16th of May 1990, 14:45, Soviet expedition.
Soviet forward operating base.
"As you can see, Colonel. No effect as far as we can tell." The Chemical troop officer reported as he and many others of Orlovsky command staff observed the experiment some 50 meters from them. All wearing the proper CBRN protection gear.
Orlovsky himself paid close attention to the experiment as it was being performed. The experiment itself, was how the black murderous beast of this world would react to certain types of weapons. The test subject, one of the wolf hybrids, was restrained with a mix of tow lines and rope. As a light-yellow mist was released only a few meters away from a canister at the beast.
How they captured the beast? Simple, one of the supply URAL trucks of a convoy destined to one of the outer battalions had the beast jump in front of it and was promptly ran over. Upon inspection of any damage, they found the beast injured and pinned under the back wheels.
Orlovsky gave an order days earlier stating that if any soldier managed to capture and detain a beast alive, they would be nicely rewarded. So, the convey troops hammered spikes into its limbs, pinning it to the ground. Had the truck move off the beast and restrained it with tow cable's and rope they had on hand then threw it on a truck back to base, showcasing the beast to the colonel himself.
Orlovsky himself didn't necessarily get orders to capture one alive, but his experience with military and political battlegrounds told him the science community would bound to want one. So, it didn't hurt to think ahead, and he himself wanted to learn about this enemy of his for the foreseeable future.
One of the first questions to be asked at seeing the captured beast was how it would react to their own chemical weapons. His forces were authorized and had a stock of chemical and bioweapons at their disposal, question was, would they even work on them?
Testing it during combat was a horrible idea, Orlvsky thought. If the weapons didn't work, it would mean his own troops would've been in unnecessary danger for nothing.
So it was yet again thrown on a truck and now they found themselves about a kilometer from the FOAB to see the test for themselves.
So far, after 5 minutes after the entire canister was emptied of its contents and inspecting the aftermath of the beast getting gassed, nothing seemed different.
The Chemical officer held up his inventory sheet to read more closely, "That was a blister agent, Mustard gas to be specific."
A hum of acknowledgment was all that came from the Colonel's gas mask as he peered through his binoculars out the mask as the beast. He didn't see anything different with the beast's skin or behavior, evident by it violently trying to free itself, not even seemingly bothered by the weapon they were using on it.
He brought down his binoculars, "Does not seem to have worked, perhaps there is something else we can try." He looked towards his chemical officer, "How about a nerve agent, Captain?"
The Chemical officer simply read throughout his sheet of stocks again, "We have some Colonel, want to test them right now?" he questioned upon looking up from his paper.
Orlovsky nodded, "Why yes-"
"Colonel!" a muffled voice called out some distance beside them.
They found a soldier in full CBRN running from their parked vehicles. He came to a stop a few steps away from the group and snapped a salute.
The colonel responded with his own and both dropped them, "What is it soldier?" he questioned. Has to be important if they want to interrupt their little science project he reasoned.
The soldier waisted not one second, "Sir, headquarters just radioed us, Major Romanov has reported contact."
Orlovsky grunted in annoyance, "Yes, what's new?" every unit so far has had contact at least once a day since they got here.
The soldier to his credit didn't seem to be bothered by his superior's displeasure, "This isn't the usual sir, he's reporting his entire battalion is engaged in battle."
Orlovsky grew tense at the news, "What? By the beast?"
"Yes sir, he's asking for support."
He turned to the Chemical officer, "I can't remain for the rest, captain." He then motioned to the beast, "But continued testing with the rest and inform me of any meaningful results." He said and didn't wait or a response for he was already walking towards the vehicles to with the soldier in tow.
16th of May 1990, 15:00, US expedition.
American forward operating base.
Colonel Sawyer wasn't sure about which one he should do. Go AWOL, then go to Washington and single handedly kill every goddamn politician he could find. Or simply take the troops he had, go back to earth and call a few favors, then go to Washington and stage a coup. Then kill the politicians.
Meanwhile, a lower enlisted soldier manning a radio a few tables down the tent gave the colonel a few side glances. He paid close attention to the M9 pistol on the colonel's hip. He had been on the telephone line connecting across the archway to the states for no more then 10 minutes, and in the 10 minutes he had seen a perfectly reasonable person switch to a silent murderous volcano ready to erupt at any moment. He looked damn near ready to use that pistol, the soldier was sure he would need to run at any moment.
If that soldier eyes me one more time-
"Colonel Sawyer, are you listening to me?" the voice on the other end of the phone broke the Colonel from his inner fuming and brought him to the present conversation.
"Yes, General Morgan, I heard you." The colonel said through his teeth.
He heard a sigh on the other end, "Listen Colonel, I tried. But someone apparently gave the president a premature report on your situation. And he deemed it necessary."
"Who was it?" Someone was going to get what's coming, the colonel only needed to know who.
"Still trying to figure that one out. It seems to me one of the other two branches didn't like their stuff being sent to that world." General Morgan reasoned.
Colonel sawyer thanked whatever god there was that at least he had the General on his side.
Earlier when the Colonel received word that he had a call from high command he went straight to the line that connected to the states. The first news he received from the General was that some of his newly arrived troops, the Marines and rangers, were to be redirected elsewhere. Along with half his artillery and air power and his two reserve battalions.
To say the least, he was angry.
But the Colonel gave in with his own sigh of exasperation, "Is there a way that I can weasel what I have to stay here?"
There was a defeated chuckle, "Unless you can somehow make your situation desperate, or the Archway collapse and you become cut off. No, they have to leave."
"Goddamn it."
"I've tried to convince the president otherwise but as soon as he mentioned the report, we and some politicians threw a list at him that he could take out." The "we" being the military hit the colonel right in the heart. Betrayed again, the colonel swore.
The general continued, "I would've tried to call a few favors from our allies to convince him but….. that would be a thin line away from treason."
The colonel winced at that option; it would certainly work. Having some Norwegian, British, Korean and German generals to convince their own leaders to talk to the president would've have done more than wonders.
Only problem was, last time he checked, their allies didn't even know about the Archway. Even the Canadians, less than a hundred miles North of the Archway, didn't even know about it.
Even if America was doing the heavy lifting in fighting against their enemies, it didn't change the fact that they were tipped off about it. Then the entire operation and anyone related would have it up to their ass in FBI or CIA officials, or probably both. And he was sure the Soviets had more then a few informants all over NATO.
Didn't help that someone was probably recording all calls on this line. They would have a pretty good guess on who it was after this call.
Sawyer accepted defeat, for the moment, "Yeah we can't have that General." He reassured him.
Perhaps if he thought they were going to die, he himself could call a few oversea favors. Bring them down with him and helping his men out in the process. A sly grinned crossed the Colonels face, might even have it easy consider his name was all over the papers and the news after his men help liberate Seattle.
He could trust Webb and Parker, or hell, even Bannon to handle the operation if he were to-
"Sir!" Sawyer dropped his grin as two soldiers barged into the tent.
"Hold on General," he made sure to have the phone listen in on whatever they had to say. If they were interrupting his call with higher ups, it might be important and urgent.
He motioned to them to speak, him clearly pointing the phone in their direction.
One stepped forward giving the phone a confused glance but was not dissuaded, "Sir, our forces to our East, South, and West are requesting reinforcements. They are engaged in full force with the monsters."
That was more than urgent, "What? What do you mean in full force?"
"They are in threat of getting overwhelmed."
He ignored the two and brought the phone back up to speak into, "I'm sorry general, but I have a emergency to take care of." Despite his urgent and blank tone, he had a full-fledged grin on his face.
"No need to apologize Colonel, do what you need to do." Sawyer didn't need to hang up for Morgan did it as soon as he finished talking.
He turned to the two, "Please tell me you were exaggerating." That stunt might have brought him a little time, but, if it was as bad as they said it was, a lot of men were going to die.
The other soldier spoke up, "Afraid so sir, the Majors sounded quite distressed when they messaged us."
The colonel gave them a frown, "Then let's give them some support!" he walked forward and started pushing them out of the tent, "Let's go! We waisted enough time!"
Meanwhile the soldier manning the radio wasn't sure he should be more relieved or more terrified at the situation after what he overheard after he witness the Colonel disappear with the two out of the tent.
16th of May 1990, 15:30, US expedition.
Parkers Battalion.
Safe to say, Parker, no less his entire unit, had not participated in a engagement of this size since Seattle.
The battalion, was taking a rest stop before they received word from its recon company up ahead. It had been engaged and was falling back to them at full speed. Parker, hearing the size of the force approaching decided to ready the entire battalion for combat. If a large enough force bypassed them, they would probably weak havoc in their rear, causing them more problems. So, he decided on engaging it full force.
He had his infantry company's form a solid line stretching a little over a full kilometer. His Bradly and a APC company formed up South with his other APC company to the North flank, with his motorized infantry in the center. With his armor as a tactical reserve with him in the headquarters area with his mortars.
It was pretty thin by most standards, just enough to cover the front, but they weren't dealing with a other military. So, he reasoned it would be fine.
It soon became apparent maybe he miscalculated the situation when the recon company came speeding towards them at full speed, fending off attacks by the beast who pursued them as they did so.
Despite the small arms fire from the company's MG's, the wolf breads were jumping onto the Humvees of the company and attempted to tear into them and their occupants. One such vehicle had one jump onto its hood and smash its paw into the driver side windshield, causing the vehicle to swerve off course into a tree. Destroying it and killing the beast, having been slammed into to tree in the process.
Another one slashed at a Humvees rear tire, causing it to explode, sending the vehicle to its side. Resulting in it flipping and turning before coming to a complete stop, totaling the vehicle and its occupants.
Once in range cover fire erupted from the center line and company was able to speed past into the protection of the battalion. Not without a entire platoon worth of men was lost from the company by the time they made it to the battalion.
That wasn't the end of the losses either, despite picking off the group that was pursing the recon company. They were quickly made aware a larger force that was not far behind when the recon troops informed them of it.
They didn't wait long before a spearhead of monsters was lunched at the shield of Delta company of the center line, right where the recon company passed, which added to its defense.
First came the fast-moving breeds, the wolfs. The firing line the company set up was deadly effective at long range, the squad light machine guns of M240s and M249s spread lead of bullets towards the horde of black monsters. While platoon and company heavy machine guns mounted on top of vehicles or deployed separately like the M2 fired burst of 12.7 into the woods, scoring hits in their mist and sending slinters and shrapnel from the large caliber rounds impact to its surroundings, causing casualties onto the oncoming horde.
But this wasn't enough, despite the large volume of fire they were still at their max effective range, most of the rounds landing harmlessly short or were lost as they traveled through the forest upon striking a tree.
It wasn't until the horde reached the range of about 600 meters before it started taking serious losses. With more accurate machine gun fire and the added fire power of rifleman and their M16s did the real thinning of their ranks became noticeable.
But a serious problem became alarmingly apparent for Delta company and the other around it, the monsters kept on coming, no matter how many they picked off or torn to shreds, another one took its place in its murderous sprint towards the firing line. What was carefully aimed burst of machine gun fire soon became long streams of lead and spray into the approaching stampede.
Before the American's knew it, the enemy was within 300 meters. What was once conserving ammunition and fire power was then then thrown out the window as the enemy drew near and officers and NCOs ordered the use of grenade launchers and rockets of their heavy weapons platoons. Belts of Grenades were loaded onto the Mark 19s and AT-4s, M72 lawns, and M2 carl Gustav launchers were retrieved.
What was the cracks and pops of rifle and machine gun fire was then added onto with the thumps of grenades being launched and hitting targets and the blast of rockets being sent forward into the forest.
With the shredding of trees and absolute incineration of some of the beast a new breed showed itself. A boar type came sped past the carnage and the smoke field battlefield like a battering ram towards the American line.
So many of the boar types sprung into the battle completely by surprise due to their less dramatic sprints and low profile they weren't even noticed when they came to the front of the spear head and were within 100 meters.
The only fire they received was the shots of rifles and the occasional light machine gun hit that only a few were knocked out before the first made it directly into the line.
"Away from the Humvee!" a NCO cried out as a boar slammed into the back end of a Humvee. Sending the rifleman that was using the hood as a firing position flying and the M2 gunner slamming into the side of the turret position, likely breaking a few ribs.
Boars slammed their heads and tusk into the unfortunate soldiers not able to jump out of the way of the rampaging beast or the boars that trampled onto a machinegun position.
With a few stragglers making their way into Delta company's line, once was the concentrated fire was now periodic fire as soldiers attempted to deal with the enemy within their own ranks.
A command was yelled over the company's radio net to fix bayonets.
Parker who was listening in the entire time saw that as the last warning.
The other three Infantry companies who were engaged, but not as heavily as the center, were then ordered by Parker to fall back.
The two APC companies were ordered to diverge in the center to retrieve and cover the motorized company while the Bradly company was told to fall back to the battalion headquarters area 500 meters to the first lines rear to form a second defensive line.
After the order was given Parker issued a fire mission for his six M30 106mm mortars. They were to fire a barrage directly in front of Delta to form a wall of fire to cover and protect his units as they fell back to his position. Their high rate of fire and decent blast would be effective for the task he reasoned. He then ordered his armored company into his second line along with his anti-tank and grenade launcher platoon. And, he had hopped not use them in a ground role, but this was getting desperate, he ordered his M163s to the second line as well along with any soldier to spare that could carry a weapon. Anyone from a mechanics to a cook were ordered to take positions on the second line.
And so, as the mortar man prepped for their fire mission that would take no more than a minute before the first round was launched and troops formed up at the second line, the APC and IFV companies began embarking their infantry and equipment to either force their way to the center line or make way to the rear. Still providing some level of fire from their mounted weapons on the armored vehicles as the infantry embarked.
Just as the last man stepped foot inside his squad's vehicle, the first mortar round splashed into the incoming wave of grim beast.
The fire mission itself was to a be a quick one, but the intensity was what Parker desired. 106mm Mortars began splattering directly into the first defensive lines front like rainwater. Accuracy was largely a afterthought as long as range was maintained as the beast and the vegetation were caught in the hell fire.
Parkers motorized company embarked onto their trucks, dragging their wounded with them under cover from the APC's and mortars and sped off to the rear with the APC's following close behind them.
With the second defensive line basically being the battalion's headquarters area, Parker found it necessary to observe the second phase of the engagement for himself. He found the wall of mortar fire performed its task expectedly, it consumed the target area in splashes of dirt and fire, killing any beast that ventured into it.
But as the last of his infantry manned the second line, he found the beast to be a bit more intelligent then predicted. Instead of simply throwing themselves into the target zone of the mortars, they just ran around it.
A steady stream of wolfs, boars, and bear creatures began flowing around the target area like waves against a rock. And murderously continued on towards Parker and his men.
And alarmingly to Parker, he received word from his flanks that the intensity of the numbers of beast approaching from his right and left flank was getting larger and could threaten his flanks if they continued to do so.
His Sergeant Major who was leaning against a tree while observing the advance of the beast through in binoculars heard the news, "What do you think?!" he yelled after a Patton tank deposited its round into the fold of black beast ahead. Taking out a tree and its intended targets around it.
Parker simply spung around and latched onto Charlie with one hand who had followed him as instructed, "I think we are extremely under qualified for this!" he yelled simply over the sounds of gun and cannon fire.
Parker looked Charlie dead in the eyes but before he could say anything someone screamed out a few feet away, "Elephant!"
What? Parker let go of Charlie and gazed West into the forest of hellfire. The Mortars ceased their fire mission and allowed the flood gates to spill into the field of fire. Upon the ceaseless amounts small beast, a larger one appeared.
A giant black void of an elephant trampled its way towards them.
Parker could only take a moment to awe at the new sight before he turned to instruct anyone with a AT weapon to take it out.
But a crew of a Humvee mounted TOW beat him to it and was already aiming at the giant. The crack and swoosh signifying the launch reached Parkers ears and tracked the wire guided tank hunting projectile as it flew towards the clueless beast.
Parker swore at the last second the elephant took notice of the missile before it impacted its body under its head and above its left leg, the explosion hiding it from view a few seconds before the dying wail was heard then it toppled over dead.
"Oh, hell yeah!" the TOW operator cheered at his kill.
Parker would've smiled at the small victory if it wasn't for the appearance of two other war elephants side stepping the freshly deceased, running at flank speed towards the American's.
This was the last factor in Parkers next decision, "Charlie!" yelled out as he observed the targets over the sound of shoulder-launched rockets responding to the new threats. Out three launches only one scored a hit, all it achieved was detaching its trunk from its body.
"Right here sir!" Charlie piped up just behind him, startling Parker.
Parker jumped forwards from the unexcepted and close response "Fuck me!"
"Sorry si-"Parker stopped him dead in his tracks, "Forget that! Give me the radio!"
Despite Charlies confusion over Parker getting a jump scare from him compared to the horrors that approached, he handed his commander the Radio without missing a beat.
Parker wasted no time, "All Bravo elements prepare to withdraw! I say again we are withdrawing!"
Parker noticed Charlie's mouth out the word "oh fuck" before being unexpectedly shoved to the side by him, "Watch out sir!" he said as he raised his M16.
A boar came into Parkers view as he was shoved to the ground as it came speeding at Charlie, who he had just realized has had attached a bayonet to his weapon this whole time.
Charlie only squeezed out and scored a burst of three rounds before he tripped on a hidden branch in the snow and fell on his back as he attempted to gain a little more distance from the beast before it jumped on top of him to kill him.
Unfortunately for the boar, Charlie at the last moment pointed his weapon squarely on the beast and it impaled itself on his bayonet.
Though for Charlie that wasn't the end of his struggles as it wasn't the killing blow, and the beast wailed and squealed as it attempted to wiggle its way off the bayonet that was directly in its chest.
"Someone fucking-!" in lapse of judgment of the moment of having a killer boar on top of Charlie, Charlie forgot he wielded a rifle, not a spear. And pulled down on his weapons trigger.
Bullets imbedded themselves into the beast body, which only resulted in aggravating and increasing its effort to wedge free from its current position.
By the time he emptied his whole magazine into the monster he could've swore the bullets were going straight through it, but it wasn't enough. Charlie began fanatically thinking of anything else to do as the boar was gaining the upper hand in the struggle. Any soldiers around were either to busy trying to contain the frontal assault or dealing with their own penetrations in the line to assist.
Charlie began to consider the next few moments to be his last until the unmistakable sound a shotgun being bumped was heard.
From Charlies view, he witnessed half a shotgun appear and the barrel placed the directly next to the boar's head. And in the next moment, found half the boars head gone in an instant.
A foot then appeared and slammed into the boar's side and pushed it off of Charlie and Major parker showed himself, shotgun in hand.
"Thanks for the save Charlie!" he said as he pulled Charlie back on his feet after giving him his hand.
Charlie only recollected himself and gulped, "I live to serve, sir."
Parker went onto greater tasked and grabbed onto the radio once again and glimpsed up and down the defensive line, seeing men packing up and moving close to their vehicles. But also finding similar instances of stragglers making their way into his line and being killed off within the ranks of his man. A few men being torn to shreds by the wolfs or rammed into by some kind of monster.
"Why aren't the Vulcans firing!?" he voiced into the radio as he eyed a single M163 rotating its cannon from side to side and elevating towards the sky.
"Sir, we are detecting radar contacts approaching us from the front!"
Parker initial reaction was that it was probably air support approaching, until he realized why would it being coming from the West? Then it dawned on him.
"For the love of god," Parker begged as he peered past the trees into the open sky and spotted a group of flying objects approach.
Sergeant Major ran up beside Parker, "All the units are ready to move at your command!"
"Hand me your Bino's," Parker stated simply over the sounds of battle.
Parker received them with only a questionable look and spotted the same group again.
"Those are ours, right?" Charlie asked, quite sure he knew the answer.
Parker only response to the question and the flapping objects fast approach was to press the transmit button, "Anti-air, those are hostile contacts!"
"Say again sir!"
"Shoot them down!"
The immediate sound of a rotating cannon was heard, and the unmistakable sound of a missile being launched into the air, most likely Chaparrals further in the rear.
Parker didn't care for the results and turned towards his two colleagues', "If we don't get out of here, I half expect Godzilla to show up. We need to leave and regroup with Sawyer.
Yes, sir was the most honest response he got from the two.
16th of May 1990, 14:45, Soviet expedition.
Romanov's battalion.
"One, two, three, Lift!" a man yelled over the sounds of battle.
Two Soviet medics lifted up the stretcher which sat a comfortable soldier.
At least as comfortable as a man doused with morphine can be with a shredded leg gained from an overly large rampaging wolf.
The medic lifting from the front grunted and wheezed a little as they lifted the man and made a hurried walk towards the helicopter waiting some meters way. Which had half a squad of infantry pulling security on the embarking side, taking some pop shots towards the river which the helicopter faced about a hundred meters ahead. The Mi-8 Pilot in view in the cockpit looking mighty impatient for having to land in the middle of a hazardous landing zone, evident by him waving his arm in a "hurry the hell up!" motion.
"Damn….. this guy needs to lose weight," the front medic commented frustratedly.
The soldier which the comment was directed at did not find his savior all to pleasant, "I'm missing a leg remember." He stated simply.
The medic to the rear noticed their patient's frown, "Don't mind him, he gets pissed when he has to do this."
His only response was an exasperated exhale from the front, "This is job for those cunts up there. We're supposed to patch you up until you leave." He said, indicating at the helicopter's security team.
"Pretty sure this is also your job," their patient snarked out.
The front stretcher man mumbled, pretty sure this is your job, "well we can accidently leave you here for the wildlife." he noted loudly after under the sound of a heavy machinegun being unloaded somewhere.
The man suddenly snapped up on the stretcher. He aimed his AKM towards the river and switched to full auto and mag dumped his weapon towards a soaking wet wolf who was sprinting towards them, having just emerged from the river.
It was long dead before he finished firing.
The man started reloading, "better than being in your care," he said upon inserting a fresh mag in.
The two medics who didn't bother to stop during the incident and carried on, perhaps growing more frustrated at the sudden movement, "I knew it, we should've taken his weapon." The front man recalled.
The rear man frustrated scowl turned more positive upon noting something, "I mean," the sound a tank cannon erupted close by, eradicating a bear beast who showed itself on the other side of the river, "I mean, he did lessen the load a little."
"Shut up,"
"Shut up,"
The two other men explained.
The medic team made it to the helicopter and shoved the stretcher and the injured inside, leaving the rest to the crew inside.
The door gunner snatched onto one of the medics before he could disperse, "Tell them no more!", he yelled, attempting to overcome the sound of the rotor blades above them. "We are already past full load!"
"But there's still more wounded!"
The crewman simply shrugged, "Anymore we'll crash, we already have the armaments and them." He motioned towards the pylons with empty rocket pods attached to the helicopters side, making it a gunship. "You got to wait for the next one!"
The medics nodded and jogged away the best they could while under the force of the rotor blades.
The door gunner shut the half door and leaned back to give the co-pilot a thumbs up. "We're good," he informed the pilot to his side.
The Pilot grabbed on to the throttle and delicately increased it, "Finally," he prayed out.
The pilot didn't like being a sitting duck in that hornet's nest of a landing zone. What was a normal helicopter target of opportunity patrol soon becoming an urgent air-support mission for the ground troops. His pair of helicopters were closest and was dispatched to assist. They found the troops dug in on the side of a river fending off waves of beast attempting to cross, they soon began strafing runs with rockets and sprays of machinegun fire.
Then the request for a medical evac came in. Seeing how his chopper was the first to dispense all his rockets, it was natural he was the first to land.
But when the danger seemed to begin to dissipate as his landing wheels lifted off the ground.
"We got one incoming!" a voice yelled from the back.
Then the helicopter suddenly shifted to the side, it felt more like the back side was pushed, the pilot felt.
"We got one of those things is on the tail boom!" a other voiced called out soon after.
The pilot could only swear to his mother's grave.
His Co-pilot stared at his sided rear mirror and flashed a look at him in panic, "It's dangling from the boom!"
The wolf beast who was unnoticed until the last possible second as it sprang out of the forest down the river line saw the loudest and biggest target and most important, emotional one it could find, and beelined for it. Upon it lifting itself into the air, the beast pounced at the closest part of the machine, its rear area and latched onto it with its arms.
The security team who was gaining distance from the helicopter as it took off didn't notice the beast on the other side of the chopper as it moved upon it. And the rear gunner was occupied with assisting a medic with wounded soldier with multiple chest wounds to notice. It was only the warning of a injured soldier sitting up and looking out through the fuselage windows did he spot the incoming threat, but it was too late.
"Shoot it!" the security team leader demanded as he raised his weapon with the rest of his to shoot.
But the beast pulled itself up onto the tail and practically hugged it as the chopper continued to gain altitude. Making it too risky to damage the most venerable part of the helicopter in friendly fire.
The rear gunner, upon hearing the initial call out, manned his station but remained helpless as the beast was out of his PKM's firing arch.
But he still had view of the creature, still did as it began to crawl at and bite at the tail boom!
Upon being giving the news of the creature's activity's, the pilot considered his options.
They were already above the tree line, so by the time they landed again it would already have detached the tail from the rest of the chopper. They could simply lean out from the helicopter as it was in mid-air and attempt to shoot it, taking less time than landing. But still taking some time and risk damaging the tail rotor or the boom in the crossfire.
Or…..
In less than three seconds he found a solution…..
"Have you ever been in a death spin!"
His co-pilot face turned from one of panic to horrified, "N-No!"
He gulped, "welp, I was hoping you had because neither have I!" he grabbed onto his cyclic with a death grip and tensed his feet and legs. And slammed his left foot into his left torque peddle.
For most helicopter pilots, hell even any pilot in general, feared the death spin or spiral. Going in constant spins or circles as you and your aircraft lose altitude at a fast rate to your doom wasn't exactly a dream to most. So, when the helicopter lurched to the left and began spinning in a semi-stationary circle at a fast rate, practically at low altitude, he was a little terrified.
But he was somewhat confident he could keep the bird in the air, just keep the RPM somewhat stable and keep the Pitch and the Yaw even. Simple.
It wasn't that simple, "Yeah I need help with this!" he yelled as they both continued to be forced to the right side of the cockpit by the G-force of the spin.
The co-pilot understood and death gripped the throttle with one hand to adjust and keep the RPMs stable and attempted to assist with controlling the "controlled spin" with his other hand.
Back in the cabin in which was a mess of wounded Soviet Army personal soon became a horror ride. Any soldier sitting on the troop bench on the left side of the aircraft that wasn't strapped in soon found themselves laying on top of the wounded on stretchers on the floor. And the troops on the rights side became trapped against the fuselage and the force spinning was pushing them into it.
The wounded on stretchers that weren't being laid on, remained pretty much the same as before, having been strapped in upon getting settled in the aircraft. Perhaps getting a little nauseous from getting drugged and the ride.
The view from ground to those who noticed the spinning troop transport in the air became a horrific sight.
Sergeant Major Yurinov, who had just existed the battalion command BTR caught sight of the chopper.
"The fuck!" he searched the area around and found a RPK machine gunner and his assistant who was part of the command security in the prone observing the same thing. "Soldier what the fuck happened!?" he demanded as he walked over to the pair.
"It was attacked by one of those beast Sergeant Major, and it lost control!"
The explanation warranted a second look, and to his surprise, he found a black blur flinging from the rotor tail as it spun in a circle.
"Damn…"
Meanwhile back in the cockpit, the pilots soon realized they were losing altitude.
"Is it off yet!? I don't see it on my side!" the co-pilot voiced.
The main pilot soon realized how motion works and gazed into his own rear mirror.
He cursed the beast as he saw it sprung out from the tail as its paws and jaws were firmly placed into the tail.
He briefly considered if they should just slam the aircraft down and call it a draw as the ground troops finished if off.
Until the creature got swatted out of view.
A smile was blasted on his face, "Its off!"
In threat of being squished under the force of a flying animal coming right at him, the Sergeant Major hit the snowy forest floor and joined the machinegun crew in protecting their heads in hope it overshot them.
They proved fortunate as the beast flew clear past him and the machine gun position and slammed into the ground behind them and slid into the tires of the command BTR. Slightly rocking the vehicle with the impact.
The Sergeant Major thanked the gods and looked over his shoulder and past his prone body at the jumble mess of a beast that lay against the side of the BTR. Despite appearing to have a helicopter steal plate wedge on one of its clawed hands and a observably broken leg that pointed in the wrong direction, it remained in one piece.
Any evidence of it suffering internally was forgotten as it pushed itself off the BTR onto its now remaining three limbs and locked eyes with Yurinov.
A snarl was Yurinovs response as he eyed the RPK next to him.
He rolled over to his side, "Gimme that!" the soldier obeyed tossed the weapon at Yurinov, he swung the weapon around towards the beast that run at him with only three limbs, two and a half considering the other one was hampered with a plate of steel stuck on it. From the sitting up position, Yurinov sprayed the beast in light machinegun fire.
The fact the weapon was fired more from the waist proved negatable in accuracy as all the rounds impacted. The beast toppled face first into the snow and flipped onto its back dead halfway towards its target.
Yurniov huffed in annoyance as he tossed the weapon to the stunned machine gun crew and got to his feet.
Major Romanov head appeared out of the side of the same command BTR "Sergeant Major what was that!?" he yelled out, radio in hand and half listening to as he witnessed Yurniov push snow of himself.
"Nothing to worry about! Just finishing off a straggler!" the smile that was on his face only worried Romanov more but the sight of a helicopter completely taking off flying away with the wounded assured him somewhat. He sat back down in the BTR and asked his Rifle Company East of his position down the river how it was looking.
The captains report only made him aware of how bad of the situation he was in. Scores of beasts were warding their way across all along the river despite them shooting them. It was safe to assume the same West. Added on the intensity in which they were coming at them at the crossing was increasing, it was only a matter of time before they would be overran.
Romanov usually considered himself a somewhat competent leader, maybe a little out it his league with his recent rank achievements. Realistically captain would be a rank he'd be more suited towards. But one thing he learned while being in the Soviet Army, is that you are never fully comfortable in any position. So, he reasoned it wouldn't make much difference if high command didn't basically have him skip a rank.
But moments like this he questioned his experience when you're deciding between abandoning one of the easiest defendable positions one could defend, a river. Or face possible encirclement and destruction.
To be fair, the river was probably doing more harm than good. The beast simply dived into the river and used the water to protect themselves from the fire directed at them. Small arms couldn't do much, Heavy machineguns and auto-cannon fire could do some damage, only if they scored a hit directly. And explosions weren't exactly abundant or in large numbers either. And the pontoon bridge was fucked, when he pulled all forces back across the river the beast followed suit, resulting in the cannon and mortar firing totaling it.
So, in hindsight, his choice was obvious.
He ordered his East and West unit to close into the center and ordered his men to prepare to fall back. Once their task was given, he went out to give his Sergeant Major the news.
The same man was instructing the freshly arrived ZSU-23 Shilkas towards his recommended positions when Romanov walked up behind him.
He grabbed onto his shoulder and leaned into better converse over the sound of battle and the approaching second chopper coming to pick up the wounded. "We are preparing to withdraw! I'm going to have the Shilka's cover us as we move!"
Yurinov only nodded his head and pointed towards the direction he wanted the ZSU-23 to move towards.