The orchard opens onto a roadblock of sandbags, a knocked-over sign, and tired ROC soldiers flagging the truck through. Beyond them, a field relay stands upright beside the perimeter road, its wires spliced into the chaos.
Justin gets to work at once, hands shaking as he patches the radio into the relay. Sgt. Douglas leans in close, staring at the speaker like it might bite.
Justin Forester
Come on, come on... give me anything clean.
Static tears apart, then a voice punches through, crisp and clipped, a high-ranking officer speaking as if the roadblocks and shelling are all part of a routine withdrawal.
Unknown Officer
Proceed to the secondary rally point. Use the south service lane. Repeat, use the south service lane.
Douglas goes still. The order is the same one that drove them into the trap before, word for word. Justin looks sick, and the ROC soldiers at the barricade exchange sharp, uncertain glances.
Sgt. Douglas
That is not coordination. That is a feeding line.
The relay hisses on, waiting. The truck idles in the dirt while everyone listens for the next order, and nobody likes what comes next.
“Can we talk to the unknown officer? If it is prerecorded, then it is possibly an enemy psyop!”
YES, AND MORE (Likely, rolled 8)
Daniel North
Officer, this is Sergeant North. Identify your unit and current coordinates immediately.
Unknown Officer
Proceed to the secondary rally point. Use the south service lane. Repeat, use the south service lane.
The voice does not waver, nor does it acknowledge the challenge. It loops the exact same cadence, the same inflection, and the same hollow authority, revealing the chilling truth that there is no one on the other end.
Daniel North
It is a recording. A loop designed to funnel us into the kill zone.
“"Let's gather up and attack the obvious ambush in position on the South Service Lane. Justin, stay here with Sgt. Douglas and try to get through to actual High Command, I'll take Private Winters, Private Chen, and Specialist Howard to clear the enemy trap."”
SUCCESS (Good Tactics, rolled -1)
Daniel North snaps the headset down and points toward the south service lane. The truck’s occupants stir at once, the orchard suddenly feeling like a staging ground instead of cover.
Sgt. Douglas
Good. We stop taking orders from a loop. North, take the lead element and clear that lane.
Justin stays by the relay with Douglas, already turning back to the set. One of the ROC soldiers checks the road, then shoulders his rifle toward the service lane.
Justin Forester
I’ll keep trying for a real signal. If there is one, I’ll find it.
Daniel North gathers the small assault group and moves them out from the truck, the orchard rows breaking open toward the perimeter road.
ROC Soldier 1
We saw movement there earlier, low to the ground. Could be another UGV team.
Ahead, the south service lane sits under smoke and broken light, and the obvious ambush point waits where the road narrows beside the fence.
Quest Complete
Find out why the radio was broadcasting their position
Skill Upgrade: Tactics Good→Great
