...The feed flickers to life, revealing a dim cockpit. Straub leans forward, his face streaked with sweat, a cigarette dangling from his lips. The faint glow of the console lights his tired but determined expression.
"Straub here. Mission accomplished. Sigma-15 is a graveyard. Rheinland thought they had it locked down, but we proved them wrong."
Static interrupts—explosions and distant chatter echo before Straub continues, his voice steady.
"The Corsairs were already engaged when we arrived. Rheinland’s Navy and MND had them on the ropes. They lost three fighters and a gunboat before we intervened. Brutal, but they held the line."
The feed flickers, showing flashes of combat—missiles streaking, debris scattering. Straub exhales smoke, his gloved hand resting on the console.
"We hit Rheinland hard. The Rheinmetall took minimal damage—just a few scratches. Our fighters? Barely a dent. But we made them pay. Their formations broke, their ships turned to scrap. They won’t forget this."
"This isn’t just about territory. It’s about survival. Rheinland thinks they can push us around. Today, we reminded them they can’t."
The feed distorts, alarms blaring in the background. Straub smirks, though it doesn’t reach his eyes.
"We’re heading back to [ERROR: REDACTED]. The Rheinmetall will be ready soon. This isn’t over. Not by a long shot."
The transmission fades, Straub’s face illuminated by the glow of his cigarette before dissolving into static.
— SIGNAL LOST —
...CONNECTION TERMINATED... ...NO FURTHER DATA AVAILABLE...
![[Image: N4fxtzR.png]](https://imgur.com/N4fxtzR.png)