Chapter 13:

Fire fights in Vasel

Squad 7's first operation: the battle for Vasel.

Whatever happened here would have a large effect on the war

If we failed, Gallia would lose

Win and we may yet stand a chance at fighting back the imperials.

I worked it out.

We were probably the only thing between victory and lose.

Even though I knew other squads were fighting alongside us.

"Here's the plan" Welkin told us over the Radio. We could see Vasel in the distance, one arch showing the entrance as a river ran to the right of it, heading through the city under a medieval style bridge. "We're splitting into two teams to storm Vasel" I nodded, shoving a mag into my gun and pulling the bolt back. Everyone else was doing something like it, with the lancers placing a lance head onto the end of their weapons. "I'll lead one side with the Edelweiss, heading down the main street with Knute, Edy, Alicia, Largo, Hector, Catherine, Ramona, Elysse, Ted and James" the named walked over to the Edelweiss, giving each other a calm nod. James looked at me, and I put my thumb up. "The rest of you, head down the side streets and clear the enemy out. We don't want a single imperial leaving here to hit us later" he appeared from the hatch of his tank. "I want everyone to come back alive" he swung his arm out, putting a hand on his hat. "Squad 7! MOVE OUT!" he swung said hand forward, still holding his hat with his other hand.

He went inside as the tank went forward. Everyone in Welkin's group followed, the snipers and Engineers making sure they had good cover behind the tank. Rosie ran in front of our group, swinging her arm in between us.

"After me Kiddos" she told us, then running to the right, heading to the riverbank. We all followed, the scouts getting slightly further ahead. This was going to be entertaining, dodging gunfire and what not.

"Squad, don't be afraid to split off if you have too" Welkin told us over the intercom. "Just be sure you can handle whatever comes your way"

Rosie led us to the riverbank, checking everything as she went along. Everyone held their guns ready as we went along. Suddenly, she stopped, the rest of us following suit. She pointed to an alleyway next to her, turning around.

"Vyse, take Aika, Craig and the Dark hairs down there" she told him…Rosie, now's not the time. "Marina, go with them, we won't need a sniper"

"I'll go too" Fina told her. Rosie nodded.

"Meet me at the corner of Randgriz road" she walked ahead, the rest of the squad going with her…as in Alex and Audrey. How is she going to hold anything off with a shocktrooper and a lancer?

"Let's move people" Vyse told us.

We started walking down an alleyway, everyone keeping their weapons ready. I kept looking around, wondering where the enemy might be. I found myself startled by a curtain hanging out of a window for crying out loud, turning suddenly and aiming at it. Just a curtain Craig…Just a curtain. I heard Ted say something like 'wow, this place is quieter then my Aunt Patty's after she's had a few too many' over the radio

We found ourselves wandering onto a road way. Vyse stopping us, peeking his head around the corner before we ran. He looked both ways, turning back to us. "Some soldiers are down the right" he told us, smiling. "Craig, Fina, go to the other side and fire on my mark…Marina, take the ladder and try to snipe them as best you can"

"Understood" she replied, slinging her gun onto her back. She looked at the window from before, climbing up the building into it.

"I'll tell you when it's clear to run"

I nodded, as did Fina. We both got ready to run, hoping our bolt would get us across the road into the opposite alley without us being seen. Vyse waved his hand forward, which myself and Fina used as our signal, bolting over the road. I dived behind cover, checking my gun as I hugged the wall, breathing harder. Fina did the same, except not checking her gun.

I turned around, peeking around the corner. I saw the imperials in question…about 25 of them…great, we're outnumbered again. They were stood in a square, talking to each other as one set sandbag walls. They already had a number set up. A red flag in the centre gave away who they were, as if it were needed. I gulped, looking at Vyse.

"Any minute now, the Edelweiss will hit the enemy lines" he whispered over the comms. I nodded, reasserting my grip on the end of my gun. "When it does, Marina, I want you to pick off any Imperials you can…or shoot something that will take more then one down" I heard a grunt over the radio. "While we will shoot them from here. Aika, Fina, Nadine, Wavy, get indoors and try to pick them off once we start" he turned to Lynn. "We're gonna hold them here" I nodded, seeing Lynn set up. "Remember, shoot wisely"

We heard it, the initial gunshots over in the next street. Alicia shouting 'Enemy found!'. They must have heard it too, as they looked towards it. Meanwhile, our scouts and Engineers got into position, silently breaking windows. Vyse nodded, looking at Marina's position on the roof top above us.

"Fire" he told her. She took her chance, firing a clean shot from her rifle. I heard someone shout as they were hit, gunshots ringing from his gun…a machine gun, great. I saw the imperials become alert, looking around for us. "OPEN FIRE!" Vyse shouted. He broke from cover far enough to shot at the imperials, as did Lynn. I crouched down, aiming off my knee.

We all fired short bursts, trying our best to hit the imperials. They mostly managed to dodge, with the exception of one to the left of my sight. He got hit in the arm, recoiling as he fell. And with that, all hell broke loose. The enemy got to the sandbags, firing a few bullets back at us.

I retook cover, Vyse and Lynn being brave and staying out. I pulled my clip out, checking my bullets…nothing…wow a full mag gone in one go. I threw it to one side, grabbing a new one and slamming it in, adrenaline kicking in as I pulled the bolt back. Vyse and Lynn retook cover, our fellow gunners taking over from the houses. I saw Vyse clutching his shoulder. I heard conversations from other squad parts as they talked to each other about how they should move, enemy locations and so on.

"You ok buddy?" I asked him, getting ready to break cover as soon as the current blizzard of bullets ended. He nodded, smiling.

"Only a flesh wound" he told me, putting his hand back on his gun.

"Get some ragnaid on it" I broke cover as the shots ended, shooting from my knee, aiming at the nearest target. I fired a few shots to suppress him, and his chums, then aimed cautiously.

I fired as soon as I thought I had a mark. Turned out that I had, as the bullet flew true and hit him in the skull. Marina fired another shot, hitting another in the eye. Both dropped dead, their allies stopping to reload and seeing them. I retook cover myself, this time knowing I had rounds left.

"Aika! Can you get a grenade on them!?" I shouted, as a new volley began.

"Sorry baby, out of range" she told me. I heard an explosion. "That's what I mean" I looked quickly, seeing the blue smoke nowhere near the imperials.

"How you doing for shots by the way?" the volley seemed almost endless.

"Ask the person who owns the kitchen. It's a mess"

"I meant you shooting them"

"We can't get a clear shot with out them seeing us"

"Terrific" I held my gun around the corner, firing blindly. "How many have we taken down?"

"12…" Marina told us, then firing another shot. "13…"

"You good" my gun stopped firing as I hit a wall, bullets hitting the gun. "Reload!"

I felt a bullet hit my gun as I returned. I pulled the mag out, seeing half a clip left…what? "I've got a Jam!"

"Load a bullet into the smaller mag and fire" Nadine told me.

I nodded, standing up and pulling it out quickly. It must have been those bullets…unless…did I jam it by hitting the wall. I pushed the top bullet from the mag, the spring pushing the next one into place. I pulled out the small clip, dropping the half full one and shoving the bullet into place. The clip was then slammed into the machine gun, the bolt pulled back and I squeezed the trigger twice, two bullets flying out and dropping beside me. Now the casings where ringing quite loudly as they fell onto other ones.

"Cleared!" I shouted, yanking the mag out and putting it away, loading the old one up. I heard a deafly silence fall as I did so, seeing Vyse and Lynn still firing. What the hell is going on? I peeked around the corner, seeing two charging imps. I held my gun firmly, turning and shooting them multiple times. I watched as they danced the dance of death, bullets thudding into them, and their guns firing multiple times…good considering they were rifles. I heard gunfire from the enemy, feeling bullets hit my right arm.

"Shit" I spoke, darting behind cover, but not before another three hit my right leg. "Shit!" I shouted. I wanted to nurse the wounds, run from here and never look back. But I fought on, loading my gun up. "Vyse! If we hang around here, we're going to get shot to hell!" I looked at him, seeing Lynn holding a wound to her side. "We've got to find a better place to fight them"

"We'll fight them here!" he shouted back. "Aika and Fina have chest wounds, Wavy and Nadine have been hit badly in the shoulder. We give now, We're DEAD!" I heard Marina shout in pain above us. I looked at her, seeing her falling off the rooftop above me. I dropped my gun, catching her before she hit the ground, multiple wounds evident on her shoulders and arms

"My rifle…Where's…" she spoke, going silent. Crap.

"She's going!" I shouted, laying her down as her rifle landed beside her. "Marina's down, Fina!"

"What? How can she go now?" she asked back. I heard one of our guns stop, Fina leaving her house and appearing next to me. "You'll make it" she told Marina, getting the Ragnaid crate off her back. "That's a promise"

"Make sure you save her!" I told her. Wait a moment…Craig you idiot! "Rosie, we're pinned on Belgen square, We need help!"

"Can't help you kiddo!" she shouted back. I could hear the sound of gun fire on her side. "Seems we found us a tank" I heard an explosion, followed by a shout. "Audrey!"

"I'm fine…I'm stronger then I look" she replied.

"Damn…Welkin! How thing's going your end?!"

"Heavy residence in the plaza" he replied. "Seems they're guarding the bridge"

"We're pinned, orders!"

"We're heading towards your location, pulling away from combat. We'll meet you there"

"Welkin, a tanks not going to fit down these alleys"

I shot a quick look around, seeing a stone wall to the right…small enough for a friend of ours to plow through. I nodded, smiling. "Where's James?"

"Sniper post at Point 5" the church? Already? That's half way into town! "He broke off and took it himself"

"I'll cover you Welkin!" he shouted over the radio.

"James?" I broke cover, firing another burst at the 12 that remained while Fina started plugging some tubes into Marina's skin. "You were supposed to stick with Welkin…and what are you doing so deep?"

"Relax, they don't know I'm here"

I saw one of the soldiers fall, shot in the chest as he screamed. I pulled a grenade off my belt, pulling the pin and throwing it with all my might towards the group of 5. it landed with it's blue light, exploding as they tried to throw it back. I noticed body parts flying, his arm landing in front of me. Not a pretty sight.

The other 6…well…the Edelweiss plowed through the wall, guns blaring at the enemy soldiers. I heard a few explosions as it did so, with the enemy being blasted away. I breathed a sigh of relief, seeing the tank stop.

"Rosie is pinning on 3rd" Welkin told the whole Squad. "And enemy troops are charging to the church, hoping to catch Catherine and James off guard"

"I'll go help James" I told Welkin, running off towards it.

"As for the rest of us, let's rescue Rosie and company"

I ran by Alicia, grabbing her as I ran. She knew what I was doing, choosing to follow me instead of Welkin. As I run through these streets, looking for the entrance, I find myself asking one question: how could he be so stupid? James, you know what orders are for, follow them.

"What's the plan?" Alicia asked me. She seemed as out of breath as I was becoming.

"Simple, kick some ass" I told her. I smiled at her, then looking at the church. Sure enough, James was on the top, armed with his pistol. Catherine was doing the same, but kneeling, looking down at something. "James! How many!?"

"Ten at last count" he told me. "Catherine's nearly out of clips, I'm not doing too well myself"

"And the other squads?" I heard Rosie over the intercom saying 'ain't no stopping me' followed by gunfire. Then Welkin saying 'advance carefully. We don't want any casualties' and finally Varrot saying 'Target silenced…head for the next one'

"Seems Faldio's the only one making headway, as squads 3 and 5 have hit a standstill" I heard some bangs as I entered the church. "They're here"

"Hold them as long as you can, we'll help you out"

The church was what you'd expect, loads of pews, mostly ruined and kicked aside. A stained glass picture of a woman holding a lance and shield with a blue flame about her stood out among the rubble. But I didn't have time to examine it, I was in a hurry. Adrenaline kicked back in as I saw the stairs, 7 imperials ready to burst the door to the roof open.

Alicia and I took cover behind the pews, sighting up the enemy. I aimed, holding my hand up for her to see. She fired, as did I, both of us nailing the first two. The others turned around, realising what was going on, then charging down to take us on. They all came out, taking cover. We managed to kill about 4 of them; leaving 1 on his own…he took cover behind a pillar on my side. We both tried hitting him, hitting the pillar, our bullets not literally bouncing off.

"Plan B" I told Alicia. I moved from my cover, pulling the mag out and shoving a new one in, pulling the bolt back, I walked carefully over to the pillar, going as quietly as possible. When I was close enough, I hugged the pillar, staying close to it in order to see my foe.

He was breathing heavily…mostly through fear. This will teach you to mess with my family. I charged him, trying to hit him with the butt of my gun. He grabbed it, wrestling it out of my grip swiftly and aiming his at me. I grabbed him, throwing him to one side and kicking him. He dropped his gun, to which I grabbed him from behind, holding his arms behind his back.

Suddenly, a loud bang, followed by blood splattering in my face. Alicia had taken the shot presented to her, hitting the soldier square in the face. I let him go, the soldier slowly falling to his knees. After a pause, he fell fully, a cloud of dust around him. I wiped my face as best I could, grateful he was down.

"It's clear James" I told him. He opened the door, running in with his Gun, Catherine close behind.

"You did it?" he asked, in a surprised fashion. I nodded.

"I know how to follow orders you see" I told him. "Next time, stick with Welkin"

"Rosie, you alright?" Alicia asked.

"I'm ok Alicia…the tanks down" she replied…I heard her breathing heavily. "We nearly lost that one"

Vasel was ours again…now we have to deal with the other bank…

One side of Vasel was taken with great difficulty on my side.

I'd hate to think what Rosie and company went through

And then, Welkin and the Edelweiss…

But for now, the battle's done.

And we can rest…for now

Yeah, more combat…I'm not one for gun combat am I? swords I can (and have (different story)) done but guns…man there hard.

Makes me wish I had done an older version…MEDIEVAL VALKYRIA

But then you'd end up with what is generally regarded as fire emblem so…meh.

Then again, countering Valkyrur with medieval weapons would be interesting

And, yes, I've probably gotten the 'jam removal' method wrong. I don't have any experience with firearms beyond games and…well, I just had the mini clip for a reason.