Author Note: Chapter 3, and we finally get some military action! It's Max vs. Shade...brute force against stealth and smarts! Who will win? You decide!
Shade: This isn't Big Brother UK, you know.
...Shut up.
Disclaimer: Advance Wars, Advance Wars 2, and their content are copyright Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. Red Mesa and its CO's are mine...my own....myyyyy precciousssss....
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Advance Wars: Red Mesa – Chapter 3: Red Dawn.
By CO Shade.
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Location: Heaven's Eye Conference Building, Heaven's Eye Island.
Time: 1400 Hours OS Time.
All of Cosmo Land's CO's were assembled in a room on the top floor of the Heaven's Eye building, sat around a large semicircular table. Yellow Comet had arrived first: in the case of Sonja, the previous day. Kanbei and Sensei had arrived early in the morning, with Sensei nodding off to sleep on the flight and nearly getting left behind. Next was Orange Star, with Max, Nell, Sami and Andy, the last reading a book on mechanics as he came in, and as he was not looking where he was going, smacked into a wall. To everyone else's surprise, Orange Star's President, Robert Shawnson, was with them. Green Earth was after them, Eagle and Drake arguing loudly about what transport they used to get to the island, with Jess ignoring them. Maybe it was the earplugs that let her manage that amazing feat. Blue Moon was last, and Olaf was complaining about Grit's laziness, which was probably why they were late. Was everyone was present, Sonja walked up to the podium on a stage opposite to the table. "Everyone's here, then," She said, counting off the CO's on a list. She switched on the microphone on the podium. "I suppose you're all wondering why I've called you here," She began. "Well, a few days ago my recon team in Orange Star's Lynx Desert picked up weird EM signals. I talked to Nell to get advice, and she said to keep investigating." At this, Nell nodded. Sonja picked up a remote from the podium. "There was nothing else for a few days, and then - this." She pressed a button on the remote, and stepped off the stage as a large video screen slid down from the ceiling. She pressed the 'play' button, and the screen played a recording of the red jets as they rippled out of nowhere and scattered. The screen slid back up into the ceiling and Sonja stepped up behind the podium again.
There was a silence in the room. Everyone was staring at Sonja, who put down the remote and continued. "Those jets were red, as you saw, and they are unlike any of Cosmo Land's countries. It's logical to assume that this is a new country we're dealing with." Andy had put down his book, and looked confused. Nothing unusual there. "How did they just appear like that?" He asked. "I think - or, to be more precise, my team and I think this is some kind of invisibility technology, seeing as they scattered and retreated as soon as they appeared. But that's not all we've got. We also intercepted a transmission soon after." She pushed another button on the remote, and a recording started to play. A male voice said, "Swift. you were seen. What happened?" A female voice replied. "We flew straight into residual charges left by the initial shrouding surge," She said. "Our shrouds deactivated." There was a clicking of what sounded like computer keys in the background. "Dammit," muttered the male. "I'm running a search for all possible defects in the shrouders. Knowing Sonja, she'll call a conference, so I don't want any more shrouds failing...tell Cougar and Diesel to meet me in the C&C room. You come too." There was a silence, and the female finally said "Shade, is this transmission secure?" There was another silence, and then the male gasped. "End transmission. Now." He said, his voice sharp. The recording ended.
Sonja looked at the other CO's, and finally said "Whoever these people are, they pose a possible threat to us. What is our course of action?" President Shawnson broke the silence. "Orange Star are to retake that land. That is our land, and they are...trespassing." A look of realisation appeared on Olaf's face, hen suddenly disappeared. Then he smiled. "If you want, we'll offer assistance," he said. The President nodded. "Any help would be appreciated." Eagle spoke up. "This new country doesn't pose a threat to us, so we'll be taking our leave." Kanbei got up from his seat. "This country does not threaten Yellow Comet either, so we'll be leaving too. Come Sonja!" The conference broke up as he various countries left, leaving Olaf, Grit and Colin behind. "Say Boss, why'd ya want ta help Orange Star anyways? They can this on their own," Grit said. Olaf grinned evilly. "AS soon as Orange Star has taken care of this new country, I'll seize the land for Blue Moon!" Olaf strode out laughing. Grit turned to Colin. "I think ol' Frosty
has gone to far this time," he said. "Colin, keep an eye on 'im for me. If he does take that land, tell the other countries right away. he's gone and gotten land mania again..." Colin saluted him. " Yes, Sir!" He said as they both walked out after the laughing Olaf.
Location: Command and Communications Room, Red Mesa HQ, Red Mesa.
Time: 0800 Hours OS Time, the next day.
Shade was watching and waiting, waiting for the inevitable to happen. He already knew of the Co Conference, and had reasoned, quite shrewdly, that Orange Star would invade to retake their land. It was that, or he had developed advances paranoia. He constantly cycled through all of the external surveillance cameras, determined to find an Orange Star attack before they reached the mesas. Swift came in, yawning slightly, and stopped when she saw Shade. "Shade, how long have you been here?" She asked softly. Shade didn't turn his eyes from the screen, but replied "Roughly four hours. I'm getting paranoid about a surprise Orange Star attack." Swift walked over and sat down on a chair next to him, and hung her head. "Shade, I'm sorry. I blew completely for us. I've taken your only driving force - your only purpose in life away from you." Shade looked at her. "Sarah, don't bother apologising, we can't avoid the inevitable. They were going to find us sooner or later." Swift nodded sadly, and when she spoke, her voice was shaking. "But what if the other countries ally with them? We'll be crushed!" She started to cry silently. "And it'll all be my fault..." She buried her face in her arms, crying. Shade sighed and put a comforting arm around her. "It won't come to that, Sarah," He said soothingly. "And if somehow it does, at least we'll die fighting. We will never give up, and we will give them hell. And I have another purpose in life." Swift looked up at him, still crying. "What?" She said, voice shaky. "To-"
Shade was cut off as an alarm came from the computer he was using. He whirled around to look at it. "Orange Star," He said. "So it's begun..." He looked at the advancing orange units. "Go and assemble a small attack force," he said to Swift. "I'll show them that size and power is no guarantee of victory." Swift nodded and sprinted out of them room. Shade smirked as he rose from his chair and left the room. "Whatever the outcome, I'll make sure tomorrow is a red dawn..."
Location: Border of the Lynx Desert, Orange Star.
Time: 1200 Hours OS Time.
Nell sighed sadly as she sat down next to Sami. Orange Star had advanced to the border of the Lynx Desert, set up a HQ, and taken control of some bases and cities. They were poised to attack this new country, and all they had to do now was wait. Hell looked at the other Orange Star CO's. Sami was gazing sadly out of the window, and Andy and Max were having a staring contest, Max's face a grimace as his eyes began to sting. "What's the matter?" She asked Sami. "It's this new country," She said, still looking out the window. "Even though it's our land, they're not being aggressive. And if it comes to war, we'll still be killing innocent people..." Nell nodded. "I wish we could just negotiate..." Unexpectedly, Andy gave a surprised yell and dashed to the computers behind Max. "We've got hostiles!" He said. The other CO's ran to join him and saw a line of red dots on the screen. "They're setting up a HQ..." Said Nell. "And they're taking cities and bases," said Max. "Shall I command?" Nell nodded. "If we have to fight, the it's yours, Max." A beeping came from Andy's computer. "Incoming transmission," Said Andy, pressing buttons.
Shade appeared on the main comm screen. wearing his red-tinted shades and black, red-rimmed trench coat. "You!" Said Nell. Shade smiled coldly, switching to his 'evil genius' persona. "It's nice to se you in person Nell." He said. Max stepped up to the screen. "Who are you, and what country are you from?" He asked Shade, who folded his arms. "Commanding Officer Shade of Red Mesa," Shade drawled. "You're Max of Orange Star. Your strength is your direct combat, your weakness you indirect. Both your CO Powers bolster your direct units' attack power and movement range." Max blinked, stunned that this new CO knew so much about him. Shade smirked and continued. "I will warn you now: when you fight me, expect the unexpected. I will be able to pull your strings and make you walk right into my traps. Goodbye." And with that warning, Shade disappeared from the screen. Nell was the first to speak after a long silence. "Max, do me a favour and beat him into the ground, will you?" Max nodded grumpily. "He's going down..." He grumbled.
Battle 1: Red Dawn.
CO's: Shade (RM) vs. Max (OS).
Special Conditions: Fog of War.
Location: Border of Lynx Desert, Orange Star.
Time: 1300 Hours OS Time.
After Shade's foreboding warning, Max had acted very cautiously and moved his column of tanks and artillery from forest to forest, anticipating a sneak attack. As he passed through a narrow rocky pass between the HQ's he started to get really worried. In front of his units was a shimmering heat haze, rippling and warping the air. Shade then appeared on Orange Star's comm screen again, and said "I've seen you've found my shrouded units. Good luck trying to beat them unless I want you to." He disappeared from the screen, and a line of red Mid. Tanks rippled into view out of thin air, and started to rip apart Max's startled forces. "It's that invisibility Sonja talked about!" Sami yelled as nearly all of Max's column was destroyed, and the rest pulled back.
Shade had made a good start on the opening day of the battle, but in the next two days Max launched a major offensive, his forces rolling out of the bases he had captured. He used what was left of his artillery to get a rough idea where Shade's units were, and then sending his tanks into the area, taking little losses. Shade defended nonstop for the next two days, even living through a Max Force by sheer luck (Max's powered-up tanks rolled right into a decoy force of recons).
The two forces were at a stalemate, both vying for control of the rocky pass, their lines never moving by more than a few feet. Shade had had enough, and turned to Swift, who was sitting next to him. "Is the Viper Team ready?" Swift nodded. The Viper Team was Red Mesa's Special Forces, highly trained in all forms of combat. "They're in the APC and ready to roll." Shade smiled coldly. "Good. It's time we ended this. My CO Power is charged...but that won't be enough. I need my Super." Swift watched as he ordered his forces to pull back slightly, baiting Max's juggernaut of tanks. "What are you planning?" She asked. "I'm luring them out of two day's worth movement range of their HQ, but I need to take damage to get my Super Power." He said, smirking as Max fell for his plan. An understanding smile appeared on Swift's face. "I get you loud and clear." She said.
Day 8 of the battle, and Shade was taking heavy damage from Max's forces, as he sneaked the Viper Team in their APC round the pass. He left the APC right next to the Orange Star HQ, and was poised to take out Orange Star in one brutal move. As Shade's decoy force took more and more damage, Shade felt his CO Power level rising more and more, his skin tingling from it's effect. His Super was fully charged, and he sighed. Shade didn't want to do this, but... he reappeared on the Orange Star HQ's comm screen. "I've been leading you along all this time Max! EMP STRIKE!" The Orange Star CO's watched in awe, and Shade watched with grim satisfaction, as a sphere of glowing electrical energy exploded out from the centre of the battlefield. A shocked Max watched as his units were completely disabled, while Shade's units were unaffected. Shade leant forward in his chair. "That's EMP Strike, my Super Power," he said. " Now watch as I end all this so quickly you'll be amazed."
The Red Mesa APC full of Viper Team members, stormed the HQ and seized it before Max could reach it with his forces. The Orange Star CO's, the HQ's staff and techs were all taken prisoner after Max's forces surrendered, and were held in the HQ until Shade, accompanied by the other Red Mesa CO's arrived. As Shade walked into their holding cell, Sami looked up and said "How did you do that? We were stormed before we could react!" Shade took off his shades and put them in his pocket, and sat down opposite from the CO's. "Quite simple really. I knew that Max would be too much to handle at this early stage, so I used my forces as a decoy as I sent my Viper Team in a APC round that rocky pass. I deliberately took enough damage to use my Super Power, and you can guess the rest." Nell glared at Shade. "Who are these people then?" She asked Shade, gesturing to the other Red Mesa CO's. "This is Swift," Shade said, pointing at her. "This is Cougar, and that is Diesel," He continued, pointing to the other two in turn. He turned to the soldiers guarding the cell. "Let them go."
The Orange Star CO's were shocked. "You're just letting us go?" Said Andy. Shade smiled slightly. "You're good commanders, but you just didn't know what to expect. I'm sure we'll meet again though..." Shade and the other CO's left, taking their forces back to Red Mesa with them. Nell, Max, Sami and Andy boarded a T Copter left for them, discussing their course of action, as they were flew back to Orange Star. Shade, Swift, Cougar and Diesel were greeted to a raucous party in the Red Mesa C&C room as they came back. Cougar and Diesel started a conga line, but Shade and Swift sat down next to each other. "What do you think they'll do now?" Swift asked, looking at Shade's preoccupied face. Shade was silent. "They'll try again, I'm sure of it," He muttered. "We won't last long if Deck 16 doesn't get the Heavy Tank finished. And what are Lambada Zone doing? We need the final parts and reactors for the Red Zephyr before we can get it in the air." Swift nodded, looking around at the partying soldiers, officers, and Diesel and Cougar, who was having an arm wrestling contest with a tech. And losing. Badly. "Deck 16 will have the Heavy Tank ready for probably the third battle with Orange Star, maybe sooner. And Lambada Zone are currently ironing out the flaws in the Event Horizon." Shade sighed. "So the Red Zephyr won't be finished anytime soon." Swift shook her head, and Shade sighed again. "I'm going to bed. Catch ya later." Shade said his goodbyes to the partiers and headed off to his quarters, while Swift walked off to hers. Let's just hope we can get through this alive, she thought.
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End of Chapter 3
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Author Note: Third Chapter, and a victory for Red Mesa!
Shade: W00T! PARTAY!
Shade, go throw a party somewhere else, will ya?
Shade: It's not a party, it's a PARTAY!
Whatever. Go and 'partay' somewhere else.
Shade: *Grumbles and walks off*
Now that he's gone...in Chapter 4, Black Hole start to ready their forces for the impending invasion, and Cougar takes on Sami in a heated battle for a vital property!