the Siege part 4
Three more Reviews! Sweet!
PupleKat:Threre this chapter and one more in this story, I've got the strachings of a second story in the continuum, might flesh it out.
Jacey:I dunno anita blake ^^ But I'll take that as a good thing!
Akanekitty:Thanks for the info! I like honest reviews. I use speech-in-text because that's hwo it is in novels. you new paragraph only when there's a change of topic or a new person speaks. I'll try to put spaces in the line text here, but mainyl I'm presenting it as originally written long ago ^^
This is the last 'buildup' chapter, everything's set for the finale, with his exactly 100% action, no, seriously, it's a big pile of action action action, the 15 minute long fight scene at the end of the movie and so on!
* * *
"Alright Jake, can you tell me what just happened?" Chance pulled off his helmet and gloves, setting them on the back of his bike. Jake was doing likewise at his own bike.
"I think we just got unofficial license." Jake scratched the back of his head then winced as his fingers slid over the bruise.
Chance undid his vest and coat, stuffing them into the cargo bins on the back of his bike. He tugged out a civvie shirt and began buttoning it up, "When did we lose the edge exactly?"
"When that Kaque guy showed up." Jake's voice had lost some of its reverence for sheer annoyance,"
Chance let that work through his mind as he changed pants and boots. Reaching for his bike helmet he spoke again, "I have this sinking feeling that pretty soon, all this will seem like peanuts."
Jake's voice was almost lost in the rumble of his bike starting up, "You too huh? Feels like the end of the world or something."
Chance revved his engine two more than needed, wanting some small reassurance to counter the chord Jake's words struck in his gut. Together they kicked their bikes into gear and headed back for the main road and into town.
* * *
Four Days. Four days left until that thing hit the city. Four days and still all they had were leads. Dr. Simmian picked up one of the myriad reports on her desk and tried to read it but after 50+ hours straight without a break her eyes didn't want to focus. All around her the room was the same. A dozen of the best minds in MegaKat City all digging through the data retrieved by Commander Feral. It was some of the most complicated biotech Dr. Simian had ever seen. A far cry from her specialty, she took solace in the fact that none of the pumadyne eggheads could make heads or tails of most of it either. Dropping the report Dr. Simian stood up, wincing at the aches and cramps rippling through her legs from sitting so long. Coffee. She needed more of it and fast. This in mind she began her wandering through the halls of the Pumadyne lab. This place was one hell of a maze, and her wanderings took her into rooms filled with other scientists all working on different aspects of the problem. She finally hunted down a half pot of cold coffee in the Anatomy room. Cradling the icy lifeblood she stared up at one of the big monitors. A rather lifeless looking young tech was going over schematics of the beast's head. Out of that myriad of numbers and words a mile long something caught her eye.
"Hey. Wait. Go back there." She touched the tech on the shoulder to get his attention.
The startled Kat nodded and flipped back slowly through the images.
"Hold it. Alright, zoom in on this part." Dr. Simian made a motion with her arm to the screen and the tech complied, "What's this right here?" Again she gestured and the tech scrunched up his eyes, peering at the spot she indicated.
"That is the opening for the Optical Nerve."
"So, it goes right back into the thing's brain?"
"Yeah. Oh I know what you're thinking. But the opening is too small for an exact penetrating hit. And anything less would probably not take it all out. From what we gathered on the dragon's corpse, if even a bit of the brain is left the thing won't die.
"Still, it's worth giving to the Enforcers." Dr. Simian thought to herself 'and maybe to two other Kats'
The tech nodded and began typing up the report as Dr. Simian stumbled back to her own desk and those blasted reports.
* * *
Two Days left. Feral sifted through equipment lists and organizational reports. The Doc had come up with nothing but an unworkable plan for beating the menace. IT was up to raw firepower to pull it off. A warm touch on the back of his neck came as a surprise, and the gentle massage it gave reminded him of just how tense he was. Leaning back into it Feral was able to keep himself from purring outright, but only just. He inhaled a moment, and caught the scent of his benevolent guest. It caused him to sit up again rather quickly.
"Mrs. Briggs?"
Callie moved around to another chair at the ops table Feral had sprawled his work across. "You look more stiff than usual commander." Callie waved a finger at Feral, but her voice belied the gesture, "And you missed your first lesson."
All of this hit Feral rather quickly, and in his sleep-deprived state he couldn't compensate. His mouth opened, but no words came out, and he was sure the look on his face was similar.
Callie grinned that ...well... catish grin of hers, taking off her glasses and tapping her lips with one end, "Surprised commander? I know I am. You've changed a lot in these last few weeks, and I think I like it."
Feral shook himself mentally, and when his fingers touched one of the reports he said the first thing to come to mind, "You're early for the meeting." 'Alright, that was lame' Feral winced inwardly.
Callie gave him a slightly exasperated look, but there was a good deal of play in her eyes behind it, "Maybe I should leave Commander?" She cooed, standing back up and putting her glasses on, "You'd prefer to be alone?" Callie Turned and headed for the door, her tail twitching in time with each step.
Feral felt a catch in his throat, "Ms. Briggs." He paused and slowed down a little, "it's quite alright for you to stay."
Callie half turned back towards him, "I wouldn't want to be a bother now." Her face was all business except for the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Feral's reply was cut off by a knock on the door, and he thanked the Great Kat, it would have been lame he just knew it, "Come in?" he called out.
Captain Chavez opened the door and both She and Felina entered, "Reporting as ordered Sir." Chavez snapped off a smart salute, and to Feral's surprise, so did Felina. Feral nodded and they entered, taking their seats. Feral caught a glance from Callie that seemed to say 'you got off the hook... this time' he wasn't sure if he should be scared, or eager for the next time. Callie retook her seat and all three She-Kat's looked expectantly to Feral.
Pushing up one of his rolled shirtsleeves back into place Feral stood, "We have one more group coming. But I can outline most of the plan before they arrive." Feral spread out a large map of MegaKat City across the table, pre-marked with his troop assignments. Feral let the two enforcers look it over a moment before speaking, "The scientists were really only able to tell us exactly how impossible our job is going to be. I've called up everything I can from around, and I still don't' know if it's enough. We'll be confronting it in fifty four hours, right here." Feral stabbed at the map indicating where he'd marked the front lines.
Callie was the first to speak up, "Commander, that's inside the city limits."
Feral had been expecting this, "I know Ms. Briggs. But I want every last hour we can get to gather our forces and get them in place. Waiting until the time I've set forth gives us the maximum concentration of firepower, and the best shot at knocking this thing down when it comes."
Callie looked back down at the map a moment, "Is it that bad?" all play from earlier was drained from her voice.
"Worse." Feral admitted, "We've got no guarantees on this one. The evacuations have not been simply routine." Feral pointed to a secondary position on the map, "Captain Chavez, you'll be in Charge of the Artillery." HE moved his finger back to Enforcer HQ, "Felina, you will lead the air wing. Ten Pumadyne Striker Mk.5 attack aircraft will be accidentally sent to us tomorrow, I've got the word of someone I trust on that. Your job is to clear that dragon cover if at all possible."
Felina was looking at Feral is if he had just sprouted a second head.
"Is something the matter Lieutenant?"
"Um.. No sir!" Felina shook herself, "Not at all." Feral heard her murmur under her breath with no small touch of awe, "Mk. 5's..."
Feral continued to lay out troop strengths and assignments, informing Callie of what needed to be done from the civilian end of things which was mainly stay the hell out of the way and pray as much as possible. Just as he was beginning to wrap things up the door opened admitting three Kats. Feral folded his arms as they entered, despite the need, he still didn't like seeing those two in their vigilante garb in his HQ.
"The SWATKats?" The question was almost a chorus from the three females assembled.
"Well, your PR boys are working, eh guys?" The third Kat, Marcus, chucked Razor on the shoulder.
T-bone flopped himself down in a chair, grinning like he'd had a three canary breakfast.
Razor moved to another chair and spoke before sitting, "We got your information Feral, we also brought something else along."
Feral nodded and turned to the three She-Kat's to explain before asking about this new item, "It's that bad." He said by way of explanation. That summed it up well enough for all present. "Felina, the SwatKat's will be attached to your Squadron for this mission, but give them as much free reign as possible for them to use every toy they've got in that plane of theirs."
"Yes Sir." Felina nodded, still casting sidelong glances at the two Kats she'd likely never expected to see in Enforcer HQ.
"Alright SWATKat, what is this thing you've brought along?"
Jake stood up and pointed at the mark on the map for where the monster was to be hit, "We got the information you did about the so called 'weakness' of this beast. We think we have something that can do enough damage to take it out, if we can deliver the explosive on target." Razor pulled a 6" diameter Canister from his belt, "This, is supposed to be the warhead of one of my upgraded mega missiles. It's what we would use. I even constructed a rifle that can fire it off at a range of 300 yds with accuracy. But." Razor actually looked a little sheepish, "We're talking an entry point that's only two inches wider than this shell, and is shielded by many feet of hard flesh. I'm simply not that good a shot."
Feral nodded, no shame in an admission like that, still, he shot a look to Marcus, "Soldier?"
Marcus shrugged and gave Feral a grin, "can't hurt to try."
Little was changed by this new development; Feral wasn't willing to spread out his forces on this mission. Marcus would be hold up in one of the houses along the deployment zone. When the creature got in range he'd take his shot if he could. If it worked great, if not, then things were already set to engage the beast. The rest of the meeting went smoothly enough and all assembled filed out to prepare for their tasks. All that was left was the endgame.
* * *
The air reeked of metal and anticipation as Feral's open topped jeep rolled down the street in the center of the procession. Around him one mechanized battalion of Enforcers. The district of Megakat City they rumbled through was empty save for themselves, and the Artillery Company they'd just past. Feral was sure Captain Chavez would keep the fire fast and furious, but still, this whole operation worried the hell out of him. It was bigger than anything they'd dealt with so far. It was bigger than any military operation any enforcer command had seen in the last decade.
Feral looked over the rooftops of the houses to the south. There, looming up in the distance, now only about a kilometer away was the creature. It looked like a building itself, except for the ponderous motion of it's legs, and the slow swaying of it's head. Overhead Feral could make out the black shapes of the dragons that still protected the monster. He'd seen video before, but now just watching the thing move, he wondered if they really had enough to deal with it. Pushing the fear into a ball in his gut Feral clenched his stomach tight around it. This had to work; his city would not be taken, no matter what the threat. As Feral double-checked every plan in his mind the cavalcade rode on.
* * *
"All systems double checked Lieutenant. You're ready to go."
Felina nodded to the deck officer and strapped her helmet on," All right people, this is the real deal. Keep it tight and defensive. We don't know how well these things perform." With that she trotted out to her flight and the rest of her wing did the same. Felina climbed into the Mk 5's sleek cockpit and took a moment to familiarize herself with its layout. Nor a whole lot different than the usual layout, just a few nuances changed here and there to make things better. The real difference was the lack of a HUD cord. The standard Enforcer jet piped its HUD into the pilot's helmet. The Mk. 5 went one better. Felina buckled on her Oxygen mask and flipped the HUD switch. The canopy of the cockpit went dark black and a sharp hiss signaled the cockpit being flooded with a gas mixture that was effective for it's purpose, but Non-fatal to Kats. The HUD cameras activated form their hidden spots and the flight deck materialized around Felina in perfect detail. Her plane was a transparent outline around her, other than that it seemed visually as if she was floating in the air. Important controls were activated by hand signals from her sensor-lined gloves, and steering was based off the positioning of her right hand in the air, not on a joystick.
Felina moved had hand into position, and fired the engines. Turning her head she looked for the flight controller. At his signal she taxied her plane out. Felina marveled at how easy the control was. The eggheads had worked on finding the most comfortable positions for the pilot to use for the most common maneuvers. She looked out to her right for the signal, when it was given she squeezed her hand close tight and the engines fired hard, pushing the plane down the runway and up into the sky. Felina slid her hand to the right as she took off, climbing into a banking turn, circling to wait for the rest of her wing.
Felina took the opportunity to really see what she could see, which was everything. This HUD system gave her an all around unobstructed view. It was slightly disconcerting to see nothing below her until the street, but she and her wing had all taken the mandatory drug injections before this flight. The drugs countered the body's natural sense of vertigo at least, it was supposed to.
In short order her wing was up and in formation.
"Sweet Jacob this thing handles like a dream."
"Can the chatter Phillips," Felina cut in. "Alright people, we're headed south east, out to five klicks where we'll meet our backup."
"We really working with the SWATKat's Lieutenant?"
"That's an affirmative Tonfeld. As I said before, this is the real deal."
"I bet hell's frozen over right now. That or Feral's been replaced by an Alien."
Felina had to chuckle at that; it did seem such an unlikely set of events, "Roger that Phillips. Feral just had a medical, so the HellKat must be wearing a parka right now." Felina pulled gently out of the holding pattern and her wing followed suit, heading for their rendezvous.
* * *
Marcus Kaque tapped his finger against the huge brass bell hanging in the center of the tower. He ran his fingers over its surface slowly and idly wished he'd learned to read old Katin. A church bell was bound to have something inspiring written on it, and every little bit would help right now. Marcus looked back out one of the four small windows. The thing was still there, still very much real no matter how much he wanted it to just be a bad dream. Marcus went over all the checks on this monstrosity the SWATKat's called a rifle. Firing a 6" canister 300 meters through another 30 meters of flesh and into a foot wide hole. Not what he'd planned his last few weeks in the Enforcers to include. Marcus adjusted the ammo belt around his waist, 6 more canisters if the first missed its mark. Marcus eyed the sky dubiously; it'd been growing darker all morning. Rain was not something they needed today. Marcus checked his watch; another 15 minutes until the operation began. Turning away from the window he crouched beside the bell again and lowered his head silently, every little bit would help.
* * *
Ten Alric A-9 long barrel Howitzers stood lined up neatly in a row. Their crews each prepped and ready. Behind them com-techs and support staff scrambled among the vehicles of the mobile HQ. Captain Chavez kept her hands behind her back so she wouldn't fidget with them. To the south some 1.5 kilometers was a giant beast approaching Megakat City. She and her crew wouldn't even get to see the thing if all went well. For some reason that bugged her to hell and back, an enemy you faced could be defined, limited. Right now she and her company were shooting at each of their worst fears embodied. No enemy can ever be as bad as the ones you imagine in your head. The sound of a vehicle pulling up caught Captain Chavez's attention and she turned from her musings. To her surprise she saw the Deputy mayor getting out of the white compact that had must arrived. Two MPs met Callie but Captain Chavez knew that wouldn't hold her for long. Moving her hands to her sides Chavez made her way towards the scene.
"Deputy Mayor, I'm surprised to see you here. You should be with the other civilians." Chavez started off strong; she didn't have time for this.
"I couldn't just sit by while the city is under attack." Callie wore a pair of faded jeans and a sweatshirt, not wholly practical but better than the skirt and heels he was usually running around in.
"Well, there's not much you can do here but watch Deputy Mayor. We won't even see the beast if all goes well. And there's no way you're getting near the artillery."
Callie looked ready to argue a moment, but closed her mouth again and just nodded, "Is there anything I can do?"
"Stick close to me, or go back to the shelters." Chavez turned and headed to inspect the arty one last time, her watch had 10 minutes until op start. To no surprise she heard Callie fall in beside her.
* * *
"There they are, right on time." T-bone pulls the TurboKat around to a course that took them west northwest. The Enforcer wing turned to match as Razor opened the com, "Hey Felina good to see you in the skies, and with new toys too."
"Hey SWATKats, good to be here," Felina's voice came through the radio, "And these toys'll kick your jet's butt
around the block and back again."
T-bone added in, "Hey, maybe after this is all over we can have a little tousle and see who's boss eh?"
"Roger that SWATKats. I make 5 minutes to attack zero. Entering holding pattern."
T-bone pulled into line behind the Enforcer wing and set to circling with them, waiting for the cue to attack.
Three more Reviews! Sweet!
PupleKat:Threre this chapter and one more in this story, I've got the strachings of a second story in the continuum, might flesh it out.
Jacey:I dunno anita blake ^^ But I'll take that as a good thing!
Akanekitty:Thanks for the info! I like honest reviews. I use speech-in-text because that's hwo it is in novels. you new paragraph only when there's a change of topic or a new person speaks. I'll try to put spaces in the line text here, but mainyl I'm presenting it as originally written long ago ^^
This is the last 'buildup' chapter, everything's set for the finale, with his exactly 100% action, no, seriously, it's a big pile of action action action, the 15 minute long fight scene at the end of the movie and so on!
* * *
"Alright Jake, can you tell me what just happened?" Chance pulled off his helmet and gloves, setting them on the back of his bike. Jake was doing likewise at his own bike.
"I think we just got unofficial license." Jake scratched the back of his head then winced as his fingers slid over the bruise.
Chance undid his vest and coat, stuffing them into the cargo bins on the back of his bike. He tugged out a civvie shirt and began buttoning it up, "When did we lose the edge exactly?"
"When that Kaque guy showed up." Jake's voice had lost some of its reverence for sheer annoyance,"
Chance let that work through his mind as he changed pants and boots. Reaching for his bike helmet he spoke again, "I have this sinking feeling that pretty soon, all this will seem like peanuts."
Jake's voice was almost lost in the rumble of his bike starting up, "You too huh? Feels like the end of the world or something."
Chance revved his engine two more than needed, wanting some small reassurance to counter the chord Jake's words struck in his gut. Together they kicked their bikes into gear and headed back for the main road and into town.
* * *
Four Days. Four days left until that thing hit the city. Four days and still all they had were leads. Dr. Simmian picked up one of the myriad reports on her desk and tried to read it but after 50+ hours straight without a break her eyes didn't want to focus. All around her the room was the same. A dozen of the best minds in MegaKat City all digging through the data retrieved by Commander Feral. It was some of the most complicated biotech Dr. Simian had ever seen. A far cry from her specialty, she took solace in the fact that none of the pumadyne eggheads could make heads or tails of most of it either. Dropping the report Dr. Simian stood up, wincing at the aches and cramps rippling through her legs from sitting so long. Coffee. She needed more of it and fast. This in mind she began her wandering through the halls of the Pumadyne lab. This place was one hell of a maze, and her wanderings took her into rooms filled with other scientists all working on different aspects of the problem. She finally hunted down a half pot of cold coffee in the Anatomy room. Cradling the icy lifeblood she stared up at one of the big monitors. A rather lifeless looking young tech was going over schematics of the beast's head. Out of that myriad of numbers and words a mile long something caught her eye.
"Hey. Wait. Go back there." She touched the tech on the shoulder to get his attention.
The startled Kat nodded and flipped back slowly through the images.
"Hold it. Alright, zoom in on this part." Dr. Simian made a motion with her arm to the screen and the tech complied, "What's this right here?" Again she gestured and the tech scrunched up his eyes, peering at the spot she indicated.
"That is the opening for the Optical Nerve."
"So, it goes right back into the thing's brain?"
"Yeah. Oh I know what you're thinking. But the opening is too small for an exact penetrating hit. And anything less would probably not take it all out. From what we gathered on the dragon's corpse, if even a bit of the brain is left the thing won't die.
"Still, it's worth giving to the Enforcers." Dr. Simian thought to herself 'and maybe to two other Kats'
The tech nodded and began typing up the report as Dr. Simian stumbled back to her own desk and those blasted reports.
* * *
Two Days left. Feral sifted through equipment lists and organizational reports. The Doc had come up with nothing but an unworkable plan for beating the menace. IT was up to raw firepower to pull it off. A warm touch on the back of his neck came as a surprise, and the gentle massage it gave reminded him of just how tense he was. Leaning back into it Feral was able to keep himself from purring outright, but only just. He inhaled a moment, and caught the scent of his benevolent guest. It caused him to sit up again rather quickly.
"Mrs. Briggs?"
Callie moved around to another chair at the ops table Feral had sprawled his work across. "You look more stiff than usual commander." Callie waved a finger at Feral, but her voice belied the gesture, "And you missed your first lesson."
All of this hit Feral rather quickly, and in his sleep-deprived state he couldn't compensate. His mouth opened, but no words came out, and he was sure the look on his face was similar.
Callie grinned that ...well... catish grin of hers, taking off her glasses and tapping her lips with one end, "Surprised commander? I know I am. You've changed a lot in these last few weeks, and I think I like it."
Feral shook himself mentally, and when his fingers touched one of the reports he said the first thing to come to mind, "You're early for the meeting." 'Alright, that was lame' Feral winced inwardly.
Callie gave him a slightly exasperated look, but there was a good deal of play in her eyes behind it, "Maybe I should leave Commander?" She cooed, standing back up and putting her glasses on, "You'd prefer to be alone?" Callie Turned and headed for the door, her tail twitching in time with each step.
Feral felt a catch in his throat, "Ms. Briggs." He paused and slowed down a little, "it's quite alright for you to stay."
Callie half turned back towards him, "I wouldn't want to be a bother now." Her face was all business except for the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Feral's reply was cut off by a knock on the door, and he thanked the Great Kat, it would have been lame he just knew it, "Come in?" he called out.
Captain Chavez opened the door and both She and Felina entered, "Reporting as ordered Sir." Chavez snapped off a smart salute, and to Feral's surprise, so did Felina. Feral nodded and they entered, taking their seats. Feral caught a glance from Callie that seemed to say 'you got off the hook... this time' he wasn't sure if he should be scared, or eager for the next time. Callie retook her seat and all three She-Kat's looked expectantly to Feral.
Pushing up one of his rolled shirtsleeves back into place Feral stood, "We have one more group coming. But I can outline most of the plan before they arrive." Feral spread out a large map of MegaKat City across the table, pre-marked with his troop assignments. Feral let the two enforcers look it over a moment before speaking, "The scientists were really only able to tell us exactly how impossible our job is going to be. I've called up everything I can from around, and I still don't' know if it's enough. We'll be confronting it in fifty four hours, right here." Feral stabbed at the map indicating where he'd marked the front lines.
Callie was the first to speak up, "Commander, that's inside the city limits."
Feral had been expecting this, "I know Ms. Briggs. But I want every last hour we can get to gather our forces and get them in place. Waiting until the time I've set forth gives us the maximum concentration of firepower, and the best shot at knocking this thing down when it comes."
Callie looked back down at the map a moment, "Is it that bad?" all play from earlier was drained from her voice.
"Worse." Feral admitted, "We've got no guarantees on this one. The evacuations have not been simply routine." Feral pointed to a secondary position on the map, "Captain Chavez, you'll be in Charge of the Artillery." HE moved his finger back to Enforcer HQ, "Felina, you will lead the air wing. Ten Pumadyne Striker Mk.5 attack aircraft will be accidentally sent to us tomorrow, I've got the word of someone I trust on that. Your job is to clear that dragon cover if at all possible."
Felina was looking at Feral is if he had just sprouted a second head.
"Is something the matter Lieutenant?"
"Um.. No sir!" Felina shook herself, "Not at all." Feral heard her murmur under her breath with no small touch of awe, "Mk. 5's..."
Feral continued to lay out troop strengths and assignments, informing Callie of what needed to be done from the civilian end of things which was mainly stay the hell out of the way and pray as much as possible. Just as he was beginning to wrap things up the door opened admitting three Kats. Feral folded his arms as they entered, despite the need, he still didn't like seeing those two in their vigilante garb in his HQ.
"The SWATKats?" The question was almost a chorus from the three females assembled.
"Well, your PR boys are working, eh guys?" The third Kat, Marcus, chucked Razor on the shoulder.
T-bone flopped himself down in a chair, grinning like he'd had a three canary breakfast.
Razor moved to another chair and spoke before sitting, "We got your information Feral, we also brought something else along."
Feral nodded and turned to the three She-Kat's to explain before asking about this new item, "It's that bad." He said by way of explanation. That summed it up well enough for all present. "Felina, the SwatKat's will be attached to your Squadron for this mission, but give them as much free reign as possible for them to use every toy they've got in that plane of theirs."
"Yes Sir." Felina nodded, still casting sidelong glances at the two Kats she'd likely never expected to see in Enforcer HQ.
"Alright SWATKat, what is this thing you've brought along?"
Jake stood up and pointed at the mark on the map for where the monster was to be hit, "We got the information you did about the so called 'weakness' of this beast. We think we have something that can do enough damage to take it out, if we can deliver the explosive on target." Razor pulled a 6" diameter Canister from his belt, "This, is supposed to be the warhead of one of my upgraded mega missiles. It's what we would use. I even constructed a rifle that can fire it off at a range of 300 yds with accuracy. But." Razor actually looked a little sheepish, "We're talking an entry point that's only two inches wider than this shell, and is shielded by many feet of hard flesh. I'm simply not that good a shot."
Feral nodded, no shame in an admission like that, still, he shot a look to Marcus, "Soldier?"
Marcus shrugged and gave Feral a grin, "can't hurt to try."
Little was changed by this new development; Feral wasn't willing to spread out his forces on this mission. Marcus would be hold up in one of the houses along the deployment zone. When the creature got in range he'd take his shot if he could. If it worked great, if not, then things were already set to engage the beast. The rest of the meeting went smoothly enough and all assembled filed out to prepare for their tasks. All that was left was the endgame.
* * *
The air reeked of metal and anticipation as Feral's open topped jeep rolled down the street in the center of the procession. Around him one mechanized battalion of Enforcers. The district of Megakat City they rumbled through was empty save for themselves, and the Artillery Company they'd just past. Feral was sure Captain Chavez would keep the fire fast and furious, but still, this whole operation worried the hell out of him. It was bigger than anything they'd dealt with so far. It was bigger than any military operation any enforcer command had seen in the last decade.
Feral looked over the rooftops of the houses to the south. There, looming up in the distance, now only about a kilometer away was the creature. It looked like a building itself, except for the ponderous motion of it's legs, and the slow swaying of it's head. Overhead Feral could make out the black shapes of the dragons that still protected the monster. He'd seen video before, but now just watching the thing move, he wondered if they really had enough to deal with it. Pushing the fear into a ball in his gut Feral clenched his stomach tight around it. This had to work; his city would not be taken, no matter what the threat. As Feral double-checked every plan in his mind the cavalcade rode on.
* * *
"All systems double checked Lieutenant. You're ready to go."
Felina nodded to the deck officer and strapped her helmet on," All right people, this is the real deal. Keep it tight and defensive. We don't know how well these things perform." With that she trotted out to her flight and the rest of her wing did the same. Felina climbed into the Mk 5's sleek cockpit and took a moment to familiarize herself with its layout. Nor a whole lot different than the usual layout, just a few nuances changed here and there to make things better. The real difference was the lack of a HUD cord. The standard Enforcer jet piped its HUD into the pilot's helmet. The Mk. 5 went one better. Felina buckled on her Oxygen mask and flipped the HUD switch. The canopy of the cockpit went dark black and a sharp hiss signaled the cockpit being flooded with a gas mixture that was effective for it's purpose, but Non-fatal to Kats. The HUD cameras activated form their hidden spots and the flight deck materialized around Felina in perfect detail. Her plane was a transparent outline around her, other than that it seemed visually as if she was floating in the air. Important controls were activated by hand signals from her sensor-lined gloves, and steering was based off the positioning of her right hand in the air, not on a joystick.
Felina moved had hand into position, and fired the engines. Turning her head she looked for the flight controller. At his signal she taxied her plane out. Felina marveled at how easy the control was. The eggheads had worked on finding the most comfortable positions for the pilot to use for the most common maneuvers. She looked out to her right for the signal, when it was given she squeezed her hand close tight and the engines fired hard, pushing the plane down the runway and up into the sky. Felina slid her hand to the right as she took off, climbing into a banking turn, circling to wait for the rest of her wing.
Felina took the opportunity to really see what she could see, which was everything. This HUD system gave her an all around unobstructed view. It was slightly disconcerting to see nothing below her until the street, but she and her wing had all taken the mandatory drug injections before this flight. The drugs countered the body's natural sense of vertigo at least, it was supposed to.
In short order her wing was up and in formation.
"Sweet Jacob this thing handles like a dream."
"Can the chatter Phillips," Felina cut in. "Alright people, we're headed south east, out to five klicks where we'll meet our backup."
"We really working with the SWATKat's Lieutenant?"
"That's an affirmative Tonfeld. As I said before, this is the real deal."
"I bet hell's frozen over right now. That or Feral's been replaced by an Alien."
Felina had to chuckle at that; it did seem such an unlikely set of events, "Roger that Phillips. Feral just had a medical, so the HellKat must be wearing a parka right now." Felina pulled gently out of the holding pattern and her wing followed suit, heading for their rendezvous.
* * *
Marcus Kaque tapped his finger against the huge brass bell hanging in the center of the tower. He ran his fingers over its surface slowly and idly wished he'd learned to read old Katin. A church bell was bound to have something inspiring written on it, and every little bit would help right now. Marcus looked back out one of the four small windows. The thing was still there, still very much real no matter how much he wanted it to just be a bad dream. Marcus went over all the checks on this monstrosity the SWATKat's called a rifle. Firing a 6" canister 300 meters through another 30 meters of flesh and into a foot wide hole. Not what he'd planned his last few weeks in the Enforcers to include. Marcus adjusted the ammo belt around his waist, 6 more canisters if the first missed its mark. Marcus eyed the sky dubiously; it'd been growing darker all morning. Rain was not something they needed today. Marcus checked his watch; another 15 minutes until the operation began. Turning away from the window he crouched beside the bell again and lowered his head silently, every little bit would help.
* * *
Ten Alric A-9 long barrel Howitzers stood lined up neatly in a row. Their crews each prepped and ready. Behind them com-techs and support staff scrambled among the vehicles of the mobile HQ. Captain Chavez kept her hands behind her back so she wouldn't fidget with them. To the south some 1.5 kilometers was a giant beast approaching Megakat City. She and her crew wouldn't even get to see the thing if all went well. For some reason that bugged her to hell and back, an enemy you faced could be defined, limited. Right now she and her company were shooting at each of their worst fears embodied. No enemy can ever be as bad as the ones you imagine in your head. The sound of a vehicle pulling up caught Captain Chavez's attention and she turned from her musings. To her surprise she saw the Deputy mayor getting out of the white compact that had must arrived. Two MPs met Callie but Captain Chavez knew that wouldn't hold her for long. Moving her hands to her sides Chavez made her way towards the scene.
"Deputy Mayor, I'm surprised to see you here. You should be with the other civilians." Chavez started off strong; she didn't have time for this.
"I couldn't just sit by while the city is under attack." Callie wore a pair of faded jeans and a sweatshirt, not wholly practical but better than the skirt and heels he was usually running around in.
"Well, there's not much you can do here but watch Deputy Mayor. We won't even see the beast if all goes well. And there's no way you're getting near the artillery."
Callie looked ready to argue a moment, but closed her mouth again and just nodded, "Is there anything I can do?"
"Stick close to me, or go back to the shelters." Chavez turned and headed to inspect the arty one last time, her watch had 10 minutes until op start. To no surprise she heard Callie fall in beside her.
* * *
"There they are, right on time." T-bone pulls the TurboKat around to a course that took them west northwest. The Enforcer wing turned to match as Razor opened the com, "Hey Felina good to see you in the skies, and with new toys too."
"Hey SWATKats, good to be here," Felina's voice came through the radio, "And these toys'll kick your jet's butt
around the block and back again."
T-bone added in, "Hey, maybe after this is all over we can have a little tousle and see who's boss eh?"
"Roger that SWATKats. I make 5 minutes to attack zero. Entering holding pattern."
T-bone pulled into line behind the Enforcer wing and set to circling with them, waiting for the cue to attack.