TFA1 5.5 - High Activities at the Border
Darpha Region Northern Border, 30 km behind the border post, at altitude of 20,000 feet.
09:20, 6 Jul 2025
A unit of P-8 Poseidon with callsign Rolling Panda flew across the sky gracefully. Its mission was carried out an airstrike as part of the Gunboat Diplomacy. Upon entering Darpha Region airspace, it was welcomed by a patrol of Riders who then followed it tightly.
In this mission, Rolling Panda did not carry air-to-air missiles for self-defense. However, since Cloud Hawk could only fly up to an altitude of 12,000 feet with a maximum speed of 360 km/h, Rolling Panda’s crew could calmly ignore their stalkers.
As soon as Rolling Panda was above the target coordinates, it immediately dropped 18 units GBU-32 JDAM on its wing and internal bay.
When dropping JDAM, the two most usual tactics were to spread out the dropping points to create a wide area of explosion, or concentrate it for the maximum damage. For this mission, Rolling Panda dropped all GBU-32s at one point.
The GBU-32 used for the mission was based on General Purpose Bomb Mk.83. The warhead had 180 kg of TNT or 40% from the Mk.83’s total weight. One Mk.83 could cover an area of 200 m2 where every 1 m2 would get 900 grams of explosive. The potential only needed to be multiplied by 18 if all of Mk.83 brought by Rolling Panda were dropped at one point.
Of course, the killing radius of an Mk.83 was not only limited to 200 m2. The shock wave, heat wave, and fragmentation generated by 180 kg of TNT could produce an instant-kill effect on humans up to a distance of 200 meters from the center of the explosion.
It wasn't hard to imagine how much damage that Rolling Panda had just produce, but the procedure for recording the results of the bombing was carried out as usual. Shortly after that, Rolling Panda increased its speed and altitude, and then started the tracking mission.
Meanwhile, the Riders who were following Rolling Panda dropped their jaw as they looked at the area that had just received the bombing strike. It took a while before the Riders nervously took out a crystal recorder.
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Castle Dohark, Dohark City, Tarai Region
10:05, 6 Jul 2025
In a luxurious meeting room, three nobles sat with grim faces.
Count Weizz, leader of Tarai Region
Viscount Olrig, leader of Liqua Region
Viscount Yelk, leader of Darpha Region
As soon as the three heard the incident in Berril Plain, followed by the rumors regarding the incursion and annexation that Tuscan Region and Amethyst Merchant would launch, cold sweat immediately drenched their backs.
In addition, they also received reports that a large number of Tuscan guards and hundreds of Amethyst Merchant’s iron carriages had entered Fort Cambia this morning.
Meanwhile, a pair of flying carts broke into Northern Coalition's airspace until it reached their respective capitals, then by using sound amplifier gave an ultimatum that the kidnapped Amethyst Merchant’s personnel must immediately be returned alive.
Also, Riders who tried to ambush the flying carts were hit by a fire spear that suddenly appeared from the sky.
By riding the fastest Cloud Hawk they had, Viscount Olrig and Viscount Yelk rushed towards Castle Dohark to meet Count Weizz. And while they were fiercely accusing each other of the idiot who was provoking Amethyst Merchant openly, they received another choking report.
Amethyst Merchant's giant flying arrows had launched three simultaneous airstrike across every region of Northern Coalition. The targets of the airstrike were only empty arid field and there were no human casualties.
However, from the picture on crystal recorder the Northern Coalition’s leaders could easily get the picture that if the attack was directed at their castle, it was certain that their castle would be leveled to the ground.
This was coupled with a message from General Khartoum which was sent via a long-distance crystal communicator, saying: -The next one will not miss.-
Count Weizz massaged his dizzy forehead as he remembered that Northern Coalition did not have a back channel with Tuscan Region. Meanwhile, Fort Cambia did not respond to the message he sent.
"I'm not forcing you to follow my suggestion, but you should decide what you will do immediately. Sitting here accusing each other will not bring you any results."
Count Weizz then rose to his feet and exited the room, leaving behind the stunned Viscount Olrig and Viscount Yelk.
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Border Post of Tarai Guard, 2 km north of Fort Cambia
15:20, 6 Jul 2025
Captain Elkan looked at Fort Cambia as he took a deep breath. This morning he had watched dozens of flying wagons land into Fort Cambia, and a few hours later hundreds of iron carriages belonging to Amethyst Merchant and thousands of Tuscan Guards entered the fort from east gate.
Unfortunately, after Captain Elkan reported about alarming build-up at Fort Cambia, he and his unit were only received an order to slow down the impending attack as much as possible, without any notification of reinforcement being sent.
Captain Elkan only had a 200-man Cavalry Company under his command, most of whom had just completed their training. That's why he kept asking, 'How could we possibly withstand the onslaught of an opponent capable of wiping out a whole corps in one breath?'
In the previous conflict, Captain Elkan was part of the corps that had to block the possible incursion from Fort Cambia, and he survived the firestorm that wiped out the main elements as he was leading a reconnaissance of Fort Cambia when the airstrike came.
Captain Elkan still remembered it vividly, when he and his men had to collected the ashes and charcoal of their fallen comrades so that they could bury them properly.
"It seems we will also suffer the same fate," Captain Elkan muttered silently before turning his head to the Centurion standing next to him. "Is there still no reply from Fort Cambia?"
"Absolutely nothing and the communications squad had confirmed there is no signal disturbance. Fort Cambia received our message, but they ignored it."
Normally, the party that built up a force at the border would send a message to the opposing side. Usually, they would say it was an exercise. Although the message would be laughed at and those on the other side would still make a full preparation to block the possible incursion, at least it could ease tensions a little.
However, Tuscan Guard and Amethyst Merchant did not send any messages and ignored the incoming messages. This made the tensions at Tarai Guard’s border post soar to the sky. As cutting off communication completely could be interpreted as a declaration of hostility that was impossible to reconcile.
This step was usually taken by 2nd World Authorities such as Kingdom of Makai or Kingdom of Horrep when they were about to annex a territory.
Captain Elkan could have faked a communication contact to ease his men’s worry, but he chose not to. No matter how difficult the situation, he wanted his men not to hold on to false hopes. Therefore, his men could quickly accept the reality, and when death came they could die without remorse because they had fought to the last drop of blood, and then crossed into the afterlife peacefully.
Even so, it didn't mean Captain Elkan's heart was not tightened when he remembered that most of his men were only teenagers.
"Order all personnel to write the final message, and ask the youngest personnel to send it to Headquarters."
"Sir!"
The centurion next to Captain Elkan answered firmly. He realized that the order was an indirect message that the option to surrender had been removed completely, but without hesitation he accepted it.
However, the Centurion had only walked two steps when another Centurion hurried toward Captain Elkan. "Captain, a convoy is coming from north."
Captain Elkan immediately checked the convoy using a monocular scope, and he saw a cavalry unit escorting three luxury cart each with the insignia of Northern Coalition’s leader.
A large question mark filled Captain Elkan's face, but he still knew what he had to do. "Prepare my horse, I will greet them myself."
"Sir!"
The second centurion answered firmly before rushing to carry out the order.
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