Then again, Siberia has never been known for its coastline. Heavy shelling from the fleet s battleships and destroyers began about two hours ago and continues to this second. The problem is that no one is quite sure what they are firing upon, that is to say, what is waiting for us on the beach. Once the fleet s spotters see us pass the one hundred yard mark the shelling will cease and we ll be on our own. Three hundred yards out.
Several planes fly overhead.
Sea Harriers, early morning reconnaissance. In the next half hour they ll gather enough intelligence to detail the fleet on enemy positions and units within a twenty mile radius. Of course, that does absolutely nothing for me. Within the next half hour I may very well be dead, as might my entire unit. From this distance, the entire shoreline looks like it is on fire, and the recon planes disappear into the thick clouds of black smoke, almost as if they were swallowed up by some unseen force.