Ablaze Ch.8: Battle of Senchen (5)
I'm trying out cover art with this upload. (Assuming it's working) The cover art is divided into three parts, top left, top right, and bottom.
Top-left: defender Top-right: belligerent Bottom: terrain/environment
Troop strength and type are represented by NATO symbols (special thanks to Wikipedia for the images). The environment and terrain will have an image representing the main terrain in the chapter. A chapter taking place in the Amazon rainforest, for example, would have a picture of a jungle. Ablaze chapter 8 is in Senchen, a large city, so the picture here is "urban".
July 4, Y874 - Corysia -Senchen - Afternoon
"Dismount, dismount!" the lieutenant shouts.
Before the three trucks even grind to a halt, the soldiers rise from the simple wooden seats. The jolt from the vehicles finally stopping shakes the furs, but they still manage to hop off. They immediately gather at the sidewalk to the right. The small line of trucks U-turn and head back to the port in order to taxi other troops to their destinations.
"Safeties off and eyes peeled, those troops can be anywhere here. Squads, you know which road to search, radio in the second you make contact. Let's move out!"
Kenno flicks off the safety on his assault rifle, as does everyone else in the platoon. The squads spread out across the road, moving at brisk pace. The pace helps little to calm Kenno as adrenaline pumps through his entire system. The fox feels a strange mix of excitement and anxiety being in the combat zone. On one paw, he had been looking forward to combat. It had a strange air of exhilarating, intense action, somewhat like playing a sport, or at least that's what Kenno compares it to. But back in reality, war is something that has permanent consequences even if you are on the superior side, like being maimed or killed among others. Still, the fox wants to do something for his country. Being simply bored by community service or volunteer work, what better option is there than military service?
"Try not to get shot after we just got here," Taseko chuckles, seeing the fox's anticipation. The platoon quickly advances down the street, almost breaking into a run.
It's the least the fox could do. Jeff, the casemate assault gun's loader, sits at the gunner's seat and observes the outside world warily through the main gun's backup optical sight, the 125mm cannon loaded and ready to fire on his command. The vehicle's original commander, or at least the disgusting, mangled mess of fur, flesh, and blood of what is left of him, lies on the metal floor. Jeff has been trapped for literally hours in the confines of the Type 41. When the defense lines were punched through, their assault gun failed to retreat in time. Consequently, it was hit by a HEAT rocket. The projectile hit the side of the crew compartments, and penetrated through enough of armor to cause overpressure and send shrapnel flying far faster than a rifle bullet inside the Type 41's superstructure. The commander was maimed and killed instantly, but the gunner was alive with Jeff to suffer another hour of slow, agonizing death from multiple shrapnel wounds. Jeff himself has a large wound in the gut, not to mention numerous smaller shrapnel wounds. The floor is swamped with blood, constantly augmented by Jeff's open and untreated wounds.
Instead of spitting blood out of his maw, Jeff lets it simply seep out. There is no point in wasting the effort to cough it up when it just keeps on coming. Previously, he was spitting about every half minute just so he could breathe. The fox opens his maw slightly, allowing a pool of blood accumulating at the back of his maw to drain out, drip off his lower jaw, and out onto his lap. He had also surrendered any attempt to keep himself clean in the environment stained with gore. The fox's legs, hindpaws, and tail were the most affected, being hopelessly soaked with the sickly red fluid around him. The stench of blood, dust, oil, burnt fur, and flesh clings to the air, mixing together and harassing his nose.
Jeff wanted to leave, to go home, back to his rural life, away from the war, away from combat. But he doesn't have a choice. The fox is stuck here, inside the cramped body of the Type 41, with no way out. There is a radio in the vehicle, but that would be setting a beacon for anyone who's listening, friendly or hostile. Besides, there is no one to rescue him. He could open the hatch and exit the vehicle, but he would shot on sight, and there are no friendlies anywhere nearby to provide relief or assistance. As evidence, the driver had attempted to escape the assault gun after it was hit, but was promptly cut down by small arms fire. Thus, even with a way out, he is essentially trapped. The least he could do is operate the main 125mm gun and fire one last round. After the anti-tank rocket had exploded against the vehicle, everyone assumed they were dead. At least he has the element of surprise.
Kenno arrives with the rest of his squad at a large intersection. They stop behind the corner of a building, and the squad leader leans out, looking for any possible threat. He turns around, motioning over one of the team leaders. The fur quickly proceeds forward, stopping next to the squad leader.
"What happened?" Kenno asks Taseko.
The wolf, who is crouching a meter in front of him, shrugs in response.
"I would imagine either we're lost, or they see something of interest."
Kenno takes the time to examine his surroundings from his current location, trying to see if he can identify what his squad leader had possibly seen, to no avail. Then the team leaders returns to where he was.
"Corysian armor around the corner," the squad leader explains. "It's been knocked out already, let's go."
Alpha Team rises to their hindpaws, and the first two soldiers quickly cross the intersection to the other side of the street. Kenno isn't particularly surprised. This territory has just been captured, so the remnants of the enemy armor detachment intelligence had reported are bound to be left here and there. The last two soldiers of Alpha Team stands, and starts to cross the open street. Kenno waits patiently for the soldiers to cross. This area has already been secured, is it necessary to follow procedures? The reason for crossing by twos is to decrease the number of soldiers than could be caught in the open, should an ambush occur. But here, is it really possible-
As if to prove Kenno wrong, a thunderous explosion shakes the relatively quiet intersection. The two soldiers crossing the intersection are consumed by a large cloud of dust. Everyone else, the soldiers who made it across and B and C Team in queue, drops to the ground.
"Shit!" the squad leader growls.
There is no question as to what caused the explosion. The previously stationary Corysian self-propelled gun rocks slightly after sending the round roughly 50 meters downrange. The anti-armor specialist responds immediately, rising from the ground so that he is now crouching. The wolf pulls out a reusable rocket launcher strapped to his back, and takes out a corresponding tube containing an 85mm anti-armor rocket. He connects the two tubes, and shoulders the completed weapon before advancing quickly to the front of the group. He kneels barely around the corner, quickly acquires his target, and fires the weapon. A large plume of expanding gas escapes the back of the launch tube as the shaped-charge rocket is propelled towards the assault gun down the street at about 200 meters per second. The wolf quickly hides behind the corner of the building to avoid fragments.
Downrange, the round impacts the Type 41's armor. The shaped charge detonates, sending a hot jet of liquid metal slicing through the armored vehicle. This particular assault gun did not have reactive armor. It probably ends up being better for Jeff, ending his miserable life in the resulting explosion. Bravo and Charlie Team hastily cross the street, past the bits of Canid bodies, previously two furs they knew, scattered in the street. Kenno looks back at the Type 41 self-propelled gun goes up in flames and its magazine explodes, ripping apart the whole vehicle.
Faine taps his weapon's trigger a few times, putting down a Parosanan soldier for good. The wolf quickly adjusts his aim, lining his sights with another enemy soldier. He squeezes the trigger, sending out four rounds before be takes cover. The wolf lies prone in a shell-hole near the buildings lining the street, along with the rest of his team, Alpha 2-1 Alpha. They have made little progress, advancing about three or four hundred meters since they found Harris, who parachuted in earlier today. Now they are stuck halfway down a street, fighting against about a squad of enemy soldiers who happened to stumble upon them.
"We need to keep moving!" Faine shouts, removing his assault rifle's empty magazine and replacing it with a new one.
The retreating Corysian soldiers have made contact more and more recently. Whether or not they are meeting behind-line troops or just groups sent to kill them didn't matter much to Faine. Either way, their survival is becoming increasingly unlikely. Already, over half their ammunition has been used, and at least a third of their numbers are now casualties.
"We don't fucking have the time for this!"
Faine pokes his muzzle over the edge of the shallow crater. Aiming his weapon at another Paro, the wolf fires a short burst, but he misses his target. The firefight continues for another few minutes before all the Paros are neutralized. Faine bares his teeth in frustration as he reloads his Type 55 with a new magazine full of precious ammunition. Then his ears pick up a sound, and they swivel towards the source. Rounding a distant intersection is a light utility vehicles, wheeled, or LUVW. Five more light vehicles turn onto the street the Corysian soldiers are on.
"Get back!" a squad leader shouts. "Hold your fire and stay back! We can ambush them and use the vehicles."
Although engaging the vehicles will further drain their resources, the retreating platoon can use them to escape, at least faster than if they continue on their hindpaws. The mixed platoon complies, immediately retreating from side of the street onto the sidewalk, concealing themselves behind various objects.
"Fire on my lead," the squad leader says.
As the first vehicle nears the location of the platoon, the squad leader pops out from behind a destroyed sedan, emptying a sizable portion of his rifle's magazine at the driver of the open-topped utility vehicle. The platoon also opens fire, killing several of the Paros in the vehicles. One of the LUVWs accelerates out of control, the dead driver's hindpaw still pressing on the gas pedal. It crashes into the buildings lining the street, almost colliding with a Corysian soldier. With the lead vehicle immobilized, the rest either halt or move around the obstruction. Those who stop are pinned down, killed, or forced to exit their vehicles. The light vehicles that attempt to go around attract fire, killing the driver. At only 10 to 20 meters and trapped in their vehicles, the Paros are easy targets. Faine peeks over the shell-hole's edge and quickly taps his Type 55's trigger several times at the first Paro he sees. Despite being able to comfortably fit in seven furs each, only two are in each LUVW. Evidently, it is a resupply convoy. It takes less than a minute before the shooting ends.
After taking casualties throughout their retreat, there is enough room for all the remaining soldiers to fit in the six light utility vehicles. They still contain their supplies, mainly boxes of Parosanan 7.7mm 'rifle', incompatible with Corysian 6.5mm CUA rounds. Some of the Corysians decide to trade their weapons for Parosanan assault rifles and stock up on the 7.7mm rounds, distributing their remaining ammunition among the other soldiers. The scene reminds Faine of a marketplace as about thirty soldiers distribute the meager supplies they have left, and find a seat in the Parosanan light utility vehicles.
"Alpha Team, right here!" Faine's squad leader says to him, pointing at the second vehicle in the line.
Faine runs to the LUVW, swings open the driver's door, and climbs onto the seat. The rest of his team follows, and each find a seat. Vance hops onto the passenger seat and breaks the window to use as a firing port. Another teammate takes the mounted 11.4mm machine gun, and the team's anti-armor specialist hops onto a rear passenger seat. Anyone else who can squeeze into the vehicle also climbs into the back. Harris sits uncomfortably in a rear passenger seat, nervously holding his Type 55 assault rifle.
As soon as all the light vehicles are packed full and the last rear door closes, they speed off. The vehicles accelerate quickly, speeding down the street at around twenty-five miles per hour.
"Dammit, we're going east! We need to find someplace to turn south!" Faine growls.
It isn't long before they come under fire, and the pintle-mounted machine guns on the vehicles respond. Hundreds of rounds are fired, crisscrossing through the air. The sudden incoming fire encourages the drivers, who step harder on the gas pedals. Two bullets impact the windshield in front Faine and narrowly miss him, startling the wolf. The firefight starts to take its toll as casualties pile up, largely for the Corysians. The lightly armored vehicles provide little protection even against small arms fire. The rear passenger seats are mostly exposed, even allowing the occupants fire back. Gunners don't have it any easier, being as exposed and even more noticeable than passengers.
2-1 Alpha's gunner is shot, but the wolf manages to fire a long burst before getting hit again, and falls into the vehicle with a scream. A fellow soldier quickly pulls him to the side to patch him up.
"Someone get on that gun!" the husky shouts, pulling out a packet of field dressing.
However, the storm of automatic fire outside discourages any of the soldiers from leaving their seats. They are also, at the same time, using their rifles to fight for their lives in the cramped vehicle. Enraged, the husky grabs the nearest soldier, who happens to be Harris, and almost throws him at the machine gun. The gray fox bites his lip in pain as his leg wound impacts the vehicle's floor.
"Get the fuck on that weapon!" the husky growls.
Intimidated by the marine, Harris scrambles to sling his rifle and shove his head through the light vehicle's hatch. The gray fox grabs the large 11.4mm machine gun, swivels it around towards the nearest hint of enemy movement, and mashes down on the trigger. Harris moves quickly, doing his best to lay down fire on enemies passing by him at about thirty miles per hour. At this speed he has little time to find his target, aim, and shoot. Then, suddenly, the fox is forcefully knocked back. He feels almost as if someone had thrown a brick at his head. Dazed for a moment, he falls down into vehicle. The husky from earlier glances over, somewhat surprised, before slapping Harris's helmet, right where the bullet hit.
"It glanced off, get back on the gun!" the soldier growls.
Meanwhile, Faine attempts to maneuver the LUVW around the mess of debris in the street, trying to follow the one on lead. The wolf makes a tight turn around the remains of a collapsed building, its remains blocking almost half the road. Passing the wreckage, a round punctures the left window, and hits Faine on the upper arm. He swears and bares his teeth in pain as he tries to keep a short gap between his vehicle and the one in front. Then, Vance points to something up ahead.
"There's a highway, up on that bridge!"
Not far away is a ramp in the innermost lane of the street, leading up onto a highway located on a bridge passing over the street. If they utilize it to escape, they can travel faster, and not have to worry as much about the Parosanan troops firing at them. Faine pulls out his small handheld radio, and switches it to the squad's frequency.
"Lead vehicle, this is 2-1 Alpha, there's a highway coming up!"
The column of light vehicles quickly approaches the ramp. As if to encourage them, there is a street sign indicating that the highway is going south. They maneuver around destroyed vehicles until finally the highway is within reach. The lead vehicle turns to align itself with the ramp. Faine turns the steering wheel hard to go around a burning civilian car before lining up his own vehicle with the highway ramp. One by one the six light vehicles climb the ramp and onto the four-lane suspended highway, the thunder of enemy gunfire slowly fading into the distance. The Corysians themselves start to slack on their outgoing fire. Harris fires one more burst from the heavy machine gun mounted on the vehicle before taking his fingers off the trigger. The fox stands behind the weapon, gasping for breath. He made it through the bullet storm alive, and mostly unscathed. Then he realizes how lucky he is to have survived, and the possibility that the round had glanced off of his helmet instead of penetrating it through to his head. Finally detaching from the machine gun's handles, Harris's forepaws fall limp to his sides as he collapses into LUVW. Tired, the gray fox sits on the floor of the vehicle. The original gunner is sitting on the ground like Harris, bandages covering his arm and shoulder. The husky who had assigned Harris as the new gunner looks over approvingly.
"You did well," the husky comments.
Harris just nods his head drowsily, exhausted from the exertion. Now they will make it out of the damned battleground. Then he can link up with his unit. Now he can live at least little longer. Suddenly, the gray fox is jolted awake.
"Shit!" Faine shouts from the front of the vehicle.