Hi ya'll. Thanks for still reading. I don't own School Rumble.
Updated January 10, 2008: Well here is the improved version of this chapter. Sorry about all this again. Just another 7 chapters to be edited this one.
Chapter 10: Bid for Freedom
"If liberty means anything
It's the right to tell people what we don't want to hear"
Eric Arthur Blair, commonly know by his pen name George Orwell
0430 Hours; May 25th, 2010; Sae-Go District; Pusan, Republic of Korea
"Roanoke leader, this is Division HQ. Hollow and Dogwood Companies are withdrawing on your left and Foxglove and Guardian Companies are withdrawing on right, over."
"Rodger, Echo, Roanoke, and Hound Companies are outbound, Roanoke leader out," said Lt. Colonel Shinhachi into the radio.
It was 0458 hours and the sun hadn't risen yet, but they were getting ready to be on the move. The evacuation fleet had been withdrawing the last of the refugees and NATO soldiers during the night and finally they and the NATO troops were going to be taken out of Pusan.
"Lt. Colonel Shinhachi says that the USMC will provide hovercraft, amphibious vehicles, and choppers to extract us from the harbor," said Asou to his squad and Mai. "He also expects that the Chinese may have maneuvered troops in between the EZ (extraction zone) and our current position, so I need you all ready to fight."
Hanai, Kitsumori, Harima, Yamako, Shimazu, Kaoji, and Mai nodded and started to pack up their belongings. Soon everyone was moving in two columns with Roanoke platoon and Echo Company on the left side of the street and Hound Company on the right side.
Behind them they could hear Chinese artillery and in front the US Navy's gun and missile fire. The roar of a jet engine made them drop to their stomach. Looking up it was PLAF J-10, fuselage smoking; it crashed several blocks area and a fireball rose from the point of impact. Getting to their feet they continued their silent, but rapid retreat to the harbor.
As they approach an intersection a loud echoing shot rang out and a Japanese soldier dropped to the ground; a bullet hole in his head.
"Sniper!"
"Cover!"
"Where is he?!"
Confused yells revolved around the street. Kaoji looked around and saw on the opposite left side of the intersection was a bank. On the roof was a man in the prone position. "The bank! He's on the bank roof!"
The Germen paratroopers on the right side of the street started to shoot when a machine gun opened up from a third floor apartment building on the opposite right of the intersection. The Japanese, Americans, and Germans used cars, mailboxes, newspaper dispensers, doorways, and even trashcans for cover, but there was no denying they were exposed with very little protection.
Captain Maiwald shot the MG gunners, but he was immediately replaced with an assistant gunner. "It's no good! They've got multiple gunners; get a rocket on that MG!"
"On it sir!" responded an American soldier with an AT4. He fired and sent three Chinese soldiers flying from MG nest in the third floor apartment to the street below. At the same time, the volume of fire from the bank increased as riflemen and light machine gunners fired from the second story and ground floor of the bank.
"Cover my squad! We're going in!" shouted Asou. Riflemen from Echo Company laid down covering fire while 5th squad moved up to a bus on the street corner. They crept around it and made a mad dash across the street for the cars there. Once again that slow motion feeling swept over them as green tracers flew past them. In that moment, it hit all of them how vulnerable they were to death. Asou slammed his back against a parked car breathing hard. Checked himself and then his squad, but no one seemed to be hurt.
"Frag 'em out!" yelled Asou pulling an M67 frag grenade off his tac-vest. They all threw M67s over the cars and into the bank windows on the ground floor. A series of blasts, flying shrapnel, screams, and flecks of blood came from the bank as the grenades went off.
Asou, Harima, Hanai, Kaoji, and Yamako switched the fire select mode to full-auto. Shimazu pulled out his Remington 870 pump-action shotgun. Kitsumori tossed the strap of his gun over his soldier so his FN Minimi was easier to handle when running.
"GO!" roared Asou as loud as he could. They stormed the bank; everything became confused in the frenzy of shooting and smoke. As the smoke cleared something was very wrong. A number of the people in the room weren't wearing a Chinese uniform or any military uniform; there were Korean civilians mixed in with Chinese soldiers. They were blindfolded and gagged. They froze; they were completely numb with shock.
"What the fuck?" said a voice in English. Captain Maiwald was standing in the doorway staring at the carnage.
"Come on," he said gently, "we have to keep moving. This wasn't really your fault. It's not like ya'll knew these people were here."
5th squad slowly left the scene looking over their shoulders. After dealing with the wounded they continued for the EZ.
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0500 Hours; May 25th, 2010; the Kremlin, Moscow; Russia, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republic
Premier Nikolay Bolotnikov was sitting in his office reading a bill to crack down on organize crime hiding out in the Ural Mountains. He had his pen raised ready to sign when the door burst open as numerous KGB and Red Army officers stormed into his office.
"What the hell…?!" Premier Bolotnikov started to shout, but froze when he saw the paleness of their faces and panic in their eyes.
"What happened?" he asked in a shaky voice.
"Uh… Comrade Premier… Lt. General Joseph Penovaski, an officer assigned to Vladivostok… has… um…" an officer tried to say.
"He deserted his post at Vladivostok, taking his entire division with him," a KGB colonel finished.
The pen Bolotnikov was holding fell to the ground; he stared at the officers before him as though they had just struck him across the face. "Ya… you mean to te… tell me that the entire 43rd Armor Division, along with their artillery and helicopter units has deserted?" he asked feebly.
"And 23rd and 50th air regiments, and 3rd airborne regiment," concluded a Red Air Force brigadier general.
"I see… AND WHAT IN GOD'S NAME ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING!?!" Bolotnikov roared.
"Um… we are asking you for what to do Comrade Premier. Also we have this for you," said a KBG Lt. General handing a disk to Bolotnikov. Bolotnikov placed the disk in a laptop on the right side of his desk.
A window popped up and asked if he wanted to play an audio recording on the disk. He chose yes and listen, "Comrades of the glorious Red Army of the great Motherland. Our leaders chose to ignore an opportunity to strike down our Capitalists enemies. We shall do what our leaders have failed to do for years. Today we change the Motherland for the good of our comrades, our motherland, our pride, our hopes, and the world."
Premier Bolotnikov stopped the recording; he had a good idea of what the rest would say; he understood the politics of his nation well and the lies they told to gain support. He leaned towards a drawer and pulled out an official looking document. He signed his name on it and handed it to a KGB general. "This is my written permission to kill ex-Lt. General Joseph Penovaski by whatever means necessary."
"I understand Comrade Premier," saluted the KGB officers. They left the room immediately to plan the assassination of Lt. General Penovaski.
Bolotnikov placed his face in his hands and signed. He looked up at the military officers and asked, "Major General Trokov, where is your division?"
Major General Victor Trokov is tall blond hair man in his mid 40s. He snapped to attention and said, "I have a regiment in reserve near Chechnya, a brigade stationed at Warsaw, and another four brigades conducting drills at our training grounds around the White Sea."
"You are to move your division to Vladivostok. You are to be reassigned to Comrade General Polikov. You should tell your men to be prepared to engage deserters," said Bolotnikov. "Also, they may want to be prepared to engage the Chinese and North Koreans."
"Comrade Premier, what are you going to do?"
"I am going to ask for a meeting with NATO leaders at Stockholm and inform them of the situation."
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0645 Hours; May 25th, 2010; the harbor district; Pusan, Republic of Korea
USMC AAV7A1 amphibious assault vehicles, SH-60 sea hawks, CH-53E Super Stallions, and SH-46 Sea Knight were shipping and airlifting infantry to waiting Wasp class amphibious assault ships off shore. Super Stallions and hovercrafts were transporting the vehicles and tanks to the ships as well. A group of AH-1Z Super Cobras were patrolling the area and fighter planes were flying air cover.
5th squad was sitting slumped against a couple of shipping containers while Mai tried to convince them that they couldn't have known that there were civilians in the bank, but to no avail.
"Common guys, you didn't know," she said.
No response.
"Guys, you know it wasn't your fault."
No response.
"Damn it, I'm a Korean and I not blaming you!" she shouted.
"… it's hard to take in… can you give us a moment," mumbled Kitsumori.
"Okay, but our ride is here," she said pointing to a grey CH-46 Sea Knight with the word 'Marines' written in black on the waist of the aircraft. They staggered over to Sea Knight with the rest of Echo Company. A marine flight engineer was speaking greetings in extremely poor Japanese.
"Trust me, stick with your own language," Mai told him; he stared at her, but smiled, nodded, and pulled her into the plane.
Out of the back of the Sea Knight they watched US B-52 Stratofortresses, North Korean Tu-95 Bears, and PLAF H-6s bombing various parts of Pusan to oblivion. US cruise missiles and Chinese artillery blasting neighborhoods into the next millennium.
Mai watched her home of ten and a half years burning to the ground; her eyes filled with tears and she continued to watch her homeland for the last time.
"So… this is the end of the Republic of Korea," said Mai realizing that with this retreat, her country was now being fully occupied by the communist and was now probably just the People's Democratic Republic of Korea.
"Don't worry, we'll take good care of you," said Harima patting her on the head.
"Are we allowed to take a civilian we picked up on the street home with us?" asked Yamako.
"No, but I can arrange it," said Lt. Colonel Shinhachi. "I have some connections with the Japanese government. She helped me… and she looks like someone I know."
"Arigato," said Mai.
"Forget it… I don't want to see another little girl get sucked into the system."
The Sea Knight landed on the USS Essex of the Wasp class amphibious assault ships. They walked down the rear ramp of the CH-46 as engines started to shut down. A US Navy female commander and a lieutenant approached them.
They saluted the USN (United States Navy) officers and they returned the salute. The Lieutenant translated for his CO, "My name is Lieutenant Joel Haddon and this is my superior Commander Abigail Hutchinson. She wishes to welcome you to the USS Essex and to inform you that you'll be taken back to a US navel yard at Yokohama."
"Arigato Lieutenant," said Asou, "please tell your CO that we have wounded and would like them treated as soon as possible. We would also like to know what will become of us."
Haddon spoke to Commander Hutchinson. She gave him a response and he translated, "She says to take your wounded to the corpsmen by the flight tower and that you'll get you orders when we arrive at Yokohama. Also if you head below deck to the mess hall you can get yourselves a meal."
"Arigato gozaimasu," Asou said with a salute.
"Iē, zenzen (no, not at all)," Commander Hutchinson said in an attempt to communicate with Asou. Asou smiled at her attempt to speak Japanese, plus it wasn't as bad as the sergeant on the Sea Knight.
They ate quietly in the mess hall with various Japanese, US, German, British, French, Turkish, South Korean, and Canadian soldiers and even a few civilians. 5th squad carefully avoided the South Koreans, the image of the slaughtered civilians fresh in their minds.
The air hung heavy and low. There was no shaking the feeling that they had been defeated in a very real way, driven off the mainland was nothing short of defeat.
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1900 Hours; May 25th, 2010; the Russian Embassy; Stockholm, Kingdom of Sweden
NATO and Soviet leaders were meeting in Stockholm, capitol of Sweden. Sweden, Norway, and Finland had stayed neutral during the Cold War and due to their convenient proximity to both Capitalist Europe and Communist Europe it became the sight of many peace talks and arms treaties.
"Why is the Soviet Premier asking to meet us at a time like this," asked a French President Francis Marquis.
"I don't know, but he sounded like he was in a panic when I heard from him," said German Chancellor Anne Strömvall.
They were sitting in a conference room in the Russian Embassy of Sweden. Premier Bolotnikov and his ministers entered and sat on the opposite side of the room. "Leaders of NATO members, I have grave news for you."
"Nothing to do with Korea I hope," said British Prime Minister Donald Hackett.
The Russians were silent.
"Oh god, please tell me your not joining the war," Canadian Prime Minister Harold de Lac.
More silence filled the room.
"What happened?" asked US President Michelle Crane.
"A commander in the Red Army deserted his post at Vladivostok, taking his entire division and two air regiments and an airborne regiment with them," said the Soviet Minister of Defense Volya Zeitzev.
This time the NATO members were silent; they were too shocked to speak.
"His name is Lt. General Joseph Penovaski. He commands the 43rd armor division, our Pacific Command main field task force," continued Zeitzev.
"I see… what can you tell us about him," asked Prime Minister de Lac.
Premier Bolotnikov pulled out a document and started to read, "Lt. General Penovaski is a 31 year old commander. He is one of the youngest men in the Red Army to hold his position. He grew up in the northern Caucasus region. We know from the academy records that he was taught by old commanders who lived for the day that we supposedly drove the Capitalists from Europe and Asia…"
"Is he joining the Chinese and North Koreans?!" interrupted Chancellor Strömvall.
"Yes," Premier Bolotnikov said flatly.
"What is his battle strength?" asked President Crane.
Minister of Defense Zeitzev read from another document, "He is armed for a blitzkrieg style of warfare. He is equipped with the new T-95s (1) and T-90 tanks. He has BMP-4s and BMD-3s IFVs. He has T-72 median tanks and PT-76 light/amphibious tanks and BTR-90 APCs. For anti-air he has ZSU-23-4 Shilkas and SA-8 Geckos. For artillery he has 2S7 Pion 203mm SP, 2S4 240mm SP mortar, BM-27 mobile rocket launchers, FROG-7 cruise missile launchers, and M1943 160mm heavy mortars.
For helicopter support he has Mi-24 Hinds, Mi-28 Havocs, and Ka-50 Hokums. Air transports he has the Mi-17 Hips, Mi-26 Halos, An-12 Cubs, and An-124 Condors (2). For fighters he has MiG-29 Fulcrums, MiG-31 Foxhounds, the new MiG-39 Flatpacks, Su-27 Flankers, Su-32 Fullbacks, Su-37 Terminators, and some of the new Su-47 Firkins.
His infantry carry the AKS-74, AN-94 (3), AK-108 (4), Bizon PP-19 sub machine gun, the RPK light machine gun, the RPG-7 and RGP-29, the Dragunov SVD, PMM, and many of the other latest of our nation's weapons."
"In other words, one of the most well equipped divisions in your military has gone rogue and they our probably moving to attack us," said President Crane. "What is your nation doing about it?"
"The KGB is planning to 'eliminate him as a factor' on my orders. Hopefully he'll not be a problem in the next few days. In the mean time marshall law has been declared and I have issued orders to General Polikov, my Pacific commander, to shoot anyone else who even thinks of joining Penovaski," said Bolotnikov. "And if worse comes to worse, we will send a division to destroy his division."
A dubious air fell over the room. The Soviets laid out the basic idea of how they planned to eliminate Penovaski with NATO offering some suggestions. NATO leaders were uncomfortable at the way the Soviets were approaching matters
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0800 Hours; May 26th, 2010; a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces base, Yokohama; Kanagawa Prefecture, Federation of Japan
"Ladies and gentlemen of the Japanese Federal Self-Defense Force, I thank you on behalf of Akihito-Tennō (5) and Aokami-Shushō for your brave and great sacrifices in Korea tp achive our victory in the Korean Peninsula."
5th squad felt that that statement was the biggest pile of bullshit they'd ever heard or ever heard in their entire lives. They knew the feeling of confidence and bravery were gone after the first few seconds of arriving. They knew that when they weren't scared they were either to numb or hyped up on adrenalin to be scared. As for great, the images of innocent people killed by both sides came to mind; they wondered how many people were killed in the fighting. Sacrifices… well they thought about mangled corpses that were once their friends and comrades. Still they had a job to do and they felt a surge of savage pride that they had accomplished their mission and done it despite the artillery barrages, air strikes, and armored assaults. They'd survived it all, that had to count for something and it gave them a savage pride no one, but other veterans like themselves would understand. Also, they now wore the title 'veteran', something few others had.
When the Major General who was speaking shouted banzai for a job well done, they raised their arms and roared banzai three times; not proud of the killing, but proud that they had survived and accomplished their individual goal of living to see home (6).
An hour later, Harima stepped into the shower. He turned on the water and rubbed soap on his arm and was shocked that his arm changed color. Looking at the water he saw the water was red from brick, grey from cinderblocks, black from asphalt, and brown from dirt and mud. He hadn't realized how much grim had caked onto his body.
When he entered locker room, he saw that they all had changed color a little from all of them mud and grim from the battlefield. They changed into fresh uniforms and enjoyed the feelings of being clean for the first time since they landed in Korea.
Exiting the male locker room, they found Mai who had changed in the female locker room. She had brought clean change of cloths in her pack and was wearing long shorts, a light green T-shirt with a Hello Kitty image on it, and a jean jacket.
"Mai," said Asou to her, "Because more than half of our battalion was lost in Pusan, we're being sent back home until we get replacements."
"Am I going with you?" asked Mai hopefully.
"Of course," said Harima ruffling her hair. "Actually we aren't far from Yagami."
"Tomorrow we leave and we'll take you with us. I think we agreed to take you to Harima's cousin's place, right?" asked Hanai.
"Will she be safe their?" asked Kitsumori worriedly.
"Of course, Itoko wouldn't hurt a little girl… I think. I'm sure she'll be willing to take care of her at the least, but we'll have to pay for any expenses," Harima informed them.
They nodded and made plans to put Mai in Yagami Elementary School and other plans for her future. 'It's like having a family again,' Mai thought happily.
All's well the ends well. Not really. It's far from the end as the Chinese, North Koreans, and Soviet deserters prepare for an invasion of Japan and NATO, the surviving AROK, and the Japanese prepare for the defense of Japan. What will happen to Mai as she is placed in her new home with her new surrogate family? What will happen to Harima when he meets up with Yakumo? What will become of Hanai now that he searches for a woman that will love him? Don't asked me, I haven't written it yet, or have I? Please review.
Updated January 10, 2008: I forgot how much happened in this chapter. Took me a while to straighten it all out, but it's done. I had things to do tonight so the next chapter editing may not come until tomorrow.
Respectfully
J. H. Kamiya
Appendix
1. The T-95 is Russia's latest tank. It's similar to the T-90, but it hasn't gone into production yet.
2. Antonov, an aircraft company in Russia that mainly makes utility planes, makes the An-124, codenamed by NATO as the Condor. When it went into production it surpassed the US Lockheed-Martin C-5 Galaxy as the world's largest transport plane that went into production.
3. The AN-94 is a new rifle to replace some older AK-74s in elite Russian units; the AK-74M is still the standard issue rifle with some newer Kalashnikovs entering service. Like all Russian weapons made after 1974 when the AK-74 was made it fires the Soviet 5.45x39mm cartridge.
4. The AK-107 to my knowledge is the latest rifle from Kalashnikov.
5. Tennō means 'Heavenly Sovereignty'. It is the title of the emperor. Emperor Akihito is the actually Emperor of Japan. After World War II the emperor is little more than a figure head just like the Queen of England.
6. The Banzai rally is done by throwing both arms in the air and shouting 'Banzai!' If it is done with weapons then you place it in one hand and raise it with your arms. Traditionally you repeat this three times.