[PRIVATE] Command and Operations Center

[Voshkod]

Inside the Quadragon, past the purple water fountain in sub-basement 2, lies the black elevator. Two Marines guard it at all times. After an ID check and a hand geometry scan, the elevator descends fifty feet to the brain of the Eutopian military - the Command and Operations Center. The old timers still call it the "War Room," while others refer to it as "the Pit." No one uses its unfortunate acronym.

The President, the Vice-President, the Minister of Defense, Intelligence, and Security, the Service Chiefs, and members of the Joint Staff that man the Pit have direct access. All others must be escorted.

The Pit is a large room with several tiers of desks and workstations rising in a semi-circle from the floor. The walls are covered with ranks of video display terminals. Some are constantly playing international news networks; the others display the current state of the Eutopian Armed Forces. At the desks sit various "purple"-suited officers and enlisted personnel on watch duty. They monitor radio traffic, radar reports, and incoming traffic from the field.

There are also several conference rooms, where war planning occurs. There are also sleeping quarters, a small kitchen, and an independent power supply. The entire facility is secured against intruders, whether physical or electronic.

Welcome to the Pit. May your watch duty be uneventful.

 

[Voshkod]

Current Alert Status

Operations Level 1: Fire Fall - War

Operations Level 2: Hang Time - War Warning

Operations Level 3: Distant Thunder - Possible Threat

Operations Level 4: Blue Sky - Normal Status

Status 5: Stone Cold - Stand Down

 

[Voshkod]

Levarge walked into the Pit late. He had just been reading the latest Newslink. He turned to the Watch Officer.

"Move our alert status up a notch. This New Bengal business is going to heat up."

Orders were murmured into microphones. The large display blinked once, the green light went out, and a blue light came on.

Messages went out to all Eutopian armed forces containing two words: DISTANT THUNDER.

Levarge picked up the secure direct line to the Minister.

 

[unmerged(24047)]

Captain McGrath walked out of the black elevator, followed by a Marine.
"He's like this from the birth or he just swallowed a stick?" thought Thomas looking at his baby sitter. Sometimes these Marines were just plain funny in their character.
He was feeling a bit uneasy, maybe bein buried deep under the soil was the cause. Strange. He wasn't scared of jumping out of an airplane but being underground made him shiver. Probably a psychologist would make entire books out of this.

After yet anothe security check, in wich his name was again found on the list, McGrath was introduced to the war room.
Like ants at work, the personnel of the Room was swarming everywhere, bringing sheets and reports or just looking at monitors.
As soon as he entered the Room, Captain McGrath spotted General Levarge. He saluted him and waited for his instructions.

 

[Voshkod]

"Captain." Levarge turned to greet the paratrooper. "I've just raised our alert status to Distant Thunder as a precaution. I assume you saw the hostile commentary from the Tilipian leadership in today's Newslink. TRIPWIRE may be needed on the quick." He walked the Captain over to a side room. "I've set this room aside for operational planning. I'll have Captain Tulp and Major Haynes join you when they arrive. We need a plan to intervene under peaceful circumstance - when we're invited in - and a plan to intervene in a hostile scenario. Starting with your unit's capabilities and work from there."

Levarge turned to leave.

 

[HJ Tulp]

Arriving at the new War Room Captain Tulp salutes the Marines and, after being cleared, enters the Pit. Then he sees the DISTANT THUNDER sign and he get's a weird feeling in his stomach. He then sees Lt. General Levarge and salutes.

"Couldn't find Major Haynes sir but I left messages at the Airfields. Also we have a problem with Operation TRIPWIRE sir. There is a military airfield on New Bengal sir. It is possible that the Tilapians have mothballed it like we did with several airfields but if it's active then we have a problem at our hands. Should our plans include a scenario in which we have to fight the Airbase?"

 

[unmerged(24047)]

"That poses a whole new set of problems. Maybe we could use local elements to gather intelligence on the installation. We could also infiltrate agents, eventually. Of course that woudl be the last method."

 

[unmerged(27050)]

A note from Austri:

"General Levarge, I have considered your request for intelligence information on the St. Espirit and Tilapian militaries. It is granted."

 

[Voshkod]

"Captains," Levarge said to Tulp and McGrath, "we have authority from the VP to make intell requests. We should start with the airfield on New Bengal, and the status of the Tilipian carrier wing. Hopefully we have some assets in place already. If you have other intell targets, let me know and I'll forward them up the food chain.

"Captain Tulp, have we reconstituted our Marines yet? If not, we may need to train the Rangers on landing techniques. We still have the amphib ships, right?

"On another note, I had a bit of a come to Jesus session with the Acting Air Force chief. If they need to chop up half the force to get the other half flying, then they'd better get started. Nursing their hanger queens and praying for the embargo to end isn't going to give us air superiority."

 

[HJ Tulp]

"Well sir, with your permission I would like to know what kind of transport capacities the Tilapians have so that we know how long it will take the Tilapians to reinforce New Bengal. On the Marines, we still had one battalion of Marines on paper but I'm not sure if they are at full strength after the end of the conscription. I think they are though as they are a prestigious unit, certainly because of their newscoverages during the Crisis.
The amphibious vessels are all there. Enough for thrice the amount of Marines even so that we could send up a battalion of Rangers or infantry as well. However I'm not totally sure on their state. But rest assured sir, even if they are all not seaworthly then it shouldn't be much of a problem to build new ones fast."

"Sir, I'm afraid that I don't understand you completely sir, do you mean that you have agreed with the Acting AF Chieff that he will canabalise airplanes to bring the others on full strength?"

 

[Voshkod]

Levarge looks annoyed (but not at Tulp) at the last question.

"No, Captain, I told him it was his god-damned job to have planes in the air, and if he needed to cannabilize some to get others flying, then he'd damn well better do it! I do not want to report to the Minister that we can't intervene in New Bengal, or even stop a Tilipian overflight, because our Air Force won't leave the hanger.

"I'll add your targeting request to the list I'm preparing. If we have the sealift, let's add a battalion of Rangers to the seaborne side of TRIPWIRE. Do we have the space to throw in some light armor as well?"

 

[HJ Tulp]

"Allright sir" said Tulp grinning a bit.
Then his face was serious again.

"Well sir it depends. I'm still waiting for the specs of the landing craft. That's a very important aspect, not only because of the possibility for light armor but also to see if we might have to tow some of the landing craft. I am, however, certain sir that the armor would have to be be light, I doubt the landing craft can carry a Leopard."

 

[unmerged(24047)]

"At least, Sir, by requesting intell we know what we'll face. For my unit the airport is the main priority. Are the strips still functioning? Are there stationed aircrafts? Is there a garrison? If yes, with what arms? Any AA guns or even worse SAM coverage?

If the AA cover is not very heavy, or if the airforce can soften that a bit, we can try an insertion directly on the airstrip.
Another way is a drop outside the airfield, and then a conventional infantry attack. In this case we'd totally lost the surprise effect.
And can someone make plans for a possible helicopter insertion? Does some of our choppers have enough autonomy to reach New Bengal?
If possible, can we drop some recon elements on the island before the real operation? It would help us a lot with the planning.

But it's still early to make plans, there are still many infos to acquire."

 

[Voshkod]

"Indeed, Captain. I've put in an intell targetting request to the Minister. God only knows how long it will take for the trenchcoat brigade to put eyeballs on the target, though.

"I don't think any of our choppers can make it there, and I doubt any have refueling capability. As for inserting some recon elements, that would be tantamount to declaring war. I think we'll have to wait for things to heat up first."

 

[unmerged(27050)]

A note arrives from Minister Austri for General Levarge:

General, could you please stop by ENDTech HQ and brief Earl Andrews on the current ENDTech projects? I briefed him basically with the information I recieved from you, but I though, as former ENDTech head, you might be able to explain things more in detail.. especially the armored vehicle projects.

MDIS Bob Austri

 

[HJ Tulp]

"General, while we wait for the data to arrive, can we maybe discuss a extraordinary or maybe idiotic plan I have for the navy? I would like to have your opinion on it."

 

[Voshkod]

Levarge looked down at his coffee. "Sure, Captain, let's hear it. Not that I can do anything about it. The Minister has gone AWOL, can't get a single answer out of him. Pathetic, really." He looked up at Tulp. "I think I know my goal for this administration, Tulp. Survival - personal, professional and organizational. Our task is to keep the body and soul of the military together until this government falls - I mean changes."

Levarge rose. "Let's grab a cup of coffee and a sandwich, and let's hear your plan."

 

[unmerged(27050)]

A note to Levarge arrives from the Minister:

General, you are now promoted to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

On the matter of the EAGLCS, start searching for sites immediately.

And as for ENDTech head.... I am thinking of using your scheme for getting Barak Mofaz in as head of it.

Also, I am supposed to get in contact with the St. Espirit and Tilapian militaries to organize a joint military exercise. Any thoughts on this matter would be appreciated.

MDIS Bob Austri

 

[Voshkod]

Levarge and Tulp had just sat down with the coffee when a runner came up with a message. Levarge read it, paled slightly, and put it down carefully. He looked over at Tulp.

"Well, Captain, now you'd better tell me your plan. The Minister is back and has promoted me to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Looks like I can help you out after all."

 

[HJ Tulp]

After picking a ham-sandwhich and a coffee he sits down. He just wanted to start when the runner interrupted him.

"That's most splendid news sir! Congratulations. About my plan, well sir to be honest every time I think about it I'm getting more and more the feeling that it's unworkable and expensive so I hope I will not waste to much of your time." The captain grinned a bit.

"You see sir, as I see it the two greatest and strongest enemies of the UPE are Tilapia and Spain. On land we might be able to best Tilapia if we have aircover but on the sea they outnumber and outgun us greatly. Spain will incase of war do anything to aid the Tilapians and once their forces arrive I'm not sure if the Army will e able to defeat them. Our only advantage is that the Spaniards will have to get across the ocean. However because of the enemy superiority at sea that is not much of an option. Not so long ago sir, you asked me if an Upholder could sneak at the Spaniards and blow their capital vessels to the bottom of the ocean. However sir I don't think the Upholders will ever be capable of that. What we need sir is the element of suprise. What I am suggesting is that we acquire 2 Improved Akula-class nuclear subs in secret, that we train a crew in secret and build a small sub-base in secret. Now sir the costs may be great and it will certainly not be easy to keep it down but if it works sir then we will be able to greatly reduce the Spanish and Tilapian navies while they are in port. You see sir the Tilapians and the Spanish know we have the Upholders so they will search for Upholders and not for the Akulas as they won't know we have Akula's and even if they find them there is a chance that they might think they're Russian subs. Now I hope I haven't wasted your time to much sir." the Captain said the last bit with a mix of fear and embarressement.