Stormy Night
Chapter 62: Stormy Night
"So we're all clear on the op?"
All around the dark cabin of the Clipper, James received three short nods.
"Good. And remember, we're working with two other teams so watch your fire. The call is 'Silent Screech'. Other than that, don't let any escape." Was his morbid instruction.
"Ok guys, I hope you're all set to go back there 'cause we're coming up on the drop." Myst warned them from the cockpit.
"Alright, you heard the lady, everyone up, final checks."
James stood and opened the side door, letting in a blast of cold high altitude air. Behind him, Garth checked his parachute for him before turning around so James could return the favor. After verifying that everything was as it should be, James looked to his other team member, Flash and Sparks. Both signaled they were good to go. Confident his team was ready, James stepped up to the edge of the deck. Outside was nothing but darkness, lacking the warmth of the sun.
"Ok, you're good, go go go!"
At the pilot's signal, James leaped from the door way without a moment's hesitation. Immediately after their leader's departure, the Fixers followed him into the howling dark. Still far below them was flat layer of thick clouds. The only way they knew they were at the right location was the Smokey Mountain off to the north. After a minute, they broke into the cloud layer. Plummeting through the dense water vapor, James felt the sting of water moving at high velocity hit his cheek. At first he paid it no mind, but when he started to feel more hit his body, he knew he had a problem.
The four of them broke out of the bottom of the cloud structure and were instantly pelted with a swarm of rain droplets. James looked around and was relieved to see the rest of his team was still with him. With a quick hand motion, he signaled them to release their canopies. Flash flared his wings, then Garth disappeared, followed by Sparks. It was only then that James activated his own chute. When after a moment no one suddenly fell past him, James was happy to know that everyone was making it down safely.
The glide down only took a few more minutes, fierce precipitation soaking them to the bone while wild gusts of wind threatened to blow them off course. James looked down between his feet and was alarmed when instead of the forgotten stretch of road they were aiming for south of Smokey Mountain, the boughs and branches of a forest rushed up to meet him. With a crash, he slammed through the canopy, hitting several outstretched branches before his chute finally caught on one. Battered, bruised, but not broken, James yanked on the quick release cord and allowed himself to drop to another branch just underneath him.
With a little effort, he managed to climb down the slick, wet branches of the leafy growth without injuring himself further. On the last branch, he simply dropped to the sodden ground with a muddy splash. Instantly, he popped up, weapon in hand, as he listened for any signs of detection. Off to his left, he heard the rustle of leaves. He trained the sights of his rifle to the source of the sound.
In a loud whisper he called, "Silent!"
"Screech." Came the reply.
Flash materialized from the darkness. James looked around, but didn't see his other two teammates.
"What happened to Sparks and Garth, did you see?" He asked the pegasus.
"We got separated in the storm, I saw them go down in the same area. I'm used to flying in this kind of weather so I chose to come with you."
"Alright, good shit. Hopefully they stuck together." James turned on his radio, "Garth, Sparks, this is James, you up?"
Silence.
"Garth, Sparks, this is James, you guys ok?"
This time he got a response, three short clicks.
"Shit." The human swore.
"What's up?"
"They've made contact."
"Already?" Flash asked in surprise.
"Yup. You said you saw where they went down..."
"Yeah, you wanna go track them down?"
"Exactly, we gotta get the team back together. Don't bother with your NVGs, they're useless in the rain, too much movement. We're doing this old school."
"Got it."
"Good, lead the way."
In the darkness, the rain hitting all the leaves sounded like they were surrounded by waterfalls. It helped mask the sounds they made, but it would do the same for anything else that walked the wood. Because of this, James walked with caution through the midnight forest as Flash led him towards the south west. Every once in a while, the pegasus would hear an errant noise and stop to listen before moving on. It was slow going, but it got them to their destination without incident. When they neared their the area their teammates had gone down in, James stopped Flash with a tap on his shoulder and bent down to inspect the flat leaves of a low bush.
"What is it?"
James touched one of the leaves with his index finger and rubbed it with his thumb before taking a small whiff of it, "Blood. I can't tell from who or what, but it's fresh, that much I know."
"Shit."
"Yep. Well, at least we know we're in the right place."
Off to their right, a monstrously scream echoed amongst the trees and was abruptly cut off with a snap, like someone had dropped something. James recognized the second sound, it came from a suppressor. This gave him a small ounce of relief, it meant the rest of his team was still alive and kicking. Suddenly his radio crackled in his ear.
"Sorry about the delay there, we just had to take care of something real quick." Sparks voice said.
"Glad to here you're ok brother, is Garth alright?"
"Yeah, he's right here with me, what's your location?"
"I'm with Flash, we're not too far off from you and we know what direction you're in so sit tight. Watch fire, friendlies coming at you from," the human pulled out a small compass, "south, south east. How copy?"
"Good copy, friendlies coming from south, south east, we'll be waiting."
"Outstanding, see you in a minute."
James tapped Flash again and set off, this time he led the way. The traveled towards the source of the earlier disturbance and in no time came to a small clearing devoid of grass and scrub. In the middle lay a dark, prone form.
"Silent." James whispered.
"Screech."
From two different directions, Sparks and Garth revealed themselves from their hiding places. James walked up to the body. Lotkin, light armor, standard crossbow, only blades he had on him were a few daggers. A scout.
James addressed his team around him, "Ok, this is what we're here for. If our info is right, these guys are trying to set up a beachhead for the main landing force. Shining's army has been mobilized and will arrive here just after dawn. We have less than six hours to clear the area of hostiles and move to the beach where we will destroy any and all preparations they've made for the incoming fleet. At the same time, we will try to make contact with the other two teams and try to coordinate. Everyone clear?"
They all nodded.
"Outstanding. Ok let's go, Sparks you take point, I got our rear incase anything tries to sneak up on us, go."
Spread out in a line, the four began their trek through the wet wood towards the beach. Every once in a while, they would stop and listen, studying the muddy ground for any sign of their enemy's passage. It was a while before they finally did. Garth gave the signal to stop an knelt by the side of the game trail they were following.
"There were four that passed this way. See here how the grass lies. Three deer lay sleeping, there is blood staining the roots. They took them all. There may be a camp near by, and more of my kin."
"Good, can you tell us which direction?" James inquired.
"Come, I shall lead."
The rest of the group got be hind Garth and followed closely as he wound his way through the trees. For some time he led them through the pitter patter of rain. Cautiously they went, and without much excitement, until Garth once again signaled them to stop. Following this, he dropped to his belly and motioned for the rest of the team to do the same. A small rise ascended before them, Garth led them all up this on a low crawl. Water filled with dirt, dead leaves and other detritus ran down the small hill and into their faces, but they paid it no mind. In times like these, distractions of discomfort were best put to rest.
Suddenly, James could make out the faint glow of a sputtering campfire close to them, at the top of the rise. Garth brought them all to a line of bushes and shrubs that formed a low barrier to the shadow casting light. Crawling up to the edge of his concealment, James looked to the light and made note of what he saw.
It was another clearing, this one larger and currently inhabited. Centered around an enormous campfire, a ring of tents made of crudely carved branches and animal skins lay at regular distances. James counted fourteen such tents, but he could only see eight of the campsite's inhabitants milling about and performing menial tasks. Were the other six were, he could not say. This is what worried him most. The feeling was like suddenly losing track of a wasp buzzing around a room. Their objective was clear. They didn't have time to waste making sure the surrounding area was safe. So James made a decision.
"Ok, we have eight Limas, all unaware of our presence. Garth, I want you to take a rifle and get up in a tree with a good view. Quietly. Sparks, Flash, you're both with me. As soon as he's in position, I want Garth to open fire on the hostiles. In the ensuing confusion, the three of us will pop up and pop heads, got it?"
"Got it." Came a unanimous reply.
James, Flash and Sparks waited until Garth climbed up into the branches of an adjacent tree and got in a comfortable position to fire. Once the agile behemoth was set, he brought up the sights and focused on the target that was furthest away, a Lotkin warrior that was busily sharpening it's blade with a whet stone on the other side of camp. Just as his commander had taught him, Garth took a deep steady breath, slowly let it out and squeezed the trigger.
*snap*
The target's head jerked back and it slumped to the ground. The others paused and looked around. They had heard a strange sound they did not recognize and had failed to see their comrade fall to the ground. They were just about to dismiss it and return to their tasks when a straight stream of blood suddenly burst from the forehead of the Lotkin tending to the fire, it's body slumping forward into the flames with a hiss and a sizzle.
The others dropped what they were doing and brought up their weapons, ready for a fight, but it was too late. James and Sparks stood up from their hiding place and began advancing, downing a target with each pull of the trigger. In just seconds, the camp was cleared of the remaining six hostiles. Flash moved to join them, as did Garth after clambering down from the tree. Together they swept the camp, looking for any sign of the missing inhabitants. When they found none, they regrouped over by the fire.
"Alright, good shit, that went down pretty much perfectly." James complimented, "Ok, the next thing we have to do is track down the others before moving on. Remember to keep an eye out for other friendlies operating in the area, it's imperative that we meet up--"
A bellowing war cry sounded from the south west side of the camp. The Fixers all brought their weapons to bear as a group of three Lotkin rushed in from the forest, weapons raised high over their heads.
*snap* *snap* *snap* *snap* *snap* *snap* *snap* *snap*
The three suddenly slumped to the ground, sprays of body fluid issuing from their chests, bodies jerking as some unseen force tore them apart. James stood there, somewhat baffled as he had not fired his weapon. He looked to Garth, then Sparks, both of whom shook their heads in the negative.
Then, from the shadows, "Silent!"
"Screech" James automatically called back.
Like specters of the night, a team of three unicorns and a pegasus flowed into being from the shadows of the trees near where the three new combatants had attacked from. The pegasus trotted up to James and held out a hoof for the human to shake.
"Sir, Lieutenant Mulus. The Magic Aces are at your service."
James gave the stallion's hoof a vigorous shake, "Good to have ya. Thanks for taking care of that problem there, you haven't happened to see any more, have you?"
"Just three others. We had been tracking a group of six for the past hour and a half. We took half the group out when they stopped for rest, but the others escaped and we chased them here. Where I see your team has already taken out the trash, so to speak." The officer commented as he looked around the campsite.
"Yep, just doing our job. You wouldn't have happened to run into the other team yet, have you?" James asked him.
"No, not down here. But I did see where their airship went before they dropped. Looked like they were still on course for their AOR near the beach."
"Ok, we'll go there then. We need to all hook up and put together a plan for hitting the beach head. That's our main objective. We take that out and worry about stragglers after."
"Affirmative. We're ready when you are."
"So let's go."
The two teams merged together, creating one single unit. James had Mulus switch over to his channel so they could keep in contact and coordinate. The group of eight slalomed through the trees until they exited the brush and came to a set of worn railroad tracks that ran north to south. The human signaled for the group to stop as the rails began to to hum and sing. In a matter of moments, a train came chugging down the tracks from the south, the operatives sank back to the trees, eager to remain out of sight.
As the cars of the locomotive swiftly passed them by, James peered inside. They were all full to capacity with mares and foals, stallions with their families. The looks of their faces were that of fear and confusion, having no clear understanding of why they had been ordered to leave their homes behind with such haste and without warning.
After the last car had passed, the team resumed it's journey and crossed the tracks to a rising field of tall grass and scrub brush. The rain was starting to let up, the precipitation now becoming no more than a drizzle. James activated his NVGs, deeming the weather now suitable for their use.
"Ok everyone, goggles down, eyes up." He ordered.
The ghostly green glow the Night Vision Goggles cast the landscape in was comforting, no more guess work in the dark. Stealthily, they climbed to the top of a low ridge, always keeping an eye out for their brothers in arms. Reaching the top, they dropped to prone and peeked over the edge. Down below was a wide, flat beach, unremarkable in every way. Except that a company of Lotkin warriors were busily constructing inland facing defenses for their landing fleets to take advantage of. James scanned the area, still no sign of the third team. He pulled out his iPod from a pants pocket and checked the time, 0453, it was getting close to sunrise.
"Ok, we can't wait on them, we'll have to assume the worst. This is what we're gonna do; we'll split up into three fire teams. Sparks, you take Flash and Garth with you, Mulus, take two of your guys, but leave your best shooter up here with me. We'll provide a sniper overwatch while the six of you assault the enemy force down on the beach. Get in as close as you can with out being detected, when I give the signal, go loud. Garth, feel free to use your shotgun."
The large warrior grinned excitedly as he pulled out the Saiga strapped to his back and slammed a magazine into the well.
Mulus turned to one of the unicorns under his command, a short stocky, dark orange one armed with an old Dragunov. "Flip, you're with the commander, keep your aim steady."
"Sir!" The unicorn responded, trotting over and taking his place at the human's side.
"Ok, you all know your parts, lets start the party."
The two assault fire teams crawled over the edge of the ridge and slowly began advancing on the enemy position like hungry crocs on the scent of their prey. Back on the ridge, Flip set up his rifle and sighted down the scope to the hostiles below. Meanwhile, James removed a pack on his back and opened it up, taking out several parts. In just a couple minutes, he had the M110 unpacked and assembled.
"What kind of range are we looking at." James asked the unicorn as he set up shop a short distance away.
"I estimate... maybe about two hundred and fifty yards. Give or take."
"Easy day." James stuck a finger in his mouth and held it up in the damp air, "Wind's still coming in from the ocean. About eight or nine miles an hour. Humidity is up, bit it shouldn't be a problem at such short distance."
"Agreed."
The two lay there in silence for a moment, studying the movements of their targets below and their cover. After a time, James got the confirmation he was waiting for.
"Boss, it's Sparks. Both teams in position. Ready on your go."
"Outstanding. Flip, get ready. Once they go, our job is to take out any hostiles with projectile weapons, that's the crossbows. They can handle everything else."
"Sir."
"Ok Sparks, on my mark." He shouldered his weapon more comfortably and found a target up on some kind of rampart.
"Ma--"
*RATATATATATATATA*
From a hill to the south came the roar of automatic weapons fire.
"What the fuck!" James yelled into the mic, "Who jumped the gun?"
"Were asking the same thing down here boss, it's none of us." Sparks told him.
James trained his scope on the source of the fire. He could see a trio of unicorns firing madly and advancing on the beach head, two earth ponies with blades charging out in front of them while their teammates fired over their heads. They began tearing into the ranks of the Lotkin working on the fortifications.
"Shit, there's our missing team. Keep your heads down, I don't want one of you getting slotted by accident. Flip, let's get to work."
The unicorn next to him nodded and began using his magic to aim his rifle and started taking down targets. After silently cursing to himself, James began doing the same thing. His rifle thundered across the sands, each gunshot punctuating the end of another life. Another hostile popped up on the ramparts, crossbow in hand. It was the last mistake it made as James put two in it's chest. Down in all the action, The human suddenly heard the terrifying rapid booms of a semi automatic shotgun.
"Sparks, what's going on, speak to me." He called into the radio.
"The third team reached us, we've merged and are now concentrating the assault."
"Good, keep up the great work."
A few more minutes back on the rifle and the two snipers ran out of targets. Either they had gotten them all, or the Lotkin down on the beach had learned not to stick their heads out. Still, sporadic fire and the occasional clash of blades bouncing off each other could be heard. James waited just a few more minutes to be sure, but when nothing else showed, he called it.
"Alright Flip, our work up here is done. Me and you are gonna pack up and join the party down there."
"Yes sir."
James took a moment to disassemble the M110 and stow it in his pack. Other than his sidearm, Flip only had the Dragunov, so he was already all set to go. Once James' gear was taken care of, he brought up his marksman rifle and advanced at a quick, but cautious, pace down the slope to the beach head. By the time he and Flip arrived though, the rest of the operatives were just finishing cleaning up.
"What took you so long?" Sparks asked, trotting over.
"I was keeping one of the Limas from putting a bolt on your chest. Where's the third team leader?"
"Around the corner, helping stack the bodies."
James followed his teammate, who brought him to a purple, blue maned unicorn sporting a beat up M14. Currently, he was in the middle of lifting a now lifeless body onto a neat pile that would be burned later.
"You, you're team leader?"
The unicorn stopped what he was doing and face James at attention, "Yes sir! Captain Shade of the Moonlighters. What can I do for you sir?"
"Please relax. I just want to know why you hadn't tried to make contact with us before deciding to assault a heavily armed enemy position on your own." James stated sternly.
"Sir, my apologies. We were blown off course by the storm and landed in the river, our radios were completely water logged. We cleared a path to the beach head, only encountering little resistance and waited for your team to show. However, when we didn't see you and dawn was nearing, I made the decision to attack."
"I see. Well, that's an unfortunate issue with the radios, I'll have Sparks look into it, see if he can't come up with a solution. As for the attack, I admire your initiative, but you could have gotten yourselves or one of the other teams killed. Next time maybe do a quick recon of the area before deciding you're all alone and taking the whole burden on yourself." James advised.
"Sir!"
"Other than that, good job keeping your teammates alive in a dicey situation. Carry on."
"Thank you sir."
James left the unicorn and began walking around the now empty barricades and ramparts of the beach head. It was all designed to allow a significant force to land on the shore and advance to a stable, fortified position with maximum cover and little fear of being repelled. However, the structures were in his hands now, and he could see a fatal flaw. James recalled Garth telling him of a certain weakness his people had when it came to water. The distance between the fortifications and the water was tiny. A plan formed in his mind. He would not destroy the beach head, as was the objective of this mission, no. He would turn it against his enemies.
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The enemy is in for a bit of a surprise it would appear. Be sure to mention assorted scouting parties returning to meet a similair fate since they did take their HQ out from under them.
The Lotkin. They iz FUBAR'd.
"The human suddenly heard the terrifying rapid booms of a semi automatic shotgun."
Looks like Garth was having fun!
arcade.svatopluk.com/midway/mortal_kombat/mortal_kombat_07.png
Good chapter, I look forward to the next one.
"Alright, good shit,"
I'm pretty sure that's a typo.
Someones happy
I knew it
This makes me happy. I must say i adore your writing style however i do wish your chapters were a little longer but all in all i think its great. Keep it up
another good chapter. have these
and this
files.sharenator.com/charlie_sheen_Meme_Dump_To_our_sharenator_Veterans-s350x350-150912-580.jpg
I would love know how many times the word "outstanding" has been used.
1559860 Dem Catchphrases... YUNO say more words?!?
The Lotkin... they are all screwed, the RSTG shall roll in gore this day!
I just wish I knew what happened between James and Rainbow... what, not a big deal to you? IT'S BIG TO ME.
Hmmm... I'm curious what's on James mind right now.
Lotkin gonna have really bad day.
Cue Cpl.Dunn Freakout now...
are you planning that this story will take 100 chapters?
why you little sneak cutting off on their romance like that you could have at least cut it off after they got to the house you know
1852522 exactly what I thought. I was pretty disappointed at first
but this chapter is pretty decent
lol
Add the clop!
1925994 you can guess that it wont be any Clops because For the fact that this is rated 13+ and not 18+ and that it has no Sex Tag only romance for the most close one. So, only kissing and some cuddling are expected.