Three Strikes [✓]

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Chapter Forty: Offline

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Gardos Air Base, Usea.
September 19th, 2019.
2200hrs.

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The LRSSG, or rather the remnants of them, didn't reach the air base until late that night. It had been a quiet flight, aside from Long Caster's guidance along the way, and nobody had been willing to break it. Nobody could. They were all exhausted and more or less numb from the day's events. Not only that, but tensions remained high with their IFF down. They were low on fuel, ammunition, and moral. For any opportunists, they were practically served up on a silver platter. But by some stroke of luck, they managed to make it to their new base without any further casualties. They maintained a tight formation, and had been sent around areas where enemy activity had been active prior to the operation.

Long after the sun had finally set, the same bursts and streaks of light from earlier continued to appear. Naomi watched a few of them burn into nothingness along the way, but she didn't feel anything but grief and dread looking at them. If Osea's satellites had been taken out in addition to Erusea's, then that meant those explosions were only reminders of the current blackout. A reminder that Mr. X was allowed to slip through her fingers once again, and hurt the people she promised to protect.

After what felt like ages, they had reached the base and identified themselves to the control tower crew, who proceeded to guide their landing. The base was on the very edge of Erusean territory, near Anchorhead Bay and not too far from the coast itself. City lights faintly glimmered further in the distance, and the fuzzy silhouettes of buildings just barely visible. The base itself looked to be the size of New Arrows, roughly, with several rows of hangars on either side of the runway. There were a few warehouses along the edge, and several, slightly smaller buildings that made up the barracks and HQ. An Osean flag hung at the top of a large flagpole near the edge of the HQ, the IUN's flag just below it. Naomi got a good look at the flags when they landed, having a good view of them from the ground.

As they slowly were guided to the open hangars, they passed a few open hangars. The lights were all on, offering a perfectly lit view of the ground crews and aircraft the base possessed. F-16s and F-15s, mainly, from the looks of things. Most of the other hangars were closed up for the night. There were also helicopters, anything from Blackhawks to Apaches, and transport planes. Not to mention what looked like some AA defenses being set up. It set Naomi somewhat at ease, knowing the base was well-equipped and defended. They should be safe here, for the time being. But they wouldn't be able to hide forever, and Naomi wasn't about to relax.

They led them to a pair of empty hangars that had been opened up as they were coming in, having enough space to fit each squadron's aircraft. They'd need to replace some of them, once Lanza and Fencer made it back. They are going to make it back, was the one of the only positive thoughts she had to repeat to herself. Naomi tried not to worry about them too much, but she wouldn't be able to fully rest until all of them were back safe and sound. At least the others were here. Only two more, then they'd be as close to normal as they could get after the day they had.

At last, they were signaled to stop and Naomi and the others cut their aircrafts' engines. The familiar whirring slowly ceased, and Naomi began to numbly unclip her harness after she unlocked and opened her cockpit. A ladder was pushed up by someone, who even climbed up to make sure she wasn't injured. The others received the same treatment, from the looks of things. Naomi was too exhausted to answer, and her mouth and throat were dry. All she could do was nod in response and slowly lift herself from her seat, carefully climbing down to the ground.