It was quiet on this side of the fence. Pressure sensors, especially those outside the secondary patrol perimeter, were sensitive enough to be triggered by the shifting tides of dust. And at this hour of the night on a new moon, the possibility of any human infiltration triggering the alarm was out of the question.

The leader of the patrol sighs as he stops at the far edge of the field, raising his hand up to signal for the rest of his three-man squad to approach. “انه واضح. إنذار كاذب مرة أخرى!”

Their relaxed figures jog over from their kneeling positions, the first speaking up with slight disappointment. “مرة أخرى؟…”

“القيادة ما زالت متوترة بعد الشهر الماضي. من الذي سيأتي لا يهاجمنا الآن؟” The other man interrupts with a laugh, clapping their leader on the back. “أعني بجدية…”

Up here on the ridge line, the Patrol had a complete overview of the complex below. Floodlights illuminate dusty roads, buildings surrounding a rocket on the launch pad. A few military logistics trucks maneuver through serpentine paths, sending particulate into the chilly night air. Bunkers of concrete stand between all, constructed to last for generations.

Surrounding the entire center; a huge three and a half meter tall wall was topped with barbed wire fencing. Watchtowers built every twenty meters, surface to air missile launchers every fifty, the place looked more like a fortress than a site of supposed research.

Speaking into his radio, the Patrol Leader reports their findings. “CP ، كل شيء واضح. “

The reply is filled with uncharacteristic static, voice barely heard through interference. “نسخ ، يرجى التأكيد على الانفصال؟…”

Slapping his radio the man repeats himself. “CP يقول مرة أخرى”

“يتم إخ…. ا… ة غير م…. عروفة” The radio barely spits out before jamming shut, the entire patrol exchanging concerned glances.

Behind them a noise of metal smashing against rock echoes from an incline ten meters away, perking well trained ears. Rifles at the ready, they whip around to face the unseen threat, the expanding darkness around them revealing nothing but black.

The Patrol Lead raises a closed fist to his squad, the pair of men behind him scanning the source of the noise with rifle mounted flashlights.

Like a deer in fast approaching headlights they immediately fixate on its source: a figure clad in plates of ceramic armor, black assault rifle in his chest carrier, and a comically overstuffed backpack on his frame splayed out onto the dusty Earth.

An awkward second arrives as gazes meet, minds crashing in utter surprise.

Eyes widen, voices raise in warning, silenced weapons fire cutting the Patrol down in an instant.

“Hostile down.” Blue Three reports as her form materializes from darkness.

“Clear.” Blue One confirms, turning to their conspirator with a low, quiet growl. “操, Keys you are too loud!”

“I’m carrying fifty fucking pounds of gear Ling!” The man bites with a hush, carefully getting back up. “Fuck! I didn’t even see this ledge!”

One of the guards moans as life leaves his body, Blue Three filling the frame with two more rounds from her silenced sidearm. “So are we going to hide the corpses…”

“It would not have a point.” Master Sergeant Ling sighs as he helps his fallen comrade back onto his feet. “The force will arrive soon, and when they do the Facility will know we are here anyway.”

“Well ‘the force’ was supposed to be here five minutes ago.” Lieutenant Keys whispers.

“They were?” Both of the other squad members reply in unison.

“It's 0407.” The man reports as he hunches down. “This thing’s supposed to start at 0400 dead and we’re meeting them here at 0405.”

They take a moment to mull it over.

“Maybe they were delayed.” Ling offers.

“A SEAL Team delayed?” The Lieutenant pauses, reality striking him. “Oh god what if they burned us?!”

“Burned us?”

“No show, left us here. I mean… the U.S. and U.N. aren’t always on the best of relations right? I mean, the Peacekeeping Corps just had a blue on blue firefight with some marines last week in South America. What if this is their way of getting us back?!”

The Master Sergeant narrows his eyes. “Your lack of confidence in your own home country is… concerning.”

“I don’t know dude I’m not used to this waiting!” Lieutenant Keys bites. “I can’t…”

Corporal Mercier hushes the pair from behind, and the two immediately lower their voices.

“You are extremely stupid, and you need to calm down.” Ling quietly whispers. “All we need to do is wait, they will come meet us here.”

“But what if they don’t?” The Lieutenant begins. “I mean I…”

A spotlight from one of the watchtowers glances over them, stopping dead as it fixates on the squad. Night vision dims, the combat software automatically compensating as the presumed hostile in the tower a quarter mile away is marked.

“Oh fuck.” Blue Two vocalizes.

“Oh no.” Blue One follows. “Get down!”

Blue Three twirls on her heels, rifle in hand as she crumples into a shooting position. In a blink crosshairs align, breath held as her dark eyes confirm the target.

Grabbing the radio from his stand the watchman begins to yell out a warning in panic, voice cut as the nine millimeter rifle round evaporates the man’s upper torso.

Blue Three blinks as she cycles the bolt action on her suppressed rifle, watching as the body slumps behind the wall. Her second round, aimed squarely on the tower’s spotlight, plunges the squad into darkness again.

“Holy shit nice shot…” Blue Two begins.

“We can no longer hide the bodies.” Blue Three cuts him off, standing as she turns to the squad leader. “They will know we are coming if the check-in is not returned. If we are to abort, then we do it now.”

“The only path out is by the Helicopter from special forces.” Blue One thinks out loud. “If they do not come we are dead anyway in the desert.”

“Fuck.” Blue Two grits his teeth as he turns back to the facility. “This is not going to plan alright?! The moment Admiral Tucker put us up to this I KNEW…”

There is no prelude.

From the black of night the high pitched scream of a supersonic cruise missile shatters a universe in half. The entire squad instinctively dives for cover as the monster passes over them, explosive impact following with a shockwave that nearly buries them in dust. Audio limiters within helmets automatically deafen the soldiers, raw noise overwhelmingly dangerous to unprotected ears.

Three more missiles follow in quick succession, the opening symphony to Operation Shooting Star marked with absolute carnage and overwhelming force projection.

A full minute passes before Blue Squad is able to get off the dirt, adrenaline and pure shock slowly awakening bodies.

“Everyone OK?!” Master Sergeant Ling yells over the communication line.

“WHAT?!” Keys screams back as his helmet’s audio limiters feed white hot sound into his ears. “I CAN’T HEAR YOU?!”

Corporal Mercier blinks in awe struck silence. “T-that was cool…”

Fires burn within the facility, confused guards wandering in total shell shock as an air-raid siren begins to blare through the night before being silenced by power failure. Opportunity opened, the scheduled attack nowhere to be seen.

Behind the three marines a breeze picks up, slowly escalating to a beating blast of air as they spot the shape approach.

Painted pure black, angular in its frame; the tandem rotor helicopter is barely audible as it comes in for a landing. Noise suppression system on, the ten ton war machine lets out a mere whisper as it settles onto the dusty earth.

From the rear ramp twelve heavily armed soldiers clad in dark camouflage emerge, rifles at the ready as the leader of the squad raises a shut fist. Voice filtered through her sealed combat helmet, the accent is distinctly American. “Uniform Sierra.”

“Blue Nike.” Blue One quickly answers with the countersign.

Lowering her hand the squad behind her keeps their weapons raised, sweeping the surrounding environment. “I’m Major Jacquie Carter of SEAL Team Five. I assume you’re Blue Team?”

“Correct, we are Blue Team.” Blue One replies as he tries to emulate a North American accent, words slightly bumbled in delivery. “You are late.”

Without pause the woman makes a circular motion with an open palm, the squad fanning out into darkness as they clear the landing site. “My Squad’s Engineer will plug you into our tactical network.” She points to the thin figure behind her, the soldier rushing forward with a diagnostic tablet in hand. “Our orders are to escort you into Building Site Four and secure that location. After that we’ll be proceeding to our Secondary Objective in Building Sector Nine. Your extraction point will be added by our system automatically.”

Network authorization granted, the Squad’s collective HUDs identifies the figure in front of them with a friendly blue.

“Thank you Major.” Blue One tries to compliment.

The woman remains still, her form staring down the squad in front of her. “Don’t get in our way like the usual Peacekeeper lot. I can’t afford to baby sit people like you.”

The three exchange glances through armored helmets, the response burdened upon Blue One. “What is the problem?”

“I know you Peacekeepers are trigger happy fucks. Do not shoot any of my men, is that clear?”

Blue Three announces aloud with a straight tone. “She is an asshole.”

“Yeah she is.” Blue Two agrees.

Through the thick helmet plating the pair detect a thin scowl, interrupted by a member of the landing team.

“Perimeter clear!” One of the SEALs yells.

“Alright get the M.U.L.E. out and we’ll get moving!!!” The Squad Leader barks to the crew within the helicopter.

Eyes wide, mouths salivating. Jealousy burns in spoiled hearts as the six legged walking war machine marches off the cargo ramp. Painted in desert camouflage and its top turret equipped with a matched pair of minigun and anti-armor cannon, the M.U.L.E. Unit was as intimidating as was incredibly, “Awesome…” Lieutenant Keys lets out with a whimper. “M70A5, urban warfare upgrade package.”

Sensors activate, the tactical link within suits expanding outward as data is gathered, processed, and disseminated by the machine. Distant hostiles are marked, and the wireframe model of two more approaching friendly transport helicopters are discovered.

“We’re clear!” The Squad Leader confirms. “Clear for dust off!!!”

Rotors raise as their idle purr turns to a low roar, the barely visible shape of the heavy lift helicopter slowly ascending back into a cloudless night sky. “Good luck down there Alpha Team.”

“Full copy and thank you.” The Squad Leader replies, switching her coms to the inter-command channel, Master Sergeant Ling now tapped in with his squad leader rank. “Bravo, Charlie Team be advised we are boots on the ground and have made contact with Blue Team, how copy?”

Direct eastward of their position a pair of blue squares are marked; the secondary landing site of the operation barely visible over massive distance

The reply comes with a distinct North Asian accent. “Alpha Lead this is Bravo Lead. We are on the ground now.”

“Ready here as well.” Charlie Squad’s leader replies.

Alpha Lead nods to herself. “Advised Checkmate, all teams at ready. On your mark.”

The Operation Commander speaks the words, voice booming in execution. “All units this is Checkmate, Operation Shooting Star is green.”

“Try to keep up.” Alpha Lead scoffs to the three man fireteam, motioning for her squad to regroup. “OP is green, let’s get moving!”

“I do not like her.” Corporal Mercier comments to her squad.

“Good thing we don’t have to deal with her for too long then.” Lieutenant Keys charges his weapon handle as he turns to the leader. “So we going or not?”

Master Sergeant Ling frowns to himself, looking outward as he watches the facility burn. “Ok, let us go.”

Scanners push forward, software acquiring the point of entry to the launch facility as a handful of red forms are identified.

Within the front gate guardhouse, a few figures scramble against an unknown attack. Stunned from carnage, their forms arm themselves with an array of handheld sidearms and rifles.

Information dumps to minds within heads up displays, tactical analysis and visual indicators crawling as Alpha and Blue Team hit the hillside dirt.

TARGET//HOSTILE

WEAPON//M6-AR

RANGE//240 METERS

CLEARANCE//ENGAGE

Rifle fire erupts as a barrage of suppression fire covers the force’s approach, half of Alpha squad moving in a trained diamond formation towards the enemy position.

Magazines emptied, the advance team stops to take up firing positions. Tracers ignite, Alpha’s machine gunner now laying down a steady stream of rounds atop the hostile position.

“Holy fuck they’re good.” Lieutenant Keys ducks down as a few return rounds from the guard post snap overhead. “Admiral Tucker wasn’t messing around with these people.”

Master Sergeant Ling nods as best he can from his prone position. “The Admiral does not mess around with things like this.”

From their own position the silenced crack of Corporal Mercier’s rifle swings out an aimed salvo, her engagement range ballooning outward as targeting data from the M.U.L.E. is fed directly into her suit’s fire-control software.

A single facility guard peaks from one of the post’s windows, rifle igniting as they attempt to suppress the open positions of the approaching force. Behind him the wall is suddenly painted in gore, Blue Three cycling a fresh round into the chamber as the frame dissolves back into cover.

“Hostile down.” The Marksman informs, adjusting her rifle as another target is spotted.

A guard sprints between the paired buildings as they attempt to reposition, the figure plastered onto dusty earth by a single, unseen shot.

“Hostile down.” The marksman repeats.

Behind Blue Team the M.U.L.E. marches past with machine precision. From its turret, the high pitched whirring of spinning barrels a harbinger of violence.

“M.U.L.E. engaging.” Alpha Team’s engineer announces. “Keep your heads down.”

The roar of the rotary autocannon envelops the battlefield completely, bright red tracers bridging the hillside and target building as the automated system saturates the area with 20mm rounds.

Master Sergeant Ling turns to Lieutenant Keys as the thing marches past, yelling over the scream of gunfire. “Do they make those for orbital combat?!”

“If they do we need one.” Keys agrees.

Stopping in its tracks the turret adjusts its angle, the targeted building scanned and processed; weak points in construction identified.

Behind Blue Team the voice of Alpha Squad’s Engineer speaks up. “You guys might want to cover your ears for this one.”

The coaxial anti-armor cannon booms forth five rounds of high explosive in quick succession, each shot evaporating reinforced concrete on contact. Within the guard post bodies and equipment are eviscerated, blood and bone scattered along with stone and metal.

For a moment the three story building tilts, slowly faltering as the groan of destroyed structure rips through the night air.

Perfectly calculated, destruction is wrought within a controlled space. Collapsing onto itself like a house of cards, the entire structure’s footprint is contained within the rubble of the building’s first story.

Efficient, clean.

“Thank you God for demolitions algorithms.” The Engineer chuckles, yelling to the rest of his team. “We’re clear!”

Half a mile to the north a huge explosion rings out, the roar of an incoming missile sounding milliseconds later. Dirty and uncontrolled, debris is kicked up into an expanding cloud of concrete dust and metal shrapnel as the outer wall of the facility is demolished.

“Looks like Bravo and Charlie are havin’ a good time.” One of Alpha Squad notes.

“What the hell was that?!” Blue Two yells.

The man turns to the Lieutenant. “The other guys brought an air-to-ground drone with ‘em. Got enough firepower to level this place three times over.”

Eyes scanning the sky, the IFF system automatically marks the airborne drone’s location with a green, supporting role square. Slowly orbiting the area of operations at altitude, the actual shape was a mere dot against a massive starfield.

“Breaking out the big guns…” Blue Two murmurs. “I should’ve joined the Marines… You guys got so much cool shit to work with.”

Moving next to him Master Sergeant Ling speaks up. “Bad time to be questioning your loyalty Keys. “

Lieutenant gives a sarcastic expression through his helmet. “Listen man, if we could get our hands on some more epic hardware I’d be happy. Fuck actually, I’m putting that in as a Christmas gift.”

The rest of Blue Team ignores him as they stand, sprinting over to join the rest of the force.

Helmets sealed, the smoke and heat of the fires are barely noticeable. Focus put squarely on the running urban firefight, Alpha Squad anchors the integrated spear head.

“Cover me!” The squad’s machine gunner orders as her weapon funnels its final rounds on target.

Removing the empty box magazine the marine carefully grabs a spare from her pack, slamming a fresh belt into the chamber. A hundred fifty rounds of caseless cartridges are loaded, the chattering of suppressive fire returning as the Marines push forward on the primary launch control center.

Twenty meters ahead, the bogged down advance is spearheaded by the M.U.L.E. unit. The roar of the autocannon sprays down defender strongholds, hostile cover shredded as Alpha Squad clears the flanks. Nestled behind a half destroyed administrative office Blue Team takes stock.

“You know what, I take that back I don’t want to do this.” Lieutenant Keys begins as he attempts to catch his breath. “This is so much running holy shit.”

“It is important to be fit.” Mercier replies with a mild disappointment.

“Ok you can say that because you haven’t spent the past four months in zero-G.” Keys bites back. “That muscle de…”

A burst of incoming fire snaps past the wall, puffs of concrete from impacting rounds sent into the darkness.

“Ok talk later please.” Ling insists as he checks his weapon. “Pay attention, let them do the work but we need to be careful.”

The communication line opens up, a member of Alpha Team yelling into the channel with an overriding announcement. “GRENADE OUT!”

Lobbed between buildings, the fragmentation grenade detonates a short two seconds later.

Tactical data is uploaded to networks, crunched by distant servers, and replied in barely perceivable milliseconds. Software refined over decades, perfected by machine algorithms, now bent towards the application of real-time data analytics in modern warfare.

Red wires display the spray of deadly shrapnel, a handful of hostile infantry marks removed from combat.

“臥槽... those things are lethal.” Master Sergeant Ling swears as one of the splintering fragments’ digital trails is marked outward towards their own position.

“It’s why they’re banned in L.E.O.” Keys provides calmly. “You know back in the old days they used to use frag grenades and stuff, absolutely lethal to everyone in the combat space.”

“You use explosives as a Combat Engineer…”

“Non-fragmentary.” The Lieutenant corrects.

Mercier speaks up as she quotes a slogan. “Keep space clean.”

“See she gets it. You can blow stuff up as long as you keep it relatively debris free. Gotta keep it clean up in space. Plus, it would be really bad if you catch your buddy with a sliver of lead or something.”

They’re interrupted by the form of Alpha Leader sprinting towards their line of cover, the crunch of gravel on approach growing louder as she slides behind the wall. “Hey you assholes want to actually help us out?!”

“This is your job.” Blue One curiously replies. “Why would we need to help?”

There’s a pause as the M.U.L.E. thunders out a burst of two rounds of high explosive, adjusting its turret as the minigun roars out a line of tracers against fleeing targets.

Blue Two speaks up after a few seconds of deafness. “Yeah you guys brought along a walking tank. It’s not like we can do anything more than what you’re already doing.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!”

Blue Squad exchange curious glances between each other before they all answer simultaneously. “Nope.”

Gunfire ebbs, Alpha Team holding their position as the final remnants of hostile troops move to reinforce their hold out.

“They’re fortifying up the Launch Control Center.” One of Alpha Squad notes as they point towards a tower of concrete, a marker placed in digital heads up displays. “We’re gonna have to breach and clear the place.”

“Useless pieces of shit.” Alpha Leader takes a moment to scowl at the three before returning to her own squad. “Copy that Alpha Ten. Squad, have the M.U.L.E. cover our approach and we’ll push in standard form. I want Five to take point on the assault. Two and Nine take up our rear. We gotta keep up the tempo here!”

The silent acknowledgements arrive on heads up displays, the Squad Lead turning back to dead weight. “Would you like to join us?”

There’s a short silence as Blue Squad stares at her. “Sure.”

It was a bad place to fortify.

The control center offered no sightlines against the approaching force from its rear flank. Concrete structure too thick to shoot through and architecture too poorly maintained to defend from. Uncontested, the two squads move in.

Both Lieutenant Keys and Alpha Team’s Engineer stop a few meters away from the brutalist construct, taking pause as they simultaneously execute combat software.

Construction data flows through displays, both of them watching as the structure is scanned and possible layouts identified. Three floors, with the third equipped with a wide glass observation deck facing towards the central launch site.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Keys asks carefully to the man next to him.

“Third floor breach?” Alpha’s Engineer responds. “The observation glass should be vulnerable to a standard breaching charge.”

“Fucking seriously? You’d actually try and enter through an angled observation deck?” Lieutenant Keys changes the communication channel to his own squad. “Ling, I think we could breach from the third floor in. We could take ‘em by surprise if we come from both directions.”

A light bout of fear comes before the reply. “Ok Keys, I will relay to Alpha Leader.”

There’s a short pause, the voice of the woman broadcast to them in response.

“We didn’t bring any rappelling gear Blue Two.” Alpha Leader stops them. “Scrap that plan, nobody’s going to be climbing that sheer fucking face.”

Lieutenant Keys scoffs as he sets his overloaded pack onto the dusty ground. “You guys are really fucking unprepared aren’t you? Jesus Christ I’d expect a S.E.A.L. Team of all people to bring that sort of shit on a raid like this.”

Removing a spool of thin, black string the Combat Engineer brings alongside it a wooden stick topped with a singular wad of material wrapped in a thin coating of bio plastic.

Alpha Team watches in morbid curiosity as the Combat Engineer begins unwrapping the device from its container. “What the fuck…”

“Ling, you think you can throw this thing onto the third story roof?” Keys motions over to his squad lead.

There’s a slight pause as the man jogs over, calculating the ballistics in his head as he looks up at the tower. “Maybe.”

“Is that a Master Sergeant Ling ‘maybe’ or a Chinese ‘maybe?’”

“Maybe.” The man replies, motioning for the device.

Around a single kilo in weight, the thing was shaped more like a world war era stick grenade than a modern engineering tool. With its plastic coating removed, the wad of material caught the shaded firelight against the colored sheen of night vision. Master Sergeant Ling reaches a curious finger out, Lieutenant Keys stopping him with an armored hand.

“Careful dude that’s enough STRE-TEX glue to hold a destroyer together. You touch that you’re not getting it off for a month.”

“Oh…” Ling blinks. “I understand.”

Carefully wrapping a spool of the string around the adhesive, Lieutenant Keys stands back as his squad leader readies himself.

“He’s going to try and throw that thing up there?” A member of Alpha Team asks Corporal Mercier.

Without pause she turns to face them, deadpan voice answering with a bored tone. “Oui.”

“That’s forty fucking feet. How the…”

The constrictive ceramic armor, fatigue from a rolling firefight, and lack of visual clarity from digital night vision is nothing more than an inconvenience. Master Sergeant Ling ramps up like an Olympic thrower, taking three long strides before letting loose the adhesive grenade like a rocket.

Disappearing into the night sky, the spool of wire whirls behind it, an impact sounding a few seconds later.

“Did it make it?” The Master Sergeant rolls his shoulder in slight discomfort.

“You did.” Corporal Mercier nods as she jogs over to her squad.

The Combat Engineer produces an auto ascender pulley from within his bag, clamping the thing onto the line of string. “As the lightest you’re going up first Corporal. Toss it back down the wire once you’re done.”

“Yes sir.” The woman nods as she grips the handle, leaning back to test her relatively lightweight frame against the wire.

Carbon fiber woven into a solid strand, the black strip of cable was as sleek as it was comically thin.

“That doesn’t look like a climbing rope!” Alpha Leader observes.

“That’s because it isn't a climbing rope.” Keys replies. “It’s what we used to string up the Armstrong Lunar Elevator.”

An electrical whir sounds as the motors activate, Corporal Mercier shooting upwards along the slack wire.

From below they watch as she scrambles over the ledge, power ascender tool dropped back towards them as it swings down from the wire.

“You should go next.” Master Sergeant Ling insists. “If adhesive fails, I can always throw it back up.”

“I swear if this is an excuse…”

“It is not.” The man assures.

Lieutenant Keys nods as he grabs the ascender, his weighted form rising up the sheer concrete wall.

The final man left catches the device as it’s sent down, strapping the rifle to his chest carrier as he readies himself with a nervous breath.

Looking up, he yells out to the rest of his squad. “Are you sure this will work?!”

“Oh come on Ling!” Lieutenant Keys screams back. “It’s only three fucking stories dude!”

Corporal Mercier blinks from her prone position on the roof. “Is there a problem?”

“Ling’s afraid of heights, if you didn’t know.” Keys sighs, yelling out into the communication line with uncharacteristic authority. “MASTER SERGEANT, GET UP HERE!”

Glancing around the man tests the wire again. “Keys are you…”

“This normally works.” The Combat Engineer whispers to the Corporal, turning back as he leans over the edge. “Master Sergeant Ling Shu, as a Lieutenant of the Solar System Defense Force under Task Force Thirty One, I am hereby issuing you a field demotion until you get your fucking ass up here!”

Memories return; a child falling from a heighted branch, the doctors and pain. His sisters surrounding him, staring down with pity and shock at the sight of blood.

Taking a gulp the man depresses the trigger, his form lunging upward as he ascends the wire. Hands held in a death grip, he flops himself onto the smooth concrete roof of the launch control building.

“Congratulations on your promotion Master Sergeant.” Lieutenant Keys quips as he drags the man from the ledge. “Seriously dude you gotta see a therapist about this heights thing.”

“I will find time.” Ling replies with a calming breath. “I will find time.”

A distant roar of another air-to-ground missile echoes through the operation area, explosive force sending up another flash of light along with a plume of dust and debris.

“Bravo and Charlie Team are encountering heavy resistance.” Corporal Mercier reports through the scope of her rifle. “Approximately, thirty hostiles are converging on their position from west.” A short pause echoes as the marksman adjusts her position on the roof. “Report: spot fifteen unknowns on approach to current position from westward, degree heading; zero-six-six. Range: two hundred meters.”

Optical lenses mounted within combat helmets focus as both Lieutenant and Master Sergeant squint, human vision augmented by applied technology.

Blue Leader relays on the command channel. “Advised Alpha Team this is Blue One, incoming force from west, bearing zero-six-six. Fifteen hostiles.”

“Copy that Blue Lead.” Alpha Leader replies.

“Looks like the garrison’s comin’ in.” Keys observes from his perch. “Think we pissed them off enough?”

The snap of metal sounds as Corporal Mercier unfolds her weapon’s bipod, virtual spotter crunching telemetry data as the marksman identifies the high value target.

Screaming to his men the form is barely distinguishable against the emergency lighting, faceless like any other soldier around him.

“I have hostile squad lead.” Blue Three informs.

TARGET//UNKNOWN

WEAPON//GSW-AMLR

RANGE//244 METERS

CLEARANCE//NEGATIVE

Ignoring the authorization, Blue Two blinks. “Engaging.”

A breath is taken; aim stabilized as the ballistic vector folds outward. Crosshairs aligned, trajectories finalized, a finger pulls upon crisp metal.

The blast of the rifle sends a cloud of dust flying, tracer in flight as Blue Team counts down the half second to impact.

A single anti-material round decapitates the hostile squad, the form of its leader broken mid sprint as the body crumples onto darkened earth.

Manually rechambered, the next round is aimed with instinctual precision.

“مسعف!!!” One of the squad members screams.

Rushing over, their medic is hit center mass by the follow up shot, Blue Three watching as the rest plant themselves behind cover.

“Hostiles suppressed.” The marksman reports.

“Keep them pinned for another two minutes please.” Lieutenant Keys requests.

“Understood.” Mercier replies.

Two paint cans are removed from within the Engineer’s backpack, the Lieutenant uncapping one as he pours forth a thick paste of rusted metal slime onto the roof of the building.

“Alpha Team be advised, two minutes to breach.” Blue Lead reports.

“Copy that Blue Team, be advised we’re moving to engage incoming hostiles. Hold for breach.”

“Fucking hell.” Keys answers crudely to his squad. “Every second we spend up here the more intel we lose down there.”

“Then we breach now.” Ling solves as he grips his rifle. “Do it Keys.”

Corporal Mercier stops. “A breach into building with only three of us?!”

The Lieutenant scoffs. “Oh we got this, Ling’s seen worse.”

Capping up the first can the second one is deployed. Scooping forth a layer of clear gel the Engineer slathers a thin coat on top of the now drying paste.

“Do not tell me that you actually brought thermite here.” Master Sergeant Ling groans.

“It’s like a basic fundamental pillar of modern combat engineering.” The Combat Engineer informs through a labored breath. “Thermite can burn through literally anything with the correct amount of application.”

“And you really need to use high explosive for this?” Ling points with a slight bit of disappointment.

“Of course.” Holding the brick of C4 the Combat Engineer tilts his helmeted head. “Can you guess what’s another pillar of combat engineering?”

“I have never known you to not carry high explosives. 那是你的一部分.”

Lacking objection the Lieutenant finishes his work, stepping back as he admires his two meter wide circle of thermite paste.

“Breach ready.” The man informs.

Behind them a firefight erupts, Alpha Team engaging the oncoming counter assault. Rifle fire mixes with the roar of heavy cannon rounds, the squad on the roof ducking slightly as a few stray rounds pass overhead.

Master Sergeant Ling turns to his compatriot as he takes a generous stride away from the circle of thermite. “Please do not blow us up.”

Snapping the brick of plastic explosives in half, the Engineer chuckles. “Trust me Ling, I know what I’m doing.”

Magnesium match lit, the Lieutenant takes a pause as the flame catches. “Actually we might want to take a few steps back for this.”

Like a new sun the patch of thermite burns with enough light to dim the helmet’s optical sensors. The heat, however, is barely felt.

“It’s thermal gel.” Lieutenant Keys explains as he instinctively covers his armored faceplate. “Keeps all the energy focused on a surface for cutting power. Helps shipbreakers salvage old spaceships in orbit.”

An awkward silence permeates as the squad of three watch the deconstruction in silence, the scent of burning metallics matched with the distant drone of automatic weapons fire.

The view of the combat area from their perch up on the launch control tower was incredible. Information gathered within the context of modern warfare was presented to a state of overload. IFF systems integrated with combat directional software, mapping programs written in sync with targeting identifiers, combined with hundreds of other systems the chaos of combat was derived into the simple forms of command and control.

“I do not think I could ever do this.” Master Sergeant Ling murmurs to the Lieutenant. “Too much action, too much running.”

“Squad Lead of Kaiju Squad says this is too much action.” Keys scoffs. “But yeah I’d much rather be in orbit doing this than ground pounding. This has so much more bullshit than it should have.”

Beneath them the structure falters, an entire circle of concrete roof collapsing into the main control center. Dust and debris mix with the screams of crushed men, the Combat Engineer casually tossing in a half brick of plastic explosive.

“FIRE IN THE HOLE!” The man announces over the general channel as he clacks the detonator.

Concussive force blasts out the observation windows, debris and shrapnel cleaving themselves into concrete walls.

Ling yells over the squad communication channel, a forceful order sending bodies into motion. “GO!”