Chapter 3: Fire From the Sky

**Headquarters**

**Third Fleet Section 4**

**Waste Pacification Operational Group**

**8th task force flagship Unending Storm**

**Subject: Effectiveness of major caliber weapon fire on Karasu populations.**

1. **Background: Destruction of Karasu village.**

	1. **Target: Large Karasu fortified village. 15 residential structures, 2 storage , 1 central fortification.**
	2. **Location: 42.643, 88.001. Central waste marsh “Oasis.”**
	3. **Target Population: Post strike: 45 bodies identified, 10 to 19 probables, 1 captured.**
	4. **Assets Used: 1 Storm class: Unending Storm. 2 Sargas class spotter airships. 1 Spirit class transport airship. 1 Assault Jumper platoon. (Full unit information included in packet.)**
	5. **Time: 13:00-18:00 local.**
	6. **Atmospheric conditions: Excellent.**

		1. **Humidity: 26%.**
		2. **Temperature: Ground level 97 degrees F. No anomalies in temperature curve for higher altitudes.**
		3. **Wind: Low level: None recorded. High level: Recording devices not installed on spotter airships. No records obtained.**
	7. **Friendly losses: None.**

1. **Operation:**

1. 1. **Time Table: All times local.**

		1. **Airships identify target: 13:21.**
		2. **1st ranging shot: 13:38.**
		3. **2nd ranging shot: 13:42.**
		4. **1st broadside: 13:45**
		5. **2nd broadside: 13:47.**
		6. **Strike assessment team deployed: 14:00.**
		7. **RAW-125 barrage: 14:30.**
		8. **Strike assessment team land: 14:45.**
		9. **Strike assessment team returns to airship: 17:25.**
		10. **Airships recovered: 17:55.**
	2. **Rounds expended:**

		1. **12 inch cannon rounds:**

			1. **2 spotting smoke shells.**
			2. **12 high explosive shells.**
			3. **6 white phosphorus incendiary shells.**
		2. **RAW-125 rockets:**

			1. **25 fuel air rockets.**
		3. **Infantry weapons: None used.**

**Targets struck:**

1. **1st 12 inch broadside: 9 high explosive shells**

	1. **Blast pattern satisfactory, unreinforced structures heavily damaged. Fortification not struck**
2. **2nd 12 inch broadside: 3 high explosive shells, 6 white phosphorus shells.**

	1. **Turret (A) loaded with 3 high explosive rounds and adjusted to target fortification.**

		1. **2 shells impacted directly. Target destroyed.**
	2. **Incendiary shell dispersion satisfactory. Cloud of white phosphorus covered 80% of target area. Fires contribute to structural collapse of fortification.**
	3. **RAW-125 barrage: 25 fuel air rockets.**

		1. **Rocket dispersion inadequate, too little.  Air mixture overly rich, created burning cloud instead of detonation. Impeded infantry deployment.**

1. **Hostile assets eliminated:**
	1. **Mobile targets:**

		1. **45 confirmed kills. (Age/gender/assumed role not recorded, fire damage to corpses too great for rapid assessment.**
		2. **10-19 probable kills. (All probables had been within 50 feet of craters and were non-contiguous.)**
		3. **1 captured.**
	2. **Structures:**

		1. **15 residential structures destroyed.**
		2. **2 storage structures destroyed, all contents destroyed.**
		3. **1 fortification destroyed.**
	3. **Weapons:**

		1. **3 salvaged 6 inch sandship guns. (obsolete)**
		2. **8 waste magic powered rifles. (Inactive)**
		3. **2 Rojyan made anti-material rifles.**
		4. **13 waste produced muskets.**
		5. **26 waste produced single shot pistols**
		6. **16 Obsidian swords.**

**Assessment: Mission strategic and tactical success, the neutralization of 3 unaccounted for heavy weapons will allow for a reduction in section wide airship patrols. The removal of the colony will also allow for possible settlement of the area in the near future. The recovery of a pair of Rojyan 14mm rifles is concerning and will be reported to the council. RAW-125 fuel air barrages will be suspended until dispersal complications are corrected. Ammunition expenditure was excessive and should be reduced in later operations. Infantry will be deployed to eliminate any pockets of resistance in order to conserve major caliber shells.**

**Interrogation transcript:**

1. **Subject information:**

1. 1. **Species: Karasu.**
	2. **Gender: Male.**
	3. **Age: Approximately 30.**
	4. **Method of obtainment: Captured after strike.**

**Transcript:**

**Subject: (Extended, frantic questions about location, and the location and status of other Karasu. Removed for brevity.)**

**Interrogator: You are the only survivor of your village. You are currently inside of a sandship, if you want to see the sky again you will tell us what we want to know.**

**S: (Extended refusals. Removed.)**

**I: (Threats of violence. Removed.)**

**S: (Refusals, claims of strength of will. Removed.)**

**I: [Electro-shocks applied.]**

**S: What do you want?**

**I: Information regarding the origin of the artillery and Rojyan made weapons.**

**S: I don’t know. I wasn’t a soldier.**

**I: Why did your village have such weapons?**

**S: (Extended laughter.) You can’t be serious? To protect ourselves from your kind.**

**I: Why have there been no attacks utilizing magically enhanced firearms?**

**S: Why do you hunt us? Burn our children alive?**

**I: (Repetition of previous question.)**

**S: Answer me! Why did you turn my wife into ash? (Subject shows signs of extreme distress.)**

**I: Because your kind would do the same if they had the chance.**

**S: Because this place is our home! You are invaders!**

**I: No. It isn’t. The Wastes spread like a cancer, and your kind appeared with it.**

**S: Before I was alive! Before anyone alive now was alive! Why punish us for the actions of those long dead?**

**I: Answer the previous question.**

**S: I don’t know! Tell me! Why do you do these things?**

**I: It is not my job to educate animals.**

**(No further information was gathered. Subject transferred to the Second Fleet for testing.)**

**“Across the dunes the glass glitters.**

**A generation lost to the flames.**

**Do not disturb their rest.**

**The ashes mixed into the glass.**

**Rage of the wanderers.**

**Fire from the sky.**

**Poem found scratched into a holding cell by a captured Karasu.**

**Translated by 1st Lieutenant Vimik Ogen.”**

**“White phosphorus burns at five thousand degrees fahrenheit. Sand turns to glass at three thousand degrees.**

**Artillery operator’s guide 5th edition.”**