by Aidan Colyer
“Any bright ideas?”
“Let’s try the new range on the scopes. I’m thinking the night vision may make these long shots more interesting.”
Roland agreed, and they ran to the edge of the mesa finding a clear view over the battlefield below.
Chapter 4.
Roland lay down and played his scope across the battlefield. He hadn’t turned on his night vision yet. The light coming from the still smouldering wrecks cast flickering shadows and ample illumination for him to mark his targets. Roland found the armoured unit’s infantry pinned down behind chunks of blown out half-track and tank. He traced the arcs of the incoming fire for a second and was able to pick out the direction of the wind. The plumes of dust sent up by the bullets as they hit the dusty surface were enough as they wafted away in the breeze. He adjusted and followed the trajectory of the bullets. The enemy continued firing from darkened positions. He saw the occasional muzzle flash but nothing else. Reaching up, he turned on the night vision and the battlefield became a green wasteland. The enemy stood out perfectly now. They didn’t have particularly strong positions or even much cover. The darkness was what they were relying on. Roland smiled and pulled his hood up and over to stop the dust that had started to sting his cheek. He lined up the first shot and adjusted. He fired. The enemy slumped tot eh floor. First shot kill Roland thought. That was definitely the way to go. He waited for the team he had hit to react. None moved when their comrade went down. Just where Roland wanted them. He moved across and shot another two members of the squad. The other squad members were getting twitchy now which would work in his favour. The first to turn was hit in the face by Watts as Roland tried to get a bead on him. Like that was it he thought. He switched to the next target and fired. He grazed them with the first shot and followed up with a second that took them out. Another few shoots and between them they had removed the squad.
“You pick the next one,” Roland said loading a fresh magazine into his rifle.
“To the right of the first. Let’s make a hole in the centre.”
Roland followed her directions and picked out the troops she meant. There were at least two squads if not three hunkered down behind a series of sandbags and dunes. Roland shot the heavy machine guns first. He took out two teams that were laying down pinning fire as Watts worked her way through the squad. The enemy soon realised the fire they were coming under wasn’t from their troops at the front. They retreated trying to put cover between them and the snipers. About half of them got away between the rocks with the other half being taken out by Watts and Roland. They searched for another target but only found the odd team. Roland switched to looking for the grav track that had called them in. He found it off to the right. They made it to the road and were using the vehicle as cover to advance. A rocket flew out and filled Roland’s scope with a bright green flash. He blinked for a second to get rid of the afterimage and sighted on the track again. The front left grav plate lay crumpled and burning next to the vehicle. It had ripped a hole the size of a man along the flank of the vehicle. It had done its job as cover for the squads hunkering down behind it even if it was now useless as transport. Roland followed the remains of the contrail from the rocket and found the team. He couldn’t see much but the end of the launcher was popping up above the sandbags in front of the team. Roland sighted on the end of the launcher and waited. He didn’t have to wait long for the team to rise for another shot. His aim remained focused on the rocket launcher for a second before he squeezed the trigger. Counting to himself he timed it to blink at the right moment.
[Long shot on a rocket. Double kill, 400 extra points awarded.]
Now that was what he was talking about. He opened his eyes again as he dismissed the notification and watched as the sergeant‘s unit advanced with support from the armoured troops with them. They ran at the small escarpment the enemy had placed the rocket launcher on. He watched for more enemies and saw a series of muzzle flashes further up the slope. Roland turned to aim at them and fired a barrage of shots. Lining up shots with unerring accuracy wasn’t the aim here getting the enemy to duck was just as good in this position. This did mean he missed out on gaining a few kills, but the effect kept his unit in the game longer meaning more points later. The sergeant‘s unit overran the positions, take the foxholes, and sandbag bunkers on the slope after a brief but bitter fight. The position was great to cover the road and the cloaks that their troops wore made them blend in seamlessly even without the aid of the darkness. Roland slid his rifle aside and looked down the edge of the mesa they were on to find Webb and the others. They were a few metres down the slope. Clark and Lawry were arguing about something. He called out to them. They all looked up the slope and then looked around. Roland dropped his hood and lifted a hand until they saw him. They scampered up the slope sending debris sliding down.
“Webb, can you get a hold of the captain of the armoured unit?” Roland asked as Watts continued firing.
“Yeah sure, what do you want to say?”
“Tell them to gather a spearhead and run up the road. They will have cover so can move through the enemy with ease. Tell them to send a squad or two over this side. Lawry and Clark, you pick out a good position for a counterattack if it’s needed.”
Clark and Lawry didn’t wait but slid back down the slope covering themselves in dust and sand. Webb moved behind Roland and started fiddling with his comm unit.
Roland moved back to sniping. He searched for the first squad and found them assaulting a large contingent of enemy straight ahead of his position. Roland searched for a place to help and settled on a heavy machine gun team setting up to their flank. He sighted and fired killing both of the enemies. He moved across looking for targets that were more viable. A couple of rocket launcher teams went down under his fire as he shot across the slope. He reloaded and turned to Webb who gave him a thumbs up. Roland listened for the sound of engines and was rewarded seconds later by several of the tanks and grav tracks revving their engines. They moved down the road as Roland followed their dust cloud. It rose high above them marking their presence but Roland’s scope could pierce the cloud well enough to look for rocket teams. He found several more and fired at them as Watts joined him. As the column moved further along the road, Roland caught sight of a larger body of enemy troops massing. He fired into them taking down a handful before realising that he wouldn’t be able to do much taking them down one at a time.
“Webb get down to Lawry and Clark. They need to counter assault now. The enemy is massing and advancing with speed down the far slope.”
Webb rushed past him and skittered down the slope. Roland turned his attention back to the massing enemy troops and looked for likely targets. He spotted an officer and fired. The shot missed as they slid down the slope. He targeted and fired again hitting them in the stomach. Good enough he thought as he searched for another target. He picked out finer details as they came closer. Then he caught sight of what he had been looking for. One of the enemy soldiers had a bandolier of grenades. He aimed and fired watching as the soldier vaporised into ribbons. Shrapnel flew around them taking out several more troops.
[Multiple kills at range. Another 300 points have been added to your total.]
This really was becoming one of the easiest battles they had fought in. He watched as Lawry and Clark ran amongst the moving vehicles accompanied by two squads from the armoured company. They hit into the enemy firing their weapons on full auto. It was absolute carnage as soldiers fell on both sides fading away to the respawn points. He checked for more targets and saw that the suits had finished their advance. They were now charging into the rear of the enemy formation. There wasn’t much he could do to help there if he didn’t want to hit his own men. He followed the ridge along and looked to where the sergeant had settled in. The squad they had accompanied had also taken up positions on the slope some distance away. He followed the road further and saw a group of enemy soldiers. As they ran, he aimed and shot a couple, it didn’t stop them though. After pick
ing another target, he realised what they were doing. They were mining the retreat. He went to call for Webb and then realised he was down the slope taking part in the assault. Roland scoped across the road.
“Watts follow the road we need to take out those mines now.”
“I see them,” she replied shifting under her cloak. Roland aimed at the first mine and shot. His bullet ricocheted off. He pulled out and checked his magazine. Damned tier one ammo. He dropped it and loaded a tier three magazine as he watched the plume of smoke and dust from the column approaching the mines. He swung his rifle back down and sighted on the same mine. Aiming carefully he fired and his vision was filled with the green glare again.
“Shit.” Roland flicked off the scope night vision setting.
He aimed again but could barely see. He waited for a sign of the mines. A muzzle flash glinted off of something on the road. Roland aimed at it and fired. He was rewarded with an explosion. Another mine exploded as Watts hit it. Roland used that blast to find another one shooting that. They leapfrogged up the road until there was a clear path down the centre. They were only just in time as the first light tank powered through the area firing at the retreating enemy. Roland sighed and then turned his attention back to the combat in the centre. The enemy was overwhelmed and had been wiped out. The rest of the troops were searching around for any more enemies that had been missed. Roland switched his night vision back on and searched. A shot hit the ground in front of him making him flinch. Another hit moments afterwards. He rolled back.
“Watts, we have been made.”
“I know,” she said through gritted teeth. “I‘ve got them though.” Roland heard her fire a single shot and the incoming rounds stopped.
“Ooh, nice. Extra points for a sniper kill,” she said moving back from the edge to sit with him.
“Yeah, that’s probably why they were shooting at us.”
“True but I got him first.”
Roland shook his head. They didn’t need to wait for long before Clark and Lawry emerged from the darkness with Webb in tow.
“I’m pretty sure our unit took no casualties,” Clark said with a grin. Roland considered the point for a moment. He couldn’t think of any either.
Webb set down his comm unit and listened into the headset. His fingers were a blur as he turned a few small dials listening again. They waited for him to speak.
“We are to meet on the road with the first squad. We are to follow the column out of here and up the road. From memory, it shouldn’t be too far to the objective from here.”
Roland nodded and stood gathering his equipment.
“Seems there is a bit of a walk ahead of us.”
“Oh, the lieutenant wants you and Watts to do a special mission though,” Webb said.
“What kind of special mission?” Watts asked.
“No idea, he said he would let you know down on the road.”
They all made their way to the bottom of the slope. Second squad and the rest of the third were already there. The lieutenant was talking to the first squad who ran off up the road before he turned to them.
“Okay, we have been given orders to follow the battalion up ahead. The thing is I consider that as a waste of the talents of your squads. I came up with a separate mission for you. I want your squads to move up along the road and then break right. If you can push through the enemy between the positions, then we have assets behind them. It means we can complete our original task too. Watts and Mellors to me the rest of you move out.”
Roland and Watts waited for the lieutenant as he watched for the others to move off a short distance.
“I have a more important mission for you two. The captain here managed to hit and struggle to fight a static infantry unit half his strength rather than make it to the objective on time. He also called us in when, quite frankly, we were better used elsewhere. I think he may try to use us as reinforcements. That’s why I sent the rest up ahead and to the flank. Now the mission for you two is to move up and break left. You will be out on your own for this one. I want you to hunt the command unit for the enemy. If you can take out their head, then the captain might actually have a chance to take the objective without losing all of us in the process.”
The lieutenant pulled off his helmet and tugged at something inside it. A small device came loose. He then fished in his pocket for another one and handed them to the pair. “These are comm units. I can get a spare from one of my squad. Use these to talk to each other and you should also be able to pick me up on the wideband. Your call sign is snakebite. We are hammerblow. Go it?”
They nodded staring at the comms units.
The lieutenant put his helmet back on and ran after the others, disappearing into the night.
“Well, you did say you wanted one,” Watts said nudging Roland.
Chapter 5.
The comm unit seemed odd attached to Roland’s helmet. It clearly hadn’t been designed for non-suit use. It did work though, so that was something. They had followed the others up the road keeping their distance. When the others turned right Watts and Roland turned left. The ground out here was flat as a pool table. Exactly what you would expect from a desert. The occasional boulder scattered around not to mention outcrops and strange dry wizened trees but nothing else. Roland felt exposed, especially after the sun rose. The air heated up rapidly making their cloaks become stifling. Roland shifted his around and tied it up. He drank his water sparingly and then remembered that he had extra stashed from the last mission. He opened his pack as they sat down to rest and gave half of it to Watts.
“Picking this up was a good idea after all,” Roland said strapping his bag shut again.
“Got any biscuits too?” Watts replied taking the bottles of water.
“As it so happens...” Roland chucked her a pack of the biscuits he had lifted from the storeroom.
Watts chuckled.
“We need to find some shade at some point. These boulders aren’t enough,” she said rapping her knuckles off of the large chunk of sandstone she was leaning against.
“That we do,” Roland replied.
He stood gathering his equipment.
“We need to get moving. The rest of the troops will be getting to the village before we can reach there.”
Watts picked up her kit and joined Roland as they walked out into the desert. They walked for miles across the barren wasteland trying to keep the sun from hitting their exposed skin. Whoever was behind the design of their thick urban uniforms hadn’t accounted for the desert heat and they quickly started to tire.
[Your stamina reduces at double the normal rate while you are in extreme conditions.]
Well, that was helpful Roland thought as he dismissed the notification. There wasn’t anything he could do about it without hacking into the settings and changing the ambient temperature. They continued to sip at their water. The automatic training had filled Roland’s head as he was lifted the bottle of water to his lips once more.
[Reduce water intake per drink yet keep to a constant intake level.]
Roland’s mind pulled up information about the constant level of intake he needed to use. As they worked their way across the desert, they developed a routine. They would walk for two hours and then aim for whatever meagre shade there was. After that, they would sit and rest in the shade and drink water there. This went on until the sun started to set. Roland sink prickled as the air temperature cooled and he heaved a sigh of relief. The heated sand still warmed the bottom of his feet through the soles of his boots as the sun began setting.
As the sun was resting on the horizon when they spotted an edge to the desert. The transition area looked as arid as the desert with dry grass cropping up in small clumps. There was another mesa in the distance. Roland used his scope to scan the horizon and caught a hazy glimpse of the village they were heading towards. The village wasn’t under attack though.
“What do you make of that?” Roland said lowering his rifle.
“Make o
f what?” Watts said raising hers.
“The village hasn’t been attacked yet. They must have made it there by now.”
Watts spun from the village and checked the road, which crept back in form the horizon to their right.
“There are no wrecks or signs of combat I can see. On the road or elsewhere,” she said before lowering her rifle.
“Let’s keep going to that mesa. They could be waiting for us to hit the enemy command unit.”
Watts trudged off across the edge of the desert with Roland following in her wake.
The desert sand and rock started to give way to the low scrub and arid grass as they reached the edge of the desert proper. The mesa was a fair walk away still and they wouldn’t get there before night fully covered them.
“We should keep going till we hit the mesa,” Watts said as Roland slowed to look at a stand of gnarled trees.
Roland looked at the trees once more and absentmindedly took a sip of water before continuing to follow her. The coolness of the night crept over them. Roland raised his hood and pulled his cloak tighter. He didn’t know if the chill had been programmed in as an added extra or not. After a few moments, he settled on the idea he had already gotten used to the heat during their hike.
They walked for another two hours until they were closer to the mesa. With a swift motion, Watts held out a hand to stop Roland.
“What is it?” Roland asked raising his rifle.
“I don’t know something is off though. A trace of movement and light over there caught my eye.” She pointed off to their left.
Roland raised his rifle up to his eye and thumbed the button for night vision. He played the scope across the base of the mesa and along the edge of the scrub and grass. He swept his scope back after he had gone part way out from the mesa. That was when he noticed it. There were about a squads worth of the enemy making a small camp close to the route they wanted to take. He wasn’t quite sure if someone had spotted them but doubted it considering their cloaks and the darkness but he wanted to be careful all the same.