Chapter 130: Halthor Sector Campaign Episode VII
Standing on a small cliff I looked through a pair macrobinoculars.
My gazed focused on a small fortress located eight kilometers to my south-west.
Enclosed by rocky jagged cliffs on all sides except for one.
The fortress in question being the current location of one Rodian scumbag, Blolkic Jcebi.
My forces and I have finally tracked him down.
Which actually wasn't easy.
Ever since the liberation campaign for Halthor began two and half months ago the man has always managed to slip through our fingers.
But no more.
Now that my forces, and the rest of the GSA forces assigned to this operation in space, have all but liberated Halthor and gained the support of the local populace once they finally realized we were here to help and not keep them in oppression as Jcebi and his forces had done for years, there is nowhere left for Jcebi to run.
We have that animal cornered, and now it is time to put that rabid beast down.
Though that's easier said than done.
Given what I just observed through my macrobinoculars of Jcebi's stronghold.
AA guns, numerous guards armed to the teeth, a shield generator, only one road leading in and out of the compound.
Yeah, assaulting that place is going to be a nightmare.
Oh and if you're asking yourself why don't we simply just have our fighters, or one of our ships in orbit around Halthor, blow that place out of existence it's because we've learned through earlier reconissance missions in regards to the fortress, and from the locals of Halthor themselves, it is that Jcebi and his soldiers keep women and children on the site of the fortress at all times to act as hostages to keep the scenario I suggested just moments ago from becoming a reality.
Yeah, Jcebi and his followers are a shining example of the most righteous and upstanding the galaxy has to offer.
Not.
Taking the macrobinoculars away from my eyes I left the cliff I was standing on and re-grouped with the rest of my company at the temporary base camp we had set up in the area.
Once I did so I headed straight for the makeshift command tent.
Arriving I found major Alenko and several of the senior officers under my command surrounding the holotable located inside of the command tent.
A sight that has become commonplace to me in the past two months.
But I can't say I hate it.
The moment I stepped inside of the command tent Alenko and the others turned in my direction and gave me a proper military salute.
Which I gave them in kind.
"At ease." I told them.
Still finding it slightly strange to be using a military phrase so easily.
Back in my previous life I never would've thought I would end up doing so.
Yet here I am.
Life sure is mysterious.
Hearing my words my officers relaxed.
"Welcome back Colonel." Alenko spoke. "So, did your personal observation of Jcebi's fortress give you any clues on how we are go successfully capture it without incurring mass casualties on our side?"
"No, I'm afraid not major." I replied. "On that note do any of you have any new ideas on that front?"
"Actually we do." A captain spoke up.
"Oh, do tell." I said.
"Of course Colonel." She replied. The captain then pressed a few buttons on the holotable control panel and a holographic image of the fortress compound appeared above it in the air.
Then seconds after it did so the image moved upward a bit and then an outline marked entirely in red appeared under it.
"A tunnel." I spoke. Observing the holographic image.
"Yes." The female captain replied. "After putting together testimonies and accounts from numerous locals gathered by our soldiers we came to learn of the existence of this tunnel. Which runs directly to a safe room within the fortress. A means of escape Jcebi had the locals create for him long ago when he constructed his fortress compound. Though the reports suggest the locals had no idea what they were creating at the time."
"Honestly captain whether the locals knew they were constructing this tunnel or not doesn't matter right now. What matters is that we've finally found a way into that compound." I spoke. Putting a smile on my face.
For this was just the break we needed to finally end the campaign once and for all.
"Tell me. Do we know exactly where the escape tunnel ends?" I asked.
"That we do colonel." Alenko said.
He then gave a curt nod to the female captain, who then pressed several buttons on the holotable control panel and the holographic image being projected above it changed once more.
This time showcasing the other end of the tunnel, which came to a halt at a small hole carved into a sheer rock wall.
That was positioned at a height I would not wish to fall from.
Since said fall from said height would likely kill me.
Even if I used the Force to mitigate my fall.
"About how far would you say the tunnels other end is elevated from the ground?" I asked.
"Ten kilometers." Alenko answered me. "Also, there doesn't seem to be any sort of landing platform or the like at the tunnels wall entrance. It's just a hole in the wall."
"Have you verified this as an absolute fact?" I asked.
"We have." A male lieutenant replied. "The data your seeing displayed on the holotable right now colonel comes directly from the sensor data of two X-wings that flew a short reconnaissance mission in the area we extrapolated the ending of the escape tunnel would be located from the information we already had at our disposal." He explained.
I nodded my head at his words. "Alright then. Now let's start working up a plan to assault the compound and do away with Jcebi once and for all." I spoke.
"Yes sir." The officers inside the command tent replied to me.
We then got to work on creating a battle plan using the tunnel as our key point.
Then once we finished creating an effective battle plan everyone went their separate ways to rest and recuperate.
An order directly from me.
Since I wanted everyone to be in peak condition when we made that bastard Jecbi experience his own personal hell.
Or as HK-47 would say: It was time to remove a Rodian meatbag irritant from existence.
Man I miss him.
I guess I'll give him a call after Jecbi dies.
Yeah, I definitely will.