Mobius Squadron: Operation Katina

Chapter 47: Set Dressing

Major Edwards

December had progressed fast. Just yesterday the 118th Tactical Fighter Wing had been preparing to assault the Husk Line in the Winterfold Plains. And now, it was the 24th. Christmas Eve. Edwards had put a miniature Christmas tree on her desk, and someone had passed around Santa and elf hats for everyone. Mobius 4 and 2 were the most likely culprits. Everyone else stationed at Megalith was gathered and doing last minute preparation for tomorrow, but Edwards was sat at her desk going over slips of paper. She was finishing up the preparations for a briefing for tomorrow. The intelligence officer took another sip from a mug of hot chocolate as she put all the files together and put them away. She had seen the details for the plan. It was impressive, and there were several units involved. All but one of them had fought with Mobius Squadron before. Edwards smiled at that thought. Perhaps fate did exist. But she quashed that thought and returned to the task at hand. Soon this whole thing would be over. Soon.

Lieutenant Warren

The snow had been churned up by the tracks and wheels of the Challenger 2s and Strykers of the 43rd Heavy Cavalry Battalion and 14th Engineering Field Squadron. They had come to a stop short of their start line for tomorrow. As they were to go into action tomorrow, Warren wanted to ensure that everyone got a Christmas celebration that night. Around campfires surrounded by their vehicles, the tank crews and engineers exchanged gifts and sang carols. Warren was sitting with Captain Sanderson, his counterpart in the engineers. "Not the best Christmas I've had" the engineering officer commented. All of them were clad in heavy winter gear, and Sanderson had acquired herself a beanie to use instead of a helmet for the extra warmth. "You should see the Christmas' back home. My old man knows how to roast a nice pig" Warren commented. That elicited a laugh from Sanderson. Then, the Lieutenant checked his watch. He then stood and called out an order to those sitting around. They started to disperse into their vehicles and move them into position to leaguer up for the night. "Well, Merry Christmas LT" Sanderson said as she departed. Warren then put out the fire by dumping snow over it. Hopefully tomorrow would succeed, and they all could go home. And that would be the best Christmas gift Warren could ask for.

Commander Harold

It was a little known geographical quirk of the region, but White Valley had a small access to the sea. It was through a smaller chasm that then opened into the main area itself. ISAF planners were diligent in their studying of maps though. They had seen that access point, and decided to incorporate it into their plan. That was why Harold and his men found themselves aboard transport ships escorted by the 6th Fleet. It was a multinational ISAF task force based out of North Point. The amount of naval firepower surrounding them impressed the Commander. Down below the decks, his marines were making the last checks of the AAVP-7A1s they were to make their assault with. There wasn't much of a festive mood, though the ship's cooks had been more than generous and would doubtless continue to be so with breakfast the following morning. The sun was rapidly setting though, so it was coming time to turn in for the night. Harold sighed, wishing he had been able to spend Christmas another way. But this was for the good of the entire continent. And that helped with the pang of homesickness.

Colonel West

The air base was located just behind the frontline. This section of front had remained relatively static despite the breakthrough at a different point on the Husk Line. The base was currently serving as the staging point for the 1st Air Mobile Battalion of the Skully Islands Army. Troops were running to and from helos at the moment, making last checks before they bedded down for the night. Overseeing it all was the battalion CO, Colonel West. West had been responsible for garnering the high morale and pride that was present within the unit. They were the only Skully Islands personnel to be on active deployment as part of ISAF. As such, West had made sure they would represent their country in the best light possible. She stood on the tarmac, ensuring that the proper equipment was loaded and that the troops were getting to their assigned barracks correctly after loading the helos. Before long, all the loading was done, and the swarm sat idle on the tarmac for the morning. West gave one last survey of everything, giving it a grunt of approval as she did. Only then did she retire for the small amount of sleep she would need the following day.