We are back from our operation code named Silver Strike. Sorry for the delay, got hung up in debriefings.

After everyone arrived in Moscow we assembled at the GRU headquarters for the briefing. Without giving away too many classified details at this point, it went something like this: the plan was to go through a dimensional portal to a small island much like a tropical island in the Caribbean here on Earth to search for some missing Russian personnel that were working on the island. Their mission was to construct a base of operations for the upcoming show down with the powerful demon trying to take over the world that we have been chasing after for the last few months. After the briefing and formalities were completed we took a break for the night to recover from jet lag and chat with each other as some of us have never met. Early the next morning we went to Kosmodome in Baikonur, Kazakstan, where the dimensional portal would be opened for us.

With all of our gear there, including Bert's duck-truck, we assembled, inspected our gear, and then stepped through the portal. We came out the other side in ankle-deep water on the northeast side of the island. We were on a sandy beach that stretched along the northeast coast of the island, and the hinterlands quickly turned into mountains covered by thick jungle. After we all came through the portal a truck drove through with all of our gear and supplies. We off-loaded all that and began organising our perimeter defense, on which Sasha and Bert were taking the lead. The guys that had come before had a fair head start on things, so while the others were doing their thing, I checked out the command center and other semi-permanent structures that they had built. Everything was in order. Just the personnel were missing. I put Natasha to work on installing some improvements, specifically electric locks and various of her wards.

Night came upon us and we settled in so that we could start fresh in the morning our search for the missing personnel. The thick jungle canopy precluded aerial reconnaissance of the island, so we really had no idea of the interior of the island, except the size of the mountains. Our search was not going to be an easy one.

Bert had set up some flares to provide warning of where infiltrators were coming from, and we had identified those sectors by colour, which we could use for sitreps over the radio in case something were to happen. We were as prepard as we could be for an attack. Satisified that everything was in order, I started off the guard shift with Natasha. Everything was fairly quiet, rather nothing out of the ordinary was going on -- just normal jungle noises. Although as the night wore on things got louder and louder. Late in the night Razor reported checking on some noises he heard beyond the perimeter, finding only a couple of panthers on the hunt.

Those that were able to participate, will share their accounts of day 1 here.

I hope all went well Mr. Kolya. I would hate to see another competitor get a foot hold on earth.

The Dark Voice wrote:I hope all went well Mr. Kolya. I would hate to see another competitor get a foot hold on earth.

Me, too.

Actually, he did, but we cut it off. That is what you have to look forward to.

Ron Caliburn wrote:Glad your back, and I'm looking forward to the story of what all went down.

Glad we are back, too. It got close... it will be a few days before I can catch up here, but looks like another retard busted out of the asylum.

I have been in many asylums over the centuries and have enjoyed my time in each one. There are very few places where suffering is so exquisite.

Shesh go away for a weekend and the weirdos come out.
On other bits I and a few of my team had tagged along on Kolya's little juant. it was intresting to say the least. I'll post more later.

The specific times elude me, so I'll organize my recollection as to where we were when whatever I am recounting happened.

Russia: I arrived a couple days early, hoping to meet up with Natasha and friends for a little fun before the Op. As I expected however, everyone was very busy. I was fortunate to get a few minutes with them all when I had handed out the goodies I had brought, a small Thank You for everything they had done for the me the last time I had been in Russia. I fully intend to repay them in on a Grand scale at some future date.

The day of the Op, at the briefing, I was trying hard to pay attention but I had killed the last of a bottle of Vodka I had found the night before (very uncharacteristicly of me) and was pretty hungover. I don't drink so it doesn't take much. Anyhow, I had turned in my requisition forms early because I had some exotic materiel on there, I had to bribe my interpretor to get it all filled out in a timely fashion and I had to greese some palms to get all the materiel I wanted. It seems that wherever ya go, there ya are.

After the briefing I chatted it up with anyone who spoke English that I could lay my hands on. Those poor, poor, interpretors. Soon it was time to leave through the portal. After a final equipment check we found ourselves on a different world.

Alien Dimension:
First thing we made sure the site was secure. A thorough sweep revealed an empty base. We all got to work on our various duties. I setup perimeter alarms with various colored flares. A clever system that would illuminate would-be attackers and reveal their position. My turn at watch was early evening and all wa quiet. And I'll tell you, after a few hours stooped over or on my knees setting up tripwires and flares, I was ready for a quiet evening. Demolitionists tend to have bad backs and knees for just that reason. Anyhow, come nightfall I went out like a light. I was sleeping lightly though, and the sounds from the jungle awoke me. After ascertaining that nobody I knew was being mauled to death, I went back to sleep.

Drinking before a big op Mr. Turtle. Tsk, tsk, thats how people go BOOM. Wouldn't want to blow up your lovely russian friend now would you.

The last two dimensions I went to were filled with demons. I literally held off armies both times. I had a right to that drink.



So shut your noisy sewer before I cut out your shit licking tongue you miserable excuse for a villain.

Props to you Mr. Turtle (in all seriousness). I would offer you a job, but alas you are to much the do-gooder. But perhaps your werewolf friend might be interested. Thanks for leaving her in the care of the Spider during your little trip to Maine. Their close proximity has allowed me to locate her aura with ease now.

I'll make sure to bring silver, just in case she declines.

Keep it up Voice and you won't live out the week. I will see to that myself.

Yeah, that ain't gonna work. She was at my training camp too.

HAHAHAHA

Blind fools, while I lead you on with one hand, I take the prize with the other. Ghostspider is now mine.

Wasn't he at your camp too, Turtle?

I just got back from another fucking dimension, I'm not sure what you're trying to prove here.

Mr. Turtle i'm not trying to prove anything to you, i'm just mocking you.

But please ignore if you wish, I have what I want.

If you weren't trying to "prove something" or "make a statement" you wouldn't be doing all this exposition bullshit and you'd just go and do it.

We are fortunate to have caught this monster meddling on Earth before it really got a foothold here. Since we have the capability to decapitate it so that it cannot come back, it makes all the sense in the world to go for it.

I cannot say I am particularly looking forward to going back there. Give me the Caucusus anyday.

That place is just weirdness around every corner.

I am actually looking forward to going back there. Oh, and Kolya, not that I know much about designing or constructing them, nor anything about architecture or cartography, but I made some notes and sketches about fortifying the island. I will get them to you soon.

Is that the same as saying, "I don't know anything about writing stories, but I went ahead and wrote one anyway." ?

Thanks, Bert, seriously.

As far as going back, well, could use some more fast movers and helos for air support. That place is just buzzing.... I was afraid Razor's head my explode.

Haha, close. I have enough practical experience both defending and attacking Military Fortifications to know what works, how, why, where, and against what.

The basic plan is to clear the entire island of vegitation and use the mountains and hills for the location of concentric star shaped fortifications with interlocking fields of fire (the same kind the United States constructed in the 1800's). Old Fashioned Flak Cannons would be used for air defense, I think they would be more useful than silver missiles haha.

Yea that sounds like "notes and sketches"!

Sorry if I just trampled your 10 years of research tho. Apparently guys like me do that without even knowing it.

I figure we can flatten out the elevations for the fortifications and dig into the mountains themselves for storage and living quarters. There's a long relatively flat plateau in the northern part we could convert into a airstrip, and a somewhat sheltered area in the south we can use as a dock.


How did you know I was working on this for 10 years?

You are just looking for excuses to blow things up. Sweet.

I know because I'm a dick.

Haha, well, when I say "Level out" I mean make sure they are smooth and level for construction. Not blasting the mountains into plateaus haha.We can exploit the features for multi-tiered fortifications.

Ah, well, still some heavy lifting going on...

By the way, I know Michael T has a few thoughts on the matter, too.

We will have to arrange a meeting.

I figure if we use traditional fortifications combined with Wards it'll be nearly impregnable.