Battle Earth III (18 page)

“Ma’am, with all due respect, I am not sure he is,” replied Silva.

She stopped and turned back to look at the Captain who she had come to know as such a good friend.
Perhaps he isn’t the same man we used to know,
she thought. Reluctantly, she nodded in agreement that Silva might be talking some hard truths.

“Captain Jones is the ranking officer while we are away, but keep an eye on him. If he shows any signs of being unfit for duty, then as a platoon leader, you have a responsibility to the wellbeing of these troops. You must do what is best for the Company. I pray that day never comes. Let’s not forget the horrors the Captain has been through. He has been deceived and abandoned by allies before, so let’s not allow him lose all hope.”

A few moments later, the two Majors were aboard the jeep and on their way east to Headquarters. They passed over the crater-ridden muddy battlefield that had seen days of bombardment and fighting. Mech bodies still littered the terrain. The human dead were recovered periodically, but nobody had the care nor will to treat their fallen enemies with any respect. The occasional pyre burned in the distance where troops had gathered some bodies together in an attempt to cleanse the area.

* * *

Chandra and Taylor stood awaiting the General as he poured over maps and enemy locations. He finally looked up at the two but with a pale face. They could both see the fear in his eyes. The war was not going the way he wanted it to.

“Major Chandra, please come forward,” he called.

She paced up to the General’s table with Taylor close behind. Schulz scowled at Mitch, but he ignored the look.

“Major Taylor, let us set aside any reservations we have towards each other. We need all the help we have got, and we are on a tight schedule.”

Mitch nodded in agreement. He still hated Schulz and blamed him for much of their hardships in the previous few months, but he also knew there was little to be done about it.

“I am here to fight as always, Sir,” he replied.

Schulz begrudgingly accepted the Major’s words while he knew full well that he was stubbornly refusing to accept any wrongdoing.

“You surely must have seen new enemy forces enter our atmosphere. They’ve recently put down just west of Berlin, and we predict that fighting will be underway within the next few hours. You know how thinly we are spread. What you achieved yesterday was impressive, and I thank you both for it. But this presents a great problem for us.”

“Not enough troops to fight on another front?” asked Chandra.

“Precisely. The armies of Earth are fighting all over, and few as hard and often as yourselves. Berlin is lightly defended and to provide assistance would mean weakening our presence here. Splitting our forces could lead to the utter destruction of our armies here in Germany.”

“What are you thinking?” asked Taylor.

General Dupont strode into the room and came to a sudden halt as he glared at Mitch.

“What the hell is he doing here?” demanded Dupont.

Schulz turned quickly and snapped at the Frenchman.

“We need the Major for this.”

“We can’t trust him anymore!” insisted Dupont.

“That’s enough!” yelled Schulz. “Whilst I remain in charge of the armies here, I will decide who and how we use our resources. Major Taylor has more experience in fighting this enemy than any man alive.”

Mitch smiled. He was amused by the obvious way Dupont was being disciplined by Schulz, a man who hated him almost as much as Dupont himself. Dupont was silenced, and Chandra turned back to the others.

“The truth is I am not convinced we can gain success on this continent, considering this new threat. It is true that Field Marshall Copley’s army has moved into the north of France, but their progress is slow at best. With an enemy army at the gates of Berlin, we risk being divided and destroyed.”

“So what have you got in mind?” asked Taylor.

“Your attack on the enemy weapon depot in Poitiers caused quite a stir. There is no doubt that it slowed the enemy massively and sent them into disarray, but a situation we were simply unable to exploit at that time. Our intelligence and surveillance suggest that it was not the destruction of the facility that had such an effect, but the harm done to their leader, who goes by the name of Karadag. Your mission reports state that you have already met this creature?”

Taylor’s mind shot back to the brutal beating he took at the hands of the enemy Commander. It was not an experience he was ever inclined to repeat.

“Our reports show that this leader survived the nuclear device.”

Schulz looked curiously to see that Taylor was not at all surprised by the information.

“You knew this? How?” he asked.

“I saw him in the Metz prison, during our rescue mission.”

“And you never thought to report this vital information?” spat Dupont.

Taylor turned slowly and looked with utter despair and hatred towards the Frenchman.

“It was a little difficult to assist in this war from a prison cell,” fumed Taylor.

“Gentlemen, that is enough! What has gone before us must be set aside. There may come a time when we must all answer for our actions, but now there are bigger issues at stake,” interrupted Schulz.

Taylor took a deep breath to calm him, and the room went silent. Finally, Chandra spoke up.

“You think this Karadag is essential to the enemy? That they will fold without him?” she asked.

Schulz nodded in agreement.

“He barely survived the nuclear weapon, and several reports we have from the area show medical and recovery teams locating his badly wounded body. He’d lost a lot of blood by the time he was found. His recovery directly co-insides with the enemy advance through Ramstein.”

“And you believe killing him could bring an end to it all?” asked Taylor.

“It’s a theory, and one which all evidence would point too. I believe, as do many others, that the loss of Karadag could break their armies. They could lose the will to fight. We have to make them believe that this war is not worth the price, and not worth the sacrifices they would have to make.”

“And if we kill their Commander, and it only makes them more blood hungry? They could well have someone more than capable of filling his shoes.”

“I believe it is a chance worth taking. Our experts think it may work. I cannot order you to carry out this mission. I would not will it on any soldier. But I firmly believe it could change the course of this war overnight.”

Taylor looked to Chandra to judge her response to the news. He could understand why it was being asked of them and that it had a fair chance of success. He turned back to the General.

“Sir, please just answer one thing for me, honestly. Tell me you believe in this mission, that we have some chance of survival, and that the outcome could be as game-changing as you believe? Tell me you are not sacrificing our unit to make me suffer.”

He could see the anger building in Dupont, but Schulz was a more calculating man. His strict leadership had led to much conflict between the two, but he could see Schulz was never dishonest. He was not the malicious and sadistic bastard that Dupont was.

“I promise you, Major, that I have every faith in this mission and your ability to conduct it.”

Taylor thought for just a few seconds as he rolled around the ideas in the back of his mind.

“Alright, tell me the plan.”

Chandra stood before every man and woman of the Inter-Allied Company in a briefing room that they could barely fill half the space. There were less than one hundred of them remaining. They had lost more friends than they wanted to remember. They were now as few as they were before their amalgamation in Paris that felt like a lifetime ago.

Mitch sat at a table off to the side of Chandra, and they all waited for her to speak. Slowly, she took a deep breath and spoke up.

“A lot has been asked of you all in this war. We have all sacrificed more than anyone should have to. We have lost good friends, but let us not forget what we are fighting for. Think of your families back home who are saved these horrors because of each and every one of you.”

They knew she was building up to something both important and frightful.

“General Schulz believes that if we were to break the leadership of the enemy, we could drive them from Earth. As the company with the most experience of such matters, he has asked us to fulfil this task.”

They sat silently. They were shocked and in disbelief at what they were hearing.

“I will not order any of you to carry out this task, nor will General Schulz. Our intel so far has been solid, and I believe our chance of success to be strong. This will without a doubt be the most dangerous task we have ever undertaken. I cannot promise we will make it back alive, and I cannot promise success.”

She paced back and forth while the troops looked on at their leading officer. They were still stunned by what was being asked of them. As eager as they were to get back into action, and have their equipment back, they had never imagined such a task.

“I will not lie to you. Our situation here has become more desperate than ever. The future of our armies in Europe may lie in our hands, and with the task we have been given. We cannot waste any further time in consideration. I must ask you now, whether you will go with me. If you will not, I would ask you to leave the room now. We will not think lesser of you for it. But if you stay, you are in until the very end.”

Chandra got no response until Silva stood up and spoke right at her.

“I think I speak for the Company in saying that we will follow you to the very end, Major.”

Grunts of agreement rang out across the lines of troops as they all leapt to their feet, roaring in agreement. Not one of them showed signs of leaving the room. She waved for them to pipe down as Yorath lifted his hand to ask the Major a question.

“Will Major Taylor be joining us, Ma’am?”

“Most certainly. Major Taylor has been fully re-instated. I will be in overall command of the mission that will include a company from the German 13th Mechanised Infantry. My task will be to get us in safely and to manage the mission. Taylor will be responsible for taking care of the enemy leader, known as Karadag, and any of his associates.”

“This sounds more like an assassination,” said Suarez.

Taylor leapt to his feet.

“You’re damn right it is. These bastards don’t play fair. They don’t abide by any civilised rules of war. It was not so long ago that we faced the threat of a weapon that could eradicate our entire race. We will do anything, and everything, to stop that from happening. If you’re not willing to do that, I suggest you hand in your commission and return to civilian life.”

Chandra turned and gestured for Taylor to back down. Suarez leaned back in his chair and went silent. He had been made look foolish and cowardly, and it was not for the first time. She had never liked the Lieutenant, but she was also well aware of the fact you can’t always have what you want. For all of Suarez’s obnoxious attitudes, he was still a useful officer.

“Karadag must die, and whether it is from a nuclear bomb, a precision strike, a gunshot or poison, I couldn’t care less. But the outcome will be the same. These aren’t humans we are talking about. They might as well be machines, for all I care. I am not going to lose any sleep over the blood I spill of theirs. All I care about is saving as many human lives as possible, including our own.”

Suarez dipped his head to look away from the piercing gaze of Taylor. Mitch stepped up beside Chandra and gestured for her to sit down while he continued on.

“The enemy command has been established in the ruins of Paris. In an ideal world, we’d carry out this mission under the cover of darkness just like our other operations in enemy territory. However, this is not an ideal world. A new enemy army is advancing on the defences of Berlin and will likely turn their attention to here when the city falls, and it will.”

“A day op, how are we going to make it?”

“I asked the same question myself. Captain Deveron assures me that an Air Force team has been working around the clock to get a few enemy craft operational.”

“So we’re going to walk right through their defences, sounds like proper Trojan horse kinda shit,” replied Silva.

Taylor smiled.
At least they can keep their shit together,
he thought.

For the next two hours they outlined the plan and thoroughly relayed the role of everyone in the room. By noon, they were all growing weary of being stuck in the briefing room. The plans were set, and there was little more to do but pray for success. Finally, Taylor stood aside and let Chandra finish up.

“You know the deal, wheels up in one hour! A staging area has been established for us in what used to be landing zone 5b. Ammunition and supplies are awaiting us there. Grab your gear, and make your way there immediately, anymore questions?”

Parker stood up.

“Ma’am, do you really believe this could send their armies packing? That they would leave because we killed the man in charge?”

“I know you have doubts, we all do, but it wouldn’t be the first time in history that such a situation has gotten these results. Our experts believe it’s possible. I believe it’s possible. There are no certainties in this war. All I ask of you all is to put in your all,” she replied.

She looked around to see there were many as doubtful as Eli, but they were equally as eager to get to their feet and have something to do. They left in silence. They were glum and deep in thought as they headed to their billets to get their gear. Taylor could see they had the walk of men and women who were expecting to face their death. There was not a lot he could say to quell their fears, for it was a likely possibility.

Taylor was stood in his bedroom assembling his gear when the door swung slowly open, and he turned his head around to see Parker stride through the door. He turned as she leapt into his arms with a kiss. He pulled her back to see the trickle of tears on her face.

“What’s happened?” he insisted.

She shook her head as she sobbed and was unable to get out any words. It struck him that it was the most passionate they had been together since before he had been sent to prison. He felt cold inside. Taylor remembered the soothing nights they had spent together, a safe haven from all their troubles. It was a love he had almost forgotten after the despair and misery he had endured.

“We’ll make it through this,” he whispered.

“Like Friday, Sugar and countless others? I can’t lose you, not after everything.”

“Hey, we’ve been through worse.”

“Really? Karadag nearly killed you the last time you met, and now you’re going to hunt him down?”

“I won’t be alone this time. We can do this together.”

He hauled her in close and hugged her tightly, hoping it would give some comfort, but he could see there was little chance of that until they had all returned safely. It was understandable, knowing the odds they faced.

“How can we keep doing this? Much more, and there’ll be none of us left.”

Taylor sighed. He knew how she felt, but he also knew above all they must keep faith.

“And if we aren’t fighting and dying, who is? This is what we do. It is what we trained for, what we are paid for, and what we have a duty to do. I want to be with you for the rest of my life, but so does every other loving couple. Most can’t make a difference in this war.”

She wept further. Eli knew she should remain stronger in the face of all danger, but it was hard to imagine a life without the happiness they had found together.

“In all these years, I never thought I’d find love, and now just when it happens, a wedge is driven between us.”

“The only way we can find peace is to end this war. End it for good. We cannot keep fighting this war of attrition. Our mission could end it in one fell swoop, isn’t that worth trying for?”

She stepped back and wiped the tears from her face, trying to regain some composure. She didn’t like being so weak and helpless, but neither could she hide the feelings she had so recently come to appreciate so dearly.

“I’m gonna kill that bastard, and you’re gonna be right there with me when I do!” he stated.

She nodded, but he could see she was far from confident. She hugged him once again, stepped back and turned towards the door. He rushed forward and grabbed her arm. She was hauled around and back into his arms.

“Don’t think we aren’t going to make it through this. I need you to have faith in me, in all of us. I need you to be the best marine you can be.”

Her face grew taut and her posture straightened. She would not let another tear reach her skin. Taylor couldn’t tell if she was putting on a brave face for him or genuinely had faith.
But at least she won’t demoralise the others,
he thought. Taylor pulled on his Reitech suit over the German camouflage BDU that still appeared as almost new.

By the time he left the billets, the Company was already streaming towards the landing zone in dribs and drabs. The German Company was already formed up and awaiting their arrival. Their uniforms were well worn, and several displayed recent battlefield cuts and scars, but they all wore brand new Reitech equipment on top. Their leading officer stood before the Company, waiting for Chandra and Taylor. He saluted as they approached.

“Hauptmann... uh Captain Wittman, 391st Mechanised Infantry Battalion.”

Chandra stepped up informally to the officer and shook his hand.

“Thank you, Captain. I’m sure you have been fully briefed on your part in this mission?”

“Yes, Ma’am, we ensure the safety of your Company from the surrounding enemy forces. We will have your backs covered.”

“You realise what that means, Captain? You’ll have the weight of all forces in the area bearing down on you.”

“You do what you have to do, Major. We are no strangers to war anymore, and we will do our duty.”

The Captain relaxed and smiled as he recognised Mitch.

“Major Taylor, I never thought I would meet you in person. How have you come so far and still be alive?”

Taylor smiled as he shook the hand of the German officer.

“I can’t say all my friends have been so lucky.”

The two Majors looked down the line of the German Company and could see that they were little more than one hundred and twenty strong.

“You look as if you have seen more than enough action yourselves,” added Taylor.

“No, this war is not an experience I would wish on anyone. But it has come down to us.”

“Good to have you with us, Captain,” replied Chandra. “We’ll be loading in five. Good luck, and may we both succeed for the sake of everything and everyone.”

The German officer saluted confidently. Chandra already knew he was more than capable of doing what was being asked of him. She gestured for Taylor to follow her to where Captain Jones had assembled their Company. Charlie stood at ease before the troops. He was still doing his job, but the fire in his eyes and the joy in his heart had long gone. He had become so soulless that he was almost a machine.

“Thank you, Captain,” shouted Chandra.

It saddened her to see her friend as a shell of the man he used to be. She had looked forward to his return more than anything in their current lives, but she could not help pity the man he now was.

“You all know what we must achieve. Our Generals believe that what we accomplish here could end it all. We cannot fail. We cannot falter, and we cannot stop at any price! Many of us may die here today, but all that matters is that Karadag dies. If we fail, our armies face the biggest threat they have ever known. This mission may likely determine the outcome of the entire war.”

She strode along the lines as the troops stood silently awaiting their departure.

“I thank you all for following me into the fire. We have stood together from the very beginning. None of you have faltered. We will fight, and if necessary die together. Good luck to you all. Emplane and prepare for immediate departure!”

“Fall out!” shouted Jones.

The troops rushed towards the three enemy craft that were awaiting them. Few had ever seen the monstrosities up close. Experience had shown they were built as a mixed fighter-bomber that could carry a dozen of the airborne Mechs. The Air Force engineers had stripped out much of the hardware and converted the internals to provide substantial personnel transport bays.

Taylor stepped inside to see Rains at the cockpit, which had been retrofitted at the console as well with as several other human manufactured pieces of equipment.