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After spending some time discussing with Popov and Carter, you collectively decide to stay with the original landing zone. Yes – it was further from the AO than Carter’s proposed spot– but it was also an easier landing target, located in a broad clearing that had sufficient space to comfortably accommodate both transports.
The approach was also safer. Instead of a straight shot to the town-center, your flight crests a series of steep, forested hills. The all-pervasive fog shrouding the region made visibility poor, but the varied elevation offered a fair tradeoff. At the first sign of trouble, both transports would be able to duck behind the terrain where they would – hopefully – stay out of harm’s way long enough for you deal with the threat.
This assessment proves prophetic. Ten minutes out from the LZ, the sky waxes black-red. Un-light floods out from a hollow in your vision, coating the surrounding forest like tar. The light builds until…one final flash. The gloom of the occluded area reasserts itself.
Almost.
The open space in front of your flight is now occupied. Through the mists, you perceive a sharp, angular carapace crowned with tumescent growths. A cluster of tentacles trail beneath, framed by a constant leakage of red-black un-light. The data readout next to your HUD struggles to classify the entity. Far too large to be a blimp. Too…aerial to be a structure.
The transports don’t ask for permission. Both pilots immediately begin to descend, trying their best to break line of sight with the entity. Carter makes a morbid joke. Popov is dead silent.
You consider your next actions with great care…
>Engage. There’s no way this entity isn’t hostile. Now that both transports are out of the direct line of fire, maybe you could line up a good shot…
>Detour. It hasn’t done anything yet. Maybe you’ve escaped its notice? Fly around it and proceed to the LZ.
>Observe for now. It hasn’t done anything explicitly hostile yet. And you didn’t fancy your chances against something like this. Not at all. Maybe it would be best to see what its intentions are…
>Retreat. This is ridiculous. You’re not going to consider engaging, nor are you going to wait for it to make the first move. Radio the waterfront team and head back to base. Even the guncam footage you have now would be valuable intel, so you won't be returning entirely empty handed.
