272 Airborne Marines! (1/2)
Orwell's Point, Marine Command
”Sir, word is just in that Angel Flight had successfully raided the Imperial river fleet with one plane lost,” The General Staff officer reported to Joseph.
”Where is the Imperial fleet location?” He asked as he stood over the map pinned on the plot table.
The Staffer pushed three blue wedge shaped wooden tokens on the map and said, ”Angel Flight reports that they engaged the Imperial river fleet at these coordinates.”
He updated the blue wood tokens and the green painted arrow tokens which represented Angel Flight on the map table. ”Roughly here, Sir!”
The top down map made by the UAV in preparation of the Imperial attack, took them over a week to map out before the UAV was tasked to spy on the Serpent.
”They report at least eight ships disabled and all dragon elements in the AO has been cleared.”
Joseph took out a set of rulers and compass tool to measure the distance from the Imperial fleet and Orwell's Point before he looked up at the chalkboard stacked against the wall to see the Airforce taskings ”Hmmm... They lost all their air cover... Hmmm... We got two Mariners still on base?”
The staffer checked the Airforce taskings and replied, ”Yes, Sir, Seagull One and Three is down for their scheduled maintenance while Seagull Two is en route back to Haven for supplies.”
”So both Mariners on the ground are in cargo configuration?” Joseph asked again.
”Yes, Sir!” The staffer replied.
”Good! Very good!”
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Sergeant Mills exited the briefing behind his company commander, 2nd Lieutenant, Silverstar, a slightly older elf with several years of fighting with cold steel tactics. ”What do you think of our chances here?”
”If we can achieve total surprise,” Mills gave his comment. ”We should be able to wing it somehow...”
”Sergeant... That's not very assuring you know?” Lieutenant Silverstar, CO of 2nd Battalion, Falcon Company replied.
Mills grinned, he kinda liked this no nonsense commander who was willing to listen to the advice given by his NCOs. ”Well, Sir, we are Marines... not Airborne!”
”But being a Marine, they ask us to jump, we ask how high!” Mills winked at his commander who faced down Demons with hardly a blink. ”Don't worry, Sir. I make sure the Boys won't disappoint you.”
Mills left his Lieutenant and gathered the rest of the NCOs. He was in charge of all the NCOs since he got promoted to Company Sergeant Major. ”Alright, people, we got a new job. I am sure all of you have all heard about the screw up made by the Airforce?”
”The one we lost a dragon?” One of the Sergeants answered.
”Give that man a beer!” Mills grinned. ”Yup, they lost a dragon and an ancient red dragon to boot!”
”Now, as usual, when someone screws up, who do you call?” Mills asked with a wide smile on his face.
”THE MARINES!” The NCOs roared out. ”HOO RAAH!”
”HOO RAAH!” Mills yelled back. ”Now, as we Marines can be depended on, not like some other branches. We are needed to go and help the Airforce wipe their asses and clean up their shit after they shit all over the place!”
”We will be inserting into the forest and take up ambushing positions on both flanks of the river,” Mills detailed out their operation plans and gestured to a blown up map of the area of operations.
”We wait for the Imperial river fleet to pass by us, and with air support from the flyboys, we will commence a raid against the Imperials!” Mills continued. ”And at the same time, we will go save our dragon princess!”
”Sergeant Major, how are we going to be inserted in?” Another Sergeant asked. ”By foot?”
”No, we Marines are going Airborne!”
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Orwell's Point Airbase
Goldan grinned happily as he ran through the pre flight checks of his Mariner while his co pilot shook his head in amusement. They could hear the cussing of their cargo at the rear of the plane as the Marines climbed on board.
”Someone is happy,” The co pilot did his own checks of the flight instruments and made his comment.
Goldan laughed, ”Well, at least its less boring running supplies up and down...”
”Everyone is loaded!” Their crew chief yelled from the cockpit hatch.
”Got it!” Goldan replied before he hit the broadcast to all on his mike.
”Welcome to Omega Point Air! We hope that you enjoy our flight-”
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The internal cargo bay lights turned green and the crew chief yelled, ”GO GO GO!”
The leading Marine took a step off the open hatch and the wind whipped him away and seconds later a grey parachute burst open. One by one, the Marines jumped off and dozens and dozens of parachutes filled the skies.
Once the Marines has cleared the plane, the crew chief shoved out bundled crates of weapons and supplies out after the departed Marines before shutting the hatches.
The two Mariners had each took up one side of the river and dropped their cargo of Marines over the area, before looping back and returning to base.
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Imperial River Flotilla, Shard River