Two TSW articles from TUPL? In roughly a week?! ABSURD!!

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January 22, 2026

Roughly 11:51 A.M.

Snowstone's Icicle Squadron- a permanent detachment of MDA fighters stationed at Snowstone for support and defense- with a four-ship flight of LF-4A Aerojets, armed with FRCM S-25M-C3 missiles. Icicle Squadron is one of several MDA units stationed at Snowstone, but the Icicles are generally formed out of rookies who just passed training.

Icicle 1: All callsigns, check in-
Icicle 3: Bro you are not AWACS.
Icicle 2: Well, that and there's only four of us.
Icicle 1: Yeah, and we have four because every one counts.
Icicle 4: Truly inspiring, Icicle 1.
Icicle 3: Ey wait a minute guys. You seein' this?
Icicle 2: Bogey, 9 o'clock low!

Icicle 1: What the...?
Icicle 4: Are... are any other aircraft supposed to be here?
Icicle 3: Eh, don't worry about it, it's probably another civilian airliner that got lost and missed the airport.
Icicle 1: Regardless of what it is, we have to check it out. All fighters, move forth to investigate.

<UNKNOWN>: Target in sight.
-Flagstaff-: YOU IDIOT, TURN AROUND, WE HAVEN'T FINISHED TESTING, YOU'RE NOT COMBAT READY YET-
<UNKNOWN>: Command refused. Reason: Screw you.
-Flagstaff-: WHO TAUGHT THE AI THAT?!?!?

Ice Base Crew 5: Icicle Squadron, do you have a visual on the unidentified aircraft?
Icicle 1: Not yet, but we see it on radar.
Ice Base Crew 5: Avoid engagement until then. Based on size and speed, it's likely a fighter, but we can't determine if it's an ally or Scourge Jet.
Icicle 3: I think it's a Scourge Jet, guys.
Icicle 2: Why do ya say that?
Icicle 3: Use colors, guys, it's very clearly red. That, and it's flying directly towards the Ice Base.
Icicle 1: Oh no... not again...

Ice Base Crew 7: IT'S A SCOURGE JET! SHOOT THAT THING DOWN!
Ice Base Crew 18: Missile systems are online, where are our laser defenses?!
Ice Base Crew 11: Down for maintenence, we'll have to use manual gunnery!
<UNKNOWN>: Note: enemy uses primitive missile types. Heavy countermeasures will not be necessary in the future-
Icicle 2: Target locked, firing missile!

<UNKNOWN>: Enemy fighters detected. Switching to aerial combat.

Icicle 2: What IS that thing?! It looks like it has a sword for a front!
Icicle 3: Say that again.
Icicle 2: It lo-

Icicle 2: AHG! That thing has a laser!
Icicle 3: How many of them have lasers?!
Icicle 1: Up until now, two different types. But that thing sure isn't a Terminator or Destroyer, so make it three.

Icicle 2: [Redacted]! It just cut off my right wing!
Icicle 1: Stay calm, 2, Aerojets can fly with one wing-

Icicle 2: Icicle 1, it's STILL CHASING ME.
Icicble 1: Just st-

Icicle 2: ICICLE 1, IT'S STILL SHOOTING AT ME!
Icicle 1: OK, you might want to eject.
Icicle 2: Now there's an agreeable idea!

<UNKNOWN>: Target destroyed.
Icicle 4: Icicle 2!
Icicle 2: I'm OK! But uh... any navy ships in the area? That water isn't looking very warm...
Icicle 1: Don't worry, there's a recovery crew on the way.
Icicle 3: I'm engaging the bandit.
Icicle 1: ICICLE 3, NO!! We need to regroup and form a plan-
Icicle 3: No time for that, buddy. Firing an FRCM at that thing.

<UNKNOWN>: Missile detected. Distance is four miles. The attack will fail.
Icicle 1: What are you yapping about...?
<UNKNOWN>: This is not a serious threat. The attack will fail.

Icicle 3: Fail this, you dumb-

Icicle 3: -ahhhHHHH WHAT THE [Redacted]!?!?!
<UNKNOWN>: Hit confirmed. Damage minimal.
Icicle 4: Did that thing just tank a missile?
Icicle 1: That explosion was... it was weak!
Icicle 3: ...don't worry about it, obviously it was just a dud! Take this, you fiend!

<UNKNOWN>: Second hit confirm-

<UNKNOWN>: Third hit-

<UNKNOWN>: Fourth hit confirmed.
Icicle 3: Wha... WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!
<UNKNOWN>: NANOMACHINES, SON! THEY HARDEN IN RESPONSE TO PHYSICAL TRAUMA.
Icicle 4: The Scourge actually invented Nanomachines?
Icicle 1: Well, that's a new problem.
<UNKNOWN>: You can't hurt me, Jack!
Icicle 3: My name IS NOT JA- WOAH!

Icicle 3: Wha- whoo. That was close, but you missed me you STUPID CLANK-

The precise moment of impact.

Icicle 3: REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Icicle 1: ICICLE 3! Bail out! Bail out!
Icicle 3: Don't need to tell me twice! I'm out.

Icicle 3 bails, but the drone comes back to finish off the damaged aircraft.

Icicle 4: Well, now what?!
Icicle 1: I have no idea anymore. We don't have time to plan, and if we do nothing it will destroy the Ice Base. I'm going in. Try to give supporting fire from the outside.
Icicle 4: Roger that, I'll try my best.
<UNKNOWN>: Evidently, you are very persistent.
Icicle 1: You know what else is persistent? The unmatched power of THE SUN.

Icicle 4: Icicle 1, come in. Icicle 1, I've lost visual on you-
Icicle 1: I may have made a mistake, kid-

Icicle 1: Oh no, that was a wing-

Icicle 1: OH NO THAT WAS THE OTHER ONE
<UNKNOWN>: These targets are weak. Their aircraft are performatively inferior.
Icicle 1: Bailing out, Icicle 4, do you copy?
Icicle 4: ...
Icicle 1: Icicle 4???

<UNKNOWN>: That's out of the way. Now to finish this Ice Base.

Icicle 4: SURPRISE!
<UNKNOWN>: What?

<UNKNOWN>: HIT CONFINED, FUEL TANK DAMAGED-
Icicle 4: Ha! Not so [INVINCIBLE] now, huh?!

<UNKNOWN>: Fire extinguished. It will not be that easy.
Icicle 4: Oh...
Icicle 1: Wait, it can be harmed by bullets... Icicle 4, use your gatling gun to take it out! Quickly!
Icicle 4: Alright, but I'll only get one shot once he comes back up...
Icicle 2: Then make it count, won't ya?
Icicle 3: Do it for all of us! FOR ICICLE SQUADRON! FOR MICHAEL JACKSON!!!
Icicle 1: Who?
Icicle 3: Uncultured swine.

Icicle 4: Hit confirmed! Looks like a canard just came off, aircraft has lost control!
Icicle 2: Great shot!
Icicle 3: Way to go, buddy!
Icicle 1: Is it dead this time?
<UNKNOWN>: Unfortunate ending for this body. But I will return. Just wait a while- crashes into a mountain and explodes

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Back at Bandit...

TRIUMPHUS: Who... WHO SET IT LOOSE. WHO RELEASED THE PROTOTYPE?
-Flagstaff-: I assure you, I'm just as confused as you are-
TRIUMPHUS: I DO NOT GET CONFUSED, FLAGSTAFF. I simply wish to know the identity of who has done this.
-Mistress-: Well, I know it wasn't me, and I doubt any of my Rivals would've done that. I can't speak for those Turners though... -Bossman-?
-Bossman-: I assure you, it wasn't any of my folks either.
Red Opponent #42,443: Can you guys remind me what we're talking about??
Everybody stares at 42,443
UNO: ¿Puedo preguntar, Triumphus, por qué esto es un problema tan grande? Era solo uno dron, y aun así funcionó bastante bien, ¿no?
TRIUMPHUS: Everything must be done with METHOD, Uno. Had that Swordfront been released at a proper timing, it would've defeated all targets. And yes, it was just one drone- the problem entirely! Our combat methods revolve around numbers! And one, is ONE!
Red Opponent #362: Wow, way to go math king!
Triumphus sends Red Opp 362 straight to the Nether from Minecraft
TRIUMPHUS: Terminators. I don't care if we're dealing with an idiotic klutz or a professional traitor. Find who did this. Bring them to Warpath. He will bring them to me. And I want them ALIVE. And if this ever happens again, I'll be having talks with SCOURGE about making three more Red Destroyers.
Triumphus teleports away
-Bossman-: ...lowkey, we are so cooked.
-Mistress-: "Lowkey" is a criminal understatement... we just got scolded by one of the Prophets...
Red Opponent 799: Hey wait a second... that was a Prophet?? I thought they were taller...

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Other stuff that happened today

Icicle 4 would land at Avalanche Airport safely (don't mind the snow he's kicking up here). While all members of Icicle Squadron survived this attack, he was the only one to come home in his own aircraft.

Following their high survival rate against the Red Destroyer, the Yeager Homebase ordered and received some VNF-25A Diyus upgraded by KPLBall.

The PEA-Gs have been testing a pair of new prototypes on and around Yeager...

...man... they look weird.

The MDA also apparently made this thing. They call it "the solution."

And lastly:
X-29: FEAR NOT! EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD IS UNDER MY VIGILENT- ...hey. Where is everybody?
Icicle 4: Uhh... Sorry, Switchblade, the battle ended hours ago.
X-29: DANGIT!
Yes, X-29 and his fleet of F-5s always arriving late is going to become a running joke.