Chp. 38: The Shrouded Valley
March 21, 2024
Just Northwest of Inabari
"This is the Lenish Broadcasting Service, and now the news. The Verusean state media announced that the attempted coup by the oldest members of congress has been largely suppressed. A release from the office of the president announced that emergency powers will be activated in order to ensure the country's overall stability. Emergency elections will occur soon, but no exact date has been given…"
"But the war marches on." James commented aloud as he accepted the first hot meal he'd had in a few days.
The Lenish accent continued on until Izzy reached over and turned the radio to the Osean Armed Forces Network music station. Two of the cooks finished spooning a mix of beef, onions and white sauce onto the slices of bread each Marine had on a styrofoam plate. A third came along with packs of those "Grandma's" cookies. James caught his like it was made of solid gold; he'd been living off so many MREs and quick meals that even faux-homestyle cookies were a gift. He stuffed them inside his vest and picked up the plate of food he'd been given. The meal had slowly started to combine, but it made it a bit easier to eat quickly. Stuart didn't have a solid estimate of when they'd get the order to move out.
James' thoughts were centered on the obvious: Otome. She was still waiting and they still tried to get in contact any time they could. The month and change had felt like a lifetime, enough so that James grew afraid if he so much as took more than a second to remember her face. He'd even resorted to a bit of helmet graffiti: an umbrella with their names under it. A thing in Shimoji culture, a way of showing your love for your other half. The image sat facing him as he ate, helping keep his mind where he wanted it to be.
"So I'm thinking I'll write my memoirs after this is all over but I need an idea for a title." Izzy spoke up as he picked at his meal.
"You? Writing a memoir? That's reserved for Captains and above who have to make all the important decisions and dwell on the consequences of them. And cause their view of the war goes beyond having to put up with their fellow crewmembers' BO." James pointed out.
"That's my point exactly! I'm in the trenches, right there on the frontline! When I'm not feeding you rounds, I'm on the 240 or listening to the things going on around me."
"By that logic, the only one of us who could really do a book would be the El-Tee."
"I'd make sure to interview all you guys. Maybe we could make it, like, a joint venture?"
"Nah, that's way outta my comfort zone. Leave the books to the historian types." Jose replied. James, partway through chewing a mouthful of food, simply waved his spoon at the driver in agreement. Even Kourtney had something to add.
"Go for a workout tape, Izzy. The Luke Taylor round lift; learn how to build muscle mass and reload the main gun of an M1A2 in under seven seconds!" She suggested, trying to show him some support (without telling him a book was a bad idea).
"Workout tape, ma'am? With all due respect, this isn't 1987 anymore."
"None of us were born anywhere near 1987, Izzy."
"Besides the point, Brad. Look man, I th-"
The familiar, dread-inducing scream of artillery cut off the conversation. The impact was further off, but enough to get your attention. The second round returned to the ground much closer and caused the crew to hit the deck and lower their heads. Rounds landed here and there, never too close but never too far. When the deafening boom subsided for a second, 3rd Platoon's leader Marine leapt to her feet and gathered her inner moto.
"Mount up! Everyone mount the hell up!" Kourtney yelled.
James stuffed one final bite into his mouth and tossed aside the rest of his food aside. He followed Luke up the side of the tank and slid through the loader's hatch and across the turret to his station. Kourtney slammed shut her cupola's hatch and slid on her CVC helmet, trying to get all the info she could while they brought the M1 to life. According to the back-and-forth she got, the Veruseans were moving through the pass early. They were committing a force estimated to be at least two battalions in strength. The Oseans had roughly the same number in the form of a joint Army-Marine task force.
"Knight 6 to all Knight Victors, Knight 6 to all Knight Victors, standby for marching orders. Banshee reports artillery landing across the line, possible probing attacks moving forward into the valley. All Knight Victors standby." Captain Stuart radioed.
He repeated the message twice while Kourtney got her platoon organized. The slope they were positioned on led into the valley that the Army scouts had been poking around. At the opposite end was Tomogori Pass. The land south of that spilled out from a range of coastal hills that ran from the northeast to the southwest.
"All Knight Victors this is Knight 6, Brawler 6 wants us to move to Phaseline Samba and reinforce Army units near the old theme park. CAS will be on station in five minutes; Banshee will provide updates on enemy strength and composition, how copy?" Stuart radioed.
"Knight 3 Actual copies all." Kourtney said. Her fellow Lieutenants echoed her sentiment as the company rallied. James checked to make sure the gun was armed one final time.
"Loader, we still got a Sabot in there?" He asked.
"Affirm!" Luke replied.
"Alrighty then...Let's fucking goooo!" James hooted.
"Let's fuckin goooooooooooo!" Luke echoed.
"Driver, forward!...Let's fuuuuckin GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO." Kourtney added.
"Here we fuckin gooooooooooo!" Jose assured.
The Abrams left its position and moved down the slope with the rest of the platoon. The foot of the hill led to a brief flatline, then another slope with less brush and wood to maneuver through. James set his sights to the highest magnification and peered as far as he could. A combination of smoke from the opening barrage and the dissipating fog messed with his field of view, even in thermal. The platoon deployed to the right of the nearest roadway and moved towards scattered collections of trees surrounding some old amusement park.
"Knight 3 this is Banshee 2-1, we've made visual contact with forward elements of a Verusean force. Size unknown at this time, appears to be at least one company." An unfamiliar voice radioed.
"Copy Banshee, can you ascertain vehicle types?" Kourtney fired back.
"Mostly tanks; looks like ZTZ-99s."
"Gotcha...Knight 6, Banshee 2-1 reports multiple ZTZ-99s near their position. Need CAS to hit 'em first if possible, how copy?"
"Knight 6 copies all, Knight 3!"
Jose guided the tank up a small slope and into some cover behind a group of trees near the park's outer fence. The Bradleys were retreating to the right of the platoon out of a veil of smoke they'd set down. James rotated the turret in that direction and spotted the wrecks of ZBLs, likely the Veruseans' own scouts. He spotted what the Bradleys had been running from, ZTZ-99s, just inside his range when he hit the button. He ID'd them to his commander, then fired on command. The four ZTZs dispersed while Knights 3-1 and 3-2 engaged them. Two F-35s, callsign Hawk 4, entered the valley from the southwest. Jose brought the tank to a halt while they waited for the fighters to make their runs. James spotted something burst from the trees as he tracked another one of the ZTZs.
"TC, I've got eyes on missile launches to the enemy's rear!" He called.
Kourtney slaved her CITV to the same direction as the gun and saw more shapes race from the ground. She spotted the rough outline, produced by heat, of PGZ-95s before they emerged onto the open ground.
"Knight 6, be advised that Hawk's going right into an ambush! PGZs, PGZs! Tell Hawk to break off!" She radioed frantically.
"TC?" James asked, about ready to request an AMP to shoot the nearest AA gun.
"Stay on those tanks, Gunner!" Kourtney snapped.
"On the way!" James replied.
The main gun rocked back at the same time a near miss from a Verusean tank sent Jose to the left. Kourtney called the Bradleys, asking for their help in engaging the PGZs, but the scouts had moved out of range. They would need to at least reorganize; Knight 6 reported they'd lost contact with Hawk, and the alternative solution was waiting to be unleashed. The Army guys had brought the artillery this time, M109s, which meant that they could get more rounds out cause they could reposition faster.
"Knight 3-1 this is Hammer 2 Actual, request coordinates for fire mission how copy?" The soldier in charge of the battery asked.
"Roger, multiple PGZs in the open...grid ref 01N AC 2901 0436, how copy?"
"Hammer copies...six guns, one HE each to grid ref."
"Send it, Hammer."
"Shot out."
Knight 3 emerged from their current positions shortly after the barrage fell on the Verusean positions, determined to keep up the momentum. Clinger's platoon overtook Banshee, who was slowly moving forward to cover the tanks' right flank. A force of Army M1A3s took the left flank, up along the road.
"All elements on this freq, all elements on this freq this is Banshee 4. Significantly-sized mechanized force moving down the central part of the valley. Estimate battalion, maybe more. Possibly rotary wing support."
James gulped hard at the announcement as he searched for more targets. They ran afoul of a second and third platoon of ZTZs positioned along a rise, covering a slope that ZBDs seemed to be flowing down. Hammer's partner battery took the target and hurled more HE shells onto the fighting vehicles. James centered his sights on a pair of ZBDs moving to his right. Both fired their main guns, one of the 100mm rounds putting a dent James could feel in the turret's frontal armor. He cut the offending IFV open with an AMP round. Kourtney swept the attacking force with her fifty to try and damage optics and get them spooked while the two tank platoons exchanged blows with the mechanized force.
"Knight 3 this is Avenger 1, we'll take the left flank. Cover the right and keep that mechanized force from getting through, how copy?" One of the Army platoon commanders radioed.
"On em, Avenger!" Kourtney replied.
"Knight 6 this is Knight 2, anymore CAS lined up? We're gonna need it; I've got eyes on unfriendly helos, how copy?" Clinger added.
"Working on it, Knight 2!" Stuart snapped back.
The Osean counterthrust stopped where the terrain dipped and would force the Veruseans to move across lower ground to reach requested a STAFF round and asked where the helicopters were. Kourtney used the override to turn the gun at one and fired on a Z-10.
"Load, nother STAFF!" James replied as he retook control. Jose jerked the tank back as soon as the words left his mouth.
"Incoming, ATGM!" The driver called.
Izzy braced against the gun's breech as he finished shoving in the second STAFF round before he fell backwards to the other side of the turret. The Verusean anti-tank missile arced down and the Abram's Trophy system countered, leaving fragments to bounce over the turret. Another missile went flying, but not before Knight 3-2 sniped the Z-10 with a STAFF round. More helicopters appeared, met by fire from the Bradleys and incoming AH-1s. James was forced to use the STAFF round on a ZTZ-99 when a fresh platoon of the type overtook the ZBDs to screen for them. Izzy let him know they only had two STAFFs left, to which James requested a sabot round. Another Z-10 salvoed rockets onto the Osean positions, striking two of the Bradleys several times. The rest of a company's worth of ZTZs appeared to cover the ZBDs.
The Verusean IFVs partly withdrew as the fight seemed to turn into a Napoleonic battle fought by modern vehicles. James caught the rest of the Verusean tank company and passed along the sight to Kourtney, who in turn let the whole platoon know. A few sporadic shells landed near the Osean lines, but when one landed too close to a Verusean vehicle they tapered off. The Z-10s kept up their onslaught against the advancing armor until CAS was able to get back on station. This time it came in the form of Marine AH-1s deployed after the PGZs had been hit. James caught sight of one of the Verusean helos as it took a Sidewinder in the front quarter. He grinned and thanked the flyboys for once again showing up to help keep the tanker types from getting distracted.
"Knight, Avenger this is Hammer. Repositioned and ready for next shots. Copperhead will pass coordinates, how copy?" the artillery radioed.
"Knight 3 copies all!" Kourtney replied as her tank's main gun recoiled again.
Avenger copied and a minute later, a second series of impacts walked over the Verusean lines. The IFVs withdrew further under cover of their armored support. The Oseans held while Banshee took stock of casualties. The Bradleys who'd linked up with Avenger would split and cover the flanks of the remains of the tank force while The rest of Knight escorted ambulances up to collect the fallen and MPC-ADss to help ward off any further Verusean helicopters. Izzy took stock of their remaining rounds while James watched two parties exchange fire off in the distance. An F-35 made a pass over the further side, probably where the Veruseans were.
"Knight 3, Knight 2 this is Knight 6. You're cleared to advance to Phaseline Swing with Banhsee and Avenger. Pursue enemy elements retreating and direct fire for fast air." Stuart radioed.
Kourtney and Clinger acknowledged in near-unison, then ordered their platoons forward towards the trees ahead. They advanced around a dozen or so wrecked hulks that used to be Verusean armor and ascended the far slope towards a much wider depression. The Veruseans met them when they were inside the woods. Another shell from a ZBD scraped at Knight 3-1's armor, and James gave the offending machine an AMP in return. Then another ZBD and a third; he entered a sort of machinelike state, identifying, aiming and engaging in a steady manner. The Oseans pursued the Verusean attack until it was forced out of the trees and into the open, where they were even more vulnerable to aircraft. James felt ready to push them all the way back to the island's northern shores.
As they emerged from the woods, a ZTZ-99 lying in wait fired off a single round at the Abrams. The round pierced the tank at its eleven o'clock position...and went right through Martinas. Part of the energy it carried punched out of the driver's compartment and sliced into James's lower body. A pain unlike anything he knew shot through his whole body, then everything went numb. The gunner let out what was starting as a scream before he went unconscious. Kourtney jolted back, then pulled up the cloth around her beck and yanked down her goggles. The fire suppression systems kicked in and the ammo storage door slammed closed. The blowout panels fired and separated ammo from the danger of fire. She saw James slumped to the side while Izzy was trying to get his bearings back among a stream of impolite (but fitting for a Marine) words. She could feel some pain herself, but was too wired to really focus on it. It felt like a bee sting, maybe.
"Brad, Brad can you hear me?" She barked, stopping only to tell Izzy to get a grip and get the Mk.18s.
"Knight 3-1 Actual to Knight 3-2 Actual, 3-2 Actual can you hear me? Come in 3-2 Actual." She radioed as she lowered herself to help the unresponsive Marine.
"Well enough, Actual. You okay?!" Benedict replied.
"We're knocked out...take over! Lay smoke and coordinate fire while I get my crew out!"
"Gotcha Actual!"
Kourtney checked James for a pulse and found he was still alive. It was hard to see just how bad he'd been hit at first, until she moved him out of his seat. She forced back the bile she felt in her throat, as did Izzy while he opened the loader's hatch. He popped up, carbine at the ready, then dropped back down while Kourtney went for the first-aid kit.
"Get Brad as stable as you can while I go for Martinez!" Kourtney ordered loudly and directly.
Izzy nodded and accepted the kit, trying not to lose his lunch over his friend while Kourtney rotated the turret via hand crank so she could fully access the driver's hatch. Gunfire continued to bounce off the hull, silenced by the deafening retort of 3rd Platoon's remaining tanks. The loader wasn't sure exactly what he could do for James other than apply the powdery stuff to clean the wound. After that he resorted to wrapping inch after inch of bandage over the indescribably grisly wound on the guy's left leg. After a minute, he grabbed a blanket he kept inside for napping and used that to apply more pressure and cloth to soak up the blood. He'd gotten so into trying to do that, he almost forgot about the Lieutenant until she appeared in his field of view.
"I'm gonna get outside, then you help him up to me, alright? Get a second kit on your way out." She explained.
"What about Jose, El-Te-" Izzy stuttered.
"Martinez is dead! Now help me get him out, Marine!"
Kourtney ascended through the loader's hatch and turned herself around. She wiggled back up to the hatch, staying as flat as she could while she reached back down into the turret. Izzy helped James up as the gunner lapsed in and out of consciousness, never doing more than opening his eyes halfway or making some kind of face. Kourtney dragged him out and down the front slope of the turret, ignoring the heat from the engine deck as she maneuvered the two of them off the tank and onto the ground. Izzy followed, half-climbing and half-falling off the tank. Kourtney stood up, praying for the smoke around them to hold and for the rest of the platoon to keep the attention on them. She saw the faint silhouette of Knight 3-2 sitting ahead of her tank, its hull angled to provide maximum cover. She tugged her wounded gunner back to the woods and stopped near a fallen tree. Izzy hurried over, second carbine and kit in his possession, and threw himself onto the ground next to the two. The full extent of things was clear.
"El-Tee, El-Tee his leg...le...leg…" The man started, ending with a gag when he lost the fight with his stomach.
"When you're done puking and wanna be a FUCKING MARINE, help me make sure his leg is okay!" Kourtney barked at the retching man.
James could hear their voices, but they seemed so distant. He couldn't feel much of himself. Like, he was having one of those out-of-body experiences. He was able to fully grasp fleeting pieces of conversation between Izzy and the El-Tee, but for the most part things just seemed...fuzzy. Like he had a grip on life, he knew he'd been hurt, but he couldn't get his mind around details. Who was the green-haired girl that kept focusing in and out of his mind's eye? He knew her name, he just...couldn't piece it together. He knew her name...she had a few tats, he'd spent nights at her house. What was her name? Maybe if Izzy and the El-Tee stopped talking so much, he could remember.
Kourtney hunkered down more and more each time a round glanced off a nearby tree or flew past. Izzy remained pale, but silent and obedient as he followed her instructions. She felt a bit of hope each time she heard a jet race over or one of the Abrams still in the fight fire, casting death upon the commie bastards who'd put her and her crew in this situation. The tanks moved forward, albeit slowly, while rescue headed towards Kourtney and the others. A pair of MPC-25s rolled into the open, leading an MPC ambulance close enough that its crew could retrieve them. Hang in there, Brad Kourtney thought...