Battle Earth VI

Chapter 8

It took the combined forces of 2^nd Inter-Allied and 5^th Marine Regiment the rest of the day to sweep the enemy off the hilltops and back to their ship. When they finally caught sight of the stricken heavy cruiser, the sun was going down, and Taylor knew it was time to stop. Harney was by his side as they looked on at the hulking vessel which hull was part sunken below the surface.

“What now?” he asked.

“Nothing left to do until morning. We set up defences here and get what rest we can. We should arrange an aerial strike for first light.”

“Why not now?”

“Well, for a start, I don’t reckon it’ll even be achievable, but I also want to see the result of our work and mop up any survivors before they can disperse into these hills and woods.”

Taylor could see Harney didn’t fully agree with his assessment and plan, but he wasn’t going to argue with him after the day they had experienced. Taylor turned to Jones who had been standing close behind.

“Make it happen.”

Harney nodded for his support staff to do likewise. He was happy for some responsibly to be taken off him after the near disastrous day.

“Our communications, they were down for just a few hours and then back again, what do you think is happening?”

“I guess they have a more narrow focussed and powerful machine. I doubt they’d be able to jam any larger areas, or they would have done so already.”

“Seems a pretty big assumption,” replied Harney.

“Only going on the intel I have and previous experience. It’s been a long day. I suggest you bed down and be ready for the morning.”

“Long day? Hell of a day, more like!”

Hell? You haven’t seen even a bit of it yet, Taylor thought.

They spread out across a kilometre wide defence north of the ship that night, with patrols running far and wide to be safe. Taylor sat up against a tree for most of the night, watching the enemy ship. There was not a single light working on it, but the moonlight glinted off the metallic hull. Every half an hour he would look at the site with his night vision equipment just to study it and observe for movement, but there was none.

He heard a branch crack at his side and reacted by reaching for his rifle and twisting around ready to defend himself.

“You should be getting some rest,” a calm voice spoke.

He immediately recognised it as Eli, and his shoulders relaxed as he laid the rifle back down over his thighs. She moved up and sat down beside him. He put his arm over her shoulders but could feel little of her through the armour she wore. It didn’t matter.

“How much sleep have you had?” she asked.

“Enough.”

“I doubt that.”

“Did I hear that straight? You’re concerned for my health?”

He laughed at the idea even though he felt just the same way about her.

“How much longer do you think this can go on?”

“What?”

“The war, the aliens, when’s it all gonna end?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure it ever will.”

“What, how can you think that?”

He took in a deep breath, preparing to explain to her the realisation he’d come to in the time of peace they had enjoyed before recent events.

“Look at our own history. Every time one culture has met another, they have fought wars until one is totally defeated or assimilated. There will be no peace between such powers. We aren’t strong enough to end them, so they will simply keep coming.”

“And they can’t seem to take Earth, so what, we just keep fighting?”

Taylor shrugged his shoulders.

“No, I can’t believe that. This has to end someday. We keep fighting the way we have, and our luck can’t hold forever.”

“No,” he replied solemnly.

She could see the acceptance in his face for the situation he had just outlined.

“You have accepted it, haven’t you? That we’re all gonna die?”

“We are all gonna die. We’re only human. Only when and where are the questions.”

“You know what I mean. We should have years ahead of us.”

“And maybe we will. We have made it this far.”

“I don’t like the way you’re talking.”

He shrugged his shoulders again.

“I don’t want you to throw your life away because you think it’s the only way.”

“Mmm,” he grunted.

With that last sound, the weary Taylor fell asleep with his arm still around Parker. She was deeply dissatisfied with the opinions he had stated, but more than anything she wanted him to rest and recover his full self.

Taylor awoke to the shouting of Sergeant Major Silva strolling down the lines, drawing the 2^nd Inter-Allied from the uneasy sleep they were getting. For many, it was a sharp reminder of the conditions they had faced in France during the first war.

It always amazed Mitch that no matter their location, conditions, or morale, Silva was always the first awake and invigorated, as if powered by some superhuman force. It was exactly the reason he held the position he did, and a reminder that he had chosen the right man.

The air was fresh and clean. The blood and strife of war was behind and in front of them. Now they were stationed in a beautiful land untouched by either war. But it was not to last. He remembered Parker coming to him in the night, but she was nowhere to be seen. He reached for the trunk of the tree he had slept against pulled himself to his feet.

“Damn,” he whispered to himself.

It was the best sleep he had gotten since the aliens had come back to their Solar System. He wiped his face and tried to come to his senses. He looked over to the spot where he and Harney had first looked at the enemy positions the night before, just twenty metres along the treeline. Officers of both their units had already gathered, and he could see Jones ensuring they had a sensible representative among them.

Taylor stumbled over towards the officers assembled, and with every step he began to regain his composure until halfway when he finally woke up. He had been fixated on the enemy position for half of the night, and yet slept through the rest like he was back in his own bed.

I wonder if it was a result of Eli being at my side.

When he reached the gathering, he soon realised everything was in hand. He looked to Jones for confirmation. Jones nodded to show things were going to plan.

“Colonel Taylor, I hope you slept well?” Harney asked.

Taylor initially felt a little ashamed to be one of the last officers up, but that feeling quickly receded as he remembered the previous day’s events. He turned to look at the enemy crash site in the distance for one last time before joining them. It was still as dead as it was in the night. When he turned back, Jafar was standing there and made him recoil in surprise. He had not heard a sound a second before.

“That ship is empty,” he stated.

“Why would you think that?” Taylor asked him.

“Because if they still occupied it, they would be coming at us by now.”

Taylor nodded in agreement. It was indeed a strange occurrence for the enemy.

“Walk with me,” he said to Jafar.

They continued on to the grouping of officers.

“Colonel, you’re gonna want to see this. We have a strike incoming in two minutes,” someone shouted.

Why has nobody notified me of this? He first thought, but it didn’t matter any longer.

“Looks like we got the best seat in the house,” said Harney.

He turned to look on down the valley at the huge vessel. There was still no movement in sight and that made Taylor uncomfortable.

"Why haven't they come at us?"

"Because we have the high ground and numerical superiority," replied Harney.

"No, that would not stop them."

"Then maybe they're just scared."

Taylor smiled.

"No chance. Any sign of our satellite imaging coming back?"

"I've been promised it before noon."

Taylor looked through his binoculars one last time at the tranquil scene. The countryside was beautiful, and there was no sign of the war. The crashed vessel was the only evidence the enemy had been there.

"They've gone. Think about it. Everything up to this point has been to facilitate their retreat back to their main force across the sea."

Harney did not respond, as the possibility would ruin his plan. He checked his watch one last time, and as he did so, he heard the roar of engines approaching rapidly from the north. Before they even had time to look up, missiles were soaring through the sky, and the two aircraft were banking out of sight. Then large missiles hit the hull of the ship and exploded on impact, sending fire and sparks high into the sky. The ship rocked in its position and came to a rest in the same hole it had made for itself.

Troops all along the kilometre line shouted and whistled in joy as they saw black smoke bellow from the enemy ship. There was no doubt it would never fly again. Harney turned to Taylor and stepped up to speak to him personally.

"Whether there were any enemy aboard doesn't matter, but if they were then good. If they weren't, we ensured the ship cannot be repaired, and look what it does for morale."

Taylor could not deny it.

"And if they have run, which I believe they have, it is proof they fear us."

"Do we have any other sightings of enemy in the area?"

"No, in which case you might be right. Our leaders want to buy us time to regroup and gather our strength, which may be exactly what they are doing."

"All the reason we should hit them now."

"That's not for us to decide."

"No, more’s the pity."

"Taylor, we got off on the wrong foot, and I am sorry about that. You really saved our asses yesterday, and it won't be forgotten."

"That's my job."

"The 5th are going to continue on south on foot to sweep and clear. I want to be certain none of the alien bastards remain. There must be stragglers about. I want you to perform aerial sweeps of the whole area and destroy any enemy presence you find. I want to hear about any and all enemy sightings and engagements."

"Got it."

Taylor lifted his comms unit.

"Yorath, I need air lift from our the nearest available area north of our position immediately."

"Yes, Sir."

He turned to leave when a new commotion began to his flank.

"Taylor! You need to see this!" Harney called him.

He raced over to the Colonel and his command staff as they laid down a map projector. The device was no bigger than a water bottle but would project a two metres square operations screen for use in the field.

"I've just received reports of massive enemy activity on the Israeli border."

"How big are we talking?"

"We know the wall has been breached. It didn't last more than twenty minutes. Looks like they're trying to break out from Egypt."

"Why? What is their endgame now?" asked one of Harney's officers.

"They probably realise exactly what we do, that time is on our side. They have to strike hard now, or risk ever-increasing forces as Earth’s armies gather. We need to cut off this advance before it can spread. They must be contained," replied Taylor.

"Agreed, and that's exactly what we're going to do."

"What about our task here?" Jones asked.

"A German armoured regiment has already crossed over into the north of the country and are en route to take over here. We have to haul ass. Whatever this enemy advance is, it's moving quick."

He pointed to the map.

"You are to get to the southern outskirts of Hebron immediately. We'll be close behind."

"Looks like a big city."

"Yes, and much of the population has taken up arms and refuses to leave. If the enemy advance reaches the city, the casualties will be substantial."

Taylor lifted his comms unit.

"Inter-Allied assemble immediately, and make your way to the landing zone north of here. Captain Jackson, get your company down here as well, we're moving out fast!"

He gave no information away, but he knew it wasn't necessary. He and Jones turned and quickly got to a running pace. On both sides he could see their units joining them.

"You wanted to get out there and strike at them. Looks like you got your wish, Mitch!”

"They reached the edge of the treeline, and the three companies swarmed out onto the open plain. The copters swooped in with perfect timing. Taylor barely had to break stride as the ramps of the copters were lowering when they reached them. He rushed aboard to a jovial greeting from Rains as always.

"’Morning, Colonel!"

"You know where we're going?"

"We received our orders from Commander Phillips en route. He's with Captain Jackson now. So we're heading for the holy land?"

"Something like that."

"All aboard!" called Jones.

"Get us in the air, Eddie."

They lifted off after having been on the ground for only a minute.

"Haven't several armies already got forces in the area we're heading?" asked Eddie.

"Yeah, but what is there has taken a beating. Further local troops are on the way with reinforcements coming in from neighbouring countries, but this is big. It's gonna take a lot to hold 'em back."

In just a few short minutes, Italy had gone from view, and they were over Greece. They could make out the silhouettes of dozens of warships off to their starboard side.

"Why don't we just nuke 'em?”

"I'm sure we'll try soon enough, Eddie, but with the countermeasures we have seen them use before, I doubt it'll work. No, this going to have to be fought with conventional forces, the way we always have."

It was just over an hour when they saw the coastline of Israel. Eddie was about to announce it when they were rocked by an impact, which he only just managed to brush off.

"We got incoming!"

Pulses rushed up between the copters. Taylor grasped one of the handles at the back of the cockpit to brace himself.

"That's coming in from just a little south, maybe around Gaza!" Eddie shouted.

"Christ they must be close!"

A pulse clipped the engine of one of the copters to their side and cut most of its power. They watched as the pilot fought for control but had no hope. The troops inside bailed out and used their boosters to move as far north as they could.

"How much further?" Taylor asked.

"We're coming up on Hebron now!"

"He lifted his Mappad and saw they were over friendly positions."

"2nd Inter-Allied deploy now, and get these copters to the base north of the city!"

He got to his feet, but as he turned to speak to Eddie, a pulse that ripped a hole in the side of the fuselage struck them. Two of the platoon were thrown out.

"We're going down!"

"Come on!"

Taylor grabbed Eddie and jumped from the door. He knew his boosters would have a hard time breaking the fall of their combined weight over the several hundred metres drop, but it was Rains’ only chance of survival.

"I told you that you should have worn your suit!" he yelled at the pilot as they dropped towards the dusty, hard ground."

"I know that now!"

Guns raged below as they could see Israeli armour battling the enemy advance just a few hundred metres south of where they were going to land.

"This is gonna hurt!"

They hit the ground, and Taylor went into a roll, trying to take the impact and cocooned Eddie in the roll. As he tumbled across the ground, he lost his grip, and Rains was tossed out across the dirt. Taylor finally crashed to a halt as his shoulders smashed into a large rock. He groaned in pain, but he could tell he was still in one piece. He rolled over and got up onto one knee to look for Eddie.

"God damn that hurt," he moaned.

He was still flat out on the ground. His clothing was covered in dirt, and his arms were cut and bleeding, but he was alive.

"Next time I say wear your suit, wear you suit!"

"You got no argument from me."

Taylor stumbled over, hauling him to his feet. The others landed all around.

"That could have gone better."

"We're alive aren't we, Charlie?"

He looked up to the line of armour up ahead. To their backs APCs approached, and artillery fire shot overhead from both sides.

"Looks like we landed in the shit," said Eddie. He pulled out his personal sidearm, the only weapon he had on him.

"We need to find you a proper weapon."

"I'm sure there'll be no shortage lying about the ground."

Taylor motioned for them to go forward even though they were still missing several platoons. He got to a jogging pace as he could see the tanks were fighting from a crest that hid the enemy from view. As they neared, he slowed and through the dust and smoke could see that troops were scattered along the edge and lying in prone positions.

"Friendlies coming in!" he yelled.

There was so much fire all around that only a handful of the soldiers even noticed. He ducked down and went prone beside a few that had turned to acknowledge them. For a moment, they looked both surprised and confused to see their uniforms, but within seconds they no longer cared.

"Colonel Taylor, who's your commanding officer?"

"He's dead. Lieutenant Amar is in charge. She's over there!" he shouted, pointing east along the line."

"Thanks." He noticed several of Jones' platoon had started taking shots at the enemy who were still two hundred metres out.

"Ota! Jackson! Take up position here. Grey spread out to the west! Jones you're with me!"

He got up and rushed behind the cover of the nearest tank while he looked out east. He could see a women shouting at several of the troops and guessed it was Amar. Dead IDF soldiers lay around her position, and a medic was fighting to save one of the wounded. He rushed over to her position and hit the dirt beside her. His landing threw dust up over the Lieutenant. She spat it out, looking back at Taylor ready to yell at him but saw he wasn't one of hers.

"Colonel Taylor, we're here to help."

"About time!"

"What can we do?"

"Get firing. We've got thousands of Mechs advancing on us. We've lost five kilometres in the last hour. Much further and we'll be at the city!"

He looked back to Jones and his company and beckoned for them to move forward and take the positions where the dead lay. They were almost shoulder-to-shoulder with the IDF soldiers wedged between two tanks, one of which was a burning wreck. Taylor put his rifle on the shelf they were using for cover and immediately targeted the first Mech. They were advancing in waves and quickly covering the ground. Several armoured vehicles from both sides lay burning across the plain.

There were so many targets to choose from, he could almost fire blind and still hit something. The enemy front expanded as far as he could see both sides, though smoke and dust limited visibility. Pulses exploded all around, and he felt the burning residue landing everywhere. A heavy weapon beyond his sight hit the surviving tank next to them. The turret was ripped from the hull and sent hurtling twenty metres behind them. He looked back to the enemy and could see a never-ending surge of Mechs and armoured vehicles.

Taylor turned to look at what they had at their backs, and there was nothing but empty space. He grabbed Amar's arm, forcing her to turn away from the battle.

"We can't stay here!" he shouted at her.

"We have to. There is only a kilometre left between here and the city."

"Then we will have to take up position in the city outskirts."

"I won't leave my post!"

Without thinking, he slapped her hard across the face. He hated himself for doing it, but he didn't see a woman before him; he saw a brave officer who was going to be dead, along with all her comrades if he didn't act. Blood seeped from her mouth, and she said nothing.

"This position has fallen. Don't be foolish and stay here to die. Fall back, regroup, and stay in this fight."

It was the reality check she needed, even if it did hurt her pride more than her jaw. She spoke something in Hebrew through her comms unit that meant nothing to Taylor, and then shouted a second time louder. She staggered to get to her feet. She was clearly exhausted. Taylor reached out and helped her.

"Fallback!" he ordered.

He repeated the same into his radio. He turned to see Eddie taking a rifle from one of the bodies and salvaging what ammunition he could. Taylor knew how heavy the bulky weapons were without the aid of a suit and did not envy him for having to manage it.

They got to a quick jogging pace as a few of the tanks began to roll back with them. Taylor could see that less than half of the Israeli armour at the line was able to move.

"We're losing a lot of ground!" said Amar.

"And we'll lose a lot more until we get some serious support," replied Taylor.

"We were promised support from all over, but you're the first to arrive."

"We have another regiment en route. Should be here within an hour."

"Then I hope we can last that long. Militias have made defences at the edge of the city. We'll have to hold there."

The Israelis were one of the few nations still putting people through National Service, and he knew that meant they'd at least have some training, though he doubted their equipment would be up to muster. Pulses still burst around them from indirect fire. The shelf they had fought from at least covered their retreat. Jafar rushed up beside Taylor. He didn't seem to shock Amar. It seemed news of one of the enemy fighting alongside the humans was spreading quickly now.

A few minutes later, they had passed behind the range of the enemy guns and thought they'd reached safety, but it was not to be. Aircraft rushed overhead, and a new wave of enemy pulses crashed down in between them as they ran for their lives. Soldiers from both units were thrown through the air by blasts and tossed around like rag dolls.

One of the pulses burst in front of Taylor, and he dipped his head just in time for the shrapnel to brush over his helmet and save his face. The crater left in front of him was four metres wide and a metre deep.

"They're not going to let up, are they?" asked Jones.

"No," replied Jafar.

"At this rate, they'll be in Jerusalem by tomorrow unless we can stop them," said Amar.

They kept running, and it wasn't long before they could see the defensive positions at the edge of the city. Several kilometres of trench works and walls were being manned by the militias. The defences were at least a welcome sight. They reached the trenches and flooded inside. The pulses continued to burst all around them. Amar and Taylor stuck together as they slid into a trench. The militia looked scared. Taylor could already see they were beginning to regret standing their ground once they could see the troops running for their lives.

"Jones, get on to Phillips and find out when we're getting reinforced!"

"Nobody has seen the Commander since hitting the ground. Word is his copter was hit on the way in."

"Well, find a radio and get on to Harney, and tell him we need more than just 5th Marine Regiment!"

"I'll do what I can."

We're in deep shit, Taylor thought.

The bombardment settled down a few minutes later, but they knew it wouldn't last.

"Be nice if we had some aerial support."

"We did this morning. They took a beating," replied Amar.

"Let's get this straight. We can’t stop them. If we don't get some serious numbers here soon, we're gonna be swept back to Jerusalem in no time."

It was too late. The enemy was already at the edge of the city with their rapid blitz to cut a path through human lines. The tanks begun firing, but the enemy was still out of range of their rifles.

We can’t have made it this far to die in the dirt here.

“Ready your weapons and hold fast!” he yelled.

Jones came running down the line, and he prayed it was good news.

“What is it?”

“Harney has been ordered to the defence of Jerusalem. All forces are ordered to rally there.”

He looked over to Amar.

“That goes for you too, Lieutenant. This is a joint command for all allied forces in the area.”

“What about all these people? We can’t leave them.”

“No, but neither I am willing to risk my life and the lives or my people because they’re too stubborn to save their own skins. Tell them they’ll all die if they stay, and that they need to move out immediately. If they go now, we’ll stay and defend these trenches for ten minutes to give them a head start.”

She knew it was the best offer she was going to get, and she wasn’t keen to stay and die either.

“Time is running short, Lieutenant.”

She nodded in agreement and turned away to relay the message for her soldiers to convey along the border of the city.

“Ten minutes for them to get through town?”

“It’s ten minutes longer than I want to stay here, Jones.”

“True, but what about us? We’ll have a hell of a time getting through with all them ahead of us?”

“After their ten minutes is up, they’re on their own. I want us air lifted out of here.”

“Now we’re talking!” yelled Eddie.

“Find us somewhere they can pick us up and radio it in,” Taylor said to Jones.

Amar stepped back up to his side.

“Looks like most of them are excepting it and moving on.”

“Well they better. It ain’t much of a window to get clear. We’re getting airlifted out of here as soon as those ten minutes are up. I suggest you do the same.”

“No, we’ll fight a retreat back to Jerusalem to make sure the civilians make it.”

Taylor nodded in agreement. He knew it was going to cost them lives, but he was done arguing.

“They should have gotten these people out hours ago,” Jones whispered.

“Yep, and there’s only so much we can do for them. We have a duty to our fellow marines, and I intend to honour it.”

The civilians were climbing out of the trenches as the enemy reached the effective distance of their rifles. Taylor didn’t have to give the order to fire. They all knew what to do, and the sharpshooters among them carefully took the first few shots. Thirty seconds later, the Battalion opened up with everything it had. The thousands of Mechs bearing down on their position were a frightening sight even to the combat hardened veterans.

The enemy fell one rank after the other, but a never-ending stream poured over the bodies. Taylor could see their numbers were expanding to the flanks. The civilians had gotten just five minutes lead-time when the enemy reached the onehundred metre mark. Explosions erupted all along the line, but they suffered few casualties due to their deep trenches. The enemy artillery fire intensified in the last three minutes.

Despite the continuous fire they put down, they seemed to have little effect on the enemy advance, and the increasing amount of fire was forcing them to keep their heads down.

“That’s enough!”

“It’s only been eight minutes!” replied Jones.

“Fuck it, they brought this on themselves by being such idiots.” He lifted his intercom as an explosion sent dirt and stones smashing into his helmet, forcing the two officers to duck down.

“Fall back! Fall back now!”

They clambered out of the trenches under a hail of gunfire. Jones covered Taylor’s back with his shield, saving him from one of the pulses before he’d got a metre from the trench. Mitch still hadn’t found a replacement since his was destroyed the day before, a fact he was all too aware off as the shards of the pulse burst over Jones’ shield and flew past his head.

He turned back briefly to check if his unit were following him. There was nothing left to say or do but run. The speed their suits allowed them was more welcome than ever as explosions erupted all around. At a sprinting pace, they reached the nearest buildings in less than a minute and passed on from line of sight with the enemy.

Taylor lifted his Mappad, checking the location the copters had been requested for, but he didn’t slow his pace any.

Please, please be there, he thought.

They took a bend up ahead where it opened up into a soccer field. Jones had chosen the location well. The birds were waiting for them.

“hallefuckinglujah!” yelled Rains.

Taylor turned to see the pilot was at the front, and he was wearing one of the Reitech suits. He had no idea where he had pillaged it from, but he didn’t care. Whoever he got it from no longer needed it. He came to a halt and ushered his people through, to be certain all the survivors were there. They had taken minor casualties, considering the mass of forces that had assaulted them.

The last few ran past him, and he gladly took to his feet, rushing for Jones who was waiting at the door to one of the copters for him. He breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped up into the craft.

“All of that for what, saving some idiots who wouldn’t leave when they should have?”

“They’re people’s homes, Charlie. Would you be so eager to leave yours?”

“If I knew this was coming, hell yes!”

Taylor pulled the door shut behind him and was glad the onslaught was over.

“Let’s get these birds in the air!”