Disclaimer: Don't own Trigun... Blah blah blah, that sort of thing.
Chapter 6: Ambush
Year: Oct 12, 94
The next four months were fairly quiet, and except for the occasional air bombings we managed to keep the Martians in line and began pushing the front lines further into their territory.
There was word of a Martian covert ops team in the area so the sentry watch was doubled. I was on sentry duty, in the crow's nest on the western end of the base camp.
It was pretty cold out, which was strange since it was warm the night before. But it was always like that there, and it didn't take long before we'd all gotten used to the odd weather patterns, if there ever was a pattern in the first place.
"Major?"
I turned and saw Captain Franklin Gale, my sentry mate, climb up into the crow's nest with me; He reached into his satchel and puled out a thermos, "Here."
"Thanks, " I took the thermos and gave Frank the heat sensing goggles.
"Seen anything?" He asked.
"Nothing," I replied taking a sip of the hot coffee.
Frank made a through scan of the area then turned to me, "So have you heard?"
"Heard what?" I took another sip of the coffee then handed it to Frank.
"Luna command is supposedly building some big weapon that could win this war for us permanently. I head the boss man talking about it, they're trying to keep it all hush hush you know."
I snorted, "Well now that you've heard that's all going out the window, huh."
"No! Of course not! What kind of person do you think I am?"
I raised my eyebrow at him, shook my head and took the thermos from him.
Frank was probably the only other person besides Abby who I ever got close enough to become friends with.
The first I'd met him was on our first sentry duty together. He was a peculiar little man, forgetful and could never keep a secret, and he was always getting into trouble. He reminded me of my sister in some ways. Maybe it was because he liked red geraniums.
Early the next morning we got reports in that one of our supply craft had been ambushed. All three of the crew were dead, and the supplies pillaged.
A day later it happened again along the same stretch of the route.
Frank, Abby, a few others and I were called into the CO's office.
General Taylor paced behind his desk. "Due to these recent attacks on our supply craft we have been unable to get supplies to Ithaca." Ithaca was a recently conquered village off to the south, "This time we are placing a team in the next supply craft. And you six are it.
"Your orders are to eliminate this attack force. And help any survivors from the supply ships. The report we have received are that there are anywhere from four to seven Martians attacking the ships. So you should have no problems. You are to contact base command in Ithaca if you are successful. Suit up and be ready to go in two hours."
The supply ship was of very strange design. It looked like a big block of rusty metal, and, instead of a hover vehicle, it had wheels. It was about twelve feet high and at least thirty long.
The six of us climbed in the back cargo area. Abby and Frank sat on either side of me, while the three crew sat in the front, there was a small window connecting the cargo area and the cockpit. One of the men in the front kept looking back as if very nervous and just wanted to assure himself that we were not just ghosts about to disappear on him.
Three hours later we passed the first supply ship. It was a burnt out crisp on its side, apparently from some sort of explosion.
An hour after that we passed the second one this one was in no better condition.
Fifteen minutes later there was a loud explosion and we were all thrown about like rag dolls.
Colonel Talbot pushed his way passed the supplies and pushed open the cargo doors. The second he exited the craft he began firing. The others and I, minus Abby who was not a combat soldier, joined him taking positions behind the cargo doors and in the crater created by a land mine.
Much obliged to my beta reader foo. Her comprehension goes a long way!
Chapter 6: Ambush
Year: Oct 12, 94
The next four months were fairly quiet, and except for the occasional air bombings we managed to keep the Martians in line and began pushing the front lines further into their territory.
There was word of a Martian covert ops team in the area so the sentry watch was doubled. I was on sentry duty, in the crow's nest on the western end of the base camp.
It was pretty cold out, which was strange since it was warm the night before. But it was always like that there, and it didn't take long before we'd all gotten used to the odd weather patterns, if there ever was a pattern in the first place.
"Major?"
I turned and saw Captain Franklin Gale, my sentry mate, climb up into the crow's nest with me; He reached into his satchel and puled out a thermos, "Here."
"Thanks, " I took the thermos and gave Frank the heat sensing goggles.
"Seen anything?" He asked.
"Nothing," I replied taking a sip of the hot coffee.
Frank made a through scan of the area then turned to me, "So have you heard?"
"Heard what?" I took another sip of the coffee then handed it to Frank.
"Luna command is supposedly building some big weapon that could win this war for us permanently. I head the boss man talking about it, they're trying to keep it all hush hush you know."
I snorted, "Well now that you've heard that's all going out the window, huh."
"No! Of course not! What kind of person do you think I am?"
I raised my eyebrow at him, shook my head and took the thermos from him.
Frank was probably the only other person besides Abby who I ever got close enough to become friends with.
The first I'd met him was on our first sentry duty together. He was a peculiar little man, forgetful and could never keep a secret, and he was always getting into trouble. He reminded me of my sister in some ways. Maybe it was because he liked red geraniums.
Early the next morning we got reports in that one of our supply craft had been ambushed. All three of the crew were dead, and the supplies pillaged.
A day later it happened again along the same stretch of the route.
Frank, Abby, a few others and I were called into the CO's office.
General Taylor paced behind his desk. "Due to these recent attacks on our supply craft we have been unable to get supplies to Ithaca." Ithaca was a recently conquered village off to the south, "This time we are placing a team in the next supply craft. And you six are it.
"Your orders are to eliminate this attack force. And help any survivors from the supply ships. The report we have received are that there are anywhere from four to seven Martians attacking the ships. So you should have no problems. You are to contact base command in Ithaca if you are successful. Suit up and be ready to go in two hours."
The supply ship was of very strange design. It looked like a big block of rusty metal, and, instead of a hover vehicle, it had wheels. It was about twelve feet high and at least thirty long.
The six of us climbed in the back cargo area. Abby and Frank sat on either side of me, while the three crew sat in the front, there was a small window connecting the cargo area and the cockpit. One of the men in the front kept looking back as if very nervous and just wanted to assure himself that we were not just ghosts about to disappear on him.
Three hours later we passed the first supply ship. It was a burnt out crisp on its side, apparently from some sort of explosion.
An hour after that we passed the second one this one was in no better condition.
Fifteen minutes later there was a loud explosion and we were all thrown about like rag dolls.
Colonel Talbot pushed his way passed the supplies and pushed open the cargo doors. The second he exited the craft he began firing. The others and I, minus Abby who was not a combat soldier, joined him taking positions behind the cargo doors and in the crater created by a land mine.
Much obliged to my beta reader foo. Her comprehension goes a long way!