(In a space of Blackness, a familiar voice is heard.)

Wolf: Warlord this is SCAR-1. Standing by for tasking.

Warlord: Copy, 1-1.

(A view of Jupiter is seen. A Raven flies by and heads towards Europa.)

Warlord: One of our weapons facilities is under attack by the SDF and other villains. We believe this is part of an operation, codenamed: RIAH. Intel suggests their target is a prototype weapon. Your team will extract the prototype and torch the site before SDF and their allies can locate it.

(Inside the Raven.)

Wolf: Understood, Warlord. We'll get it done.

(Wolf taps Sipes on the shoulder)

Wolf: One Minute.

(Sipes and Tee respond by showing the number one with their fingers.)

Sipes: Friendlies?

Wolf: Facility is dark. We get our weapon, torch the site. Gear check!

(The team lowers their visors. Sipes checks Tee's gear.)

Computer Voice: OMA systems online.

(Wolf checks Sipes' gear.)

Tee: Rules of engagement?

Wolf: Weapons free.

(Wolf clears Sipes.)

Sipes: Good to go.

Reaper: Ten seconds.

Wolf: Door!

(Wolf points to Tee and Sipes. Tee opens the door.)

Reaper: Green light, SCAR One, green light!

Tee: Call it, Wolf.

(Wolf pats Tee.)

Wolf: Go!

(Tee jumps out of the Raven. Wolf pats Sipes.)

Wolf: Go, Go!

(Sipes jumps out of the Raven. Wolf jumps after him. They start flying to the objective.)

Tee: Stay tight!

(After a while, they boost down towards the surface. They emerge from the clouds close to the surface.)

Sipes: Boost, boost!

(They use their boosters to slow their descent and land on the surface.)

Wolf: Surface temp's 300 below. We gotta move.

(Wolf contacts Reaper.)

Wolf: Reaper, SCARs are boots on the ground.

Reaper: Copy, 1-1. Insert is a vertical drop. North of your position.

Wolf: Copy, on the move.

(They move towards a hole in the ground.)

Tee: Trackin' two targets below. Boost down. Take them out.

(Wolf jumps down on an SDF soldier, kicking off his helmet which breaks showing a large amount of blood on his face and then slams his head on the ground before stabbing him near the shoulder. Tee takes out another soldier by stomping on his helmet.)

Wolf: Sipes, take point. 1-1 to Reaper- SetDef gunners in the AO. Troops in contact.

Reaper: Copy, will relay. Out.

Wolf: Let's get to the weapon before they do.

(Sipes jumps towards an SDF soldier and stabs him.)

Sipes: He's down.

Wolf: Entry point's 30 meters dead ahead. Keep moving.

(Wolf contacts Reaper.)

Wolf: Reaper, we are approaching the entry point. Be advised, we've encountered steady SDF pretense.

Reaper: Thermal is spotty at your depth so stay alert.

Wolf: Copy.

(They emerge from the cave and see four SDF troops on the roof of a building.)

Tee: Stand fast.

Sipes: Sentries on the roof.

Tee: Wolf, take one, we got the others.

(They take out the troops. A platform rises, revealing more SDF soldiers.)

Wolf: Got three more coming up.

Wolf, Tee, and Sipes take out the SDF soldiers.

Wolf: Push up.

Tee: Mind the gap.

(Tee, Wolf, and Sipes jump onto the platform, finding several dead civilians.)

Sipes: They just executed 'em...

Tee: SDF wants weapons, not prisoners.

(They enter the building and find multiple SDF soldiers.)

Sipes: Multiple targets.

(Wolf pulls out a Seeker.)

Wolf: Seekers out.

Sipes: Copy that.

(Wolf throws the Seeker. They eliminate all the soldiers.)

Tee: Right clear.

Wolf: Fan out.

Sipes: Our weapon's in the armory vault. Half a click north.

Tee: Close quarters. Check your scopes.

(The team enters an airlock. Tee closes the door and pressurizes it.)

Tee: You think they heard the blast?

Sipes: Assume they did.

Tee: Let's give them a proper welcome, then.

(Wolf prepares to open the door.)

Wolf: Toss an Anti-Grav.

Sipes: Copy that.

(Wolf opens the door. Sipes throws an anti gravity grenade, causing the soldiers on the other side to float up. The team eliminates the soldiers while they are floating.)

Wolf: They're down.

Tee: Moving up.

(A soldier comes around the corner but is taken out.)

Wolf: Watch your corners.

)Wolf contacts Reaper.)

Wolf: Reaper, we're in R&D, movin' to the armory

Reaper: Copy. Be advised, SDF is almost inside. Operation RIAH cannot succeed. Once the weapon is secure, I can activate the self-destruct sequence.

Wolf: Copy.

(They reach a lab.)

Tee: Eyes on research lab.

Sipes: Armory should be next.

Wolf: That's our mark.

(They find SDF troops in the lab.)

Tee: Contact!

(They engage the troops.)

Wolf: Go loud.

(After eliminating the SDF troops...)

Wolf: Keep us moving.

(They move forward towards the armory.)

Wolf: Stay alert! We're not clear.

SDF Soldier 1: They're closing.

SDF Soldier 2: Get us in there now!

(They reach the armory door, where two SDF soldiers are trying to cut it open.)

Wolf: Light 'em up!

(They take out the soldiers.)

Tee: Targets down.

Reaper: 1-1, we're off the time-line and close to bingo fuel, what's your status?

Wolf: Moving on the target now, exfil in six mikes. Out.

Tee: Weapon's on the other side. We beat 'em to it.

(A drone finishes cutting the door.)

Wolf: Sipes, crash it.

(Sipes knocks the door down. They enter the armory.)

Tee: All clear.

Sipes: Jackpot. Got eyes on the vault.

Wolf: Reaper, we're inside the armory. Moving to secure the weapon.

Reaper: Copy 1-1. Weapon is in the vault. Once it's secure, I'll initiate the self-destruct sequence.

Tee: Weapon's behind those doors. All you, Wolf.

Wolf uses a terminal to open the vault door. A large F-SpAr is wheeled out.

Tee: F-SPAR prototype...

Wolf: Boot it up, Sipes. We're gonna need it.

Sipes: Rog'. I'll need time.

(Tee hands Wolf an F-SpAr Torch.)

Tee: Here, Wolf, compact model. Same tech. The RIAH operation were after this.

Wolf: Reaper, weapon secure. Confirming execute order on self destruct.

Reaper: Roger. Initiating self-destruct sequence.

(Alarms ring as the self-destruct activates.)

Reaper: Be advised, SetDef has fifty plus infantry and machines inbound. You need to get out of there now.

Wolf: Copy, we're Oscar Mike. RV in five. Clock's ticking, let's move!

PA Announcer: Attention, self-destruct active. All personnel must clear the area at once. Evacuate, immediately

(The doors open. Several SDF soldiers are on the other side.)

Wolf: Go hot!

PA Announcer: Emergency. You have 2 minutes to reach minimum safe distance.

Tee: Hostiles up top! | Watch the catwalk!

Sipes: Tangos on the catwalk! | Eyes high!

(They begin fighting through the SDF soldiers.)

Tee: Blasts are getting close, we gotta push!

Sipes: We gotta double time it here, Wolf

PA Announcer: Proceed to the nearest exit.

(The doors ahead open, revealing a C12.)

Wolf: Oh shit!

Sipes: C12!!

Wolf: Sipes, get that F-SPAR online!

Sipes: It's not ready yet! We'll have to split up to take it down!

PA Announcer: Danger. Burn system active. Immediate evacuation is required. This is not a drill.

(The C12 fires rockets at the team.)

Tee: Rockets, get to cover!

(The team gets to cover.)

Tee: Get that heavy weapon up, Wolf! We'll distract 'em!

(Wolf uses his F-SpAr to destroy both of the C12's weapons. The C12 starts malfunctioning and burning.)

Tee: Get back! It's gonna blow!

(The C12 explodes.)

Tee: Good kill.

Reaper: SCAR 1, I'm taking heavy fire. Where the hell are you?!

Wolf: Reaper? Reaper?!

PA Announcer: Warning. Code Red. Danger. Self-destruct active. You have sixty seconds to evacuate

Sipes: No comms!

Tee: This place is gonna blow, move!

(They start leaving the facility with the F-SpAr.)

Sipes: Keep pushing!

(The door ahead opens, revealing multiple C12s.)

Wolf: Sipes, where's that weapon?!

Sipes: F-SPAR's online!

Tee: Hit 'em with the F-SPAR!

(Wolf activates the F-SPAR. The F-SPAR fires, destroying the C12s and blowing a hole in the facility, causing it to decompress.)

Sipes: It's decompressing!!

Tee: Hold on!

Wolf: Hold on!

(The team is sucked out of the facility. Wolf manages to hold on to the door but Sipes crashes into him, knocking Wolf out. Wolf wakes up with the rest of the team on the surface. Wolf is losing oxygen and is critically low.)

Sipes: T?

Tee: Yeah.

Sipes: Wolf?

Wolf: We need air.

Sipes: Comin' to ya.

(Sipes gets up to assist Wolf but is kicked down by an SDF soldier. The soldier begins hitting Sipes with his gun. Captain Bradley Fillion arrives, kicks Tee and secures him. A gunshot is heard, causing the soldiers to stop and look back. Admiral Kotch arrives with two C6s, The Federation, Vladimir Makarov's Inner Circle, The Enemies of The Guardians of Life, and Kyle Johnson.)

Admiral Kotch: Get him up. He needs air.

(The C6s pick Wolf up. Kotch attaches an air bottle to Wolf's helmet, allowing Wolf to breathe again.)

Admiral Kotch: Catch your breath, trooper.

(An SDF Lieutenant comes to Kotch.)

SDF Lieutenant: Admiral Kotch. Gun destroyed. Data received. Initiating RIAH.

(The lieutenant leaves.)

Admiral Kotch: How many did you come with?

Wolf: We're it.

Kyle: What about the airship we shot down?

(Wolf looks toward Sipes and Tee.)

Wolf: My men need medical care.

Admiral Kotch: You care about your men?

(Admiral Kotch stands up and points his gun at Sipes. He then points his gun at the soldier securing Sipes instead and shoots him in the chest, causing the soldier to lose air and bleed out.)

Kyle: Care clouds judgment. That is why you cannot win. This place ...isn't yours anymore.

(Kotch removes the air bottle, causing Wolf to start suffocating.)

Admiral Kotch: Kill them. And save the bullets.

(Kotch walks away and drops the air bottle. The C6s walk towards Sipes and Tee and crush their heads, killing them instantly. Afterwards, Fillion hits Wolf with the butt of his gun. Wolf sees a soldier plant an SDF flag. Fillion then punches Wolf repeatedly until his visor shatters.)

(Eighteen hours after Wolf, Sipes, and Tee's death. Reyes and Raines are viewing Wolf's video feed along with Blitzo, Tokuro, Minato, Kaori and the Guardians of Life. Blitzo is covering Orin's eyes to not let him look at the 3 S.C.A.R. Operators being killed by the Villain's Troops).

Reyes: What is Riah?

Raines: Unclear. Helmet cam stopped transmitting. It's been 18 hours, no contact, SetDef made no demands.

Reyes: Settlement Defense Front doesn't make demands. They planted a flag on our rock. They executed three men and shot down a pilot.

Tokuro: (monotone) Your team was sent to secure classified weapons from a closed facility.

Reyes: That facility is a black site. Why the hell is SetDef allowed in that airspace?

Raines: By the permission of the Accords, all nations have access to free an un--

(Reyes interrupts Raines.)

Reyes: Sir, that objective required a full strike force, not a four man team.

Raines: Lieutenant Reyes, I implore you to use diplomacy in this office. Take a different tact.

Reyes: Yes, sir. Who else knows about this?

(Raines opens the blinds and looks towards Geneva)

Raines: Right now. Joint Strategic Air Command, Blitzo, Tokuro, Minato, Task Force 141, The Ghosts, The Guardians of Life and you.

Reyes: This is a deliberate act of aggression, Admiral. We should be out there on patrol, not down here throwing confetti.

Blitzo: The rules of engagement prohibit definitive action under these circumstances.

Reyes: So we stand by without barrels in the sand and watch a fleet week parade?

Raines: Lieutenant Reyes, make no mistakes. My instincts, which are aligned indelibly with your own, are that we need to engage.

Reyes: Why don't we sir?

(The heroes sit down across from each other)

Raynes: They're politicians, Reyes. They'll wipe hell's ass with whatever flag keeps the smokestacks burning. To these men, the idea of mounting an offensive triggers a fresh and unplanned piss. Until there's war, the warriors aren't in charge.

Reyes: But, sir. By the time there's war, it's too late. 'Hesitation is a hole in the head'. You drilled that into us relentlessly in flight school. 'Work the problem, respond'.

Raines: You were always a fast learner, Lieutenant. STRATCOM is well aware of our grievances. At this time, no use of force is being considered on the operational level. These are the laws of war, son.

(The heroes begin to stand up.)

Hesh: Thank you for the briefing, sir.

(Petty Officer appears on the monitor)

Petty Officer: Admiral Raines. E3N is in position on the roof.

Raines: Thank you, Petty Officer.

Reyes: What is E3N?

Raines: Go take a look for yourselves. I think you'll be quite impressed. Dismissed.

(Raines dismisses the heroes, who leave the office and meet with Salter)

Salter: How many?

Minato: Four. KIA.

Salter: Europa?

(The heroes walk down the hall)

Hiccup: Front was already there. Took out the whole team, looted the site.

Mariah: Son of a bitch. This fleet sh...stuff is nonsense. We should be up in our Jackals flying watch.

Seiya: Admiral doesn't disagree.

Michael: Captain Alder know?

Kaori: Negative. Today, Retribution isn't a warship, it's a parade float.

Uriel: Whole fleet here in Geneva, doesn't seem right.

Kaori: We do this every year, babe.

Metatron: Well, let's not miss the party.

Kaori: After you, honey.

Metatron: Thanks, darling.

(Then the heroes open the door and the chapter ends.)