Above the southern colony of Austerus, a single V-22 Osprey soared through the clear blue skies with a direct destination given by the strategic and command inside the Port of Dawn. Within the transport aircraft were the operatives, SRU 01, deployed to terminate rebel hierarchs.
Their operation was important in ending the conflict between the southern rebels and the United Navy, bringing them closer to their deserve peace in the sea region of Terra.
*Executers, we are 15 clicks from the drop zone. ETA 75 seconds.* As the Osprey slightly trembled, the pilot's voice resounded inside the transport aircraft, reporting to them their current status. By the moment, they were getting nearer to their drop zone.
After the status report of the pilot concluded, the captain of SRU 01, also known as the Special-Response Unit's executers, stood up and faced her men with a cold expression. She was First Lieutenant Mercedes, the right-hand woman of the legendary dragon.
Her current occupation was a secretary of the fleet admiral, the highest authority of the United Navy.
"Alright, let's start debriefing." It was the usual to debrief information regarding the operation as to clarify things that might have misunderstood by the operatives participating it. Such thing was done by every warrant officer leading a group of soldiers.
Hearing her words, the operatives of the executer squad nodded in understanding, listening to whatever may come up from her supple lips. Seeing their reactions, a cold smirk emerged from her face as she began their debriefing.
"Our mission for today is the termination of the rebel leadership located in a southern city. According to our intelligence, this city was the first to fall in the revolt of the rebels, making it a primary target for the United Navy."
"This city contains over thousands of slaves, possibly under the command of the rebels. As such, our enemies might outnumber us by a hundred-times. Nonetheless, our mission as said before, is merely the execution of their leaders."
"We must be fast and precise in this operation. This aircraft will be picking us up in our rendezvous point, 2 clicks from our landing zone. Its ETA will be 30 minutes after our release. So, we have to be quick if we don't want to be left behind with a bloodthirsty mob."
Mercedes let out a slight chuckle while her men wondered how twisted the humor of their first lieutenant was. Espada glanced at the silver-wolf beastfolk and questioned. "Should we hold back our firepower?"
The first lieutenant looked at him and calmly responded. "There's no need to hold back. The HQ has specifically advised us to exterminate every hostile in our way. As long as we execute the leaders of the rebels, anything is open."
"I see..." Espada nodded as though understanding something important. Though, he couldn't help but remark. "It seems that the United Navy considers the rebellion as a significant threat of some sort."
When Mercedes heard him, she froze and squinted her eyes. She gazed at the giant Minokin and asked. "Do you really think so, Second Lieutenant Espada?"
Hearing her, Espada raised his eyebrows and realized that he must have said something outrageous. He had forgotten that amongst all of them, Mercedes was the most loyal. She stood behind the greater authorities of the United Navy.
She had seen things they hadn't, heard things that they would never be able to hear. Her status in the naval organization was almost one of the best, only behind the highest authorities.
"Apologies, I have uttered nonsense." Espada shook his head, removing his doubts and questions about the operations in the south. He was merely a soldier under the best unit of the SRU. It wasn't in his duty to question about everything.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have employed himself into the military.
"There's no need to apologies, Second Lieutenant. What you said made sense. The response of the United Navy is far proportional from the threat that the southern rebellion had conceived." Mercedes was in agreement with his words, though her following words made him shiver.
"But the southern rebellion is a threat, regardless of how small it may be. Before our upcoming operation to squash the Colonial Dominion of Terra. We must thoroughly clean up our backyard, otherwise things will bite us in the back."
"The Fleet Admiral understands priorities. We don't need two enemies in this war of ours. One is already enough. If another emerges, we bomb it to damnation until nothing is left behind other than its charred corpse."
"Do you understand, Second Lieutenant?" Mercedes smiled at the giant Minokin, who only wryly smiled at her, somewhat tense. Noticing this, she sighed at him and uttered. "You're the newest member of the SRU 01... Right, Second Lieutenant?"
"Yes, I am." Espada responded to her, making the silver wolf continue. "I understand your hesitance, but let me remind you one thing. First of all, we are the United Navy. Second, we are the beastfolks." She furrowed her eyebrows.
"Just because they are of our race doesn't mean we let them strike our brothers and sisters on the back and pretend nothing happen. A beastfolk can enslave another beastfolk. And they can also be bastards who consider themselves as supreme."
"Don't let our racial identity and theirs cloud your judgement. The same as our fellow humans who fight against their brethren, we must also fight ours if needed. The ideology of the United Navy stands alone in this unforgiving world. We can only unite our likeminded fellows to survive."
Mercedes concluded her speech, and several of her men wanted to applaud, but were met with her glare. "At any rate, be rational and don't let your emotions cloud your mind. We will be deep into enemy territory, one mistake can cost the mission and our lives."
She patted his giant shoulder as he kept his thoughts into himself. He had realized how foolish he had become in this path of becoming a liberator. His biased was showing itself, and it was disgusting. He considered himself the former Warchief of the Minokin Tribe.
It seems that playing as the liberator had soften his mind. He wouldn't have hesitated if it was beforehand and wouldn't be caught up in the whole liberator identity.
But before he could continue with his thoughts, the voice of the pilot resounded in the interiors, giving them the final go.
*SRU 01, Executers! We have arrived in our designated drop zone. Operation is open.*
Following the pilot's words, the red light emanating throughout the interior became green. Everyone inside stood up and prepared themselves for the drop. Their check their gears carefully as one wouldn't want to die through
"Alright, Executers! Show them all you got!" Mercedes yelled out while the rear loading ramp of the Osprey slowly opened. The previous metallic silence of the interior swiftly disappeared, consumed by the roaring wind pressure.
The operatives felt the gust of wind as the southern city below went into their view. Mercedes looked at them with calm and uttered. "Take the leap!" Hearing her, none of them hesitated as they hopped off into the skies through the rear loading ramp.
One after another, the executers fell, like angels of the vast heavens. When the last operative left the confines of the Osprey, Mercedes glanced at the empty interior. She smiled and gently exited to the heavens, falling at piercing speed.
Mercedes felt the gust of raging wind cover the entirety of her body. She had already experience a diving fall during the War for Liberation in the colony of Servusarator. During that time, she was but a mere assistant of the dragoness, who was leading the first members of the Special-Response Unit.
Things have changed since then. She was now leading her own squad, diving from the heavens, and into their enemies' embrace. But they would be surrounded with thorns, their adversaries would feel hell upon contact.
As the operatives got nearer and nearer to their landing zone, upon reaching a hundred and fifty meters above ground, they immediately opened their parachutes. This gave them enough time to break the speed of their fall, giving them speed and mobility upon their landing.
Mercedes watched as her men landed and rolled over the ground, immediately recovering their military bags and arming themselves with the usual arsenal. It didn't take long before it was her turned, she rolled quickly and regained her posture, swiftly unloading her much-needed supplies.
While the operatives armed themselves, their first lieutenant stood up and quietly announced. "We have arrived in our destination. I doubt our fall weren't notice by our adversaries. So, we need to be quick." She turned her eyes towards a fairly large building and continued.
"That building is where are targets dwelled. Lay siege on it, destroy everything on the way." After uttering such words, the surrounding Minokin took out a minigun of their own while others also carried machineguns. Accuracy and mobility didn't matter to them. After all, they were strong.
Seeing the heavy arsenal equipped by her men, she wondered if they knew the concept of stealth at all. Regardless, though... As long as the leadership of the rebellion dies, the mission will be considered complete.
"We have 30 minutes before our bird picks us up." Mercedes carried an m4a1 while a smile slowly forms on her face. The operatives under her command also smirked as they were ready to go in with their guns blazing.
"Let's move out."
Without any hesitation or delay, the operatives of SRU 01 sprinted towards the target building. They were like bulldozers, where if there wasn't a way, they would make their own by smashing through walls. Such monsters deserved to be part of the executer squad.
Mercedes could only feel proud.