章 3: Flak in the Night

The battalion arrived down, near the bundle of massive thrusters keeping Mecombia stable, burning ever bright as they tirelessly continue pushing upwards, allowing the city to keep flying and never fall back downwards, acting like a giant beacon of the nation.

"All falcons disperse around the engine level and begin patrolling." The leader ordered. The battalion immediately split into smaller pieces, all heading to different spots to begin their patrol. Varis joined with one of the groups, feeling some warmth as they stuck near to the clusters in the cold night winds.

Varis stuck with a few remaining soldiers as they slowly began strafing, looking at different directions, from the outside to the lit up engine level as workers walked around on the platforms, bringing fuel among other tools to maintain the engines.

In minutes, green bright lights were circling all around the engine level, slowly turning around and around. Varis stared out at the moonlit sky, trying to see any movement as he slowly strafed around, feeling the heat slam into his back while he breathed through the mask.

They continued circling around, slowly becoming bored by the constant circling.

"Falcons, begin ascneding to the next level, the next battalion will cover this one." The leader announced, quickly, Varis flew upwards, reaching the level above. The storage level.

The level's buildings had no opening, fully enclosed in concrete and metal with windows of different sizes letting out any light inside them. Through the windows, stacks of crates, rows of large shelves, from fuel to weapons to building material, all maintained inside by other civilians. Varis continued patrolling with the others resuming the circling patrol they once had, above them, a unit of flyers, bearing a purple bright light flew down, taking over the engine floor. Up above, more were patrolling as well.

Rings of flyers guarded the entire nation, encompassing every level and every side fully.

From the corner of his eye, through the moonlight, Varis noticed a shade quickly appear and dissapear, knocking him out of his mindless gaze, Varis quickly threw his rifle up, aiming at the source of it. Flyers near him stared at the direction, all aiming up, alert and ready to fight, quickly starting to looking around for a sign of movement.

Seconds past, there were no more movement to be seen. Varis shook his head, in disbelief, trying to think of what he saw.

"Was that real or am i just hallucinating." Varis thought to himself, quickly going back to patrolling around, he continued looking at the same direction as he strafed slowly, but it was merely empty with no signs of movement.

"Ascend upwards to the next level." The officer soon ordered, after countless times of circling around, Varis headed upwards, the level was a mere expansion to the storage level down below but slightly larger.

The patrol went on, uneventful as the silence wrought boredom in the minds of the soldiers, but they still continued patrolling with keen sight on all sides, making sure none enter undetected, looking to the building itself and the sky all around. It felt longer than usual as they continued flew about the level.

"Head up." Varis arrived at a food farm floor, large windows allowed a full view of the inside, plants grew, from vegetables to fruit, feeding the populace of Mecombia.

Varis slowly headed up, floor after floor, passing by other farm floors with animals or more plants, continuing to gaze at the area. While he looked at the plants and animals, he felt his stomach grumble.

"Head up." Up above, a manufacturing level, creating the very weapons Varis and his comrades use, from the armor they wore to the flying gear. Even at night, the lights were kept bright as they continued making more.

The rest of the patrol went on, slowly rising upwards until they reached the final floor, the landing platform.

With the patrol finished, falcons started landing down, finished with the order given. The boredom of the patrol now wiped away as Varis landed down, preparing to head back to rest further and eat a ration.

The leader though, began talking to someone on his comms. Quickly ending the talk.

"FALCONS!" He yelled at them. Running to formation to face him in seconds.

"Our rest has to be delayed for now, given reports of movement nearby, rapidly falling back west from here, we were ordered to search around until something is found. For now, we'll only get new gear to use."

Varis' thoughts of rest were quickly erased at the order.

Staff began running out, carrying new gear for them to use. Ones still bearing the colored lights.

With a new set of gear. The staff ran back with the old gear. Falcons began rising up, ready for the new task given.

Varis rose up, grabbing his weapon tighter. Now expecting a fighter to commence.

The leader led the falcons out, flying out of the platform and away from their home, headed west.

The wind was colder, hearing a louder whistle as they flew through. Forming up while their lights glowed brightly in the dark night.

"Once we reach the location, continue moving but spread out and search the area around for any signs of recent movement." The officer ordered.

The unit continued moving, dispersing away from each other, covering more air as they aimed around. Varis flew around, searching for any disturbances or movement.

An explosion of flak rang out in the sky, Varis turned his head at the direction. A cloud of black smoke lay bear in the clear dark sky, slowly dissipating while he looked at it.

"Who fired that?" The officer demanded an answer.

"I did sir." A voice replied in comms.

"There's no sign of anything falling, most likely a miss. Be more weary falcon."

"Yes si-" Another explosion rang out, silencing the soldier who was speaking. Looking at the source, Varis witnessed as the man's body fell from the sky, before being grabbed by another falcon.

They all looked around, now weary as to where the shot came from, forming closer to each other.