Chapitre 62: Alistair - 009
The pilot adeptly landed our vessel into the bay, passing through the atmospheric shield. The hum of the ship's engines dulled as we descended, and with a final thud, we settled onto the landing pad. The atmospheric shield shimmered around us, creating a barrier between the harsh environment outside and the relative safety within.
With the whir of gears, the back door lowered open. A phalanx of troops stood at attention, their expressions a mixture of relief and determination. Their suits were polished, their exteriors gleaming under the bay's artificial lighting.
As I walked through the hangar, surveying the faces of the men at attention, each holding their helmets at their sides, a sense of pride and sorrow washed over me. I counted the familiar faces of my former privates, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and determination. But as my eyes scanned the line, my heart sank. Kellan was missing.
I walked briskly to my cabin, each step echoing my rising frustration and anger. Once inside, I began the process of decompressing my suit. The hissing of the pressure release was almost cathartic, a small release of the tension that had built up inside me. Finally free of the restrictive armor, I laid back onto my mattress, letting it soak up the tension from Prime.
As I lay there, the weight of our losses pressed down on me. There were only 3,721 soldiers at that parade. I had lost 2,278 men. The numbers echoed in my mind, a relentless reminder of our failure. After several minutes of rest, I reluctantly loaded the operations report and began combing through each file. Each name, each report, compounding our mistakes.
A complete and utter failure.
In a fit of rage, I hurled the data pad into the wall. It shattered, pieces scattering across the floor. The violent release did little to alleviate the storm inside me. I marched to the bridge, each step fueled by a mixture of anger and determination.
"Lieutenant, the briefing is not for another several hours. Please, by all means, wait here," Commander Phulnos said, his tone as blank as his expression. He didn't even turn from the viewport as he spoke.
"How was your enhancement?" he asked, finally turning to face me.
"Classified," I replied curtly.
"Oh my. Do you think I am below the security threshold?" Phulnos asked, a hint of amusement in his otherwise stern voice.
"No. High Command does," I answered, meeting his gaze evenly.
He turned to his android unit. "AM-0I, request for clearance to know my lieutenant's genetic markers."
"I will relay the next transport with your message, Commander," AM-0I responded in its monotonous voice.
"Good," Phulnos said, turning back to me. "Galen, I may have been too frugal. Your plan for heavy ordinance is under reconsideration. We need this rock under our leadership before the kindles under my ass turn into a bonfire. Please, I am all ears until the rest of the officers arrive."
AM-0I generated a rendering of the battle map with the tabletop display. I planted several markers to represent points of interest. My original plan formed before us. I re-explained the operation to Phulnos, making several crucial changes to accommodate a force nearly half the size of the original.
"I recommend an opening move of reducing the main fortification to atoms. Let's burn a hole into the mantel before committing any more men on this front. I anticipate a thirty percent reduction in the populace's will to fight following the display. Then, an orbital descent of eleven REMOS units to land at the entrance to the largest roads through the city, stomping out any resistance along the way," I said, my voice steady but urgent.
"Please, while no civilian casualties may have been too constrictive upon operations, I will not tolerate a policy like my predecessor," Phulnos said, pausing and closing his eyes briefly as if to hide his anger. "You love your men?"
"Of course, sir," I replied without hesitation.
"Would you want a superior force to blankly erase their families? What would they have left? We would make them desperate and lonely, and desperate and lonely men do unpredictable and extraordinary things. I will not subject them to those fates nor would I to you or those under you. Lieutenant Galen, this conversation has been enlightening, but it is time to introduce you to your fellow ranks."
The doors opened, and a pair of lieutenants marched in, saluting the Commander before taking their seats. Then came a captain, seven more lieutenants, nine more captains, a dozen personal androids, and a final lone lieutenant. The room buzzed with a mixture of tension and anticipation.
"Officers of The Vanguard, I have two galleons on standby ready to ferret us anything we need. Here are the rules of engagement: Minimum civilian casualties, minimum killed-in-action, no lasting devastation to the environment," Phulnos announced, his voice firm and authoritative.
The display loaded the map of the capital. "As you can see, here are the four major bastions of their resistance," he continued, zooming in on a large building built into the landscape. "Here is where they are holding the survivors of the previous mission."
Survivors? I leaned forward, eager to absorb the information.
"We will be split into two missions. Mission One is still the capitulation of this world. Mission Two, the rescue of our men. Lieutenant Galen, Mission Two is yours. Everyone else, focus on ending this conflict."
Clever. No bombardments, no scorched earth, just extraction.
"Report back at 400 with a full synopsis of your plans, my officers. Dismissed," Phulnos concluded.
I left first, my mind racing with the new information. As I walked through the corridors, the reality of the situation settled in. The assault had failed, but we had a chance to make things right. The lives of the men held captive weighed heavily on my mind. Their rescue was paramount.
Back in my cabin, I gathered my thoughts and began drafting a detailed plan for the rescue operation. The map of the capital was etched in my mind, every street and building a potential pathway to our men. The plan needed to be flawless.
An hour later, I was back in the briefing room, the other officers already assembled. I took a deep breath and began presenting my plan. "We will initiate a stealth insertion at night, using cloaked shuttles to avoid detection. Our primary objective is to secure the hostages and extract them without engaging the enemy directly. Once the hostages are secure, we will use diversionary tactics to cover our retreat."
The officers listened intently, their faces a mix of determination and concern. "What about the enemy fortifications?" one of the lieutenants asked.
"We'll bypass them," I replied. "Our priority is the safety of our men. Engaging the fortifications will only risk their lives further."
Phulnos approvingly nodded, "It's a solid plan, Lieutenant. Make sure your team is prepared."
He then turned to the other officers. "Now, I want to hear your plans for Mission One. Let's see how we can integrate our resources and strategies to ensure success."
Lieutenant Carter was the first to speak. "I propose a pincer movement. We can use our remaining forces to attack from the east and west simultaneously, squeezing the enemy into a smaller area. This will create confusion and allow us to strike their command center directly."
Phulnos nodded, but his expression was noncommittal. "Interesting. And what of the potential civilian casualties caught in the crossfire?"
Carter hesitated. "We will issue warnings and evacuate civilians where possible, but the priority must be the elimination of enemy forces."
Lieutenant Anderson spoke next. "I suggest a more surgical approach. We can deploy our sniper teams to take out key enemy leaders and disrupt their command structure. Once they're in disarray, we can move in with precision strikes."
Phulnos raised an eyebrow. "And how do you propose to deal with the enemy's fortified positions?"
"We'll use our REMOS units to breach their defenses. The snipers will create openings, and the REMOS will exploit them," Anderson replied.
There was a murmur of agreement from some of the officers, but I could see the doubt in Phulnos's eyes. He turned to me. "Lieutenant Galen, you've heard their plans. What are your thoughts?"
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their expectations. "Both plans have merit, but I believe we need a more integrated approach. We need to use the city itself to our advantage."
Phulnos gestured for me to continue, his expression attentive.
"We start with a coordinated propaganda campaign," I began. "Use our communication channels to broadcast messages to the civilian population, urging them to evacuate key areas. This will minimize civilian casualties and create confusion among the enemy."
The officers listened intently, their skepticism fading as I outlined my plan.
"Next, we deploy our REMOS units, but not just for breaching defenses. We use them to create choke points and control the flow of enemy movements. We force them into areas where we have the advantage, using the city's layout to funnel them into kill zones."
As the meeting continued, the tension in the room was palpable. The holographic map of the capital city flickered in the center of the table, casting a blue glow over the assembled officers. I had just finished outlining my revised plan when Lieutenant Daniels raised his hand.
"Lieutenant Galen, Lieutenant Anderson," Daniels began, his voice edged with skepticism. "I understand your plan to use the REMOS units for this operation, but I believe the Centurion HX hybrid would be more beneficial. It's designed specifically for urban combat and troop transport."
I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "The Centurion HX is indeed a versatile vehicle, but it's not suitable for this particular mission."
Daniels frowned, crossing his arms. "And why not? The Centurion HX can navigate narrow streets with ease, has advanced cloaking capabilities, and its troop compartment can carry twice as many soldiers as a REMOS unit."
"That's true," I conceded, nodding. "But the REMOS units have several key advantages that the Centurion HX lacks."
I stepped forward, pointing to the holographic display. "Firstly, the REMOS units are equipped with heavy artillery that can breach fortified positions. Their primary weapon, the 380mm condensed energy cannon, is capable of punching through the toughest enemy defenses. The Centurion HX, on the other hand, is armed with lighter weaponry, more suited for support roles rather than direct assaults."
Daniels' frown deepened, but he remained silent, allowing me to continue.
"Secondly," I continued, "the REMOS units are designed for multi-terrain operations. Their all-terrain treads can handle the varied landscape of the city, from rubble-strewn streets to collapsed buildings. The Centurion HX, while agile, lacks the durability and power to navigate such obstacles under heavy fire."
I glanced around the room, noting the officers' expressions. Some nodded in agreement, while others seemed to weigh Daniels' suggestion against my arguments.
"Thirdly," I said, my voice firm, "the REMOS units provide superior protection for our troops. Their armor plating is reinforced with an energy-absorbing composite that can withstand direct hits from enemy artillery. The Centurion HX, while equipped with cloaking capabilities, has weaker armor. In a prolonged engagement, our soldiers would be at greater risk."
Daniels opened his mouth to interject, but I raised a hand to stop him. "Finally, the REMOS units are equipped with advanced support systems, including automated repair drones and medical stations. These features allow them to remain operational longer, providing continuous support to our forces. The Centurion HX, while faster, would require frequent resupply and maintenance stops, reducing its effectiveness in a sustained operation."
I turned to face Daniels directly, meeting his gaze. "I understand the appeal of the Centurion HX, but for this mission, we need the firepower, durability, and support capabilities of the REMOS units. Our objective is to breach their defenses and secure key positions quickly. The REMOS units are the best tool for that job."
I pointed to several locations on the map. "As I was saying, these areas are natural bottlenecks. We position snipers and heavy ordinance here, here, and here. This will allow us to take out enemy leaders and disrupt their command structure, just as Anderson suggested."
Phulnos leaned forward, his interest piqued. "And what about the fortified positions?"
"We use precision airstrikes to weaken their defenses, but we don't commit our ground forces until we've softened them up. Once the defenses are breached, we send in specialized infiltration teams to take out their command centers from within. These teams will be equipped with cloaking devices and EMP grenades to disable their communications and defenses."
There was a moment of silence as the officers absorbed my plan.
Phulnos finally spoke, his voice filled with approval. "It's a bold plan, Lieutenant Galen. It integrates our resources and minimizes risks to both our men and the civilian population. I believe it has a high chance of success."
The other officers nodded in agreement, their expressions reflecting a mix of respect and admiration.
"Implement Galen's plan," Phulnos ordered. "We launch in six hours. Let's challenge them with what The Vanguard is capable of."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
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