0430 HOURS LOCAL TIME, R&R ZONE
"Get up! The Imps have broken through! This is not a drill, dammit!"
Merrick and the other tired, still sleepy troops were jolted up from their sleep and quickly put their battle gear on. Attacks on their positions happened almost daily, but they have never broken through. But not today. Merrick's heart level soared as they all left their squad tent.
No matter how much combat experience one has, an "enemies in the wire" situation was never a good time for anybody.
The sky was lit with criss-crossing bolts of blue and red, with aircraft flying overhead. They had only been rotated back from the frontlines for a few days of rest and recuperation - "arr-and-arr". No one expected or wanted their rare time off to be interrupted -especially not in this way. They headed east towards the nearest edge of the camp.
Explosions were initially sporadic but it got more intense the further they went. Then they saw blaster bolts coming towards them from their front, further away. The squad didn't stop and continued on, even then. They passed a pit with a quintet of mortars firing outwards to the enemy. The mortar platoon leader crouched near the center back of the line had his personal defense weapon in one hand, and a targeting computer in the other.
An explosion rocked the ground in front of them, so they immediately dropped down to the ground. The squad was lucky that they were all ok, since what followed was screams of agony and cries of "CORPSMAAAAANNNNN!" all around them. Some troops who were nearby dragged and carried the casualties off, some towards an aid station, others towards the nearest Graves Registration personnel.
The squad finally reached their secondary defense line, haphazardly constructed as no one thought that the Imperials managed to break through their primary defense line. They all took cover, ignoring the shots and explosions that somehow managed to get ever closer to them with every moment. They all squeezed off shots in the direction where the red bolts originated. Merrick saw that they were from beyond the forest. Good cover.
Their squad leader was squeezing off shots in between delegating tasks and checking the battle map. The assistant squad leader is also doing the same while trying to communicate updates and asking for support from the higher ups. Merrick's team leader meanwhile, is directing fire to wherever it was most effective.
Every member of the squad was trying to conserve ammunition, as they didn't come in with a full load, but they also never knew when the attack will be over this time. Then their team leader barked out, "Merrick! Go get us some ammo!" "Copy that, sir!"
Merrick immediately tried to dash towards the ammunition storage,trying to avoid the newly created arty-holes that weren't there before. There were a lot more wounded and dead among the camp tents and streets. A few fires were raging. Some of the vehicles were either in flames or already a blackened wreck. Merrick wondered if the ammunition dump still existed.
A turn around a street corner revealed that it was still did, guarded by the supply unit troops. One had a hastily-made bandage around his shin, leaning against the suprasteel building. "Hey, I need ammo for my squad. One of the supply troops just nodded and Merrick hurriedly entered. Two boxes and a lot of running and dodging later, Merrick sprinted out back towards their original position. Merrick saw a body of a dark-skinned human sprawled on the ground - it was their squad leader. "Blast it," before shoving the thought far back and pulled his body further back in a safer spot.
Once the squad realised the arrival of the fresh ammo, the new squad leader started rotating teams in and out to refill ammo. Bravo Team was about to pull back when an artillery shell exploded 40 feet from their position. An angry flash of orange-red plasma washed over them, then disappeared as quickly it arrived. The squad leader immediately called for a platoon corpsman via radio, then ordered, "Merrick, Vetts, Pemerlt, Raoeker, get them out of there! NOW!" They all dashed towards the casualties.
Two of them were outright vaporized. The other two - the team leader had burns on his left arm some on his left body, and in shock, but was otherwise unhurt. The other, the squad marksman had burns all over her body and the plasma had burned through her right foot. She was obviously gritting her teeth, trying to avoid screaming.
Merrick injected some kolto into the marksman, while Raoeker bandaged the exposed stump. Vetts and Pemerlt were also trying to stabilize the team leader. All the while, the newly resupplied Concord Team was back on the defensive position, trying with all their might to hold the enemy back.
Two corpsmen came up with a pair of stretchers and loaded the casualties on. Vetts and Raoeker went with them to help them to the nearest aid station. Merrick and Pemerlt resupplied before returning to the front line. Merrick was reloading for the umpteenth time when something flashed.
"Enemy on our right rear !" Merrick yelled.
The team immediately focused their fire onto the invading Imperials. Two of them fell, but about five others dispersed and headed into cover, their black and dark red uniforms blending into the night. The squad leader led his other teams to focus on the more immediate threat. Someone threw a thermal detonator. Alpha Team rushed the enemy position, and put three extra shots into every Imperial, alive or dead. One can never be too sure.
The attack slowly fizzled out towards the morning, and by the time the sun came out, there were only scattered potshots left. The corspmen and doctors solemnly treated and evacuated casualties even further to the rear. The Graves Registration personnel checked, registered and collected the dead The supply troops were collecting any unused ammo and equipment. The Intelligence and Communications personnel were listening in on any available enemy comms for signs for further attacks. The infantry troops, meanwhile, simply went back to their tents.
And that included Merrick and her squad. Once inside, she removed her helmet and vest. She felt relieved from the weight of the gear, and best of all- It was good to still be alive. She was on the winning side of this screwed up game so far, and she intended to stay that way.
After all, you could only lose once.