Three Strikes [✓]

Long Day

Chapter Ten: Long Day

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444th Air Base, Zapland.
July 4th, 2019.
0700hrs.

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Early in the morning, after breakfast, McKinsey called all of the convicts into a briefing. After having roughly three days with no activity, Naomi and her fellow prisoners had grown restless. A few scuffles had broken out during breakfast and they spent an hour or two in solitary. Needless to say, however disorganized the squadron was, they seemed almost excited with the idea they could possibly have something to do and the guards were more relaxed now that they knew that the prisoners had a more useful way to take out their anger.

Naomi followed the unusually cheerful crowd into the room that held the mission briefings. McKinsey was already there, waiting with a scowl on his face. He seemed to be taking note of everyone there, making sure nobody had tried to skip out on the briefing. Naomi watched him nod and mouth their names to himself as they entered the room and sat down. Once everyone was seated, he let out a 'hmph' and looked over his papers. The door closed behind them and the lights were turned off as the computer started up and the projector displayed the digital map.

Nobody said anything for a while, sitting in silence. McKinsey continued scanning his papers as the computer finalized everything, which took a few minutes. Naomi sighed and leaned forward in her seat. "Er, Commander McKinsey?" she asked, bringing his and everyone else's attention to her. He raised an eyebrow and gave an even grumpier expression than he'd previously been wearing, but didn't object to her speaking. Naomi nervously looked around. "Um...I was just wondering if you were planning on telling us what the mission is or if we're just supposed to watch you read."

McKinsey's brow furrowed and he let out an annoyed sigh before setting the papers down and pointing to the screen. "I'd watch your mouth if I were you, Trigger," he warned. "Anyways. Your mission is to atone for your crimes by attracting the enemy's attention." The screen showed a map of the Usean continent, pinpointing the location of their base and drawing a line from the base to a location further inland. "First, I want you to head from the base to the desert region of Roca Roja to the northwest. And then second you'll attack the large Erusean base there.

We've been unable to verify that base's ability to deal with fighters. You will attack and provoke the enemy into revealing their AA strategy. Get them to fire at you as much as you can. That way we can confirm where they're firing from." The map zoomed in on a canyon area in Roca Roja, displaying three red circles to mark the enemy bases. "Then, it's a case of sending in our regular force to clean them out. For this mission, we've prepared a frontline base that can be used for ammo replenishment and aircraft repairs."

Naomi perked up and watched as the map display changed to show a blue line off to the side, away from the three enemy bases. For a moment, she thought that maybe things weren't as bad here as she thought and that they'd be treated as an actual unit, or at least able to act like one. Her hopes were crushed as soon as McKinsey added, "However, this is not for you guys. Only the regular force has permission to use it."

"How the hell are we supposed to fight without ammunition?" Naomi couldn't help but ask, raising her voice. "Isn't the goal to take care of the enemy? What happens if we run out?"

McKinsey glared at her and growled, "Even if you run out of ammo, don't forget that you're just decoys. Nothing more, nothing less. You stay out there as targets for the enemy." The computer began to shut down. "That's all. Go and take care of your aircraft now, you'll be leaving at 1500hrs. Dismissed." The lights turned back on and the door opened up. McKinsey watched them as they all stood up to leave, and Naomi gave him an annoyed look as she followed her 'squadron' out. He returned her look with a short laugh before he turned away.