November 14th, 1942.
Another day starts, another day ends. For about a month now you've been out here, scouring the desert - or rather, guarding those whose job it was to do the scouring. You swear you don't have any clearer an idea of what you're even out here for than you started out with. The briefing, when boiled down, essentially told you all that there was a castle named Montevoir, it was in the Levant, they want to poke around in it, and you guys are needed to protect them all the while. For miles around you are spans of empty desert. Far removed from civilization, all you have is the castle, the encampments, and a makeshift airfield.
Given the territory is under Allied control, these supposed threats you're meant to safeguard against have not, in any sense, manifested. But here you are. OUJA's "Task Force Valiance", under the command of Brigadier Morgan Stanton. You wouldn't be here if there was no real concern. In any case, you are all rotated between the several digsites, as well as the main team dealing with the castle itself, as if on a schedule that doesn't appear to actually exist.
Digsite Alpha: To the frustration of everyone involved in this project, it wasn't as simple as walking into the castle, checking all the rooms, and walking back out again. There is clear evidence of lower levels to the castle, lower levels that have been purposefully blocked off - presumably to prevent whatever was kept down there out of enemy hands in the event of the castle falling to them. Which, as history shows, happened: It fell to the Mamluks not long before Acre did in 1291; the last bastion of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Lord knows that even with modern equipment, it is taking an extremely long time to tunnel through the rock and debris obstructing the path downwards. Explosives would make life a lot easier, but they're concerned for the structural integrity of the ancient castle.
Digsite Bravo: More promising are the efforts in a field to the east of the castle. Here the ground gives way into what appears to be the remnants of a tunnel that has caved in. Again, excavation is taking longer than everyone involved would like, but it is believed this will prove to be a more direct path to whatever is kept under Montevoir itself. If not, it's worth investigating anyway.
Digsite Charlie: The southernmost one. It has been stressed interest in this section is more out of historical concern than any pressing necessity. According to maps from the era, there should have been a secondary structure here, but it is obviously gone. Thus a dig is being conducted to discern the mystery of this disappearing fortress.
Presently you are all gathered at Digsite Alpha, which doubles as a barracks for you and the rest of the research team. The centuries-old halls are now lined with bedrolls and other amenities indicating modern, military habitation. A small radio buzzes interchangeably between the present hits and, more pressingly, wartime news. From listening to the radio in recently, you have learned:
- Naval fighting continues at Guadalcanal. Despite fears of the Japanese deploying their 'kappa' forces, these fears have yet to materialize. Fighting has raged for two days now. It is too early for any further details to have emerged.
- Fighting at the Russian city of Stalingrad is ongoing. The brutal street-to-street fighting has proven hugely costly to both sides thus far. For the first time, Soviet bio-armors and panzerkleins have met in direct combat, with greatly varying reports on the outcomes, depending on whose press you listen to. Given the risk urban environments pose to them, gehenpanzers have not been fielded.
- The last of the Vichy-French forces in Algeria have surrendered.
- An attempt on the Fuhrer's life has ended with him hospitalized, but, probably to your disappointment, in stable condition. Early information leaks, no doubt brought forward by Allied spies within Germany, have stated that the assassination plot consisted of an attempted bombing, and has cost Hitler his right eye.
- Churchill's words, said four days ago, retain a particular presence: "This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
All around you are your comrades, in varying states of idleness. Perhaps it's time to have a chat, before you're moved out on yet another seemingly pointless relocation. Given the Soviets have proven less than enthusiastic about committing forces to OUJA than initially hoped, at least you're sure they can all speak English.
Another day starts, another day ends. For about a month now you've been out here, scouring the desert - or rather, guarding those whose job it was to do the scouring. You swear you don't have any clearer an idea of what you're even out here for than you started out with. The briefing, when boiled down, essentially told you all that there was a castle named Montevoir, it was in the Levant, they want to poke around in it, and you guys are needed to protect them all the while. For miles around you are spans of empty desert. Far removed from civilization, all you have is the castle, the encampments, and a makeshift airfield.
Given the territory is under Allied control, these supposed threats you're meant to safeguard against have not, in any sense, manifested. But here you are. OUJA's "Task Force Valiance", under the command of Brigadier Morgan Stanton. You wouldn't be here if there was no real concern. In any case, you are all rotated between the several digsites, as well as the main team dealing with the castle itself, as if on a schedule that doesn't appear to actually exist.
Digsite Alpha: To the frustration of everyone involved in this project, it wasn't as simple as walking into the castle, checking all the rooms, and walking back out again. There is clear evidence of lower levels to the castle, lower levels that have been purposefully blocked off - presumably to prevent whatever was kept down there out of enemy hands in the event of the castle falling to them. Which, as history shows, happened: It fell to the Mamluks not long before Acre did in 1291; the last bastion of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Lord knows that even with modern equipment, it is taking an extremely long time to tunnel through the rock and debris obstructing the path downwards. Explosives would make life a lot easier, but they're concerned for the structural integrity of the ancient castle.
Digsite Bravo: More promising are the efforts in a field to the east of the castle. Here the ground gives way into what appears to be the remnants of a tunnel that has caved in. Again, excavation is taking longer than everyone involved would like, but it is believed this will prove to be a more direct path to whatever is kept under Montevoir itself. If not, it's worth investigating anyway.
Digsite Charlie: The southernmost one. It has been stressed interest in this section is more out of historical concern than any pressing necessity. According to maps from the era, there should have been a secondary structure here, but it is obviously gone. Thus a dig is being conducted to discern the mystery of this disappearing fortress.
Presently you are all gathered at Digsite Alpha, which doubles as a barracks for you and the rest of the research team. The centuries-old halls are now lined with bedrolls and other amenities indicating modern, military habitation. A small radio buzzes interchangeably between the present hits and, more pressingly, wartime news. From listening to the radio in recently, you have learned:
- Naval fighting continues at Guadalcanal. Despite fears of the Japanese deploying their 'kappa' forces, these fears have yet to materialize. Fighting has raged for two days now. It is too early for any further details to have emerged.
- Fighting at the Russian city of Stalingrad is ongoing. The brutal street-to-street fighting has proven hugely costly to both sides thus far. For the first time, Soviet bio-armors and panzerkleins have met in direct combat, with greatly varying reports on the outcomes, depending on whose press you listen to. Given the risk urban environments pose to them, gehenpanzers have not been fielded.
- The last of the Vichy-French forces in Algeria have surrendered.
- An attempt on the Fuhrer's life has ended with him hospitalized, but, probably to your disappointment, in stable condition. Early information leaks, no doubt brought forward by Allied spies within Germany, have stated that the assassination plot consisted of an attempted bombing, and has cost Hitler his right eye.
- Churchill's words, said four days ago, retain a particular presence: "This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
All around you are your comrades, in varying states of idleness. Perhaps it's time to have a chat, before you're moved out on yet another seemingly pointless relocation. Given the Soviets have proven less than enthusiastic about committing forces to OUJA than initially hoped, at least you're sure they can all speak English.
