A long, drawn-out whine, like a bomb hurtling earthward, sliced through the air. Four assault pods plummeted from the highest reaches of the stratosphere. The colossal aircraft carrying them was a mere speck against the endless blue, its stealth technology masking its presence.
Card Name: Atlantean Carryall
Illustration: Depicts a colossal plane soaring above a sea of white clouds.
Rarity: Common
Type: Artifact - Vehicle
Mana Cost: 7 Non-Element
Description:
Camouflage, Unblockable
When Atlantean Carryall taps and attacks, 10 Tokens you control that are also attacking gain the same effects as Atlantean Carryall.
Driving: 5
Power: 3
Toughness: 10
Flavor Text: This massive airborne behemoth was crafted for ferrying troops and dropping them into the heart of the conflict against Poseidon and his devotees. While its durability is unmatched, its offensive capabilities are more for show than substance.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Moments later, four earth-shattering booms erupted in rapid succession. The pods slammed into the ground with punishing force, each impact unleashing a shockwave and a blistering inferno. These weren't mere landing capsules; they were designed to clear any hostiles from the designated landing zone with ruthless efficiency.
The intense heat could melt normal steel, let alone soldiers or defenders foolish enough to stand in the way.
"Mr. Emberweave," he blurted out, "how much for those suits? The US Army is interested in acquiring them." The Lieutenant escorting the VIPs echoed Parker's sentiment with a vigorous thumbs-up. The efficiency and raw power of those suits were undeniable, and they desperately wanted them.
"In due time, Colonel," Daniel replied calmly. "Everything is negotiable, but right now, selling them isn't an option. Let's just say I'm still evaluating the situation of our... partnership."
Colonel Parker's smile faltered. "Are you saying you're playing the highest bidder? The US Army won't be outbid, of that I can assure you."
Daniel chuckled, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Colonel, please. Don't get me wrong. My involvement here stems from Ms. Goldwyn's request. Money isn't a factor..."
He paused, his voice dropping a notch. "It depends on whether the US remains... amenable to Ms. Goldwyn, shall we say?"
Colonel Parker wasn't an idiot. He understood the veiled threat perfectly. He nodded curtly, signaling the Lieutenant from Liberty House to take note. These power armors were game-changers. Just a few squads equipped with them could turn the tide of any skirmish. Their durability promised soldier survival, and who wouldn't want these powerful, albeit potentially dangerous, toys?
Several medics in sleek, white power suits emerged from the APC behind the jeep. They surged towards the wounded Confederate soldiers, their movements a practiced ballet of medical urgency. Even the most horrific injuries weren't beyond their capabilities.
Severed limbs were stabilized, blood loss halted with a single injection from a futuristic med-pac no bigger than a hand. Soldiers with gaping wounds watched in stunned silence as their flesh knit back together at an astonishing rate, visible to the naked eye.
The scene offered a stark contrast to the brutal carnage left by the power armor assault. Here, life was being painstakingly preserved with advanced technology. Colonel Parker watched in awe as a team of these medics treated a soldier with a horrific abdominal injury. After a swift dose of sedative, they whisked him into one of the waiting medical vehicles.
These ambulances were unlike any he'd ever seen - sleek, futuristic machines that arrived courtesy of Daniel's VTOL, which had landed shortly after them. The gleaming equipment inside, along with the medics' futuristic kits, spoke volumes about unmatched efficiency.
Unable to contain his curiosity and perhaps a pang of regret for his own fallen soldiers, Colonel Parker blurted out, "Can you sell this technology to us as well, Mr. Emberweave? The US Army would offer a competitive price for these field kits."
The weight of recent losses hung heavy in his voice. He valued his soldiers' lives, and the thought of lives potentially saved with this technology gnawed at him. "If I had all of this medical equipment before," he confessed, "I'm sure more than half of my soldiers who died in the assault could have been saved." Casualties were a heavy burden on him.
He hated the thought of his soldiers never making it back home, a bitter taste that lingered in his mouth.
Daniel contemplated for a moment, his eyes reflecting a pragmatic calculation.
"Everything is negotiable, Colonel. However, these will be placed under the Golden Empire Group for management. Ms. Goldwyn will handle negotiations with the US regarding pricing." Unlike weapons, these tools wouldn't directly influence the battlefield, but they would provide Greed with leverage in future dealings with the US government.
Meanwhile, the distant echoes of gunfire from within the city hall reverberated across the Pecos River, a jarring reminder of the hostages and US citizens still trapped in the heart of the chaos. Colonel Parker's gut twisted with worry.
He stole a glance at Daniel Emberweave, whose face remained an unreadable mask. The Colonel couldn't shake the image of the carnage wrought by the eight soldiers in power armor. It painted a grim picture of Astral's negotiation tactics, or lack thereof.