Battle Earth II

Chapter 6

“Major Taylor, your presence is requested in the conference room.”

He leaned down and unclipped the last straps of the exoskeleton he had been testing. It was a relief to see equipment that could change the course of the war, but he could not help but think of his friends in Paris. Mitch followed one of the staff into the room. It was thirty metres long with vast screens set up displaying General White and several other high ranking officers of other militaries.

“Major, we are all eager to hear your report on the new equipment, but sadly we do not have time. All we need to know, is will it work? Will it make our troops fight better?”

Fight Better? Mitch thought, if only the brass had to face the enemy in combat, it was all just statistics to them.

“Our troops are fighting the best they can, but this new hardware would go some way to even the odds. Right now we only stand a chance when we substantially outnumber the Mech soldiers and armour.”

“That brings us to our next problem,” exclaimed White.

“Sir?”

“I’d like you to take a look at these surveillance images, Major.”

A screen below the General’s transmission lit up displaying overhead video surveillance. Taylor studied it intently for a few moments. It looked alien and was a vast structure on land with hundreds of creatures moving about between it.

“What do you think that is, Major?”

“Looks like some kind of construction, Sir.”

“Indeed. That video was taken this morning from the south of France. Our experts believe that the aliens are building manufacturing plants.”

“Or a weapon.”

White nodded. “Indeed. So far it would seem the enemy’s endgame is the extinction of the human race.”

“Then why wouldn’t they use something more substantial, something planet destroying?”

“All the weapons we have ever developed that can kill on such a vast scale also cause unspeakable damage to our habitat. We can only imagine that they want this planet as their own. Over the past day our troops on the ground have begun to come up against an increasing number of drones, which we believe are being manufactured on Earth soil.”

“Sir, if I wanted to take a planet as my own from billions of creatures, I’d find a more efficient way to do the job.”

“You think they are developing some sort of weapon of mass destruction?”

“I would. They must need time and resources to build it, so I don’t think you’re wrong about the factory, General. I just believe they’ll be pursuing both strategies.”

The General sighed. It was not the answer he was hoping for, but he knew it was likely to be true.

“Right now our armies are slowing their progress, but it’s a rough ride as I am sure you are aware, Major. Even with this new tech in full scale production, we still have a real battle on our hands, and it’s one for our very existence. If they can either build a weapon that can kill on a mass scale, or increase production of drones and equipment, we may well become utterly overwhelmed.”

Chandra watched the beautiful countryside as they rumbled past in their battle scarred tanks. They’d fled a hundred kilometres east to the city of Reims. It was yet another French city that had been abandoned by its population who had fled as refugees to the east. She peered around at the soldiers that lay shoulder to shoulder around her. Their faces were blank with the recent horrors they had lived.

Despite them having fled the warzone, the Major could still smell a pungent burning scent that seemed to follow them wherever they went. Her uniform was thick with brick dust, and her throat was dry. She wondered if it would ever end and wished she could make it all stop. Chandra didn’t want any more lives on her hands.

As they entered the town, the Major could see Phillips’ vehicle draw up outside a large old stone building with the European nations’ flags flying overhead. She beckoned to the vehicle captain to bring them to a halt by the Commander’s vehicle.

“Commander Phillips!” she bellowed.

The vehicle jerked to a halt as she stood up, almost launching her off her feet.

“Glad to see you made it, Major!”

She jumped down the ground and made a half-hearted salute. Her arm felt heavy, and it was a chore to even lift it to her head.

“What are your orders, Sir?” she asked.

“We are setting up major defensive lines here. I expect this city will take the brunt of the next attack. Another beautiful town to go up in smoke.”

He shook his head as he looked around at the historic city, knowing that he would be one of the last people to ever see it.

“I want you to head north to Amiens, Major. You’ll protect our flank there and ensure the safety of the supply lines to Calais.”

She pulled out her mappad device, not being familiar enough with the geography of the area to know the town’s location. Her face turned to a frown as she identified its position.

“Sir, that’s a long way from your position.”

He stepped in closer and leaned towards her, so he could speak more quietly.

“Look at the progress of this war, Major. We’ve been driven back across the whole of France, and who knows how much longer we’ll even have a foothold in the country. Every time we lose a city, we fall back further to the east. What happens when these bastards head for England? Where do our people flee?”

She knew he was right. The British Isles did not have enough ships and boats to flee even with months of notice.

“You are lining us up for a withdrawal across the channel?” she whispered.

He leaned back and sighed.

“I just want to make sure it remains a possibility, Major. The Russians continue to send troops west, and they will hopefully allow us to hold here for some time. Our breakout of Paris has at least saved a sizeable amount of our armies.”

Chandra turned to stride back to her vehicle.

“Major.”

She turned back to him with a quizzical expression.

“Word has it that Major Taylor is working on something big in Ramstein. Something that could turn this war around. All he needs is time.”

“We can buy it for him, Commander, with our lives.”

He nodded in agreement and appreciation of her work. She turned to the tank and was helped by Monty to climb aboard. Captain Becker sat in the top of the turret watching her, dutifully awaiting his orders.

“This armoured section can remain attached to your company, Major.”

She sat down beside the Captain, smiling in the knowledge that they would continue to fight together.

“You heard the Commander, roll out.”

Another hundred kilometres sat on bare metal, it’s better than being in Paris, she thought. Maybe she could raise the troops spirits with the knowledge of how many civilian lives they were saving, but she realised they didn’t care. In that time and moment, all they cared for were each other.

She watched as hundreds of troops and vehicles rolled into the old city of Reims, more lambs to the slaughter. She pondered. Taylor had better have something good. Chandra nodded to the tank commander to role on. The troops on the other vehicles had not heard their orders, but they didn’t seem to notice.

The sound of wheels, tracks and boots rang out across the town. It was a stark contrast to the picturesque image that the Major had always imagined of northern France. The vehicles rolled on and out of the city, on the road once again. Captain Becker sat up in the turret with the Major.

“Much more of this and we’ll be in your home country,” said Chandra. “Do you have family there?”

“Yes, a wife and two daughters.”

“Are they safe?”

“Are any of us?”

She nodded. They couldn’t retreat forever. She turned and looked at the proud German. He did his best to put on a brave and confident face, just as he did when they first met. They had both lost many of the troops under their command, but it didn’t seem to matter any longer. They fought for the living still fighting beside them.

The drive to Amiens was a relaxed one. The bombardment of Paris had finished as the enemy occupied the city. Chandra was almost able to slip into a much needed sleep, but the thought of the devastation was still keeping her from such luxury.

Half way to their new posting, they met a convoy of Russian armour approaching from the road that led to Amiens. The sign identified the town as Saint-Quentin. The Major stood up on the vehicle to greet them, the Captain pre-empting her and bringing the small column to a halt. The commander of the lead vehicle was sat up on the rooftop of the turret with his legs tangling in through the hatch. They had clearly seen combat. Several of their vehicles were badly scarred, and they didn’t have the look of fresh troops.

“Major Chandra,” she stated.

“Vukovi, you’re heading the wrong way, Major.”

“Has Amiens been taken?”

“No, but the people there have no desire to leave, and the enemy is almost on us.”

The man shook his head in disbelief as he sighed. “You’re welcome to join us. We’re heading east.”

Chandra ignored his advice and shot back a surprised and sharp question.

“The civilian population still inhabits the town? Have they not evacuated yet?”

“They don’t want to go, not our problem.”

“So that’s it, you’ll put your tail between your legs and run?”

The man glared at her with a distraught and angry expression. “You’ve faced those bastards, what hope is there?”

Chandra shook her head. “Not so long ago in your country, you’d be shot for turning your back.”

“But this is now, Major, the world has changed.”

Got that right, she thought.

She stared at him, waiting for the man to change his mind and realise his mistake, but he lowered his head and shouted for his driver to continue. The armoured column rolled on past as the four tank crews and troops watched on in horror.

“What happened to the Russian resolve?” asked Chandra.

“They’ve been through hell, Major. There may come a time yet when we follow suit.”

She turned and watched as the last vehicles passed and continued on into the distance. She looked back towards Amiens. She knew that they were curling back around Paris, and it was a safer position than Reims, but only just. She turned to the Captain. He had a quizzical face, waiting to see if her orders had changed.

“Carry on, Captain.”

It wasn’t long until they reached the town. Like Reims, it had yet to be ravaged by the war. If it was not for the black smoke rising from Paris, you would not know that war plagued the country. As they approached the town, they were confronted by the most peculiar sight. Many of the residents were sat out in their gardens beside the roads. They were travelling on a three lane flyover taking them directly to the central business district.

“What the hell are they doing?” asked Monty.

“Got me, bunch of fucking idiots,” replied Blinker.

The Major stared at the civilians as they rolled on to the centre. At first she could not believe her eyes, but she quickly came to realise the significance of the people’s homes. They had seen towns and cities left in ruin, and their populaces displaced as little more than refugees.

“I don’t like this at all. We can’t defend a city.”

“I appreciate that, Captain. Let’s get some more information before we come to any conclusions.”

It wasn’t long before they reached the city centre. The cafes and restaurants were full. The populace lay about socialising while the war raged around them. They approached a large police station where a number of officers sat outside drinking coffee. Among them was the Mayor, recognisable by the chain around his shoulders. The troops looked on in disbelief. They had expected to find another abandoned city, but instead they found a vibrant and trendy locale that continued on as if nothing had happened.

“Bring us up to the station, Captain,” said Chandra.

She observed that a number of people turned to look at their tanks rolling down the street but cared little for them, and they were not at all surprised. The six vehicles rolled up to the Mayor and came to an abrupt halt. The man turned to glare at them in offense. Chandra could see that he was about to speak, but she cut him off as she stood up on the vehicle and bellowed.

“I am Major Chandra, and you are?”

The group of officers turned to face Chandra as the Mayor stared as if he was surprised by her presence.

“Legrant, the elected Mayor of the city of Amiens.”

She looked back at the combined troops of her company in astonishment. It was as if the population were living on a different planet. She could not wait to hear an explanation any longer.

“Mr Mayor, are you aware that a war rages across your country, and that it is rapidly approaching your city?”

She expected a shocked or concerned response from all who had stopped to hear her out, but they merely stared back as if they were waiting for something else.

“If you stay here, you will die, all of you!” she balled.

The street went silent, but they seemed more offended by her presence than the threat looming over them.

“Major, we are not leaving our city. The cities before you have been destroyed because you chose to fight over them. We will not fight.”

“Then you will die.”

“Towns, cities and countries have been conquered throughout history. They survive and go on. We will not follow the same fate as Paris.”

Chandra shook her head in disbelief as her comrades gasped and laughed at what they were hearing.

“This enemy, they don’t want to capture or enslave our people. They want to end us. They want this planet for their own and all of us all removed from it!”

“You don’t know how these creatures think, Major! You assume! You have seen troops with guns and assumed they were hostile. We could just have well thought the same about your presence here.”

Chandra turned back to look at her troops as Captain Jones climbed aboard to see what the commotion was about.

“Major, what the hell’s going on here?” he asked.

“The people don’t want to go,” said Becker.

“What? But the Mechs will be heading this way.”

“They know that, Captain. They feel that if they don’t show resistance then they will not suffer under the invaders.”

“Do you believe that?” asked Jones.

“Not for a second. This enemy will stop at nothing to eradicate us.”

“Then why have they not done so on a larger scale with more catastrophic weapons?” asked Becker.

Chandra thought for a moment, never having given the idea a moment’s notice.

“Maybe they will yet, Captain. All we know right now is that they will destroy anything in their path, and we could be looking at tens of thousands of deaths here, maybe even hundreds of thousands.”

“You are sure they cannot be convinced to leave?” asked Jones.

“I believe that until they have witnessed the brutality of the enemy first hand, they will not be convinced.”

“We cannot force them to leave, not with a hundred troops and six tanks,” said Becker.

The three officers went silent, deep in thought, until they all came to the same realisation.

“We must stay.”

The Major turned and jumped from her vehicle. She confidently strode up to the Mayor with her rifle slung casually across her back.

“Mr Mayor. We have been tasked with the defence of France and the protection of all within it. We will not, and cannot, leave you here to die. If you refuse to leave, then we have no choice but to stay here to defend you.”

“That is utterly unacceptable, Major! We have chosen to stay out of this war, and we will not have you drawing us into it!”

Chandra paced quickly up to the Mayor until she was up in his face and beyond his comfort zone.

“You’ve not seen the horrors befall those who cross paths with these bastards. You have no god damn idea. If you stay here, you will die. By staying, you force us to stay and likely die with you. Are you that naive and bloody stupid?”

Legrant said nothing, turning his gaze away from the Major. She climbed back up onto the tank and stood up to address the hundreds of civilians who were watching.

“In the coming hours or days an invading force will reach this city and leave no one alive! If you do not leave, you will almost certainly die here!”

The crowds mumbled between themselves but appeared to pay little attention to her statement. She turned and looked back down at the Mayor. She was disgusted by the man, and she knew that he was responsible for blinding the city’s people to the threat that bore down upon them.

“I can’t force you to leave. But know this, the death of every man, woman and child here will be on your hands. My Company will give their lives to defend you, but I beg you to do the right thing. We’re taking up position on the main bypass to the city. I pray you change your minds before morning.”

She turned to Becker. The soldiers still could not believe what they were hearing. They had been posted to Amiens as a safer location, but they all knew that the enemy would reach it soon enough. Chandra watched the ignorant mob and thought, what a bunch of fucking idiots.

The Major could see that her troops wanted nothing more than to head east to the safety of the bases in Germany. She could no longer even keep count of the men and women that had been killed under her command. The vehicles circled around and headed out towards the south perimeter and the main road into the city.

“Are we really doing this, Major? You would die for that bastard?” Becker asked.

“He is a bastard, Captain, but we aren’t fighting for him. Hopefully, when the populace see firsthand the horrors that await them, they will soon turn tail and run.”

“So we get our arses shot off in the hope of that event?” Jones asked.

“Possibly. The Commander sent us up here, and he won’t forget us. We’ll likely either await re-enforcements, or retreat further west when the time comes.”

“And the people of the town?”

“We’ll follow our orders, and that’s all there is to it, Captain Jones.”

“So all of that was just for show?” asked Becker.

Chandra looked across at the Captain, studying his face. She could see the relief in his eyes that he did not have to call the shots.

“I’ve done what I can to reason with them, as I am sure other authorities have. Ultimately, we cannot force them to leave. However, I will not put the Company in jeopardy because of their idiotic decisions.”

Becker nodded. None of them liked the idea of leaving civilians to die, but neither did they want to be held to ransom by them. It wasn’t long before they reached an ideal choke point on the dual lane road. It was a sharp bend where they could deploy under the cover of tall trees and brick buildings.

An hour later the officers were once again sat beside a stove awaiting a brew. The military had long been using heating elements for rations, but Jones had always despised them when combined with tea. They sat inside the ground floor of a brick building that was some form of printing company. They could hear the clatter of equipment crashing together as the troops in the other rooms stacked anything they could find against the windows. Captain Becker walked into the room to see Chandra, Jones and Friday.

“Care to join us, Captain?” asked Jones.

The German nodded thankfully and slid a wheeled office chair up to them.

“Major, we’re all in position.”

None of them wanted to think about the fact they could only hold of a small wave of the enemy Mechs, but it was on all their minds. Chandra stared out of the window, and the light was already fading.

“How far are we from your home town, Captain?” she asked.

“Magdeburg, we’re a long way from it.”

The Major could hear the concern in his voice. There were still hundreds of kilometres between them and his family, but after the fall of all but the last towns of France, it didn’t seem so far.

“We’ve had help from other nations here, but not everything that could be given,” said Becker. “When will the rest of the world come to our aid?”

“This is an unknown enemy, Captain. Governments and militaries alike have watched in horror at the fall of France and Spain, and they don’t want to be next,” she replied.

“They may well be forced into the fight before long, anyway,” said Jones.

“Really, you think so?”

“It’s what I’d do. The Mechs seem to have the resources, so they’ll open new fronts.”

Chandra wished it to be the case. She knew that would condemn more to death, but anything to relieve the vicious mauling they were receiving at the hands of their invaders was welcome.

“Jones, it’s time we all got some kip. I want ten on guard at all times working two hour shifts, no longer. We need to make sure the sentries stay sharp. I’ll take the first shift. You can find volunteers to join me.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

The Captain gulped down the last of his tea and jumped to his feet. Even the concept of some real rest was the best thing he had heard in days. He rushed out of the room.

“Your Commander sent us here for time to rest up, did he not?”

“Yes, but we’re still too close to the enemy positions to think for a moment that we are safe.”

The Captain nodded in agreement.

“Had you ever seen action before these days, Captain?” she asked.

Becker sighed at the thought of it.

“Nothing more than a few peacekeeping duties. Had some rocks thrown at us, but not much else.”

They both turned and watched through the window as Jones delivered the Major’s orders and news that they could rest. He received a small cheer, but it was stilted and only mildly enthusiastic. Chandra didn’t blame them; rest isn’t so easy when you know you’re waking up to another day of hell.

“Captain, I want an officer on duty for every watch, Jones will liaise with you for a schedule.”

“Got it.”

She looked up to see an increasing fear in the tank commander’s eyes. She reached out her hand and placed it on his. The surge of warmth caused him to instantly relax a little.

“We’ll stop them before they reach your family, Captain.”

“We better or there is no hope for the world.”

He’s probably right, she thought to herself. When half of Europe is gone, you have to wonder if we could ever win the war. She forced a smile to reassure the man but deep down felt the same sorrow and fear.

“We’ve got a respite, Captain, use it well.”

Becker got to his feet, gave a casual and friendly salute to the Major and made to leave the room. She could already hear the sound of dozens of bed frames popping open throughout the building as the troops enthusiastically set up their home for the night. Every one of them carried a handheld retractable bed for field work, but few had gotten the opportunity to use them in recent days. They had lived day and night in rubble and trenches in fear that at any moment they would be attacked.

“Major, I have set the watches for the night, and the first will be on duty in five. Lieutenant Green will assemble them for you.”

“Thank you, Captain Jones. Now I suggest you do the only sensible thing one can right now, enjoy the sleep whilst you can get it.”

The Captain smiled as he strolled out of the room to do just that.

“Captain Becker, you must do the same, and that’s an order.”

He lifted up a pack which lay beside him carrying his bedding and rations. He was ready to drop where he stood. Chandra took to her feet and lifted her rifle onto her shoulder. She stepped out of the building to watch the flurry of movement outside as the troops hauled their equipment into the buildings, and the tankers did likewise. She sat down on the steps and simply watched.

As she knelt down to sit, she was once again struck by a bolt of pain through her leg that reached her spine. The injury needed many more weeks to heal, but she’d never admit it.

“Lieutenant Green reporting for duty, Ma’am!”

She turned in surprise at the formality of the soldier. “I think we are way past such things, Lieutenant.”

The man nodded and relaxed his shoulders.

“The Commander would have my arse if I didn’t keep to the protocols, Ma’am.”

“Don’t you worry about him. The only thing of concern out here is me, and the enemy.”

“So what are your orders, Major?”

“I want paired groupings. Two on permanent guard at the doors to this building and another at the other there,” she pointed. “The other three pairs will maintain a perimeter and rolling patrols.”

“Are you expecting any trouble, Ma’am?”

“I hope not, but that’s no reason not to be prepared.”

Captain Jones sat on the wall of the building they had made their home for the night. He stared out into the still of the night. To the north he could still hear music blaring from a few locations as some of the town’s people continued to party through the night. They were oblivious and ignorant of the danger posed against them. To the south it was totally silent, there being no humans left alive there and no obvious movement of the enemy.

The first of the morning rays were already appearing on the horizon. Daylight was always welcome when facing such a fearsome enemy. Jones quickly turned as he heard the sound of vehicles approaching from the north. He listened for a moment and noticed they didn’t sound like the distinctive engines of their enemy.

Private Walker, sitting beside him, leapt to his feet. They each took cover behind the wall of the steps and waited. The two men watched as three police vehicles rolled into view, so they lowered their weapons and stepped out from their position to greet the incoming officers. They must have finally decided to do some work, thought the Captain.

Several others on duty were watching casually. Jones held up his hand in both greeting and asking them to halt. The three cars slowly drew to a stop. Two men got out from each vehicle. The driver of the first shouted out.

“Good morning! I’m Sergeant Lambert!”

Jones was just a few metres away from the vehicle when he could see the police officer behind the Sergeant was raising a handgun. The Captain quickly reached for his rifle, but it was slung casually on his side. In a time when humanity was coming together against a common enemy, he had not expected to have to protect himself against their own.

Just as he got a hand on the grip of his weapon, he was struck by a stun round from one of the police non-lethal weapons. He felt the rifle clash against his leg as his body went limp and crumbled to the ground. The first thing he saw as his head hit the ground was Walker dropping a few metres from him.

Shouting erupted from the other guards, but it was too late. The two soldiers were hauled into the back of one of the vehicles and speeding away towards the centre of the city before anything could be done. Several of the soldiers trained their weapons on the vehicles and were ready to fire, but held back, knowing they might hit their own.

No alert was needed as the constant shouting from the on duty guards had woken the rest of their companions. Chandra rushed out the door of the main building with half her gear on and weapon in hand. She arrived just in time to see the police vehicles disappear from view.

“What the hell just happened?” she roared.

Blinker rushed up to her.

“Ma’am, local police just took Captain Jones and Private Walker!”

“What? Why?”

The man shook his head. She turned to see Friday and Becker approaching her, and two officers were close behind. They all looked to her for answers. The news was already spreading like wildfire. Still a little stunned from being awoken so suddenly, the Major tried desperately to try and make sense of the situation.

“They didn’t want us here, Major, so they’ve just played their final hand,” said Becker.

“What are you saying, Captain?” asked Friday.

“That they are holding us to ransom.”

Then it clicked in the Major’s head. She could already see the pieces coming together.

“What are we gonna do?” asked Yorath.

“We can’t go in there with force. They’re civilians,” said Suarez.

“The hell we can’t. They don’t want us here and that’s fine, but they have no right to attack my troopers and hold them hostage.”

She turned to see all the troops at her command had assembled around her. They were furious at the news and all looked to her for answers.

“Grab your kit, we move out in five. We’re going to get our friends back!”

A cheer rang out as they rushed about their business. Not all week had she seen such enthusiasm within the ranks of the infantry. She could feel the bitterness and hatred in her grow for what the city authorities were doing to them. But perhaps, she thought, it’s just what we need. This could boost morale better than anything.

The sun was up, lighting their approach to the city as the six vehicles trundled towards the centre. Chandra could feel a new sense of enthusiasm and a strengthened comradery among the troops she commanded. A day before, many of them were strangers to each other, but now they were more united in their cause than ever.

As they approached the town square, they could see a wall of police uniforms in front of the station. They were armed but carried their weapons casually.

“Take us right up in front of them,” said Chandra.

They all knew the police would not dare risk a firefight with a well equipped company of soldiers, even if it was way under strength.

“That’s the bastard who took the Captain, the smug bastard in the middle,” said Blinker.

Chandra nodded, identifying the Sergeant quickly from the Private’s rather coarse but accurate description. The six tanks rumbled up into the street, filling much of the square. The police officers did not flinch, safe in the knowledge that they had authority in the town, and that military personnel would not dare touch them. Chandra chuckled just a little at the thought, knowing that in this case, they were very much mistaken.

The vehicles drew up to the police line in a column two wide. It was much as they could fit in the streets of the city. The crews powered down their engines in anticipation of the Major wanting to be heard. She stood up on Becker’s tank beside the turret, standing several metres high over the police line. She could feel her blood boiling as she tried to find the words to address them. Many of the officers stood with their rifles lowered but in both hands, others with their arms crossed in defiance. The Mayor was nowhere to be seen.

“Who is in charge here?”

She waited for a moment. The Major wanted to give them the time to fully take in the threat before them and bend to her will. After an uncomfortable silence, one of them finally spoke.

“I am, Sergeant Lambert.”

“Really? A city this large and you are the man in charge here?”

“In charge during hostile situations, yes. You have entered our city illegally and without welcome. You are putting the lives of all of us in danger!”

Chandra shook her head in disbelief.

“If you leave this city immediately and head east, your two men will be brought to you when you are ten kilometres from the outskirts.”

“I don’t want to hear your demands, Sergeant! You have kidnapped soldiers of the British army who were deployed here under the command of Brigadier Dupont. You have no authority or justification to detain my soldiers!”

“The facts remain the same, Major!”

“Sergeant Lambert. I will not discuss this any further with you. Return our soldiers, or you will be treated as an enemy combatant!”

The man shook his head, calling her bluff. She turned back to Captain Becker who sat in his turret with a look of bewilderment on his face.

“Keep your crews at the ready. I don’t want any violence here, but if they start it, I sure want to be the one to finish it.”

Becker nodded. He could not believe that they may have to fire on civilians, but neither could he believe that these people were effectively aiding the enemy by hindering friendly troops. Chandra looked town the column of vehicles.

“Company, dismount!”

She leapt from the vehicle as the other troops formed up with her. She strode right up to the police sergeant, who stood with dozens of his officers, and waited for him to move. She raised her rifle and quickly trained it on him. His comrades gasped at the sight and stood stunned. In the distance, they could hear several cars tearing towards their position. She glared at the Sergeant, but he looked as surprised as she did.

Chandra turned back as she heard a car screech to a halt, and several police officers frantically pushed their way to the front with no weapons in hand.

“Sergeant! There’s an army heading up that road, and fast!”

Chandra lowered her rifle and grabbed the man by his shirt.

“Tanks? Mechs? How many?”

“A lot, they’ll be on us in maybe ten minutes.”

Panic spread across the police officers as their line began to break.

“You must leave now or condemn us all!” Lambert roared.

“If we leave, you die, all of you!”

She turned back and looked up at Becker. “Captain, we’ve got incoming from the south, form up and be ready!”

She turned to pass on orders to her troops that were gathering around her, but the police Sergeant grabbed at her shoulders.

“Major! You can’t stay!”

“We have no choice! Now release our two men and let us do our job! The best thing you can do right now is organise an evacuation!”

The police sergeant lifted his rifle in anger and aimed right at the Major’s head.

“Leave now, Major!”

She grabbed the barrel of his weapon, twisting it quickly out of the way and delivered a swift punch to the man’s face. He lost grip on his weapon and stumbled back. He stood a head taller than Chandra but was as much stunned by the strike as much as that she was able to deliver it. She threw his rifle back at him in anger.

“Sergeant Lambert. Release my men and get your people the hell out of here!”

Explosions erupted in the distance in a continuous barrage as the suburbs were struck by the incoming forces.

“You can’t stay here, Sergeant. They will kill everyone in their path!”

She could see the look of fear and hesitation on the police officer’s face. He could hear that the civilian population were being attacked before the aliens even knew there were military forces in the town. His eyes glazed over at the realisation that he’d led his people to their deaths.

“Sergeant! Get moving, save those that you can!”

Lambert snapped out of it and turned to his officers, shouting for them to get to work. They scattered from the scene as the Major turned back to the southern road where Becker’s tanks were manoeuvring into a defensive position. Captain Friday marched up to her position.

“How long do we stay here, Major?”

“For as long as we can! Captain, you’re in charge here!”

“Where are you going Major?”

“I am getting our men back! Monty, Lieutenant Green, form up the platoon!”

She lifted her rifle and rushed forward as her unit formed up. The police who had previously stood against them scattered for their vehicles to flee the city and help any that they could. Chandra could not help but think their idiocy may have killed them all. She charged through the doors of the police precinct to find it a flurry of activity. The Major grabbed the arm of a policewoman who was rushing by in a panic.

“Where are the holding cells?” she barked.

The woman’s eyes were wide with fear. Chandra shook her and she began to mumble.

“In the basement.”

She pointed to the stairs. Chandra released her grip and rushed for the doors. They charged down the steps so fast they could barely maintain their footing. The officers on duty had already fled, and the dozen prisoners were yelling for help. Chandra rushed along the line of cells trying to identify her two companions, but they were nowhere to be seen.

“God damn it!”

“Where the fuck are they?” shouted Monty.

“That bastard Legrant must have moved them!”

She stopped for a moment to think.

“What do we do Major?” Green asked.

“Release the prisoners, then we move out.”

“These are criminals,” stated Blinker.

Chandra spun around to confront the Private. “No, none of these people have been convicted. These are holding cells, not a prison! We are not leaving them to die!”

Blinker nodded, feeling more than a little sheepish for questioning the Major. The platoon rushed along the lines opening the cells. The occupants didn’t stop to thank them. Chandra rushed to the stairwell without a further word. She reached the foyer and caught a glimpse of Legrant rushing for the door. She intercepted him, hauling him back against the sidewall.

“Where are my men?” she exploded.

“I, I…”

“Well? Speak up!”

“They are at the Marmotte Station.”

“Which is where?”

The man hesitated. She could see the fear in his eyes and his unwillingness to speak.

“Where?”

“To the south.”

She pulled him back and threw him against the wall again. The man winced in pain as his back smashed into it, and the air was taken out of him.

“You have just condemned two fine men to die. Why?”

An explosion blasted out down the street, closer than any other. The ground shook beneath them. She knew that it was the sound of Becker’s tanks engaging the enemy.

“Major! We have to get out of here!”

She glared at Legrant with a bitter hatred.

“I pray we never meet again, for you will not survive. Get out of my sight!”

The Mayor scurried off as she raised her rifle and stepped out of the precinct to see the tanks rocked back as their guns roared. The rest of the Company had taken cover in nearby buildings, but the incoming enemy had not yet come into range.

“What do we do now?” asked Green.

She continued to stare down the road past the tanks to the south. She could just make out the outline of a column of enemy vehicles approaching in the distance. Captain Jones and Private Walker now lay far behind enemy lines, if they were alive at all.

“There’s nothing left for us here but death and destruction,” she whispered.

“What was that, Major?”

He could barely hear her words over the sound of the gunfire.

“Immediate withdrawal, spread the word, we pull out now!”

Green nodded in relief, but also sadness in the realisation that they had to leave men behind. He ran along the edge of the buildings shouting the orders as the Major leapt onto Becker’s tank. She knelt down and yelled.

“Get us the hell out of here, Captain!”

The troops flooded across the street and clambered onto the vehicles as they reversed back to the square, so as to not expose their flank or rear armour. As they got to the turning point, Yorath and the last of the troops reached them and clambered aboard. Energy pulses smashed into the ground around them, but they were still far enough off that the fire was inaccurate and harassing at best.

The six armoured vehicles rotated on the spot. The Major turned and gazed down the southern road in the direction of Jones’ reported location. She hated having to leave him there, but more than anything, she despised Mayor Legrant and his people for being the cause of such a pointless loss.

“Where is the Captain?” Friday shouted.

Chandra turned to see him calling her from the other side of the vehicle as they rocked forward and began to gain speed going easterly. She shook her head, and he understood immediately.

“What did they do to him?”

She looked up at the saddened Captain.

“He’s being held a few kilometres to the south, right behind that enemy offensive.”

Friday sat back against the armour of the vehicle, knowing that all hope was lost.

“Why are we leaving him?” Yorath asked.

“Because any other path would have us all dead before midday,” countered Chandra.

The young Lieutenant reached forward aggressively to argue with the Major. Captain Friday grabbed him by the chest plate of his armour and threw him back.

“Don’t believe for one second that any of us want to leave Jones or Walker behind. We’ve fought alongside them longer than you have been in this war. Let it go!”

Chandra rested back against the turret of the vehicle and slumped as her vision blurred. She could feel her eyes water just slightly, and a single tear trickled down her face. She could think of nothing but the sorrow of their loss. The column reached the open road, passing civilians as they desperately tried to load up vehicles and leave. None of them had any sympathy for the town’s people as explosions continued to erupt across the centre.