08:59:14, en route to the Space Station's Command Center, Logan remembers the assault plan from the briefing. While equipping and preparing his M249 Para at the same time.
Nightfall: We'll strike two targets at the same time. A joint Task Force Stalker-Space Delta 9 assault team has launched and is now heading for the LOKI Control Station. Their mission is to breach its security and turn the Kinetic Rod Delivery System against its maker. The same thing they did to us, I like it. To make their approach possible, we have to destroy the control satellite's early warning array on the ground: the Latin American Federation Space Station itself. Stalker, Mako, Grizzly and 2nd Ranger Battalion will seize the Command Center, launch an ICBM on the AO and bug out to join the rest of the ground forces in the front lines. Rorke could be in the area, but this takes priority. Pretty much the only thing I can agree with Merrick on. Hopefully Hesh agrees as well. The 1st Armored Division will punch through the Fed's defenses. Grateful that they chose to take the most intense resistance of the entire war just to give us an opening. We succeed, and our boarding party in space will have a fighting chance.
What Logan does not know is that Viking Team 6 will be riding in on an Abrams-X main battle tank and joining the 1st Armored Division in the ground assault because of the shortage of qualified tankers. With Taylor driving, Wilson on the 30mm chain gun and smoke launcher controls and Larson manning the 120mm cannon.
Johns and Davis are inside as well. But they are just along for the ride until the ground defenses have been neutralized and they get dropped off to join the rest of the 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment in capturing the Command Center.
As of now, they are waiting to parachute out of their transport from C-17 Globemaster III Valkyrie Squadron 1. Going with them is the tank squad they belong in: Badger Company 1, led by tank callsign: Badger, accompanied by Bobcat, Buckwild, Blue Misty and Big Sparks.
--
Severed Ties
July 5th, 2044 - 08:59:00
SSG. Larson Tendo Molina/Tank Callsign: Blade
2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment, 1st Armored Division
Atacama Desert, Chile
--
Valkyrie 1-1 Jumpmaster: Parachutes ready!
Valkyrie 1-1 Crew Chief: Tanks prepped! Clear the area for armor drop!
Valkyrie 1-1 Captain: All tank crews prepare for drop in one minute. Papa Gator, this is Valkyrie 1-1. We're entering heavy anti-air traffic three clicks from the drop zone, over.
Papa Gator: Do not deviate from your course. We need those tanks on point. Papa Gator, out.
Valkyrie 1-1 Captain: Affirmative, out.
Larson: We got the green light. Prep all systems now.
Wilson: Weapon and smoke systems coming online.
Taylor: Propulsion systems and GPS are online. Always wanted to ride into battle with this baby.
Larson, Wilson, Taylor, Davis and Johns fist-bump*
Larson: (off comms) Just like in training, my brethren. (on comms) Badger 2, prepped and ready.
Badger: Badger 1, prepped and ready.
Then the aircraft starts taking heavy fighter jet fire, which forces the Valkyrie 1-1 crew to make the hard decision of deploying Blade and Badger 500 yards further away from the designated drop zone. The Jumpmaster may have gotten sucked out and killed because of it, but he succeeded in releasing the tanks before the worst could happen.
Valkyrie 1-1 Jumpmaster: Hang on! I'm releasing the tanks!
cargo bay door opens*
Wilson: Deploying chutes.
Taylor: Shiiit!
Larson: You did it, Jumpmaster. You did it.
Wilson: Detaching chutes.
Larson: Badger 2 is Oscar Mike.
Badger: Badger 1 is on the ground.
It turns out the rest of the Abrams-Xs had to be dropped off at the same spot.
Bobcat: Badger 3, on the move.
Buckwild: Badger 4, Oscar Mike.
Blue Misty: Badger 5, touchdown.
Big Sparks: Badger 6 has touched down.
Badger: Badger 1 to Papa Gator, we missed the drop zone by 500 yards. Awaiting orders, over.
Papa Gator: Understood, Badger 1. Bravo Company is pinned down half a click north of your position. Move in and support before pushing to the Space Station, over.
Badger: Roger, Papa Gator. Badger Company is moving to assist, over.
Bravo 1: We're under heavy fire, Papa Gator!
Papa Gator: Hold tight, Badger Company is moving in.
Before Badger Company 1 can help the task forces take the Space Station, they have to help M1A2 Abrams Bravo Company 1 in taking the Radar Field first.
Badger: We have a visual on you, Bravo. Coming in from your 1 o'clock, so watch your fire.
Bravo 1: Welcome to the party.
Badger: You can buy us a drink later. Let's push 'em back.
Larson: Fed T-90Ms ahead. On the way!
cannon fire*
Larson: Sabot loaded.
Taylor: We got Superhinds closing in.
Wilson: I'll shoot 'em down, keep us moving.
automatic cannon fire*
Papa Gator: Badger, Bravo, you have enemy helos inbound, over!
Badger: Enemy attack choppers moving in. Switch to the auto cannon and thermals.
Bobcat: Lay down some smoke and stay mobile.
Wilson: Popping smoke!
smoke launcher fire*
Larson: Switching to thermals. Firing!
cannon fire*
Larson: Sabot ready.
While cleaning up the Radar Field, the crew of Blade follow their training with Larson dealing with enemy T-90Ms, Wilson shooting down Mi-24 Superhind Mk.IIIs and Taylor keeping the tank moving. After claiming three tanks and two choppers, they get the order from Badger to advance to the Space Station.
Larson: Salvo incoming!
Badger: Push forward! Push forward!
explosions*
Bobcat: Gotta be from M880 Armored Missile Launchers! From the station!
Buckwild: Then let's overrun them!
Big Sparks: There's the airstrip, or space strip!
Blue Misty: Punch through the wall and clear this place out!
Badger: Kill every Fed you see, and don't forget about those missile launchers! With them gone, the task forces can come on in!
Now inside, Badger Company 1 gets to work in sanitizing the AO. They drive over and crush infantry, surround and outgun T-90Ms, outmaneuver and shoot down Mi-24 Superhind Mk.IIIs, and overrun and destroy the M880 Armored Missile Launchers for almost ten minutes.
Larson: Boom!
Bobcat: All enemy launchers destroyed! Good shooting, team!
Johns: Outstanding, gentlemen! We should be cleared to move in now.
Davis: Time to drop us off.
Taylor: Copy, moving to the Command Center.
Badger: Papa Gator, Space Station is secure. I say again, space strip is secure. How copy, over?
Papa Gator: Solid copy, Badger 1. You got a squad of T-90Ms moving from the east. Clean up and move out for further tasking, over.
Then they check for any survivors or reinforcements before moving on, with Blade stopping by the entrance of the Command Center to drop Johns and Davis off. As the 2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment, Task Force Grizzly and Task Force Mako arrive and rope down nearby.
Papa Gator: Mako, Grizzly and 2nd Ranger Battalion have touched down and are securing the Command Center's Ground Floor. High value acquisition is underway. Ghosts are taking the Top Floor. I say again, Ghosts are taking the Top Floor, over.
Just hovering outside the Top Floor of the Command Center, Logan and Hesh light up the War Room with Viper 6-1's M134 Minigun before dropping in to take the Launch Room.
--
Severed Ties
July 5th, 2044 - 09:17:19
SFC. Logan 'Nightfall' Walker
Task Force Stalker
Atacama Desert, Chile
--
brrrrrrrrrrrrrr*
Logan: Cleaning up the War Room now! The Launch Room should be a straight shot after this!
Hesh: We drop down, take it and launch an ICBM on this place! Then we ge—
Merrick: Hesh, this is Deep Blue. Latest intel has confirmed that Rorke is at the Space Station, but you have to get that missile launched first.
Hesh: Understood, thanks for the tip! Silence 5, out!
Nightfall: Oh, come on Merrick!
Logan: Clear! Let's jump in!
The two Ghosts then jump in through the top floor's windows and stack up on the Launch Room's double doors. With an exploding fire extinguisher to stun and knock the enemy guards back, they breach and clear without breaking a sweat.
Logan: Launch Room is ours!
Hesh: Deep Blue, Papa Gator, this is Silence 5. Launch Room secure. Trajectory updated. Preparing to launch the warhead. Be advised, there are multiple V75 Mantis Turrets in the Airbase, over.
Papa Gator: Understood, Silence 5. Sending Badger Company to clear the airspace, over.
Hesh: I got the keys. Let's launch this thing.
Logan: Three, two, one, turn.
button cover opens*
Logan presses the button*
missile launching*
Logan: Silence 6 to Papa Gator, ICBM is up and away. Launch is successful. T.O.T. (Time on Target) 10 minutes, over.
Papa Gator: Papa Gator copies all. Good work, gentlemen. Now come back to the others, over.
Logan: Roger, we're on our way to regroup, over.
But just as he and Logan were about to leave, Hesh gets word from an enemy radio that Rorke and Admiral Leonor are in the Command Center and evacuating via the Space Station's Underground Train System.
Hesh: You hear this? It's Rorke. He's here.
Logan: Target: Prime Princessa too.
Hesh: They're evacuating on the train system below.
This development gets Hesh fixated, but it gets Logan concerned as they report to Merrick and argue by another set of double doors. Which will lead to the elevator that will go to the Underground Train System.
Logan: Hesh... we go—
Hesh: Deep Blue, Silence 5 here. Missile's away. We got a lead on Rorke and we're going after him, over.
Logan: I knew it!
Merrick: Negative, Hesh. Return to the ground floor with the others. We'll track him down together.
Hesh: Sorry, Merrick. Your mission's complete, ours isn't.
Logan: Hey, leave me outta—
Merrick: Alright then. Get that asshole for us, Hesh. We're counting on you. Good luck.
Logan: You can't be SERIOUS, Mer—
Merrick: Deep Blue, out.
Logan: So your first leadership acts as Second Lieutenant are disobeying direct orders and jeopardizing your life and mine to slake your desire for revenge?! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! We need to regroup with the others NOW!
Hesh: We may never get another shot at this, Logan! Will you stop thinking about yourself for once and think about Dad?! He's your dad too! Besides, this war will never end as long as he lives, and you know it!
Logan: *angry snarl* FUCK! Fine then, but fuck you! This is your worst command decision yet! Remember that!
Hesh: Whatever, now let's get this bastard!
Logan and Hesh kick the double doors down*
With those facts and everyone in his own side against him once again, Logan hesitantly joins Hesh in going after Rorke for Elias and the fallen Ghosts. After shooting through a security team sent to stall them, they reach the elevator and get down to the Underground Train System.
Hesh: There's Rorke's train, straight ahead! We can still make it!
Logan: Fuuuck.
Another gunned down security team later, the two Ghosts board Rorke and Admiral Leonor's train through the caboose.
Hesh: Deep Blue, we're on the train! We're now after Rorke, over!
Merrick: Solid copy, Hesh.
Logan: Five minutes until the ICBM levels this place. Everyone on board is gonna hunker down. We should too, at least.
Hesh: Okay.
Logan: Hope Badger Company 1 has taken those Mantis Turrets out already.
Five minutes ago, Badger Company 1's next objective was to breach the Airbase and destroy its V75 Mantis Turrets (fictional). Because if they are still active, they will destroy the ICBM before it can impact, even though it is going after the Space Station.
After far air support from A-10PCAS Thunderbolt II Angel Squadron 1 cleared the bridge to the Airbase, Blade, Badger, Bobcat, Buckwild, Blue Misty and Big Sparks got across and pushed through the enemy lines. Accompanying them was AH-64D Apache Longbow Hawk Squadron 1, who will provide CAS, and CH-47 Chinook Hawk Squadron 2, who will provide aerial exfil once the job is done.
Five Minutes Ago
--
Severed Ties
July 5th, 2044 - 09:20:36
SSG. Larson Tendo Molina/Tank Callsign: Blade
2nd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment, 1st Armored Division
Atacama Desert, Chile
--
Papa Gator: Hawk 1-1, what's the BDA, over?
Hawk 1-1: They're toast, Papa Gator. Over.
Badger: Enemy lines have been broken. Moving towards the next primary objective, over.
Papa Gator: Roger. Mop it up. Take out anything that moves, over.
Big Sparks: Push! Push!
Blue Misty: Get off the bridge!
bridge collapses*
Larson: Badger 5, 6, you guys okay?
Blue Misty: We're good, 2.
Big Sparks: Still here, Badger 2. Don't worry about us.
Buckwild: There's the Airbase! Crash the gate!
Bobcat: Spread out! Take out those Mantis Turrets!
In the Airbase with eight pairs of V75 Mantis Turrets to be dealt with, Badger Company 1 took out two pairs of them to start. But all of a sudden, a squadron of Latin American Federation Su-35S fighter jets engaged the Abrams-Xs with air-to-ground missiles.
Bobcat: Two pairs down, head for the next!
Wilson: We're locked! Missile warning!
Badger: Move! Move!
explosions*
Badger: Badger Company, SITREP!
Bobcat: We're good!
Buckwild: Intact!
Big Sparks: We're okay!
Blue Misty: Negative contact!
Wilson: We're hit! Auto cannon's offline but can still fight!
Taylor: Moving to the next pair!
Another two pairs of anti-air batteries down and the Su-35S's made another pass.
Hawk 1-1: Fighters are coming back for another pass!
Badger: Get moving!
explosions*
Larson: Thermals and smoke launcher are malfunctioning!
Badger: Badger 2, exit the battle!
Larson: Combat effective, Badger 1! We will finish this!
Taylor: Come on, Blade! Just a little more! Just a little!
Badger: Take down the Turrets!
Six pairs in total gone and the fast movers did not let up.
Big Sparks: Fast air coming back! Brace!
explosions*
Taylor: Engine's still good! Come on!
Larson: Targeting HUD is down!
Wilson: Structural integrity's compromised!
Badger: Blade, retreat! Retreat!
Larson: Negative, we can still fire and move! We will get this done!
Badger: Destroy the Turrets now!
Taylor: COME ON!
After the last two pairs of V75 Mantis Turrets have been destroyed, the Latin American Federation Su-35S squadron hit Viking Team 6's Abrams-X once more before getting shot down. Which caused all of its systems to shut down.
Larson: That's all of them!
Wilson: More missiles incoming!
Taylor: Brace for impact!
explosions*
Badger: (faintly) Papa Gator, all V75 Mantis Turrets have been eliminated. Package is cleared hot, over.
Papa Gator: Roger, Badger 1. All callsigns, evacuate the area. ICBM is inbound to your coordinates. I say again, ICBM is inbound. ETA five minutes, over.
09:25:00, luckily, Blade keeps Larson, Wilson and Taylor alive and able to escape even when inactive.
Larson: *groans* Is everyone alright?
Wilson: Yeah, just got the wind knocked outta me.
Taylor: I'm good. Wish I could say the same for Blade. You did well, buddy.
Badger: Badger 2, report!
Bobcat: Blade, come in!
As they open the hatch, Corporal Borland, the auto cannon gunner of Badger, helps them get out and board his tank, Bobcat and Buckwild. Who, along with Blue Misty and Big Sparks, are now hooked up to their respective Chinooks.
Cpl. Borland: The crew is alive!
Badger: Get 'em to us for pickup!
Larson: Wilson, Taylor, form up! Protect Borland, then get to a tank!
automatic gunfire*
Taylor: Moving to Buckwild!
Wilson: Heading for Bobcat!
Larson: I got Badger! Get in, Corporal! I'll cover!
auto cannon fire*
Cpl. Borland: We got you, go!
Larson: I'm on!
Wilson: I'm good!
Taylor: Me too!
Badger: We got our men, Hawk 2. Get us outta here, over.
Hawk 2-5: Lifting off.
Hawk 2-4: Taking off.
Hawk 2-3: Hang on.
Hawk 2-2: Hold on now.
Hawk 2-1: Ascending. Hawk 2-6, Hawk 1, cover us, over.
Hawk 2-6: Covering.
Hawk 1-1: Roger that, we gotcha.
After five minutes, Badger Company 1, Hawk Squadron 1, Hawk Squadron 2 and all other friendlies around the Atacama Desert reach The Elysium Checkpoint. The safe zone outside the ICBM's designated blast radius and the U.S. Military's staging area in Chile, located at the edge of the barren.
Then they see the ICBM level the entire Space Station. As a result, the LOKI Control Station is blind and deaf and the joint Task Force Stalker-Space Delta 9 assault team's job is easier now.
Badger: Boom! It's coming down!
Bobcat: Papa Gator, this is Badger 3. The Space Station is down. I say again, the Space Station is down, over.
Papa Gator: Confirmed, Badger 3. All callsigns, communication with the LOKI Control Station is severed. Green light on Phase 2. I say again, green light on Phase 2.
Hawk 2-1: Roger that, we're closing in on The Elysium Checkpoint now.
Larson: You did good out there, Wilson, Taylor. For Blade.
Wilson and Taylor: For Blade.
