42 Dragonslayer (1/2)
The General Atomics MQ-242 ”Owleye” reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle is a small four by three meter angular shaped drone, powered by five 400 kW electronic turboprops, over 28 hours of operational time due to the solar coating panel which allows it to recharge it batteries in the day andhas an operational ceiling height of 15,000m, yet it couldn't fly over the mountainous ridges as the Sawtooth mountain tower over 16,000m above sea level.
It could only enter by the naturally hidden pass, controlled by either its AI chip or a human operator. The UNS Singapore only carried four in its inventory and they were husbanded very carefully in its usage, once it is lost, there are no replacements till the crew has the technology or means to build a new one.
This particular Owleye has been assigned to the cover the Pass region, suddenly detects two large radar and infrared signature returns. Its brain chip immediately turns the UAV heading towards the contacts and fires an encrypted electronic signal to Base.
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The main display screen flickers over to the UAV video feed, displaying a bird's eye view over the mountain ridges.
Gasps of astonishment came from the elves, as they stared wide-eyed at the clear image. ”What magical device is that!” Magister Thorn shakes uncontrollably with excitement as he walks up as close as he could towards the screen, standing behind the divider. ”Amazing! Simply amazing!”
2 large winged creatures could be seen flapping their wings lazily, heading directly to the pass with several figures riding and holding onto the back of the dragon-like creatures.
Lord General Joesph marveled at the moving images, wondering if that's how the hoomans always able to spot the Empire soldiers. With such powerful magical tools and weapons, the hoomans could even take over the whole world!
Blake points at the screen asked in the Elves' Common Tongue. ”What are those?” They won't so surprised to see something like that as they have already spotted similar creatures, albeit smaller, flying around the mountainous region.
”It's the Empire's dragon knights!” Joesph exclaims as he watches the video. ”The trappings and banners on the dragons belong to the Empire.”
Blake and Ford watching the image of the two massive looking lizards with wings, rigged with some kind of harnesses with Empire soldiers in their trademark bluecoats under a grey cuirass. ”Zoom in more to that, and enlarge.” Blake points.
The image enlarged and a couple of crossbows mounted on the top shoulder rigging, just in front of the wings could be seen along with several bulging saddlebags secured against the belly harness.
”It's like a flying bomber,” Ford said, ”Like those old world war two bombers with gunners.”
”They clearly intended to attack the Pass!” Joesph warns. ”They can drop some ***** that causes a fire that is very hard to put out! That's how they destroyed the city walls! It also carries soldiers who then drop behind the lines, and all those soldiers are Knights!”
”I think he meant bombs?” Blake looks at Ford who nods. ”So they carry a kind of firebombs, possibly napalm in nature.”
”What is a Knight?” Ford raised the question to the Elves. He wonders if it is the same meaning as he thought of medieval knights in full plate armor.
”A Knight is a veteran soldier who survived more than a 100 battles!” Joesph explains. ”Not only that, they must also be weapon masters. Just one of them is almost as strong as a hundred common soldiers!”
”Don't worry,” Blake assures the Elves as they watched on nervously, he raised his left eyebrows as he listened to Joesph explanation, a single soldier as strong as a hundred men? Serious? before switching to English. ”Do we have target locks?”
”Aye Captain!” Weapons replied. ”Ready to fire on your command!”
Blake nods. ”Fire away.”
The weapons officer jab the firing key and the almost instantly a pair of smoke plumes could be seen bursting out from the aft missile launchers. The two missiles raced each other towards their locked on target.
The heads of the Elves twisted sharply to the side window as they stare in confusion at the streaks of white smoke rising rapidly into the sky.
”Bring up the missiles view on to the main display.” Blake orders, clasping his hands behind his back.
Two sub screens popped up, inciting more cries of amazement and surprise from the Elves.
”You enjoy doing that to them don't you,” Ford said dryly.
”Haha,” Blake winks at Ford, who rolled his eyes.
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