Yulia was busy telling her superiors of the impending attack, but I took little notice of her jabber as I navigated my wizard menu. I instructed the saucers to engage targets east of the line, making it clear that anything to the west of it was friendly.
The saucers responded in seconds, moving with lightning speed to engage the new targets with their cannon blazing. The ground shook with a mighty sonic boom as one of them passed directly overhead, creating a sudden blast of air that flattened the grass around us and caused the smoke to swirl.
The few remaining dropships shot rearward, speeding back over the river whilst spraying Vulcan fire toward the saucers. The Loyalists couldn’t afford to lose any more of their prized aircraft.
'Let’s just sit here and let the robots do the work, eh?' Skelton suggested with a smirk as a string of explosions sounded ahead of us.
‘If only we could …’ I agreed, still waving my arms through menus as I called up another railgun fire mission.
‘Thunder-God, fire mission received! Be aware I have only one barrel to spare! Wait!’
I slapped at the water. ‘Shit!’
Yulia looked worried. ‘What is wrong?’
‘There’s only one barrel available to me,’ I explained, shaking my head in exasperation. ‘The others are tasked to engage a more important target elsewhere.’
‘Tell them to give you more.’
‘I send the fire missions,’ I replied gruffly, ‘I don’t decide which ones they prosecute. The gun line takes fire missions from all over the battlefield, not just me.’
Yulia fell silent. Regardless of the quality of the FEA and the Guard, she remembered how things were done in a conventional army. She had probably once used artillery against us, I surmised.
I looked over the grass again, watching as the Loyalist troops scattered. Their terrified shouts and screams were just audible over the noise of the attacking saucers.
The airstrike didn’t last long, though. The saucers jerked away from the Loyalist force just as a volley of smart missiles screamed across the river toward them. I watched as they were chased away from their target by the missiles, followed shortly after by a hail of Vulcan fire. Presumably the Loyalists had set up some form of hasty air defence on the far side of the river, I decided, though I couldn’t identify anything.
We watched in dismay as half of the Loyalist force began to disappear into the forest, leaving the other half in the open. Instead of waiting there, though, they began to advance toward us, sweeping across the marshland like an army from times of old. They were running, I saw, anxious to keep moving in order to make themselves difficult to hit by artillery.
‘Thunder-God, shot three-zero!’
A single railgun shell was in the air, thirty seconds away. Devastating as it was, it wouldn’t be enough to prevent the Loyalist advance.
The Loyalist plan was simple, I decided, if only slightly flawed. The main force was in the open, tasked to sweep in to where my section had defended, in the mistaken belief that we were part of a much larger force. A smaller group, complimented by heavy weapons carried by the suits, was using the forest to move under cover into a position from which it could provide fire support.
The main flaw was the fact that their fire support group would risk firing back across the river at their own side - not that they probably cared much.
Either way, I wasn't going to remain where I was. I knew exactly which way the Loyalist forces were going - directly into the side of the home bank force. I didn't want my section to be the only thing sat between the two large units, neither one of which had any concern for our safety.
'Puppy,' I hissed, and waited for him to look up at me. 'Prepare to move!'
'Roger. Prepare to move!'
Just as my message was passed along the section, the single railgun round detonated. Even at such a distance, the sound of the detonation had to be cut by my headphones, but a quick glance told me that it had been virtually ineffective, missing the Loyalist force entirely. I quickly used my wizard kit to adjust the fire.
I beckoned to Skelton and Myers, then set off again, following the stream back toward the forest.
As we fought our way up the stream, Mr Barkley updated me on the FEA response to the Loyalist crossing. It seemed that they had decided to turn their home bank force to face the Loyalist company, which was exactly what we were worried they might do. By diverting their attention away from the river, they risked missing another much larger crossing.
‘I’ve tried to explain to their headquarters that the move may simply be a feint, but they aren’t having it,’ the boss said gloomily. ‘So we’re just going to have to roll with it. I’ve called for additional assets, and I’m trying to push for orbital artillery in case this larger Loyalist force does materialise. There is a large reserve still in the forest at least, including entire companies of Presidential Guard, but the FEA are holding them back. See if you can persuade your liaison officer to task a company from their reserve to strike at the Loyalists in the forest, then create a hard shoulder to keep the remainder in the open. Once they reach the FEA home bank force, we’ll hit them with everything.’
‘Understood! Yulia!’ I called back as we waded through the water. ‘How far away are your reserves?’
‘They are close.’
‘Can you get them to rendezvous with us, just on the edge of the forest here? They will need to be quick!’
She gave a set of instructions over her net, before giving me a nod. ‘They will be there.’
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Butchery
The FEA platoon was already waiting for us as we returned into the forest, huddled closely together like a pack of frightened animals. A sea of visors watched us warily as we approached through the trees, silhouetted by the marshland burning behind us. A few of them jumped as another shell exploded nearby, though whether it was fired by the Loyalists or our own battery, I didn’t know. Somebody whimpered quietly.
‘This lot are bricking it,’ Myers observed.
He was right. They looked absolutely terrified, not that I blamed them, they were virtually children. Their chests were heaving, clearly their platoon commander had run them ragged in order to meet us so quickly.
‘Is this it?’ I asked Yulia, sweeping my arm across the disorganised rabble.
‘This is all we could provide.’
I frowned at her, just as Makito arrived beside us. ‘You mean all you have at your disposal is a platoon of fresh recruits found in the school playground? Where are the Presidential Guard companies? You must have tens of them sat around doing nothing!’
More shells detonated in the marsh, causing the platoon to cower. They were much closer this time, presumably the Loyalists were trying to hit the FEA force that had destroyed their dropships, not realising that it had been merely a section of Union troopers, who had already withdrawn.
Yulia shrugged, almost apologetically. ‘I can’t speak for my superiors. They say that they need as many soldiers as possible to attack across the river. If this force really is your feint, then we will need to hold some back anyway.’
‘I know,’ I said, throwing up my arms in disbelief, ‘but this is ridiculous. What on earth can we do with this lot? Where is their platoon commander?’
Yulia pointed out two soldiers, walking toward me with purpose. One was a young man, not much older than me, with the same look of terror upon his face as the younger soldiers around him. My eyes widened when I realised that he was an officer. Beside him was an older man, perhaps in his early forties. I recognised him to be the Guard officer that had spoken with Yulia in the headquarter tent. My eyes flicked to the rank insignia on his chest and the eagle on his shoulder, identifying him as a major.
‘This is Major Bhasin,’ Yulia introduced, exchanging a respectful nod with him. ‘He is an advisor sent by the Presidential Guard to help the FEA, and he has brought this platoon with him. Major, this is Lance Corporal Moralee, the leader of this Union secti
on.’
Major Bhasin ignored me at first, instead turning to give Makito a warm bow and a handshake, as if he knew him well, before regarding me with disdain. Lowering his head only slightly in acknowledgement, he spoke in his own language, ‘We have been ordered to meet with you here.’
‘Good,’ I replied, and took a knee beside him, gesturing for him and Yulia to follow suit. We were on the battlefield, not a parade ground, so I didn’t want to stand around waiting to be shot by a sniper hiding out in the marsh.
‘What do you want the lads to do?’ Puppy asked, cutting in before I started my brief.
I cursed, all this liaising with the Guard was causing me to forget my primary job as section commander.
‘Sorry mate,’ I said. ‘Push them to the edge of the forest. Adjust the railgun fire if you can, and see if you can get Wildgoose into a decent position, just in case we have to fight too. With this lot in charge that’s looking more likely.’
The three guardsmen fumed as I turned back to them, understanding exactly what I had said. Beside them the FEA officer looked like he wanted to cry.
Whilst Puppy pushed the section outward, I explained to Major Bhasin and the FEA platoon commander what I knew - that a group of heavily armed Loyalists were moving along the edge of the forest into a position to provide fire support back into the marsh. The major didn’t appear to enjoy being briefed up by a Union trooper, fidgeting impatiently as I briefed him.
‘This is not a problem,’ he said once I was finished. ‘We do not have more time to talk, we must move.’
The translation provided by my headset didn’t appear to convey the irritation I picked up from his jabber. As far as he was concerned, I was wasting his time by talking.
The major barked a series of commands to the platoon commander, and seconds later they were off, fanning out into a line, before setting off along the edge of the forest to meet with the enemy. Once a sufficient gap had been left between him and the FEA platoon, the major rose to his feet and followed. I noticed several other guardsmen emerge out of the forest to join him, clearly his bodyguard.
‘What does he need his bodyguard for,’ I asked Yulia as I watched them go, ‘the Loyalists or the FEA?’
Yulia tilted her head in puzzlement. ‘I don’t understand?’
I gestured toward the platoon. ‘It doesn’t look like they’re that happy with their predicament.’
‘The Guard are rounding up new soldiers across Edo and the Bosque, whether they want to go or not. We all have to fight.’
I said nothing, watching as the platoon of child soldiers disappeared into the undergrowth.
Yulia followed my gaze and sighed. ‘It’s easy for you to look down on us. Most of your people have lived in luxury, while we must suffer.’
‘Luxury?’ I laughed bitterly. ‘No. My family are poor, like most families in Europe these days. I was conscripted when I was young, just not as young as these kids.’
‘Your people are poor?’ Yulia cast me a doubtful look. ‘Then why do they allow the people of Paraiso to be so rich?’
I shrugged. ‘God only knows …’
Yulia sighed again, sadly. ‘The world is a strange place.’
‘Isn’t it just.’
I turned to watch the last of Major Bhasin’s bodyguard disappear amongst the trees. ‘Does he even have a plan?’
‘Of course he does,’ Yulia replied. ‘He will use the FEA platoon to halt the Loyalist advance through the forest. The remainder of the Loyalists will die out in the marsh.’
I looked at her dubiously.
‘The soldiers in our platoons have no military experience,’ she conceded, ‘but they are brave. Major Bhasin must work with what he has.’
‘Well let’s hope so,’ I said, before speaking on the section net to Puppy. ‘We’ll split into our two fire teams. Keep yours along the edge of the marsh, so Wildgoose can use his rifle. Priority targets only, and only when it goes noisy. I will stay with the platoon in the forest.’
I saw Puppy give me thumbs-up, understanding his task. Wildgoose’s weapon was best suited to open ground like the marsh, and coupled with the long range of our launchers, it made us more effective than an entire company of FEA soldiers. It wouldn’t be used until the fighting began, though, otherwise we would quickly become singled out as a target.
I tapped my helmet. ‘Charlie fire team close in!’
Myers and Skelton picked themselves up and ran over to join me, and as soon as they were ready I headed off after the FEA platoon, followed by Yulia and her bodyguard.
I tried to keep us far back enough not to be drawn into the inevitable contact with the Loyalists, but close enough to report on the FEA progress to Mr Barkley.
‘God knows what they’re up to,’ the platoon commander said when I told him about the state of the advancing FEA platoon. ‘They should have several battalions of Presidential Guard in reserve. They’re not the best, but they’re a million times better than what the FEA have to offer.’
‘Maybe they’re saving their best for the river crossing?’
There was a pause on the net as Mr Barkley considered that. ‘I don’t think so. I’ve only seen a single Guard company planned for the crossing, and that’s happening very soon. It looks like they’re just holding it all back somewhere … we’ll worry about that later. Right now I need you to observe the initial engagement on your end of the river, mess it up a little and then withdraw back to me.’
‘Mess it up?’
‘You know what I mean. Do what you do.’
I wasn’t sure if I was meant to be insulted, but I considered the conversation over anyway.
It wasn’t long until the first crack of gunfire sounded in the forest. The screams of rifle magnets echoed between the trees as we took cover in the undergrowth.
‘Major Bhasin reports that the platoon has made contact,’ Yulia informed me. ‘There are at least two, maybe three power suits in front of them.’
I quickly relayed the message on to Puppy, telling him that Wildgoose was clear to fire. With the battle now raging in the forest, it was unlikely that the Loyalists would notice the single sniper rifle picking off targets out in the marsh. Creeping through the mud and the grass like an animal on the hunt, with his partner Holland giving him protection, Wildgoose would seek out priority targets amongst the advancing enemy, killing commanders, signallers and weapon specialists.
‘Be aware that you no longer have any artillery or aerial assets,’ the platoon commander warned over the net. ‘I’m concentrating everything we have to assist the crossing on the left flank, which is going in now.’
Mr Barkley was right to take everything from me; the FEA would need everything they could get to cross the river safely. They needed to go on the offensive, and they couldn’t do so without fire support. It didn’t matter for the soldiers in the forest anyway, I couldn’t call in artillery too close to them, because the blast radius was far too large.
The noise of the battle intensified, and stray rounds whizzed through the trees, causing us to duck.
‘What’s going on now?’ I asked.
Yulia was concentrating, listening in to the conversations being spoken over her own net. I imagined it was quite difficult to listen to their communications, especially since there seemed to be a regular FEA command structure with a Presidential Guard hierarchy working alongside it.
‘The platoon commander is finding his task difficult,’ she said finally. ‘Major Bhasin is trying to advise him.’
Something exploded amongst the trees, causing everyone but me and Yulia to jump.
‘What’s the problem?’
‘The suits,’ Yulia explained. ‘They cannot destroy them.’
‘They’ll just have to use a smart missile or a guided grenade,’ I said. A rifle or mammoth was no use against a suit at any range over twenty or so metres, each dart losing too much of its power after it left the barrel.
Yulia’s lips tightened. ‘They do not have them.’
‘Are you shitting me?’ I spluttered.
‘No. They are not equipped with such weapons. They are being kept for the crossing.’
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. ‘You can’t send a platoon of troopers into battle without missiles and grenades!’ I pointed out toward the noise of the battle. ‘That’s not a bunch of Paraiso villagers for you to shoot at - that’s a fully equipped platoon!’
Makito bristled, whilst Yulia shook visibly with rage. Crouched close by, Myers and Skelton looked to both of us as we argued, like spectators at a tennis match.
‘We work with what we have,’ she shouted. ‘That is it! Those soldiers will die, but they will do so to hold back the enemy long enough for us to cross the river!’
‘My arse,’ I spat. ‘You’re sending them in to die so you can keep your precious Guard out of harm’s way!’
‘What is the difference? Where is your army? They stay away so they don’t get their hands dirty, and they send you in on your own instead!’
‘Yeah, but I know what I’m fucking doing! What chance do those poor bastards have? It’s no wonder your major needs a bodyguard! If I was one of those kids I’d shoot him and run!’
Suddenly Makito’s hand flicked toward a knife he kept on his belt, but Yulia spotted the motion, grasping his wrist before he reached the blade. Skelton and Myers looked on nervously, their weapons half-raised.
My eyes narrowed as I regarded the young bodyguard. ‘You’re a lucky man, mate. She just saved your life.’
Makito’s eyes burned with fury. He knew what I had said; his headset would have translated for him.
‘Makito misunderstood you,’ Yulia said after a tense few moments, glaring at the young Guardsman. ‘He thought that you were threatening the major, but you were not. Sometimes the translation does not come through properly.’
Makito relaxed, and his hand moved away from the knife. He looked away angrily.
Gunfire continued to be exchanged nearby, and I returned my attention to the battle. ‘How are they doing?’
EDEN (The Union Series) Page 15