TOMMY: CHAPTER 26: Trench Warfare
It is now a month later. The fighting has kicked off with a Firefly victory in the south. Now the Fireflies are desperate to keep the momentum. In order to secure this, they created lines of trenches along the southern front (the offensive against the Firefly Empire in the south). In order to counter this, Texas created their own lines of trenches.
The demand for Stormtroopers increased. Texan Stormtroopers were just like the ones from WWI. Troops trained and specialized to attack/storm trenches. Supply lines are now being stretched thin. The Republic is desperate to open up a new front against the Firefly Empire. Many are calling it the northern front.
Texas didn't want to risk sending an untrained battalion of soldiers to attack well trained Fireflies in trenches. In order to ensure the 3rd Airborne Battalion's success, they must train them.
Jackson now made trenches around the town to train the soldiers into Stormtroopers. This would be a little difficult since the 3rd Battalion is trained to be paratroopers. There were only two trench lines in Jackson. Perfect if they wanted to defend and train.
Tommy now wanted to see what the soldiers were doing. He approached the soldiers and found them shooting in the trenches.
[Play Blackout]
He had a small flashback. The soldiers changed into Fireflies. The instructors outside the trench turned into Firefly officers giving orders. Artillery began to fire on their position. Tommy looked around. The dirt blacken because of the artillery.
He looked at no man's land (the land between any two trenches). He could see the opposing soldiers firing rifles and machine guns. One of the Firefly officers began to call his name.
"Tommy…Tommy…Tommy!" his voice just faded out.
The Firefly now walked up to Tommy and placed his hand on his shoulder.
"General…" the Firefly said changing into the Major with the prototype helmet, "we're ready."
Tommy looked at the soldier with a shocked expression. "What just happened?" Tommy asked the soldier.
"Well you were heading out to see our trench attacks. Then you just froze, sir."
[Pause or wait out Blackout.]
"Alright show me what you got."
The two now walked over to the two trench lines in the woods. He found Commander Jett and other trench instructors outside the trench.
"General," Commander Jett began, "so glad you can join us, we were just about to start."
Jett now signaled the instructor closest to the trench to blow the whistle. The instructor blew the whistle. Seconds later the soldiers climbed out of the trenches and ran across no man's land. The soldiers ran across and shot poles with helmets on the top.
A handful of soldiers ended up shooting off the helmets. Before they made it across no man's land, Tommy saw one of the soldiers go flying upward. Going up in the air as a Texan soldier, coming down a Firefly.
Jackson slowing began to turn into the Dubois QZ.
As the Fireflies made it made it to the other trench, melee combat began to take place. The FEDRA soldiers desperate to keep their position, threw chlorine gas to counter this.
Unlike the legionaries of the legion, the soldiers of FEDRA had their masked equipped when the fighting started.
"GASS! GAS! GAS!" a legionary yelled as the yellow chlorine gas began to fill the trench.
The Fireflies in the trench didn't have enough time to put on their masks. It was either kill the enemy soldier in front of you, or put on your mask.
If the Firefly put on his mask he would be shot or killed by a melee weapon. If the Firefly killed the soldier in front of him, he would be exposed to the gas. Even if he would killed the soldier in front of him and then placed the mask on, he would die seconds later from exposure.
Tommy now pulled out his M14 rifle. Readied the bayonet on his rifle, placed on his mask with his boonie hat on top. Pointed rifle towards the trench and charged.
Dropping into the trench, he found many of his dead comrades laying there with no mask. They were EXPOSED.
He turned to the left of the gas filled trench and shot a soldier charging at him. The soldier now lost balance and hit the ground.
A soldier now came from behind Tommy about to whack him with the stock of his rifle.
"Ahh!" the soldier yelled as he ran at Tommy.
Tommy countered the soldier with his bayonet. Turning around and launching the bayonet into the soldier's stomach. The soldier now stopped, dropped his rifle. With his eyes wide open along with his mouth. Speechless.
Tommy pulled out the bayonet and soldier hit the ground, with his eyes still open. The trench was now secure. The Fireflies now occupied the trench.
Tommy was now in the other trench, back at Jackson. All of the Texan soldiers looked at him with amazement.
"General," one of the soldiers began, "that was the best storming, I've ever seen."
The surrounding soldiers then began to clap.
"Where did you learn how to do that?" a soldier asked.
"Well," Tommy began, "being a Firefly teaches you a bit."
"What made you join us, General?" Commander Jett said as he walked up to him in the trench.
"Well, I didn't even know I joined. My mind was clouded by a flashback."
"So you're experiencing PTSD?"
"Yeah, I guess," the General admitted.
"From what?" Jett asked.
"The last battle I fought as a Firefly Legionary." Tommy said with a depressed voice.
"Sounds like a crazy battle. Where there trenches present?"
"A hell a lot more than what you guys have here. We legionaries live for trench warfare, it's no wonder they are keeping the southern battalions at bay!"
"Care to tell us how your last battle played out?"
"Well, if it gets my mind off of it. Then I see no reason to keep it in anymore. Gather around gents." Tommy said as he sat at the edge of the training trench.
"We've been waiting months. All the planning, all the digging of the trenches. When the order came, most of us didn't believe it. I remember having this odd feeling of both excitement and fear…"