fired a HEAT shell from the main gun into the building directly in front of them as Han's Ripper rolled into the outpost followed by Douard's as the field guns zeroed in on the wall and started pounding it with high-explosive shells

"Sweep through these buildings and clear them out!" An Isotxian Officer shouted as the Isotxian Soldiers started to storm the buildings of the outposts and clearing them out

#"Any sign of that armor?"# Hans shouted

"None so far!" Goff shouted as the dragon riders dealt with the last of the Blackwater troopers on the walls

#"Armory secured!#" An Isotxian Officer shouted

#"Mess hall secured!"# A Second Officer replied

#"Barracks clear!"# A Third Officer shouted

#"Infirmary is ours over!"# A Fourth Officer replied

#"Walls are clear!"# Hiccup shouted

#"Tank bunkers secured, all enemy combat vehicles are combat ineffective!"# A Fifth Officer shouted

#"All buildings have been secured and hostiles neutralized, any prisoners are to be taken to the mess hall, wounded ones to the infirmary!"# The First Mechanized Infantry Commander replied

"Roger that, I'll report to General Schnitter that this outpost is no longer a threat." Goff said as the dragon riders landed in front of them, "Casualties?"

#"None have been report, but your men did well Captain."# The First Mechanized Infantry Commander replied

#"Just another day in the office."# Hans said

"So that was…quicker than I expected." Heather said

"It wouldn't have been if their armor hadn't been fried by that EMP attack, but most of our battles usually don't last too long." Astrid replied as they watched an Isotxian Soldier lower the outpost's Blackwater flag

"So what do we now?" Heather asked

"I guess we stay here and wait for the main advance to start moving, because it's going to come right past this place which is probably why Erwin wanted it gone." Astrid said as Goff unbuttoned her hatch and lifted herself up

"You guys did great up there!" Goff shouted to them

"All we did was make it easier for you to get your job done." Hiccup replied, "Did anybody get hurt?"

"Everybody is reporting no casualties." Goff said, "We're going to be holding here until the advance starts moving."

"So I guess those the all-mighty Ripper tanks I've been hearing about?" Heather asked

"Yep." Goff said, "After the upgrades that the Americans gave us, we can now reliably cap any tank that Blackwater, Drago, or Rome have in their arsenals from four miles away even while moving."

"Do the engines still break down every few hours?" Hiccup asked

"Nope, the Americans gave us new ethanol engines that they specifically designed for the Ripper, so no breakdowns at all now." Goff replied

"So when is the advance going to start?" Heather asked

Goff shrugged

"Whenever they get everything together over there." She said

Frederikkssund

Coalition Forward Operating Base(FOB); Task Force Therian

Barnes, Catherine, Karlson, Reaper, Titov, Sévern, Stoick, and Zephaniah watched as the dropship carrying Erwin, Holland, Margaret, and Spiros was guided down to a landing pad by a APMSF stormtrooper using marshalling wands, it's turbofan engines kicking up a cloud of loose snow and other debris around it as touched down on the pad

"God those things really kick a lot of shit!" Titov shouted as, Sévern, Stoick, and Zephaniah shielded their faces from the flying debris with their arms as the dropship's crew chief opened the left side door for Erwin and the others to disembark

{"Mom! Dad!"} Margaret shouted as she dashed to her parents while the dropship lifted off behind them and headed back to the Jonah which was now hovering over Frederikkssund with the rest of the 8th Air Fleet

{"Marge!"} Catherine replied as she and Reaper hugged Margaret with their wings as Erwin, Holland, and Spiros approached them and the others

{"Erwin, good to see you again."} Barnes said to Erwin, who nodded as Catherine and Reaper released Margaret

Erwin nodded

"Good to see you all again as well, although I wished it was under better circumstances." He said to him and the others before he turned to Holland and Spiros, "I would like to introduce you all to Air Admiral Holland and General Spiros."

["Welcome to the Second Gene Corp War."] Barnes replied

["Any word about that outpost the Resistance told us about?"] Karlson asked them

"It's been taken care of." Erwin replied, "But now that's it out of the way, it's time to start phase two of our part of this grand crusade."

"All my airships are accounted for and all our ground forces have been deployed, so we're ready to go when you guys are." Holland said to them

["We're still deploying the last of our ground forces, but it shouldn't take much longer."] Reaper replied

"We can't afford to waste any time, we need to reach Hafnia before Drago and Martin Henderson can rally their forces on the mainland for a counter-attack." Erwin said

["Why don't you guys go ahead and start the advance then? Our ground forces will catch up after they're ready."] Reaper replied

"I would rather have yours' and Zephaniah's stormtroopers spearheading our assault when we reach Farum, but we don't have any choice, we got to keep to the timetable." Erwin said

["I think we'll be caught up with your forces by the time you reach Farum."] Karlson replied

Erwin nodded

["Me and my guys can do just fine without our ground support anyway, we've done it in the past and I don't see how this is any different."] Barnes said to him

"Very well, we'll give the order for our forces to begin their advance." Erwin replied, "We'll see near or in Farum…if not beyond it."

"Why did our dropship leave us?" Spiros asked Holland

"They had to refuel." He replied

"Margaret you coming back with us?" Erwin asked Margaret

{"I think I'll be going with my brother and his guys to support the advance and you're going to need eyes and ears down here."} She replied

Erwin nodded

{"Come on Margaret, we got work to go."} Barnes said to Margaret before they took off toward Frederikkssund while Sévern, Titov, Stoick, and Zephaniah dispersed to attend to their duties

{"Surprised you're not in your dragon form."} Reaper said to Erwin

"My job calls for me to be in my human form." He replied

{"I do just fine in my dragon form."} Reaper said, {"But then again, you're commanding a somewhat larger force than the 1st Legion."}

"So how's Calvin and Emily? Margaret told me that Emily gave birth last night." Erwin asked Karlson

{"They were doing fine, but then all this came up out of the blue.} He replied, {"Chadaface could've given us much more warning."}

Erwin froze as he remembered what Chadaface told him, Holland, and Spiros about the presence of Eastern Imperial special forces in Scandinavia

{"You wouldn't know anything would you?"} Reaper asked him

Erwin sighed

{"It's the Eastern Empire isn't it?"} Reaper asked him and Erwin nodded

"The USRF recorded footage of Drago and Martin talking to a man who has been identified as Teppo Suomi, an officer of the Eastern Imperial Special Forces, but we don't know the extent of the Eastern Empire's presence in Scandinavia." Erwin replied

{"I guess it was inevitable that they were going to get involved in this shitfest somehow."} Karlson said, {"So who is this 'Teppo Suomi' anyway?"}

"He's the commander of the 15th Special Operations Division and he is responsible for planning and putting in motion some of the most destructive covert operations that the Eastern Empire has committed against the Federal Republic." Holland replied, correctly guessing what Karlson had asked, "His presence here states to me that the Eastern Empire is here helping Drago not because they want him to win the war, but because they have to help him to get access to any advanced tech he has under his thumb as well as denying us access to it and by us, I mean the Special Projects Division."

["Should the Coalition be worried about this?"] Karlson asked them

"I suspect that they'll try to avoid large-scale confrontations with your forces, but will engage if it is necessary or you give them a good reason to attack." Erwin replied

["Well in order for any of the Coalition nations to even consider the possibility to go to war, there is going to need to be a serious open attack on our forces by Eastern Imperial forces or solid proof that they're planning or even dedicated in a large-scale intervention."] Reaper said, ["But until then we'll keep our eyes out for them, but thanks for the heads up."]

The dropship returned from the Jonah after being completely refueled and landed back on the pad

"Make sure Margaret stays safe out there." Erwin said

["She's our daughter just as much as she's your wife as well as Barnes' sister, so I'm sure he'll keep her more than safe."] Reaper replied

"I'll hold you to that." Erwin said under his breath as he, Holland, and Spiros boarded the dropship which then took off

{"That's a disturbing a revelation."} Catherine said

{"We knew this was coming in one way or another."} Reaper replied

{"So what's our next move?"} Karlson asked

{"We'll worry about that after this operation is completed."} Reaper replied, {"We need to hurry up and get our men ready to move because as my son-in-law said, we can't afford to waste time because it's only a matter of time until Drago and Martin launch a counter-attack against Jayden and the USRF in Hafnia."}

Meanwhile, Barnes and Margaret arrived at Frederikkssund's Market where the rest of the post-humans were already preparing to fly out

{"You guys about ready to fly?!"} Barnes shouted

{"Just about Barnes, we're just waiting for Wensky and his unit to get back from cleaning out the trash in the southern end of the village."} Jones, a British Deadly Nadder replied, {"And I see you got your sister with you now."}

{"Yeah, she's down here to be her husband's eyes and ears on the battlefield as he's unable to be down here himself."} Barnes said

{"I see you guys have a lot of new faces now."} Margaret said to them

{"Yeah we get new volunteers from almost every conversion camp that's liberated."} Barnes replied, {"The newest bunch is with Pentrov and Task Force Nautilus."}

{"Any defectors?"} Margaret asked

{"A few of them as well as we try to take other post-humans prisoner whenever we can."} Barnes replied

{"So I guess you abandoned the whole 'extreme prejudice' thing?"} Margaret asked and Barnes nodded as he watched Wensky and his men return from the southern side of Frederikkssund

{"I think we got all of them in the south side of town."} Wensky said to Barnes, {"Oh Margaret! I thought you were your mother when I saw you at first."}

{"I can understand."} Margaret replied

{"Are you and your guys ready to go?"} Barnes asked Wensky

{"Affirmative."} He replied

{"Then let's get going then."} Barnes said

["All units, we're flying out!"] He shouted into his translation collar's radio before he took off followed by Margaret and the others

{"So where's the dragon riders?"} Margaret asked Barnes when she realized that the dragon riders were not present

{"They went with the units that Erwin sent to clear out that outpost and I guess they're still up there waiting for us."} He replied

{"So how's Sam?"} Margaret asked

{"Ask her yourself."} Barnes replied as Samantha joined them

{"Hi Margaret, heard you were here."} She said to Margaret, {"How's things with Erwin?"}

{"Great, he spends whatever time with me that he can."} She replied, {"The other day he almost jumped out of his trousers when a printer starting going."}

{"You've been trying to get him used to computers I guess?"} Samantha asked her

{"Yeah, he knows how to turn one on and do basic tasks with it, we were focusing on teaching how to word processors and emails."} She replied, {"Have you guys heard anything about his brothers and sister?"}

{"None at all."} Samantha said to her

Margaret sighed

{"You can tell it's really getting to him not being around them all the time."} She said, {"And to tell you the truth, I actually kind of liked talking to Julie."}

{"I guess that's what happens when you're somebody all the time like they were."} Samantha replied as she looked at Barnes, {"My biological parents died when I was a little and then to add insult to injury my adopted parents were killed in a terrorist attack when I was in high school."}

Barnes hummed sadly

{"How tragic."} Margaret said

{"Yeah it was, but I recovered."} Samantha replied, {"Joining the APM is what really helped, it put more structure back into my life and gave me something to do rather than sulk."}

{"Yeah and it also led to us meeting each other."} Barnes said to her

{"Yeah that too."} She replied with a smile, {"Oh those were the times although I never knew we were going to end up like this."}

{"Worst things could've happened."} Barnes said to her

I think being turned into a dragon against your will is one of the worst things that could happen."} Margaret replied

{"Actually I think what happened to Calvin and Emily was worst, it's likely that they're never going to fully recover from that."} Barnes said, {"You can still see anger in Calvin's eyes when people bring up Casca around him."}

{"It isn't just Calvin, it's his dad as well."} Samantha replied

{"Calvin's is hell a lot more obvious."} Barnes said, {"Speaking about Calvin, I wonder what's he doing right now?"}

USAS Bradley - Recreation Room

Calvin, Echo Squad, and Valka were sitting around a TV with other APM personnel as they watched a live report by field reporter, Penny Holcomb of the National American News Network(NANN), a government-sponsored news broadcaster about the raging Battle for Funen

#"The scene here in the Kattegat is nothing less than astounding as Isotxian warships and airships continue their bombardment of enemy positions on the shoreline!"# Penny shouted as footage of numerous warships of the Isotxian invasion fleet in the Kattegat continuously fired their main and secondary batteries at Funen's northern shoreline, #"According to Isotxian sources, there is also intense fighting underway in Northern Zealand as Isotxian landing forces storm coastal towns and villages under the cover of the intense fire being brought down on the island by the invasion fleet, we have also received reports of fighting in and around Hafnia, the largest city on the Baltic Strait Islands where it is rumored that Task Force Therian and another new Coalition task force are participating in a joint operation with the ISDF to liberate the city although these are of yet to be confirmed by official Isotxian or Coalition sources!"#

#"There are additional reports of a third Isotxian force landing near the city of Asloa on the Scandinavian mainland with 3rd Stormtrooper Legion indicating that securing the Baltic Strait Islands are not the only objectives that the Isotxians are pursuing with this invasion, which is the largest combat operation to have been launched by one of the major warring powers since Coalition forces made landfall in Europe earlier this year!"# Penny continued as more footage of fighting between Isotxian, Blackwater, and Drago Loyalists was shown

#"Are there any major Coalition ground forces involved in this operation?"# NANN Anchorman, Matthew Barlow asked Penny from off-screen

#"Outside of reported APMSF deployments, no! Although we have seen other Coalition warships constantly transitioning into the Kattegat and launching cruise missiles and airstrikes against targets deep inland!"# She replied

"Reported deployments my ass, we're as deep in the shit as you can get." Jordan said before he shushed by the others except for Calvin, who was quiet

#"What is the weather out there like Penny?"# Barlow asked off-screen

#"The skies are cloudy, but we have good visibility on the ground with low average temperature of 25° degrees!"# Penny replied, #"But this does not seem to be slowing down this offensive as the Isotxians seemed determined to take control of the islands!"#

#"How long will it be until we can get a full-scope on the extent of this operation?"# Barlow asked from off-screen

#"It is unclear at this time Matt!"# Penny replied, #"We are actually still trying to secure transportation to take us to the fighting on Funen!"#

The camera switched to Penny, who was standing on the flight deck of an Isotxian aircraft carrier with her back facing toward Funen which was now clearly visible due to the constant naval and aerial bombardment just as two Russian fighter jets flew overheard toward the island

#"Penny if I understand correctly, this isn't the first time you've been embedded with the Isotxians am I right?"# Barlow asked Penny

#"No Matt it isn't, four months ago I was embedded with the 19th German Rifles Division during the Battle of Hammonia where they and ten other Isotxian divisions faced stiff and fanatical resistance as they tried to force deeply entrenched East Roman soldiers from their positions east of the city for twelve weeks before finally achieving their objectives which showed to me that the Isotxians are people who will not back down even when facing enemies such as the East Romans."# Penny replied, #"And I doubt they will not make an exception for Drago Bludvist's forces."#

"Hammonia, I heard that was tough fight for them." Ronnie said

#"Have you had any contact with high-ranking Isotxian Officers?"# Barlow asked Penny off-screen

#"No, Isotxian High Command has ordered that any high-ranking officers to avoid interaction with Coalition Verse media in fear that sensitive strategic and tactical information could be leaked!"# She replied

#"I see."# Barlow replied, obviously disappointed, #"But I do guess that it is completely possible that we have less than friendly viewers watching this broadcast."#

Calvin jumped when Katrina gently punched his arm

"How you doing, you've been awfully quiet." She said to him

"I just don't have anything to talk about." He replied

"Missing Emily?" Valka asked him

"Of course I am; it was too soon for me to pulled away from her like this." He replied, "Well at least I know she's safe."

"I'm sure she's doing fine Calvin and she's with your sister, who's also a relatively new mother herself, so she's in good company." Katrina said to him

"I would rather be in her company myself." He replied, "You know I'm actually hope they deploy me so I can at least say to Emily that they didn't drag me out here for nothing."

"They didn't drag you out for nothing Calvin, you're the back-up plan if shit starts to get a bit too hairy for them to handle on their own." Don said to him, "And just because they're doing fine now doesn't mean shit can still hit the fan like it did when we first ran into Drago Bludvist at the prison."

Calvin sighed

"Just relax Calv, if they need us they'll call us on the comms." Jordan said to him, "Plus I think Emily would rather you not be deployed at all so you can come home to her safely."

Captured Blackwater Outpost – Barracks

7th Independent Mechanized Corps - 132nd Armored Division

Hiccup, Astrid, Heather, other dragon riders, and the Isotxian Soldiers were inside the barracks as they helped themselves to the personal possessions of the barrack's former inhabitant

"What's this?" Heather asked as she picked up an electronic device from a foot locker she broke into with her axe

"That's a MP3 player, might as well throw it well because the EMP bricked it." Hiccup replied

"Bricked it?" Heather asked him

"It means it no longer works, unless the that foot locket protected it somehow." He replied, "Try holding down the button on the top right, if it works it'll turn it on."

"What the hell are these?!" Snotlout shouted as he pulled out a pair of identical objects that made noises when he moved them around from the footlocker he was searching through

"Oh! Oh! I've seen those before, they're some kind of instrument!" Ruffnut shouted, "You play them by shaking! I can't remember what they're called!"

"They're called maracas!" An Isotxian Soldier replied, "I guess even mercs need something to entertain themselves when they're not being paid to kill people."

"Oh." Ruffnut said, "Let me have them!"

"No I found them first!" Snotlout replied as Heather held the power button for the MP3 player, which did come on

"Hey it works!" She said to Hiccup

"Huh…" He replied before he lightly kicked the footlocker with his metal foot, "Oh that explains it, this locker is made out of copper, EMPs can't penetrate copper as easily!"

"Oh." Heather said as the MP3 player asked her for a password, "Now what is it doing?"

"It's asking you for a password, which only the guy who owns it knows." Astrid replied, "But we know a few guys in the 1st Legion who can help you get around it."

Heather nodded and put the MP3 Player away into her sack and then continued to rummage through the other contents of the footlocker, finding an Isotxian HG11

An old, but battle proven sidearm, the Handgun Model 1911 or HG11 was a semi-automatic pistol that utilized the relatively hard-hitting .45 ACP round that was first introduced in 1911 to replace the numerous models of revolvers that were being used by the North Isotxian Military and became the influence for all future and present Isotxian and even Eastern Imperial, handguns. However, the HG11 was officially supposed to be in the process of being phased in favor of the newer HG76 which utilized the smaller 9x19mm Parabellum round that lacked the higher hitting power of the .45 ACP which was why many veteran Isotxian soldiers were refusing to replace their HG11s with it.

"An HG11, been wanting to get my hand on one of these." She said as she checked the breech to make sure that it wasn't loaded before aiming it at the wall in front of her as she checked the sights as an Isotxian Officer came into barracks

"All of you report back to your NCOs, we're getting ready to move out!" He shouted to the Isotxian Soldiers, who quickly grabbed their weapons and ran out

"That means we need to start moving too." Hiccup replied, "Come on guys."

Heather and the other dragon riders followed Hiccup back to their dragons, who had blasted their way into the freezer of the mess hall and were helping themselves to some of the meats that were stored inside

"Oh my gods." Astrid said as she looked overhead as the entirety of the 5th Airship Fleet was flying over them in battle formation

"The others are starting main push is starting." Heather said as they mounted their dragons just as Task Force Therian flew over them

["Well back to the club."] Barnes said to them after had joined him

"Wait a second…where the rest of the Task Force?" Hiccup asked when he realized that it was only them and the Isotxians moving out from Frederikkssund

["They're still getting ready to roll out and Erwin decided to start pushing toward Farum!"] Barnes replied

"So are we going to be doing?" Heather asked

["Up ahead in Farum near a Blackwater air base is a battery of short-ranged anti-airship artillery guns which Admiral Hollands wants us to take out before his fleet gets there."] Barnes replied, ["Along with that, we're also to support the advance."]

Heather nodded

"I know about those guns, Ake tried to have them destroyed, but the raiding party he sent was wiped out." She said

["Then we'll be finishing what they started."] Barnes replied

"I also know that airbase you're talking is very heavily defended, they had tanks and everything there, but I don't know how much of that is still working because they kept most of it in bunkers." Heather said

["Well depending on how those bunkers were built, if they're deep enough or had the proper protection the EMP would've done jack shit to the stuff they had inside it."] Barnes replied, ["Thanks for the heads up."]

"Glad to be of help." Heather said, "And there's a few fortified positions along the highway between here and Farum which we're going have to clear out."

["Drago Loyalists or Blackwater?"] Barnes asked her

"Mostly loyalists, but some of those positions are also fortified against dragon attacks as well, so expect things like net and bolas launchers along with grappling chains." She replied

["Don't worry about us, we know how to deal with dragon traps just fine."] Barnes said, ["In fact armor we wear has been upgraded with protection against them in mind."]

As Barnes and Heather were talking, Windshear looked over at Margaret

{"Who are you lighting breather?"} Windshear asked her

{"I'm Margaret, I'm his sister."} She replied as she motioned up to Barnes, {"I know we don't look related, but it's true."}

{"I believe, I've seen your mother and father."} Windshear said, {"Were you born a lighting breather?"}

{"No…believe it or not, I'm just his 'genetic' sister as some are putting it now meaning I was the sister of the Barnes who lived in my dimension. "} Margaret replied

{"What happened to your world's version of the general?"} Windshear asked

{"He died along with my world's version of my dad and his world our mom died before I could be born."} Margaret replied

{"I'm sure that's awkward for you both, to be related, but not knowing each other."} Windshear said

{"Well I know Barnes just fine, he's basically the same person as the one in my world besides being married and a Night Fury but he doesn't know me very well…at least not yet."} Margaret replied

{"You have memories of him that he doesn't."} Windshear said

{"Yes."} Margaret replied

{"What about your father?"} Windshear asked

{"He's the same way and you can tell that he and my mom have the same problems particularly when she brings a idea that makes him a bit squeamish."} Margaret replied

{"And what's that?"} Windshear asked

*"She's been trying to convince him to get her pregnant."* Margaret replied

{"And how does that make him squeamish, having more offspring means he's a better chance of having his bloodline continuing onto the next generation."} Windshear said

*"His world's version of my mom was shot and killed shortly after Barnes was born and I think he might be afraid of that happening again."* Margaret replied, *"Just don't tell anyone I said that though because he has eyes and ears everywhere."*

Windshear nodded

{"Do you have a mate?"} She asked

{"Yes, he's an Isotxian, General Schnitter, I'm sure you've at least heard of him by now."} Margaret replied

{"Yes I've heard the others' riders speaking about him with my rider."} Windshear said to her, {"You have offspring?"}

{"No…we're both holding off on that until this war ends."} Margaret said

{"And you and your parents the only lighting breathers?"} Windshear asked her

{"No, there's seven others including my husband."} She replied

{"What about the other six?"} Windshear asked

{"Our lead doctor, Ward and Aberly Dreher, the other four are still just babies that the former adopted."} Margaret replied

{"So including you and your parents, there are a total of ten lighting breathers in your clan?"} Windshear asked her surprised

{"Yeah."} She replied, {"You say that like there's something wrong that."}

{"Well it's extremely unusual for lighting breathers to form or join clans with each other or to willingly coexist with others of our kind as they prefer to live in complete solitude."} Windshear replied

{"Oh…"} Margaret said, {"What about Night Furies?"}

{"All I know about the blue flame breathers is limited to the legends of the old times when their kind were plentiful and prosperous, but those times were long ago before humans started to settle these lands."} Windshear replied

{"Oh."} Margaret said, {"What happened to them?"}

{"Like with many species of our kind, they fell victim to the rapid expansion of the humans as they tried to defend their territories and mating grounds from being destroyed by human settlements."} Windshear replied, {"And this talk is making me sound like a humanphobe."}

{"Yeah it kind of is."} Margaret said

{"Well I'm not because the fact that your Coalition is even just partly fighting for the survival of our kind has given me and numerous others of our kind hope that we can co-exist with the humans even if to achieve that requires that the few bad humans are removed."} Windshear said

{"Well that's why we're here aren't we?"} Margaret asked her

{"Yes…yes it is and it's an honor to be fighting alongside your clan in this struggle."} She replied

["Look alive people, we're approaching an enemy position!"] Barnes shouted as two squadrons of Isotxian Air Marine Chadaface tanks and a battalion of mechanized infantry broke off from the main Isotxian advance and headed toward the Drago Loyalist Outpost, which had already spotted them and was on full alert

[#"Incoming nets and bolas!"#] A Post-Human shouted

["Split into two groups! One group attack the right flank, the other attacks the left!"] Barnes replied as they maneuvered to avoid the incoming bolas and nets that were being fired by the position's defenders as the Task Force split into two groups which moved in to attack the Northern and Southern ends of the camp, prioritizing the anti-dragon weapons while one of the Chadaface squadrons began to fire at the fortified from long range with their 105mm guns as the other the Chadaface squadron followed the mechanized infantry as they closed the distance between them and the camp in their M113 APCs before dismounting and assaulting the camp on foot as the Chadafaces provided direct fire support as four Air Navy dropships deployed Air Marines directly into the center of the outpost by fast-roping them in

[{"Windshear! Heather! Watch out!"}] Margaret shouted as she threw herself in front of Windshear so an incoming pair of bolas struck her shield and bounced off rather than hitting Windshear and Heather

"Whoa! What was that?!" Heather asked

["Energy shield, comes built in with the armor."] Margaret replied before she lighting blasted the bolas launcher

{"Thank you Margaret."} Windshear said to her

Margaret nodded as Heather watched Barnes and Samantha work together to destroy a grappling chain launcher as a post-human Zippleback bit her own tails as she breathed out a large amount of gas before ignited and rolling across the ground, knocking out numerous Drago Loyalists and Dragon Hunters as another group of Isotxian tanks and mechanized infantry attacked the outpost from the West

[#"We got a few trucks trying to convoy out of the camp through the North entrance!"#] A Post-Human shouted

#"We've got them!"# Hiccup replied as he and Toothless lead the other dragon riders after the trucks while Heather and Windhsear flew alongside

"Okay girl you know what to do!" Heather shouted to Windshear, who shot some of her metallic spines at the wheels of the rear truck in the convoy, hitting and busting them, causing the truck's driver to lose control and drive off the road and into a ditch on the side of the road as Meatlug lava blasted the second truck in the convoy, knocking it on its side which caused the third truck to crash into it while Toothless plasma blasted the first truck, destroying it completely

"All trucks destroyed!" Astrid shouted

[#"See what they were carrying!"#] Barnes replied as Windshear and Heather landed near the last truck, immediately pulling out her SMG as she approached the wrecked truck, first looking into the driver's cab where the driver was stuck

"Windshear watch him for me!" Heather shouted to Windshear, who kept guard over the truck's driver as Heather went around the truck to see what was being carried in the back, finding a bunch of broken wooden crates and smashed glass containers

"What the?" Heather asked as she climbed onto the back of the truck and picked up one of the few intact bottles which was labeled "Concentrated Dragon Root" as Hiccup and Toothless landed outside

"What did you find?" He asked her after he dismounted from Toothless and climbed into the truck

"This, says it's concentrated dragon root." She replied as she gave the bottle to Hiccup

"Dragon Hunters put this stuff on their arrows and in tranquilizer darts, overwhelms a dragon's senses causing it to lose control." He said as Astrid came over after searching the third truck

"All these trucks were carrying bottles of concentrated dragon root." She said to them

"We know." Hiccup replied as he contacted Barnes on his comms

"Barnes, these trucks were carrying bottles of concentrated dragon root." He said

[#"Roger that, you know what to do Hiccup."#] Barnes replied

Hiccup nodded as Heather followed him out of the truck before heading to Toothless and taking an incendiary grenade out of one of the satchels he had on Toothless' saddle and then taking out another two and giving them to Astrid

"You know what to do Astrid." Hiccup said to Astrid before she ran back to the third truck and second trucks

"So you're going to destroy it?" Heather asked him and he nodded

"We can't just leave it here for somebody to find." He replied as he pulled the pin out of the incendiary grenade before throwing it into the truck with the concentrated dragon root where it detonated and burned while Astrid and Snotlout did the same with the third and second trucks

"Time to get out of here." Hiccup shouted

"Why didn't you just have your dragons burn it?" Heather asked

"Dragons only have a limited amount of shots, so we use those grenades to conserve those." Hiccup replied

"Oh." Heather said as they regrouped with the other dragon riders and their dragons before taking off and joining the rest of the Task Force as they regrouped after clearing out the outpost while Isotxian Air Marines armed with flamethrowers incinerated what was left of the camp's concentrated dragon root supply

["Are we all here?"] Barnes asked

["Think so."] Wensky replied

["Then let's move out!"] Barnes replied before they started to fly northward as the main Isotxian force continued its advance

"So how often do you guys do that?" Heather asked

"Destroying stuff like that? Very often unfortunately because they just keep making more of it." Astrid replied, "It's not just limited to stuff like that either, we also have to destroy any dragon traps or anti-dragon weapons we come across as well."

"Why bother if they just keep making it then?" Heather asked

["Well think about it this way Heather, building that stuff requires resources and so does building tanks and guns, so if we keep destroying that stuff Drago has to keep his resources split between building new traps and building weapons for his armies."] Barnes replied

"That makes sense…I guess." Heather said

"Plus destroying it removes the risk that another group of dragon trappers or hunters can through, take it, and smuggle it back to Drago." Hiccup said

"Oh." Heather replied

["So how far is the next outpost?"] Barnes asked her

"There's one more between us and Farum, but if you guys do what you did back there, you'll clear it out in no time." She replied, "You know I actually used to be afraid of those dragon hunter types, but after that I realize that they're just as human as we are."

["Well some of us are admittedly a bit less human, but I get the point."] Barnes replied, ["But yeah we eat dragon trappers and hunters for breakfast…figuratively."]

Heather laughed

"I knew what you meant." She said

"Well those trappers and hunters aren't used to fighting dragons like you either." Astrid said to Barnes, "They are getting…'better'."

"What do you mean, you all kicked their butts back there!" Heather asked her

["Some of the more notorious trappers and hunters are starting to learn ways to get past our shields and armor."] Barnes replied

"And how's that?" Heather asked

["If you get close enough to one us with a big enough war hammer, our shield's aren't going to do shit to stop you from hitting him or her on the head and knocking them out cold."] Barnes replied, ["That has happened a few times, but so far we've been lucky not to lose somebody like that, but if the shields take a big enough hit they'll go down and have to recharge leaving us temporarily vulnerable to nets and bolas."]

"Any notable dragon hunters that know this?" Heather asked

["Yes, the Grimborn brothers, Viggo and Ryker, real nasty piece of works they are."] Barnes replied, ["But thankfully we only ran into them once two months ago when we attacked a large dragon trapper stronghold where they are their men ambushed a squad of our guys that had landed to save the dragons they had in their holding cells and did exactly what we talked about, rushed them and got past their shields and knocked them out with war hammers and luckily for those guys, a squad of stormtroopers repelled in after them which prevented the Grimborns from dragging them off."]

"Have any of your guys been captured?" Heather asked

["So far no and I wish to keep it that way defiantly with what Drago has been doing to some of the post-humans under his control"] Barnes replied

"I don't even what to know what he does to them if how he treats normal people is anything to go off of." Heather said

["I'd rather leave it at that too."] Barnes replied

"I wonder how Jayden and his guys are doing in Hafnia?" Hiccup asked

["Hopefully just as good we are."] Barnes replied

A Few Miles North

132nd Armored Division – 7th Independent Mechanized Corps

Goff's Company was moving east on a snow-covered country road as part of the screening force protecting the northern flank of the main advance force as Goff scanned the surrounding terrain with her periscope on the lookout for enemies

"The guy head of us is kicking so much snow in my face I can't see what's in front us!" Ealar shouted to Goff

"You're doing fine Ealar, just maintain your current speed and heading!" She replied, "I'll tell you when that needs to change!"

Ealar sighed audibly

#"Captain it's too quiet out here for my liking."# Douard said to Goff

"I've noticed that too Douard, but stay vigilante though when or where don't when any of them can pop up." She replied as she used the periscope to look down at the Isotxian Soldiers who were marching alongside her company on both sides of the road as well as with the two other armored companies that were rolling through the fields on both sides of the road with

#"Maybe they saw us coming and ran for the hills?"# Hans asked her

"Keep your mouth shut Hans." She replied

#"Heads up, we got a group of civvies heading in the opposite direction on the right side of the road!"# A Isotxian Tank Commander shouted over the radio

"Roger that, keep an eye on them with the coaxial just in case there's any wolves among the sheep." Goff replied

#"Affirmative."# The Tank Commander said as Goff placed her hands on the controls for her machine gun as she carefully watched the civilians on the side, but realized they were all women and children along with a few elderly some of which appeared to be injured making Goff grab the transmitter for her radio to contact the leader of the infantry walking alongside the tanks

"Lieutenant, get those civvies some medical attention and try to get them all a ride back to Frederikkssund." Goff said, "It's not good for them to be walking out here in these temperatures."

#"Yes Captain."# The Isotxian Officer replied before he ordered two of his medics to treat the injured civilians before using his radio to request transport for them

"Trying to win over the hearts and minds of the populace frau Captain?" Gustav asked Goff

"Well we can't just leave them out here with a battle going on and who knows what will happen to them if some of Drago's boys found them out here like that." She replied

"If you say so." Jory replied as the tank companies rolled while in the distance Goff spotted flames rising from a besieged dragon trapper fort as it was attacked by the post-human dragons

="Go get them scalies."= She thought to herself as she watched a Night Fury plasma blast something inside the camp

#"We got movement in the tree line to our direct east!" A Tank Commander shouted over the radio before a high velocity shell shot out from the said tree line and stuck a Yarden tank, destroying it

#"Contact! Contact! We got hostiles in that tree line, all units engage at will!"# The Tank Commander shouted

"Shit" Goff said quietly to herself as she turned her periscope in the direction of the tree line as two platoons of well camouflaged Drago Loyalist T-62s emerged from it followed by several battalions of Drago Loyalists and Blackwater troopers

#"Dear Isotx they must have an entire division hidden in that forest!"# An Isotxian Tank Commander replied

#"Just shut up and blow up those tanks!"# A Second Tank Commander shouted as the tanks in front of Goff's moved out of the way

"Jory load armor-piercing! Gustav, target the lead T-62!" Goff shouted to Jory, who immediately pulled an armor-piercing shell from the ammunition stowage compartment and started loading it into the breech as Gustav lined up the 140mm gun onto the target

"Shell loaded!" Jory shouted

"FIRE!" Goff screamed

"Away!" Gustav responded as he fired the main gun with the recoil ejecting the empty shell casing from the gun and onto the floor of the crew compartment as the SABOT flew through the air toward the target, striking it head on and penetrating through the turret near the gun mantle, destroying the T-62

"Hit! Enemy tank destroyed!" Goff shouted as she watched the T-62 start to burn before moving onto the next target, "Target the T-62 at ninety degrees, fifty meters! Load SABOT!"

"Loading AP!" Jory shouted as he grabbed another AP shell from the ammunition storage as Gustav lined the gun up on the new target before a shell from one of the T-62s struck their Ripper's turret, but harmlessly bounced off

"We're hit! But no damage to major systems!" Goff shouted as Jory loaded the second AP shell into the breech

"Shell ready!" He shouted

"Fire!" Goff shouted

"Away!" Gustav replied as he fired the main gun at the second T-62, striking it in the lower upper glacis, destroying it

"Hit! Second enemy tank destroyed!" Goff shouted as the other T-62s were destroyed or disabled by the other Isotxian tanks leaving the enemy infantry without their support

#"All enemy tanks destroyed, but enemy infantry still active on the field, so start lighting those fuckers up!"# An Isotxian Tank Commander shouted

"Loader load HEAT, gunner target the largest group of enemy infantry you can find!" Goff shouted as Jory grabbed a HEAT shell from the ammo stowage as Gustav found a target and lined the main gun up with it while Goff fired her machine gun at them

"For the Republic!" An Isotxian Soldier shouted

"Target in sight!" Gustav shouted to Goff

"Fire!" She replied

"Away!" Gustav shouted as he fired the main gun for a third time, this time at a group of enemy infantry who were taking cover in a bomb crater, taking them all out

"Enemy infantry destroyed! Load another HEAT shell and find a new target!" Goff shouted as Jory pulled a second HEAT shell from the ammo stowage and loaded it into the main gun just as a post-human Zippleback flew over the enemy infantry and dropped a cloud of green gas on top of them which either the firing of their guns or the incoming fire of the Isotxians ignited, causing an explosion that wiped them out

#"All units hold your fire!"# An Isotxian Tank Commander shouted as the Isotxian soldiers rushed forward to secure any survivors

Goff slouched back in her chair and sighed

"Why does that always happens to us?" Gustav asked

"Because we're always the ones leading an attack." Goff replied

#"All units hold position until further orders!"# An Isotxian Officer said over the radio

"Well that resolves that." Gustav said

"Just shut up." Goff said

Overhead

IAS Jonah – Operations Center; 8th Airship Fleet

Erwin and Spiros were monitoring the progress of their forces on the map table

"We're making good time; we should be inside of Farum proper in an hour or so with if this level of enemy resistance keeps up." Spiros said

"Do we have any eyes on Farum?" Erwin asked him

"Not yet, but I've seen a scouting party that way, so we'll have some soon, but Holland will refuse to bring this fleet anywhere near that town until those anti-airship guns at the airbase there are knocked out." He replied

"I know." Erwin said, "My brother-in-law and his men will be taking care of those for us."

Both men looked up as Holland walked into the Operations Center

"How goes the ground assault?" He asked them

"We're on schedule, but the Coalition ground forces are still missing from the party." Spiros replied, "But the post-humans are doing a great job helping our forces clear the way to Farum."

"Any word on this anti-airship guns?" Holland asked them, "I refuse to bring my fleet anywhere near Farum until they are knocked out."

"We know that Admiral and we're working on it." Erwin replied

"Maybe you should contact your wife and see if she can get her brother and his guys on it?" Spiros asked him

"I think they wouldn't like that General." Erwin replied

"Might be worth the try." Spiros said to him

Erwin sighed

"Get me a radio." He said to them

The Outskirts of Farum – 15 Miles Northeast of Hafnia

Task Force Therian

0334 Hours

Margaret had just finished lighting blasting a grappling chain launcher when Erwin contacted her through her translation collar's radio

#"Margaret, it's Erwin, Holland and Spiros are really starting to dig in on me about those anti-airship guns at the airbase in Farum."#

["Well Erwin we're kind of busy clearing out this Blackwater Outpost."] Margaret replied

#"I know that…"# Erwin said, "But Holland is refusing to bring his airship fleet anywhere close to Farum before those guns are knocked out."#

["I'll talk to Barnes about it after we're done here."] Margaret replied

#"Okay, sorry about this."# Erwin said to her

Margaret sighed, but laughed

="This is what I get for marrying a general."= She thought to herself before she lighting blasted a ZPU, ="But I love him."=

["Barnes! After this is over we need to have a talk!"] Margaret shouted to Barnes

["Okay!"] He replied before he plasma blasted a second ZPU as the dragon riders worked together to tip over a radar dish onto the Blackwater troopers on the ground below forcing them to scatter to get out of the way

"I've always wanted to do that!" Ruffnut shouted

"No I've always wanted to do that!" Tuffnut shouted

["Now is not the time for that you two!"] Wensky shouted to the Thornstons as he flew past them

{"Agreed!"} Barf and Belch both shouted as they took fire from a Blackwater Trooper before they flew off as Heather ordered Windshear to fire blast a Blackwater sniper who was inside one of the outpost guard towers

"That's for everybody that one of your fellow snipers killed mercenary scum!" Heather shouted as Isotxian Air Marines stormed the buildings of the outpost one by one

[#"Okay I think that's it for this place!"#] Wensky shouted

["Everybody regroup!"] Barnes shouted as Margaret flew over to him

{"So what did you want to talk about?"} He asked her

{"It's about those anti-airship guns, apparently the Admiral and General Spiros are putting pressure on Erwin to get those guns knocked out so their airships can fly over the town."} She replied

Barnes sighed

{"I really don't like being rushed, but yeah I agree with Erwin, those AAS guns need to go before the main force reaches Farum."} He said

["Everybody listen up!"] Barnes shouted into his translation collar's radio, ["We're heading ahead to Farum to destroy that anti-airship guns so those airships can fly over that town without having to get shot at by them!"]

{"He could've just contacted me himself."} He said to Margaret

{"I know, but he might not know your frequency."} She replied

{"It's still the same."} Barnes said to her

{"I guess he didn't want to bother you then."} She replied

Barnes grunted

{"Well we head out as soon as everybody regroups."} He said