(HC: #23-423-8642-3///STKHLM
As We crossed the last 300 yards of the DMZ it stayed quiet, No small arms, No Arty, No Air. Nothing. After Living through the last 6 klicks it was unnerving as hell. At that point, I'd Prefer to get shot at. But, As I saw friendly Shapes on top of Friendly fortifications, I forgot completely about that. As we walked up to the gate We were suddenly bathed in a Overwhelmingly Bright light While a amplified Voice Boomed out "State Code." Emerson Promptly Yelled out "Bravo-foxtrot 1-2-9!" ..... "Alright, Hurry it up". "Ho-lllyyy Shit." That was Kinney's Response to the sight that greeted us on the other side. 5 foot craters scattered the firebase, the C2 Tower gone, a heaping pile of rubble in it's place. A soldier saw us gawking from in front of the S4's(*Glossary* S4 is the supply sergeant.) Office,
"One hit"
"Eh?" Said Emerson,
"The bastards took it out in one hit. "
"No way."
" Well, You see the way it's got that south wall still up a little?"
"Yeah?"
"It had a delayed fuse on it, according to the sciguy's. So, when it hit, it hit a little closer to this side than other, but the fuse ran out, so it detonated like ten feet off the ground right?"
"Ok, I guess."
"So, Their sayin' That it took out one of the main struts that held it to the south wall, and normally that would cause it to fall where we are now, but the force of the explosion lifted it toward the south wall, so it kinda fell on top of itself."
"Huh, So how much command staff did we lose?"
" uh... Not that many actually, Col. Sienk, and his staff so that's six or seven, and then, Lt. Col. Rocha and half of his, so that's like 14 ."
"Asshole." "Rocha? Oh, fuck yeah. But pretty much all of the good ones got out OK, Well, 'cept Sienk. That's messed up. So, who you boys with?"
" the 4th, 2nd squad." "Really? huh, I though I knew everyone in Dog Company..." "Not Dog, Charlie." At this his eyebrows raised in surprise,
"Holy hell, I gotta get you boys to C2!" "I thought THAT was C2." said Emerson pointing at the rubble of the command building,
"Underground backup. Come on, lets go. Oh, and by the way, names Jimmy, Jimmy Gates!"
"Sam Emerson. These sorry sacks O' crap are Edwards, Fitzpatrick, Merril, and Kinney,"
" Nice to meet you guys, but I really gotta get you guys to the C2 Bunker. Oh, And welcome to Firebase Lincoln!"
As we followed Jimmy through the debris filled roads of firebase Lincoln We saw soldiers clearing the dead from the roads and reburying electrical wires. While we were walking to the command centera soldier on a gurney was carried past sobbing About how something had stepped on somebody. Not a good sign.
From the first day of training We were mentally conditioned to the utmost steadiness in combat conditions, So to hear a fellow soldier of the Corps sobbing freaked us all out. and caused us to put pep in our step To the C2. After walking for about five minutes Jimmy Stopped before a small manhole cover.
"You gotta be shit'n me. Looks Like a Frickin' Manhole cover." Said Kinney In disgust.
" Yep, Finest Metal in the NWC. Well, Down you go, It's gonna get worse before it gets better."
Replied Jimmy. Kinney Went first. He slipped on the last rung, felled with a small yell into the water at the bottom of the shaft.
"YAA!" [Splash] "Dammit Jimmy, couldn't you've warned me?!"
"Ah, Shut the hell up Kinney, You smell better with the sewage." Yelled Emerson as he climbed down the hole after kinney.
Once everyone was in the ankle high shit water Jimmy lead us upstream,
"It's in my boots."
"Shut the hell up Kinney."
Toward a red light some 300 feet ahead. Once we arrived, The red light turned into the scanner from a antiquated defensive machine gun in front of a steel blast door. "Dude, Whats with the old shit?" "It gets the job done. You boys wouldn't happen to have your tags would you?" Asked Jimmy with his hand outstretched. Emerson handed his over to Jimmy Who promptly placed it into a slot that none of us had noticed until then.
A loud clank and the massive doors grinded slowly open. revealing a clean, brightly lit room, bustling with activity. aides carrying maps, stacks of reports, And coffee.
"this way boys, You gotta see Col. Ayers." Said Jimmy as he cleared a swath through the surrounding chaos.
He lead us to a older man standing in the midst of several staffers trying to have him look at enemy movement reports or another trying to get him to sign requsition papers only to be pushed out the way by yet another staffer waving a strength estimate. As the man signed yet another Piece of paper, he noticed Jimmy Pointing at him with us in tow and promptly told the staffers surrounding him to find another member of the senior staff. Or else.
"Staff Sgt. Gates?"
" These men are from the 786th Charlie Company, 4th platoon."
" Ah. I see why you brought them." He said with a grimace at the mob of aides Waiting at a respectful distance.
"Alright, here's the sitrep, Charlie got hit bad, We've hadn't had anyone from Charlie get back until you five. Dog got hit bad too, But they didn't fully mobilize in time. Kind of a mixed blessing. Anyway, your being folded into Dog company's 1st platoon For the time being. Their XO, Gates here, will get you sorted. Then, Get some sleep. There's a storm On the horizon, and its a mean son of a bitch. 'smissed. Oh, Wait Corporal..."
"Emerson."
"Right. We need to talk. Rest of you go with Gates." We saluted the Colonel then followed Jimmy, Back to the surface.
Once we reached the surface we were met by barrage of Propaganda,
"Strike Down the Cannibalist Pigs! The F.U.P. are weak, miserable, psychopaths, Who know of nothing else but bringing our loyal citizens the misery of a divided leadership! A life of nothing except wallowing in your own filth! And expecting everyone else to do the same! "
"Ah, I see they got the Speakers working again. Lovely." Said Jimmy wryly.
As we walked to the barracks Jimmy gave us a guided tour through Firebase Lincoln, Now a Pockmarked Landscape dotted with the tunnels that hid the bases facilities.
"So you've already been to the C2, To your right is the shitter, Right there is the med station, Already out of the good stuff so don't get hit. And here's Dog's barracks! You'll have to dig your own billets in the side of the main room. Your going to be put in 3rd Squad Emerson will maintain his command since were short of officers. Pfc. Reyyes Will introduce himself In a couple hours."
Jimmy then left us to go back to the C2.
"Alright. Lets get to it then." Said Sean.
After about 30 minutes of digging we were able to get a couple minutes rest. Finally. We unloaded our gear, consolidated ammo, cleaned our kits, And even joked around. For a little while.
"Forget hiding from the arty, the real merit of sitting in this hole is shutting out those speakers for some sleep." I said Chuckling.
Kinney Agreed. "Dude, totally, And what's with all that Bullshit F.U.P. Propaganda? I had a patrol where the sad fuckers were throwing rocks! Rocks! So, where the hell did they get all this Hardware?
Merrill stopped cleaning his rifle long enough to add his opinion.
"You said it yourself, Where'd the Fuppers get the hardware? The Short Answer? They didn't. Since when do they have the means to get ahold of decent anti-air? Let alone feed them! I saw arty, air, ground troops, and support crews, and there's no way in hell you can tell me that all runs on piss and vinegar!"
There was silence in the room. Sean rolled over in his billet towards us.
"He's right guys, this ain't the F.U.P. Get some sleep. Were going to really need it later."
"Yeah, you got it Fitz. Night, Edwards, Merril, Fitz."
We all bedded down for the next couple hours to get as much sleep as we could before the next wave came.
[THUMPA] [THUMP] [THUMP] "Aww hell, what was that?!" Groaned Kinney. That was The first thing I heard two hours Later. As we geared up a fully geared Trooper was half thrown through the entrance of the barracks as a shell burst Behind him. (He was of medium build, hispanic, Small beard.)
"Their Setting up on the opposite hill, you guys Dog's new replacements?
"That's us." I Answered While scrambling into my BDU's and plate carrier,
"Right, you guys come with me, We gotta get to the Lima barricade! It's in the town and I know the best way!"
"Right, You heard the man! Lets go, go, go! Shift your Arses!" Yelled Emerson as we scrambled for weapons and ammo. I assumed this was our new team member, Although it didn't really matter at this point. As we moved to the front barricades through the firebase We heard the radio chatter from the other squads,
"Bison 2-1 to Wizzard 1-1 Heavy contact At Grid-line Bravo 1-1-2 Barricade X-ray, Platoon Strength, Requesting Additional Support Over."
You could hear the firefight over the radio. It sounded close.
"Wizzard 1-1 to Bison 2-1, Reenforcement is enroute. Two Squads from Fox Company Inbound. Break. Break. Druid 1-6, Solomon 3-1 is Enroute To your position, Requesting sitrep over."
"this is Druid 1-6, Light enemy resistance, Shadows and Sprites, Out."
As we moved through the ruin of firebase Lincoln, We could hear fire fights breaking out on the outer edge, Flaring up and dying off again only to be replaced by another. We moved fast across the roads, and slow through the alleys, Watching windows and doors as we moved towards Druid 1-6's Position.
"This is Druid 1-6 to Wizzard 1-1 Over."
"Wizzard 1-1, Go."
"Druid 1-6 requesting illumination at grid point Alpha 3-3-2 over."
" Roger, Sunspot 2 is inbound, Tac 5-3-2, ETA 5 minutes. Out. "
" This is Druid 1-6, Were hearing what sounds like enemy armor approaching, requesting AT team, Over."
" Wizzard 1-1, Roger that, allotting AT supplies to Solomon 1-3, break. break. Wizzard 1-1 To Solomon 1-3, You are being allotted AT Weapons. Proceed one block south-east from current to weapons depot Indigo. Over"
"Well, At least it's on our way." Said Merril resignly.
As we moved to Weapons depot indigo, It got quiet. Really quiet. No gunfire, No breeze. We got spooked. Everyone got spooked. When we arrived The depot was deserted. And almost Empty. Everything had been issued out Except an old W-34(*glossary* Impact Warhead, nicknamed the "Wimpy" since it'll gladly jam today and fire for you next Tuesday) And a couple shells. Then the War came back.
"Druid 1-6, Hard contact! Where is The backu-?! armor c-ntact!"
"Druid 1-6, This is Wizzard 1-1, Solomon 1-3's ETA is 2 minutes, Can you hold?"
"D-uid 1-6 to W-zzard 1-1, for now! But -e need a F-ckin' AT Sq-ad right, now! We- Ah shit, COVER!"
We Were about 500 feet away when the Sky lit up. We saw the high angle mortars roar in, We saw the rounds strike the barricade, debris and parts of what once had been men flung high into the sky. We were about 220 yards away at the time. we sprinted through the next couple hundred yards, Slowing down only to check around the corner where Lima blockade was to make sure it was clear before committing ourselves to going around it.
When we got to Lima blockade it was a mess. They had unattended casulties on the ground, some of them still alive enough to scream. The sargeant in command ran up to us as we moved around the corner.
"Get that Launcher On the line NOW! Bearing 2-5-0, 15 degrees! Soon as you have a shot take it! COVERING FIRE! "
We covered Merril as he shouldered the Launcher and sprinted to the barricade. The barricade was really just a large pile of dirt that was blocking vehicle movement through the intersection. Once we got to the top we threw ourselves down just before the edge and crawled until we could just barely aim over the side. We saw about a company's worth of enemy soldiers. With armor. The Armor was a bipedial armored behemoth with some kind of fast firing plasma turret. It was gradually making its way up the street, Scanning houses as it went and firing into the occupied houses as the pilot deemed necessary.
"Take the shot!" I yelled at Kinney
"No lock! I Don't have a lock!"
"Dry fire! Take the shot! Take it! Now!"
As I yelled one of it's scanners noticed us on the barricade, As it turn and started to track it's turret toward us. Kinney fired just as it starting firing it's first few rounds. It's rounds went high, Ours went low, Kinney had been aiming for the Cockpit. He hit its legs, It fell foward with a screech, still firing. It buried it's gun in the dirt, jamming them solid. The enemy squads started to get closer with their shots, suppressing the barricade, and forcing me, kinney, and the rest of the guys on the line to retreat back behind it while the surviving enemy tank crew climbed out of the buried wreck. Once the rounds slacked off, we started the crawl back up the hill but sean stopped me from going over the edge.
"Stop, I gotta a bad feeling. I'm sending a drone up."
He reached into his pack and produced a small I-03 Recon Drone. (The ones that have the small magnetic induction motor.) As the Drone rose off of his hand, the video link started coming through the Handset. It rose about 2 feet above the barricade before a handful of plasma rounds ripped it out of the sky.
"Bloody hell! ok, ok, stay calm, I'm going through the feed frames... and.... fuck."
I was craning my head over his shoulder and saw a frame that chilled my bones. There was about a platoon of enemy troops moving towards us but thats not what grabbed our attention, two of the Bipedial tanks were picking thier way back up the streets, Slowly so as not to make any noise that we could hear until it was too late. We had been broadcasting the images to the rest of the men in the area. As soon Emerson saw the feed he sprung into action,
"Kinney, get some fire on the road!"
"Got it! Here take this thing."
He handed me the launcher and started to raise fire support.
" L-7-2 this is S-1-3, Two Enemy armor contacts sighted, Adjust fire over."
"L-7-2 Adjust fire, out."
As the vehicles started to move up the Streets I started to reloaded the Wimpy.
"Grid SB628341, Direction 1584, Over."
"Grid SB628341, Direction 1584, Out."
They ignored the houses since their counterpart had already cleared them.
"Armored vehicles in the open, H.E. in effect Over."
"Armored vehicles in the open, H.E. in effect, authenticate delta-foxtrot. Over."
"I authenticate Delta-Foxtrot-Zulu. Out."
The Tanks saw some of the men's heads peeking over the barricade and started sprinting towards us.
"Edwards! Get a lock on them!" Yelled Sean.
I moved into position and looked through the view finder. I aimed for the one on the left. I leveled the W-34 and flicked the Arming switch, and, once the tone started squealing, gently Squeezed back on Trigger until, with a Massive noise and rush of air, The projectile left the tube, and sped toward its target as they started firing short bursts at the barricade. Several rounds ripped through a man who had raised himself too high. His lifeless body fell back down the barricade as his freinds rushed needlessly to his aid.
"S, Elements 1 & 2, 4 rounds, Target GM2435 TOT 30 seconds Over."
"S, Elements 1 & 2, 4 rounds, Target GM2435 TOT 30 seconds Out. INCOMING! HEADS DOWN! "
As my projectile raced towards the tanks, The fire support that Kinney had called in streaked towards the area. My projectile struck first, but it glanced off the side of the tanks cockpit, into a near-by building, bringing it down on a enemy squad that had taken a position inside. The first shell of the freindly arty hit just behind the tanks, throwing alot of dirt on top of them but doing little else, The second and third hit directly front of them and to the left side a bit. The explosion threw the one on the right into a building which promptly collasped on it, thus ending his bid to destroy our barricade. The other one fell backward, twisting onto its side, the window of the cockpit smeared with its pilots blood.
"L-7-2, Targets Destroyed."
"Roger that S-1-3, Good Hunting."
The other enemy squads were moving up the road. We took re-took our positions on the barricade and started returning fire. I had thrown the launcher to one of the guys from Druid 1-6 and unshouldered my rifle.
"Sean, Spot for me."
"Right."
Sean grabbed a monocular with a little tripod from his kitbag, and set it up on the barricade to my right.
"Contact, left side of the road, just past the house with the car through the front. 600 yards. "
"Right."
A soldier peeks up from a pile of rubble that used to be a house. I Adjust the reticle for the distance, And squeeze off a shot.
*CRACK*
The recoil goes through my shoulder, My target falls. The reciever cycles a new round into the chamber, Next target.
"Target killed." whispers Sean.
.... "Target, Middle of the road, 700 yards, the first downed tank."
"Got it."
A crewman from one of the tanks tries to climb out of the cockpit.
*Crack*
"Low, Adjust up 2, right 1."
He begins to panick, Realizing that he's well within my range.
......... *CRACK*
"Target down."
The crewman's lifeless body drapes itself across the half-open hatch.
"Muzzle flash, sixth building down, left side, 2nd story, third window from the left, 400 yards."
A enemy marksmen tries to return fire, Dodgeing in and out of the window in between shots. Not realizing how truly exposed he was.
*CRACK*
He slumps back into the room he was firing from, never to stir again.
"Damn, Nice shot." Sean Told me with a pat on the head.
"Yeah? Wasen't sure he'd come back out." I replied.
After several hours of covering the street, Emerson crawled up behind us,
"Kinney has chow cook- er, warming, If you think you guys can risk his cooking I can get a couple of Sgt. Dreyers men to cover if you want. God knows you've earned it."
Me and Sean looked at each other,
"Whats on the pot?" I asked, "3 lasagna's, a cheese tortellini, and 2 of whatever their calling pork these days."
"Yeah alright I could stand that." I replied
"Sounds good. Count me in." Said Sean as well.
It was a delicious meal even if it was only a couple MRE's, The first in at least 32 hours, but, For the time being, I was alive, and I was fed.
Gender:
Points: 1141
Reviews: 15