Mobius Squadron: Shattered Skies

Chapter 56: Rex Tremendae

Bravo 1

The ISAF submarine was a cramped space. It was an experimental design specifically designed for getting Special Operations Companies in and out of places that other people would rather they not be. But, as the 12th SOC were discovering, creature comforts were secondary to stealth and speed on this thing. Captain Andrews once again wiped the sweat from his forehead. He had his balaclava and helmet off, as did the rest of them, but it wasn't helping that much. This mission had been hurriedly organised. It had been a nightmare of logistics to find a plane to lift them to an ISAF forward airfield on the Erusean coastline. Then from there, a helicopter to the sub and then it was a close to 6 hour journey to Megalith. Andrews once again wiped the sweat from his forehead. Turns out that file that he and Samson had discovered had been valuable after all. Once the sub had gotten underway, Andrews and the other two team leaders had gotten together for a hurried planning session. One of them had removed from a watertight bag, all of the intelligence ISAF had on the Erusean superweapon. With the captain and two lieutenants gathered over the mass of papers, images and maps, it hadn't taken long for them to figure out the basic plan that had been sent off to the mainland. There were two areas from which the exhaust vents to the central silo could be opened. The main control room was the obvious choice, but Andrews had decided against it because even with 18 of the most experienced troopers ISAF had to offer at his disposal, storming that would only end in a massacre. That left the sub-control room, a small secondary facility located on the 13th floor of the megastructure. Its internal garrison was lighter, so only one team would be needed to effectively get the job done. That meant the other two could form a perimeter security force. After much discussion, it had been decided that Bravo would be the storming force. Charlie would hold the elevator area and Tango would hold the stairs. That would provide the 12th SOC with the ability to funnel any reinforcements into a field of fire. Andrews and his two subordinates had then dispersed to brief their teams. Making his way through one of the many bulkheads on the submarine, Andrews made his way into the room in which Bravo Team was set up and resting. Air filtration wasn't a problem and they had plenty to breathe, the problem was that the heat was unbearable. "Boss, whatever news you're giving, I hope it means we can get off this thing" Daniels announced as Andrews entered. "I'd rather be back in Whiskey Corridor" Walters concurred while cleaning his M249. After finishing up that process, he looked expectantly at the captain, as did all the others. Andrews could feel the pressure on his shoulders. There was no way everyone in the 12th SOC was coming home from this mission. But they couldn't back out. The pilots needed an entryway and an exit route, and if it cost them their lives, Andrews knew his men would give them happily. "We're infiltrating Megalith. No doubt you've all seen the news, but what we just discovered is that Megalith is the source of all of it. We're going in and securing an entry and exit for the fighters to come in and destroy it. We've only got one shot at this. It's highly likely that not everyone will make it back alive from this one" Andrews stated, and then went over the specifics. He watched as Daniels tensed up, Wilson instinctively reached for his 416, Jameson looked up from his book, Walters fiddled with a box mag for the M249 and Samson stared at his captain from the sidelines. The war that they had bled through wasn't over. But they had a way to stop the destruction of their continent. And all the members of Bravo Team echoed the same thoughts: Lets get it over with.

"Standby to surface!" the submarine captain called out as Andrews and his men donned their fatigues. There was a sound of hissing air through the submarine's hull, followed by the distinctive feeling of ascension. Daniels clutched his 417 tightly, desperate to not let it out of his hands. The sound of rushing water followed. "Surfaced!" one of the crewmembers shouted. Samson opened the hatch above their heads and all 6 men quickly climbed out. Jameson and Walters rushed over and started manoeuvring a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat off the submarine's deck and into the water while Andrews moved over to the other two teams to wish them good luck. The RHIB was in the water in no time and Daniels hopped in. The other members followed as Daniels positioned himself at the front, along with Walters. The two specialists and their weapons would provide firepower if the boat ran into contact. "Good hunting!" the submarine captain called one last time as his vessel then disappeared beneath the waves. It was stormy, the waves heaving and rain bucketing down. Samson took his spot at the engine and started driving the RHIB towards Megalith. "Isn't there supposed to be calm seas here!" Jameson shouted over the roar of the engine. "Once we get closer, the weather will clear up!" Andrews answered, while also shouting corrections to Samson as they drew nearer and nearer. "Bravo 5 tally on Megalith!" Wilson called while looking through his spotter scope. "Cut the engine, we're paddling in from here" Andrews ordered. The four others picked up paddles whilst Daniels and Walters kept an eye out. The rain did eventually calm down, and Daniels could see Megalith clearly. It was a massive concrete structure, with several off shoots. One of them was a runway and Daniels watched as several Su-37s taxied and took off from there. The others were the vents that contained the generators, and one was the exhaust tunnel he and his team were supposed to open. "200 metres" Wilson kept track as the boat got closer. Within no time, the RHIB pushed up against the concrete. Bravo Team jumped one at a time onto the landing they had come up alongside. "Alright, let's move" Andrews announced. Wilson turned to Daniels. "Are you good to go?" he asked. Daniels nodded, before responding. "Hey Wilson, we get through this alright, and I want you to be the best man at my wedding". Wilson just smiled beneath the balaclava. "Would be my honour, now lets show those Eruseans that you don't mess with us" the dark skinned man said before he and the marksman both headed off.

The hallways were clear as the 12th SOC teams all moved through. They got to the sub-control room and Andrews motioned Walters forward. While doing that, he checked in with the other teams. They were all set, and Andrews turned his attention back to Walters when a beep echoed from the entryway. "Shit" Walters said as he picked back up his M249. "What?" Andrews asked. "The lock's electronic, and it just sent out a failsafe code to the entirety of Megalith" the machine gunner answered. <<All stations, Bravo 1. They know we're here, get set for contact>> he called before calling orders to his team. Operation Judgment Day had begun.

Sky Eye

The sky was filled with falling asteroids as the E-767 manoeuvred through the incoming shower. Sky Eye just watched his console, confident in his pilot's ability to avoid the asteroids. While waiting for the fighters to enter the ao, he started singing an old song. A song that his mother had taught him long ago. "Rex, Rex Tremendae. Majestatis, qui salvandos salvas gratis. Salva me, fons pietatis".