Author's notes:
Reviews are visible again. Thanks for writing, especially that reviewer wubbwubb with the dancing Gaunt (So funny!XD). Thanks as usual to Omegas for sharing pro tips.
So far i have two votes out of ten on Daisy over Liza as Jason love interest. PM me on you opinion, no need to write on review i'm cool on it.
A cold night had come over Kyrat, yet Ajay was feeling warm and comfortable. This may have been partially the liquors fault, but it had more to do with the prior proactive engagement he had with Saras earlier. Ajay looked to his side of the bed where she lay naked under the pale moon light shining through the window onto the mattress. Her smooth skin glistened with sweat and her hair in disarray. Despite this, to him she looked more beautiful than he had always pictured her.
-So strange.-
"Does something catch your eye?" Saras noticed his gaze upon her as she smiled gently to him.
Ajay's heart was throbbing wildly even after the deed had been done, this wasn't his first rodeo but by far the most memorable.
Ajay didn't respond in words. Instead, he reached out to place his hand upon her soft cheek, Saras held his hand on her cheek. Words could not express what she had done for him, and yet he had no way of repaying her for it.
This was the first time anyone had come close to finding his deepest darkest fear, the fear of loss. He'd lost so much before that it left a scar in his memories, weighed down with regret. While he technically hadn't done these deeds yet in this reality, he remembered them and that was enough to know that it happened and he committed those atrocities.
"I'm not expecting you to dedicate yourself to me after this. Ajay." Saras chuckled. Ajay was a little surprised by her opinion.
"I know there are things that need to be done, borders you align because you don't wish for any of us to suffer harm. Just take it as you indulging in my selfishness for once." Saras moved forward and embraced him.
"Just….. Let me sleep with you like this till dawn." She snuggled against him without waiting for his answer.
"….. Ok."
Ajay was awoken by the brightness that was shining into the room and the chilling morning breeze that was blowing against his naked body that was covered in only the blanket. His consciousness slowly returned to him and the memories of last night became clear to him. In a moment of weakness, he let Saras lead him into sleeping with her. While the experience was pleasurable and unforgettable, he had broken the boundary he set by himself between relationships.
Kamala's death marked a very important understanding of choice in the deathly mountains of Kyrat. If he left them alone they would die, if he was standing with them they'd die in his arms. It was a matter of which was the option he preferred. They'd die somehow eventually, but was it better to be with them in their last moments or always to spare himself the pain.
Ajay turned to where the other occupant of his bed should have been but found that side of the bed to be empty, much to his astonishment.
-Did she wake up earlier?-
As he got out of the bed and on to his wardrobe to wear something he noticed an envelope standing on the coffee table with Saras's initials on it. After he put on some trousers and a shirt he went over to pick it up and tear the envelop open. He unfolded the letter and read the contents.
-Dear Ajay,
It appears Father has finally caught on where I was staying and whom I was staying with! (๑≧౪≦)
He sent me an explicit order to go to India to act as a liaison officer for the cohort of officers we sent over there. At first, I had second thoughts about following them especially in your deteriorated condition but I've decided to go with it.
That night, I probably understood you better than before and now know why you have always kept everyone at arm's length away from you. A past tragedy perhaps, where you watched everything you loved die in front of you. The thought alone chills me, it was exactly as Noore said to me that night you answered the Tigers distress call. She said though you strive for Kyrat's future, you've never considered yourself a part of it.
Father tells me he wishes to carry out a series of operations and attacks on the Golden Path at this time. It meant that if you were to go back into the field, the road would be bloodier than before, more dangerous than ever. The chances of you surviving will be lower than it already is with you.
Part of me wishes to be there to support you, part wishes not to be there to see you fall. But as we are now, things will always be difficult. Assisting in the programs development will be my way of making sure you are not receiving all of the heat from the Golden Path and its allies.
I've already left this morning for Maharashtra, I didn't want to wake you and I also didn't want you to oppose my decision. I promised that I would protect you in my own way, from your enemies and from yourself.
This excursion may take a while, maybe even months. I don't know, but I hope you remember that I'll always be there watching your back. You have a responsibility to the people of Kyrat as much as I do, do what you do best and hold nothing back!
…..
Your Friend and life companion
Saraswati
P.S
You're a cruel man that can be over-passionate at times, I'm still feeling those bruises. Not something you do to a woman who was having her first experience. But I look forward to our next bedroom romp! 😉
…
Ajay placed the letter into his pocket as he processed these thoughts in his head. Her absence from her usual antics made him have a strange feeling of emptiness.
-No. She went to India to speed up the programs paces to partial-operation, she's doing me a huge favor by being away. I need to stop being spoilt.-
He looked around for the item he threw on the floor that night, and picked it up. The gold plated talisman with Kamala's name engraved in it. Ajay stared upon it for a while to recall those moments.
-That's right, I went back in time to save all of them. I'll put my entire being into it!-
He gripped the necklace tightly.
-Golden Path… Sabal…. You'll pay dearly for this!-
A knock came to his door, it pivoted and Bhadra popped her head through.
"Morning, Bhadra. I'm sorry for worrying all of you." Bhadra brightened as she saw him recover.
"There's an officer from the Royal army that is waiting at our doorstep."
"Tell him I'll be right there."
Daisy was led into the balcony of the estate by an old housekeeper, she took charge of her after the guards escorted her out of that prison with a bag over her head to prevent her from recalling directions. They took her to doorstep of the house before leaving.
"Sit there and wait." The old woman said before hobbling off to somewhere, she turned on the radio before going off.
Daisy looked around the interior of the traditionally ornamented house, this house belonging to none other than scarred-face man, Sabal. Daisy took a big risk, preparing for the worst as she requested a meeting with him. On the same day she told the guards she wanted to see him, hours later a response came that she could on the following day.
There were some notable traits she'd seen with him and the two other Americans than worked with him and imprisoned and tortured them. Sabal was anxious and impatient, he made no attempt to conceal it and when he didn't get his way he'd stomp his own soldiers like some overgrown spoilt-brat. The fat American in Ray Bans seemed to have an acquaintance with Jason when they were on Rook Island and had some sort of collaboration in retrieving them from the hands of the pirates and island mercenaries. That was probably why he knew what was Jason's Achilles heel; his friends and brother. Yet now, he was using them as bait to bring Jason over to change the geographic of this already unstable region into anarchy with his monstrous abilities.
Then, there was a man named De Pleur. That sick fucker was the head interrogator and commandant of the City of Pain in which they resided. While Sabal wasn't around to provoke them once in a while, it was that associate of theirs that kept them company. He enjoyed torturing them men more and already had a go with poor Riley. He came back with lacerations all over his extremities, and coughing out water from when they had dunked him in. Steven squealed and whimpered in a corner which was all too pleasant to De Pleur's ears. He declared he'd be next, to which Steven began ranting on and accusing Liza of bringing him into this mess. Liza only hung her head as she felt that she might actually have been the cause.
At any rate, nothing would improve without a bit of effort involved. Although Riley dragged out and tortured he took in the surroundings on his trip to De Pleur's office and made a metal map of the streets. It was rather complex as the City was larger than they anticipated but Riley did them proud at making the first step to their escape. Now, Daisy would do the same and see if she could acquire any small detail to breaking out when she had the chance.
The old woman came back and lay the table with cutlery and tableware before she went back to the corridor where the kitchen was likely at. Daisy stared at the knife for a while then stowed it away into her heel under her jeans. She did this just as the old woman returned with the warm stew she brewed for the two bowls at either side of the table.
The host had yet to arrive despite her serving the food already. Daisy passed the time looking around and noticed a painting on leather hung on the wall. The centre of the painting held a demonic being dressed in pink and had swerved hair while lying like the sleeping Buddha.
"Did you like it?" A gentle voice asked her from behind. She turned around on reflex to find the host had arrived without her noticing. Was he around the entire time, witnessing her theft?
"It looks strangely modern." She said calmly not to reveal any suspicion onto herself.
"That's because that is a recent piece but a fine one nonetheless. Who do you think that demon in the centre is?" Sabal asked as he took his seat opposite her.
"That man you made Jason go after." Sabal laughed.
"Indeed! Indeed! But he's not the one I had intended to have your friend go after, though I did tell him that Pagan was responsible for your disappearance. Do you hate me?"
"If I had the power to I'd strangle you to death!"
"But you don't, right? This is just the way the world is here in Kyrat. Where the strong prey on the weak."
"Tsk!" Daisy expressed her dissatisfaction with this countries logic or at least her captors.
"So what do I owe the pleasure then Miss Daisy?"
"Your treatment towards Riley…"
"Mmmm?…oh! The younger brother, eh?"
"He keeps coming back with all these cuts and wounds from your sick partner! The cells conditions aren't sanitary and might cause him to get gangrene. I wish for us to be moved to better living areas under your men's supervision still." He got up and walked towards her.
"If not all of us at least just Riley…..p-please. Jason has already lost one brother on our last trip, if he found out Riley was in this condition he might break."
"So I've heard, Willis also told me about your engagement with that older brother of theirs. It must have been heart-wrenching for their mother, to lose a husband and a son. I wonder if she could take losing another?" Daisy's heart gripped upon imagining what Mrs. Brody would go through.
Sabal was now behind where she was seated and placed his hands upon her shoulders, as much as she found it disgusting she tolerated it for the time being.
"You want me to do something for you, but what do I get in return for my troubles?"
"…." She knew he'd be a bastard, it was already unpleasant talking with him. As she was about to propose that she would ensure they stayed in line, Sabal's hand gripped her chin and dug his tongue into her mouth causing her to recoil and fall out of her seat onto the floor.
Sabal held her down upon the ground of where she was, it became clear what he had intended to do to her from the start. "No!"
"Keep struggling, and I'll make sure De Pleur carves your friends up even further till they're cubes!" He threatened her in the lowest way possible. But where they were, Sabal was King.
Daisy felt like she was forced into the most painful moment in her life to let this prick have his way with her for welfare or resist and face punishment. She grinded her teeth and let out a tear but still held a face of defiance.
"That's exactly what I wanted to see from you, my dear."
The music from the radio was cut short with an emergency broadcast from the King's channel.
*This is an urgent message from his royal highness, may his light shine upon you all.*
Sabal frowned as the announcement spoilt the setting for him, but he soon changed his mind when he heard who was speaking instead of Pagan.
*People of Kyrat, Golden Path….. this is Badala, Vice-Lord of the valley.*
"Ready on you, my lord!" The communication specialist said as he turned on the broadcast.
Ajay sat by a radio broadcasting unit been set up for him to make the speech from where he was, on a particular island off Yuma's Ratu Gadhi and his Valley's Arsenal.
He held the corded mic to him mouth and addressed the entire radio network across Kyrat using Pagan's emergency channel.
(Click) Ajay depressed the microphone button.
"People of Kyrat, Golden Path… this is Badala, Vice-Lord of the valley of death. Three days ago, Sabal and the Golden Path attacked the Mukti Tigers at Bagdahur. Three days ago, they planned to kill every man and women they once called brother, sister. Three days ago, Sabal and the Golden Path killed Kamala Malla, the hero of the Golden Path… and my friend." He said it all in a cold and composed voice.
Thousands listened in to their radio sets to hear the emergency broadcast and be enlightened on the latest news. News that Sabal had forcibly kept from the populous at Banapur, Sabal listened with dread and hatred.
"You must be wondering why, why did I call Kamala my friend? Well nobody bothered to ask who I was when I joined the Golden Path to see what was happening, nobody bothered to investigate my background. Nobody bothered to ask who was Soren the mute warrior under the leadership of Kamala. Well I'll tell you now… Soren was me, Badala."
Ajay revealed onto the whole of Kyrat his infiltration into the Golden Path, to those who had seen him could not believe that the person they thought was their ally and so close to them was their greatest enemy. The Golden Path was especially stirred by this as their Commanders who knew this had kept it from them fearing mass panic throughout their ranks.
"So why is the enemy of the Golden Path Heralding Kamala Malla as its hero? Because in my infiltration into the Golden Path, my assessment of its entire rank of fighters….. is full of worthless garbage! You all think that being in the Golden Path means you're exempted from daily labors or absolves you on committing heinous acts of villainy in a just name for liberating Kyrat from a tyrannical ruler? Such willfulness, such naivety, just like your worthless leader, Sabal. You think that being part of a group of freedom fighters puts you above the needs of the people? You are the worst type of individuals to any given society, you are all scum!"
Ajay lashed out venomously at the Golden Path with his remarks, those listening to the radio whom hailed from the Golden Path could not help but feel ashamed of their actions when he said so.
"Golden Path, you know how I act and when I act what I do. So if I knew you were such parasites to Kyrat why didn't I just kill all of you after I took the airport? The answer is I found the true spirit of liberation amongst you… I found Kamala Malla!"
"Kamala was never the best of you, in fighting or in strategy. Clumsy when handling small items, always seeming to miss numbers during accounting. But she had something that none of you ever seem to have, she had courage to do what was right despite her many flaws, she does the jobs with a smile on her face despite it being the task that many of you scorned or were too lazy to do. i.e. If a person called your Golden Path to help her find her missing child, she'd be the first to look and if she didn't find him or her yet she'd keep in contact to make sure that person was assured and update her on her status. It was that earnesty that convinced me that the Golden Path as a whole, while filled with filth and self-important leaders had someone that could genuinely make the Golden Path something to be proud of. I was not the only one that saw this, you…. Fellow countrymen and women, witnessed it, experienced it. So you definitely know I tell no lie in that. I hoped that she would rally some of those that believed in her ideal of Kyrat to join and reform the Golden Path from inside. But I was wrong!"
"When you were dissatisfied with your situation and began that coup of yours, you chased her out! When she ran, you chased. When she sought refuge you pursued until she was trapped behind her own walls in Baghadur. Golden Path, you forsook her. And Sabal, in your attempt to cheap shot me… you killed her!"
"You killed her, you killed her… you killed her!" Ajay growled in a low tone for him to understand his rage, for everyone who was listening to understand it as well.
"You've destroy the only thing I thought had meaning to your insurgency after all these years you fought against our king. Now there's nothing to keep me at bay from destroying you, nothing that'll restrict me from finding every member of the Golden Path, from the highest to the lowest. If you survived me or the Royal Army, you'll wish you had died as I toss you into Durgesh to live the rest of your miserable life!"
"To all living in Pacchim Valley and Uttar Region, don't let me catch you being associated with Golden Path, don't let us find you wearing that golden sash and don't let us find you harboring Golden Path insurgents. Because I will be looking for you….. and I want to find you!"
Ajay was got to make his point clear for the civilians to separate from the Golden Path as he went about exterminating them.
"Last but not least a little address to Sabal, I have Bhadra with me. And she'll get to decide how to live her life the way she wants and does what she wants with it. Fate, destiny, are all made up words to justify actions in or against personal interests. Bhadra will never be the Tarun Matara, I will never let that happen! And to do that, I've taken the steps to ensure she never has to go through with that wretched ceremony! You need Jalendu Temple too coronate her, so all I need to do is make Jalendu disappear.
This is Badala, signing out."
Ajay threw the mic to the communications operator as he went over to the demolition experts that were rigging the temple to blow with all the explosives in their possession.
"P-Please! My lord, you must not destroy these sacred artifacts! It will only incur heaven's wrath!" The Priest of Jalendu advised from outside where the soldiers dragged them out from.
"Then I accept it graciously! If you really want to save those artifacts, then all you need to do is save them." Ajay told him straight. The engineers tossed the detonator to Ajay who caught it and looked to Jalendu then the Priest and his attendant monks who did nothing to stop him or more importantly, attempt to rescue the relics. He gave them a while to make a move but nothing, they treasured their lives over those valuable relics.
"You make me sick! You gallivant around in the cloaks and cassocks of holy men expecting the people to provide you with the means to support the temples and support that indulgent life style of yours. Don't ever call yourself men of cloth again!" Ajay scolded and warned the temple staff as he pressed the detonator, demolishing Jalendu to rubble.
As he watched the temple crumble to the ground, he thought about all he said on live radio. He was sure Sabal was slamming his head against the wall or tearing his hair off his head, but he had this coming for a long time. All of the Golden Path had this coming for them, and he had already made it clear to them. He already made his decision. He had company in the form of a cremation jar engraved with the initials. "1990-2014, Kamala." The silver jar strapped to his waist gave him a familiar nostalgia, although it made him felt secure in every way possible.
"I'm gonna reshape Kyrat to have an eternal peace, so please watch over me, Kamala."
Ajay had just committed the first real act of war against the true Golden Path.
Sabal slammed his chair against the wall that held the Thangka when he heard the end of the radio announcement that Badala gave. His entire face twisted in rage, his eyes bloodshot and his veins popped out. Badala had done the most audacious act against what they stood for. Badala razed Jalendu Temple to the ground.
In all his rage, Sabal never fully acknowledged that he was the cause of all of this. It was Kamala that stood in the way of his shot that would have ended the nightmare reign of the Northern Demon once and for all. That girl was as stupid as the day he elevated her to the fame within the Golden Path, and that Soren… No-…. Badala!
"Badala… you goddamn heretic!"
The day had been ruined for him with just one radio announcement. He had initially intended to enjoy playing with strong-willed Daisy to console himself over his defeat at Baghadur again. But he was now facing greater problems with the ranks of fighters that would have fallen into total anarchy. It was likely after the speech he made, that fighters were now opting to throw down their arms and discard their sashes, the population were now disassociating themselves with the likes of Sabal and the Golden Path. But worse of all, the men would have second thoughts about his leadership after the summary of his actions were disclosed by Badala. It made it seem as if Sabal was responsible for their crushing defeat, Kamala's death and the destruction of Jalendu temple.
"Nanny, call on De pleur's soldiers! Have them take her back!" He ordered the old estate caretaker as he disappeared down the hallway to an office of his.
"Come." The old woman told her as she held her hand and brought her towards the door to hand back to the soldiers. Daisy obediently followed, while she was being sent back to where she came from without any clues to the surrounding landscape, she had come for what she needed. A tool and some string from the fabric on the table cloth she plied out with her fingernails under the seat earlier. These would aid her and her friends in escaping the prison they were put in and seek help from the standing monarchy and Sabal's arch-enemy, Badala. The lord of the northern lands.
Ajay sat riding with Hurk, Alberto and hunter Anish inside one of the newest additions to the Royal Army arsenal. A former South African Infantry fighting Vehicle known as "Ratel", the afrikaan name for Honey Badger. It was a good name for a vehicle, Ajay could attest to the strength and ferocity of those little bastards.
On the eve of the Meh Teh Offensive, Bipin and Anish in particular found the strategic importance of having high mobility firepower in counter-insurgency campaigns. When Ajay forced everyone to leave, that tank destroyer variant of the Stryker held off most of the attacks while the rest escaped, it forced the then mercenaries Samson and friends into submission and it destroyed all other Stryker vehicles Willis airlifted.
They submitted their findings on the matter to High Command, only when Arjun ascended as the highest authority did they truly look into it. But there was a string of requirements that needed to be followed.
First off, armored vehicles were not usually brought into mountainous terrain like in the Himalayas. The only thing they could traverse reliably on without getting stuck was the roads, dirt road was the maximum. There were also the bridges to account for as it was generally designed for commercial vehicles and not armored vehicles.
The restraints for the tender were that it had to be under 20 tons, which made it easy to transport by cargo planes rated for around that amount. It couldn't be tracked as it would damage the roads, 8x8 wheels for superior cross-country. The protection qualities needed to resist small-arms fire all around and against IEDs with a V-shaped hull. Armament could be anywhere from .30 to 105mm cannons like the tank destroyer Anish and Bipin manned.
It was the Jackal that had a hand in this procurement, Ajay didn't know what kind of person this Jackal was. He always seemed to be the be all end all type of person, and definitely not someone to mess with. The South African Army was in the process of replacing those vehicles with more modern counterparts and were about to mothball those armored vehicles. The Royal Army bought the entire fleet of vehicles from them using the Jackal's connection, despite Longinus's craziness he sure had some powerful friends.
They had six variants at their disposal. A command vehicle for senior staff to move with the contingent well protected. An engineer recovery vehicle from repairing and salvaging damaged vehicles. An artillery observer with an extendable optical equipment for calling in the heavy artillery residing in the Uttar Region. A IFV variant with a 20mm rapid fire cannon that would make short work of enemies wherever they hid, be it trees or concrete, that gun would penetrate them and kill whatever was behind. A mortar carrier version for indirect fire, there was nothing like howling bombs. The last was a statement to all the others. A version for direct fire support, carrying a 90mm cannon. Everyone who faced it knew that once it fired a group would die from the payload of explosives that shell carried. While not as large or potent as the former tank destroyers 105mm gun it was more than enough against an entirely infantry force of the Golden Path at present.
Anish had informed him on the events that transpired during his absence, Bipin had followed Saras to India but to study Armored warfare, but more importantly Motorized Rifle formations that was defined by these armored vehicles as the most powerful mobile platform in all of Kyrat. Over the course of three months, Anish and Bipin had received a Commission from the Royal Academy each to allow them to carry out their proposal of an Interim BCT concept that the Strykers were designed for the US army to fulfil. They were now 2nd Lieutenants and were expected to command platoons. Anish was commanding the first of what was becoming the 1st Royal Hussars Battalion of the developing Armored Regiment formation in the Royal Army. Or at least a Company of that cohort. Anish chose to stay to test the current formation and its effectiveness against the insurgents of the Golden Path.
Ajay and friends were complying with a major plan to evacuate every civilian from Banapur, Tirtha and all other Golden Path owned territories to the North. Doing this would make future operations easier than having to identify friend from foe, the Golden Path were inadvertently using the civilians as human shields and to draw recruits from. Ajrun and High Command planned to remove that, although they were certain some would choose to stay regardless but at least there wouldn't be high collateral in their following operations against Golden Path.
Ajay was supposed to be the diversion during this process, he would attack Varshakot with their Armored force where he would face off with not the usual Golden Path but the Golden Path old guard. The most dangerous and experienced fighters in at their disposal. The old Guard didn't comply with Sabal or their council. But they responded to a threat to the Golden Path if it was too dangerous for the young ones to handle, they were strictly a defensive force. During his time contending with the old guard attempting to retake Varshakot, the Police Commissioner dispatched police officers to evacuate every person from the unprotected towns and villages to the supply trucks that the Royal Army provided. Meanwhile, the rest of the Royal Army were fortifying the roads on route to the safe points from those major population areas they were evacuating. There would likely be Golden Path attacks along the way but they would manage.
The old Guard would have been notified of their movements long as the vehicles entered the South over King's bridge via spies. And had set themselves to defend Varshakot. Ajay didn't need to even take it, he just needed to apply pressure so they wouldn't notice or react to Arjun's plan.
Inside the fighting compartment of the Ratel, Ajay sat with Hurk, Anish and a few of the armor grenadiers from Anish's company. Hurk was holding a custom anti-material rifle given to him by Samar. Why was this so, if Hurk had been known to be a poor shot in the past?
Upon Ajay's visit to the lodge where the Condotierri resided, they chanced upon the reason Hurk couldn't shoot beyond 20 metres. It turned out he was shortsighted, he himself didn't know it so he never addressed it. A pair of specs hung from his nose bridge, courtesy of the polyclinic Noore worked at, though he was disappointed he couldn't be assessed by Noore herself as it was out of her expertise. When he was given the spectacles, his shots were almost godly at 1000 metres. Hurk was in fact a gifted marksman, something the Condotierri really needed as the late Antorio was their sniper and Alberto was his spotter. They hoped Hurk would fill in the gap that he left, today was his baptism of fire. There was also another factor that limited him from hitting people with his shots besides his eyesight. It was his willingness to take a life, but Ajay was going to correct that today.
It was on that day that begun the most daring evacuation plan ever performed in Kyrat. Operation Shining Pagoda had commenced.
Author's Notes:
10,000 views since start in July and over 1,000 visitors in this month. This truly a milestone in FacFic writing for me, thank you all for you support!
Author's thoughts:
"I am talking scorched earth Motherfucker!... I will massacre you... I WILL FUCK YOU UP!"
- Les Grossman to Flaming Dragon, Tropic Thunder
