The Offworld Saga: The Rise of the Survivalist Federation Force

Ch.3: Extraction part 2

Above the extraction point

21:58

"Attention, all X Corps!" Skandar shouted through his transponder. "I have a visual on our extract, although the LZ is swarming with enemy activity."

Sure enough, two vague shapes ,outlined in gray among the brown and black that covered the plains of the Great Expanse, ran with several darker shadows chasing after them, a handful that resembled beasts with eyes glowing like lanterns. 

"Copy." Ari's voice came in.

"Roger!" Mikhail and Heinrich voxed simultaneously.

"Um, not to deviate from our line of thought, but which one is our extraction target?" Zayda asked, confusion evident in her voice.

"Whichever looks like a humanoid feline?" An aviator from Ari's unit, Wolfgang, suggested.

"The feed I'm receiving shows two shapes with feline features," Zayda announced. "Although one has two young within her grasp."

"Zigmar!" Heinrich cursed."Don't these people know better than to place women and young in harm's way."

"The question is which one do we extract?"Skandar asked, the wind howling in his ears from where he stood in the bay of the Laevus, overlooking the fields ahead.

"Just bring them both in for questioning," Mikhail broke in. "It is safer that way."

"I hope you don't mind me rudely interrupting the banter, but you have several bogeys converging on your positions from the north, both land and air-based!"

"Sentery!" Ari chuckled. "It's nice to have you join in on these chats every once in a while. You are correct.I can see the shapes of the Hellhounds zeroing on our extract. They will not reach them in time if we can help it. The rest of you should drop in and extricate our targets while we provide air support."

"Sounds good to me!"

Skandar motioned to Scottie to gather the man and get inside the APCs. Soon, he was seated shotgun inside an Aardvark APC as his men crouched down in the back. After a few seconds, a countdown began and then they were airdropped along with other APCs into the combat zone.  The soldier, originally an officer in the Vroengard military, gritted his teeth and clasped the handles as they were parachuted at about 90 Parhertz toward landing zone. Zero gravity was still unfriendly to his stomach after all these years.

"We have touched down! How about you Scottie? Joey?"

"Affirmative!" Both men replied.

"Let's see who can extract our target first!" Skandar smirked. "The losers have to buy them extra Eastern Island sushi!"

"Then you better prepare to empty your purse!" Scottie replied.

As soon as they set off, they came under heavy fire and several low-flying aircraft shot past them. It is up to the Air Division, the bread and butter of Fantine X,  to hold them at bay while the extraction happened.

Ari, Strygar, Adlan, I am counting on you all! For Duty and Honor!

---

"Eagle flight, let's take out the fixed-wing supersonic fighters! Adlan, take Honor flight and provide air support for Heinrich and Skandar's forces.  Strygar, you  and Liberty flight guard our Laevus carriers from enemy fire!"

"Yes, Ari!" Both men shouted in unison before dispersing to carry out their duties.

This is going to be fun! It's been years since I had taken on aircraft. A good dogfight is necessary once in a while to hone our skills.