0500.Hours SD 3-07-10105/05
Arrakis
25 kilometers outside of A17…
The early morning of Arrakis. Many call it peaceful. Others tranquil. It was all these things, plus more.
Except when a couple of military transports shatter the sky while cruising at near 650 km/hr toward the Harkonnen stronghold of A17, bearing the military insignia of the Ordos, and masked by white-noise generation devices…
"This is Alpha 4. Calling Delta 7."
"Delta 7 here." "Plot course 562 mark 3 and flush all missile tubes on my signal. Prep lasguns for optimal range. We'll be going in on vector 749 mark 4. Set speed to maximal." "Acknowledged, Alpha 4. Course set, missiles locked, lasguns on optimal. Ready on your mark." "Vector in, in 3…2…1… Engage Assault Drives, 100% military power! Organize to engage anti-shield emitters!"
Inside the Harkonnen complex at A17…
"Umm, sir?" Lieutenant Chaku hated these night watches. There was no point to them. You would just sit around all night while listening to the babble of technicians. "There's an unregistered blip on my grid. It seems to be one of ours, (the Ordos had equipped the assault craft with stolen Harkonnen signal emitters) but it's going to overfly the commander's quarters." "What? Let me contact them."
"zzzz…..bzzttt……..zzt-chkt..This is base…zzt..chkkt…you do know whose…zzt..quarters you're about to overfly, don't you..zzzzz.zzz…….zzt……bzz…zt-*click*" "Sir, it seems we're getting a transmission from 'home base'," the comm. officer snickered. "Continue with flight plan. Ignore all transmissions from them." Korba replied.
"What the h&(( is going on? Why haven't they responded?" Chaku was getting nervous. The base commander might blame his lack of sleep on him, so he was starting to sweat. "Sir, the flight of craft have just flown into the base perimeters, and…" the technician looked again, this time with disbelief written all over his face. "They're Firing On Us!!!!!"
But, by the time anyone had fully understood the situation, the first 5 salvoes had taken out all short range base defenses, and by the time the people had gotten to battle stations, missile salvoes 6 thru 15 were in final acquisition…