FOB Assault

29th NOVEMBER 2018, 9:00

JZAI fighters and former AASOC members exchanging glances and preparing for the impending mission. Mustafa leaned against a table and wasting no time with formalities.

Mustafa cut straight to the point, "Alright, listen up. Zarabad's on the edge. Mei Ling's tower got us talking again. AASOC's itching to hit us."

Farid and Asif, exchanged glances, understanding the drill.

"So, what's the plan?" Farid inquired.

"We hit them first," Mustafa declared, his tone unyielding.

Asif, ever ready for action, responded, "About time."

"Don't get cocky. They've got Adams," Farid warned, injecting a dose of reality into the room.

A brief nod from Asif acknowledged the gravity of the situation. Hffyl, the young and inquisitive member of the group, voiced a concern, "What about the town?"

Mustafa reassured, "We won't let them suffer. But first, we cripple AASOC's FOB."

Liv observing quietly, added a dose of caution, "Let's not underestimate them. Adams is smart."

The room absorbed her words and the atmosphere devoid of unnecessary sentiment.

Hffyl, ever curious, sought clarity, "What's the move?"

Hffyl, a young presence amidst the seasoned warriors, sat quietly, absorbing the weight of the upcoming challenge. The conversations flowed like a river, and the table became the nexus for their strategic discussions.

Hffyl, breaking his silence, softly queried, "So, um, what should we do?"

Asif, a stalwart figure among them, took charge, "Alright, listen up. We're going into the belly of the beast, the FOB in Helmand. Our goal is to take down their SAM turret first. Me, Faiz and Zul, you two will handle the Apaches. We'll need air support to soften them up."

Asif affirmed, "Got it. We'll give them a taste of our homemade firepower."

Zul chimed in with a wry smile, "And make sure you keep that bird steady, Asif. I don't want to be falling out of the sky."

Hffyl, the young observer, absorbed the information without interjecting. His eyes occasionally met those of the others, silently gauging their opinions. The room buzzed with Farid, Arash, and the rest discussing their roles.

Hffyl sought guidance, "Farid, Arash, what should I do?"

Farid, offering reassurance, patted Hffyl's shoulder, "Don't worry, kid. Just stay close and watch our backs."

Hffyl, with a hint of irritation, remarked, "You don't have to keep patting me on my shoulder."

Arash, injecting a touch of humor, quipped, "Alright, alright. You just stick with us." 

Captain Walker nodded. "Me and my squad will handle the SAM turret. Just point me in the right direction."

Spectacles replied in suprised. "What? We're going straight inside our FOB?"

Hffyl, still looking weary, interjected softly. "We also need to plant bombs at strategic points inside, but we don't have a layout of the FOB. The former AASOC members who been there before could guide us."

Emily exchanged a glance with Dan and Emma. "Can help with that. Thought, we might be barely getting out of there alive though."

Liv, scanning the maps, voiced her concerns. "And we might encounter Colonel Adams in there. Despite that, targeting officers is a violation of the Geneva Convention."

Farid leaned back and crossing his arms. "We can't be choosy. We need to survive. If he's alive, Zarabad would fall and we would fall."

Asif continues to nod in agreement. "Survival comes first. We'll deal with the consequences later. Now, let's focus on getting in and out alive."

Zul looked at the maps with a puzzled expression. "This place is a maze. How do you navigate without a layout? I'll be in the air so I'll be fine"

Liv acknowledged the necessity. "Alright, we split into teams. Spectacles, coordinate with the Apaches. Tank, disable that SAM. Emily, Daniel, and Emma, guide us through the FOB. Hffyl, Farid, Arash, focus on planting the bombs."

____________________

In the office within the secure confines of the FOB, Colonel James "Iron Tempest" Adams found himself surrounded by the lingering ghosts of Operation Liberty Dawn's failure. The map of Afghanistan sprawled across his desk.

"Damn Zarabad," Adams muttered to himself, his fingers tracing the mission that was supposed to showcase AASOC's might but had crumbled into chaos.

Leaning back in his leather chair, the weight of defeat stayed on his forehead, Adams considered the consequences. The AASOC's foothold was trembling, and with it, his once career. A knock on the door interrupted his contemplation.

"James, you got a minute?" entered Colonel Jenkins, a stout man with a grizzled beard, closing the door behind him.

"What's on your mind?" Adams sighed, acknowledging the weight of the situation.

"I've been going through the reports around Afghanistan. Zarabad hit us harder than we anticipated," Jenkins shared, cutting to the chase.

"No kidding, Jenkins. We can't afford another setback, These JZAI guys are more dangerous than the Taliban," Adams replied, his stern expression reflecting the gravity of the situation.

"Here's the kicker. If we lose this FOB, the entire AASOC presence in Afghanistan goes down with it," Jenkins added, laying out the stakes.

"We can't let that happen. If we lose here, it's a domino effect. We need to protect this base at all costs," Adams asserted, a sense of urgency permeating the room.

Understanding the gravity, Jenkins nodded.

"What's your plan, James?" Jenkins inquired, knowing that the next move had to be decisive.

"We're going all-in. The Iron Tempest needs to live up to his name," Adams replied, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

"That nickname still cracks me up," Jenkins chuckled.

"It's better than being called 'Adams the Defeated,'" Adams retorted with a grin.

"Fair point. So, armored cavalry?" Jenkins suggested, getting into the details.

"Yes. We unleash everything we have. Jets, gunships, armed drones, tanks, even our new weapons if we have to. They won't see it coming," Adams confirmed, determination shining in his eyes.

"And the city?" Jenkins raised an eyebrow.

"Zarabad is becoming a real thorn. They got a personal grudge now. I want everyone inside the city out of the equation," Adams declared, revealing the personal vendetta.

"Whatever it takes," Jenkins agreed, acknowledging the grim reality.

Adams clenched his jaw, pondering the cost of his vendetta against the JZAI. The room held an air of determination mixed with an undercurrent of uncertainty.

"This is it, Jenkins. We either break the JZAI or go down trying," Adams asserted, preparing for the storm that awaited.

"Iron Tempest, huh? Let's make it rain," Jenkins said, patting Adams on the shoulder, sealing their commitment to the impending battle.

____________________

The night air in Helmand hung heavy as JZAI fighters geared up for their assault on the AASOC FOB. The moon cast a pale glow over the desolate landscape.

"Are we really going straight for the SAM?" Hffyl asked in a hushed tone, directing his question to Farid and Arash.

"That's the plan. Asif wants that turret down before we do anything else," Arash nodded, his voice low, matching the stealthy ambiance.

Moving silently through the shadows, the rugged terrain tested their agility. The lack of an FOB layout added an element of uncertainty, but they pressed on, relying on the former AASOC members' memories.

"Keep it quiet until we hit the outskirts of the FOB," Asif instructed, checking his gear as they approached.

As they neared the FOB, looming like a fortress in the distance, Hffyl couldn't help but express his concern, "What if they see us?"

"That's why we have specialists. Trust me, kid," Farid reassured with a smirk, confidence oozing from his words.

Reaching the outskirts, the tranquil night was shattered by the distant hum of Apaches patrolling the airspace. The JZAI fighters pressed against the cold ground, eyes scanning the sky.

"They're close. Asif, Faiz, get ready," Zul whispered, the tension palpable.

The Apaches roared overhead, a menacing presence in the night. Kadir and his team unleashed a barrage of MANPADS, causing the aircraft to veer away, smoke trailing behind.

"Homemade Verba," Kadir announced, satisfaction evident in his voice.

The AASOC FOB's defenses snapped to attention. Spotlights cut through the darkness, exposing the assault team.

"We're exposed!" Hffyl panicked as gunfire erupted from the FOB, prompting the JZAI fighters to scatter for cover.

"Stay low! We need to get inside!" Farid yelled over the chaos, rallying the team.

Despite their attempts to evade, an AASOC drone hovered above, spotting the infiltrators.

"Drone incoming! Brace yourselves!" Emily shouted, and explosions rocked the surroundings as the AASOC, fully aware of the intrusion, unleashed a torrent of firepower.

"This is insane!" Hffyl gritted his teeth, feeling the chaos escalate.

"We've got a medic. Hold on!" Arash, pulling Hffyl to cover, reassured amid the mayhem.

As they regrouped, enemy snipers positioned themselves, turning the night into a deadly exchange of bullets.

"We need to reach that SAM or we're done for!" Kadir declared, determination cutting through the gunfire.

The group pressed forward, inching closer to the heart of the FOB. Approaching, enemy tanks rolled out, turrets swiveling towards the intruders.

"Tanks! Get down!" Farid cursed as the ground shook with each tank shot.

"What's the plan now?" Hffyl panted, now bleeding and struggling to keep up.

"We're getting inside that FOB, one way or another," Asif affirmed.

Amidst the chaos, JZAI fighters scrambled to retaliate against the AASOC's reinforced assault. Mortars, fired from a safe distance, arced through the night sky, targeting the base and the tanks. The explosions illuminated the battlefield, momentarily piercing the darkness.

"Send all of it!" Farid shouted, urging the fighters to unleash a barrage of mortars.

"Someone take down those damn drones!" Arash pointed urgently towards the menacing airborne threats.

A group of fighters attempted to lock onto the menacing drones using MANPADS. The missiles streaked towards their targets, but the AASOC's Self Protect Pod swiftly detected the threat, deploying countermeasures that evaded destruction.

"These drones are invincible!" Hffyl expressed his frustration, the struggle against the seemingly unbeatable technology evident in his voice.

The night echoed with the thunderous roar of artillery as the AASOC retaliated. The impact zones created craters, scattering the JZAI fighters and intensifying the struggle for cover.

"We're getting pounded! Need some heavy firepower here!" Emily grimaced, feeling the relentless assault.

As the AASOC's armored vehicles rolled onto the battlefield, the JZAI fighters, armed with RPGs, attempted to engage. However, the AASOC's tanks were equipped with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA), rendering the RPGs largely ineffective.

"These tanks are like moving fortresses! RPGs aren't doing much!" Farid cursed, frustration evident in his voice.

As the tanks advanced, the JZAI fighters found themselves caught in a storm of bullets. The armored vehicles' heavy firepower created explosions that reverberated through the night, causing a constant state of disorientation.

"RPGs aren't cutting it! We need heavier firepower!" Kadir yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos.

"We hit them where they least expect!" Arash gestured toward the AASOC vehicles, attempting to formulate a strategy amid the onslaught.

Before further strategies could be discussed, the AASOC deployed additional armored vehicles, further complicating the situation. The JZAI fighters found themselves pinned down, struggling to hold their ground against the overwhelming firepower.

"Are we even making a dent?" Hffyl questioned, the strain evident in his voice as they faced the harsh reality of the relentless AASOC assault.

Hffyl's hands shook as he clutched the XE-1 Pulse Rifle. Its sleek design felt foreign to him, but there was no time for hesitation. The JZAI fighters urged him to take aim at the menacing AASOC armored vehicles.

"Give it a go, Hffyl! Show them what that fancy rifle of yours can do!" Farid encouraged, a hint of desperation in his voice.

Hffyl adjusted the variable energy settings on the rifle, his fingers moving with uncertainty. He loaded the long steel rod into the side barrel, the unfamiliar weight of the weapon making each movement deliberate. As he aimed at the first tank, he took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger.

The shot echoed through the chaos, and to everyone's surprise, the long steel rod punctured the tank's armor, causing a violent explosion. The AASOC forces, momentarily shocked, redirected their focus on the source of this unexpected threat.

"You did it, kid! Keep it up!" Arash shouted, the hint of pride breaking through the chaos.

Emboldened by his success he quickly loaded another rod. His second shot was aimed at a menacing drone hovering in the distance, threatening another missile strike. The XE-1 Pulse Rifle unleashed its energy, intercepting the drone before it could retaliate.

"Nice shot! You're turning the tide!" Kadir cheered, his eyes wide with disbelief.

But the AASOC, recognizing the threat, intensified their response.

Hffyl loaded another rod and aimed at an approaching armored vehicle. However, amidst the chaos, a sniper's bullet found its mark. The impact sent Hffyl sprawling, pain searing through his body. The barrage from a manned turret and an artillery shell nearby only worsened his condition.

"Hffyl's down! We need to cover him!" Farid shouted, frustration and urgency lacing his words.