Task Force Saber. An international response to a national problem that had gone international. It sounded strange, but that was the accurate summary of what had happened. The city of Palandosk slipped further and further out of the control of the Novian government, and as it did, the Palandosk Cartel found themselves with more and more power and grew more and more ambitious. Their main product, Veralium, was beginning to make its way out of the borders of the Novian islands for the first time in ages. Cities across the islands and beyond were becoming breeding grounds for both addiction to the drug, and membership in the cartel that spread it.
And Novygrad had said enough was enough. But it wasn’t that simple. Operation Eclipse started off as largely a failure. The Black Strip proved to be a harder place to breach than anyone imagined, with the run down slums serving as a fortress for the Cartel that used every trick in the book to protect them. Traps, fortified buildings, hostage situations, they all happened. Novian police were overwhelmed by it, and special forces were called in. But because it had become an international program, it wasn’t just special forces and militarized police from Novygrad. No, this was a problem that needed to be exported to the other countries that found themselves affected, if they wanted to get rid of it completely.
The commander of Task Force Saber, First Lieutenant Fedya Sokolovsky of Novygrad’s Navy Special Forces, was the first one inside the conference room that was filling up in the outskirts of Palandosk, at a local police headquarters that would be hosting the planning side of their operation. After all, this was a law enforcement matter at its core, even if the situation had grown far more dangerous and complex than an ordinary one involving the law and local criminals. “Alright, everyone,” Fedya said when the team from different nations began filing in. “You can see the maps on the table there and get an idea of what we’re working with.”
“The Black Strip is the worst neighborhood in the worst city of Novygrad. While Novygrad is typically a first world country with above average living standards and an above average economy to match, Palandosk was left behind by some of the advancements that made that possible for the rest of the country. Some industries dried up and others moved to more prominent areas, leaving this city reeling. The Black Strip sums up all of the problems here. Unemployment turns people to drugs and crime, and drugs and crime keep people unemployed in a vicious cycle. The Palandosk Cartel are just the ones who have done something with that cycle and came out on top because of using it to their advantage,” Fedya explained.
“The Cartel used to be our problem, but now they’re a problem for all of us after they’ve stepped up their Veralium exports. And of course, Veralium sells for a high value on the international market as Nobvygrad is the only country that produces it. It has quite the hallucinogenic properties, and if it becomes a trendy drug on the streets, the Cartel will benefit the most and will be able to recruit more people and supply more drugs to different areas. Long story short, they become a way bigger menace than they already are. We’re putting an end to the Cartel before they can do that, and if we want to hit them so they’ll stay down, we need to raid the Black Strip area, behead their leadership, and dismantle the heart of their operation,” Fedya finished.
“So, from looking at these maps, who has a suggestion for how we should approach this operation? Keep in mind, the Black Strip is like a fortress. Snipers, traps, explosives, and armed soldiers are all things that you need to worry about. It’s almost impressive, really, because at this point, the Cartel is less of a criminal organization and more of a small country. It is until we do something about it, anyway.”
And Novygrad had said enough was enough. But it wasn’t that simple. Operation Eclipse started off as largely a failure. The Black Strip proved to be a harder place to breach than anyone imagined, with the run down slums serving as a fortress for the Cartel that used every trick in the book to protect them. Traps, fortified buildings, hostage situations, they all happened. Novian police were overwhelmed by it, and special forces were called in. But because it had become an international program, it wasn’t just special forces and militarized police from Novygrad. No, this was a problem that needed to be exported to the other countries that found themselves affected, if they wanted to get rid of it completely.
The commander of Task Force Saber, First Lieutenant Fedya Sokolovsky of Novygrad’s Navy Special Forces, was the first one inside the conference room that was filling up in the outskirts of Palandosk, at a local police headquarters that would be hosting the planning side of their operation. After all, this was a law enforcement matter at its core, even if the situation had grown far more dangerous and complex than an ordinary one involving the law and local criminals. “Alright, everyone,” Fedya said when the team from different nations began filing in. “You can see the maps on the table there and get an idea of what we’re working with.”
“The Black Strip is the worst neighborhood in the worst city of Novygrad. While Novygrad is typically a first world country with above average living standards and an above average economy to match, Palandosk was left behind by some of the advancements that made that possible for the rest of the country. Some industries dried up and others moved to more prominent areas, leaving this city reeling. The Black Strip sums up all of the problems here. Unemployment turns people to drugs and crime, and drugs and crime keep people unemployed in a vicious cycle. The Palandosk Cartel are just the ones who have done something with that cycle and came out on top because of using it to their advantage,” Fedya explained.
“The Cartel used to be our problem, but now they’re a problem for all of us after they’ve stepped up their Veralium exports. And of course, Veralium sells for a high value on the international market as Nobvygrad is the only country that produces it. It has quite the hallucinogenic properties, and if it becomes a trendy drug on the streets, the Cartel will benefit the most and will be able to recruit more people and supply more drugs to different areas. Long story short, they become a way bigger menace than they already are. We’re putting an end to the Cartel before they can do that, and if we want to hit them so they’ll stay down, we need to raid the Black Strip area, behead their leadership, and dismantle the heart of their operation,” Fedya finished.
“So, from looking at these maps, who has a suggestion for how we should approach this operation? Keep in mind, the Black Strip is like a fortress. Snipers, traps, explosives, and armed soldiers are all things that you need to worry about. It’s almost impressive, really, because at this point, the Cartel is less of a criminal organization and more of a small country. It is until we do something about it, anyway.”
C