Chapter 2: Operation: Little Mars

"WAKE UP! IT'S TIME TO SHOW THIS WORLD THE RED LIBERATION!"

I groaned. Different world, same routine, it didn't matter though I stammered out of bed, got dressed and grabbed some chow. Nadya was sitting with some other comrades so I sat next to her.

"Sleep ok, comrade?"

"Nyet. Was worried about an attack, I finally did fall asleep but not easily."

"I slept like a rock. The Comrade Commander said we were attacking the city today. Time to teach these imperialist oppressors a lesson." A nearby Comrade said.

"Yeah mate. Well take that city in hours, cheers!" A British comrade said raising his cup of water.

"Guys, it will not be easy." I said trying to get them to see that war was not a game. "We could die. We should treat this more seriously."

"He is correct." Nadya agreed.

"Maybe you are right chap. But this is the only way I can take my mind off the present situation." The British one said.

Maybe he was right. I mean countering fear with a shroud of arrogance was probably a good way to deal with reality. It just wasn't my way. I worried too much. Chow ended as it always did. We armed and presented ourselves to Comrade Captain Chernyakhovsky for our pre-mission briefing.

"Comrades, this is your First Mission. It's good that you all have some combat experience with attack yesterday. Soldiers do not always have that when sent to a critical front. A great mission lies ahead. President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Vladimir Putin, sends these words." He began reading from a piece of paper. "'Comrades, you are doing the ideas of Lenin and Marx something that no one was able to predict. You and you alone can change 'Workers of the world unite' to Workers of all worlds unite. A great deal depends on you. And to our foreign fighters: American, British, and all others. You have proven that people can change. And that people despite the upbringing can fight for the people.'" Comrade Chernyakhovsky continued. "It's almost sunrise. Before we left you were assigned to a number. Find the Armored Personnel Carrier that matches your number. A three man crew has been assigned to each. Dismissed!"

We were using BTR-90's as our APC's, which was great since I loved training with them, plus nothing was better than having some armor protecting you. We also had T-80 tanks and OT-62 flame tanks. We looked very organized and ready for this attack. I walked over to Nadya. "Looks like we will be on different squads, it's too bad."

"Da, I agree. However make sure you survive. I want to see you again" She said.

"I will and I want to see you again as well."

"When I said 'Find the APC' it must of sounded more like 'Make plans to improve Soviet-American Relations' get the hell out of here!" Captain Chernyakhovsky yelled.

I said nothing and ran to my APC. Nadya did the same. Mine wasn't too far. I entered. It wasn't very high tech on the inside. It did have a flat computer screen for the mission but other than that the inside was olive drab like the outside. Quickly after I entered the other 6 did as well I paid little attention to them. All I saw were three men and three women. After we all got in the screen came on. And a narration began.

"Greetings Comrades." The voice said. On the screen was the USSR's coat of arms, the Hammer and Sickle over the planet Earth with Russia in the center, grain on the outside and a red star on the top. The background was black. "The mission ahead is called Operation: Little Mars." A map of the city appeared. "Your squad will go in after the T-80 tanks have softened up the area. OT-62's will be stationed with the T-80's but most will remain behind you. Your goal is located here." An arrow pointed to a courtyard area. "Then you will follow the T-80's to the beach. Your goal is to prevent forces from other nations or cities if you prefer from landing. This area was attacked before and reinforcements came from the beach. You will not let that happen again. Your ACP has been armed with Anti Ship missiles. They operate the same as 9M113 Konkurs except that they are for ships." As it was saying this, a diagram of the missile appeared and showed it being used in training. "You will remain until the order to retreat or advance is given. The T-80's and OT-62's will support you the whole way. You are not to open the side slits and fire upon the enemy. The crew members and tanks will guard you. You are to save all your Ammunition for the reinforcements if they arrive or if you are counter attacked." An arrow pointed to a lighthouse that was located somewhat near the beach. "The path to the lighthouse and the lighthouse itself will be an area that favors enemy defense. Since as you proceed to the light house there are mountains along the beach. You will also be on standby if you are needed to support the other squads that plan to seize the objective. That is all; any further orders will come from your commanding officer. "The screen went blank.

The engine started. I heard the rattle of tank tracks, and my worries started to melt away, nothing like having armored protection. Our APC followed shortly. I didn't even open the slit behind me; I was too worried about being hit by a bullet or magic. The group was quite. I never really talked to any of them before. It seems like we were chosen because of limited contact for no one really talked to one another. I loud crash hit the side of the APC I was on. "What was that?!" Then another, except this one rocked the APC. I was thrown from my seat and crashed into the metal floor. Everything was getting dark. "Comrades I…"

"Hey I think he's waking up." I heard.

My eyes opened. I was outside on the beach. I looked at the ocean. I was beautiful…except for the anti landing craft barricades, and the machine guns and explosions in the background.

"Aircraft approaching!" Said a crew member in the APC. I looked up and saw a dragon like jet fly into the city. I could see some RPG's try and shoot it down but it was no use. It was too fast. I then saw it land, maybe 3 miles towards the center of the city.

"Reinforcements!" A comrade yelled.

We set up our defense at the street leading into the beach. It was the last one before the light house. We had our APC, two T-80 Tanks and two OT-62's. Down away from the light house I saw many more tanks and flame tanks but they were busy with guarding us from being flanked. We waited. The sound of machine guns and explosions never ceased. I held my AK at the ready behind some impromptu barricades waiting for the enemy. The flame tanks were twenty feet in front of me and twenty feet on both sides away from me. It took them an hour but they finally showed up.

"FIRE!" A crew member said.

I fired, as well as the tanks, the APC's 30mm Shipunov 2A42 cannon, and my comrades. The flame tanks held back. The enemy forces although more prepared, some even had guns, didn't stand much of a chance. Many were killed however when we fired at others a magical green shield blocked the bullets.

"Damn it. What are we going to do?" A comrade asked. However no one could answer him. He was hit with a lighting spell shortly after he asked.

A comrade shot a grenade from his AK however that still didn't break the shield. An enemy soldier began to cast a spell; I braced myself however it was not aimed for me. An ice spell hit the front of the T-80. However since these have winter resistance since it was built to resist the cold of the USSR. Though the crew didn't abandon they did reverse the tank. From what I could tell the turret may have been frozen.

"Comrade!" I yelled at the flame tank machine gunner. "Tell the commander to use flames. We have tried everything else." He nodded and entered the hatch. As this was unfolding another comrade was killed by an ice attack. He was frozen solid He tried to lean down to avoid it but wasn't quick enough. I looked over the barricade and saw only a few soldiers with the shield magic activated. Keeping their distance but firing spells. A strong fire spell hit the APC I was sent in and it erupted in flames. The crew abandoned. One looked seriously burned. The other two looked to be burned but not as bad. All three hit the ground after a few feet. At that time the flamethrower tanks opened up on the magic wielding soldiers. I looked and say their shields didn't protect them. In a matter of minutes they were all burned to a crisp or retreating in flames. Then nothing or at least nothing near us, fighting continued throughout the city though. I closed my eyes and took a breath. Then crash. A massive fire spell hit a flame tank. Then another fire spell hit the other. I ran so avoid being burned. I felt heat but I wasn't burned. I was alive but as I looked back my comrades were being shot, one after another as they fled from being burned. The remaining four passengers of the APC were dead, by an extremely good shooter. I ducked behind a rocky part of a nearby mountain. This rock area was indeed good for defense. I was kneeling behind a large rock; I rose up and saw a spiked, blonde haired man with a strange tattoo on the left side of his face. He wore blue jean shorts, a black shirt and a red vest. I reloaded my AK and took aim at this man who was looking around; he didn't seem to notice me. Then I heard the cocking of a gun behind me.

"Drop it." A confident stern male voice said.

I did as he ordered. I lowered my AK to the ground, raised my hands, and stood up.

"Zell! I got one!"He yelled.

He ran over "Great, one of these invaders alive. Say, you do not look Galbadian." The man named Zell said.

"I'm not. I am an American Soviet." I said proudly.

"Turn around." The voice behind me ordered.

I did as he said. I saw a man dressed like a cowboy with long hair and a pretty boy like face. Except for his boyish looks he looked exactly like a cowboy from Westerns. Odd that one was here in this world.

"Nighty night." He said before he hit me in the face with the butt of the gun.