This battle is going to take up a few chapters so stand by for more. Thanks for still reading my story. I don't own either School Rumble or Bleach, please review.
Chapter 21: Suburban Warfare
"The war has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage."
Deceased Japanese Emperor Hirohito; in the middle year of World War II
1305 Hours, July 24th, 2010; Shimonoseki's suburbs; Yamaguchi Prefecture; Japan
"Okay, mount up!" shouted 2nd Lt. Hashigawa to 2nd platoon. 5th squad packed up their meals and climbed into their respective HUMMWVs.
The fire team and engineer team were still listening to the news as Harima followed the US M113 Garvin APCs and M2A3 IFVs, "Chaos erupts in Chechnya as Chechnyan separatists launch a mass offensive against the stationed Soviet units. The Kremlin is currently suppressing reports from the Caucasus so little information is available at this time.
A minor incident involving an illegal border crossing occurred earlier today on the German-Polish border. A man is confirmed to have been shot and killed by German soldiers. The Chancellery claims that the soldiers were thought to be Soviet Special Forces, an unconfirmed report says another man was shot by Soviet soldiers as he tried to cross the border."
"I don't get it," said Kurosaki. "It's just a border, why the shooting?"
"I read about it in a book once," said Harima remembering the text he read for his final test; before the war, "It's the border that separates the Warsaw Pack and NATO, there's suppose to by thousands of soldiers on both sides of the border. What those people did was practically suicide."
The reporter continued, "In Islamabad, Pakistani Police arrest terrorist suspects during a raid. They claim that they have uncovered a large scale plot to overthrow the government. Other world leaders comment that Pakistan is using the cover of terrorist to eliminate political enemies.
Another bomb shatters the peaceful early morning hours of Jerusalem when a bus was blown up by Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, reports state that because it was done so early in the morning the bus was not very crowded and few people were kill. Israel demands that Lebanon either take action to suppress Hezbollah or the Israelis will deal with them.
A major breakthrough in the talks between Turkey and Kurdistan over the border dispute occurred yesterday after the United States and its allies applied pressure the two nations to come to an agreement on a ceasefire between the nations…"
"RPG!" shouted an American. A rocket flew through the air and hit an one of the American Bradleys , however, it did little to the well armored IFV. Kitsumori started shooting heavy machine gun rounds at a pile of bricks, scrap metal, wood, concrete slabs, and other junk to form a makeshift roadblock/defensive position.
"Sniper!" shouted a soldier as a high velocity bullet nearly rips her head off.
Ishida was his M21 semi-auto rifle and searched for a PKA sniper. He saw a flash from a scope reflecting light.
"I see him," said Ishida; he fired a shot.
"Dismount and take firing positions!" shouted Asou as he ran out of his HUMMWV with the assault team and command team. Hanai and Shimazu led their respective teams along the left side of the street until they reached the American APCs and IFVs.
"This is Crow 2-3, someone mark that roadblock," said a voice over one of the Americans' radios.
"Rodger Crow 2-3, marking target with laser designator," said a radioman who was pulling out a box like object with a pistol grip. Mavericks streaked through the air, blowing the roadblock apart and sending debris raining down on the street.
An Apache flew up, its 30mm turning left and right in search of targets. Suddenly an RPG flew from a rooftop and hit the unsuspecting AH-64D in the tail, disabling its stabilizer prop. Like a scene out of 'Black Hawk Down' the Apache Longbow spun and crashed somewhere out of sight.
"We have an Apache down, Crow 2-4 is down, over," said a voice over the radio.
"Crow 2-3, can you conform the status of the crew, over?"
"Negative, enemy with a Gainful, over."
"Rodger… well send a squad to secure the crash sight."
An American squad moved into a shop; Asou, being directed by Lt. Hashigawa, followed. They ran through a barbershop, into the backroom, past a group of civilians, and out the backdoor into an alley. A doorway open and a man waved them in.
They obeyed the man's gesture and entered the back of a fastfood restaurant. They followed the man past a group of people hiding from the Communist soldiers, he pointed outside to the twisted fuselage of a US AH-64D Apache Longbow lying in the track field of a Jr. high school.
"Arigato, oji-san (uncle or middle-aged man)," said Asou as they exited the fastfood restaurant, crossed the street, and through the school gates. An echoing bang caused them to drop to the prone position.
"Sniper!"
"Sniper!"
Ishida put a bullet in the head of a PKA paratrooper with an old with an old Russia built bolt-action rifle.
The beat of chopper blames caused them to look up and Yamako said, "Those ain't ours."
A Mi-8 Hip flew over with its gunners shooting while PKA paratroopers slid down on ropes. The Hip flew away while still laying down suppressing fire for its soldiers, it was soon out of sight.
Both sides lock into a deadly shootout in the open; horribly aware of who exposed they were on the field. In this situation it came down to who was most daring/stupid, which was better trained, and most of all who had more accurate weapons. The North Koreans were more daring and willing to do reckless things, but the US M-16A4, even though it lacked full-auto fire mode, was far more accurate than the AK-47 could ever hope to be. A couple of GIs were shot up by PKA firing, but the PKA were cut to shreds.
Asou led use men to the Apache Longbow; Harima looked in and then had the barrel of a Berretta M92 aimed at his forehead by the pilot. Harima was confused and shocked. He then noticed that the pilot eyes were out of focus and he was bleeding from the head; the pilot may not be able to see Harima was Japanese and not a North Korean or Chinese.
"Easy now, I'm a Japanese," said Harima.
The pilot heard, "Iē, watashi wa Hihonjin desu" which didn't make him any less scared.
He blinked; he could see that he was looking at an Asian male, that the guy was built like a tank, and that he had a rifle held in his right hand. 'Why isn't he shooting me?' he wondered. Things were getting blurry and his hand was shaking because he'd lost so much blood.
"I helpo yu," Harima said in what he hoped was 'I'm here to help you.'
It was close enough and the pilot holstered his gun, Kitsumori and Harima pulled him out of the chopper and set him on the ground. The gunner/co-pilot, who sat forward the pilot, was slumped over his consol, smeared in grey brain matter and dark red blood; he was clearly crushed to death on impact.
"Is my friend okay?" asked the pilot slowly; he could tell at the least that English was not Harima's first language. Harima pause, the only thought on his mind was, 'Shit I wished I'd paid better attention in English class, then I'd know what he was saying.'
"He… okay?" the pilot repeated, pointing to the chopper. Harima shook his head.
The sound of an incoming chopper caused everyone to look around again; a US Navy SH-60 Sea Hawk was bringing itself in for a landing on the race track. Harima grabbed the pilot under the arms and Kitsumori grabbed him by the ankles. They carried him over to the Sea Hawk. A US Navy medic jumped off the chopper with a stretcher and ha Harima and Kitsumori to put the pilot on it.
"Good luko," Harima said to the injured pilot before they closed the Sea Hawk's doors and flew off to an off shore hospital ship. Harima made a mental note to learn English.
As the sound of the beat of the chopper faded, the sound of a creaking/clanking noise grew.
"That sounds like a tank," said Yamako.
"That sounds like a Russia model," said an American corporal, "Arm that SMAW."
"Kenji, I think you need to get the AT4 out," said Hanai.
"Way ahead of you."
Harima hid behind the AH-64D, ready to ambush the tank. A Soviet built T-54 with PKA markings and an Ural with a PKA soldier manning a Soviet model .50 cal (1). Harima fired a rocket an 84mm rocket at the tank, but missed. The rocket slammed into the cab of the Ural killing the driver, gunner, and the infantry who hadn't dismounted. The T-54 wheeled its 100mm to face Harima.
The blast sent Harima flying through the air. He landed on his back, hard; white noise filling his ears and his vision was blurred. He heard the MG open up as the tank tried to finish him off. There was a terrifying moment as he heard bullets hitting ground next to him, then there was an explosion, and then everything was silent.
Harima staggered to his feet, the American with the SMAW had destroyed the tank.
"Harima! We need to keep moving," shouted Asou as he led 5th squad out of the school yard and deeper into Shimonoseki. They ran back to their HUMMWVs and followed the US down the street.
An A-10 Thunderbolt II roared over head as they followed the M60A5s; they medium tanks were now taking the lead while the APCs and IFVs trailed after them. Artillery rumbled in the distance and gunfire chattered all around; the sounds of a city under siege.
Suddenly the houses ended and a ground level highway lay in their path; behind concrete medians, US GIs fired at PKA soldiers and armor that had taken up defensive positions on the opposite side of the highway. An M1A2 Abram took a hit to the spot where the chassis meets the turret, a weak point on most tanks, which blew a hole in the tank. They could tell that the crew was in all probability dead.
"That must be their last line of defense for the suburbs," said Ikuro.
"So it seems," agreed Asou ducking as a bullet ricocheted off a HUMMWV.
They used the open doors as a shield as they fired at the PKA soldiers. A TOW missile streaked past them resulting in the destruction of an AT gun. Dirt, dust, and missile contrails were starting to shroud both sides; at intervals green lights would come from eerie outlines of hostile soldiers.
A group of Mi-8 Hips flew in from somewhere deep in the city and began to deploy PKA reinforcements via ropes, some had free-flight rocket pods mounted and started to fire wildly at US and Japanese soldiers taking a few vehicles and tanks with them. A US M6 Linebacker (2) with a barrage of Stingers and knocking 4 Hips out of sky.
"Hinds!" screamed a GI as PKA Mi-24 Hinds flew into the area, 12.7mm quad-guns blazing. The Linebacker stuck on Hind in the tail, disabling the stabilizer prop, and sending the Hind into an increasingly violent spin. The remaining Hinds shattered the Linebacker in a rain of free-flight rockets (3).
"I need air support at position, Blue 42, Yellow 11," shouted Kaoji into his radio inside the HUMMWV while Abarai blasted away with the Browning M2 .50 cal. Ishida looked through his scope, trying to identify targets. The others fired at muzzle flashes hoping to hit enemy infantry.
A roar, several explosions, and the Hinds going down in flames signaled the presence of USAF F-15Cs. A flight of F-15Es that were following the F-15Cs dropped CBU-87 Cluster Bombs. A flume of fire emerge from a T-54 when a Sabot from a US M1A2. US Abrams and Pattons were rolling onto the highway; a fresh company was surging forward.
Japanese Type 90s from the 28th Armored Battalion rolled by them. The enemy's line of defense was broken.
They looked out onto the sky, into the first signs of evening were visible. They had done it; they breached the outer defenses on the first day. It was a short-lived victory though. The PKA was not going to let them just stroll into their HQ; surely there will be heavier defenses ahead.
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2400 Hours, July 25th, 2005; western edge of Seto Inland Sea; 40km east of Kanmon Strait
2nd Lieutenant Soifon sat quietly in her seat as a USN SH-60 Sea Hawk carried them to an unknown rendezvous point with a US special forces unit.
"Lieutenant?" asked a muscular man seated across from her.
"Hai, Sergeant Major Togo?"
"Why are we meeting with the Americans?"
"I wasn't given that information," she said curtly; she hated not being told what she was being asked to do, but that was the price she paid for being in the Japanese Special Forces.
"I sure well be told upon arrival," said a stoic woman with very short reddish-purple hair.
"I'm sure we will, Master Sergeant Takano," said Togo to Takano.
"Oi, we're at the rendezvous point," said the co-pilot to the 'passengers.' A huge mass rose out of the sea, it appeared to be a submarine, but it was way too large. Doors open on the top of the sub and a row of lights appeared revealing a flight deck.
Soifon and Togo stared in absolute shock, Takano even showed more emotion than usual. The chopper landed on the deck and ground crew scrambled to stow the chopper for later missions. Above the doors closed and a jerk told them that they were now submerging.
"Welcome," said a deep voice behind them. Soifon turned to a burly man who appeared to be in his 40's with graying hair and a mustache and beard. "I am Commander Andrei Kalinin, commader of this sub's strike teams. I would like to be the first to welcome you to the SCVN-01 Tuatha de Danaan (4)."
"I am Lt. Soifon of the Japanese Special Forces, these are my best operatives: Master Sergeant Takano Akira and Sergeant Major Togo Masakazu," said Soifon with a salute to the US Navy officer.
"Please, follow me," he said leading them deeper into the Danaan. They entered a briefing room that was already filled with US soldiers wearing a gold eagle insignia holding an old flint-lock pistol and a trident in its talons (5) on their collars; US Navy SEALs. Takano sat down next to a stoic faced man with dark blackish-brown hair and a cross shaped scar on his cheek. Next to him was a man with long blond hair and blue eyes and on his right was a woman with dark purplish hair, smoking a cigarette.
A man with short black hair and with thick framed glasses wearing a hat that read 'HMS Turbulent' stepped into the room and held the door open for a petite girl with white hair in a braided ponytail. She held a file folder under her arm and had a Walther PPK in a holster at her hip.
"Is that a captain's insignia?" asked Togo, "She looks like she's barely 16."
"This place seems to be full of surprises," she Takano.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, to our guests, I am Captain Teletha Testarossa," said the girl giving a small polite smile.
"Now I understand it that you Ms. Soifon was trained by the US Delta Forces and that you Mr. Togo lived in the United States and you Ms. Takano have sent a lot of time over seas. It is safe to assume that you all speak English?" asked Captain Testarossa. They nodded in response.
"Very good then," she said with a sweet smile. Her face shifted to something more serious as she began to brief her soldiers, "Navy Intelligence says that Beijing will not evacuate Lt. General Zhanghe's surviving soldiers, rather, he has been told to fight to the last man. With little in the way of options, Zhanghe appears to be preparing to fight to as ordered with everything he has. Tonight, at 0400 Hours were will deploy Uruz Team and our guests, Sinzyu Team. First we will insert a team underwater, then we will infiltrate the enemy HQ, and we will incapacitate Lt. General Zhanghe. You will secure an EZ (extraction zone) for Gabe Squadron, Teiwaz Squadron will provide gunship support if need, but I would like to maintain a low profile in this mission, understood?"
They nodded. "Good, prepare for your mission, good luck to all of you."
"Ma'am!" they said in unison while snapping to attention.
Took me a while to think of how to put Full Metal Panic into my story, but I did it. I'm gonna' have to make a few changes to the characters rolls since the ASs that appear in the show do not appear in my story. So instead of them being some kind of super mercenary organization, they're US Navy SEALs. I don't own Full Metal Panic, please review.
Appendix
1. The T-54 and a variation called the T-55 are a Soviet built tank introduced in the 1950s. It is still used in small numbers in Russia and several other countries; probably the most widely used tank in the world and one of the principle tanks of the PKA. The Ural is the Soviet equivalent of the US M939 Duce-and-a-Half truck; it's used around the world by numerous countries. The Soviet's have a .50 caliber cartridge use by curtain sniper rifles and heavy machine guns like in NATO, though they are of a different length.
2. The M6 Linebacker is a variation of the M2 Bradley Infantry Assault Vehicle. The US was developing a mobile anti-air vehicle called the Sergeant York, but after wasting a lot of money (military does that a lot) they made the Linebacker. The Linebacker looks just like the standard Bradley, but instead of 2 TOW launchers it had 4 Stinger surface to air missiles and it can raise its 30mm chain gun to a higher elevation so it can engage aircraft. The Linebacker is in games like Battlefield 2 as the USMCs AA vehicle.
3. A lot of the Soviet helicopters use barrages of free-flight rockets instead of a few guided missiles like in NATO; particularly the US. Soviet style of warfare is to overwhelm their enemies with huge numbers and a massive volume of firepower. Recent models like the Mi-28 Havoc (used in Russia only) and the Ka-50/52 Hokum (used in Russia (Russia only) deploy NATO's style of fighting, using small numbers to destroy their enemies with pinpoint shooting.
4. Andrei is a fictional character from Full Metal Panic and the Tuatha de Danaan is the submarine in the show. CVN is the designation for a nuclear powered aircraft carrier; by adding an S in front of CVN I think it would designate a nuclear powered submarine carrier.
5. The insignia mentioned above is the actual insignia wore by US Navy SEALs.
Respectfully
J. H. Kamiya
