Author's Note: Here is the long chapter! It took me the better part of two weeks to write. Its going to be just battle for the next two chapters and if its too long for some of you to marathon read or if you feel some of the chapters are too short please let me know. I hope you all that's still reading this far in are enjoying it and as always, please read and review.
Chapter 11: So it Begins
"Okami, Raiden, be advised, enemy has been alerted to your presence. Fortifications are being prepared over," Ikeda reported from behind us inside the HMV.
"It doesn't help that all three Special Forces teams had to eliminate their sentries posted over the lookout point," I grunted as I was laid down on my belly, "took them long enough to realize their men were dead."
"I'm just glad those men didn't need to check in until today. We've been here for almost two days and now they know something's up," Okuda yawned with Cael next to him.
The eleven of us were clustered on a nearby hill top. Slightly lower than the keep itself and almost a kilometer away, it provided an excellent overlook position and guard post. Min Keep was built on top of the highest mountain with two smaller hills flanking it on both sides. One winding road shallowly sloped upwards towards the structure itself. Between the two raised hills was a flat plain, extending as far as the eye can see. Large cliffs adorned the hill side we had set-up on. One decrepit stone watchtower rose from behind us. Sawada was on duty with his sniper rifle set up and observing the enemy activity inside the keep itself. A list of possible commanders was drawn up. But, it was hard to confirm if they were really commanders or not due to the lack of uniform across the entire force itself. Only The Berserker's honor guard wore any type of uniform and even then it was lavish red dragonscale armor with customized parts for their body.
Two flanking hills funneled forces arriving from the plains into a small thin line no wider than two tanks side to side. It was an extremely defensible position. If it weren't for the special forces teams controlling the two hills, any moving infantry would be slaughtered by the prepared oil bombs and boulders. The keep itself was bustling with activity. Men swarmed the structure and the road stretching all the way down like ants on an ant hill. Sharp wooden barricades were set-up to protect against rushing cavalry. Large defensive siege weapons were carried into place by ogres. Trebuchets, ballistae and catapults were placed all around the keep's wide watchtower tops and behind the walls while others were placed on the hill. Hot oil barrels were quickly carried to the gates while circling flights of dragonriders kept a watchful eye from above. Our notebooks and laminated maps sketched out each position in detail. It was hard to believe that a force of three thousand men occupied the keep and the surrounding area. Many lay dead on the two hills while those that defended the mouth of the funnel were oblivious to the twenty-seven men keeping a watchful eye days prior to the start of the battle.
A low darkened cloud hung over the entire area. Rain was frequent and during the battle, heavy rain was forecasted. It looked bleak as heavy clouds blocked out the sunlight. Heavy and fluctuating winds played hell on ballistics. The weather concerned me greatly since laser designated bombs didn't work through cloud cover. Joint Direct Attack Munitions used GPS as its main guidance system. Without it, the internal guidance system still had an acceptable thirty-meter circular error probable if dropped for less than 100 seconds. Any danger close CAS (close air support) would have to be done with guns or rockets.
I pushed myself off the hill, leaving Sanada, Okuda, Cael and Ige up to their own devices. A couple meters down the hill with camouflage netting deployed and under the protective shade of a tree, the HMVs sat silent while its electronics worked off of battery power. Ishihara was on the back seat of my vehicle fiddling with the MSTAR deployed next to Sawada in the watch tower.
"How's it looking?" I asked the Sergeant as his eyes glanced quickly up at me before returning to the screen.
"I think we've got a good picture," Ishihara sighed, "drawback of the system is the missing areas just behind the castle walls and some of the terrain features but I think it's good enough for the Ashigara."
"Alright," I grunted, walking around to the driver's seat and picking up another radiophone while Ikeda occupied the passenger seat sending messages to the Task Force, "set up the uplink."
"Ryokai," Ishihara sighed as his fingers tapped on the laptop.
My right index finger tapped on the small keypad before squeezing the transmit switch on the radiophone, "Ashigara, Okami, how do you read?"
"Okami, Ashigara, four by five," came the fuzzy but clear reply, "go for message."
"Ashigara, Okami, MSTAR radar picture uplink ready to upload via Link 16 over," I muttered into the radio and glanced back to look at Ishihara.
"Okami, Ashigara, solid copy on radar picture ready to upload. Send data," the radio operator responded as I nodded to Ishihara.
"Ashigara, Okami, data uploading. Overlay map and map grids given by command for reference map over," I replied, hearing the clacking of keys behind me.
"Copy that Okami. Will contact you once radar picture has been uploaded and the grids and map has been overlaid. Ashigara out," the radio operator finished his transmission.
"Here," I yawned and handed Ishihara the small notebook of finalized coordinates, "request TLAMs (Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles) on those coordinates for me will you. They'll take about an hour to get to the target so request them an hour earlier. Operation start time is September 6th at 1935 hours when the sun's set. It's going to be a long night of fighting."
"I'll do anything to stop watching ogres shit for half a day. Those things eat ungodly amounts of food," Ishihara snorted, glancing down at the notebook.
"I'm going to go see what Sawada's up to. You take care of those coordinates for me, okay?" I said as Ishihara nodded and waved me away with my own notebook.
I started the climb back up the hill and towards the dilapidated watchtower overgrown with vines, moss and bramble. The tops of the watch tower were blasted open. Parts of the roof were gone, wooden boards that made up the roof were rotten or splintered. Stone bricks were cracked with charred spots of black plastered across the walls. Some of the bricks felt smooth while the rest were rough. I ran my hands across the interior feeling some of the stone as if they were sandblasted on the inside. Stifled air hung inside the watchtower while the occasional breeze brought fresh air. Climbing the tower, I could hear the rubber in my boots squeak against the stone steps. A nasty layer of grime moved with each step I took. We haven't bathed or showered in two days, our body odor was started to permeate like a thick musk. One black thick cord ran from the HMV all the way up to the top of the watch tower. As I ascended towards the final steps a small four step gap gaped at me with specks of falling dust snowing down into the floor far below. A series of hastily rigged rappelling rope dangled from the top secured to a steel piton. My hands gripped around the thick cord, pulling myself up and over the final step and onto the roof.
Sawada glanced back from his position on the ground, rifle perched just behind the edge of the tower and raised his hand up in greeting, "Yo, Captain."
"Yo," I replied casually.
Next to him was Cora.
The mermaid lazily kicked her feet around on the damp fabric that was previously soaking wet with water. In her hands was one of Sawada's mangas and by the looks of it the same series he was still reading back at base. The sniper had read the manga so many times that he translated each sentence for Cora as she flipped through the pages. I lowered myself onto the air mattress with a second M107A1 Anti-Material Rifle set up. Pulling myself up to the rifle, I shouldered the heavy weapon and flicked the scope covers open.
"Anything interesting going on?" I muttered, bored.
"Not really," Sawada sighed, "but there has been this one man. He's sitting in the blow out room at the top of the keep. And he's looking straight at us."
"What?" I asked bewildered by Sawada's proclamation, "you're joking. He's staring at us?"
"I'm not joking, Captain. Whenever I make eye contact with him I get this knot in my stomach like my flight or fight response is starting to kick in. It's not normal," Sawada replied.
"You can't even see the guy's eyes from here…" I muttered.
Pushing my cheek against the plastic cheek well, I stared through the Leupold scope. I twisted magnification all the way up. Nine hundred meters away stood the crumbled in roof of the top floor. I could see a reddish dash of color smeared inside the gray walls of the keep's. Inside the collapsed in walls sat a shape no smaller than a couple centimeters in size. Like a chair had been purposefully dragged there sat a figure that was slightly larger than the average man. While we were almost a kilometer apart, I felt like I could see him sitting right in front of me. Sharp canines bared in a large wry grin with malicious intent. Like a vision apparating in front of me, I could see his glowing red eyes that exuded something I couldn't really put into words. It made my heart race, stomach churn and it left my mouth dry. It was one of many feelings I hadn't abundantly felt in a while – fear.
I recoiled from the sudden sensation and glanced towards Sawada, "you weren't joking."
"See!" Sawada hissed, "I'm already getting a bad feeling about this…"
My eyes narrowed to slits. The indomitable man had this aura around him that kept me glued to the scope. Both genuine curiosity and unnatural fear made me examine him in detail. Throughout the hours I spent next to Sawada and Cora, my eyes were kept solely on him. There was nothing for me to study except for his finely made armor and large weapon. He sat in the lavishly decorated wooden chair for hours just staring back at me. If he knew that we were here, why not just send his men after us now? Twenty-seven men to three thousand was an easy win I would say. I would understand all in due time why he waited for us with such malice filled anticipation. Time seemed to quicken when I locked eyes with him. The knot in my stomach remained as the darkened overcast skies turned a pitch black. It was only then when he disappeared into the dark of night did that knot go away.
I glanced to my right to see Sawada rubbing his eyes before chewing on a piece of jerky. Cora was next to him, snoozing peacefully as orange dots flickered to life below us in the valley. Torches were being lit while sounds of loud merry songs erupted in the air. Yelling and screaming from the pre-war feast echoed through the hills. Sawada and I continued to watch over the concentrated masses of bandits, warriors, ex-guards and raiders celebrate their largest battle yet. Sex, drinking, games, brawls, duels, you name it, they were doing all the activities. Robed figures stood on tall towers, their hands waving around in ritualistic rhythm to preparing wards and spells. The more disciplined of the warriors were sharpening their blades and axes while the Ogres continued to eat and roar like feral beasts lusting for blood.
Sawada and I were both relieved by Akagi deep into the night.
We climbed back down the rope and walked down the stairs with our legs wobbling like Jell-O from inactivity. Cora sleepily stumbled towards the two HMVs, sliding into her sleeping bag without much effort. I pulled off my combat shirt, tossing it over my plate carrier and rucksack. Our shower was a simple one. One that didn't even include water. I simply pulled out baby wipes and wiped down my entire body. The white, soft glycerin filled fabric smeared the liquid over my skin. The innocent white fabric quickly turned a dirty black from all the dust, dirt and bodily fluids as I threw them into a plastic bag. I was trying to be mindful and not litter in the world largely untouched by pollution. After wiping down, I plopped onto of my sleeping bag next to the already snoring Sawada and Okuda underneath the mosquito net. Despite having cleaned myself, I still felt a film of slime over my body. It wasn't as good as a normal shower by any stretch of the imagination.
Lying on the soft polyester, I started to reminisce about the final days of the Special Forces Group's selection course. A grueling seven-day training exercise that brings out the best and worst in members of the selected candidates. Done in secrecy, the final twenty remaining recruits were solely under my command. I was the only officer left standing in the course. The other office, a Captain from the 1st Airborne Brigade had recycled into the next course due to personal injury. The operation was a simple on the surface but complex underneath. Air drop into the swamps of Iriomote Island to conduct an assault on simulated enemy air defenses to pave the way for the main force.
The exercise was to test our teamwork, will and our ability to perform under stress.
"We've past point six," muttered a Master Sergeant Muto Haruki, my 2IC during selection, "right on schedule."
I gave the older man a nod. At thirty-six, Master Sergeant Muto Haruki was at the maximum of the allotted age. This would be his third and last shot at becoming a member of the Japanese Special Forces Group. Within a month's time would be his thirty-seventh birthday, the completion of the intensive ranger training would become the best birthday gift bar none.
All twenty-one of us were marching through chest height water in complete silence. The unprepared were gone from the course. Those that lived in the city all of their lives were eliminated due to unfamiliarity with the forest. The sound of water dripping off leaves and into the swamp water rang audibly in the night. Our Howa Type 89-F rifles were held above our heads to prevent the dirty water from fouling the weapon. Master Sergeant Muto held up his own weapon with one hand while the other held a waterproof map with red marker ink scribbled all over. He then shoved the map into his shoulder sleeve pocket and waved us to the right. Two trees blocked our passage onto dry land, its mangrove roots snaking out and into the water like a natural barricade. It would be a tight fit but there was enough space for everyone.
Turning around, I waved the other nineteen men towards the trees. We were without night vision devices. The only thing we had were our packs, weapons and vests. Dropped with the bare minimum equipment, we had to use what we had to conduct the operation. I moved with the formation towards the trees. Lifting up my own rifle, I looked through the standard issued Aimpoint CompM2 red dot sight attached to the rifle's short rail. I acted as rear security while Master Sergeant Muto went on land and counted off the men coming out from the swampy water. A series of loud splashes were heard from behind me. The men were exiting the water with heavy soaked gear, the liquid draining from their equipment. Minutes passed by slowly until a loud splash made me snap my head around.
"Ita!" grunted a soldier, I could hear him biting down hard to prevent sound from escaping his mouth.
"Daijoubuka? (You okay?)" I heard one of his teammates quickly asking, the splashing still continuing.
The soldier behind me was being helped by two of his comrades. They pulled him out from the murky water and dragged him onto land. Grunting with pain, I could see that he was trying to be suppress his natural reaction to yell. The three of them were the last men out of the water. I quickly moved out of the small basin, taking care not to get stuck in whatever he got injured on. Back on dry land, I swung my rifle around my back and pulled up both of his pant legs. Touching his left ankle, I heard a stifled grunt from him. The area was swollen as pain contorted his face.
"Form a defensive perimeter!" I hissed at the nineteen other soldiers, trying to look over their friend's shoulders.
One of the trained medics quickly jumped on the injured team member. Hands worked fast to create a splint for this sprained ankle. If he couldn't continue the course, all of it would be quickly over with the single glowing shot of a red flare gun high into the dark sky. Pained grumbles escaped from his tightly sealed lips. It was still a long walk from the target area. Four kilometers of hard marching before we could even start the operation. The medic soon finished his work and glanced towards me with a short nod to signal all that he could do. I moved towards the injured soldier and grabbed his left arm, helping him stand up. As his feet injured foot touched the ground another grunt came from his stomach.
"You good Kanai?" I asked the injured soldier.
"Yes sir," he answered back through gritted teeth.
"If you're not all you need to do is –" I started as he quickly cut me off.
"I'll be fine sir," he replied angrily, "I'd rather die now than quit."
I gave him a simple nod, understanding his unyielding determination.
It was the same with my own.
"Tanabe, Furuta, help Kanai. Ando, you carry his ruck," I ordered, the three men quickly jumped to action without hesitation, "we have four kilometers to cover in forty-five minutes. That's roughly ninety meters a minute but Kanai's injured and we don't leave anyone behind. Strap in because these last few hours are going to suck."
Everyone nodded in reply, a steely visage displayed on each of the men.
My eyes closed to sleep as the memories replayed vividly through my mind. Fresh like it was just yesterday, we had assaulted the position and completed our objective. The wounded Kanai passed the final test and was admitted into the Special Forces Group despite his injury. Through sheer determination, he had dug in deep to march the grueling four kilometers in thirty minutes, even going so far as to use his sprained ankle to help us move much faster. It was also unknown to us that instructors were constantly observing us through thermal binoculars and night vision goggles. Someone was always watching. Kanai was assigned to the 2nd Special Forces Group Company, 3rd Platoon specializing in mountain warfare. His team was reassigned to safeguard the northern island of Hokkaido. The last I saw him was the graduation ceremony held for family members. Actually, that was the last time I saw most of the men that I went through Q course with since they were quickly assigned to Special Forces Group companies.
All the men in AFO Susanowo were Ranger qualified save for Kazuki and Akagi.
Everyone understood and knew that training entailed.
"Captain," I heard a voice calling out to me.
No sooner had I closed my eyes, I had snapped them open to see Ige.
I felt like I didn't sleep at all.
"What is it?" I grunted as I got up from my sleeping bag with my eyes burning.
"Raiden is an hour and a half away. Ishihara wants you to confirm the Tomahawk strikes with the Ashigara since you're the CO," Ige mumbled, I could see that he was just woken up, "Okuda, Sanada and Kazuki are up on the ridge with Cael. Tanuki's coming over from Hill 384 to support us when we're moving into keep. Kitsune will hold Hill 384 while Tanuki's here at Hill 402. Akagi's also up on the watch tower."
"Get Ishihara and Sawada on the valley to spot for artillery. Get Cael and Cora back inside the HMV. You and Okuda will be on rear security. Understood?" I ordered as Ige nodded, "one more thing, tell everyone to kit up for CQC."
"Yosh!" Ige yelled moderately loudly and rolled his shoulders, "it's time to get down to business! I just hope I, like, don't get sliced by assassins or anything."
"You'll be fine Ige. You're an SBU boatman remember?" I assured the VBSS (Visit Board Search and Seizure) trained soldier.
"It's just that I'm more comfortable in water than on land but…," Ige visibly shut his mouth before spewing more of his nervous thought train and turned around to go about his duty.
The ox had a habit of becoming chatty before the beginning of a large combat operation. While each one of had ways to rid of the jitters, this was Ige's.
I yawned once more and shook my body, patting my face in an attempt to wake up fully. It didn't really work but it was worth a try. I carefully slipped on the plate carrier and rubber flotation vest pulling out most of the magazines already loaded into the ten front pouches and four side pouches. My hands went to the front pouch dedicated solely to ammunition. A load of subsonic, armor piercing, ball and tracer ammunition was pushed into the now empty pouches. Grenades for the unused grenade launcher attachment on my rifle were loaded into eight bands on the right side of my armor. A mix of HEDP (High Explosive Dual Purpose), air-burst, thermobaric and flare rounds were shoved inside. One by one, the members quietly came to gear up. I clipped my OpsCore helmet to the rear of my rucksack and gave Ishihara a nod as I climbed into the passenger seat of the HMV.
"Ashigara's on the phone," Ishihara said as he handed me the radiophone, "I've confirmed the strike coordinates for you. All you need to do you authorize the strike."
"Ryokai," I murmured and shoved the radiophone between my headset and ear, "Ashigara, Okami."
"Okami, Ashigara, coordinates confirmed. Requesting authorization and identification for strike," replied the female radio operator.
"Ashigara this is Okami, identification One Eight Alpha One Tac One Eight Sierra. I, Captain Anderson Ryu authorize pre-planned fire mission number one five six niner on MSTAR coordinates. Target is Min Keep and surrounding fortifications, how copy?" I spoke into the radio.
"Solid copy Okami. Authorization and identification confirmed. Stand by, executing pre-planned fire mission one five six niner on MSTAR coordinates," there was a pause. A few seconds ticked by uneventfully before there was activity on the radiophone, "confirm twelve birds away. Navigation modes, INS, TERCOM and DSMAC. Estimated time on target. One hour and five minutes."
"Copy Ashigara," I grunted, the launching of the tomahawk was ordinary to say the least, "I'll give you a BDA (Bomb Damage Assessment) when the birds hit. Okami out."
Handing the radiophone back to Ishihara, I got out of the HMV and headed down the hill towards the concealed watch point. Drops of water splattered onto my combat shirt as I stepped out of the tree's protective embrace. A light drizzle had settled in. Thunder rumbled through the sky lighting up the clouds momentarily with a purplish hue. Skinny tendrils shot out ominously in the skies above. I took a sniff of the earthy air and continued walking down the slope. I could feel it in my bones that today was the day. Not once did the sun poke through even though it was still well before sunset, before the dusk would arrive. The only evidence that it was even day was the lighter shade of grey in the sky.
A low fallen log was chosen to be the temporary watch point. Flanked by trees, it was an easily covered hide. Dig below the stump and slide underneath, it was a well camouflaged ditch. Approaching the makeshift fox hole, I spotted a pair of tan combat boots depressed into the dirt. Laying in the ditch with his weapon was Okuda. He had his boonie hat on and his combat OpsCore helmet clipped to the side of his vest. His ruck was propped up on the fallen stump with small glints from the reflective strips signaling his position.
I slipped in beside him, crawling up to the lip of the ditch.
"Bored, Ryu?" chuckled Okuda.
"It's the calm before the storm Kuma (Bear)," I replied using Okuda's nickname, "I'd be pissing my pants if I was still normal infantry."
"What just sitting in your barracks cleaning the bathroom, cleaning your weapon, doing PT, then the occasional weapons training not good enough for you?" Okuda breathed, staring through his weapon sights.
"No. That's boring stuff compared to what we do now," I replied and rolled over.
"Friendlies!" came a whisper from behind us.
I flipped my night vision monocular device over and looked up too see a group of armed soldiers huffing towards us. Dressed in Type IV camouflage, the nine men marched up the steep incline and towards us with their boonie hats on. In their hands were customized HK416s issued as their infantry weapons. A vary variety of optics, grips and paints were applied to the previously black rifle. All with the operator's own money of course. We were allowed to purchase and install commercially available accessories but they came out of our own pockets. Each of the men's weapons were heavily customized which signified years of use being assigned to one member for a significant number of time.
Okuda and I slipped out from our hide, lifting up our left hand in a casual greeting. There were no salutes between Special Forces Group members. It was a habit that was adopted quickly after the other SF groups after Iraq and Afghanistan to make it harder for snipers to discern a commanding officer. That and there were almost no lines between NCOs (Non-Commissioned Officers) and officers except for the issuing of orders. But, that was left up to individual team leaders and how they went about commanding their own units.
There was a pause as the second man in the group glanced at me with his eyes squinting, "First Lieutenant Anderson?"
"Who are you again?" I asked.
"It's me Master Ser-, well it's actually First Lieutenant Muto Haruki," replied the man as he stepped closer.
"Muto!" I yelled in surprise reaching out my hand to the older man, "I didn't expect to see you here! I was just thinking of you."
"You too First Lieutenant, well…after all there's only three hundred or so of us. We're bound to run across each other sometime," the older man grinned, I didn't recognize him at all under that camouflage paste smeared across their faces.
"That's Captain too you as well First Lieutenant," I laughed as we pulled each other close, our bodies bumping in pound hug, "four years and you've made it from Master Sergeant to First Lieutenant? I'm impressed Muto."
"Well, after being assigned to a platoon I took the promotion test and got bumped up to second lieutenant. We were then quickly deployed to Somalia in anti-pirate operations. The sups. decided that I did a great job and promoted me again. But being a first lieutenant makes me feel a bit awkward," he replied, I nodded to Okuda as he resumed his watch over the lower hill.
"You're forty now right?" I asked, leading the nine men towards our HMVs.
"Yeah and thanks for reminding me that I'm old…Captain," there was a pause as Muto was adjusting himself to call me by my new rank.
As we walked towards the HMVs, the two of us passed by the vehicles and instead headed for the ridgeline overlooking the small valley. Ishihara and Sawada were already crouched dangerously on the edge of the hill's sheer downwards slope. Their helmets were off and boonie hats on. Ishihara had his M249 sitting beside him, propped up by its integrated bi-pod. While Ishihara stared through binoculars, Sawada had his eyes glued to the scope of his G28 fitted with a sound suppressor. Both Muto and I slid in next to them. Our feet dangled dangerously off the edge of the short cliff ending in a series of steeply sloped hills and bare faced vertical sides. Pebbles slid off the peak, tumbling downwards before entering a freefall just inches off the side.
Rain continued to drizzle down on us with thunder sounding ever close. Wind picked up from the lake, traveling fast as it blew grass free from the ground and dirt into our clothing. A storm was closing and rain would increase in the coming minutes. Below us, flickering flames were continued to be nurse on torches lighting up the valley like splotches of orange color. Some flames would flicker out while others would burn anew. Wooden fortifications were installed with pointed stumps aimed at the incoming attackers. Groups of warriors with tall shields lined every sixth to eighth row to provide sufficient cover when the lines were pushed back. Whether the tall shields would protect against bullets from the JSDF, I would have to see. Ogres manned strategic positions with small holes dug around them filled with giant boulders they were to throw at our mechanized units. The high ground was ours and the enemy knew it. Most of their experienced forces were withdrawn towards the keep with cannon fodder and slaves used to sandwich the funnel in an attempt to slow us down enough for the catapults and ballistae to do damage.
They would have another thing coming.
"So you're in commanding of the mythical Susanowo unit?" Muto asked as I nodded, pulling out the cables for a second radio.
"Well," I shrugged as I attempted to untangle the mess of wires from my admin pouch, "I wouldn't say it was mythical…is it mythical?"
"You got to go train all over the world, get access to weapons we don't have, I'd say it's pretty damn mythical," Muto said with a laugh.
"It's not all fun and games Muto. We never stay more than a month in any given country. Jungle warfare with Royal Thai Force Recon, Indonesian Kopassus, Malaysian Grup Gerak Khas. Arctic Warfare with the Canadian JTF 2, Swedish Special Operations Task Group, and the Danish Sirius Patrol. Naval Operations with America's Seal Team Six, SWCC, Force Recon to name a few. We constantly moved for a year, maybe a year and a half. It was grueling and even after all that we're still a jack of all trades kind of team never a master of anything," I sighed, venting to a fellow officer.
"At least you get sent out often right?" Muto murmured, pulling out a small cigarette and placing it between his lips.
"Eh," I shrugged, "we've had a couple ops here and there. Just before coming here we were guarding the embassy, some low speed stuff to get acquainted to the region. You guys been here long?"
"Month twelve and counting," Muto laughed as he rolled the cigarette between his lips, never lighting the stick of tobacco, "I was there for the Battle of Italica. It was our third deployment as a unit, first deployment in the region. Laughing stock. The bandits didn't even stand a chance. Then we were on point for the Siege of the Jade Palace, the intervention anyway, we secured the western gate along with three other SF units. Smooth as a baby's bottom that one."
"You liking this place?" I asked, staring up at the thunder skies rippling with blue, purple and white streaks of light.
"Yeah," sighed Muto as he took a draw from the unlit cigarette, "much better than being stuck at Narashino. Tall buildings and skyscrapers…an urban jungle. Here? It's all open fields and green grass with trees as far as the eye can see. Feels liberating."
"What no thoughts of just dropping your weapon, taking off your gear and laying down in the grass for one day?" I asked with a chuckle.
"Do I look like infantry to you? This is a vacation compared to Earth!" Muto laughed.
I glanced at my analog Casio watch, "Ah, it's about time. Dropping…"
Thunder continued to rumble as the drizzle turned into heavy rain. And when it rains, it pours. The four of us sat there soaking in the wet, the water, the suck. Strong winds picked up ripping at the trees with frighteningly quick gales. Leaves, branches and pebbles were picked off the ground and thrown into the air. My boonie hat threatened to pull itself away from my head were it not for the piece of string securing it firmly. Eyes squinted to keep rain water out as I glanced towards the lake. Sounds of roaring men and women took the skies with a deep guttural war cry. For a moment the sound of activity seemed to stop, over taken by the distant grumbling of vehicle engines far to my right. Streaking through the skies, parting rain water like a bullet moving through air, I spotted multiple cylinders soaring just below the speed of sound between the flashes of thunder and lightning.
Teardrops curving through the skies in lethal elegance.
"…now."
The cylinders dropped from the sky right on top of strategic targets with maximized accuracy. I watched as their sensors matched the radar data uploaded from the MSTAR with their sensors. One or two veered off course by a few dozen meters but nevertheless impacting within acceptable parameters. With eerie precision, each of the twenty-four Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles slammed into their designated targets. Four hundred and fifty kilograms of high explosive blossomed in a bright orange ball of flame and shrapnel. Dirt was thrown into the air, stone structures crumbled and flesh pulverized by the powerful missiles. The coordinated strike shook the earth with the ferocity of an earthquake. The three thousand souls fighting for the keep winced in unison, cries of surprise and confusion erupting from the ranks. I brought my own binoculars to my eyes, seeing multiple siege weapons in splinters, groups of tamed dragons laying still, ogres without limbs and hemorrhaging profusely from large wounds. Mages were unable to keep up, their shields up too late as the Tomahawks slammed into the ground did a shimmering dome swell up along the castle walls. My right hand switched on the second radio to monitor the other frequency.
"Sa sa! Iku zou! (Alright, alright! Here we go!)" the voice buzzing in my left ear belonged to no other than Colonel Kengun, "Raiden, engage at will! Advance into the valley!"
"Raiden, this is Shelldrake, executing fire mission. Fire for effect, mid-valley! Two rounds of illumination! Time on target thirty-six seconds! Stand by for rounds," screamed the crew of the Type 99 155mm Self-Propelled Howitzer.
"Shelldrake, Shelldrake, Okami, we are standing by for round observation," I squeezed the transmit switch of the second radio on my left shoulder strap.
"Roger that Okami!" the artillery yelled in reply as loud explosive thumps were heard in the background, "rounds complete!"
I glanced at my analog wristwatch once again, watching the hands ticking down.
Like clockwork, the rounds exploded in a brilliant ball of whitish orange. Six orbs of light fizzled down with a visible trail of smoke that was quickly blown away by the winds. All rounds were more or less on target with the exception of the turbulent gales swatting at the floating radiant orbs of light. The entire valley was lit up by the flares in an intense burst of luminosity. Many of the fighters down below raised their hands to shield their night adjusted eyes to cope with the sudden change in light. I too found myself squeezing my eyes shut to try and preserve night vision to no avail.
"Shelldrake, Okami, good rounds on target. No adjustment needed, Okami out," I reported, scooting back from the ridgeline and standing up, "Ishihara, Sawada, you guys got Raiden on comms?"
The two nodded.
"Direct artillery fire for me. I'm going to go to Ikeda and see what's up with the Ashigara," I yelled.
Sawada gave me a thumbs-up as Muto quickly followed behind me.
It was a brisk walk to the HMV.
Ikeda's eyes glanced towards the two of us and his hand immediately outstretched with a radiophone held tightly in his grasp. I grabbed the radiophone and held it up to my ear, squeezing the transmit switch without another word.
"Ashigara, Okami, BDA (Bomb Damage Assessment)," I spoke into the radio phone.
"Okami, Ashigara, send report," came the swift and static filled answer.
"Ashigara, Okami, report is as follows. All twenty-four TLAMs are on target," I paused hearing the volley bang whumps cracking like thunder in the sky from the Type 10's 120mm and Type 94's 105mm rifled gun, "four of twenty four splash within Cee Eee Pee. Targets eliminated, no follow-on shots required."
"Solid copy Okami. Ashigara standing by for further strike support. Ashigara out," I heard the reply and handed Ikeda back the radiophone.
My attention turned to the resting special forces soldiers sprawled out underneath the protective netting of our HMV. Their weapons were neatly propped up against the vehicle and their boonie hats off. They were resting before the next mission, taking each second and each minute to regain their strength before going back out again. Most of them were far younger than the men in my own unit. I came to the realization as Muto and I started chatting away while we waited for our next orders were that most of them had recently joined the unit. Out of the nine, only two were experienced soldiers. Seven of them had either transferred to a different unit or retired before the Gate even appeared. It must have been hard on Muto to get acquainted with his team while on deployment. Only a hundred and fifty of us were in the region.
One-third of our elite force was here in this new land.
"Captain!" Ikeda called out, "Raiden needs a FAC (Forward Air Controller) for an incoming flight of F-2Bs!"
I glanced to Muto, "you coming with?"
"I'm forty now don't you remember Anderson?" he chuckled as I pulled out a large pack from the rear of the HMV, "give me some time to rest. But…uh…Seo! Join the Captain at the ridgeline. You're the one training for a FAC qualification aren't you? Let a professional show you how it's done."
"Hai~," said the young soldier with feigned enthusiasm.
I nodded to Muto who joined his own squad to rest as one of his men sprung up from the ground. He grabbed his boonie hat and shoved it on his head while snatching his weapon from the row of varying HK417s. A man's weapon often spoke volumes for the user and Seo seemed to be extrovert, decorating his weapon with strange new camouflage patterns compared to Akagi's plain flat dark earth G28. Splotches of black, shades of white and grey crisscrossed the weapon in a hexagonal pattern similar to the new Kryptek camouflage scheme. A Magpul foregrip and angled grip both were attached to the front of his standard length HK417 with a flashlight/laser combo box and spiked fore end suppressor. On the weapon itself hung a golden yakuyoke omamori (Ward Away Evil Lucky Charm) with its ropes taped together with electrical tape for added protection. The charm itself was worn, caked with dirt and the color in its threads were starting to fade.
"Sergeant Seo Motonobu at your service Captain," he gave me an enthused nod as we made our way up the hill.
"Captain Anderson Ryu," I returned his nod, "wife give you that charm Sergeant?"
"No sir. It's actually girlfriend. She's still on the fence about marriage since her parents don't really support it. It's actually about me being in the JGSDF and they don't know that I'm actually special forces. All they know is that I'm in the army and working behind a desk…which is what I told my girlfriend," he blurted out, spilling out the entire information of his current marital status.
"And they know you're in the special region?" I asked.
"Yes sir, sometimes I act like I'm in the capital where there's no phone signal when we're about to go on a mission…" Seo mumbled back as the two of us quickly reached the peak of the hill, walking with extended strides.
"I can't give you any advice…" I chuckled, "I'm not married myself."
"Ehhh~, I thought you were a model husband from the moment I saw you Captain! You act like a father of a very well disciplined household judging from you commanding the rumored Susanowo unit," Seo replied in surprise, the two of us plopping down a few meters up away from Sawada and Ishihara.
"I'm married to my work," I gave Seo a pathetic reply and smiled, tuning into a new frequency on the second radio, "Okami."
"Okami this is Ryu 11, mission number 0112. Two by F-2Bs, currently north of Honda. Five hundred and eleven rounds of twenty mike-mike, four by GBU-54. Laser codes Ryu 11 is 1688, Ryu 12 is 1831, instantaneous and delayed fusing for GBU-54. Playtime plus thirty. Ryu 11 is FAC(A) capable. Both aircraft are FLIR, and CAT II coordinate generation capable. Timber Sweet, Ryu 11 VDL code 4922. Ryu 12, VDL code 4972," came a familiar voice.
"Ryu 11, Okami, copy check-in. AO update. I am a qualified JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) commanding a special forces unit three hundred and fifty meters southeast of Min Keep. This will be a type II control (used when JTAC maintains control of individual attack but either visual acquisition of attacking aircraft or the target at weapons release is not possible or required). We have one thousand fighters currently in contact with our troops in the valley and another two thousand defending the keep. Multiple air to air fighters in form of tamed dragons and multiple triple A. Stay northwest of friendly artillery operating sixteen nautical miles north west. Say when ready for 9-LINE," I briefed the fighter jets flying far above the rumbling thunderstorms as I pulled out a laminated map marked with thick ink.
"Ryu 11, ready for 9-LINE," replied the fighter jet.
I switched radio frequencies once again, "Raiden Actual, Okami, we are observing for fixed-wing jets. What targets you need us to hammer? Over."
"It'll be good if you strike that entire valley!" yelled back Colonel Kengun, "our tanks are having a hard time pushing past all the dead bodies when there are defensive siege engines still active. Our friends from the Empire who joined us mid-way aren't making headway either."
Wait, what? Friends from the Empire? I thought.
I wasn't about to be a stickler about rules and not having been briefed prior to the battle about additional forces. As the illumination fizzled out and plunged the valley into a brief darkness. Seconds later as thunder struck, the orbs of brilliant light exploded to provide light for the JSDF forces below. My eyes glanced over to the tanks leading the push into the formation. Their treads, side skirts and lower front hull were coated in dripping red liquid. Blood dripped with their every move from the powerful rumbling engine. A loud bang whump echoed down the valley as a ball of fire quickly shot out of their barrel and disappeared into the heavy rain. Men just fifty meters in front of the tanks folded into the ground like an entire board of guess who being flipped down all at once. Those that were closer than fifty meters had their ear drums instantly popped and were lying on the ground from either sheer pain or confusion. Like a moving steam roller, the canister rounds leveled hundreds of men in a matter of seconds. It was a no contest until flaming boulders and giant darts occasionally sailed into the sky, inaccurately landing in front of and behind the tanks.
"Ishihara! I need smoke on those emplacements!" I screamed at the machine gunner as he nodded.
There was a pause before he turned to me, "red smoke! Time on target thirty-eight seconds!"
I nodded and squeezed the transmit switch, "Ryu 11, this is Okami, IP Honda heading two-niner-two for nineteen nautical miles. Seven hundred feet MSL, target is siege engines in and behind the valley. Marked with red Willy Pete. Friendlies are one-one-five for seven five zero meters. Egress north of Honda for three nautical miles then turn left heading two-niner-two for nineteen nautical miles. Final attack heading, two-four-zero to zero-zero-zero. Stand by plus forty, hack. Advise when ready for remarks and further talk-on."
There was another pause as a thunderous bang impacted the earth.
Red smoke started to plume in the falling rain just at the exit of the valley leading to the keep.
"Ready to copy remarks," came the brief reply.
"Request GBU-54," I said, reaching into my rucksack to pull out a large set of binoculars and its tri-pod.
"700, siege engines in and behind the valley, final attack heading 240 to 000."
"Read back correct. Cleared in for visual," I responded.
My hands quickly extended the tri-pod and mounted the large binocular on top. The AN/PED-1 Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder was anything but lightweight. Weighing in at sixteen kilometers, it weighed more than most weapons including the heavy Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank missile launcher. I quickly set-up the codes for the first aircraft in the attack. The sounds of battle still reverberated down below. Men screamed in battle frenzy, pain and agony. Metal machines continued to spit fire with bangs, whumps and rapid staccatos of thirty-five-millimeter hellfire. My eyes scanned the pitch-black sky crisscrossed with the occasional tendril of purple lightning as large drops of rain continued to pour down on us, turning mud into soupy puddles of quicksand-like dirt. Eventually, the distinct screeching banshee like wail screamed in the skies far above.
I couldn't see the aircraft.
My stomach started to turn upside down, inside out and into knots hopping the pilot didn't freeze up. We had trained for moments like these but they were far and few in between. One in twenty missions were in completely deteriorated conditions with absolute ground cloud cover. To make it worse, those one in twenty were in the day. With each passing second the pilot was wasting, the chance of men getting injured by the largely inaccurate large caliber weapons became an increasing possibility.
A close formation of green and red blinking lights flashed into existence at the end of the valley. I could see the aircraft low over the two hills. Cloud cover was a low and dismal two thousand five hundred feet. That left only one thousand feet between the hill tops and the bottom of the lowest cloud layer. It seemed like a lot of empty air but flying at six hundred and fifty kilometers per hour, it was a harrowingly quick pace between life and death. Flying under the cover of darkness in turbulent weather and with flaming arrows and boulders had a pucker factor of 10. It would scare any inexperienced or non-battle-hardened aviator. The difficulty of the mission was dialed all the way to the right. The only thing more challenging would be to fly close air support in the same conditions except with a tropical depression or a hurricane.
A dark bluish camouflage painted twin seater F-2B zipped past over head in seconds, barely flying high enough and banking to clear the floating parachute illumination. Heat from the exhaust vaporized drops of water producing a heavy mirage effect of the falling hot air streaming behind the Viper Zero. Streaks of frothing water flowed out from behind the missile equipped wingtips of the F-2B flying at the speed of heat. I watched the aircraft zoom past the keep and came very close to clipping Min Keep before pulling straight up in afterburner. Rain, water and air compressed into sheets of condensed water vapor white over both wings and fuselages of the Viper Zero sending it rocketing up and into the clouds with its heavy payload.
Minutes would pass after the bluish aircraft was consumed by the darkened clouds of thunder and rain.
"Ryu 11, Okami," I spoke into the thin microphone directly in front of my lips.
I waited for a few seconds before trying again, hoping that it was electrical interference or short-term radio malfunction.
"Ryu 11, Okami," I repeated into the headset.
No reply.
My patience was wearing thin and so was time.
"Kenji!" I screamed and cursed on the headset, making Seo jump, "get your fucking act together! This isn't a training mission anymore and lives are on the fucking line! Now do your job or I'm going to rip that eagle and cherry blossom from your chest! Take a deep breath, man up because the troops on the ground are counting on you for munitions on target!"
Shellshock.
It was a condition most newly transferred soldiers from Japan faced when going into large battle. Everything seemed all too real as if it was in a dream. Sometimes, if the soldier stayed still enough he'd wake up from the horrible nightmare that was war, chaos and destruction. Unfortunately, the relief of waking up would never come. It was a living nightmare on the battlefield. The frequency was for FACs and JTACs only, fortunately only a handful of us was monitoring the channel and my scolding was necessary to bring Kenji back from the brink of inaction.
There was another tense silence as I gave Kenji, Ryu 11, time to put himself back into the mindset of being in an actual war and not a vacation in the Mediterranean.
"O-Okami, Ryu 11, eyes on s-s-siege engines around the end of the valley," Kenji stuttered back a reply.
"Ryu 11, Okami, cleared hot. GBU-54 1688," I grunted back, calm and understand of his situation.
Red Flag Alaska, hell, no training simulation big enough would prepare anyone for this except for those who have been in the heat of combat back on Earth.
My eyes were constantly scanning the skies after I had instructed Seo to prepare to paint the target. The wailing of the single F110-HIN-129 never came. It was rather anti-climactic as the battle below continued to wage onwards. Death waits for no man. A series of loud bangs shook the earth around me, shaking stones from the ground and causing weaker trees to topple. A gust of wind from below blew my boonie hat clear of my head, my hands barely moving fast enough to smack them back down onto my lengthening hair. Artillery had pockmarked the ground with a deadly salvo of 155mm brimstone to deadly effect. Bodies flew into the air, dismembered torn limb from limb.
I would try to contact Kenji again, only to hear another voice loud in my ears.
"Okami, this is Ryu 12, taking over for Ryu 11. Second Lieutenant Nakajima Inko flying and First Lieutenant Kazama Satoshi as WSO. Confirm that 9-LINE is still current," a female voice stated loud in my ears.
"Ryu 12, 9-LINE is still current. Cleared in for visual," I quickly replied.
Within a few dozen seconds, I could hear the distant rumbling of the aircraft's engine accompanying the thunder. Blinking lights flickered far in the distance. Second Lieutenant Nakajima did the right thing and descended far behind the actual battle itself compared to the impulsive Kenji, scaring himself into inaction. He was probably breathing hard and glancing down at the picture of his loved ones. After all, he was married and with kids unlike me. He had more to lose by dying. Nakajima's F-2B flew nap of the earth, skimming the rolling hills at speed with only twenty to fifty feet to spare. The rumbling grew quickly in volume as the bluish aircraft quickly covered the large distance in the blink of an eye. It pitched up, rolling over inverted as the roar of the engine blasted overhead just above the hill I stood on. I could feel the impressive heat that was hot enough to steam the water droplets standing meters away from the exhaust. The aircraft completed its roll and pulled a hard right and up back into the sky.
"Okami, Ryu 12, visual ID on target at the mouth of the valley marked by red smoke. Requesting bomb drop with laser guidance," grunted back Nakajima, straining from the high-G maneuver.
"Ryu 12, cleared to engage," I replied.
Another brief moment as respite as thunder crackled above me, a reminder of the dangerous layer that the pilots had to fly though. While able to fly through a thunderstorm and get struck by lightning, pilots and mission planners seldom fly them through such turbulent situations. Surges in avionics and munition cook-offs were a possibility in addition the added risk of being a combat pilot braving the dangerous projectiles slicing through the air.
"Okami, Ryu 12, in hot from the southeast. Heading two-five-eight. Ten seconds," briefed Nakajima as I looked to Seo and nodded.
"Ryu 12, ten seconds. Laser on. 1831," I replied.
Rumbling from the F-2B once again shook the skies. They were flying low, just above the floating orbs of orange light. Boulders sailed dangerously just feet below while arrows were fired in volleys. A swarm of burning metal and thin wood soared brightly in the sky, water being unable to put out the grease slicked arrows. Nakajima braved the sea of burning projectiles and hurled stone. Wings of the Viper Zero were heavy with five hundred pound bombs and two fuel tanks that took them to and from Alnus Hill with a single tanker flying a racetrack just five hundred kilometers away. After Ryu 1 had checked out from the area, it would be another fifty minutes at least before the next pair of aircraft could split off from the tanker to stay on station. Four aircraft packages were on duty. Two were on their way from Alnus and the other was guarding the vulnerable tanker alone high in the sky just five hundred kilometers away.
"Ryu 12, two away. Eight seconds," Nakajima grunted between breaths.
I watched two small cylinders split from the wings of the F-2B. Both bombs wiggled slightly from separation as their fins stabilized their drop. Their downward fall became stable upon tracking the invisible ray of infrared light, riding the beam towards its target. I watched the two tear drops disappear into the tightly packed mass of warriors, ogres and slaves. The result was both petrifying and ghastly. In the blink of an eye a towering stack of smoke shot far up into the sky but not high enough to even reach the crackling clouds. A mixture of red, wooden splinters from obliterated siege engines, bodies and body parts were thrown in to the air. Like a movie with delayed sound, screams of despair and shock came just seconds after the two JDAMs had annihilated the ground below them. As a blast of air slammed into our bodies like a light breeze on a calm day despite the raging storm from the shockwave the two bombs caused accompanying the sound of a dull boom. Sound traveled far slower than light. The cloud of grey and black continued to expand, swaying slowly along with the strong winds as the orange glow vanished.
The flares from the artillery ran out of fuel.
"Ryu 12, Okami, good rounds on target. Return to IP Honda and stand by," I replied as another noise crackled in my ear.
"Okami, Ryu 12 copies. I apologize for my flight lead. Ryu 12 out."
I sighed, one filled with frustration and disappointment for Kenji yet there was also an understanding.
"Kitsune," came the brief call.
"Kitsune, go for message," I murmured back.
"It's plus thirty minutes after operation's begun. Time for us to do our part," reminded Ikeda as I ran my left hand down my face.
"Copy that," I muttered and glanced to Seo, "stay here. I'll get someone to replace me. We need people here constantly controlling the jets and artillery until they're relieved or we're relieved."
"Yes sir," Seo quickly replied with confidence, "you can count on me sir."
Walking back, I was vigorously rubbing the rapidly growing five o'clock shadow on my face. My thoughts were deeply throbbing in my mind. Distrust was starting to grow inside me with a military force that was grown accustomed to peace despite the various training we went through month to month. Even the Japanese people no longer viewed us as a standing army ready to defend the country instead they now viewed us as a well-trained and well equipped disaster relief force. The image coupled with the defense force's constant need to alleviate the problems caused by the nearby bases to the residential community reflected its unpreparedness in its soldiers. Sure, not every soldier was not unreliable but not being able to count on troops in its most needed moment was a disconcerting thought that made me shiver.
We would be on a boat filled with inexperienced crew.
If we were stranded on an island in the midst of a huge battle, what would happen?
I shuddered at the thought.
"Captain," Muto greeted once again, instantly standing up as I approached.
I held up my right hand in a reply, "Yo. We're moving out soon but my two snipers will be on standby when the main gate's about to be open. I'll need you to take over as per the briefed battle plan."
"Doing the cool stuff again eh Captain?" Muto asked with a large smile.
"You've already done the same thing during the intervention didn't you? Give my team a chance to experience it Muto. You greedy bastard," I said and patted the older man on the back.
"Good luck Captain," a few of the members from Muto's team grunted as they got up to rotate out with my own team.
"If you need anything just give me a holler on channel eight. Oh and we'll need someone to drive us down to the base of the hill. I'm not rappelling down four hundred and eight meters in this thunderstorm," I said.
"Of course not after all you're Mountain Troop," Muto said sarcastically as I gave him a playful punch on the bicep, "I'll drive you down Captain, don't worry about it."
"Awesome," I replied curtly and squeezed the transmit switch strapped to my plate carrier, "everyone except for Akagi and Sawada, group up at the HMV. It's time for phase two of Operation Cronus."
Seconds would quickly pass as my men filed in and Muto's men rotated out to replace them. Equipment was moved from the second HMV to give enough space for the seven of us to ride inside. The covered rear deck was slick with rain water as we began our final gear checks. An air filled vest was strapped underneath our plate carriers to act as a floatation device to help us swim to the surface in strong surf. Weapons were triple-checked for both ammo and batteries. Sanada and Okuda were given the M870 MCS with a shortened barrel and removed stock loaded with breaching shells. Ishihara and Kazuki were also equipped with tasers guns inside waterproof holsters that were quickly strapped to their already cramped battle belt for non-lethal takedowns. Ishihara and Sanada swapped out their personal M249s for HK417s. We didn't need the suppressive abilities of the two light machine guns since we were doing work in the shadows. It was also an ease of mind when you didn't have a ten-kilogram weapon that might as well be a rock wrapped around your neck when swimming or diving.
With the gear checks finished, we mounted the vehicle. Goodbyes were said to an exhausted Cael and a worried Cora. We waved farewell after promising to come back.
We would come back.
Muto directed us rocketing down the slope of the hill. His driving was so fast and reckless that even the usually stoic and expressionless Ikeda was wincing from fear of his life. Having it all end by crashing into a tree was not how he wanted to die. The HMV dropped several feet, jerked dangerously to the side and bounced along soupy ground. With each slam into the wet dirt, I could hear the grunt from my men weighed down by their equipment and fear for their own lives. Light from the artillery rounds lit up the sky once more. It was a relief that we only had to bring our smaller assault packs with ammunition, medical supplies and a few energy bars to sustain cravings we would have resting the middle of battle. In a slog that took thirty minutes or so to get up, Muto had driven us down within the matter of a few minutes driving as if it was a Toge mountain pass race. My body was nearly thrown off when Muto slammed the brakes, drifting the three-ton vehicle around the base of the hill to point back up towards the hill top.
"I think I'm going to be sick," burped Ikeda as he stumbled out of the vehicle.
"Where did you learn to drive like that, Muto," I groaned, "I barely held my dinner in."
"Ah, I was a miscreant back in my youth didn't you remember the story I told you during training? I grew up drifting cars and street racing. Never once did I get caught!" he yelled as I exited the vehicle, "you guys take care you hear?"
I gave him an exhausted farewell.
"You know your colleague is really insane Captain," Sanada huffed, bent over after being slightly dizzy from the hellishly fast drive.
"Not as insane as you sometimes are, Sanada," I grunted.
My eyes glanced over to the trail we were going to take. A gulp of saliva was unconsciously swallowed as I looked at the sea splashing into two-meter-tall rocks just a few dozen meters in front of us. We were going to have to brave an angry sea, swim at least a hundred to three hundred meters and crawl up the flattened shore nearby the keep that served as a small boat's landing all while navigating during the darkness with our heavy gear to meet the timetable of Operation Cronos. We had forty-five minutes left to get the main gate open for the assaulting force. It was a harsh demand, but we trained for the job and this was what we were going to do.
Never quit or die trying.
I took a deep breath and turned around, "listen up gentlemen! The time is 2050 hours, so make sure your watches are still synced. We have forty-five minutes to meet the battle plan's time table. Time to dig in deep because we are going to have to cover six hundred meters in that time and one-third of it is navigating through what might as well be a sea…even though it's a lake. We are going to be cold, we are going to be tired and we are going to be pushed to our limits. But this is what we're trained to do! This is what separates us Special Forces Group commandos from the boys in the infantry! Now let's get to it!"
"Yeah, yeah," Ikeda grumbled, pulling on his OpsCore helmet and shoving his boonie hat into his front pouch as he brushed past me, "let's just get on with it."
My eyes scowled at the passing 2IC and murmured, "I thought it was a good speech…"
"I thought it was so too Captain," smiled Sanada as I rolled my eyes and followed the Lieutenant.
Climbing up onto the rocks, I instinctively gulped once again.
An abyss opened into the great depths just a few steps in front of me. I shrugged off the moderately sized assault pack and pulled the SCAR-H behind my back, pulling the sling tight against my chest. The back of the buoyant pack hugged the front of my body. My hands shoved the boonie hat into the side pouches of the rucksack as I donned the OpsCore helmet for head protection in case my skull banged into rocks. Ikeda bravely stuck out his left foot and fearlessly hopped into the air. His frame disappeared into the churning waves below. For a few seconds, he seemed to be swallowed whole by the sea.
Gone.
A soft greenish light flickered to luminance in the swirling black. His chemlight was broken and shaken to signal his location. It began to move slowly inch by inch away from the jagged rocks before disappearing beneath the waves once again, the greenish glow still slightly visible in the depths of the ocean before coming back up to the surface. He was making good progress. I waved the next man forward and counted off the men as they jumped in to join the line of green glowing chemlights bobbing along the waves. One by one they jumped into the water without a second thought, following my orders without question and putting their utmost trust in me and my plan. The burden of leadership weighed heavy on my shoulders as I turned around to see not a single soul in sight.
All six men accounted for, I thought.
First in, last out.
I turned back towards the lake with my arms wrapped around the rucksack.
"Here we go!" I murmured confidently.
I stuck my left foot out, hopping into the darkness below.
