“Our intelligence sources have informed us that the PSSA intends to influence the direction of this surge and drive them towards our borders. In short, use them as shock troops and cannon fodder along the borders to tie up our defense forces. Intelligence further suspects a variety of other types of attacks within the border-states from airborne forces and…even the possibility of missile attacks.” She paused again and she seemed to look at each member of the ASGuard, then she began to speak once more.
“Once again, we need you to defend our great state. However, you will not be alone in this fight! US military forces will also be deployed along our borders and at other key locations within Arizona and other states. Army units from Fort Huachuca will coordinate and operate with ASGuard troopers along the Wall. Marine Corps personnel from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma will deploy with ASGuard personnel along the Colorado River from Yuma northwards.” A look of great sadness filled the governor’s face.
“Until now, our new civil war has been more of a cold war than one with open hostilities. But the battle will soon be upon us and once again the continent will see brother and sister fight brother and sister,” she said solemnly. “You have sworn to uphold the principles of our Founding Fathers and the Constitution they wrote for us. It is your mission to protect this state and our republic from all enemies, foreign and domestic. I know each of you will comport yourselves according to the highest traditions of our ancestors! God bless you, the Great State of Arizona, and the United States of America!” The image remained a moment longer then faded out.
General Roman looked from where the image had been out into the theater. His gaze started at one side of the room and moved slowly around the room to the far side. He also looked at the monitors where his deployed personnel appeared. The cameras attached to those monitors carried his gaze to those personnel, wherever they were located. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is the hand we’ve been dealt. We’ve always known that full-fledged war might break out one day. People such as us have warned others of the Progressive Agenda and the IGC and the dangers they pose to our way of life and our very existence. Now, we must stand ready…to fight…to defend our state and our country…to preserve our way of life. God be with each of you in the days ahead. Chaplain Terry Travers, please step forward and give us a benediction please.”
Travers, like other military chaplains before him, had performed religious ceremonies for a variety of different beliefs over the years. And the ASGuard, like much of American society was composed of men and women of many faiths. He stepped forward and cleared his throat, then spoke solemnly, “Lord of Creation, we your children ask your forgiveness for our sins and seek your guidance and your blessings in our valiant battles to come. Be with each of us, guide and protect us, and, if it is Thy will, bring us to Your hearth and home should we fall. Amen!” A chorus of ‘amens’ echoed through the hall.
General Roman seemed to stand even taller behind the podium, his voice deepened, and he said resolutely, “Now troopers, let’s get to work!”
Chapter 8
November 11th
Near Deer Island, AZ
Colonel Marcus Roman looked out the window of the hovering CH-47 Chinook helicopter as it flew south along the eastside of the Colorado River. The helo was currently south of Parker, Arizona, nearing Deer Island. Marcus had been assigned by General Roman to assess the defensive emplacements being upgraded along the Colorado River.
Marcus keyed his microphone to speak to the helo’s pilot and co-pilot. “Frodo…Lu…just off the nose, beyond that bend in the river.”
The voice of Majors Fred ‘Frodo’ Hills came into Marcus’ headphones. “Gotcha, colonel. Hang on, we’re putting ‘er down!” The large, military cargo helicopter dropped quickly towards the earth below. Hills and co-pilot, Major Luella ‘Lu’ Mingus, were considered two of the best pilots in the ASGuard, which was the reason Marcus’ had asked them to join his 1st Battalion. Their skills in handling the CH-47 and UH-60 helicopters under routine and combat conditions had saved the day and many lives over the years.
“Roger that,” answered Marcus. He waited until the helo was on the ground and the rotors were winding down before he shed his headset, donned his helmet, and unbuckled his seat harness. The ramp at the rear of the helicopter was lowered to allow Marcus and his team to exit the aircraft. That team included MAJ Tommi Thompson, SMG Tobias Cowen, and PVT Tony Parker. They quickly followed him from the helo and walked with him to a group of ASGuard troopers who were hoisting a sign into place and screwing it to two upright posts. The sign was written in three languages, English, Spanish, and Arabic, and read:
NO ENTRY
Turn back now!
Illegal entry into the State of Arizona and
the United States of America will result in
your apprehension, detention, or injury. Any
use of force by you in illegally entering AZ and
the USA will be answered by force being used
against you. The use of deadly force is authorized!
NO ENTRY
Sergeant Major Cowen looked at the sign, then asked COL Roman, “Sir, do you think these signs will really do any good?”
Marcus shook his head and answered, “No, sergeant major, I don’t! But, we intend to provide a series of warnings to anyone who will try to cross our borders illegally. This is one method. The next level is the use of speakers, like that one up there on that pole, to issue verbal warnings, also in multiple languages, as people approach the border. After that is a warning shot followed by another verbal warning. If that doesn’t stop them…and Tobias, I don’t think any of it will…then we are authorized to use whatever force is necessary to halt what we expect will be a hostile invasion of our sovereign territory. I don’t have to like them but those are the Rules of Engagement we and everyone else in the US have been given for this operation.”
Tobias Cowen grunted. He’d served enough time overseas in the U.S. Army to understand that ROEs are important…but could sometimes work against the troopers. “Yes sir,” he responded to his commanding officer.
Marcus turned to the NCO in charge of the group of troopers he’d come to visit. “Master Sergeant Knowles, how’s it going?”
MSG Terry Knowles turned from supervising his troopers and stepped over to Marcus. Knowles didn’t snap to attention or salute as the ASGuard was operating in the field under potential combat conditions. Knowles didn’t want to mark the colonel as a target to a sniper who might be hidden across the river.
“Howdy, colonel! Good to see you, sir!” Knowles said cheerfully to Roman and shook the proffered hand. We’ve been installing these signs about every 100 yards along our side of the river. We’ve got a couple of more to set up in our sector and we’ll be done. The speakers and sensor suites we’ve been mounting to the top of the posts are solar powered and wirelessly connected to our sector HQ. That’s some pretty cool tech we got from the Army, eh sir?”
Marcus nodded. The devices were more of the advanced technologies recovered from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration (DARPA) labs back east following the breakup of the old United States. Going wireless with the sensor suites and speakers saved the ASGuard and U.S. military forces along the borders a significant amount of time in preparing their observation posts and defenses.
“How’re your bunker and observation posts coming along?” asked Marcus.
Knowles waved for Marcus and his team to follow him to a slight hill about a 100 yards away. The group followed the NCO around to the eastside of the hill to discover a series of steps going down into the ground. “These new cargo-hab units are awesome, colonel! The materials they are made of are incredibly strong yet lightweight. And the power systems that come with them are easy to set up and connect! We had a construction crew come in one day with a couple of excavators and bulldozers. They dug the trenches in one day! That night, these massive trucks came in hauling the cargo-habs on trailers. Those big rigs had these crane-like arms t
hat lifted the cargo-habs from the trailers and set ‘em down them in the trenches! They even come with pre-cast stairs! Then the excavators backfilled the trenches covering the habs…and there we were! And they did it all in darkness using the new night vision gear!”
Marcus Roman was impressed. Each sector had three interconnected cargo-habs buried partially underground to serve as living quarters and a command post. Four other cargo-habs were spread out and semi-buried, two to the north and two to the south of the command post. Those served as observation posts and bunkers.
MSG Knowles invited Marcus and his team to follow him down the stairs and into the command post. The power supply, buried near the CP and connected to it by heavy cables, obviously provided plenty of power to run the electronics and climate control systems within the cargo-habs. The place was quite comfortable in terms of size, lighting, and climate control. Knowles showed the others the control panels that monitored the inputs from the sensor suites and the observers posted nearby. The monitors on the panel displayed the areas in and around each observation post. He used the controls to run the sensor displays through a variety of filters to demonstrate night vision and other capabilities.
“That’s pretty cool, colonel!” said Private Parker. Marcus and the others chuckled. Parker began to blush and Marcus patted him on the shoulder.
“It IS pretty cool, Tony!” Marcus told the young trooper. Then he turned to Knowles and asked, “Master sergeant, where are your vehicles?”
“Oh, didn’t you see ‘em on your way in, sir?” asked Knowles with an impish grin. He signaled for the group to follow him and they left the bunker. A short walk east led towards what appeared to be three sand dunes. Knowles lead them to the southside of the center dune and stepped into a slight depression in its side. His right hand moved forward and, gripping something, pulled back a flap of sand-colored material. Knowles stepped forward, indicating the others should follow, and led them into a camouflaged tent-like structure. In the center of the structure sat one of the ASGuard’s Stryker Combat Vehicles!
Marcus and the others noticed that the temperature under the fabric seemed cooler than outside. Cowen looked at Knowles and raised his eyebrows in a questioning manner. Knowles grinned and pointed towards a boxy unit set a few feet from the side of the Stryker. “Self-powered environmental control unit…keeps the area under the fabric warmer or cooler than the outside temperature. The fabric’s exterior remains at the same temperature as the local environment…masking the interior! The vehicle remains cool so we don’t have to start it as often to run its environmental control systems.”
“So, between your personnel, observation posts, command post, and vehicles; are you good to go, MSG Knowles?” asked Major Thompson.
“Yes ma’am!” Knowles replied. “We’ll finish posting our signs and sensors by tomorrow. Our facilities are set up and concealed. We’ve reconned our sector and are familiar with it. And we’re receiving regular supply runs and communications! We’re cocked, locked, and ready to rock!” Everyone smiled at the old military phrase that indicated personnel were prepared for anything.
Marcus extended a hand to Knowles and said, “Alright, Terry! We’ll get out of your hair and let you and your people finish your chores. Let me know if there’s anything you need or if there’s something we need to upgrade, okay?”
Knowles answered, “Yes sir! Will do! Safe travels, everyone!” He led them back outside and followed them to the waiting CH-47. As they approached the aircraft, Marcus held one hand in the air and spun it in a circle to signal Hills and Mingus to fire up their helo. Everyone shook Knowles’ hand and wished him well; then made their way to the Chinook’s rear ramp. Moments later, they were airborne and heading toward the next border outpost.
**********
Islamic Global Caliphate Embassy
The District
Abdul Aziz Mohammed Al Zahrani stood before a large map of the North American continent. It was a recent map that accurately reflected the new borders of the People’s Socialist State of America and the United States of America. His lieutenant, Mustafa Muhammad Al-Fakeeh, stood nearby listening carefully to his amir as the older man described the current conditions upon the continent.
“Here in the East and here in the West,” Al Zahrani said as his right hand indicated those regions on the map, “the infidel bitch’s plan is to turn her people against one another, sweep the useless chaff from the cities, reduce her surplus population, then use the survivors as cannon fodder in attacks upon her enemies to open their borders. Our warriors, with her loyalist forces, will then drive in by land and air!” Al Zahrani did not sound particularly enthused with Carrington’s battle plan but he would use her ambition and her cannon fodder to further the Caliph’s goal of pacifying the North American continent and enslaving its peoples to the Caliphate.
“My amir,” Al-Fakeeh began, “I follow you and our Caliph in Allah’s glorious cause. I do not trust these infidels! I know Philip Caldwell is not a believer in their politics but serves them for his own reasons.”
Al Zahrani looked at his lieutenant and asked, “Mustafa, do not think for a moment that I trust them either. When the time is right, I shall gladly draw my blade across as many of their throats as I am able. Now, tell me of your recent visit to Mexico.”
Al-Fakeeh brightened, “Yes, my amir! I met with our allies in Mexico. They are moving their forces into position along their northern border. They are massing tanks, rocket launchers, personnel carriers, aircraft, weapons, and personnel along this line here.” He pointed to a line running east to west some 30 miles south of the border. “Our warriors and their vehicles are moving into position alongside them. Our fighter, bomber, and cargo aircraft are staged at airports here, here, here, and over here. Our troop transports and other naval vessels, such as they are, are located along the East and West coasts approximately 40 nautical miles from shore. Unfortunately, our southern fleet is unable to move into the Gulf of Mexico. The enemy’s naval forces have that area blockaded.”
Al Zahrani nodded. “This is good, Mustafa! Good indeed. Our warriors of the land, air, and sea stand ready to strike when we give the word.”
“Sadly, my amir, the ships, aircraft, and combat vehicles are not the most modern…” Al-Fakeeh began.
His chieftain waved him to silence, “They will have to be sufficient to the task, Mustafa! It is unfortunate that, as our Caliphate conquered many nations, their militaries destroyed their most advanced weaponry…and the means to manufacture them…lest it fall into our hands. Still, we shall make up in numbers what we lack in new technology. With the vast numbers of our warriors, we can overwhelm the heathens!”
What Al Zahrani did not tell his lieutenant was that Caliph Suleyman and many of his advisors, to include Al Zahrani himself, believed that some of the weapons and war machines of conquered lands had escaped capture and/or destruction. There had been too many rumors of ships and aircraft leaving their home ports and not being spotted since. Additionally, the conquered nations had destroyed their satellite access equipment, preventing the IGC from using the many spy satellites still in orbit to gather intelligence data from above.
“Mustafa, our warriors must be ready to move against the infidels when the time is right. Please keep me apprised of our readiness,” said Al Zahrani.
“I shall, my amir!” promised Al-Fakeeh.
“Then leave me for now, my faithful lieutenant! I must pray and cleanse my soul for I meet with the ‘great’ Madame President again this night,” said Al Zahrani with unconcealed sarcasm and loathing. “I must ask Allah for forgiveness and strength for what I must do this evening to further our cause. I shall see you altogether too soon for our trip to the so-called ‘People’s Palace’.”
Al-Fakeeh bowed and retreated from his master’s presence. Al Zahrani unrolled his prayer mat and placed it carefully upon the floor; orienting himself towards Mecca. He removed his coat and shoes, then facing toward Mecca, Al Zahrani knelt on his prayer rug and
began to pray in earnest.
**********
The People’s Palace
The District
President Sherrill Carrington paced the Oval Office, pausing from time to time to look closely at one Socialist icon then another. Abdul Aziz Mohammed Al Zahrani was late for their evening together. She paused for a moment to recall their last sexual encounter. She sighed as a sexual thrill washed through her body.
Several moments later, Carrington’s aide announced the arrival of Ambassador Al Zahrani. President Carrington tried to compose herself before the Islamic Global Caliphate’s representative entered the room. When he did, she stepped into the center of the room and extended her right hand. “Ambassador, thank you for joining me this evening!”
Al Zahrani, used to working with Westerners and Western women, took the proffered hand, bent at the waist, and kissed the back of Carrington’s hand. As he did so, the middle finger of his right hand gently rubbed the palm of Carrington’s hand, signaling a more intimate greeting.
“Thank you, Madame President. It is a pleasure to visit the People’s Palace once more bearing my great Caliph’s words to you,” responded Al Zahrani as he stood upright.
The Arizona State Guard Trilogy Page 45