Three Strikes [✓]

Eastern Wind

Chapter One: Eastern Wind

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Fort Grays Island, East of Usea
May 16th, 2019.
0900hrs.

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Life returned to normal practically overnight, with the exception that they were at war with Erusea. The base still showed the effects of the previous afternoon's bombing, but lights and electrical systems were back in working order and the damaged hangars and buildings were getting the necessary repairs. Thankfully, no casualties and everyone was safe and sound, if not just a little scraped and bruised. They got started on maintenance without any complaints and while everyone enjoyed a day off, the tension was high among the staff.

HQ was busy planning out their next move, so the pilots were left on the ground once again with the base still on high alert in case the Eruseans tried again. In the distance, the sun was starting to climb higher in the sky, raising the temperature ever so slightly. Birds called out and took to the sky, out towards the water as if they were all going to relax on the little strip of sand one could hardly consider a beach.

Inside, the television in the mess hall had remained on the OBC since yesterday, and all it did was repeat what they'd already been hearing. Erusea declared war, launched drones, targeted naval ports, damaged aircraft carriers, etcetera, etcetera. Naomi noticed that they mentioned Harling more than they had before. They kept talking about his possible whereabouts and whether or not he was still alive, having been touring the Space Elevator at the time it was taken by Erusean forces.

Perhaps, being an Osean citizen, she should feel a bit more concern for the former president, but she was too lazy when it came to politics to really know a lot about the guy. That, and she was too young to care too much about his policies and actions during his term. After all, she was thirteen in the last war and had far more important things to do than worry about presidents. She knew that her older sister, a medic who served on the first Kestrel, respected the guy a hell of a lot. What was the big deal, though?

"I hate to break it to you, but the more you stab at it and the less you eat, the worse it's gonna to taste." Brownie's voice brought her back into reality and Naomi watched her roommate take a seat beside her with a bowl of cereal. A quicker option as opposed to Naomi's dried out omelet, but likely tasted just as strange. The food was getting better the longer they were on the base, but the right consistency of not too dry and not too wet was something that the cook couldn't get right. Brownie didn't seem at all bothered by the likely dated milk and stale cereal, but she never complained about things like that.

"Ahh, but you see, the more I stab at it, the less resemblance it has to a brick and the more edible it becomes," Naomi replied, poking the omelet harder with her fork for emphasis. Her goal hadn't been to actually break it up, it was more of just fidgeting with something while getting lost in thought. By now it was probably cold, and a simple sample of her meal would confirm this. Easier said than done. She continued to stab at it to put off having to actually eat. "What took you so long? I can't imagine there's much of a line."

Brownie stirred the contents of her bowl, trying to get the cereal as soft as possible without getting it too soggy. "Knocker wanted to have a chat with me, that's all," she answered with a shrug, finally getting a spoonful of cereal.

Naomi kept at her omelet, trying to cut it into more exact pieces. "I hear he's pissed about getting a separate debriefing from HQ," Naomi said, glancing across the room where she spotted Knocker speaking with Boggard. "Apparently they explained the 'deal with the drones' and then chewed his ass out for asking so many questions. Clown told me they pulled the 'follow orders more, question less' card on him."