We've been stationed at the base for about a day now still no word on when the attack on Fouzen is going off. We're being held in the backline with other Squads who have been rotated out from the front line. I've talked to a few other squads and aside from the occasional skirmish or countering snipers the front has been quiet. They're confused as to why our division is here but they haven't questioned me about it.

Brooks cussed when a strong gust blew through the tent causing her to lose her place. "Close that damn flap!"

"We've tried three different times but it won't stay closed!"

"Oh, I'll make sure it stays closed! Help me out!"

Brooks watched the two soldiers struggle with the flap for a few seconds. She couldn't help but chuckle when the flap hit one of the soldiers in the face. After struggling for a few more seconds, they got the flap shut. "Alright, that should keep it closed."

"Let's just hope we can open it again."

Brooks flipped back through her diary and laid her pencil in it to mark her last entry. She closed it and slipped it into one of her pockets.

"If there is a hurricane formed, I'm leaving all of you behind."

"No hurricanes. It's just really damn windy!"

"Are you sure!? Hurricanes form with a lot of wind don't they!?"

"I don't fucking know! Why are you asking me!? Ask Cole! He's the weather specialist!"

"I would if I knew where the hell he is!"

"He's long gone! He knew there was a hurricane going to form and left us!"

"For the last time: A hurricane isn't going to form!"

Many of the occupants in the tent started laughing. "Oh yeah laugh it up! You won't be laughing when a hurricane does form!"

The tent flap bowed inward. It looked like someone was training to open it but couldn't. After a few more seconds, the flap suddenly opened and someone stumbled inside. "I don't remember the flap being that difficult to open."

"Son of a bitch! We just got that to stay closed! Blake! help me close it!"

"Wh- Why!?"

"You broke the system you help me fix it!"

"Ugh, fine!"

It took around twenty seconds but they managed to get it closed again. "There. Now, don't brute force your way in and we won't have to do this again."

"Yeah, I got it."

He walked toward Brooks and sat down. He nodded to her and laid down. "It's a mess out there."

"Oh yeah? How bad?"

Blake chuckled, "Don't go outside the tent unless you absolutely have to."

To punctuate his point a strong gust of wind battered the tent. "See? Even the wind agrees with me!"

"If the wind agrees with you tell it to calm down!"

Blake laughed, "If it only worked that way!"

For the rest of the day, the squads hunkered down until the wind died down. This took a few hours and, in that time, multiple scout missions were ordered against the Imperial positions. Later that night, the squad leaders are called in for a strategy meeting. "Alright people listen up. High command has decided to attack the Imperials tomorrow night." He pointed at the map, "We are to punch through the Imperial line here and encircle the Imperial forces in Fouzen. While our attack is ongoing Gallian forces will be attacking Fouzen directly so time is of the essence. We must encircle Fouzen before the Imperials inside the city retreat. Clear?"

"Clear sir!"

"Brief your squads. Dismissed."

Twenty-four hours later, the Gallian army is on the move.

"We're here. Dismount let's go." Brooks dismounted from the M1PC and moved up with Hawkins and York close behind. The entire assault force is hidden in the forest. The infantry is moving up to the edge of the forest while the vehicles stay back. Brooks laid prone with Hawkins and York lying beside her. She pulled out her binoculars and scanned the enemy line. "What do you see ma'am?"

"Much the same. Machine-gun posts, foxholes, trenches, and sandbags. I see a few spots for hidden anti-tank guns. This is Brooks do you copy? Over."

"We copy Sergeant. What do you need? Over."

"Coordinates are good. I need you to fire twenty-five meters East of the first target. Ten-meter spread. Over."

"Understood. We'll set aside a few guns for the new fire mission. Bombardment begins in sixty seconds. Out."

"Sixty seconds." Hawkins and York nodded. They waited on the edge of the forest as the seconds slowly ticked by. Brooks shifted a little and brought her binoculars up. Behind her, Hawkins is drumming his fingers against his rifle while York is looking up at the sky. He nodded and exhaled. Hawkins nudged him and they shared a nod. "Ten seconds." Their bodies tensed. "Five seconds."

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!

The distant sound of heavy artillery shattered the calm night. Through her binoculars, Brooks saw the Imperials freeze before they burst into action. A high pitch whistle filled the air before the first shells started to land. Huge amounts of earth is blasted upwards all across the Imperial line! Sandbag fighting positions are destroyed, foxholes are filled in, and unlucky Imperials are torn apart. The barrage lasts ten minutes and then the rumbling of engines fills the forest. Tanks charge out of the forest with infantry riding on their backs and that's their cue. "CHARGE!"

The infantry charged out of the woods while the tanks laid down covering fire with their MGs and main cannons. The infantry in their backs jumped off and sprinted to the first Imperial position. Brooks jumped into the trench, "Brooks! Fancy meeting you here!"

"Good to see you Jess!" The four of them started clearing the trench. A light tank rolled over their heads and fired causing their ears to ring. A few Gallian soldiers are engaged in a fight further down the trench so they turn left with Jess in the lead. She stopped at the corner and peeked around, "I see two Imperials." She attacked and Brooks moved to the other wall, laid prone, and fired. Two Imperials are quickly killed but more are down the trench. Three of them notice and turn to face the new threat.

Hawkins crouches behind Jess and fires past her while York stands up and fires over the trench. One Imperial is quickly killed but the other two find cover. With hand signals Brooks orders Jess to move up. She does and Brooks follows closely behind. One of the Imperials leans out and catches a burst of fire in his chest. Behind them, York readies a rifle grenade and fires. It explodes and Jess moves forward. Brooks waved Hawkins and York up and moved up with Jess. In front of them, the Imperials left in the trench are falling back. "Don't let them get away!" They fired upon the retreating Imperials killing most before they found cover.

Three light tanks rolled forward and fired mortar shells. A shell screamed in and destroyed one of the light tanks! The other two tanks fired where the shell came from but a second tank was destroyed! The third light tank started to back off but another shell broke its track. The crew dismounted and sprinted back to the trench while their tank burst into flames! "They have anti-tank guns dug in really good!"

"Can you spot their muzzle flashes!?"

"Yeah!"

"Call it out!"

"From our position bearing 0-8-0!"

"Sergeant Vellers! Anti-tank gun bearing 0-8-0 from our position! They've dug it into a fighting position!"

"Copy that sergeant."

Brooks saw a streak fly past her and a huge amount of Earth rain down. "Short!"

"Round was short!"

"Copy. Firing." This time, Brooks saw didn't see any indication of a hit. "Anti-tank gun destroyed! They split its damn barrel!"

"Excellent shot sergeant."

"Everyone push FORWARD! Keep the momentum!" Brooks turned to York, "Stay here and spot targets for Vellers!" He nodded and the three of them climbed over the trench and sprinted across open ground. Behind them, fireteams of Gallians provided covering fire along with the tanks. Still, Brooks and her fireteam hit the dirt as bullets started flying towards them. "Jess Hawkins keep moving forward! I'll provide covering fire!" They nodded and started crawling forward. Brooks fired at any shadowy figure or muzzle flash.

A mortar sailed overhead and slammed into the Imperial line! The bright flash illuminated the Imperial line for a second before darkness swallowed the light. Off to Brooks's right, Gallian forces are pushing forward with armed support. She saw a bright flash come from the Imperial lines. Five seconds later, a tank shell slammed into the area where the shot came from.

"Brooks! We've pushed up the Imp line but they have us pinned!"

"Use your rifle grenades! Fire them even if you can't see the enemy!" She scrambled to her feet and sprinted forward. She hit the ground and crawled forward the rest of the way. Someone in front of her stood to a crouch and their head snapped back. Brooks cussed, crawled forward, and checked the body. His face is a bloody mess so she grabbed his tags, stuffed them in her pocket, and kept moving. She crawled up to the trench and rolled in. She stood to a crouch and looked right; she took aim, fired, and watched an Imperial fall. A second Imp turned and she killed him. Bullets tore into the trench walls and floor as an Imp shock trooper sprayed rounds at her. She went prone and watched a figure jump onto the Imperial. She held her fire as they struggled not wanting to hit her comrade. Three gunshots ended the struggle. "Fall!"

"Winter!" Brooks lowered her rifle, "What's your name soldier?"

"Lewis ma'am. Shock trooper from Squad twelve." She nodded, "Take point Lewis. We need to secure this trench." Lewis took the lead and they carefully moved through the trench. They saw Imperials firing out of the trench so Brooks readied a rifle grenade. With a sound almost like a lance but quieter, it fired and exploded behind the Imps slamming them against the trench wall. Lewis opened fire killing one and wounding another before the Imps returned fire. Brooks went prone while Lewis pressed himself against the trench wall. More of their comrades jumped into the trench and attack the Imps. Two of them fell but this section of the trench is now secure.

"Lewis, Brooks. Good to see you."

"You too Sherman."

"We'll take the lead sergeant." Brooks nodded and Sherman turned the corner followed by Lewis and then Brooks. They came to another trench, "Clear." They took cover against the wall and found friendlies trading fire with Imperials in the forest. A burst of machine-gun fire kept them pinned. "Brooks." She turned around "York, good to see you're alright."

"Had a few close calls. Our armor is shifting to the plains off our right."

"Good. Means the plan hasn't hit any snags."

Sherman peaked over and ducked as bullets landed Infront of him. "They're dug in heavily at the edge of the forest. We need a way to take out those MGs." Just as he said that Richard and Doyle joined them. "Someone call for a sniper?"

"You two have impeccable timing you know that? Those MG crews need to go." Doyle nodded, "We're on it." They set up further up and down the trench. Brooks pulled out her binoculars and looked at one of the MG positions. The gunner's head snapped back and the other Imp got on the gun and suffered the same fate. "Left MG is down."

"Copy that sergeant! Send that sniper my regards!" The Gallians on the left flank scrambled out of the trench and charged the Imp positions. Once again two fireteams provide covering fire along with a light tank. "York, you have a rifle grenade?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. As soon as that MGs down fire it at those muzzle flashes." He nodded and equipped the rifle grenade. "Right MG is down!"

"Both MGs down! All squads advance! NOW YORK!" He fired the grenade and it sailed through the air. It exploded and Brooks saw something fly off. "Advance!" They scrambled out of the trench and charged. Two Gallians in front of them went down but they didn't stop. Out of the corner of her eye, Brooks saw a motor-lance slam into the ground. Just a few meters from the forest an Imperial appeared from behind a tree; Brooks fired from the hip and hit him in the leg. He stumbled and she drove the butt of her rifle into his chin lifting off of the ground and knocking him backward. She shot him in the head and turned left just in time to block a bayonet. They fought for a few seconds before someone else killed him.

She turned and most of her fellow Gallians are involved in CQC combat with the Imps. She took aim and found it difficult to get a clear shot. A Gallian went down with a wound on his chest and she shot the Imp before he could kill him. She saw Lewis shove an Imperial against a tree and ruddle him with bullets. Sherman lost his SMG but when the Imp tried to stab him, he knocked his rifle away and tackled him. York is fighting another Imp with his rifle using it to block a sword of all things. He blocked an overhead attack and kicked the Imp staggering him. He used this time to raise his rifle and shoot him in the head.

Brooks crouched beside a tree and saw muzzle flashes further in the forest. She took aim and fired at the flashes. A bullet struck the tree and he ducked behind it to clear her vision. "Brooks! You tried to lose me didn't you!?"

"As if I could lose you and your stubborn ass!" Jess barked a laugh. A lance flew past and exploded against a tree. "Take that you Imp bastards!"

"Blake! Where the hell have you been!?"

"Hanging back! A lance isn't meant for close range!"

"So you brought it into a forest!?" He shrugged and smiled, "I wasn't going to miss this action!"

"Put that lance to use Blake! Hit right there!"

"Copy that! Backblast clear!?"

"Clear!"

FWOOSH! BOOM!

"If you have rifle grenades use them! Blast the Imps from their cover!" Multiple explosions hit the Imperials and echoed through the forest. "Jess! Push forward we'll cover you!"

"Got it!" Brooks and York fired as Jess pushed up. Blake fired his lance again and reloaded. They're forced into cover as intense fire comes their way. Jess kept moving and stopped when a bullet landed inches from her face. She kept moving and took cover behind a thick tree trunk. She readied a grenade and tossed it. It exploded a few seconds later and she pushed forward. She killed two badly wounded Imps and then killed a third before he could get up. She fired killing another before she had to reload. A second shock trooper moved up to her and fired. Two more Gallians came up behind him and started shooting.

A jet of blue fire let up the forest. She turned and watched four of her comrades be burned alive. The Gallians nearby quickly abandoned their positions to get away from the fire. Jess snarled and sprayed rounds in the direction the flames came from. She emptied her entire magazine, reloaded, and did it again. Someone tapped on her shoulder, "Jess! Come on!"

She lowered her SMG and followed Sherman. They took cover behind a fallen tree and continued to fight. In front of them, the Imperials are using every tree and small rise in the terrain as cover; their comrades have done the same.

Doyle slammed his shoulder against a shattered tree. "Jess! Sherman!" He fired and took cover. "Doyle! I thought snipers stayed in the back!"

"Usually but I couldn't see a damn thing!" He peaked out and fired again. He crouched, racked the bolt, and fired. "Hey! Doyle! You see a fucking flame trooper!?"

"No! But if I do I'll put a bullet through his head!" Something exploded Infront of them causing them to duck. "What the hell was that!?"

"Keep firing!" Jess and Doyle laid down fire while Doyle picked off Imperials. A lace flew towards them and slammed into the tree Doyle was using for cover! "Doyle! Doyle you alright!?"

"Son of a bitch that was close! Time to relocate! See ya later!"

"You better be alive by the end of this Doyle!"

Gallian forces are slowly pushing forward. Brooks and York have taken cover behind a small mound of dirt while Hawkins and Cole have taken cover behind some trees. More explosions started to appear In front of the advancing Gallians. "What in the hell is causing that!?"

"It's probably a damn mortar!" A shell landed right in front of the mound Grant and York are using for cover covering them in dirt. "That's a mortar!"

"Damn! Hawkins Cole give us cover fire! York, we're moving up to those trees!"

"Got it!"

"Now!" Hawkins and Cole laid down fire by shooting at muzzle flashes. Brooks and York pushed hit and hit the deck and started firing. A lance flew past them and slammed into the ground in front of them kicking up dirt and setting a tree on fire. Thomson, Sara, and Cox saw Brooks push up and push forward themselves. "Cox! Put a rifle grenade right there!"

"On it!" He took aim and fired. "Sara! Throw a grenade!" She readied the grenade and threw it. Once it exploded, they aggressively pushed forward with Cox and two other Gallians covering them. Thomson crouched and fired while Sara kept pushing. She fired from the hip killing one Imperial and wounding another. She crouched in the open and kept firing killing a second Imperial. Thomson pushed up just behind her while Cox and the other two Gallians pushed up as far as she did.

"Incoming!"

BOOM!

A mortar-lance blasted Sara backward and she slammed into the ground! She blacked out for a second when her head slammed against the hard earth. Her eyes snapped open, "Fuck me." She rubbed her head and slowly sat up. He hissed in pain and quickly patted herself down. "Sara! You alright!?"

"I'm fine Thomson! Got a nasty headache through!" She crouched and froze. Cox, she can't see much through the darkness, but he's in a bad way. One of the scouts is desperately working on him, "Hey! HEY! Keep your eyes on me man! This will help with the pain!" He used his Ragnaid and Cox screamed in agony. "I know! I know! It hurts like a motherfucker! Focus on my voice alright! MEDIC! I NEED A MEDIC HERE!"

Thomson shook her shoulder. "Hey! There's nothing we can do for him!"

"Those damn Imperials are dug in! I see sandbag-AH" They turned and saw the scout go down. His hands went to his stomach and he started coughing up blood. "Son of a bitch!" Another scout sprinted up to him. "I got him! Focus on him!" Thomson shook Sara again, "Come on! We're pushing forward!" Sara looked at Cox one last time before moving with Thomson.

"I see that fucking mortar! I think I do anyway!"

"Thomson! Sara! Take three men with you and take the fucking mortar!"

"On it sarge! You three are with us!" The newly formed fire team stayed low and moved right. Bullets landed around them hitting the earth or the trees. Brooks and a scout took cover behind a ride in the terrain. The scout peaked over, "I see the smoke from the mortar." He jerked when a bullet landed right in front of him. "Damn that was close!" Sara moved to the edge and started firing. "Go! I'll cover you!" The scout sprinted past and took cover behind a tree. In front of Sara, Thomson pushed forward while the other shock trooper and scout provided cover fire. The shock trooper pushed up to Thomson and a hail of fire come from their front killing one of the scouts. Sara ducked as tracers zipped over her head and she looked left to see the second scout dive behind a rock as his previous cover is cut to shreds.

"Get a grenade ready!" The shock trooper with him nodded and pulled a grenade. "NOW!" They through their grenades and ducked down. When they exploded the amount of fire dropped off dramatically and they rushed forward. They jumped into a fighting position and immediately came under fire; they took cover and returned fire. Behind them, Sara and the scout sprinted up and fired down into the fighting position killing multiple Imperials. They stormed in killing what few Imperials are left and securing the mortar. "You, get on the mortar and you spot for him. Sara, with me." They moved to the front trench and had a clear view of the fighting in front of them. "Looks like we have the high ground."

"Let's put it to go use! Fire!"

Brooks crouched against a tree and fired killing an Imp. Further to her left Blake fired his lance shattering a tree truck and sending it crashing down! To her right is Jess and two scouts; one of the scouts readied a rifle grenade and fired. The sudden light allowed Brooks to see an Imperial fly out into the open. He didn't get back up.

To her front, Grant, Sharp, Wade, and Fletcher laid down heavy fire. Fletcher fired his rifle grenade and quickly returned to firing his rifle proper. "Ah son of a bitch!" Wade ducked behind his tree as it was riddled with bullets. "You good!?"

"Yeah!"

"I see firing coming from high right! I think it's one of ours!" Suddenly, a mortar round slammed into the ground in the Imperial's side. "I think we have that mortar!"

"Good! That makes our job a little easier!"

"They're starting to retreat!"

"Press the attack! COME ON!" Grant, Sharp, and Wade started pushing forward. Brooks, Jess, and the two scouts followed close behind. The Gallian force aggressively pushed forward overwhelming the remaining Imperials and quickly pursued the ones retreating. "All forces there's an Imperial camp just up ahead that's been abandoned. We'll hold there and gather our strength."