The atmosphere inside the cabin wasn't exactly lively, but the awkwardness from their first simulation was gone.
Everyone was either resting with their eyes closed or inspecting their gear, preparing for the upcoming live combat mission.
Less than half an hour later, the aircraft began to descend.
Through the viewport, a scene of devastation was visible below.
At the foot of a mountain, a highway had been mostly obliterated by some immense force, leaving exposed earth and rubble everywhere.
A rift, roughly three meters high, was embedded in the cliff face like a scar on space itself. Its edges warped continuously, emitting a faint, eerie blue glow.
The aircraft landed in a relatively flat clearing about a kilometer from the rift.
A cordon had already been set up. Several military armored vehicles were parked to the side, and a small squad of soldiers in standard-issue combat uniforms was bustling about.
