Old Washington, DC
Thunder reigned down from the sky in the form of 155 mm artillery shells. The exploding ordinance sent stones, bricks and mortar, along with molten steel, in all directions. Grazot's hypothesis that artillery would be used, only as a last resort, had fallen short. And the aggressors weren't walking it in either; they were saturating the area by dropping the ballistics anywhere and everywhere. Hayes watched as buildings just a few meters off, flew apart in an earsplitting bang. At the same moment, two old structures to his left and a large pile of rubble several meters behind him went up in a ball of fiery smoke and dust. Part of the stone slab he was using for refuge cracked as debris slammed into its base. He rolled aside just before gravity and the shaking ground caused it to fall the earth. He shook his head, flinging the grime and pebbles from his hair.
It came suddenly and in rapid succession. The only warning was the whistling of the shells just before impact. "Fall back to the bunker" the man shouted, but no one needed to hear it from him. The apes began their withdrawal, as soon as, the initial rounds sounded. They'd learned quickly. And it really didn't matter since the explosions and noise were drowning out the man's voice.
Several blasts went off simultaneously as a round detonated near the ambush spot March established earlier. The cascading explosions brought rubble crashing down in an almost domino style of fashion. The man swore as he observed several hours of precise preparation disintegrate in mere seconds. He found himself second guessing the decision not to get in the pod and leave immediately. His eyes caught Hayes waving him back. The image was lost as more of the ordinance fell and clouds of red-black powder rose high in the sky.
The Territorial ape forces were in possession of documents and maps containing marked locations of armories, supply depots, and key targets of military significance. Unfortunately for the group occupying the ancient metropolis, the closest point of interest was well within the cities interior and several meters underground. The surface was littered with raw materials that could be salvaged at any time and in any condition. So where they sat now, was fair game. The only thing that saved their lives was the randomness of the barrage. Philonus had no idea how many people actually occupied the old capital, so he was spreading the salvo out over a vast region. The Colonel was convinced that old capital was crawling with humans. It had to be. The city was too big of a prize to simply ignore.
Several kilometers to the west, the massed ape militia was disseminating its Intel in preparation for the next move. Philonus covered his ears as guns fired in rapid sequence. Even from this distance the sound was piercing. He shivered from the cold breeze that rushed in. Winter was marching down the trail and would come calling soon.
Lieutenant Colonel Philonus walked into the tent & warmed his paws against the heat emanating from the old stove in the center. "Has the Alpha runners reported in?" he asked Major Ulysses.
"Nothing yet, Sir". They have to cover several kilometers" The ape replied. "According to the time table though, he's due any minute now". He briefly changed the subject and added. "Get yourself some coffee sir. There's some in that kettle there. …the cups are down there"
"Thank you Major. As soon as you get that report, you let me know" Philonus ordered as he fumbled with hot container. "We can't we make our push until they're in place. This has to be timed just right"
No sooner had Philonus finished the sentence when an ape Corporal stepped in with the update; "Sir Taskforce Alpha just sent their first situation report. The sixty-ninth states: Enemypresenceconfirmedbutresistanceisminimal.We'vepassedobjectiveOscarandareinroutetopositionZulu.Fifteenminutesaheadofschedule".
"Thank you Corporal. For once in my life something is going right" Philonus said as he sipped on the hot beverage. He looked down at the map and slid a finger from ObjectiveOscar to PositionZulu. "Major Sidon, inform Taskforce Bravo that they're a go. I want to be on the move in two minutes. Send a rider down to Major Polk. He's to dispatch the special element as soon as we lift our fire."
Philonus grabbed his gear and the special rifle. He gulped down the last swallow of coffee and tossed the cup to a private who was plotting coordinated on a map. Before he departed, the Colonel turned to Ulysses and said "Ok, it's all yours, Major. We'll send word as soon as things are secure. Give me ten minutes and then have the gun lines lift their fire and target this area here. You can stop firing fifteen minutes after that. We still want to have enough of our ordinance available for the final bombardment. But once that box picks up movement," Philonus continued pointing at the small mechanical device. "You send everything we have left. We're going to route those humans right into your line of fire."
Philonus had planned in great detail and things were slowly falling into place. He'd prep the capital with artillery fire while the Sixty-Ninth flanked right. They would make a half circle and come up under the cities backside. The Three-Seventy-Second would flank in the opposite direction and advance on the cities western boarder. The two units would link up in the center and route any defensive units that remained, to the east.
The combat support elements already had predestinated hard targets set. All they needed was to adjust their fire from those points. They would pound the animals to dust as they attempted to regroup. Ulysses possessed one of the few relics the apes discovered years ago; a portable radar station. It wasn't a sophisticated 3-D model but it would suffice for what he had in mind. The problem of course was the same issue the humans faced with their relics; a sustainable power source. Power cells from Ceasera were now being employed to temporarily solve the matter. Once the radar displayed activity, he'd be aware of it immediately and ready to strike swiftly. Simultaneously, Polk would coordinate on the special operations. Their mission was to secure and salvage as many of the objects of importance as they could. It was all or nothing. Once the old capital was secure and free from human retaliation, its spoils could then be exploited by the Territorial Militia.
One and a half Kilometers away, Major Polk stood inside his command tent. He was huddled with several other apes around a medium sized table. It housed a large diagram of the old city. Instructions were being given to each section as he coordinated where to hit first.
"Sergeant Grogan" He said firmly. "You'll support Captain Lucas and his troops by securing the high ground …here. Lucas, of course we can't confirm this, but according to the old capital documents there's a depot right there, ancient artillery or motor equipment of some kind. Secure what you can, link back up with Grogan and use the energy cells to power the artifacts. You might even get lucky and find that the relics have been preserved. You can draw what you need from the quartermaster. I've already told him to expect you. Doctor Ezekiel can assist in the weapon deployment and necessary supplies. He's with the quartermaster now"
Polk paused and scanned the apes, making eye contact with every simian in the tent. He took in a deep breath and exhaled as he continued. "Philonus is certain the region is crawling with human soldiers, so cover and concealment is essential. That's why I picked the first objective. It's in a somewhat remote region, yet houses powerful relics that can tip the tide in our favor. It's a win-win. Hopefully, the human presence won't be significant."
Lucas didn't show his disdain but he was not happy about lugging a civilian along. Civilians just got in the way. Of course, the doctor was a scientist, so his expertise was a necessary evil. Awin-winhuh? The ape thought. …Hopefullytherewon'tbehumans,eh?YeahandhopefullyI'llbeabletosproutwingsandfly.
"Sir", an NCO stated, as he stepped into the tent. "You have a courier from the Colonel, outside with a message".
"Thank you Sergeant" Polk said "I'll be right there. Ok gentleapes, I can only assume those are your movement orders. Let's get ready."
North of Old Maryland
"Lieutenant" the human Sergeant shouted at his platoon leader. "What do we do?" Without hesitation he squeezed the trigger and fired into the vegetation beyond.
Their recon unit had been spotted by a colossal ape militia. Two squads died before the Lieutenant even realized he'd walked them into the death trap. His hearing was echoing from the concussion of the grenade volley and gunfire that followed the encounter. He sat stunned as his mind went blank. He wasn't even aware that he'd been hit in the thigh and was bleeding profusely. His eyes were locked on the mangled body of the dead soldier, who just moments ago, was at his side. His left arm and half his head were gone. WhatdoIdo? He thought. The answerer to his question came in the form of additional bullets that ripped into his throat, sending his soul forward to join the ranks of the fallen.
"Second Squad" Sergeant Robbins shouted as he concurrently tossed a grenade back at the horde. "Lay down cover fire. Third squad, pull back fifteen meters and lay down suppression fire" Robbins bound the two elements back, one at a time. One would move. The other would cover. It was a solid plan but also a futile one. Within minutes the entire vicinity was flooded by trigger happy simians. The apes quickly executed any survivors and turned their attention back to the mission.
"Any of the wounded who can't keep up, are to be left here, along with food and medical supplies" the ape commander ordered. "Our schedule is too tight. We keep moving"
The ape quickly checked his map and reprimanded a few of the soldiers who were picking at the bodies, in search of spoil. As soon as they were a few kilometers ahead he spotted his first objective and sent a runner back to the command post.
"Amazing, isn't it Sir" the Sergeant said "We're hours away from the knowledge of the ancients and the end of the human pestilence"
"We haven't won yet" The ape replied. "And reports have been coming in stating human movement was spotted to the north. Besides that was a recon element. It tells me there's a larger force in this area somewhere. They're sure to have heard the gun fire. If we're delayed, even by minutes, the whole plan could crumble before it even gets started."
The order to continue was passed throughout the ranks. The apes mounted their horses and moved past ObjectiveOscar.
Inside the old command bunker, Old Washington, DC
Karen White dressed the wounded side of Kutos. He'd been lucky enough to avoid the shelling but not graceful enough to keep from tripping. The gorilla gashed his side in all the commotion. The ape growled like a wild animal as the human poured the antiseptic into the exposed area.
"I told you it would hurt" She said firmly. "You could get one of a hundred infections from that. And this stuff is hard enough to synthesize so just grin and bear it."
On the opposite side of the room the two astronauts were discussing their options.
"…You're sure about this?" March asked.
"I wish I could tell you differently." Hayes replied. "The missile is armed but the delivery systems are corroded and any fuel they possessed has long evaporated. The wired relays are fused. The warhead itself is intact but it would have to be rigged to remotely detonate. And we don't have anything to rig it with. The other warhead went up like the Fourth of July when those shells hit our ambush spot"
"Yeah, I saw that." March stated angrily. "I was hoping we could somehow have it lock onto that transponder code we've been tracking." March said.
"Speaking of that" Sullen interjected "It's no longer stationary".
March glanced at Grazot and tiled his head, signaling for the ape to check things out.
"That's not good, Sir," Hayes stated "They've lifted the artillery and are moving in. But we still have the rifles and equipment we salvaged. They alone are a huge force multiplier. Just one of these things makes you a walking Battalion." It was an overstatement but not by much. "We don't know what we're up against though"
March turned to Karen White and asked the same question he'd asked five times before. "Any luck patching into the ODN, Captain?"
The woman shook her head and said. "No Sir and I don't think we're going to anytime soon. However that story you were telling me earlier. The one when you were on that island and saw a craft of some kind fly by via that 3-D radar. It got me thinking. Thanks to the orangutan's device combined with Norman's Intel, I think I know what you saw. They were short range defensive drones. And I just located one …close by". She turned the device towards the man and pointed at the blinking signal.
"General" Sullen said softly "What's your assessment? How would …um… adjust things?"
Grazot rubbed his chin and looked down at the amazing weapon in his possession. "Well Sir, under normal circumstances we'd never hold, but I think I agree with the Captain. These weapons are something that rivals the muscle of the great ape above. One is lethal enough, but eight… If we position ourselves correctly we could, not only hold, but possibly stop the assault. I'd even go so far to say that we might even repel it".
Sullen took note of the fact that Grazot rarely used the phrase human when referring to March or Hayes. It wasn't that big of an issue but just a sign that convinced the Prefect it was time to return home. Humans were still a poison despite the fact that the pie had expanded. He pushed the thought away, turned to Ogden, and asked the same question.
"I'd have to agree" Ogden added. "One of these could hold back and entire garrison of apes."
That statement rang true. The M16 A1X was even more sophisticated than the sister model, discovered in old Buffalo. The Cobalt Disruptor had a wide beam feature. It could neutralize up to fifteen targets, depending on their size and disbursement. The weapon housed a small ITD unit (*InfraredTacticalDisplay). In essence, it was a personal radar station. According to the technical manual it was built with something called whispertechnology. The rifle hardly made a sound regardless of the type of round fired. It also contained two additional dial settings, GP for Gas Pellet and FE for Flame Extraction. The last unique feature was in the transponder. It could be shut off or completely removed. The weapon had been initially used by US, Israeli, and British covert assassination elements.
The discussion finally settled on 'what to do'. They gave their opinions, made their plans, and exited the bunker.
The Flat Lands
It took precise coordination, skill, and patience but the Coalition units, under the command of General St. James, managed to navigate though the obstacles. Engineers, infantry, mortar support units, medical detachments, and more were now within an arms reach of the ape capital. They'd crossed more than a hundred and fifty mile span, with over twelve hundred soldiers, in just three days. It had been a logistical nightmare to establish, but a moderate supply route was also in place. If Ceasera could be captured and held, no ape units would be able to reinforce any that were between it and old DC. Washington was the objective. It was everyone's objective. St James knew it and so did Philonus and that's why OperationBack-Stop had been planned.
Ceasera would be taken. The General had drilled that point into his subordinates since day one of the operation. It would be held too. The elements between it and old DC would be smashed and the ODN would insure the destruction of any ape force that made a push; the human General was counting on it. With Ceasera under human control, Washington would be unreachable.
Mitchell St James peered through his field goggles as his mind took in the terrain, visibility, and layout of the city. He lowered the binoculars and turned to his executive office. "What do you think Thad?"
Colonel Thaddeus Lynch who was still looking through his field glasses answered "It won't be a turkey shoot, Sir but we do have the element of surprise. The city isn't completely void of troops. It looks like they've had a recent fire too or some kind of mishap with their factory. They're expecting something though. Those troops look combat ready. Good news is that it's just a skeleton force"
"I agree. Pan a little to your right." St James said. "Look just beyond the burned out buildings. Notice anything interesting?"
Colonel Lynch picked up on the General's implication as soon as he became aware of it. It was partially obscured but visible enough for him to make an intelligent guess. "I see it, Sir. It looks like there's some activity going on too. Apes are going in and out." He lowered his goggles and said; "Guns, Mitch, they're hiding artillery guns; Using the buildings for cover and concealment. That's why the emplacements on the hills are so thin. They've moved the majority of their big guns inland. They're baiting us; providing a false breach in their defenses."
"Well done Thad. That's exactly what they're doing." St James replied. "That's why I came out here. They know that an attack has to come through the Flat Lands. It's too mountainous and hilly to try and attack from here, we'd get bogged down. And they control the area on the opposite side, so that's out too. But this is the perfect spot to recon from. We can see right into the center of their capital".
Lynch nodded and simply replied with "Uh-huh". He was listening but preoccupied as he attempted to mark the exact location on his map. For any raid to succeed, those guns had to be eliminated. If not, they'd all be slaughtered before they moved three steps.
"It's going to be tough, Mitch" Lynch said looking up from the map. "We only have light mortar support. They can fire up to almost six kilometers but we need precision. We're going to have to get in close to effectively take out those gun emplacements. If we can pull within range, they can drop their shells by lobbing them over the buildings. If we fire from the hills, those cannons will knock us back into last week."
"I think I know a way around this." St James replied "Separate one or two squads from their platoon. Have them set up on those hills there and dig in. We can use them as a distraction. They can fire one volley directly into the city; doesn't matter where, but keep it close to where the emplacements are. Immediately following that I want them to shift and fire smoke rounds into the valley below. The apes will think we're attacking from that direction; using the smoke for cover. Send a couple of snipers along as well. Order them to target any soldiers near the tent. It might just disorient the apes enough to shift their focus. Be sure to stress that they're to button up tight when the counter fire starts"
The two senior officers concluded the reconnaissance and worked their way back to the main body. Briefings began as the junior officers coordinated with the command staff on their individual missions, in support the overall operation. In the valley below action was already being taken. Human snipers inched their way across the dry grass crawling closer and closer to their predestinated positions. A soldier was cleaning blood off a knife as a second man to his left was trying to remove blood from his uniform. They pointed to the field beyond while making a gesture of cutting their throats. The men were signaling that the ape observation posts had been successfully neutralized. A captured ape officer was securely bound as a medic tended to his wounds. His knee was wrapped and the man was applying a field bandage to the shoulder. He seethed with hatred as his eye met the two human guards who were itching to finish him off. It seemed all thee shared similar affections. He'd been roughed up pretty bad from the recent interrogation and was doing his best to hide the fear. There was no Geneva Convention in this world.
"Alright" Lynch said as he concluded the briefing "The old man wants us on the move as soon as it's dusk. The advanced elements can move out immediately and being their preparations."
As the various men and women left the brief, he turned to a junior officer and said "Nice going, Rodgers. That captured ape gave us more Intel than three weeks worth of reconnaissance combined."
Inside the city Captain Sarref, an officer of the three-seventy-second, mounted his horse and continued making his rounds. Deep inside, he longed to be home in Tepoc City. His eldest son would soon be finishing his studies. Within the month he'd enlist. It was the obligation of all young males his age. Eventually he longed to become an officer like his father but that was a ways off. Sarref had convinced the pup that serving in the enlisted ranks would give him valuable and needed experience.
He slowed his mount as he reached his next stop. A corporal grabbed the reins of the horse and walked it in without being prompted to do so. The Captain dismounted and strode into the small building. The officer on duty stood as he entered the room. He did it out of courtesy. They carried the same rank but Sarref had been left in command.
"Captain" the ape said with a brisk nod. "Your timing is impeccable. Saves me the task of sending an ape to you directly."
"What is it Captain" Sarref stated, getting right to the point.
"I sent Privates Aluis and Powel, to the forward Ops, to relieve Dutont and Gera but they're almost thirty minutes overdue. Dutont is a good ape but he follows Gera around like a cub. And Gera can be a bit of rebel. It's probably nothing but I was about to check it out when you arrived" The ape explained.
"You stay" Sarref ordered "I'll look into it myself. I want to inspect the outposts anyway"
Moments later he arrived at the cities edge. The ape drew a weapon and worked his way forward on foot. The perfectionist in him inspected the route, the trees, the rocks, and anything else that caught his eye. Eventually the small station came into view. But something wasn't right. Blood, his brain registered, that'sblood. His instincts told him not to go forward but his inexperience didn't listen. The ape was an efficient, meticulous officer but he'd spent his military career in Tepoc; a city well out of the arena of combat. Until recently even Ceasera had experienced that luxury. He'd spent a few tours in the field but had little familiarity with actual warfare. His closest encounter was a small uprising that had taken place when he was a Lieutenant. That had ended before it even took root.
He was now going to pay the price. He inched his way forward, slowly looking about. He swung the weapon left then right; up then down. Sarref had an eerie feeling of being watched. Closer … closer …closer. His heart raced and he finally found some comfort behind the protection of a small tree. Thoughts of doubt and feelings of insecurity began to surface. His, by the book, practices were no help to him out here. For the first time in his career he was uncertain and fearful.
He listened intently trying to pick up a sound. He looked at the foliage, the trees; wishing for anything that might give him a clue. His desire was granted in the change of atmospheric pressure causing the wind to shift. The cold breeze blew past the ape as his nostrils took in the smell. It reminded him of the animal cells where the prisoners were kept. It was confirmed; "Humans", he muttered softly.
The silent bullet wisped through the air and hit officer in the shoulder. It ripped through the ape's flesh and burrowed into the tree he was propped against. The force knocked him over and he instinctively cried out in pain. Sarref pulled his body up in an attempt to flee, but the next shot hit him squarely in the knee. Two human soldiers emerged from what seemed like nowhere. They looked like walking patches of grass and weeds. The men swiftly shoved the butts of their weapons into the ape's head. Sarref still managed to get out a low howl, after he'd been shot a second time, but the blow to his skull knocked him cold.
"Dress those wounds and let's get him shackled" One of the soldiers said to the other "We need to get him back to Command. They wanted a prisoner, well now they have one."
The primate woke in pain and was bound from head to toe. A human male who looked almost a big as a chimp balled up his fist and drove it into the wounded shoulder. Before Sarref could go under from the pain, smelling salts were shoved in his snout. The man struck the ape again, this time across the jaw. He laughed and struck him a third time.
"Ok, Captain here's how it works. I ask a question and you give an answer. You answer wrong and I get upset. When I get upset things break …like your jaw" The man finished the sentence by hitting the ape across the face on the opposite cheek. "I think you're seeing my point here. Now the General and his Exec will be back any time now, so why don't you and I get more acquainted?"
Old Washington, DC
"How many are there?" Sergeant Grogan asked the soldier.
"Not sure, Sarge" the young Corporal answered. "It looks like …a human female" he hesitated as he adjusted the goggles for a better look "uh, a human male and an orangutan. They're right on top of the objective. No one else seems to be around"
The ape paused again, lowered the glasses, and turned to Grogan; "An orangutan, Sarge? What would an ape be doing with a pack of humans?"
"How should I know? You can ask him after we kill him." Grogan replied in sarcasm. "Let me have the binoculars. Go back and find Captain Lucas. Ask him to stay put until we figure out what we're up against."
The ape removed the goggles from around his neck and handed them to Grogan. He navigated the rubble and obstacles, working his way back to the rear element. Out of nowhere he felt his body jerk. That was followed by a feeling of suffocation. When his senses finally registered what was happening he found himself looking at Ogden. Kutos held him securely in body lock and a firm choke hold. That wasn't the worse of his fears. It was the knife Ogden dangled in front of his face making him nervous. The knife was a distraction; an old trick used back home. Kutos twisted the apes head sharply, until his neck snapped.
"That was close." Kutos whispered.
"Yes, if he'd gotten through it would have certainly complicated things. Get his gear and weapons" Ogden replied.
Two Kilometers away, Berger, March, and Grazot worked their way towards the huddled soldiers.
"They've posted security" Berger stated. "It looks like there are eight, in groups of two, spread in a three-sixty degree circle. Ok General we decided to use the customary chain of command; so it's your call, Sir"
Grazot glanced down at the display on his rifle with an air of astonishment. Small dull red dots of light confirmed the position of every ape within a hundred meters. There were also three green specks identifying the transponders in each rifle. It was so easy, Grazot almost felt guilty. If he were home and relying on muskets, he'd have had to get in much closer, risking the chance of being compromised by their security. But fate seemed to be smiling and he was grinning back.
"Like shooting fish in a barrel, eh General?" March said, noting the expression on the ape's face.
"Yes, I suppose" He replied not quite understanding the analogy. "Alright, we'll advance from three angles. Lieutenant, you work your way around to those structures there. Major, you're to move to the right. I'm going to come in from the center. I think we can neutralize the entire section by using the disruptor on a wide range. Make a semi-circle and watch where you are. We don't want to take each other out in the process. Each of will hit the security positions first. We'll indicate success using the transponder signal. Switch it on and off once to indicate you've taken out the security elements and twice when you're in position and ready to move. I'll signal three times. When you see that, we all move in."
Each soldier headed out towards his primary objective. Grazot took out the two security obstacles with little to no effort. Minutes later he noted one green blink from Berger. A few moments after that, Berger signaled again with two flashes. Grazot waited. He waited still; nothing from March. He looked down at the display and noted the movement. It was like watching a cheap video game. Somethingmustbewrong, he concluded. Two red dots were converging on the transponder location. Gunshots followed by a massive ball of fire confirmed his suspicions that something had indeed gone wrong. The two red marks disappeared.
The General felt a curious urge to rush to March's position, but his military adeptness told him that if he didn't engage the ape unit immediately their advantage would be lost. He signaled three consecutive times, hoping that Berger got the message. Grazot adjusted the setting on his rifle and dated forward at incredible speed.
Because he was stronger and more agile than his human counterparts, the General arrived at the unit first. The tight nit element had already begun to spread out as a few of the soldiers were heading towards the blaze. A buzzing sound similar to those of a mosquito vibrated in his ears as the bullets wisped past his head. Grazot felt a slight sting in his upper body but he kept moving. He pulled the trigger and fanned the weapon. Apes fell to the ground and convulsed. A split second later an explosion sent the ape toppling backwards several paces. He landed flat on his back as his body reminded him he was not as youthful as he once was.
General Grazot rose and looked out at the smoldering bodies. It hadn't even been a contest. The small unit of apes died without ever knowing how it happened. Berger arrived with perfect timing and overwhelming firepower. The gorilla brushed dust and dirt off his already, dusty and dirty, uniform.
"You're bleeding General. You've been hit." Berger stated.
"We don't have time" Grazot replied. "We have to get back to the city. We've lost the element of surprise and the others are going to need our help"
"Where's the Major?" Berger asked.
Grazot shrugged and stated that the man was on his own. "We have to get back and we need to do it now. Their forward element knows something's wrong."
Tom March fell to the ground like a worn out rag doll. His knee throbbed in pain as it hit the tangled metal joist. The pistol on his side bounced out of its case and slid a few feet forward. The noise was loud enough to catch the attention of the apes conducting their security sweep.
The man quickly grabbed the sidearm and retrieved his rifle. He cursed himself for being so clumsy. Offallthetimestotripandfall, he thought. But he didn't have the luxury of licking his wounds. He noted the movement on the tactical display. They were almost on top of him. As quickly as his body would allow, he slid back against a large pile of debris and waited. When the first soldier came into view he unloaded the entire clip from the pistol into his body. But it wasn't enough and by now the second ape had appeared.
March squeezed the trigger of his rife and jerked in surprise. The fall had caused the weapon setting to rotate to FE. An immense flame shot out and engulfed the two simians, the surrounding structures …and more. A mushroom cloud of flame and smoke rose high into the air. March flung himself in reverse, and over the debris, as the flames back-blasted their way to where he'd been positioned.
He looked down at the display. "More are coming" he mumbled.
Moments later March heard an explosion. He silently thanked Grazot and Berger. All but a few of the red dots disappeared. He looked down and adjusted the rifles setting to STD. He then glanced at the Infrared Tactical Display and counted, "Ok, there are ….one, two, three, four, five. I need to target …" March didn't complete the sentence. The A1X's ITD flashed and the words, Auto TargetnowProcessing appeared followed by, ObjectiveConfirmed. Five rapid, but almost silent, clickssounded off.Roundslockedflickered next. A final message of, Readyexhibited itself on the bottom of the display.
"What the hell? …" March asked.
The standard rounds of the A1X were auto-targeting. Each housed a nano-processor that worked in conjunction with the ITD's internal smartware. The ballistics were voice activated and keyed in on a data-pulse that echoed directly from the A1X micro-mainframe.
March peered through the scope. The apes were in view but having trouble negotiating the blaze. Wisp-wisp-wisp-wisp-wisp …The sound reminded March of the toy gun his father bought gave him when he was about twelve. A split second later all five red specks were gone.
"Mother of friggin Methuselah" the man stated doubting what had just happened. "They must have issued a mask, tights, and a cape when they handed these out."
Gunfire caught the man's attention. March holstered the pistol and headed back to the main element.