The Raid on Southport

“My Captain is pizzed ad me because I help plan op-ration, not him, an didn’t tell him, I was ordered not to, an didn’t tell him anyway. So he gib me bick present, but I already haf one, iv you know whad I mean. I haf bad feel-ling ‘bout dis mission.”

-Lieutenant Olga Kasparova, platoon leader Russian detachment of Echo Company, Colonial Rangers, New Hope Colony, Russian Republic

“They want us to fly the Southport mission in bad weather but that means we’ll probably get tossed around like a fishing boat in a hurricane only a bit higher up. Those guys back there better have their airsick bags ready. The last think I need is a whole platoon of Rangers puking all over my aircraft!”

-Lieutenant Erin Quinn, recon shuttle pilot, mission lead pilot, Colonial Rangers, New Hope Colony, US

Jacks Company is regrouping from their battle with the aliens. A broadcast from New Hope Town tells them about the battle for Winter Haven.

General Jamison and Naomi MacCaffrey conclude that the alien force wiped out at Castillo had already been badly damaged by someone. Every unit was accounted for leaving only one possible answer, that the students and teachers on the Cairo had fought and probably had badly beaten the aliens before they went on to attack the settlement.

Naomi MacCaffrey and her ‘Hot Tub Brain Trust’ propose a new operation to General Jamison. This raid would be on the explosives bunkers and holding yard at the Southport landing field where there is a store of badly needed explosives and ammunition.

The fall rains begin and the adverse weather provides an opportunity to expand the original mission to include an attack on any alien ships moored at Southport.

The Russian commander of Echo Company, Captain Boris Akulov, lobbies for his detachment of Russians to lead the raid. The captain wants to prove that his Russians are as good as any other detachment that has seen action against the alien invaders.