[Audio transmission between a force recon unit in and their local commanding unit]

[Audio originally recorded in eastern Colorado]

[...]

[Begin Playback]

(An urgent male voice calls out through thick static)

“Vulture, Vulture, this is stalker 2-1. Standby for emergency report, over.”

(The response from the commanding unit is apprehensive but immediate)

“Stalker 2-1, this is Vulture. You’re on the clock, send traffic, over.”

“Understood.”

(Stalker 2-1 takes a breath before continuing)

“One hundred enemy foot mobiles and fifteen-, break…” 

(Stalker 2-1 curses quietly)

“I say again, one hundred enemy foot mobiles and thirty APCs cresting ridge tango seven three. How copy, over?”

(Vulture repeats back the report without a moment’s hesitation)

“Vulture copies. One hundred enemy foot mobiles and thirty APCs cresting ridge tango seven three. Any medusas in sight? Over."

"Negative. No medusas spotted at this time. Over."

"Stalker 2-1 do you have a bearing on the mechanized column, over?”

“Column bearing 273 magnetic. Looks like a big push towards Denver, over.”

“Column bearing 273 magnetic. Vulture copies all. Godspeed Stalker 2-1.”

(A series of explosions can be heard before the line cuts out)

[End of file reached]

[Terminating playback]

[Radio transmissions made by forward observation units were usually tracked and fired upon within thirty seconds of the first transmission. The members of Stalker 2-1 are presumed KIA.]

JTNestman

Hey. I didn't mean this moving business to completely halt my posting, but I continuously found myself a victim of Newton's first law of motion. An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. Not that I've been resting by any means, but I've certainly ground to a halt when it comes to actually writing on the daily. It's really hard to get that gear turning again once it has stopped moving even for a little bit.

Anyway, enough grumbling. Posting this was my first step in getting things moving again. It isn't the next chapter of the story, but it doesn't really spoil anything that is going to happen since it doesn't deal with the main characters directly. It was just easy to write since I'm a sucker for military comms. I'll update this to be in its proper place once we get thing posting again.

Thank you all for reading and expect the next chapter this coming weekend.

[Update] This interlude is now in its proper place.