A hero they called us. Catching a hostile patrol. In reality, he didn’t tell us much. Just the fact that all that were thought to be against the government or supported the Royalists were now ‘where they should be’. He was silent about anything else. For our actions, we would have the ‘honour’ of leading the armoured division into the Abersen.
The early morning light came and went, the two suns messing with the entire sky. Every crew were packing their cargo holds, shell, rifles, cannons, food. This was Fortune’s first expedition in over 8 periods. It was as our Captain said, our great test. NP and the Captain were talking when we all entered. Maebht, Dorit, Geran and Mac came in after me. Mac came up to me as the others took their seats.
“Kilza’s going with ASC 2. Met some old friends yesterday, she checked it out with the commander apparently. I’ll be doing the comms. Fun, fun, fun”
“Yep Mac, this going to be damnation, yet no one seems to think this can go all so wrong. Don’t listen to anyone but the Captain. He seems to be the only one ready for this.”
The breakthrough operation started with a bang. We kept to our guns and drove forward, driving the New State defenders out of their holes and back into the forest. I was looking over the battlefield, directing point and mark fields to peruse the wooded paths for enemies. Maebht had been busy cleaning and re-installing parts in the Auto Cannon, making it quick a bit less, greatly reducing my chances of getting injured by the recoil buffer. Slowly, the Fortune armoured division made its way out of the endless fields of ray into the magenta tinted woodland.
I was out of a job as soon as we got past the first artillery barrage. I watched with terror as the amber fire fell from the sky and erupted in a creeping pattern, ever approaching in an inaccurate spree.
“Everyone down!” Roared the Captain, as the beams around us began to shiver with the force of the impacts. One direct impact eventually arrived, just as I jumped off my seat. The blast sent sparks flying all over the Chantilis. But at least I was alive. Mac helped me up and Dorin came over and sprayed my soldering seat with the fire suppressor. Everyone looked shook.
“Keep steady. We aren’t going to die here. Nisper, pull into the dense foliage. Maebht, fire up a heat flare. It might disrupt their fire. CĂșl… if you can, get a pair of scopes and see what the looks like out there. If your able to, of course. Mac, see who’s down. Stay indoors the rest of yee.”
I breathed slowly before looking over towards my satchel. I took out the standard issue scopes, still in pristine mustard yellow. I checked my pistol then climbed up onto my seat. I regarded Mac with a smile before unfastening the latch and standing up.
I saw a wasteland in front of my eyes, flames erupting everywhere as we ploughed through the thick coverage of branches and twigs. I saw the familiar sight of BABY, ASC 2, in a twisted mess of metal and track lying in a clearing. I saw one of her crew members, lying still in a patch of purple flowers. Her face was illuminated by flaming wreck and I could only see the eyes of scouts again. Torrinter was calling for me but couldn’t understand him. I was focused on my friend. Kilza lay there, untouched by fire or fear.
“CĂșl! What in the name of the Eis do you see out there?”
“Kil…Kilza! She’s there in the middle of the convoy…” It was so hard to speak a single word with the constant fire. Most of the convoy had sunk into the surrounding forest but two of our vehicles lay in tatters.
“Dorin, Mac, CĂșl. Get out and look for survivors. We’re not leaving anyone out there. Take the rifles and look out for any enemies. Geraint, give them cover fire. For Fortune!” The Captain had picked up his head set and was attempting to coordinate the rest of the armoured division. I picked up the trusty Sterling from the weapon rack in our small armoury. I followed the rest of them out of the side hatch into the open.
Our small party was gathered facing towards the road. NP had managed to hide us in a bush and the heat flare had successfully hid our heat signature. We advanced slowly, weapons raised. Dorin went around a patch of thorns, Mac was checking Archibald ASC 1 and I was going towards BABY. I crept slowly over the moss covered ground, always looking for any movement. I finally saw Kilza, still dormant in the purple flowers. I knelt down beside her, gently rolling her over. My stomach dropped as I saw a large gash across her forehead with crimson blood running down it and through her hair.
“Don’t be dead, please don’t give up now.” I was on the verge of tears, death was the one thing I could never cope with. I heard the crack of a rifle from beyond the tree line. It was nearly the second sunrise, visibility was slowly returning. Dorin came bonding out of the trees, his pauldron torn to shreds. He noticed Kilza and shook his head.
“There’s black and tans on the horizon, we better get who we can out of here… Is she gone?”
I hadn’t even checked her vitals yet. I half-heartedly took of her glove and put my hand on her wrist. I felt her pulse, it was slight but there. At that moment I knew there had be someone-something looking out for me and the rest us. I gave Dorin a faint smile.
“Phew, didn’t want to start burying friends yet… We need to get out of here. These lads are not New State fighters, they’re actual Tordillians. An offshoot of the 12th for certain.”
“The messy bombardment makes sense now. How long do you think we have?” I looked back towards the bushes.
“Not long, I’ll help you bring Kilza back” Dorin bent down and we each put an arm under her arms and began to carry her.
Mac suddenly came back towards us, a gunner over his shoulder, a comms unit his his hand, followed by 2 more crew members. I could never get to grasps with the strength of my Werosan crew mate.
“That’s all from Archibald. Sergeant, carry on ahead. I’ll see if there is anyone else over here.” It only then hit me that Archibald was the command craft. The Sergeant was there, co-commander of the operations.
We began to carry Kilza back towards the Chantilis when out of the bushes came charging four Tordillians, in full battle garb. We took cover as Geraint opened fire from his turret. But there was still a large gap between us and the transport. More Tordillians joined them, pining us down. Dorin and I rested Kilza down, before trying to return fire. The projectiles came whizzing over our heads, splitting trunks of trees and embedding themselves in rocks. A thunderous volley of fire erupted behind us after we heard someone scream at the top of their lungs.
“TosĂș Scaoileadh! Tosaigh!”
A Lance gunner emerged from the tree cover, followed by Maritime troops. Their weapons fired continuously into the trees, hitting target after target, near and far. Mac, Dorin, the injured and I all ran as fast as our diverse set of legs could carry us until we all clambered into the Chantilis. I helped Dorin lay Kilza into the her seat and I then helped pull in Mac, who promptly threw down the Comm Bank into the middle of the Transport. It was so densely packed, the Maritime Troops clambered on top of the Chantilis just as we started moving. Our gunners opened fire at the Tordillians following up behind us, but NP ploughed on. We only stopped once we reached the top of a small, rocky mountain.
I didn’t get to know the Maritime Squadron quite well. They only asked me on the first day what we had left. We had 5 ASCs, 3 Tank Destroyers and a group of soldiers, 40 rifles strong. The Captain was pale as a ghost. He was in touch with command, using the Operation Communicator. They couldn’t get to us.
“Command just posted” He said sombrely “Heavy AA batteries located around the production facilities have ground aerial operations to a halt. We only know of their existence because only one recon fighter returned to base. We need to locate and destroy these positions to have any chance of reinforcement from the air.”
“Why can’t we just retreat.” Lieutenant Mortimer was leaning against his Destroyer “We can meet with troops coming from the landing strip and attempt another assault.”
“Escape is improbable.” The Captain grimaced ” The enemy have encircled us and their faster vehicles would pick us off if we attempted to make our back into friendly territory. Our only hope is forward.”
Mortimer stood up and walked towards our Captain. “We have already lost 2 of our transports, including the command craft. You expect us to go off and die for honour and bravery, like your Chantilian brethren! We are going to fall back and regroup with the other armour if you like it…” Mortimer was practically in his face “Or not.”
Torrinter once told us he liked to avoid violence at all cost. He may of forgot about telling us. I saw Mac jump a foot when he saw the Captain smack Mortimer across the face, nearly knocking him to the ground.
“Never talk about my people like that ever again! How dare you attempt to usurp a direct order and question the word of your superiors” One of the Maritime Troops gave a cheer. Our Captain steadied himself, his pupils dilating. “You, and any who agrees with you, may take a rover to get to the second division. But be careful. The enemy do not know of our existence. We still have the element of surprise. Good day!”
With that, we prepared ourselves for the next day’s combat. The exiled Captain left with two crewmembers, driving slowly away. I wished them a safe trip but there was a bit of me that wished they would hit a tree on their way.
I was clinging onto the back of the Chantilis joined by two burly Maritimes. We were on route to the first AA battery. It was our only shot. During the night, we lost another ASC to a land mine. It lost its drive motor, so it was marooned. We left Kilza there with two medics. I never had anything to live for usually but I hoped to the Eis I would get back to see Kilza again.
Whilst I was holding on for dear life, I managed to talk to the Lance Gunner. His weapon was hanging over the side of the tank and he was looking into the middle distance, eyes wistful.
“Imagine if no one showed up for war? Would there be peace… or anarchy?” I didn’t take him as a profound kind of person, but this sure changed my mind.
“Well, I’m usually more caught up with the fact there are people here, shooting at me.” I said truthfully.
“Y’know, I like people like you. Realists. Not pessimistic, not totally optmisitic. What’s your name Navi?” He said it all with a very polite, well spoken accent. Similar to Torrinters, possibly Eagilitian.
“CĂșl, pleasure to meet you” I was still surprised by the fact the largest, meanest fella this side of Midway was asking me about philosphy.
“Nice name. They call be Camouflage” Makes sense, hides stuff from the outside “Liberty Division. Me and Eson here were moved here at the last moment as fire support.”
I was looking over at the Lance, thinking about the fact that one thing could be defined as ‘fire support’. It appeared Camouflague noticed the fact I affixed on his weapon.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll deal with any problems that arise.” He bent over and picked it up off the rack. “They originally intended it to be fired from the hip. Obviously, its too heavy and would probably dislocate someone shoulder…” Well, if I was worrying before.
The battle unfolded as such. The last remnants of our armour charged forward, firing at the small assortment of towers and bunkers with any shells or mortars left. But while they moved forward, we disembarked and hid in the bushes and long grass behind a hill. We also had flatguns, very low slung Anti-Armour cannons. We dug three small ridges in which we placed the barrels of the armour piercing guns. I had the Sterling ready, with a projectile launcher on the side. Camouflage joined me, getting his barrel facing up the hill. Silence was essential, even the smallest noise would break the ruse.
The armour then retreated, going practically over our heads. I looked in horror as the Chantilis stumbled backwards, flame spewing out of its twin engines. Camouflage turned my face forward.
“Concentrate, they’ll be alright. But t hey won’t be if this doesn’t work. Do you know any Eagilitian?”
I nodded, feeling like a schoolboy with a teacher.
“Good. On fire, you know what to do”
I stabilised my grip and looked into the grass. This would our chance to save Fortune. For Might, For Glory, For Fortune. For Kilza
As predicted, the Tordillians wanted to finish us off. They came out of their trenches and charged forward, armour and man sprinting forward with an animal like ferocity. We all prepared, our gunners all tensed their bolts and we loaded everything we had. We all awaited Camo’s orders.
Closer, we could see each of their helmets.
Even closer, we could see their weapons
Nearly in arms reach.
“TosĂș Scaoileadh!”
I was near deafened by the vile thud of the flatguns, followed by Camo pushing up a bit and opening fire with a volley of blue plasma. We followed with our Sterlings, firing slow, accurate and deadly fire right into the midst of surprised Tordillians. I fired a AP round right into the turret of an ageing Te-3b, causing a small eruption of oil that was then set alight. I fired again, and again until a voice called out behind us.
“ShealbhĂș! ShealbhĂș!” The Co-Commander had came back from the medical bay. I flipped the coolant switch on my rifle and looked over the hill again. Empty shells lay on the ground beside us and Camo had given his Lance to another Navi. He took out a pistol and advanced. I did the same. The ground was covered in scraps of metal and troops. One of them started to twitch. Camo, without hesitation, pulled the trigger.
“Mercy, Cruel Mercy…” He carried on towards the now empty defences.
We met one or two more sentries before we got to the central AA batteries. We burst into an office, which contained two officers and a few artillery operators. They thankfully surrendered. No more blood had to be spilt.
Eventually, I heard of the fate of our Captain. He wasn’t injured, along with NP. Maebht had made it out in time as well. I gazed out over the far side of the AA station, sprawling woodland mixed with open plains. A perfect place to drive vehicles through. Mac and Camo joined me.
“What next?” I finally asked “We’re totally exposed here”
“Command has been called, we await immediate assistance from Liberty Divison.” Mac had received a mere scratch during the entire battle “That’s your lot isn’t it?”
“Sure is, they’ll save our hinds. If they’re fast enough” Camo had his Lance cooling off, pointing down the valley.”Here’s to life”
We all went along with him. We were all ready. We needed to act under our own guidance, with or without the Captain.
The Livnuis Project 