34th Vipers Comms: Launch

## Launch

### Description

The 34th Vipers spy on the Atlanta Operation, and witness the destruction of the SHD Network

### Speaker(s)

Harold "Buzz" Gordon
Susan Grey
Joe Ramirez
Santiago Gonzales

**Buzz:** Alright, we're in position. With these camo nets, their thermal scopes won't be able to make it out.

**Grey:** You guys seeing this?

**Gonzales:** That's a lot of fucking True Sons, *hermano*. (brother)

**Ramirez:** Easily a battalion.

**Buzz:** Question is, why are they set up here of all places?

**Ramirez:** Can you see what they're doing?

**Grey:** I see Major Walker....a bunch of engineers. They've set up a makeshift outpost with these military trailers. I got one mounted on a flatbed truck near the back. Looks like they're setting up an antenna.

**Buzz:** Probably comms.

**Ramirez:** They have radios. Nearest tower isn't far from here. It has to be something else.

**Grey:** Fuck! Blackhawk approaching! Get down!

*(sound of Blackhawk passing over them)*

**Buzz:** That was too close.

**Grey:** Hey, I got movement. Helo is landing. Soldiers are assembling.

**Gonzalez:** This is unexpected.

**Grey:** Armored figure exiting, escorted by heavily armed guards.

**Ramirez:** Praetorians, I'm guessing. Does that mean Brooks is here?

**Grey:** I can't tell. Whoever they are, they're wearing a helmet, goggles, and a face mask. Wait a minute, they're taking off their helmet. Holy shit, it's her!

**Buzz:** Fuck me. This is no standard operation, then. Brooks doesn't come this far outside her borders for just anything.

**Grey:** Sir, I have a clean shot.

**Buzz:** Permission denied. We have standing orders to observe, not engage.

**Ramirez:** Gordon, we have the leader of the True Sons in our sights. We can end this, here and now! Come on, this is a golden target of opportunity.

**Buzz:** Even if we didn't have orders not to, there is an entire battalion of True Sons down there. We'll have a head start on them, sure, but we wouldn't get a mile before they called in bombers to carpet bomb the area to kingdom come.

**Ramirez:** But wouldn't our deaths be worth it to...

**Grey:** Hey, something is happening. Looks like she's giving a speech to the men.

**Ramirez:** She sure loves doing those. Must be in love with her own voice.

**Buzz:** Nah, it's a rallying thing. She's a good speaker, and she commands any room she's in. The True Sons listen when she speaks, and she takes advantage of that. Only thing more dangerous than a lunatic is a lunatic who can convince a million other people to follow her.

**Grey:** Speech is over. They're turning towards the sky.

*(distant)*

Loudspeaker: 10....9...8...7...

**Gonzalez:** What the hell?

**Ramirez:** Sounds like those old NASA countdowns before they'd launch spaceships.

**Grey:** Commander, the flatbed container is opening!

**Buzz:** Give me the binoculars! Holy shit, that's a rocket.

**Ramirez:** ICBM?

**Buzz:** Hard to tell from here. Get "Blaze" on the line, we....

Loudspeaker: One!

*(loud rumbling as rocket takes off)*

**Grey:** Shit! We have a launch!

**Buzz:** Estimated target?!

**Grey:** At that trajectory it....hang on...it's going too high. It's going into the atmosphere.

*(long minute of silence)*

**Ramirez:** Look there! It hit something! In space!

**Grey:** Whatever it is, they're really fucking excited about it. Whole battalion is cheering like their team just won the Super Bowl.

**Buzz:** We need to get back to base. Find out what the hell that target was...and more than likely how screwed we are.