I don't own anything.
While You Were Sleeping.
Chapter Seventeen: Apocalypse Now Pt. 1
The soldiers line up. . .
And march down the road
To wage war upon a distant enemy.
They keep marching on.
Just so they can die. . .
. . .in this time gone mad
Who knows why. . .
Though the depths of their hearts.
Are so totally dark.
Nothing can be seen.
They stand in a wind-blown field.
Counting the number of corpses.
In the plaza the soldiers are dancing in a circle.
But they have no time for that.
To make their escape.
To prolong. . .
The lengths of their lives.
They watch how the rotten shadow
From the clock work at the end of the world
Falls across the red field.
Arm in
Arm in
Arm in
Arm
They're watching and laughing
The soldiers line up
And march down the road
To wage war upon a distant enemy.
They keep on marching on
Just so they can die
In this time gone mad.
They keep marching on.
They keep marching on.
They keep marching on.
(:ii:)
"Fall in!" Shinji watched as the soldiers scrambled to get into place. "Get there! Get there! Get there!" the Lieutenant beside Shinji screamed. "Alright then. Attention!" He turned and saluted. "Special Forces Detachment Genesis assembled and ready for briefing!" Shinji saluted back.
"Fall in Lieutenant." The man snapped to attention and moved into his position with the rest of the roughly company-sized group of soldiers. "At ease!" Shinji barked. He looked around and watched as the soldiers relaxed slightly. He adjusted the strap of his Type-3. "If I were a normal commander, then this would be the time when I tell you all that our war is over. It's time to live in peace." Shinji waited for the catcalls to stomped out by the platoon leaders. "I'm not a normal leader. I am a blood thirsty sociopath that you have decided to follow into battle at your own risk, unfortunately for you.
"If you were normal soldiers and I tell you that you don't need to fight and I would half expect half of you to leave. I would also expect a quarter of the remaining soldiers to doubt themselves. I know you people too well. You aren't normal soldiers and I know that this is exactly what you want to do. You all came into this profession for the same reasons I did. You all wanted money and you all loves war. Some can say that they do this for the money only, if that's true then they don't belong. There are far more jobs you can do without risking your life.
"That said I have to tell you. Tokyo-2 will become our graveyard. I have to ask that you all lay down your lives for this fight. There won't be glory, there won't even be a fucking ticker tape parade for those who survive, if any. Make no mistake about it ladies and gentlemen. This is the fight every one of us has been waiting for. That's right. Make no mistake about it. Move out!"
(:ii:)
"He's good at that," Asuka commented.
"Yeah," Gordy said from his place beside her. Asuka glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye and felt one eyebrow raise.
"Nice hat." Gordy frowned and touched the brim of his hate. He was wearing a large almost cowboy style hat with a gold rope around it and a large insignia on the front.
"United States Army Seventh Cavalry Regiment," Gordy said. "Look around, I'm not the only one wearing something like this." Asuka looked around, half expecting to not see anything. Instead she saw hundreds of different unit insignias. Some she recognized; United States Navy Seals and German GSG-9 insignias, US Army Green Beret berets, British SAS patches, Russian OMON black berets, and other insignias she could only guess at.
"Alright people." Asuka turned again and saw that Shinji had joined them. His uniform bore no sign of his previous employment. The only difference was a large Army green bandana wrapped around his neck and the green and black paint slashed across his face. For the first time Asuka truly began to wonder about the man's sanity. He had made jokes, but the look in his bright eyes was. . .disturbing. "Let's get going. We need to move twenty klicks in five hours."
"Well, let's get going then," Asuka said. Shinji grinned.
"Right on."
(:ii:)
"Alright," Norman said as he looked around the cockpit of his H-Jet. "This is Viper Leader to all Vipers. Copy?"
"Viper One copy."
"Viper Two copy."
"Viper Three copy."
"Viper Four copy."
"Viper Five copy." Norman nodded to himself. That was everyone, the five other crews who had volunteered. He had hand selected them from the twenty crews in NERV's air wing.
"All Vipers prepare to break formation and head to your area of operation." Norman listened as they all sounded off. "Commence operations!"
(:ii:)
'The last time I'll ever be here,' Shinji thought as he stared at the outskirts of Tokyo-2. The Genesis were in a rough circle around the entire area. They were spread thin, but what was coming next would even the odds. "Twenty second count down has begun," Gordy said.
"Good," Shinji said. "This is going to be one hell of a show."
"Everybody deserves a flashy ending," Richey said as he stroked the ammo belt of his Type-48. "We just deserve a flashier one."
(:ii:)
Misato stared at the screen mounted on the front wall of the command center. On it was a real time video of the combat area transmitted from a H-Jet flying almost eight kilometers over the battlefield. That was where it would stay for as long as it took. "We don't know when they're planning to attack," Makoto said from his seat.
"I know," Misato admitted. "It must be soon though. With five whole H-Jet crews suddenly rebelling it must be happening."
"We should intercept those H-Jets," Maya said. "We can't afford to loose them in a battle that doesn't concern us."
"This battle does concern us," Misato argued. "If the Genesis is successful then the Saviors aren't the only ones who will be destroyed."
"What if they fail?" Maya asked callously. Misato had to smile. The woman had become a fast-thinking and clear headed General since they had first met.
"Then we load the Demons into the remaining jets and mop up what's left of the enemy," Misato said. "It's a win-win situation for us."
"Huh. Never though of it like that," Maya admitted. "Long range radar shows the H-Jets coming up on the city."
"What are the chances that they're being tracked by the Crusaders?" Makoto asked
"Zero to nil," Shigeru answered. "Captain Ikari and Sergeant Major Pierce did a real number of their radar system. Even if they could fix it by now, they'd be running at fifty percent at best. That wouldn't even pick of the closest H-Jet."
"Good," Makoto said. Suddenly the entire city of Tokyo-2 burst into flame.
"What the hell?" Misato snapped in surprise.
"It's beginning," Maya stated flatly.
(:ii:)
Shinji switched on his radio and squeezed his throat mic. "All forces advance!" he roared as he sprinted through the smoldering city. He had to give it to Doctor Akagi. When the woman said that the flames would die out in under a minute she had meant it. It was incredible. Shinji had seen less damaged from FAE weapons.
"Four klicks to the base!" Gordy roared. He was double timing by Shinji's side.
"All forces of proceeding on schedule," Fieldy snapped. He was staring at the screen on his wrist. He had probably found one of the few remaining satellites to tap into. Shinji wasn't quite sure about that. He had left INTEL gathering up to the younger man. Shinji looked around the city as he jogged through it. 'So this is what hell looks like,' he thought absently. He reached up and tugged his bandana over his nose and mouth and then pulled down his goggles. 'Time to get used to it.'
(:ii:)
"What just happened?" Durst asked as he stared at the screen in front of him. Beside him the Crusader's CO, General Paul, was loosing his mind. "Colonel Mitch?"
"Well," Durst's second in command began, "there are a couple of possibilities."
"Give me one," Durst said.
"The apocalypse happened," Paul deadpanned. "We've lost all contact with our forces on the surface. They just disappeared."
"Was it an attack?" Durst asked.
"Has to be," Mitch said as he drew the Colt .45 revolver from his hip and began to slowly load it, one bullet at a time. "It must have been a carpet bombing run. I didn't think anyone had the resources for that kind of attack."
"Maybe a nuclear bomb," Durst said.
"No way," Mitch said. "Should I give the orders sir?"
"Yes."
"Roger sir," Mitch said as he picked up a phone from one of the consoles and dialed quickly. "This is Colonel Charles Mitch to all Savior forces. Report to your stage one battle station and prepare to defend yourselves!" His voice echoed harshly from the base's PA system. He set the receiver down. "Good luck sir."
"You too," Durst said as patted his old .45 auto. "You take care of the above ground forces and I'll direct the ones down here."
"Roger that sir."
(:ii:)
Shinji stared at the base. The Saviors were reacting fast. They obviously had no clue what had just happened, but they were mobilizing none the lest. "Viper Leader. Tally ho on the target."
"Tally ho," Norman repeated. "We see them sir. Beginning supporting fire." A single rocket flashed through the sky, close enough to the ground that Shinji could feel the displaced air. Suddenly the sky was full of rockets. "Bombs away." The shear amount of light from the explosion nearly blinded Shinji. "All Viper planes out of ordinance. We're beginning close air support."
"Roger that," Shinji said. "All forces. . .charge!"
(:ii:)
"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Mitch spat. Half of his forces, gone. The only survivors were those who had yet to move out of the base. Mitch sprinted out of the base, ignoring the fires and the cadavers. No one would have survived that kind of bombardment. "Take your places!" Mitch rested the forearm of his old SAM-R against a large piece of debris.
"They're charging," the Lieutenant next to Mitch said. "What the hell are they thinking?"
"The ridge," Mitch said, realizing their tactics almost instantly. "They're heading for the ridge. They get behind that and they'll have cover only one hundred yards from here."
"Oh sh. . ." the Lieutenant trailed off. Mitch glanced at the man. There was a gaping hole in the middle of his head.
"What?" Then all hell broke out as somewhere far away a high caliber rapid fire gun opened up. "Fuck!" Mitch ducked down lowered behind his cover. "God damned jets!" He went prone and found a hole big enough for him to aim through. He lined up one of the sprinting soldiers in his weapon's sights and fired. The Genesis dropped and he found a new one.
(:ii:)
Shinji slammed into the ridge of dirt and began crawling. He crested the small ridge and leveled his Type-3. A quickly glanced back told him that someone was firing. Shinji looked around desperately for the gunman. "Gottcha." Shinji squeezed the trigger and watched as the barely-visible muzzle flashes stopped going off. "Who's down?"
"The asshole opened up on second squad," Gordy growled. "They're all down. He's good."
"Was good," Shinji said as he watched the H-Jet's 30mm cannon fire continue to chip away at the debris. "Fieldy!"
"Sir!"
"Get a cease fire," Shinji snapped. "We're going in."
"Roger that sir," Fieldy said. Shinji shot to his feet and sprinted forward. Second Platoon had been wiped out. Levant, Gear, Marks, the others. . .all gone.
(:ii:)
"We have the cease fire order." Norman watched as his co-pilot ceased firing.
"Roger," he said. "That has to be some kind of record for distance with a conventional dumb weapon."
"We'll find Guinness after we get back to base and get our court marshals," Norman said. "Switch the 30mm back to auto-tracking."
"Roger that sir." Suddenly everything lit up red. "We're being painted."
"The 30mm!" Norman screamed.
"It's too late!"
(:ii:)
Gambit watched as the H-Jet fish-tailed across the sky, its port engine crippled. "We have contact!" Gambit snapped.
"What?" Shinji demanded over the radio.
"Hidden exits!" Gambit snapped as he raised his Type 3. He emptied the clip at the soldiers pouring out. Around him the other squads opened fire as well.
"Take or destroy those exits!" Shinji roared.
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Gambit roared. His eyes slipped from his Type-3's scope to the ladder sighed mounted on the side of the forearm. He aimed carefully and thumbed the side trigged of his rifle's grenade launcher. "Squads eleven through twenty on me!"
(:ii:)
Shinji stared at the faltering H-Jet. It hit the ground hard. "Cover me!" Shinji crested the hill, sprinting towards the down VTOL. The remaining Saviors and Crusaders in the debris opened fire. Shinji cursed some more and emptied his Type-3 at the debris. It didn't really matter if hit anything, he just needed them to duck. Behind him he heard the steady blasting rhythms of Gordy and Richey opening up.
"Haul ass Skip!" Gordy roared in his ear. Shinji slammed into the aircraft, his shoulder hitting hard. The H-Jet had come to skidding halt on its side. Shinji dropped his Type-3, letting his sling catch it and drew his Type-23. He leveled the massive pistol across the front of the H-Jet's cockpit and fired.
"Fuck." Shinji glanced to his left. Norman had managed to drag himself out of the H-Jet's open side door. He leveled one of the NERV's standard issue Type-36Cs and fired.
"Major!" The man turned.
"Skip. Everyone else is dead."
"You're not," Shinji said as he scrambled up onto the H-Jet, ignoring the bullets slamming into the H-Jet's thick armor. He wrapped an arm under each of Norman's arms and dragged the man out of the VTOL. He tumbled backwards and they landed roughly on the ground. "Shit!" Shinji pushed his back up against the H-Jet and dumped the Type-45's magazine. He loaded new one and holstered the sidearm.
"I got shot down," Norman spat, reloading his rifle.
"Eh," Shinji grunted as he loaded his Type-3. "Join the club." He leaned around the H-Jet and opened fire. "Give me a fucking SITREP!"
"Squads eleven through twenty have followed General Gambit into the hidden escape routs," Fieldy reported over the radio. "Two has been decimated, five and six are half way gone, and everyone else is pinned down and taking heavy casualties."
"Heavy weapons!" Shinji snapped. "Fire and don't be fucking stingy!"
(:ii:)
"Keep 'em down for me!"
"Roger!" Asuka turned and saw Richey duck down lower behind the ridge. He un-slung the massive anti-tank weapon from his back and shoved one of the huge 84mm shells into it. He swung the muzzle of the weapon around. "Fire in the hole!" An 84mm ball of light launched from the muzzle of the weapon and sped across the battlefield. It slammed into one of the pieces of debris.
"Frag out!" Asuka raised her Type-3, aiming through the ladder sights. She fired her weapon's grenade launcher and watched as the explosive arched through the air. It landed behind the debris and exploded just like she had planned. In an instant half a dozen more explosions went off.
"Cease fire!" Asuka straightened up a little and saw Shinji sprint out from behind the wrecked H-Jet. He vaulted over the debris and disappeared from view.
"It's clear!" he called over the radio. "All forces advance!" Asuka stood and sprinted towards the line of debris. She vaulted over it and nearly crashed into Shinji and the H-Jet pilot. "Breacher!"
"That's some door," Asuka commented as she stared at the thick blast shield.
"Yeah," Shinji grunted. Johnson skidded to a halt and shrugged off his backpack. "What have you got for this?"
"Portable anti-armor entry device," Johnson explained as he began to set up the massive cone-shaped weapon. "Think of this as a big old anti-armor shaped charge. We'll open the door in a minute. This baby will take care of everybody on the other side." He finished attaching the weapon to the door. "Back up!" Asuka jogged back and ducked behind a chunk of concrete. "Fire in the hole!"
End
(:ii:)
Author's notes. I had to cut this last chapter. It was just way too big. This is only part and its fifteen pages before I put it in my story format.
P.S. Lyrics by Teruyuki Takahashi.