Ginza was a beautiful place. A section of Tokyo, known for the commonplace idea of capitalism and the beauty of its riches. Stores lined the streets, neon signs glimmering as people marched between said stores. It was also home to much of the state apparatus in terms of political discourse, considering several embassies were supposedly located within the district itself. Embassies such as the US, Chinese and Russian ones, not far from the train station.
Lieutenant Torres of the US Marine Corps 3rd Marine Division stared at the place as he and his friend, Second Lieutenant Itami Youji, prepared to disembark and immerse themselves in the greatest Japanese heritage piece since the tales of the Samurai:Anime. Namely, special fanmade Doujins of a non-pornographic type, supposedly. Henry Torres, a Marine through and through, from the shaved head to the bulk and jet-black eyes, was around Itami's age, both of them thirty-three years old. They'd met when Torres travelled from the Marine base in Okinawa up to Tokyo at one point for shore leave.
The two became fast friends over a cup of Sake, so that had been fun. Still, Torres didn't expect that the guy would stick to him like a lost puppy. Then again, who the hell wouldn't stick with a Marine and stay friends with'em? Good thing was they also shared interests, so that was a thing to tie their fates. He hummed, crossing his arms to his chest and said, "Y'know, man, I had half a mind to ask what kind of doujins you're even looking for."
"Some fanmade stuff for an Isekai I was watching," Itami replied, arranging his scruffy brown hair and flashing his friend a grin.
The Marine rolled his eyes, "Fucking hell, of course... It at least a good Isekai, or is it one of the run-of-the-mill trashy ones you see spammed out by the dozen nowadays? Because if it's the latter, I'm gonna pass on that shit if you don't mind," and he pulled out his smartphone. Itami shrugged, then leaned against the handrail, tugging at his bright-orange shirt with some weird Japanese nu-metal band's logo.
"I'd say it's pretty good, considering it's got three seasons so far. I barely got into it last month, but I've binged the entire thing in a week," The man replied.
"Oh, so it's one of the ones not made to just promote the Manga, but rather to actually tell the story. Gimme the name once we find those Doujins you're looking for. May just have to give it a watch back at Okinawa," Torres grinned. The two felt the train decelerate and stop, before stepping off and descending from the station, into the busy streets of the shopping district. Torres shielded his eyes from the burning heat of the midday sun with his hand, stating, "It's barely May and the sun's already burning..."
"Welcome to Japan," Itami quipped, garnering a chuckle out of the Marine. As the two moved down the street, through the crowds and to the convention center, Itami inquired, "Say, what's the rest of your squad doing?"
"Tim's back in the states, visiting relatives, Jake is running interference for some E4 over in Okinawa and the others are probably taking a nap before drills start again," The man explained, then switched to another subject, "Heard the Chinese are getting antsy about something. North and South Korea are seeing increased activity around their areas and some of the locals are also whispering of stuff going on behind the scenes... Hell, Guam's been on high alert for a while."
"Negotiations still ongoing?" Itami raised a brow.
"Not a lot else you can do when you've got the two most backwater shitholes trying to act superpower-like in the middle of Asia. Meanwhile, the Ruskies are apparently eagerly trying to talk to the Chinese about something or other... Part of me thinks we're either seein'em sit together at the negotiation tables next, or we're about to watch another Sino-Russian split like way back in the day," The man stated.
"Means they may also bring the SDF into high alert, then," Itami remarked.
The world was the tensest it'd been in the eighty years since the end of the Second World War. The East was seeing a lot of movement when it came to the standard enemies of the US and of the Free World in general, so the point was that the UN was currently in deep talks to ensure that nothing more developed out of this situation than just disappointed soldiers who wouldn't get to kick their old-timey enemy's ass so far their intestines would resemble the bottom of a standard-issue US Marine's boot.
Still, the Marines were ready and eager for action. They were gonna do their damnedest to defend the people around them, be they American or allied. That included the Japanese. And may the Devil Dogs be damned if they wouldn't bite the shit out of anything trying to attack them. Honestly, he was looking forward to a bit more action. Okinawa had gotten incredibly dull, considering the fact that he'd busied himself with actually watching anime.
Yet something grew in the air. Static rippled and the two Lieutenants paused for a moment, feeling the air grow heavy. They gazed over to the left, down the main boulevard as a structure appeared in the middle of the road. Seemingly Roman, or perhaps Greek in design, the structure resembled an old temple, although it shimmered, its shape contorted in the light for a moment, before it settled.
"What the fuck...?" Torres murmured. The two watched the first creatures emerge. Pig-faced, bipedal and armed with clubs, swords and other various crap. It looked almost like the shit you'd see in an isekai, now that they were speaking of it. Behind them, meanwhile, soldiers clad in what looked to be medieval armor that some speculated you'd see on Roman troops had the empire survived that long, seemed to be readying to lead the assault.
"... Did they have some kind of planned event for that Isekai...?" Torres inquired, worried and tense. Itami shook his head and Torres murmured, "Fucking knew it..." before pulling his phone out and stating, "Let's start getting people outta here!" before the two ducked as a Wyvern dived toward them. They barely dodged, just as the enemy's horns rang through the place.
The screams of the people filled their ears as the two Lieutenants scrambled back to their feet, watching as the monsters slashed and gutted civilians, people left and right. Torres swore to himself, then called a number on his list. He looked to Itami and said, "I'm calling my boys! Gotta get'em to Red Alert!" before hearing the line connect. He yelled, "Taylor! I've got no fucking time to explain, but we have a sitch in Ginza! I'm looking at several thousand unknowns pouring through some sorta fucking gate! They're murdering civvies! Get the bases to Red Alert and listen for anything communications-wise!" and he paused, grinning, "Roger. Can't wait to see you boys in full gear. Tell Misfit we may need them here, as well. Roger, Torres, out."
He looked to Itami as the two started guiding civilians out of harm's way. The two men quickly guided them out of the place, toward any possible shelters they could find inside the buildings, all the while keeping an eye on the advancing enemy force. Torres gasped as he saw a cavalryman charging at a woman that was carrying flyers. He surged forth, grabbed the woman out of the way and barely dodged the sword swipe of the bastard. A second charged toward them, but he was quick to grab him by the waist, forcing him off his horse.
He kicked the man's teeth in, grabbing his sword as it clattered to the floor, then plunging it into his chest, clean through the plate. He twisted the blade, pulled it out and looked to the woman, ordering her in Japanese, "Go! My friend and I will try to get everyone else out of here!" before standing up. Itami joined him and grabbed what looked to be a crossbow off the horse, as well as the quiver with bolts.
He looked at the weapon, then murmured, "Swear to God, I didn't think I'd be using medieval weapons!"
"Well, that's what they brought to the table! Let's go! We gotta move to the Police, help'em organize 'till the SDF and my boys start kicking back!' The man noted. Itami nodded, hefted the crossbow and aimed for a charging orc, before letting off the bolt. It pierced the creature's skull, right between the eyes. The monster collapsed, falling dead in front of the two men.
The two started pulling back as the last civilians left the main boulevard, toward where the Police were gathering. A policeman was sitting in the middle of the road, guiding people while firing his service revolver just as the two Lieutenants appeared. Itami stood in front of him and asked, "Where's everyone being huddled to!?" as they both turned to fight anyone getting too close for comfort.
"The Imperial palace!" The man remarked, taking aim and firing three of his five shots. A dead man fell out of the sky as his dragon rolled over and hit one of the buildings, breaking through the glass and collapsing inside. He breathed a sigh, opened the cylinder to the side and started loading the extra rounds he had, before noting, "Who are you two?!"
"Lieutenants Torres and Itami! US Marines and SDF respectively!" Torres replied, "Can you guys spare a gun for each of us!?"
"When we rally at the palace, I presume!" The man replied. The trio held the line until the Japanese counter-terrorism and riot police managed to funnel the civilians to the safer areas of the parks and metro stations, while the enemy army of unknown medieval motherfuckers continued to advance. Police Special Assault Team assets engaged, their 9mm MP5 SMGs seemingly doing damage while the M4 Carbines and Howa rifles were being brought up to the front as well.
One of the SAT boys tossed the two Lieutenants a pair of extra M4 Carbines, to which Torres grinned, "You Japs sure know my taste in kit!"
"Hah!" Snorted Itami as he racked the bolt of the firearm. It was a standard-issue M4 Carbine, though modded for the urban environment. As the groups went with a fighting retreat to keep the civilians safe, the hostile army seemed intent on taking as many people out as humanly possible. Rifle fire and the thunderclap and pop of tear gas and various other stun grenades echoed throughout. In the large park near the Imperial Palace, the Police held on, resisting the enemy's assault.
The two Lieutenants fired their weapons and dodged arrows, trying to keep the enemy at bay while they waited for reinforcements. And, thankfully, after several minutes of fighting, the echoing clap of chopper blades cutting through the air filled their ears. Overhead, the two men watched Cobra gunships rolling up, their three-barrel 20mm cannons letting rip into the enemy force.
Behind them, a squadron of Black Hawk transports swung in, the miniguns mounted to the doors tearing apart whatever was caught in their sights. When the first chopper landed, the Marine squads disembarked, their M4s barking while SDF transports rolled up as well, firing fifty-caliber MGs into enemy force. The higher-caliber rounds tore apart beasts and the enemy's own dragons, that so graciously swung down to attack, were gunned down. Civilians watched as their military and their allies dealt with the invaders.
A young Marine with sapphire eyes stepped up to the Lieutenants, hefting his M240B. He stated, "Sorry we're late, sirs! Had to rock down to Yokosuka to get the SDF awake!"
"Just in time, Taylor!" Torres grinned, then looked to Itami and said, "Go find your unit!"
"Most of us were on leave! I'm guessing they're getting recalled now!" Itami stated, then looked to Taylor and said, "Good to see you, Taylor!"
"Likewise, sir! Imma go gun down a bunch of freak cosplayers now, if'n'ya don't mind!" He flashed a grin, hefting the 240 and turning around. The Lieutenants both gave an approving nod as they watched him march up to a position with the machine gun, drop onto his stomach and, with the help of his 'spotter', set up the tripod and scope. He shouldered the weapon and opened up, the rattle of 7,62 joining the .50 cals and 20mm cannons flying and firing.
The Corps and their SDF counterparts began a general counteroffensive around the Ginza area. Advancing AAVs from the Marine platoons also finally rolled into town, their fifty-cals and Mark-19 grenade launchers thumping away. Bullets tore through the street as Marine Fireteams and JSDF squads joined up, pushing their way forward. Meanwhile, anti-air SHORAD systems lit up any of the enemy's remaining Wyverns, or dragons. Whatever they were.
Radio calls came in about Misfit company waiting outside. Marine armor that was intended to be removed in favor of the possibility of island-hopping campaigns was ready to be spearhead to the Marine operations in the city again, but was kept out due to the possibility of collateral damage. Even the choppers avoided using their ATGMs and Hydra pods in the District for fear of more damage, both civilian and infrastructure. Not like 20mm cannons didn't do enough shit to the place, anyway...
Fuck, the fact they were using Mark-19s at all...
As midday passed into sunset, Ginza was filled with smoldering craters while the Lieutenants assisted in Search and Rescue of any wounded civilians. Marching into a building, Torres scanned the place. It was a small ma and pa shop, clearly. A candy shop. Behind one of the counters, a Caucasian fellow stood, peeking over. He murmured something in a foreign language, then stood up and raised his hands, before speaking in a heavy east-European accent, "We are not hostile..."
"You don't need to tell me, suit..." Torres remarked, giving the man a once-over. A dirtied black suit with a blue undershirt and black tie, as well as a pin of the white-blue-red horizontal tricolor. Torres remarked, "Russian embassy staff?"
"Yes," The man nodded, "Alongside a few surviving civilians."
He motioned to the woman that the Lieutenant had managed to pull out of the line of fire. She was cradling a set of flyers, each bearing the face of a young woman that resembled her. She wept tears beside the body of an injured man, but put on a smile when she saw the American and a squad of SDF troopers past the counter. The Lieutenant set the weapon on safe and said to the Russian, "We're clearing the last of the bastards... How many did your people lose?"
"One security member was eaten by those flying lizards before he could turn his weapon on it. Otherwise, minor injuries sustained... Save for the Ambassador's daughter. She's missing," The man remarked, stepping up to Torres, "What the hell happened here, American? An army of medieval wannabe Romans steps through some newly-appeared structure and here comes pandemonium..."
"It's what SDF Command and the rest of our boys and girls are trying to figure out. Your prez gonna recall you home, I assume?" He raised a brow.
"I don't think so, no. There's a chance of the UN convening to talk about what occurred here. If that is the case, I and the representatives of the other nations, including the People's Republic, will speak of our own eyewitness accounts," He remarked.
"Wouldn't be surprised if the UN would outright allow us to deploy troops, depending on what the fuck is next on the chopping block..." The Marine replied, stowing his rifle as medical teams started helping the wounded. He looked to the Russian and said, "What'll your country take from this one, Rusky? We're all pretty fucking tense right now... You know best what'd be going on in the background."
"One of our citizens died to the blade and teeth of a fantasy medieval army... I don't think they will forgive," The man remarked.
Great...
He nodded, then stepped out of the store as a Russian SPETSNAZ team entered, making sure the embassy staff member was safe. He eyed the men tensely, his fists tightening. The current tension in the world was not a pretty picture to look at for anyone who belonged in the military or had some degree of political knowledge. He rubbed his eyes, murmuring to himself, "Hope to fuck the UN knows what it's doing..."
... A month later, in the UN Headquarters...
"... A dozen foreign citizens have regrettably died during the attack on the Ginza district alongside the hundreds of Japanese and the six thousand invaders," The representative of Japan to the UN General Assembly said bleakly, "We have seized some of the officers, who've surrendered and, under guidance from the United States and our other current Pacific allies, including Australia, have been interrogated thoroughly, after translation has been provided through the appropriate means."
The massive meeting hall of the UN headquarters, a beautifully-designed amphitheater made of multiple colors of marble and with rows upon rows of seats and desks where every representative of every country of the world sat, alongside the main body of the Assembly. The Japanese representative, Yuno Satou, a forty-something year-old woman, continued, her voice reverberating across the entire hall, "The invading force calls themselves the Empire of Sadera. They are a seemingly Roman-descended force, or at least a Roman equivalent to the world they currently inhabit."
She gauged the reactions of the Big Five other powers. The UK's representative seemed to be taking notes, while the US, Chinese, Russian and French reps continued to listen. Calmly, she added, "Not surprisingly, they speak a variation of common Latin, although clearly modified to fit and describe the creatures they've marched into our territory with. Their highest-ranking officer, a Marquess, spoke of the Empire as the supreme military force in what the Japanese Diet and Military Command have taken to calling the Special Region."
Several gasps echoed through the room. The US Rep raised his hand and Yuno nodded, "Go on, mister representative Rosenberg."
"What is the 'Special Region' exactly, madam representative Satou?" He inquired, "The faint brief I got from the military advisors didn't shed any light on it."
Yuno nodded, pushing her rounded glasses onto the bridge of her nose and replying, "The Gate through which the enemy arrived is, according to several high-ranking research institutions that have gotten a thorough look at it, a portal to an alternate dimension..." and she waited. Just as she expected, the silence of the room erupted into an uproar, due to the surprise brought upon by this revelation. The Chinese ambassador cupped her own chin, leaning forward as if thinking. She looked over to the Russian representative, an elderly man. He shrugged.
The acting president of the Assembly, a Nigerian politician, stated loudly and firmly, "Silence, ladies and gentlemen! Please!" as she slammed her hand onto her desk before the calls in the room slowly began to die down. The president breathed a sigh of relief, then motioned to Yuno and said, "Please, madam representative Satou, continue. Shed light on what we face..."
"Thank you, madam president..." She nodded, then looked ahead, "I presume I don't need to spell out what this means, ladies and gentlemen of the General Assembly... What we face is, in truth, our first true extra-terrestrial and, by the grace of god, extra-dimensional encounter... Therefore, as representative of the Japanese Diet and the interests of the state of Japan and its people, I ask of you to carefully consider our next move."
The Chinese representative raised her hand.
"Yes, madam representative Zhang?" Yuno nodded.
"I think we are all interested of the status of the extra-dimensional portal within Ginza, madam representative Satou," She stated, her Han Chinese accent thick as she pushed a strand of black hair out of her eyes. She was one of the younger representatives and the youngest the PRC had sent so far. Something had always been off about her, but she never went out of line.
"A joint US-JSDF unit has secured and encased it in a concrete hangar and it is under 24/7 surveillance by US Marines and Ground Self-Defense Force personnel armed with the latest in military equipment," The Japanese representative remarked casually, "I am quite surprised your scientists did not know or tell you about this, considering they were allowed to examine the Gate alongside other multinational task forces."
"I have just recently arrived back from a visit to Beijing, madam," Zhang replied nonchalantly, "I have not been able to contact our assigned science teams in Japan."
"I see," Satou nodded. She sighed, her thoughts wandering about what other science teams they could have, before she stated, "Before we adjourn, I'd like to ask all members of the Security Council to stay calm during the discussions ahead. The SDF and US will not enter the Special Region without approval from the Security Council or a UN Order."
"We understand," Replied Rosenberg, and then debate began again.
... As the meeting was adjourned, Yuno stepped out of the place, her tablet slung under her arm as she tugged at the hem of her skirt. She pulled her phone out of her jacket's right pocket and called the Diet. Right now, all that was left was up to the Security Council. A decision of whether or not a military force would be sent in fell upon the Americans, French, British, Russians and the Chinese.
Days later, on the TV of a Sake bar Torres was in with Itami on their last night of shore leave, an American news channel played, the reporter stating, "... Here, today, at the UN Security Council, the permanent members voted in favor of the deployment of a multinational task force within what is called the Special Region beyond the Ginza Gate. UN Directive Thirty-six Nineteen has been issued by general agreement of the Security Council and the UN Peacekeeping Task Force will be deployed with free reign of operation within the Special Region. It is, in truth, a similar declaration to what we've seen during Operation Desert Storm. A response to the aggressions of a foreign foe upon one of the sovereign member nations of the UN..."
"However... This will be a War unlike any we've seen before against a foe from another world. The enemy has fired the first shots upon the allied nation of Japan. Now, the United States-led Coalition and the Peacekeeping Corps is ready to answer the call to arms. The task force will be gathered within the Month. This may very well be the War that Changed The World... This has been Nancy Moore, of-" And the TV was shut off.
Torres blinked, narrowed his lips, then downed his sake in one swig. Sighing and rubbing his eyes, he stated, "Here we fucking go again..."
"Not a surprising result, al-in-all," Itami murmured, looking at the swirling rice wine in his own cup, "... Still."
"Yeah," He nodded, well aware of what Itami meant to say. The news-girl was right. This was gonna be the War to Change The World, for better or for worse, honestly. One hell of a distraction for all nations involved in one of the tensest moments in world history and, probably, a decent enough place to release any pent-up tension. Still, whatever the fuck was going on right now felt... Off.
The two clinked their glasses together and, just as he went to drink, Torres realized he had no Sake left. Damn.
Within the Ginza district, a month later.
Cameras and drones filmed the place live.
And Ginza wasn't what it used to be. At all...
From a shopping district, where families would joyfully go to shop and talk and laugh and enjoy downtime, it'd become a grim reminder of the start of this interdimensional war. A monument had been set up for the lives lost in the Incident. In the middle of the closed, now-pedestrian area where the Gate was, a statue rose tall, a strange piece of metal that Torres couldn't quite make out as he sat atop his AAV 7A1 amphibious transport. In front of his vehicle was a row of US-made M1A1 Abrams battle tanks, repainted the standard-issue camouflage of the European tank corps during the Cold War, followed by a Series of Type-74 Battle Tanks, each with attached NV systems.
Lighter vehicles behind them included up-armored Humvees, Marine MTRVs and MRAPs and Russian TIGRs with UN markings. BMP-2s, painted in white, resided in the same line of vehicles as his and his Marines'. Ruskies with UN markings. Last in line in the formation were up-armored Type-59s of the PLA, also painted white. The only nations out of the big five not currently assigning units to this task force were the French and the British, who were still in talks about sending a common brigade.
Torres looked over to one of the Japanese RCT vehicles, to see Itami mounting it in full Vietnam-era kit, including the old body armor and the Howa battle rifle. He saluted the newly-minted First Lieutenant, who saluted back and smiled, before both turned and listened in to the UN representative. Or, well, Torres didn't. He was currently making a headcount in terms of the troops being deployed and their callsigns. The Abrams were from Misfit. He knew them real well.
The Japanese tanks and their vehicles were commonly called "Steel" as a callsign, but the Recon Teams were to be called up separately on the radios for some fucking reason. On the BMPs and in the TIGRs and Chinese tanks were the UN's 'Peacekeeper' folks, callsign Sokol for the Russians and Joker for the Chinese. Finally, there was the Marine infantry unit he was part of, a chunk of the 3rd Division that was being sent in, known simply as 'Hitman'.
A ragtag, fucked-up and uncoordinated brigade that'd have to roll out at the same time, fight together and possibly shoot at people together without shooting at each-other. He narrowed his lips, wondering for a moment if the tension between the nations making up this multinational force would fuck them over, somehow. He blinked as his ears filtered in the last words of the German representative of the UN as he said, "... And may the Lord have you, ladies and gentlemen of the UN Peacekeeping Corps, under his watch. Let us begin."
He slid back down into the AAV, closing the hatch behind him, then said to the crew, "Sorry about sitting with my ass to your face, Jack."
"It's fine, man..." The commander of the vehicle replied, "Least you didn't fucking smother me. Get your ass back in the vic's compartment. We're hauling ass ASAP, it seems..." before he watched the man slide like a fucking snake between them and the guns. The man shook his head, then said over the com, "This is Hitman-1-2, we're mobile behind Misfit and Steel... Godspeed ahead, ladies and gentlemen..."
The Lieutenant settled himself down between his squadmates, arranging his helmet on his head and stating, "Fuck me, boys and girls. Looks like we're actually going side by side with the Ruskies and Chinese on this one."
"Oh, that's gonna be fuckin' fun..." Murmured Taylor, "How long 'till they shoot us in the back?"
"I give it max a week," The Corpsman of the platoon replied.
"Keep it stowed around them, folks," The Lieutenant stated, "Don't wanna give the assholes any ideas. Now, shut it. I wanna nap for a bit. Didn't sleep so well," and he leaned back against the seat of the tank, while his Marines started giggling. With his eyes still close as the vehicle's engine rumbled around them, he stated, "If you fucks do anything to me while I'm sleeping, I'm airing out this whole thing..." which seemed to get them to shut up.
The trip through the Gate had come to be unsurprisingly short for the sleeping Lieutenant...
As had the battle that came after it.
With his Night Vision on his face, Torres regarded the field full of dead creatures and Legionnaires with a slight sense of fear in his heart. This wasn't gonna be a normal war, was it? This was gonna be a wholesale slaughter, he thought as he gazed upon the twisted corpses and remnants of the enemy. He saw Itami approach his side, carrying his Howa. The young Japanese man said, "I guess we know gun beats sword..." as a sort of joke, but the somber tone with which he said it made Torres flinch.
"Yeah," He replied awkwardly, "Yeah..."
The two looked to see the captain of Misfit company and its acting commander. The two approached him, then heard him state, "Listen, we can't hear you, whoever you are! You need to clean up your fucking signal! I swear to god..." and he looked down at the Lieutenants, stating, "Sounds like some radio transmission bouncing around through the Gate... Don't know what the hell is..."
"... that better?" A voice interrupted him. He showed them to go to a set frequency, then listened in.
"Affirm. This is Captain Cole of Misfit Company, US Marines First Tank Battalion... Who is this?" He inquired, scanning the line ahead, "And do you know you're currently on a military channel?"
"I am acutely aware of that, Captain. Greetings, I am Doctor Catherine Elizabeth Halsey of the United Nations Space Command exploration fleet currently stationed above this planet and I am calling in regards to your objectives in this area." The two Lieutenants heard the seemingly elderly woman behind the com line reply. That was concerning, if true, but... Wait, United Nations Space Command?
The Lieutenants both looked to one-another, while the Captain hummed, narrowing his lips. He then spoke, "Listen, lady, I don't have time for prank calls, especially on an encrypted military channel... I don't know how the fuck you got a hold of our codes, but I'm gonna tell my boys to find your ass back home and change them out later. This is a restricted military communications system, god dammit, not your place for pranks."
"I'm afraid it's no prank, Captain. We have an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle currently orbiting Alnus Hill, your immediate nine o'clock and heading to eight o'clock. It's not that far away," Halsey replied calmly.
"Fuck off. It's impossib-" The man swung about, his binoculars in front of his eyes. He only paused when he saw the sleek combat drone flying above them. He murmured, "Oh... Damn... That thing armed?"
"We scrambled several UCAVs when your people appeared through the Gate, though I believe that is the one drone that isn't armed. Not currently, anyhow," Halsey stated once again, "So let me inquire again, Captain Cole. What is your business on this world and why have you brought an entire armored division's worth of men and women through that portal?"
Torres tracked the drone with his own two eyes, stating, "God fucking damn... There's fucking people here with UCAVs..."
"Incredible..." Itami murmured, looking up. One of the SHORAD systems had also seemingly noticed the drone, its main guns swiveling about and tracking the machine as the radar picked it up. The Lieutenants and their Sokol and other counterparts all scrambled, watching the Type 87 SPAAG track the machine, their hearts racing. Itami called out over the com, "DON'T FIRE! DON'T FIRE! UNKNOWN, POSSIBLY ADVANCED FORCE OWNS THAT DRONE! Captain Cole is on the horn with them now!"
Sokol's officer, a Major Vatutin, looked up and said, "Are you serious, Japonsky?"
"That looks like an American drone," Remarked one of the Chinese tankers and Joker element's official commander, "... Or at least a variation thereof. You guys came for a visit before us?"
"It's not ours, dumbass," Torres remarked angrily, then pointed at his ears, "Listen to the com! Patch into the com line properly and fucking listen!"
"... We intend no harm to your people, Captain. You're clearly as human as the rest of us," Halsey explained just as the rest of the Task Force patched in, "And if the rest of your forces are listening, greetings, privyet, Ni Hao and konnichiwa. Apologies to the Chinese armor we did not see before. Our other drones have just swung around and given us a clearer picture of the entire gathered force. We also didn't recognize you over the long-range."
"Holy shit," Sokol's commander murmured.
The group of officers looked to the captain, who replied to Doctor Halsey, "Doctor, with all due respect to you and your people... We're here on a mission after the Saderan Empire assaulted Tokyo. By order Thirty-Six Nineteen of the UN Security Council and General Assembly, we're here to ensure First Contact with the hostile elements is met by the proportionate amount of force given to us at the time of the beginning of our operation. What are you and your forces doing in territory that falls under jurisdiction of the UN Special Region Peacekeeping Task Force?"
"I enjoy that more respectful tone, Captain. Thank you..." Halsey remarked calmly, causing a slight ire in the man before she complied, "As for what we are doing here? As I stated, we are an exploratory star fleet that found out about this planet due to various... Shall we say, alien items. Specifically, we've come to seek out any technology that may aid in the development of the United Earth Government, Earth and All Her Colonies. We are here by General Order Sixteen of the UNSC Exploratory and Science Council and by my jurisdiction as head of the Office of Naval Intelligence. Technology which also includes the Gate you've come out of... And you can bet our interested just skyrocketed when armies from our past rolled on through."
"... I understand," The man replied after a long pause, "Let our forces rest and reinforce and we can talk again tomorrow, provided you're keen on it, doctor."
"You may see more Imperial Forces assault your position, just as a small warning," Halsey remarked. The Captain jumped.
"Wait, hold on, I also meant to ask that... Are you people allied with them?!" He demanded.
"Quite the opposite," Halsey remarked, "I would like to meet somewhere with your CO when it's possible. We have a lot to talk about, I'm certain."
"You got that right, doc. We'll try to arrange a meeting after we set up a FOB over here. 'Till then, keep in touch. UN SPECREG Task Force, out..." Cole sighed, then shut the com.
He looked at all the men and women around him, all of them shocked by the news that their possible future selves were here...
What the fuck had this OP just turned into...?