“Damn,” he muttered under his breath. “These things react faster than anything I’ve ever seen.” He’d known his troops would take fire going in, but he didn’t expect the cluster bombs. He didn’t understand how they could reposition their batteries so quickly. Now he had to make a choice…order his troops to hit the ground and crawl the rest of the way…or make a mad dash for the cover of the ridgeline. The losses would be high if they just ran forward, but Colonel Yoshi’s orders were explicit.
“Run to the objective.” He’d flipped his com to the unit-wide frequency. “Let’s go! Move!” He started running himself as he gave the order. He focused on a section of the ridge and ran toward it, trying hard to ignore the incoming fire. It only took about 30 seconds to get to the ridge, but it was the longest half-minute he’d ever experienced. He made one last push off his legs and dove forward behind the spiny rock outcropping, his outstretched arms driving into the damp clay ground.
“All personnel, commence firing. Heavy weapons teams set up. I want you shooting in three zero seconds.” Getting some fire laid down was his number one priority. Number two was checking the casualty reports. His AI was tied in with the transponders on the suits of his troops. Theoretically, he knew who was alive, who was dead, who was wounded…even who was overly stressed. In practice the data was of limited accuracy. Dust and radiation interfered with the transmissions, and damage to a trooper’s armor could knock out the medical reporting system. Sato’s best guess was that 25% of his people were down. That was bad, but it could have been worse. They’d just dashed across 2 kilometers of open plain against a technologically advanced and ruthless enemy. He tried not to think about the fact that they’d probably have to go back over that same ground.
His troopers were already firing, and one of the SAWs was active as well. They were enfilading the enemy at close range, causing considerable disorder as the robotic units moved to change their facing to meet the attack. They were scoring a lot of hits, but the PRC mag-rifles were weaker than the Alliance models, and it took a number of direct hits in a vital area to even damage one of the battle bots. The PRC heavy weapons, on the other hand - the autocannons particularly - were the best produced by of any of the Powers. They delivered a very heavy projectile at an extremely high velocity – the perfect combination to take on the enemy robots.
Sato saw the bots start to go down as his SAW teams came online. He only had four, but they were raking the enemy flank with withering fire. For a few minutes his people had the edge, blasting away at an enemy struggling to change frontage. But gradually the intensity of the return fire increased. The enemy’s cluster bombs started dropping all along the ridge, savaging not only Sato’s troops, but the entire PRC line.
Sato’s company was deployed on the extreme left of the position. His orders were to hold here at all costs, and continue to pour fire into the enemy. The PRC right was swinging around like a door, attacking the enemy from the rear. Colonel Yoshi was there, leading the assault himself. Sato focused on his position, but he couldn’t help but think of those troops continuing to advance, pressing the attack right onto the enemy. The battle bots were terrifying. They seemed almost impervious to damage, at least from regular small arms. And they ignored losses. They continued whatever they were doing, regardless of casualties. The last survivor of a unit fought with the same relentless determination it began with.
He’d never approached a battle expecting the other side to cut and run, but now he realized how much of his courage and his morale hinged on the subconscious knowledge that the enemy could be broken. That if his people were just a bit more steadfast than their adversaries they could win the day. It was overwhelming knowing that if you destroyed 99% of the enemy, the survivors would keep coming…that they would claw at you with their last appendage until you put every one of them down.
Sato looked out over the plain and watched his company’s fire tear into the enemy. His people were wreaking havoc right now, but he couldn’t help but wonder what would happen when the enemy reorganized and counter-attacked. If the enemy broke through Sato’s people they’d get between the rest of the PRC force and the main Alliance line. Yoshi’s attack would turn into a blood-soaked disaster.
Sato pulled his rifle up over the edge of the ridge and started firing. We’re not going to let that happen, he thought grimly.
“Aoki’s people are getting killed, Erik.” Jax was standing right next to Cain, though on the com it would have sounded the same if he’d been100 klicks away. He was edgy, and he sounded it. “You need to give them the recall order.”
Cain stood unmoving, staring off in the direction of the PRC forces. He couldn’t see them at this distance, but he knew what was happening there…he knew it all too well. “They will hold.” His voice was icy, frozen. Erik spent a lot of his spare time worrying about his troops and brooding about the ones he’d lost, but once he was on the battlefield he was as cold as they come. He knew what it took to win…or to hold out longer if victory wasn’t an option. And he let nothing interfere with that. As the years passed he had become almost a robot himself when the battle was raging. He’d pay for it later…he’d pay with guilt and doubt and self-recriminations, but on the field he’d spend however many lives it took to accomplish the objective.
He wasn’t so sure what that objective was anymore. He’d created the most nightmarish set of defenses imaginable, doing everything he could think of to repel the enemy. His troops had inflicted enormous casualties on them, wiping away entire sections, but the survivors just kept coming…and the orbiting fleet continued landing replacements. He’d never thought his people could win, not really. But now he was sure…they were fighting a hopeless battle. But if his entire corps was going to be destroyed, he was damned sure going to take out as many of these cursed machines as he could. And that meant Aoki’s people stayed where they were…at least for a while longer.
Jax fidgeted in his armor, wanting to argue but knowing it was futile. The two were closer than brothers, comrades in some of the most horrific battles men had ever fought. But this was the one area where they differed, and the only thing they ever argued about. Jax could never embrace the brutal mathematics of war. Not the way Cain did.
“I’m worried about the western flank too, Erik.” Jax changed the subject. There was no point arguing with Cain, especially on the battlefield; he might just as well debate a brick wall. “What if the enemy manages to get through those mountains? I really think we need to garrison that area.”
Cain was focusing all his strength where he could hurt the enemy. The western approaches were covered by the Iron Hills, a low range of mountains that were extremely rocky and virtually impassable. “How are they going to move a significant force through there?” Cain was annoyed. He knew Jax was upset with him over the PRC troops, and now he felt his XO was venting his frustration by picking at his decisions. His head pounded, despite the two doses of analgesics Hector had administered, and he was in no mood for pointless debate. “We need those troops elsewhere, Jax. It’s that simple.” He’d normally never disregard Jax’s opinions, but he was tired and frustrated and his temper was short.
Jax sighed softly. Erik is being reckless, he thought. He’s so focused on lashing out at the enemy he’s taking chances he shouldn’t be. “Don’t you think we should post something there just in case? The Janissaries are still unengaged.”