While the cats are away...

[David]

Northern neighbourhood
північні околиці

Exiting the tent, the woman leaves behind a dozing comm. tech and a radio that is getting some very odd responses. Whether or not the planted microphone can listen to the streams or not, it's clear that as conflict breaks out to the West, orders are getting more and more desperate.

With all this going on, the woman can proceed down into the city centre. A looming series of cranes that poke out of what appear to be some industrial storage and remote office buildings hint at where the main focus of technology seems to be. If she is also able to track it, the readings for the device that is currently preventing any sorcery and magic to be used are getting stronger.

All she had to do was to make sure she didn't accidentally get caught up in any infantry and mechanised units. There was still plenty of houses to duck and hide in and a few shops to take refuge in, should it come to it.

Northern checkpoint
Північний контрольно-пропускний пункт

As the ST forces mobilise into an even more daunting formation, the soldier soon lets nerves get the better of him. All the senior officer can make out of it all is that more forces are incoming and that's about it, it wasn't helping that a new series of orders from the Northern communications tent seemed to be directing units away!

As for the 5 soldiers, they had no choice but to make a tactical retreat -or rather, flee like crazy- to the inner walls of the city. It's doubtful that they would repel any attack that the ST may use, it was only just a peaceful city some days ago after all!

Western checkpoint
західні контрольно-пропускний пункт

The scouting group finds little evidence of any remaining civillian life within the deserted houses, the catgirl may note that there's a common scent within the suburb. Further investigation of some of the houses howvere, reveals it to be blood. There's no sign of any deceased bodies, a faint scent of seared flesh suggests that the PLA soldiers may have had to make their point to some of the previous tenants of some of the houses.
Nonetheless, heading to the northern parts, they'd soon become embroiled with the current conflict at the school. If they have the means to do so, they may well be able to do something about the soldiers trying to reinforce the enclosed area. They were far too busy trying to deal with the outright space age technology attacking them!

School/Prison camp
школа/табір військовополонених

The one rebellious captive takes the soldier that was holding him by surprise, but it's soon short lived. With a rather angry rough shove, the cloaked prisoner is thrown to the ground. Whether or not the cloaked person has the magical ability to teleport or heal rapidly, they'd find it no good under the effects of a field that inhibits such things! Regardless, the one soldier points the end of a rifle at the person while one of the other soldiers gives a worried glare to the androids.

"Surrender?" He tries to bark out in a hoarse but rather nervous manner, "Not to you паразит!" And in perhaps what might be the one action that the soldier regrets, he raises his rifle and opens fire on the android! 7.62mm rounds do have armour piercing capability but it's unlikel that the CTC technology will be affected, it certainly wasn't doing much to their Air support!

Commercial district
Комерційна району

High up on the roof of one of the buildings, a stern looking woman is peering through a detached rifle scope at the trio down below in the streets, a slight smirk as she focuses in on Mifune's mask with a rather amused chuckle. "How interesting, товариші. A poetic stranger is walking amongst us."

Lowering the scope, she turns to her accomplice, a spetznaz soldier with the BDU and firearms to match but in this case, his expression showed one of slight confusion.
"Poetic, лідер Genya?"

Genya, nodded as she ran a gloved hand through her shoulder length, blonde, hair. Although she looked quite amused by the turn of events, her face still showed severity, reinforced by her seemingly peircing green eyes, "Perhaps this wandering soul has come to grace us with tales of mystery, of wonder... Of anonymity!" she gave a short cackle, tossing the scope towards the soldier who had no trouble catching it but looked no more enlightened.

"лідер, I am not sure I follow... Are we to mark and terminate that man?" Genya shook her head, heading to the roof access door, "Don't be such an artistic block, солдат. We shall observe him for now, see the path he treads. He has two of our own with him so he could very well be as friendly as dove on a summers day! Or perhaps he is like a pig, snuffling his way to our truffles, our keys to what will rebuild our great-"
"лідер, is it really necessary to be so verbose right now?"

That remark got him an angry look, halting in her tracks to let it linger. The poor soldier kept silent until Genya started walking again.

"Bring me my pen, солдат." She continued, "I may have a poem ready for our masked friend very soon."

[Helel]

*For now, the woman takes her time with making her way towards the obvious buildup in the city center. She shivers slightly as the sensation affecting her grows stronger with the odd area of effect, which leaves her feeling hollow compared to usual.*

<Looks like that's the source of the activity. Making my way there.>

>I copy that, continuing to run interference, though be advised there seems to be some serious activity at the outskirts of the city.<

<Understood>

*Back at the comm tent, the mic does receive audio, so tech assisting the woman sends feedback to encourage even more confusion, shifting focus to where the most responses seem to be (since that obviously works pretty well). If this actually hinders the efforts of others is another question, but she's definitely clearing the way for the operative.*

[Funny Hat + Funny Accent]

Elsewhere...
"Skywatch analysis indicates Steel Talon force numbers approximately 300 armored vehicles -- 100 appear to be dedicated armor, with 200 IFVs. At an estimate of one squad per IFV, that indicates an infantry component of approximately 1,000 to 2,000 soldiers."

Command Pleasance nods. "Well, that would be consistent with a brigade-level unit. It'd be interesting to know what their TO&E is like." She toggles her displays. "Get the strike team ready to move, once we have a better idea of their intentions, and call up the 16th Infantry regiment. The Talons have a pretty good force for taking the area by force, particularly given our current estimates on the technological disparity between the forces." She considers a moment. "Well, if our Ukranian friends have any surprises in store, better for them to be used against the Talons than us, I suppose."

She switches over to her comm. "Major Eaton, this is Commander Pleasance of the CTC. I simply wished to establish a line of communication to help coordinate our separate operations against what appears to be a mutual opponent," she says smoothly over the radio. "We are currently working to establish an operations base on the perimeter of the occupied zone and to recover and assist what surviving civilians we know of. Would you be willing to share any information regarding your operation and its objectives?"

*Major Eaton ponders for a few minutes before deciding on a less-confrontational response.*
<Well, Commander Pleasance, we're carrying out Operation Storm-Front. We've received reports from our command structure that indicated possible links of the occupying force with a high-value individual. Due to a current lack of appropriate assets to perform a covert assault, command opted to use the loud approach and seize any intelligence from the occupying forces, dead or alive.

At the current moment, our entire force is mobile, including the command structure. Which is Where is your operations center at the moment?>

Northern checkpoint
Північний контрольно-пропускний пункт

As the ST forces mobilise into an even more daunting formation, the soldier soon lets nerves get the better of him. All the senior officer can make out of it all is that more forces are incoming and that's about it, it wasn't helping that a new series of orders from the Northern communications tent seemed to be directing units away!

As for the 5 soldiers, they had no choice but to make a tactical retreat -or rather, flee like crazy- to the inner walls of the city. It's doubtful that they would repel any attack that the ST may use, it was only just a peaceful city some days ago after all!

*As the range closes to RPG-range of the checkpoint, the mass of vehicles continues on its route through any barricades and the checkpoint itself. Also, the towering forms of about fifty towering war machines loom at the rear of the support formations as their large 'legs' easily prevent them from falling behind despite their large, reinforced battleship-style gun turrets dominating the top sections of the machines. For the time being, the Steel Talons hold their fire as they prepare to overcome the outer defenses of the formerly-peaceful city.*

[Jello Shot Mischa]

(( Blarghlargle, I really need to reply to this! Been holding off for various reasons, but I'll just have to steam ahead the best I can. XD ))

*Major Eaton ponders for a few minutes before deciding on a less-confrontational response.*
<Well, Commander Pleasance, we're carrying out Operation Storm-Front. We've received reports from our command structure that indicated possible links of the occupying force with a high-value individual. Due to a current lack of appropriate assets to perform a covert assault, command opted to use the loud approach and seize any intelligence from the occupying forces, dead or alive.

At the current moment, our entire force is mobile, including the command structure. Which is Where is your operations center at the moment?>

Commander Pleasance considers this. "I see. Our operations base is being assembled on the location that was apparently the western checkpoint for the occupying forces. We have some forces moving to secure some of the immediate area, particularly what appear to be concentrations of civilians. Most of them are currently dismounted infantry."

She pauses a moment. "It is interesting that you mention the assets appropriate for a covert assault. We are deploying a covert ops strike team ourselves as we speak, in order to try and investigate the source of this anomalous energy field. It seems very similar to our own CHORUS field, but without the heavy infrastructure requirements, so you can understand our interest in the technology. If you would be willing to provide us with information on the target you are interested in, however, I would be willing to relay any intelligence our team uncovers regarding their location and status, in order to better assist your own operation."

Western checkpoint
західні контрольно-пропускний пункт

The scouting group finds little evidence of any remaining civillian life within the deserted houses, the catgirl may note that there's a common scent within the suburb. Further investigation of some of the houses howvere, reveals it to be blood. There's no sign of any deceased bodies, a faint scent of seared flesh suggests that the PLA soldiers may have had to make their point to some of the previous tenants of some of the houses.
Nonetheless, heading to the northern parts, they'd soon become embroiled with the current conflict at the school. If they have the means to do so, they may well be able to do something about the soldiers trying to reinforce the enclosed area. They were far too busy trying to deal with the outright space age technology attacking them!

Feets reports her findings to the squad's sergeant, who in turns relay the information to her lieutenant over the comm. The relative quiet in the neighbourhood and the deserted houses leaves the squad a bit uneasy -- the typical nervousness one feels when things seem to be going a little too well. Still, they do their best to keep moving onwards, until they near the location of the school.

"Hold up... we're close to the final checkpoint," the sergeant says to her team, and they all quickly hunker down behind available cover. "Command, we're near the school. Is the site secured? What is the opposition like?"

"Hold one." There's a pause. "Aerial elements report light resistance in the area, although nothing active. Possibility of light armor, and confirmed infantry with small arms and light anti-armor weaponry. Advise scouting perimeter and neutralizing hostile opposition."

The sergeant nods. "Affirmative, command." She switches channels. "All right, team. So far things have gone pretty easy for us, but there is confirmed opposition in the area. We can't just waltz into the school, so we'll have to help out by tracking down the opposition hiding in this area. Begin a clockwise sweep through the area around the school, and watch yourselves. They're packing small arms and light anti-armor weapons, so don't get cocky."

With that, the soldiers begin slowly moving through the neighbourhood, sticking to what cover they can as they try to determine where any of the occupying soldiers might be hiding.

School/Prison camp
школа/табір військовополонених

The one rebellious captive takes the soldier that was holding him by surprise, but it's soon short lived. With a rather angry rough shove, the cloaked prisoner is thrown to the ground. Whether or not the cloaked person has the magical ability to teleport or heal rapidly, they'd find it no good under the effects of a field that inhibits such things! Regardless, the one soldier points the end of a rifle at the person while one of the other soldiers gives a worried glare to the androids.

"Surrender?" He tries to bark out in a hoarse but rather nervous manner, "Not to you паразит!" And in perhaps what might be the one action that the soldier regrets, he raises his rifle and opens fire on the android! 7.62mm rounds do have armour piercing capability but it's unlikel that the CTC technology will be affected, it certainly wasn't doing much to their Air support!

As with many near-future robots and cyborgs, the EDU robots are fairly resilient against small arms rounds. On the other hand, ricochets do pose an immediate threat to any civilians in the area -- and thus, the robots respond promptly, electrolasers hissing from the firing points on their arms as their computer-aided targeting systems distribute target information amongst the robots. The lasers sizzle and crackle as taser-like discharges, hopefully stunning the soldiers quickly before any of the prisoners come to further harm!

Meanwhile, the human soldiers and the gunships set up their own vantage points, watching the surrounding area and reporting in any confirmed enemy positions -- usually confirmed by the random and sporadic small arms fire.

Diego Air Force Base, outside Muffinville

At the CTC's main airbase in the Muffinville area, a trio of futuristic aircraft take off. The two smaller craft are stealth VTOLs, configured for air support, but the third is a larger craft -- a transport VTOL with a curved, stealthy profile. Perhaps most noticable about them, however, is that they don't even produce the characteristic whine of jet engines, but instead just a soft hum as they rise into the air on gravimetric drives. The trio of silent, stealthy aircraft quickly turns and starts accelerating towards Muffinville.

[David]

-After many delays, let's continue the mayhem! Even if only two people read his now, myself being one of them.-

Northern neighbourhood
північні околиці

Leaving behind the communications array, the infiltrating woman finds that her hollow feeling aside, traversing the many paths and roads proves a little easier than she expected. Maybe the interference brought on by the CTC and her own meddling with the orders contributed to this but there was definitely something up.

As she edged to the outskirts of the city centre, she comes across a dual-lane carriageway, the sort of carriageway that although has a usually quite high speed limit, people tend to do another 10 mph over it anyway, especially in attempts to beat the rush hour and shopping traffic.
With that in mind, there should've been far more wrecked vehicles and indeed, patrols here but there didn't seem to be anyone.

Across the wide road, she'd see the crane looming up in the sky right in front of her, along with a few signposted directions to the inner city quarry. A bit of a strange place to build your city around but then again, not many cities have large walls surrounding their perimeter either!

Still, all the woman needed to do was cross the carriageway and not get by anything.

Simple, right?

Northern checkpoint
Північний контрольно-пропускний пункт

The simple barriers set up by the PLA soldiers and the more sturdy walls built by the city's council were no match for the onslaught of vehicles, dust and rubble alike fly in every direction imaginable as a myriad of tracked vheicles and literal mechs strom into the city.

In comparison, the odd few T-72 and infantry patrols that were nearby looked like mere cannon fodder, distracted by the conflicting orders coming from the tent and the sound of gunfire to the West, only but a few of the tanks and infantry patrols spot the ST presence and even then, they seem remarkably hesitant to react for once. Perhaps it's cowardice or at least, it seems to be at first. A couple of HE shells from the nearest T-72 tanks to the checkpoint aren't aiming so much at the ST but at the buildings around them. More reinforced concrete and wreckage rains down around them as the tanks attempt to become the urban equivalent of a lumberjack! No building falls yet but if they keep shelling the tall apartments, the ST may find themselves either blocked off or buried under it all!

Western neighbourhood
західні околиці

With the intelligence relayed to the small recon group, it's no real surprise when they come across one of the mechanised units in question. They didn't really seem to be hiding anymore, the rverberations of gunfire coming from an all too near location around them though thankfully -if the word really applies here-, it seemed to be directed at the overhead aerial support that were moving too fast for the T-72 units to respond with anything more than LMG fire and that was about as effective as the AK's firing upon them.

From the vantage points of small suburban houses near the school, the soldiers would've had an advantage in spotting the small group but as they are pre-occupied, they might be able to be dealt with without them even realising it.

School/Prison camp
школа/табір військовополонених

With not even a dent upon the hardened metal of the cyborg, the soldier has a brief look of horror upon his face which is soon reeduced to one of literal shock. Much to the relief of the prisoners and the CTC, there doesn't seem to be anyone harmed but there was still the ongoing fire outside of the school premises. Most of the prisoners didn't seem to be wanting to head off anywhere which was probaly just as well, given that having a widespread panic would complicate matters for the CTC.

Now the question semed to be, what to do with the occupying forces outside of the school? There were no prisoners in the way and soon enough, they'd be closing in. A metallic trundle of tank tracks could already be heard through the smoke that was surrounding the school from the earlier explosions. With their advanced technology, seeing the opposing forces shouldn't be a problem.

Commercial district
Комерційна району

-As a quick note, the original poster has allowed me to fill in their part for them. Hopefully it'll match what his style is like but if not, oops!-

With Genya preparing her own little schemes, Mifune is left with no real choice but to wander further down thepathe where the building stands. The two soldiers that were forcefully tagging along with him weren't the best at livening the mood much. One of the poor souls speaks up to offer a rather delayed answer to the question the masked man had answered before, peering up with sklight concern at the building yet himself, "We are best to tread carefully here, tovarich. One of the лідер is said to reside here."

Pausing, the blank features of the mask turned to the solider. Were he to see it, they'd notice the telltale mark of curiosity: a raised eyebrow, "лідер? Ah of course. You all wouldn't be running around without someone to guide your forces, would you?" adding a slight chuckle to it, the wanderer moved on, leaving two rather perplexed soldiers.

The soldiers under the orders of Genya were keeping their distance, as was the order. Despite the clearly foreign looking person walking down below them all, they could do nothing about it, just observe.

Genya herself was waiting in one of the rooms of the building, a reference library no less. She'd chosen it to mount her operations soon after taking over the district but rather than finding the wealth of inspirational literature to feed her artistic mind, it was just old financial and accountancy records instead. Most of them were strewn about on the floor out of frustration. At least she had a nice desk to sit at while she scribbled away at her attempts at poetry, not a guard in sight or at least, near her. They were all standing outside.

After getting particularly irate over how best to describe a masked stranger and their relation to fruits via way of poem, she allowed herself to look up and notice that her pen had arrived, courtesy of her faithful soldier, "Ah, good, солдат. Please place it beside my desk. I shall deal with it soon enough." she paused, admiring the overly large pen case the soldier was carrying who, with an acknowledgement in the form of a nod, set it beside her desk. Pausing to salute his leader, the soldier left Genya to her own devices.

There would be plenty of time to take her pen out soon enough, the poetry was far more important right now.