Summoning America

Chapter 88: War Machines

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May 1, 1640
Otaheit, Mu
Facility Gamma

General Seneville held the railing as he stood upon an elevated platform built into a mountainside, overlooking a massive testing grounds below. Researchers in white lab coats and soldiers in new camouflage uniforms scuttled about, setting up target dummies and readying experimental weaponry. Beside him, Prime Minister Sinclair waited patiently for the demonstration to begin.

"General," Sinclair said, elegant mustache swaying about as he spoke.

"Sir?" Seneville responded.

Carrying nobility and power through his voice, Sinclair asked, "How much confidence do you have in these weapons? In their ability to repel the Gra Valkan aggressors?"

"Utmost confidence, sir," Seneville replied, his tone reflecting the content of his answer. "The design of these cannons is derived from captured Gra Valkan weapons donated to us by the Leiforian Resistance. These weapons are able to use one hundred five millimeter shells, either domestically produced, captured from Gra Valkan supplies, or purchased from the Americans. We are also working on a seventy-five millimeter variant."

"Hmph." Sinclair crossed his arms, satisfied with what he heard. He still remained doubtful, however, waiting until he saw the equipment in action. "What sort of targets have you prepared?"

"According to the Americans, the Gra Valkans have tanks with varying magnitudes of armor. We have prepared sets of eighty, one hundred, and one twenty millimeter steel armor. The guns shall conduct a series of tests, first using our own domestically produced ammunition, then captured Gra Valkan ammunition, and finally American ammunition. Each test will be conducted several times, with the angle of the armor varying in each, to represent sloped armor on Gra Valkan tanks."

Sinclair nodded, watching in worried anticipation as Seneville's men moved the guns into position. "For the sake of our future, I hope these weapons truly are as potent as you believe them to be."

Seneville experienced a brief moment of hesitation, hit hard by the weight of the Prime Minister's words. "You... will not be disappointed, sir."

The two men stood in silence as a researcher announced the commencement of the first trial, "Firing range is clear. Initiating Project Bulwark Trial Set One: begin test in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one... Fire!" A burst of orange flame spouted from the experimental cannon's muzzle, unleashing firepower of unprecedented magnitude – seen only on naval warships and coastal batteries until now. A spent casing flew from the new weapon, material glistening under the facility's lighting as smoke slowly drifted to the ceiling. The target, a small slab of 80mm armor situated 50 meters from the cannon itself, was reduced to a shattered image of its prior self. Shards of smoking metal lay strewn about the position of the original slab, standing testament to the strength of the new cannon.

The test continued, with the cannon striking duplicate pieces oriented at different angles, all to satisfactory effect. In all cases, the armor was destroyed or damaged enough such that the shrapnel produced by the impact was sufficient in neutralizing any targets behind the armor. Testing then took a pause as researchers recorded the results and prepared for the next trials.

Seneville looked at Sinclair, hoping to catch his expression. He felt relief upon finding that Sinclair had an impressed look on his face, almost to the point of a light smile. "Now we know that these weapons will be effective against Gra Valkan light armor," he commented.