OPERATION: RAGIN’ MOUSE

The convoy approached the imposing Murlan SkyRocks, where rocky formations loomed like ancient sentinels against the twilight sky. The moon cast eerie shadows that seemed to dance and shift across the jagged rocks, creating illusions of movement at every turn.

Kael Swiftail’s grip tightened on the wheel of Alpha 2, his knuckles white with concentration. "Steady as she goes," he muttered, guiding the truck along the precarious path. The terrain was unforgiving; jagged rocks jutted up like teeth, and the edges crumbled away into shadowy ravines far below.

Lt. Tarfire’s voice crackled over the intercom, steady but commanding. "Alpha 1 to group. Mind your intervals, people. Don’t bunch up too much. There’s no room for error here. And watch out for the IR-taped areas—those are drop-offs. The engineers did their job, but we still need to stay sharp."

Shara's eyes remained fixed on the communication panel, her fingers hovering over the controls of the scrambler. She scanned for any interference or signal loss. "Alpha 1, this is Alpha 2 Romeo. Comms are clear, but we’re getting steady drops in signal," she reported, a note of unease in her voice. The silence of the SkyRocks felt too thick, almost unnatural.

"Alpha 2, keep checking it," Lt. Tarfire responded. "Report if we drop below 75 percent signal strength."

Sergeant Targzon, perched at the Remote Weapons Station, kept a close eye on the darkened ridges. "Stay alert, people. Last time I was here, we got ambushed by an Austorian scout patrol just on the other side of this route. Could happen again." His tone was calm but carried the weight of experience.

As they rounded a sharp bend, the truck suddenly tilted to one side. A boulder rolled down a slope nearby, and Kael swerved hard to avoid it, his heart hammering in his chest. “Hold on!” he shouted, barely managing to keep Alpha 2 on course. “That was close…”

Targzon’s hands tightened around the weapon controls. “Stay sharp, Swiftail. One wrong move, and we’re over the edge.”

The convoy pressed on, threading its way through the maze of rocks. The narrow passages seemed to close in, forcing the trucks to slow even further. The sound of metal scraping against stone filled the air, each screech like a warning that danger was near.

Suddenly, Targzon caught sight of a shadow moving across the ridge to the right. "Did anyone else see that?" he murmured, his voice low but alert.

Kael glanced around, his night vision goggles swaying as he searched the darkness. "See what?"

"Up ahead, on the ridge." Targzon switched the RWS from night vision to thermal. "Keep your eyes on the road, Swiftail. I’ve got this."

Kael nodded, though a hint of frustration crept into his tone. "No problem."

Targzon focused on the shadow. The thermal optics finally picked it up—a large mountain goat perched on the rocks, staring down at the convoy, its head tilted in curiosity.

Targzon exhaled in relief. "Just a damn goat," he chuckled, quickly reporting it in. "Alpha 2 Golf to Alpha 1, it’s just a goat on the ridge. No threat."

"Thanks for the heads-up, Alpha 2," Tarfire replied. "Our gunner saw it too but couldn’t confirm. Good catch. Alpha 1 out."

The convoy continued its slow, deliberate march up the winding path, each vehicle moving carefully as the road climbed higher into the SkyRocks. The rocks seemed to press closer, a silent reminder of the dangers lurking in every shadow.