Operation Perditus
Operation Perditus
Location: Zone 51, ████
Written by A.Jansen
[PORTIONS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED BY THE ETHICS COMMITEE FOR REVIEW]
[SEC=LEVEL 2] MOBILE TASK FORCE OPERATIVES WITH LEVEL 4 SECURITY CLEARANCE MAY REQUEST UNREDACTED INFORMATION DIRECT FROM O4 COUNCIL.
Situation
At 0930 hours on the 17th of August, 2021, Site-232 perimeter security spotted movement directly east of the main entrance. The movement was an approaching envoy of the Knights Templar, sent to deliver an ultimatum: hand over several anomalous items, or be attacked. The envoy then returned to a nearby Templar staging area, which appears to have been recently constructed with the sole intent of raiding Site-232.
An audio transcript of the ultimatum is available below:
Origin of Transcript: Front Gate, Above Ground Compound, Site-232
Individuals Recorded: Unidentified Templar Envoy, Officer Liam Soule and Senior Officer Patrick Secunda [BEGIN LOG]
Senior Officer Secunda: Identify yourself immediately, or we will open fire!
[Unidentified Envoy]: Do not fire! Things won't go well for either of us if you do. I've come bearing a message, if you'll listen.
Senior Officer Secunda: I don't know how the fuck or why the fuck you're out here, but sure. What's your message?
[Unidentified Envoy]: I come as an envoy for the Holy Order of the Knights Templar, Reformed. It has come to our attention that artifacts of great importance are present within this facility, of which we are the rightful guardians. As such, we have come to this desolate island and established ourselves in preparation to retrieve these items! However, force will only be used if we are forced to use it. Should you agree to the following terms, there will be no bloodshed.
Senior Officer Secunda: What are the terms?
Officer Liam Soule: (quietly) This fucking guy, what is this? The renaissance?
Senior Officer Secunda: (quietly) Shut the fuck up, Soule!
Senior Officer Secunda: What are the terms?
[Unidentified Envoy]: You have two peaceful options. On my person is a tablet with a list and photographs of each individual item. You may take this list and gather them up, then place them safely outside the front gate and allow us to take them. Alternatively, you can simply open the gate and allow one of our teams to enter the facility and retrieve the items. You have twelve hours to decide on a method of compliance.
Senior Officer Secunda: Soule, get the Site Director. RIGHT NOW!
Officer Liam Soule: Yes sir!
[END OF TRANSCRIPT] |
The tablet provided had a list provided on the notes section of the device. Notably, the device was in fact a Samsung phone and not a tablet. Thorough scans through the device reveal nothing of note beyond the factory default applications. A screenshot of the note is provided (right).
Site-232 Director Hamilton declared an emergency request for assistance (ERFA) within 20 minutes, appealing directly to Site-231 for our immediate help. However, all Tau-44 combat forces are either occupied elsewhere or - as you're well aware - undergoing post-engrammatic recovery. As such, Site-232 has extended their ERFA to the Regional Director, and remain completely unwilling to negotiate or surrender to the Templar forces.
Armed Rapid Response Task Force Xi-13 responded to the call, deploying to Zone-51 and immediately erecting a defensive line between Site-232 and the identified Knights Templar staging area. At 22:07, Xi-13 was engaged by an estimated 80-strong force identified as mercenaries from the Caliburn Security Services Company (CSSC), led by 4 elite Knights Templar in powered combat armour.
The firefight lasted over five hours, ending at 03:20 and resulting in Xi-13 suffering a 60% casualty rate and inflicting near-total casualties upon the enemy - only a single Knight was known to have escaped after. However, ISR monitoring of Templar activity abroad has made Xi-13 aware of an additional full battalion's worth of Templars and Caliburn mercenaries already in transit to the Zone-51 AO - having likely predicted Site-232's rejection of the ultimatum and set off in advance. Xi-13 has now also declared an elevated state of emergency has requested reinforcements, as after totalling casualties they have been reduced to 16 effective strength, leaving them perilously close to being easily overrun.
2nd and 3rd Company, 1st Battalion, MTF Nu-7 "Hammer Down" are now preparing for immediate deployment to assist. Their time to arrival is at least 72 hours on account of logistics, mainly due to being spread relatively thin dealing with numerous other ongoing scenarios which have now been deprioritised.
To alleviate the possibility of the Site-232 defensive line being overrun and the loss of Xi-13, and to help keep the situation stable for long enough to Nu-7 to arrive, Tau-44 will enact expedited post-engrammatic recovery procedures and field Detachment One immediately.
Groups of Interest
Caliburn Security Services Company
Mission & Execution
Workup - 21/08/21
Detachment One, Tau-44 are to gear up and prepare for deployment. This work up is time for everyone to make kits, test them and work with their team on any aspects of teamwork that may need improving. Additionally this is time to ask any operational questions and determine the minute details of the operations' execution.
Phase 1 Overview
Detachment One are to rapidly deploy and assist Rapid Response Task Force Xi-13 in securing Site-232 until 2nd and 3rd Company, 1st Battalion, MTF Nu-7 'Hammer Down' arrive en masse to take over the defence efforts.
Phase 1-A - 29/08/21
Xi-13 has taken the opportunity to push their defence further from Site-232 following the initial assault and are now situated relatively southeast of Site-232. In the meantime, Templar forces have taken the initiative to secure an abandoned Foundation airfield further southeast of Xi-13's new position. Detachment One will select appropriate ground combat vehicles and transport themselves to the Xi-13 defensive line, utilising the transportation beam to speed up initial deployment.
Once there, Tau-44 are to push forward, conducting force reconaisance and deploying mines and traps. If Tau-44 identifies any advancing enemy forces, they are to retreat to the defensive line to prepare for contact; if not, they should continue advancing and attempt to personally reconnoiter the Templar staging area.
Phase 2 Overview
Once Nu-7 arrives, Tau-44 will move to Phase 2, switching to the offensive and assisting Nu-7 with pushing Templar forces off the island. Tau-44 will act in a familiar recon and surgical strike capacity, hitting targets of importance - behind enemy lines if necesesary - in coordination with Nu-7's efforts.
Phase 3 Overview
Once Nu-7 have the Templars on the back foot, Tau-44 is to pivot to assisting with the defense and extraction of all Site-232 personnel and artifacts. Once those have been securely transported out of the AO, Site-232 is to be decommissioned until such time as a new use for it can be determined.
Administration/Logistics
Administration
- Rules of Engagement: Fire-at-will. Any and all targets identified as Templar or Caliburn forces are to be terminated with extreme prejudice.