Project Gaia : The arrival of humanity

Chapter 27 : Planning

"No battle plan survives contact with the enemy."

- Helmuth von Moltke

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Gaia, Southwestern "New Pangaea" Continent. July 2nd 2038. 0300 Hours

The Humvee grumbled as it crawled up the steep, rocky incline, its engine growling against the biting cold. Liu gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles pale as frost bit at his exposed fingers. Beside him, First Lieutenant Alex Hill huddled in his seat, clutching the radio equipment to his chest like a lifeline. The night sky above them was a brilliant tapestry of stars, the cloudless expanse offering an eerie sense of calm that contrasted sharply with the chaos they had left behind.

As they reached the crest of the hill, Liu brought the vehicle to a halt. He killed the engine, and silence blanketed the area save for the soft creak of the Humvee settling onto uneven terrain. Alex stepped out, his boots crunching against the frost-covered ground, his breath visible in the icy air. The hill offered a commanding view of the surrounding forest, its dark expanse stretching out like an ocean of shadows.

The faint glow of the moon bathed the landscape in silver, but it was far from comforting. The darkness seemed alive, hiding threats Alex couldn't see but could feel. Shivering, he turned to Liu, who was already pulling out the collapsible radio antenna.

"Let's set it up here," Alex said, his voice a low murmur. "This spot should give us the range we need."

The antenna was cumbersome in the cold, but Liu worked swiftly, his hands moving with practiced efficiency despite the numbness creeping into his fingers. Alex kept watch, his rifle slung over his shoulder as he scanned the treeline below. The silence was unnerving; even the nocturnal creatures seemed to be holding their breath.

When the antenna was finally secured, Liu connected it to the transmitter inside the Humvee. He adjusted the dials, the radio emitting a series of crackling sounds. Alex leaned in, the faint hum of static filling the cabin as Liu cycled through channels.

"Anything yet?" Alex asked, his breath fogging in the dim light of the dashboard.

"Not yet," Liu replied, his voice strained with concentration. "Give me a second... There!"

A faint, distorted voice crackled through the static. Liu adjusted the frequency, fine-tuning the signal until the words became clear.

"... this is UN Forward Operating Base Alpha-6. Repeat, this is UN FOB Alpha-6. Any friendly units, respond."

Alex felt a surge of relief. Grabbing the handheld mic, he pressed the transmit button. "This is First Lieutenant Alex Hill, leader of the 7-4 Bravo scout team. Serial number 314-7862. Do you copy?"

The radio buzzed for a moment, the silence stretching unbearably before a voice replied.

"7-4 Bravo, this is FOB Alpha-6. We read you loud and clear, Lieutenant. Where the hell have you been? You missed your last two check-ins."

Alex exhaled heavily, the weight of the last twelve hours pressing down on him. "Alpha-6, we were ambushed approximately 12 klicks southeast of the Indian colony. Hostiles are confirmed as local natives-quadrupedal, equine in appearance, and using what I can only describe as supernatural. Two men wounded, two MIA, possibly captured. Requesting immediate medevac and reinforcements."

The radio was silent for a beat before the operator responded. "Lieutenant, did you say 'supernatural'? Clarify."

Alex clenched his jaw. "Affirmative, Alpha-6. Hostiles exhibited energy-based protection which is capable of stopping a .50 cal and 5.56 on the spot. They... do something making our bodies unable to move. They then neutralized two of our men and overwhelmed our position. We barely made it out."