GATE: Thus Freedom was Summoned

Chapter 9

February 9th, 2043
Falmart, Alnus Hill/Base

Over a month of United States occupation had seen to a lot of change for Alnus Hill and the surrounding landscape around it. A five square mile area around the gate was identified as territory under the jurisdiction of the United States of America, and it was made so by the constant patrols of armored vehicles and small outposts made of basic fortifications such as sandbags and gabions.

Roadways were accidentally paved through the continued use of the newly established patrol routes with armored vehicles. Among these vehicles were the ones the US initially brought through at the start of Operation Olympus, and one the US just recently sent through now that the surrounding area was secured. The C1A5 Archon.

The C1A5 Archon wasn't designed as a combat vehicle, but as a command and control vehicle for use by field commanders when issuing orders and commanding large forces on the field. Knowledge is power, and that's what the Archon takes to heart. The massive vehicle was bigger than the M5 Schwarzkopf, but was used as a mobile command center loaded with advanced digital computers, sensors, and other equipment used in surveillance and intelligence gathering on the field. These high-tech vehicles offered an unseen value of battlefield awareness. While not designed as a combat vehicle, it came equipped with a remote operated M134 Minigun and Mk 47 Striker for personnel defense, while having four AGRs and a single MQ-27 Dragonfire under it's command to extend it's defensive capabilities and provide limited offense. The massive fifty nine ton vehicle was powered by twin VTA-1000T diesel-electric hybrid engines with 780hp each. Both engines powered a track separately, but both engines were capable of operating both tracks in the event one breaks down, but with reduced performance. In total, the machine was capable of accelerating up to fifty miles per hour.

The machine was also given two additional variants for vehicle recovery and as an Assault Breacher Vehicle fitted with either a recovery arm and crane, or a mine plow and line charges.

Such a vehicle was currently active with a unit of four M5A2 Schwarzkopf tanks and four M4A3 Bliss IFVs on patrol around the five square mile perimeter around Alnus Base.

In the center was the new Special Region joint HQ for the United States Army and United States Marine Corps, soon to be expanded for the United States Air Force. Alnus base was well fortified, with a mix of reinforced concrete walls and chain link fences with barbed wire lining the top edges, forming the shape of a pentagon. Inside were several pre-fabricated barracks, five armories, two motorpools, a clear spot for VTOL and rotor craft, and multiple other vital facilities holding some importance for military operation. Outside forming a perimeter was an outer line of full chain link fence and barbed wire with several checkpoints and wood made lookout posts where troops stood guard over the base. Sentry guns with the M134 were stationed around the concrete made walls and placed in small concrete made platforms fitted with their own long lasting batteries for power supply. The current project engineering teams were working on was a full functioning airfield as several trucks were brought through the gate carrying asphalt and concrete needed in the construction.

"At present we know too little about our current environment," The marine officer of intelligence stated. "Drones identified several settlements around our surrounding areas, so we're setting up several units with the Army to conduct extensive recon on the areas to scout out these settlements to determine whether or not they're hostile or neutral. You lieutenant will be leading one of these new units."

Second Lieutenant Alex Mason. Officer in the United States Marine Corps, and hero of Manhattan for his involvement against the invading Saderan forces and his actions in assisting groups of civilians in the evacuation of the city. Now instead of casual civilian cloths, he was now back in fatigues with woodland MARPAT.