The AC-130U
This is the log of AC-130U 06 "Scorpio".
To start off, we've had two crew overhauls in the last three days. Moriarty has been promoted to Captain instantaneously and given command of the craft. He's had a rough time, but he's going to have to pull himself together for this op. His younger brother was killed down on the ground yesterday, the guy was a SEAL.
Complete overhaul because of what happened with Team One. We are renaming the mission "Operation Sterilization" rather than "Cleanup". According to them, Cleanup seemed more colloquial and casual, or at least, that's what they told us. Sterilization was more direct, more formal sounding. It was the original name for the operators going in, and as far as we know, Seal Team Three's troops were slaughtered, fireteams scattered and broken up, and they've sent in the Marines in a direct engagement operation.
The mission still remains the same, we watch the perimeter and keep infected inside the quarantine zone. I have begun to question this mission in the first three days. I've seen a lot...and done a lot...Shit ain't right.
Captain Moriarty is telling me we're heading in. Due to new protocols, the only people carrying sidearms onboard the plane are the Captain and the Communications officer. If we go down, we have a weapons locker. Nobody carries inside the plane until an emergency situation where we must evacuate and defend ourselves. He has told me he wants me to include a more "In Depth, Personal" log format. I'll do so to the best of my abilities.
This time, we're going to remain in the air for two days along with a second gunship in the air. They've taken over a small airstrip down in the city and using it as a makeshift firebase and command center. Place is a fortress now. We've been told to be on the lookout for "Special Infected" Mutant types. These things are supposed to be horrific, distorted, and very deadly infected, somehow reacting to the virus based on body conditions at the time of infection.
01/17/2017
12:30 : Leaving the runway. One more time.
13:00 : Nothing as of yet. Comms are coming on now, we're getting warned that the place is going to be a blitz when we arrive. Hordes of infected are reaching the third perimeter and the Gunships on patrol currently are running dry, so are the AH's.
13:25 : We've made it to the area, and there are hordes of infected down there. We've been cleared to engage. A large mass of an est. 300 infected already reaching third perimeter. Estimated 50+ infected beginning to breach barricade. Special infected encountered. Describing...as large female infected, gaping womb, second set of arms...second...head. Body is distorted and decomposing. Creature emerging from womb very hostile, ripping fellow men apart.
13:30 : Clear hit on target with 40mm BOFORS cannon. Still combat effective, though, and beginning to breach perimeter. Hit with a second volley of rounds. Still standing. 125mm Howitzer used on entire area. Target appears to have died, along with 13+ Infected confirmed KIA. 125mm reloaded.
13:32 : 125mm used on large mass of multiple hundred infected. dispatched groups effectively. Runners reaching fifth perimeter. Barricade breached according to Ground Team Two.
13:33 : Firing at gate with 40mm to eliminate large groups of infected moving through the gate. Gate has allowed the narrow the wide formation of infected, making it easier to target and wipe out with the 40mm. Ground runs red with blood and guts. Quite a sight.
13:35 : Infected still breaching. Team Two is able to hold their ground with help from AH-64s. Luckily no special infected encountered. Command breaks line. Informs AC-130U 06 to get "our asses in gear" and eliminate the formation.
13:40 : All Infected eliminated. Still more arriving from city. Est. 450+ kills. Est. 250+ leaving first perimeter. Readying for second wave, Team Two struggles to create makeshift barricade out of APCs, Abrams Tanks, and Humvees.
13:45 : Infected reaching second perimeter. First formation cleared with 125mm. Comms have opened. 1st MEF Commander has let us know they are encountering heavy resistance inside the city. It was broadcast on all channels. The city has it worse than us, but the President and Congress refuse to let us fire upon the city with heavy ordnance. Getting too personal for the logs. Engaging groups of infected.
13:47 : Eric Maxon reports the 40mm gun has jammed. Crew Chief 2nd Lt. Peters is assisting him. We're without 40mm. We're firing the 125mm. But we don't have the "inbetween" for smaller groups. We can't waste howitzer ammunition on smaller groups of infected.
14:00 : Command demands to know why more and more infected are breaching the barricade. This really doesn't look good. Peters has fixed the gun. We're unloading round after round now into crowds of infected....
14:25 : They just keep coming. The ground is a dark shade of red. we're circling again, and firing more 125mm Howitzer rounds.
14:30 : Moriarty warns the crew that we may have to re-arm. I now see what Forward Command was talking about. The other gunship, AC-130U 03 is running dry as well.
14:35 : Estimated 1200+ Infected KIA. Looks be last horde of infected arriving, Est. 300+ infected. We can do this. Team Two informs me they're barely holding. They have lost a fifteenth of their unit. This is not good.
14:40 : Ran out of 125mm Howitzer shells. On last two packs for 40mm BOFORS cannon. Est. 125+ infected left, reaching fifth perimeter now.
14:50 : All Clear. 2600 25mm rounds left, all other ammo depleted. returning to Firebase Alpha to Re-Arm. Team Two is rebuilding barricade fast.
14:55 : On approach to Firebase Alpha Strip. Control tells us to get back out quickly. Something's wrong. Firebase Alpha is warning us that some kind of very powerful giant infected is reaching the area. First line of defenses lost and are retreating.
15:00 : We need to get back in the air. NOW. Control warns us that creature has breached final line of defense. Weapons useless against it. Haim has an idea. We are keeping the plane on brakes but on. readying 40mm.
15:52 : Creature has reached inside of airbase. Multiple casualties. Look at the fucking size...Taxiing around to position gun...Creature is heading straight for us. Readying 125mm gun. This is against protocol...it's fucking unethical...
15:53 : 125mm howitzer and 40mm BOFORS fired directly at creature. Knockback power is incredible, damage is visibly dealt to creature. Creature is large, at least seven meters tall. Humanoid, muscular. A pale salmon red. Yellowed eyes. Pulsing muscles visible, as well as large pulsating carbuncles and papules emanating blood and white liquid, most likely pus. Visible wound from shells, 125mm took off creature's arm. Blood is a dark yellow color. Creature is getting back up.
15:55 : Another round was fired, creature successfully dispatched. Damage assessment underway, Command urges control to get us re-armed to patrol again. Control and Command at disagreement right now.
16:00 : being refueled and re-armed.
16:20 : In the air again.
16:30 : Distress signal from surviving SEAL TEAM THREE, Troop One, Platoon 1 sent out. Confirmed Five SEALs from Platoon 1 survived. Platoon Two dispatched to provide aid. New orders issued to SEAL Platoon 1 and 2. These orders are not heard over Communications.
17:00 : It's been quiet. Moriarty warns that this isn't a good sign.
17:30 : All clear. Communications cut on. SEAL Platoon 1 and 2 are encountering heavy resistance, including a creature matching the description of the one faced at Firebase Alpha. Moriarty requests permission from Command to engage and provide air support. Command does not answer.
17:33 : Command denies request to provide support. No other air support will be dispatched as well. Moriarty makes request again. Command refuses due to executive orders.
17:35 : Comms open up again. SEAL platoons are down to thirteen men altogether. Requests immediate assistance. Command denies. FUCK COMMAND. THE SEALS NEED OUR FUCKING HELP.
17:40 : Moriarty motions and orders pilots to take us inside the city. Tells us he will accept full responsibility for this, but that this is an order and he is a superior officer. Command orders us to immediately return to position. Communications with command are cut off at this moment by Rimmer. SEALs advised to find cover. We are engaging hostiles.
17:45 : Targets eliminated, this special infected seems stronger than the one we encountered earlier. Hostile OpFor spotted with RPGs. Fired RPGs. Flares deployed. SEALs advised to take out hostile OpFor.
17:50 : hit by RPG. Losing altitude but stable now. Something just hit the tail of the craft. Second RPG hit. Creature is confirmed crippled but still alive.
17:53 : SEALs confirm all targets eliminated. Multiple sustained damages, but still in the air. Unidentified humanoid creature breaks into craft, HULL BREACH. FU--
19:00 : Multiple crew killed. Rimmer, Maxon, Haim, Moriarty, and Weaver confirmed alive. All other crew dead. Weaver and Haim have sustained multiple injuries. Unknown what creature got inside. AC-130U is downed. We've taken refuge inside a building with the SEALs. Communications are down. Not that Command would help us now. We grabbed ammunition and weapons...and we grabbed wounded. I still have our log. We're keeping quiet. Better to not use our weapons and ammo if we don't have to. We're going to move when the majority of them pass. Hopefully, make it to RV Echo, the final location that the SEALs must get to. During last communication with RV Echo, Marines have already taken refuge and are defending the area with the surviving civillians. It will be a four mile hike, made more difficult since we will have to stay off main streets.
I've been tasked with carrying the log, but recording further information within LTJG Hudson's Journal. No point in writing two logs.
This is AC-130U 06 Scorpio's Crew's last official log during Operation Sterilization.
AFC Rainer, Chris H.