The Arizona State Guard Trilogy

by Jeffrey M. Fortney

  Rockets and anti-tank munitions suddenly flashed from the ASGuard and National Guard helos as well as from a dozen locations on the wall and the ground. Through openings in the smoke, Marcus could see the enemy's armored vehicles begin to take hit after hit. A couple of them got off a final round before they were taken out of action. Those rounds caused only minor damage before the armored vehicles and their crews were silenced forever.

  The Battle of Sasabe continued as the long Arizona twilight faded into night and darkness. Slowly, painfully...the defenders of Sasabe took their toll on their attackers. More ASGuard and National Guard reinforcements arrived and joined the fight. Not surprising, more civilian reinforcements from within the county and surrounding counties arrived to help. Word had gotten out and each of them wore a small Arizona flag tied to their left arm. They also arrived heavily armed with rifles, shotguns, pistols, knives, and plenty of ammo!

  The battle continued well into the night. The ASGuard, Border Patrol, and National Guard troops switched to night vision goggles in order to see the enemy attackers through the darkness. The sheriff and his deputies left the front lines to begin checking on the large number of people injured or just wandering around the streets of Sasabe. Fires burning in and around the town provided enough light to let the civilians assist the medics in finding wounded personnel and moving them to cover where the medics could care for them. The dead were moved to keep roadways open.

  Around 4:30 a.m., the invaders, those still alive at least, began to fall back from the border. Their will to fight was broken like so much of their military equipment, destroyed by the defenders of Sasabe!

  By dawn, the Battle of Sasabe was over. Smoke hung over the small town. Fire trucks and ambulances arrived from around the county to assist. Major Roman and Sergeant Major Templeton moved amongst the defenders, offering words of praise or comfort as needed.

  At one point, they saw Michelle Dolenz and her cameraman standing by their slightly damaged news van. Through tear filled eyes, she reported on the death, destruction, bravery, and sacrifice they had witnessed during the battle. At least this, Marcus noted, she's reporting it as straight news now; not twisting it as so many newscasters seemed to do in recent years!

  At a first aid station, they found Major General Roman having his right shoulder bandaged by his daughter-in-law. When the younger officer started to salute the general, the elder simply reached forward with his left arm and drew his son in an embrace. "Thank God, you're safe, son!" Titus said. Then he yelped as Lieutenant Teresa Roman lifted his right arm slightly to apply a sling. "Teresa, that is no way to treat your father-in-law!" Titus said with mock anger, the twinkle in his eyes telling her that he was only joking.

  "Well, Dad, if you had zigged instead of zagged, you probably wouldn't have gotten hit!" Teresa replied, ribbing her father-in-law in return. "Now, behave or I'll call Mother and tell her that you've been in a firefight...again!"

  Titus held up his good arm and hand and said, "Pax! I surrender! I'll behave! Thank God, Marion is in Phoenix and preparing to go to Colorado Springs for the new Constitutional Convention! By the time she gets home, I'll be healed up and she'll be about over her mad at me."

  Teresa looked up and over at Sergeant Major Templeton and stepped over to him quickly. Templeton's normally dark face was gray and he was unsteady on his feet.

  "Marcus!" Teresa called. Her husband leaped to the aid of his old friend and caught him as he collapsed. Marcus and Teresa moved Templeton over to a makeshift treatment table and began checking for wounds.

  An ASGuard doctor quickly joined them and they began cutting and stripping Templeton's uniform from his body. His undershirt was bloody on the right side and once it was removed, they could see where a bullet wound pierced his side. With the doctor's orders, other medics started an IV and put an oxygen mask on the old soldiers face.

  After a quick examination, the doctor said, "He's lucky! It's through and through. It punched through the front, glanced off a rib, and exited through his side. If it had gone the other way, he'd be dead! We'll need to clean it carefully, check for any rib splinters or shrapnel, and then close it up. Sergeant Major, you are officially on the sick list so lean back and rest!" Templeton gave the doctor a thumbs up and shook Marcus' outstretched hand.

  Marcus and Teresa shared a quick hug and kiss before he had to inspect the line, ensure sentries were posted, and ensure the border was secure. Then, he thought, I'll have time to mourn the deaths of my troopers...my friends.

  Chapter 10

  By noon, General Roman received a preliminary briefing from Marcus and the other officers of the ASGuard, Border Patrol, National Guard, Sheriff's Department, and Highway Patrol. The current situation was stable on both sides of the border. One screen in the temporary forward command post showed the casualties:

  ASGuard - 51

  Border Patrol - 14

  National Guard - 29

  Sheriff's Department - 5

  Arizona Highway Patrol - 9

  Citizens of Sasabe and neighboring towns - 18

  The number of injured defenders, from minor injuries to those in critical condition, was much higher in each group. Many of them had refused to withdraw for first aid or medical treatment until the tide of battle had turned. As Marcus watched the screen, the numbers changed with two more ASGuard and another Sheriff's Deputy having died.

  More than one hundred and fifty of the invaders were dead. Many of them were found to have concealed weapons or explosives upon their persons which they never got to use. More than two hundred injured invaders were being housed temporarily in an old warehouse under a full-time guard. Over four hundred uninjured illegals were being housed in other warehouses after being thoroughly searched for weapons.

  Thirty-two of the invaders appeared to be of Middle Eastern origin based upon documents found on them, their accents, and the languages they could be heard speaking to their comrades. Virtually all of those found with explosive vests on their bodies were Middle Eastern.

  General Roman reported that attacks had occurred elsewhere along the border but were much smaller and far less deadly for the Arizonans. Additional personnel were on their way to bolster the Sasabe Sector for the immediate future.

  Governor Alvarez had received a harshly worded communique from President Carrington of the PSSA condemning the violent actions of the ASGuard and others against the poor people who were merely trying to immigrate to Arizona. Alvarez sent a short and simple reply to Carrington, "Piss off, Piss Ant!" The ASGuard troopers chuckled at the thought of the Governor telling off Carrington like that. The nickname Governor Alvarez applied to the PSSA president and her constituents would stick.

  Alvarez had also been in contact with the governors of the other Conservative States. They were engaged in the process of setting up a new United States Government, one that would take its Constitutional responsibilities very seriously. Border security being a key component of the new government to keep its people safe!

  Finally, Titus told those assembled, the Governor expressed her thanks to the defenders of Sasabe. She would join them later that evening to visit the town and attend a town hall meeting.

  Marcus rode with his father back to the ASGuard Compound. Titus reported to the medical center to have his right shoulder dressing changed while Marcus checked in on Templeton. The sergeant major was resting comfortably and was looking better already. Teresa stepped over to tell Marcus that it had been a clean wound with minimum internal damage.

  One of the ASGuard doctors stepped over to Marcus. "Major, let me take a look at you."

  "I'm fine, doc," Marcus replied.

  "No, sir, you're not!" said the doctor. "You are exhausted, dehydrated, running on adrenaline only, and about to fall on your ass when that wears off! You've taken care of business...taken care of your personnel. Now let us take care of you."

  Teresa looked at her husband and nodded, affirming what the doctor was saying. Titus stepped over and said, "Listen to the d
octor, son! Let 'em check you over, get cleaned up, put on a fresh uniform, get some chow, then close your eyes for a couple of hours. You've done your part. I'll let your number two know he's got the show for a bit. And I'll be here if he needs any help."

  Marcus nodded and let Teresa and the doctor guide him to a quiet spot. Teresa helped him removed his battle gear, boots, and uniform. While the doctor examined him, Teresa ran over to their quarters to gather up fresh clothes and footwear for them both. Returning to the med center, she found the doctor watching Marcus as he consumed a "meal, ready to eat" and drink some electrolyte balancing juice.

  Finished with his MRE, Marcus let Teresa guide him to a shower in the med center. The hot water certainly helped ease his aching muscles and the pulse of the water jet made him feel drowsy. Stepping from the shower, Marcus had to admit he felt better...just exhausted. Once he was dressed, Teresa escorted him to their quarters and promised him she would wake him in four hours. Lying down on his bed, he fell asleep even as she was kissing him. Setting his combat gear in one corner of the room, she removed his boots and shut off the room lights before leaving to return to the med center.

  A little over three and a half hours later, Marcus opened his eyes and peered around the darkened room. He paused to listen to the sounds of the compound and let himself come fully awake. He rose, stretched, then sat back down on the bed to put his boots back on. The door to the quarters opened slowly and Teresa stepped in.

  "Hey," she said, "you're still supposed to be asleep!" Since Marcus was awake, she turned on the room's lights.

  Marcus squinted against the sudden brightness and smiled at Teresa. "I just now woke up, Honey!" He rose, stepped over to his wife, and took her in his arms. "Thank God, you weren't hurt. I was worried about you the whole time." He kissed her lips.

  When the kiss broke, Teresa said, "I worried about you, too! But we talked about this before we got married. We're soldiers...it's part and parcel of who we are. We'll take whatever time God will give us." She kissed him this time. They stood together for several minutes, holding onto each other. Finally, they stepped back.

  Teresa said, "Well, it's after 1700 hours. Time for you to return to duty, Major Roman, sir! The mayor contacted the general and the town hall meeting will start around 7:00 p.m. That'll give us some time to get a bite to eat, then you'll want to check in your father and the troops."

  Marcus smiled at his wife. "Yes ma'am! Let's go get something to eat! And no MRE, this time! Ugh!" He donned his combat harness and gathered up his helmet and weapon.

  A little more than half an hour later, Marcus and Teresa walked into the med center. After checking on Templeton again, he thanked the doctor who had advised him to eat and rest. Leaving Teresa at the med center, Marcus walked over to the Command Post.

  The usual hubbub of activity and sounds in the Command Post quieted as he entered, then the personnel began to clap and cheer. Marcus smiled at them and waved his hands to stop them! "My thanks to all of you and those who were injured or died," he said to them. His father walked over to him from the central console and put his good arm over his son's shoulder.

  As the room quieted down, Titus walked Marcus over to the main console to brief him on the status of events in the last four hours. After the short briefing, Marcus used the CP radio to contact his commanders still in the field to let them know he was back on duty, to see if they needed anything, and to thank them for their brave efforts. After a while, Marcus and his father left the CP and walked the compound to speak with the personnel there. Finally, it was time to get ready for the meeting.

  Teresa was waiting for Marcus and Titus at the motor pool. Marcus helped his wife, then his father into the vehicle they would be taking to the meeting. Closing the ramp behind him, Marcus signaled the driver that they were ready to move out. Two armed and armored vehicles pulled out ahead of them and two more followed as escorts.

  Minutes later, the vehicles stopped at the edge of a large crowd of people assembled in the front of the fire station. When the vehicles stopped, armed ASGuard security personnel stepped from the escort vehicles and scanned the area before allowing the Romans to disembark from their vehicle. As Marcus stepped from his vehicle, the crowd began to clap and cheer! The crowd parted to let the Romans pass as they walked to the fire station.

  Governor Ellie Alvarez met them at the large, overhead doors leading into the fire station. "Well done, gentlemen!" she said as she shook hands first with Titus, then Marcus, and then Teresa. "Come on, up this way!" she said escorting them to the table at the front of the audience. As he walked, Marcus saw Michelle Dolenz and her cameraman off to one side. Then he noticed a number of other news crews in attendance as well.

  After the governor and the Romans had taken their seats, the mayor of Sasabe called the meeting to order. Father Carl Hanlon said a short prayer, then a city council woman led them in the Pledge of Allegiance. Then Mayor Guiterrez stepped forward.

  "Friends, thank you all for being here tonight. I know many of you have lost loved ones and friends or have someone who has been injured that you would like to be with right now, but it is important for us to be here tonight. First, to thank those who protected us in our time of need. Second, for us to gather together as a community in this time of crisis. And third, for us to rededicate ourselves as citizens of Arizona and Sasabe. I would like to welcome Governor Alvarez and thank her for coming to our town. Some of you have already met Major Marcus Roman, commander of our ASGuard Compound, and his wife, Lieutenant Teresa Cortez-Roman. Let me introduce his father, Major General Titus Roman, commander of the Arizona State Guard. Thank you for being with us this evening, sir. May I invite the Governor to speak, please." Mayor Guiterrez took his seat as Governor Alvarez moved to the microphone.

  "Good evening!" Ellie Alvarez began. "I am proud to be here with you tonight! I am equally proud of you for coming together as you did, not just to defend the great town of Sasabe, but to defend our great State of Arizona!" She paused as the crowd roared with applause. "The United States of America has once again reached a tipping point; torn apart by opposing political philosophies that have driven a wedge between our peoples, our government, and our great nation. When that government refused to protect its citizens, it violated the Constitution, creating a Constitutional Crisis. As I speak, those states who would honor the Constitution of the United States of America are trying to salvage what is left of that union and rededicate it to the principles the Founding Fathers and Framers of our Constitution envisioned." She paused again to let the audience applaud.

  "We don't know if the old United States will ever be restored. But the State of Arizona and its people will stand by our fellow Constitutionalists. In the meantime, the Arizona Government will do what the federal government failed to do, we will protect our people. To that end, the State Legislature and I established the Arizona State Guard and began construction of the Southern Border Defense System (the SBDS)...what some affectionately call 'the Ditch and the Wall!'" Hoots and cheers echoed within the fire station.

  "Major General Titus Augustus Roman, a son of Arizona and a highly decorated veteran of the U.S. Army was our choice to lead the ASGuard. This choice has proven to be the correct one...as he and his personnel have built an efficient and effective defense force to protect our borders and our citizens. Thanks to the efforts of the ASGuard, working in conjunction with the Border Patrol, the Arizona National Guard, the Pima County Sheriff's Office, and the Arizona Highway Patrol, the number of illegal border crossings has dropped dramatically. As our Ditch and Wall neared completion, it was expected that those in the south would intensify their efforts to prevent the completion of our border defenses." She paused to take a sip of water before continuing.

  "Intelligence gathered from a wide variety of sources showed that massive attacks upon our border were being planned. General Roman's ASGuard and our other brave agencies prepared for these attacks. Tonight, I announce that we have evidence proving that last night's attacks
upon Douglas, Nogales, and Sasabe were planned and executed by an unholy alliance of drug cartels, Central America gangs, rogue Mexican military personnel, and Middle Eastern jihadist groups. To the news agencies here tonight, we will provide you access to see this evidence, to let you film it, so that you may report about it to others. Additionally, I will submit this evidence to the President of Mexico, the coalition of Conservative States, and any other entity who wishes to see it." She paused to let this part sink in.

  "We have lost friends and family members in the attack. We must remember that scores of people from Aduana del Sásabe were stampeded by those unholy aggressors; forced to act as human shields for the barbarians who planned and carried out the attack. Our neighbors in Aduana del Sásabe also mourn tonight for those lost or injured who were innocent victims of the attack upon us. For now, we have broken the alliance's ability to fight. Tomorrow, our construction workers will resume work on the final sections of the SBDS. Our border defenders will be on full alert to prevent any and all attacks upon these personnel until the project is complete." The crowd erupted in cheers and applause.

  "Let me finish by thanking each of you again for your sacrifices for our State and our citizens. Thank you all for your loyalty to our great state and your courage to act in its defense. Now let me turn this back over to Mayor Guiterrez," Alvarez finished and stepped over to shake the mayor's hand.

  Guiterrez stepped to the microphone and waited for the crowd to quiet down before introducing the next speaker. "Folks, let's give a warm Sasabe welcome to Major General Titus Augustus Roman, commander of the Arizona State Guard!" Again cheers and applause rang out as General Roman rose, clapped the mayor on the shoulder with his good hand, and stepped up to the microphone.

  "I'll keep this short and sweet. I want to thank our border defense partners, the men and women of the Border Patrol, the Arizona National Guard, Pima County Sheriff's Department, the Arizona Highway Patrol, and the wonderful people of Sasabe and Pima County and surrounding communities! Without you, the ASGuard might have been overrun last night and more lives and property lost. I want to thank the personnel of ASGuard Unit Four and their commander, Major Marcus Aurelius Roman. You have done us proud!" More cheers and applause. Titus waved Marcus over to join him at the microphone. When Marcus reached his father's side, the older man took his son's hand in his good hand and raised them over their heads. The crowd went wild!