Prologue
Pre Deployment Briefing: Moon Base ALuCE: Fokker Hall
- Briefing Officer: Colonel Harold Isaacs UEEFMC
“Good evening ladies and gentleman, please take your seats. Since we are coming up on a hard deadline, I’ll cut right to the chase.”
“The 101st Reclamation Fleet's attack on Reflex Point and SX Point 83 takes from the lessons learned from the 10th and 21st Mars Divisions unsuccessful attempts, as well as nearly a decade’s worth of experience against the Invid accumulated by the Pioneer Expedition. Divided into three phases and relying on some of the most advanced, and destructive machines know to humanity the 101st feels itself prepared to finally extricate the Invid from our home world.”
“This assault has been divided into three phases:"
“Phase 1: Dubbed Operation Sideshow; forms the diversionary component of the assault."
“What information that has been recovered from the survivors of the 10th and 21st as well as from our own recon assets and those of the 101st’s advance teams, we quickly realized that the Invid occupied the entire globe. No one place is truly clear of their influence, even the desolate wastelands, leftover by the Zentraedi Rain of Death some 30 years prior, are patrolled regularly. Operation Sideshow, already underway, has placed the bulk of the UEEF’s ground forces on the plains of Western Australia, this being the closest Land Antipode to Reflex Point. The goal of this operation , to draw as many Invid, the world over, away from Reflex Point, yet have enough manpower to hold the line under heavy attack, for an extended length of time."
“Operation Sideshow began a week ago, prior to the 101st’s lift off from Moon Base ALuCE. Starting with the destruction of the areas regional hive and its three sub-hives the 101st’s ground component has dug in, fortified their position, and is making as if to secure a beachhead. This ruse has worked and from as far away as Mexico and Europe the Invid are flocking towards Australia to throw us back.”
“Phase 2: Dubbed Operation Breach, is running concurrent to Operation Sideshow, and covers the rearmament of Point K and L as well as supplying the local resistance with the weapons and training to act as guides and auxiliaries to the UEEF Marine Expeditionary Unit that will spearhead the ground attack on Reflex Point itself. Thanks to Operation Sideshow, UEEF Fleet Command has found it increasingly easy to slip Shadow Cloaked transports in unseen, allowed us to mass troops in relative secret. Some of you here will be leaving with the final drop ships."
“Phase 3: Dubbed Operation Flash; will kick off in four hours time. The goal of Operation Flash is to move the fleet within striking distance of Reflex Point itself in order to draw as many Invid that may have been held in reserve away so the ground assault will face as little resistance as possible. Once the Marines have secured Reflex Point and the Invid’s Command Center, the Fleet will mop up their orbital assets and move to provide top cover for both Sideshow and Breach forces. We don’t know for sure the enemy troop strength on the ground, so, be prepared for anything. Your ROE’s are in your packets, please report to your ships. Those of you heading dirt side, please report to Hanger Bay 19 for weapons draw and final instructions.”
"Dismissed!"
Images Copyright Harmony Gold
Pre Assault Briefing: North America: Point L
- Briefing Officer: Colonel Jeffery Reynolds UEEFMC
You’ve never seen so many troops before in your life, not in one place, well, and not Invid either. The resistance camp you are in is separate from the UEEF Marine forces, but still, they are ever present.
Your resistance comrades, some you know, most you don’t, have brought their groups mecha with them, a hodgepodge of machines from all over, VF-1 Veritech fighters, early model Alphas, ASC hover tanks, and battloids nestled among tanks, armored personnel carriers, and jeeps. The atmosphere is one of a massive tailgate party. Some nearby group has a BBQ set up on the radiator manifold of their mecha, and the sweet smell of fried beef wafts past every now and again, truly a motley bunch.
A little way off you can see the security cordon delineating the civilian area to that of the military. A few Marines, most likely the career types, are watching your ilk, arms crossed, their expressions dour. Your compatriots only add to the feelings of doubt they share by their occasional jeers and other off color actions.
This, lackadaisical demeanor, sheds however, when the time comes for the briefing, you are one of the few that are allowed to attend, and you note resistance cell leaders from all over, not just from North America but from the Asia’s, Africa’s and Zentraedi Control Zones. All are hard faced and professional.
A gruff Marine colonel steps up onto the rear of a nearby AAT-40 and clears his throat, silencing the tell tale side conversations.
“All right then, on behalf of the UEEF I’d like to thank you all for coming.” He says without even looking at the crowd as he scans his clipboard briefly. Looking up he rolls his eyes with a derisive smile and the others laugh. “Now that we’ve gotten the diplomacy out the way, let’s start the briefing.” He adds.
“In about three hours our fleet…” He jabs the clipboard upwards. “…is gonna approach Reflex Point from above and draw off as many slug sons-of-bitches as they can for us. When that happens; we move in! Your forces are embedded into ours, you are there to augment ours, act as guides and additional firepower. You know the lay of the land, and we are counting on you.” He puts his hands behind his back. “It’s no secret us jarheads don’t trust you lot. And, it’s no secret that you trust us even less.” He pauses. “However, we’re past that now, we have a mission to accomplish. We are going to move on that hive complex…” He points with his clipboard towards the enemy stronghold …” with a purpose! We are going to drive forward and we are going to crush the slug under our boots!” He pauses again, then waves his clipboard dismissively with a laugh, and looks away for a second.
“Now, I know what yall are thinking. ‘Where were you when they showed up? Where were you for the last eleven years?’ Well I’ll tell you!” He stops his slight pacing and fixes the group with a stern gave. “We were out there…” He points up again with his clipboard.”KILLING INVID!” His jaw sets hard as he lets that sink in. “We killed them in Tirol Space! We killed them on their own home world. And now, we’re gonna kill em here!” He sets his arms behind his back again and takes a deep breath.
“Now, you know the lay of the land here better than any of us, you’ve seen what the Invid have done here better than any of us. And you have a reason to hate them more than any of us.” He looks the assembled resistance leadership over again. “You’ve done your time in the shit. Now, it’s time for payback.” With a swift motion he hands his clipboard to his adjunct and stands to attention, then just as quick, salutes crisply the men before him. A few salute back, instinctively, those you can tell are ex-military, the rest however nod their understanding, recognizing one old salt paying respect to warriors, in uniform or no, brave enough to stand together against a common foe.
The colonel drops his salute just as quickly and stands at ease. “Captain Harrington will be your POC. Your embedded unit commanders already have their orders and will bring you up to speed. Now, you have any beefs with them or Harrington, you bring it to my aide, and he’ll get you squared away.” He nods to the group. “Carry on.”
