0:26
Leon's Casino
SFF-Occupied Kittyopolis
"Alright, place your bets! Round two of 21 Guns is about to begin!"
Tubbs, the Kithan owner of the casino, watched as the group of Gamran mercenaries used by SFF's Occupational Forces enjoyed gambling at the casino's tables and machines. Though the general population's view of these occupiers is far from welcoming, the casino's business really benefited from the Survivalist occupiers. Before the occupation, rarely could one see any customers in the casino save for common workers trying to unwind after a hard day or underworld enforcers enjoying the night, but that all changed when the Survivalist Federation Force's military machines rolled into the Kithar homeworld. The Survivalists may have ended prostitution and illegal activities such as the drug trade or petty crimes, but through a local puppet, they had usurped all of the land's functions, including the government branches, civil services, military, industrial, and agricultural labor. That was not something Tubbs, a former captain in the Kithan military, couldn't stand by to watch.
"Mr. Tubbs, an SFF officer in table five has ordered drinks for his men as well as a Koitan sandwich for himself. "
The orange and cream-furred owner turned to see one of his employees, a ginger-furred Kithar, approach him. Behind him, his own security group which consisted of several bouncers, glanced around anxiously as several SFF military police roamed the establishment and the streets, sidelining them from their jobs.
"Tell Sashari to attend to him," Tubbs ordered.
As soon as his employee fetched the black and blue-furred female that was the establishment's serving girl, Tubbs's eyes fell on the SFF officer, a bronze-skin man with a graying black mustache that seemed like he had hailed from Doraq. On either side of him sat two Kithar ladies, presumably his escorts, while he watched several scantily-clad ladies dancing on the podium. The moment Sashari went up to serve the officer his drink and sandwich, the Survivalist reached over and gripped the serving girl's hips, pulling her close. Seeing his employee being treated so poorly made Tubbs's blood boil, but he had to hold it together for the plan. It would only be a matter of time until the Survivalists got what was coming to them.
"Hello Captain." Tubbs saluted the Survivalist. "I hope you are finding everything to your liking."
The officer turned and smiled at the establishment's owner. "Yes, I am finding myself very comfortable thanks to your accommodations."
The Kithar chuckled. "Well, I have you to thank for the uptick in business.Before the occupation, business was going poorly, but now I have no lack of customers, mainly you Survivalists."
"And I will gladly support you. After all, it is fair to reciprocate support." The officer handed him a few hundred Lyra notes, the currency of the Offworld, and a holocard that contained his name and number. "In the event you need to contact me, my info is listed on my card. I look forward to crossing paths with you again-possibly tomorrow night if nothing that requires my attention pops up."
Tubbs looked through the card, bobbing his head up and down. "Without a doubt. I am sure your forces are all that puts terrorist and criminal syndicates down, Captain Imanull. "
As the Kithar walked away, twiddling his whiskers with a paw, he heard a shout coming from outside. Glancing out the round window, he spotted a couple SFF patrolmen shooting at the feet of several prisoners, bearing the ripped uniform of the former Kittyopolis military, as they were being marched down the street. Their overseers, a Kaneen, a pale glowing humanoid Voss,and a beige-colored Savajan with spikes on his bald head, jeered at the helpless prisoners and even joined into the fun as well, possibly having helpless military prisoners dancing to avoid laser gun fire as their best source of entertainment. Shaking his head in disgust, the former captain walked to his office. Nodding at the two SFF MPs, noticeable by their royal blue helmets, he entered his personal quarters by activating a small button on the side of the sliding door. Glancing out the window to see each street corner manned by an SFF police detail or soldier as well as Stingers and Wasps flying by, he thumbed his pe-shaped transponder that he had hidden in his shirt pocket.
"It's time."
---
Two military-aged Kithars walked casually along Sortari street after getting cleared by SFF military policemen. They stood to the side and watched as an SFF patrol consisting of three Odeen and a Sylianash APC with two turrets and two massive Nightmare tanks rumbled past. It seemed as if the only vehicles roaming the streets now belonged to the Survivalists. Glancing to and fro to make sure some SFF MP's gaze didn't fall onto them, the two melted into the darkness of an alleyway between two apartment buildings that were peppered with holes from the bombing. Once they made it to the meeting spot, several figures garbed in black stepped out of the darkness.
"Hands in the air!" a gruff voice barked.
The two feline humanoids complied as two of the black-clad rebels searched them with Indicators. Once their body was scanned with the x-ray devices, then the two newcomers were handed laser rifles. The leader of this resistance cell, a tall Kithar with a black balaclava covering his face, stepped forward. His amber eyes, marked with a black slit, searched the boys before he spoke.
"On my signal, once the bombs have detonated, we will split up and take out as many targets as possible, preferably high-value ones such as officers or Gamran mercenaries. Just remember to strike and flee. We need to employ hit and run tactics since the enemy outguns and outnumbers us." He paused as a couple Dragonfly choppers, their four rotors roaring like a great jungle beast, shot past. "Fear not, help is on the way so we aren't alone. We just need to inflict as much damage on the enemy as possible without losing our lives or getting captured. "
The two youths nodded, hungry to get a taste of battle.
"You both will be needing these."
At the leader's signal, two Kithans handed the boys black masks. Once they donned their veils, the resistance leader raised a small pen-shaped transponder.
"We will mark the night with a bang that will be heard around the Offworld."
---
"Sir, we have reports of random attacks on our troops."
Holding the two Kithar women close, Captain Imanull glanced over at the messenger, who was identifiable by the blue beret on his head. Unlike the rest fo the troops who were adorned with black or blue armor, this young man was clad in light combat gear. He bore the pale skin and the almond-shaped dark eyes of the Eastern Island Kingdom, the island closest to the Capitol. The rest of the Kingdoms formed a ring around the lands, separating them from the Kaos Wastelands, an area long-thought uninhabited by war centuries prior.
"It is possibly the last pocket of resistance. I am sure our forces know how to handle them. I expect them to crush these terrorists easily. Do I make my-"
A massive explosion shook the casino, shattering the windows. Imanull's escorts screamed as they joined the captain and the messenger on the ground. The staccato sounds of laser fire punctuated the shattered peace as the SFF security personnel inside the building crouched in the middle of the room, pointing their weapons outside. A few by the windows used micronoculars to scan the situation. Once the ringing in his ears stopped and he regained his bearings, the SFF military police officer rose and strode over to the nearest security soldier.
"What was that? Another terrorist attack?"
As the blue goggled soldier turned to respond, a laser shot struck him in the noggin, splattering his brain matter over the walls and the captain. Imanull ducked as more lasers streaked in through the window. The security forces responded in kind as the captain took the dead mp's laser rifle and peaked outside. The mangled remains of several SFF vehicles, including APCs and some troop carriers, burned on in the middle of the street as several dark shapes darted through the haze, stepping over corpses. As Imanull aimed his weapon to support his men, he spotted several choppers and gunships position themselves in the air to support the security personnel battling rebels on the ground.
Good, we need the support to put down this latest bout of rebellion. This time, how did the rebels succeed in destroying many of our armor, resulting in the biggest body count that the annexation of this piece of land never amounted to?
Seeing a shape crouch behind a piece of metal, probably shot off of one of the demolished vehicles, Imanull squeezed off a shot or two. Just then, a glaring red oblong shape shot into the air. In a matter of seconds, it made contact with one of the choppers. The burning bug-shaped rotor-operating aircraft made a slow downward spiral before landing in the street. The force of the impact resulted in the captain being hurled back onto the floor. Fumbling with his weapon, Imanull heard footsteps coming down the stairwell on his right. He glanced over to see the casino's owner, flanked by three of his security detail, arrive.
"There you are!" The military police officer started to wearily rise to his feet. "We need all the rein-"
Laser fire erupted, taking all Survivalists in the room with the exception of the officer and the messenger. Imanull could hardly believe what he was seeing. From various hiding places, several masked Kithans with laser rifles and handguns emerged as the employees of the establishment scurried away like rats.
"N-no way!" The captain breathed out. "You were wit-"
"Fantine sends its regards."
The last thing Imanull saw was Tubbs raise his weapon and fire it at his head.
---
"Go, go go!"
Outside of the Kithan lands' northern outskirts, the crew and pilots stationed on the minor SFF air base scurried like army ants to their positions as the news of the terrorist attacks reached the base. The situation down south may have been so precarious to require air support.
"Fitters, bring out the aircraft! Flyers, strap on in and move out!"
As the base commanders and officers shouted out orders, the blue-clad fitters prepared the strike planes while the black-clad pilots got into gear and prepared to board their aircraft. The moment the missiles and bombs were attached to the SFF warplanes, some of the ground crew waved black and red flashers in the air, indicating the time to board had arrived.
"All flights, move in position!"
No sooner had the aviators settled into their aircraft had massive explosions occurred in succession. The aircraft as well as the control towers and pilot quarters were the casualties of explosions. As the klaxons wailed and the ruined aircraft blazed on, the inferno lighting a faint orange under a dark blue sky. As the Firebots moved in to minimize the damage sustained from the explosions that would be attributed to malfunctions, several crew members or pilots who knew the truth reported the results to Fantine intelligence.
---
"Air Divisions of Kaneen, may I have your attention?"
The bases that housed the Kaneen aircraft received the transmission from their prime minister who was visiting the Air Command at that very moment. All canine-looking humanoids turned to hear their leader, his hologram lighting the dark room in a bright white heavenly glow, speak.
"The Survivalist-occupied Kithan lands have suffered several terrorist attacks, nearly crippling our SFF allies. We have been requested to provide some reinforcements in the form of air support as they try to put down those rebellious feline scum in exchange for a portion of the land. You will use designated unmarked aircraft to carry out your duties. Best of luck and make your nation proud!"
Once the transmission ended and the hologram disappeared, the few selected Kaneen pilots made their way to the hangars, eager to gain the glory against their Kithar rivals. No sooner had the fitters finished attaching the missiles onto the aircraft wings had the bombs detonated, obliterating the aircraft and any unlucky technician or pilot near enough to the blast radius. As chaos erupted at the base, one Kaneen ,garbed in the ground crew uniform, contacted someone by the codename of 'Snow.'
"It is done. You will not be facing any Kaneen unmarked aircraft during the operation."
---
At that same time in the briefing room back at Fantine, the top officials of Fantine X, with the exception of the Air Corps, who were training for the upcoming battle as they played a key part in it, sat at the shiny dark brown table that was shaped like a Aphalaysian apple pie. Suddenly, the sliding door shot open and Sentery rushed in, holding a TechPad.
"Well?" Mikhail rose from his seat. "How did the intelligence plan work out?"
"It went as smooth as clockwork," Sentery explained, a smug grin forming on her olive-toned face. The Florenzian then sent the info to the TechPads of the attendees. "Some of our sources that were secretly moles of our Intelligence Division that were embedded with the enemy succeeded in rigging missiles and bombs to erupt upon placement on enemy aircraft in both Kithar and Kaneen, severely handicapping the enemy air forces and preventing the enemy from reinforcing their soldiers. Not only that, but the Kithar resistance forces have managed to utilize our intel well and worked in tandem with it, taking the Survivalists by surprise. What's more? The Caterpillar virus developed by the Cyber Warfare section of the Intelligence Division was a success."
Among the ooohs of the attendees, Mikhail raised a brow before exchanging glances with his second in command and his bodyguard. "So their air defense systems are offline?"
Sentery nodded. "For the time being, yes. Although that doesn't extend to their turrets."
"Fair enough." Mikhail smiled and glanced over at the Intelligence Division. "Great work, Zayda."
The red-haired woman of the Great Desert Kingdom shook her head, smiling. "Hey, you should be thanking our contact 'Snow' , who is in the field directing operations as well as Knutt Eno, the chief software developer who heads the Cyber Warfare unit in my division."
The Vroengardian software genius tucked a strand of long blonde hair from his eyes, blushing. "I had an entire crew devote hours of their time in assisting me. Thorne, we even had to pull a couple all-nighters, ordering Rumanan pizza or Eastern Island sushi.I am glad it payed off at the end."
"I see." Mikhail nodded. He then took out his comm and contacted the Air Corps. "The time has come. Launch your birds."
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEydMOt6WBt
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAp0D8k2OH
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3z2DG4FObw
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlgzVg26hK
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJbcI8V0Zm
