Whatever It Takes

Mogadishu, Somalia.

We arrived at Aden Adde International Airport via Boing C-18 Osiris cargo plane, as we were about to land we received an incoming vid link from command.

"Jackson, your mother calling us."~Ajax.

"All of us?"~Jackson.

"Must be something important, put her on."~Gaz.

"Gentlemen, once landed, you guys will be meeting with one of our Osiris forces, Lieutenant Colonel Harris Wong, he is in charge of a battalion here in Somalia, and also General Nabil Madani the General of Somalian armed forces. Both of them are currently located in our main operating base near Sabun village, a distance of about 35.65 km (22.15 mi) from where you are now."~Mom.

"What's the transport ma'am?~Ajax.

"A helicopter."~Mom.

"I mean it's quite a distance if using a vehicle."~Mom.

"True, I will rather be in a helicopter than in a jeep.

"Anyways, that's all. Jackson, ace this mission."~Mom.

"He will ma'am, don't worry about him."~Gaz.

"Good."~Mom.

She immediately cuts the transmission off her vid link. I didn't think much about it as I realized that we landed. The cargo plane door opens we are greeted by a Somalian pilot.

"Salaam Alaykum, you three must be the new soldiers, I suppose to pick up. No?"~Pilot.

"Erm…Wa alaykum salaam?"~Ajax.

"Yes, that would be us. Are you our helicopter pilot?"~Gaz.

"Yes, yes, waan ku farax sanahay la kulan kaaga."~Pilot.

"Yes, please to meet you too."~Ajax.

"You understand, Somali?"~Pilot.

The pilot asks Ajax. I don't understand a word, to be honest. But I think Ajax understands, I think.

"Errrm…Just the basics."~Ajax.

"Whoa, good. Very good. Now come follow me to helicopter."~Pilot.

We bring our equipment and follow him to his helicopter. The pilot is very welcoming and polite, just like that one friendly guy I know randomly on the streets of Ohio, I don't know if the guy I meet is drunk or just being friendly, gosh, wish I knew his name. Anyway, we hop on the helicopter and flew our way to MOB (Main Operating Base). On our way to MOB, our pilot told quite a wholesome story about his life in the air force, his family, the current civil war, and the best places to eat good food in Somalia when the war is over. One story from the pilot that hit us three is that his wife and kid got killed in a crossfire between Somalian Forces and Al-Abdukadir forces when trying to escape to one of the UN refugee camps. It was heartbreaking to hear. Once we arrived at MOB and landed we give him a big hug. Then Ajax said.

"Wax walba way fiicnaan doonaan, allah wax walba wuu daryeeli doonaa."~Ajax.

"Mahadsanid oo ku barakee, wiil, thank you and bless you, son."~Pilot.

If I'm correct, it translates to "Everything will be fine, God will take care of everything." I'm not sure if it's correct, but he smiles and waves at us hopefully it is correct. I should probably, ask Ajax later what it means. After that wholesome interaction, Lieutenant Colonel Harris and a few other Osiris higher-ranking officers greet us as we arrived, shaking hands and whatnot.

"Evening gentlemen, come with us quickly, I got a civil war to settle, I can't show you around the base, but my men will bring you around, got it?"~ Lt.C. Harris.

"Yes, sir."~Ajax.

"No need for the "Sir", you guys are literary the CEO's right-hand man."~L.t.C. Harris.

"No, no no but, at the end of the day, we are still soldiers. We eat, sleep, shit, serve for the company and die, equally."~Gaz.

"Haha! Indeed, indeed."~Lt.C. Haris.

We walk to the command area with a detailed war map of Somalia on the big screen, I could see the enemy represented as red, while our allies represented blue.

"Those red pockets, are their being surrounded?"~Ajax.

"Those small pockets are putting up a fight, Somalian and our troops try to squeeze them out of existence but, it's slow. Even tho, we have air supremacy, we can't just discriminately bomb the place to the ground."~Lt.C. Haris.

"What about the precision strike? I mean, we are very good at it.~Gaz.

"Errhmm…That's the idea but, the Somalian government won't allow it, its reasons are to minimize collateral damage."~Lt.C. Haris.

"But it's war!"~Gaz.

"That's what I am trying to say to them. But, it's a civil war they said."~Lt.C. Haris.

"What's the difference?"~Ajax.

"I don't know. I'm just following orders."~Lt.C. Haris.

Strange, but it's their decision I guess. Anyway, I walk around and see an Osiris personnel sitting while piloting a drone, I could see on his screen targeting an armored 4x4 vehicle speeding, then suddenly it exploded, I didn't realize he already pressed the trigger joystick. Rest in peace whoever was in that vehicle, I thought to myself. After that, I realized where the General? Then I ask.

"So where's the General? He's here?"~Jackson.

"You mean General Nabil Madani? He's in Echo forward operating base, 36.24 km (22.52 mi) from here, we just set it up the FOB a few hours ago. I'm about to head there now too. We are currently assaulting them now. If we manage to push the Al-Abdukadir forces back even further now, we can capture Wanlaweyn and Xako town by dusk."~Lt.C. Haris.

"Wait hold on, you said Wanlaweyn town?"~Gaz.

Oh shit, hope we don't go there immediately. Please Gaz, just got here this afternoon.

"Yup, we go to FOB Echo by air because most of the IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) we haven't really got the time to clear the IEDs out yet."~Lt.C. Haris.

"Fantastic! Now boys suit up your exosuits, we join the assault."~Gaz.

"Wait what now?!~Jackson.

"Now?!"~Ajax.

Gaz quickly pulls out his portable exosuit from his bag, in a blink he manages to assemble it in seconds. Then Ajax, I followed suit as well, even tho I opposed it I manage to assemble it too hastily.

"I mean we just got here man, should we organize properly first?"~Ajax.

"We are running out of time, the enemy is losing grounds. The more we wait for tomorrow, the higher probability that they're going to execute them. It's not worth the risk to wait."~Gaz.

What Gaz said, is true. The enemy is unpredictable, fuck this! I change my mind, I'll fight to save them. Whatever it takes.