Peacekeepers: A Red Alert 3 Story
Chaos everywhere, that was all anyone could see in the streets of Brighton. The Peacekeepers of the 1st Division were getting pounded by Soviet Dreadnaught fire and the best the Allied forces had to respond with were some outdated costal defense guns. And even the genius of Major Clarke and his engineer company had only been able to get them to fire a few salvos before enemy counter-fire had silenced them. Now, burning metal pyres was all that remained of the batteries.
From the shelter of a gutted hotel, Staff Sergeant Able huddled in misery with the rest of Bravo Company. Specifically, Bravo Company of the 4-32 Infantry battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Division. What was left of them anyway. Most of the Brigade had been killed during the Soviets shelling of Brighton Beach.
The Soviets bombardment had also managed to land some ordnance in the middle of Brighton Beach Command leaving the defenders without any means of coordinating their efforts. Which meant that nearly an entire city was without any means to communicate with Allied High Command back in London. No reinforcements, no air support, not even artillery fire to break up landing troops. Able was about to take a peek outside when he heard one of the lookouts from the upper floors start hollering.
"I see 'em! I see the damn Commies! They're coming and they're coming strong!" The lookout yelled.
Across the room, 1st Lieutenant Jenners stood up and started directing troops in a hurried manner. "All right soldiers start creating a firing line across through this building and spread it over to the store next to us. Try not to bunch up. Those of you with the Javelin launchers take yourselves upstairs and try to take out their vehicles!"
He didn't need to repeat himself and the soldiers (Peacekeepers as the media back home had labeled them) moved into place with little trouble. The Lt gestured Able over to talk, and Able made his way across the rubble quick as he dared.
"Able, I need you to watch over the men in the next building, there's barely 50 of us and a fuck-ton of Reds headed our way. Keep 'em calm and get them out of there if you think the situation becomes untenable." The LT was looking through a blown out window at a horizon darkened by approaching Soviet landing craft.
"What? And just fucking run for it without linking back up sir?" Able was incredulous.
"The fight that's about to start is going to be some real nasty shit. Once it starts we won't have time to link back up. I'll be doing the same thing. So don't worry about leaving someone behind, just worry about getting men out to fight the Reds another day." Replied the LT.
"Roger sir." Said Able before making his way over to the store.
A Corporal and a few privates were busy setting up whatever rubble and furniture they could find and were stacking it up as a barrier. The rest were checking weapons and handing launchers and ammo to the Javelin soldiers who had managed to find a way up the broken staircase and into the upstairs rooms.
"Heya, Corporal…uh…" Able didn't recognize the shorter dark-skinned man in front of him and decided it was better to just go by rank.
The man turned around from his work and peered through his open helmet visor at Able. "Sergeant?"
"How long till you'll have this place set up?"
"Just a few more minutes. Me and a few other soldiers are using the last of the furniture as a barricade. That'll be the best we can get before the Commies start moving off the beaches." The Corporal hacked inside his helmet then gestured upstairs.
"We've got 6 soldiers with Javelins upstairs and about 12 of us Peacekeepers down here. The rest are with the LT in the hotel."
"Whose in charge up there?"
"That'd be me, sergeant. PFC Rane." Said a cheery voice over the intercom. Looking up Able saw a Peacekeeper waving down at him. Able waved him back into position then turned to the Corporal. "Is he any good?"
"Best damn shot I've ever seen with a Javelin, but he's a bit kooky in the head, if you know what I mean." Replied the Corporal.
Able nodded then looked out the window. The Soviet landing craft had nearly reached the shore. He frowned and looked up at the sky. "I'd kill my own mother right now if it meant we'd have fucking air support…"
The Corporal grinned. "Shit Sergeant, that just means more fun for us infantry. We don't need no goddamn airmen taking credit for saving England from the Commies. Bad enough hearing 'em go on before the war started."
Able chuckled before ducking behind a couch as a incoming rocket took a house less than 2 blocks away and turned it into ash. "The Reds aren't fucking around…" He muttered to himself. Looking back he saw the Corporal had finished and was taking up a firing position. Able got more comfortable before the inevitable assault.
The landing vessels had drawn up roughly 50 yards from the shoreline and were aiming what looked like some kind of huge cannon towards the city. As he watched the cannons started to launch men nearly 200 feet into the air. At the apex of their ascent a parachute flew open above their heads and lowered them slowly to the ground.
"That is the weirdest fucking landing I have ever seen…" muttered the Corporal next to Able.
The Soviet infantry fanned across the beaches and started to launch smoke grenades all over the Brighton waterfront. In a few seconds there was so much smoke that even with the built in filters in his visor, Able couldn't see more than 30 feet. He could still hear the Soviets though, the clank of the Flak Troopers' chains and the stomp of conscript boots. There was another noise to, a growling that left Able chilled to the bone.
"Uh Sergeant?" said an unsure PFC Rane through the helmet communication system. "I think we've got bears…"
"Bears? Private, what the fuck have you been smoking?" Able was worried more about the Soviets than some imaginary bear.
"I caught a glimpse of something big on the IR scope on the Javelin. And I used to hunt Grizzly's with my uncle back in Alaska, they sounded just like what I'm hearing now. Only…" Rane paused unwilling to finish.
"Only what?"
"These sound bigger, heavier…I dunno angrier even."
"Jesus Christ, Rane. So you're telling me that the Soviets have decided to unleash super-bears on us as a viable strategy? Do you fucking hear yourself?" Able didn't need his soldiers losing it just before the fight.
"Sergeant, I don't fuck around. There's bears out there and I can hear 'em. I don't care if you believe me or not." Rane sounded scared.
Able was about to tell Rane to shut the fuck up when a massive form wandered into the street in front of the store. One of the soldiers next to him screamed "HOLY FUCK!" before opening up on the shape.
Enemy fire tore from the smoke and forced the Peacekeepers into cover. Some were too slow and as Able took a quick count of the men he saw the Corporal had a bloody hole where his face would normally be. He dared a look over the barricade and saw the Soviets emerging from the smoke screen.
"OPEN FIRE!" He screamed.
The Soviets' crackle of rifle fire was drowned out by the boom of the Peacekeeper shotgun fire. Bursts of shot plucked the enemy from their feet and sent them flying back into the smoke.
In the midst of the enemy was a monster born of nightmares. It was a huge creature even by the standards of its kind. On all fours it still stood over 12 ft tall. Nearly its entire body was covered in heavy plated armour and from a massive helmet extended jaws that held teeth nearly as long as a man's forearm. Bright reds eyes shone from inside the eye sockets and locked onto Able position.
"Oh shit…" whispered a terrified Able.
And then all hell broke loose.
The bear turned its gaze towards Able and let loose a roar that froze him where he hid. Shotgun fire plucked at its armor and tore patches out of its fur. It roared again and charged the position and still Able couldn't move. The red eyes filled his vision as the beast bore down on his position.
Suddenly, there was a 'POP!' and the bear exploded into pink mist that rained down on the Soviets causing them to scatter in panic. Able slowly looked up and saw Rane giving him a exaggerated thumbs-up while a Javelin launcher smoked in his left hand.
"Is that how you hunt bears in Alaska?" Shouted Able over the com.
"Just the communist ones!" Rane joked.
Able shook his head before turning back to the fight. He popped out of cover and fired a few rounds into the approaching Soviet troops. He saw one go down having lost half his head to a shotgun slug. His men were doing well, the narrow approaches had forced the Soviets to bunch together and made the approach a killing ground for the Peacekeeper weaponry. But for the Peacekeepers in the hotel the fight was not going as well.
The Soviets had managed to swarm their way up to the hotel and were slowly driving out the defenders. Dots of fire sailed through the air and ignited several Peacekeepers taking cover behind a staircase. They stumbled into the open howling in agony before the Soviets cut them down. Able tried reaching the LT over the com but there was only static.
Several Flak troopers moved in front of the hotel and fired a series of shells deep into the structure. The hotel shook and lurched off towards one side. Another volley caused the structure to shatter. The remaining Peacekeepers inside screamed in impotent rage as they were crushed in falling wreckage.
"Goddamn bastards." Whispered Able to himself. But there was no time to avenge the dead, the remaining men from Bravo Company were about to be the focus of a few hundred Soviet conscripts. "Rane, get your men together and get the hell out of here! We'll provide covering fire, regroup at division HQ!"
Rane started to protest. "Retreat sergeant? We don't…"
"Shut the fuck up Rane!" Howled Able "Get your men out of here now, there's no point in getting ourselves killed for a fucking building!"
Rane didn't answer, just tapped his com twice to signify understanding. He wasn't happy, but Able had bigger things to worry about than what one soldier thought about his decision.
"Alright men, we're pulling out!" Able shouted over the com system. He was about to go into more detail when a droning noise began to drown out the sounds of combat. Able turned his eyes upward and what he saw made him turn white as a ghost.
They were massive airships, each easily the size of a Assault destroyer and much more heavily armed. On the front of each of the craft was emblazoned a demon's face grinning in horrific glee as if reveling in the carnage that had been and would be inflicted on the free world.
"KIROVS!" Screamed Able. The rest of the men didn't need to listen to anything else, the destructive power of the Kirov Bomber had been broadcast over American television long enough for everyone to know what they were capable of. The men of Bravo Company broke from cover and ran faster than any had run before in their lives.
As they ran Brighton was incinerated. 500 kilo bombs fell like rain from the Kirov's bays obliterating the beach and any remaining Allied positions along the shore. The Soviet forces that had failed to advance far enough into the city were also annihilated.
Able was leading the rest of Bravo Company, when he heard Rane's voice calling from the rear of the group. "Sergeant! We've got an abandoned IFV over here, good condition too!"
"Get it running! Those Kirov's are coming around for another run!" Yelled Able.
Rane poked his head out of the IFV's drivers side compartment. "Already done sergeant! She's jacked up and good to go!"
Able made sure the rest of Bravo Company made it aboard the IFV before jumping on. Just as he leapt inside he saw the Kirov's beginning their second run. "GO! GO! GO!" He screamed over the com.
Rane didn't need any further encouragement, he hit the gas with an enthusiasm that sent the rest of the passengers bouncing around the IFV's interior. They spent several tense minutes as Rane swerved and jumped through the broken streets of Brighton. Then with a sudden lurch, the IFV slammed to a halt sending men and equipment careening to the front of the passenger compartment.
"Uh, sergeant…You might want to see this." Rane spoke quietly as if in shock.
Able made his way to the front ready to chew Rane out for being a pain in the ass when he spotted what the private had wanted him to see. It was Division HQ. It was destroyed, completely. The buildings that had served as HQ were now reduced to smoldering wrecks.
"We're fucked…" whispered a visibly shaken Rane. "We've got no communication, no backup, no support, and now no one else in our unit…"
Able was unable to reply. They were it, the last surviving soldiers of the 1st Division. He stepped out of the IFV and walked to the structure that used to be HQ. The Soviets had won. It was barely a month since America had joined the war and now the Soviets had destroyed the best-equipped and trained expeditionary force the U.S. military had to offer. There truly was no stopping the scourge of Communism. The sound of cheering cut through Able's despair and he turned to look at what had caused such elation among his men.
Overhead a Kirov fell from the sky. It was on fire and as it fell small explosions tore the craft apart. Around the other Kirovs flew small blue arrows shooting bursts of fire that tore chunks of armor from the larger craft. It took Able a minute to realize what he was seeing, he hollered with joy.
"It's the goddamn air force! We've finally got air support! We're fucking saved!"
The next few hours we're spent watching the air force tear apart the Soviet forces before fresh Allied ground troops moved in to retake the beaches. It took nearly 3 hours of fighting, but Bravo Company would not be a part of that action, down to 13 men and one IFV they were relieved and sent to the outskirts for some rest. Able had just appropriated a case of MRE's and was distributing them when he received a message that he was about to receive a guest.
"Who is it?" He asked the soldier operating the radio.
"Dunno, but he said they'd be here about…" The soldier paused to look at his watch. "…Now."
At that moment an IFV flanked by two Guardian tanks pulled up to Able's battered unit and a helmet poked out of the top hatch. "There a Sergeant Able around?" said a woman's voice.
"That would be the grouchy-looking bastard slouched on our MREs!" Quipped Rane.
Able stared daggers at him, but turned to the IFV. "Yeah?"
"The Commander wants to talk to you, he says to meet him by the back hatch." A gloved hand popped out by the helmet and gestured to the back of the IFV. Able shrugged in indifference and headed round. He didn't know what this commander wanted and he really didn't care. He was tired, sore, and his unit had suffered nearly 95 percent casualties. All Able wanted to do was curl up into a corner and sleep forever.
He reached the back of the IFV before he noticed that the commander wasn't outside, instead sitting perched on a fold-out seat inside the vehicle with a com-set on his head. There was little light inside the vehicle and Abe was unable to make out his face. He was surrounded by maps, maps with unit icons, and even monitors with maps on them. Able had to pound his shotgun on the vehicle to get his attention. The commander jumped in surprise before realizing what had happened.
"Good you're here. I wanted to congratulate you on surviving this attack. We dealt the Soviets a bloody nose today, probably killed off any further attempts of invading England. But they still have Europe and we still have to take it back." The commander frowned then turned back to the monitors. "Given the high rate of casualties in the Allied units today I'd recommend retiring all of you for rest and refit…"
"I'm sensing a 'but' sir." said Able.
"But Allied High Command in its infinite wisdom has decided that the nature of this conflict prevents any immediate R&R. So instead of fresh units, I get to use old units and grind them into dust." The commander paused, looking at the 12 men left along with Able. "This war will be terrible, so terrible…I've been given authority to re-organize and redistribute the 1st as I see fit. The 4-32 will be absorbing the remnants of the other units. Any shortages will be made up with foreign troops. We will no longer be the 1st Infantry Division, we will be the 1st Allied Army. A true conglomeration of freedom against the oppression of Communism."
"That's nice sir, but why are you telling me this? I'm a SSG in charge of what's left of a company. I'm nobody."
"I'm telling you because I'm an placing you in charge of the first American unit to be combined with foreign soldiers, you'll get them next week. Congratulations, you're now a company commander in 1-01 Combined Arms Allied Battalion. I'm sure you'll come up with a better name. Promote who you need to once you get everyone. I'll approve all your choices."
"Yes sir."
"Then if there's no more questions, I need to get back to directing the war, I have half the army out there scattered and without communications. My intelligence officer is throwing a fit because I haven't been answering her messages. Good luck captain."
Able gave a quick salute, then closed the rear hatch for the commander. The vehicles trundled off through the city remains throwing up clouds of dust and ash that obscured Able's vision. Rane walked up: shotgun in one arm, MRE bag in the other, and whatever food that had been in the MRE crammed into his mouth.
"So what the commander want sergeant?" Rane managed to say through a mouthful of beef patty.
"It's sir now, I've been promoted." replied Able, turning around. "And I need a new squad leader for my Javelin troops. So you're my new sergeant, congratulations."
Rane's face split in half with the biggest grin Able had ever seen. "No Shit? Aw sir, We should celebrate! Hang on…" Rane shifted his shotgun in order to get a free hand into his MRE. "Damn it." He muttered as he managed to spill the whole thing on the ground. A bemused Able watched as Rane dug around a mess of plastic wrappers and paper until the newly promoted sergeant gave a grunt of satisfaction.
"Here they are!" Rane stood up with a bright yellow package. "Peanut M&M's sir, want a few?"
Able chuckled but shook his head. "Not today sergeant. I have a few things I need to take care of. And you should get the camp set up before enjoying the candy. I have a feeling we'll need to get all the rest we can before next week."
Rane's grin never faltered as he saluted and headed back to the other soldiers. Able looked across the burning wreck that had been Brighton while the survivors of Bravo Company started settling down for the night. Able sighed in resignation then started settling in himself. Looked like the Peacekeepers were going to fight another day after all.