Her brain activity had been depressed. When combined with Paul’s analysis that Gyada had been suffering a fugue state of guilt-induced depression for her actions, they came to the conclusion that her emotional state was linked to her ability to change.
Despite Paul’s advice against her being allowed to go on the long patrols, she had insisted. “I need to get back on the horse,” was how Gyada explained it.
It was mid-morning when Gyada’s scouting party passed through an area being patrolled by mixed teams of mercenaries and militia. Gyada’s team still had a half days’ travel to their assigned patrol region. Some of the militia had asked why the Pods or other vehicles weren’t being used to transport the patrol units closer to their designated areas. None of the Spartan and Were mixed groups bothered to inquire. To them, it was obvious, limiting the use of strategic resources until you had no other choice. By refusing to use your resources you denied the enemy knowledge that you had them.
At Boris’ base of operations, only a half-dozen of the bunkers had been completed. None of the railguns or pucks were online yet due to the incomplete support EI. The only viable defensive option was the layered patrols. While the patrols protected against raids and facilitated the pinpoint location of any substantial incursions, any patrol in the path of a such an attack, without any other options for retreat, could be defeated and destroyed. The most substantial point group of four hundred was dug in around the new Pod hanger. Another two hundred and fifty men were in and around the caves, protecting the women, children, Lilith and the newly revealed alien tech.
The next two days of patrol were uneventful. On the third day, ADAM informed them that satellite backtracking had traced some of the forces back to China. They had been warned to change tactics to combat forces that would contain Weres.
This meant that the Spartans in each patrol would be used as a firebase for Weres in whatever alternate form they had. Spartans couldn’t always tell the subtle differences of form between natural wolves and Weres in wolf form. Only the Cat Weres and Gyada would truly stand out from the creatures native to the wilds that surrounded New Romanovka. A Were would smell the difference.
It was pure chance that Gyada’s patrol was in the path of the first major push by the Sacred Clan and the remaining NVG. A pack of thirty Weres supported by ten infantrymen moved in on her location. One of the patrol Weres came back with a silver bullet in his hind leg. Once the team medic had extracted the silver bullet, the Were changed back to human form.
“They’re bringing up light support weapons behind this group. They appear to have a light truck modified to carry a battery of two type 67 mortars. They could be type 97s, which would be an absolute bitch since we don’t have anything of that size or range to counter them with, even in town. Our largest mortar is the 120mm compared to the 150mm 97s.
The pack defending it was too large to get through to be sure.
“The enemy is ten minutes or less from contact. Thirty Weres, ten infantry, “he told the radioman as the medic continued to treat the wound, disinfecting and cleaning it. Stitching it would be pointless, as the Were would have to change back soon, or he’d freeze.
The Sergeant leading Gyada’s patrol swore, “We’re gonna have to pull back. Out in the open like this, we’re simply meat for the grinder if those mortars range on us.”
The wounded Were responded, “There are too many enemy Weres out there to easily do that, Sarge. They’ll swarm over us if we try. We’ll never make it home if we pull back.”
The radioman answered in a grim tone, “We’ve been asked to spread out and delay them. The patrols to either side are flanking the spearhead, and forces are moving up to support. We have to hold for thirty minutes.”
The Sergeant swore and said “They may as well ask us to hold for thirty days as thirty minutes. We have six shooters and six Weres against forty plus enemy of various types and light artillery. We can’t pull back without being overrun. It’s been nice serving with you all. “He turned to the radioman and said, “Tell them we’ll do our best and God bless.”
Gyada had other ideas but was still getting a feel for the tactics required for and against modern weaponry. “Sergeant, if your men dig in individually while the enemy is distracted, what are your chances?”
The Sergeant paused for a moment, then answered, “Better, but still not good. The mortars will still have the range to hit us. If the enemy Weres and soldiers can get to us first, it will just require fewer of their mortar rounds to finish mopping up. Either way, the mortars are the biggest danger.”
Gyada narrowed her eyes and started stripping off her field kit. Turning to the Were, she said, “Change back and call in your brothers. I have a plan. “The Were did as she asked, and the howls he sent into the air brought the rest or the pack running.
The soldiers began to dig in quickly, as the Were streamed in. Keeping watch and listening to Gyada’s plan while the soldiers dug in quickly, she started explaining. “Two Weres will stay behind with the troops, covering them against other Weres. The rest of us will move towards the mortar truck. With you covering my back, I’m sure we can take out at least twenty Weres. Assuming, of course, that they even come after us. The enemy soldiers… well, we’ll deal with them as we can.”
The Sergeant piped up as he continued digging his slit trench, saying “If you can, capture the mortars. Destroying the truck will just reduce their mobility. If we can turn it against them, we have a better chance of taking out any force following these guys. Hell, we have a better chance of surviving overall. “Gyada nodded to him then shrugged.
She had no idea of how to drive yet. That would be up to someone else.
“If we manage to, I’ll send one of the wolves back, “she commented. Turning to the Weres, she said “Try and keep me between you and any shooters. I have armor, you don’t. The best options for your survival and our success is to maintain our speed and cover my back against any Weres we come up against. “The leader of the four wolves going with her lolled his tongue out in a wolfish chuckle and nodded his head. Even though she wasn’t as big as any of their werebears, she was at least as strong. At worst, she could flip the truck.
Gyada had stripped down to the set of armor Boris had procured for her. It felt decidedly odd to be wearing anything when she changed. The one time she had changed in the distant past her clothes had shredded. She was concerned that this would happen to the armor but felt relief when she felt it stretch across her body during its Change. The sergeant grabbed something out of his pack. It was a helmet shaped for her alternative form’s head. After fixing it onto her her head, he made sure she was looking into his eyes and said softly, “Good luck, and thank you.”
Then the Were group left to engage the enemy.
The wolves briefly paused to coat their fur in the slushy snow, hoping to give themselves some minor camouflage. Gyada lumbered forward at a middling pace. She was still somewhat amazed that the armor managed to reshape itself around her much larger animal form. The overlapping plates present in the suit when she was in human form had expanded, shifted, and locked into a covering for her Were shape without restricting her movement.
It had taken less than five minutes of a steady advance before the Weres encountered the first enemy, a scouting wolf. Growling in the deep rumble that was far louder than should come from an animal her size, Gyada charged the surprised Were. Moving far faster than her normal pace led anyone to expect, she managed to gut it before it escaped to alert its companions. The fact that it did not have time to howl a warning, or even get out a complete yelp meant that the enemy force was surprised as the Weres appeared in their midst.